Extended Shuttle Drain Check Valve for Irrigation Pressure Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Irrigation systems face issues with water draining through sprinklers and nozzles after shutting off the water supply, which can lead to temporary flooding and damage crops that do not tolerate such conditions.
Innovation Solution
A drain check valve integrated with a pressure regulator, featuring an elongated shuttle assembly that moves axially within a housing to control water flow, ensuring watertight seals and proper alignment with the valve seat and plunger.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a drain check valve is used to prevent water draining through sprinklers, then water drainage is prevented, but the device complexity increases due to integration with pressure regulator
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the drain check valve and pressure regulator into a single integrated device. The check valve assembly and pressure regulator assembly share a common housing and work together as one unit, eliminating the need for separate installations and reducing overall system complexity despite the enhanced functionality.
2Reliability
If an elongated shuttle assembly is used to maintain watertight seals, then sealing reliability is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces seals as intermediary elements between the shuttle assembly and the housing/valve seat. These seals act as mediators that compensate for minor misalignments and manufacturing tolerances, ensuring watertight sealing without requiring extremely precise manufacturing of the shuttle assembly itself.
3Reliability
If the shuttle assembly is elongated to enhance sealing, then the sealing effectiveness is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The elongated shuttle assembly is divided into distinct functional segments: a check valve portion with seals for preventing backflow, a pressure regulator portion with additional seals for maintaining pressure, and connecting elements. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized for its specific function while simplifying the overall design and manufacturing process.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The integrated drain check valve and pressure regulator effectively prevent water from draining through sprinklers and nozzles after shutting off the water supply, maintaining uniform water pressure and protecting crops from temporary flooding.
Implementation Method 1
a cylindrical carrier extending into the cylindrical liner and in sliding contact with the cylindrical liner
Data Source
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AI summary
A flow control device (10, 120, 140) including: a housing ( 1 1, 12, 14) having a flow passage including an inlet flow passage (20) and an outlet flow passage (22); a tube (30, 122, 146) in the housing and defining a tube passage (28, 126, 148) included in the flow passage; a valve seat (26) in the flow passage (20) and facing an inlet (27) to the tube; a liner (84, 152) within the housing and fixed with respect to the housing, separated from the flow passage, and including at least one slot (86, 87); and a drain check shuttle assembly (34) in the housing and configured to move relative to the housing and the tube between a first position to close a gap (32) between the valve seat and the inlet to the tube; and a second position to open the gap.