Failsafe Valve Housing With Adapter Through-Hole Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional valve devices with fail-safe mechanisms face challenges in mass production due to limited design flexibility and low production efficiency, particularly in processing through-holes, which complicates the molding process and requires secondary processing.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates an adapter with a through-hole that simplifies the valve element housing structure, includes a seal retention member with an enlarged diameter portion to maintain a proper seal, and features a prevention space to prevent sink marks, allowing for uniform surface pressure and improved rigidity, while reducing the number of parts and assembly steps by integrating the adapter and cap with the valve element housing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a through-hole is provided in the valve element housing to communicate with the element housing, then the fail-safe mechanism can function, but the molding process becomes complex and requires secondary processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the housing into two separate parts: the valve element housing and the element housing. The through-hole is provided in the element housing instead of the valve element housing, allowing each component to be molded separately with standard processes, then assembled together. This segmentation eliminates the need for complex secondary processing while maintaining the fail-safe communication function.
2Productivity
If the adapter structure is simplified by moving the through-hole to the element housing, then production efficiency improves, but the valve element housing structure becomes less integrated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the adapter and cap into a single integrated component that is directly attached to the valve element housing. This merging compensates for the distributed through-hole location by creating a unified sealing and connection structure. The integrated adapter-cap assembly maintains structural coherence and simplifies assembly, offsetting the complexity introduced by relocating the through-hole to the element housing.
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
This configuration enhances production efficiency, maintains a proper seal, and ensures the valve device's rigidity, even with a through-hole, by preventing uneven pressure on the seal retention member and simplifying the structure, thus overcoming the limitations of conventional designs.
Implementation Method 1
a biasing portion that biases the closing member toward the thermo-element
Implementation Method 2
the adapter is made of plastic and includes an enlarged diameter portion to hold down the seal retention member... enabling a proper seal to be maintained between the valve element and the seal retention member
Data Source
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AI summary
Problem To provide a valve device with fail-safe mechanism capable of improved production efficiency. Solution A valve device includes a valve element (5), a valve element housing (3), a third communication port (A3) provided in the valve element housing (3), and a fail-safe mechanism (20). The fail-safe mechanism (20) includes a thermo-element (21) and an element housing (24) that houses the thermo-element (21). The element housing (24) has a large-diameter housing portion (24a), a small-diameter housing portion (24b) that accommodates the thermo-element (21), and a step (24c). A valve element communicating portion (24e) communicating with the valve element housing (3) is provided to the small-diameter housing portion (24b). The fail-safe mechanism (20) includes a valve plate member (22) for closing the step (24e) and a coil spring (23) that biases the valve plate member (22). A third adapter (A3) provided to the third communication port (E3) is provided with a through-hole (26) that enables the large-diameter housing portion (24a) and the third communication port (E3) to communicate with each other.