Quick-Mount Fill Valve with Radially Deformable Abutment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing filling valves for cisterns are inconvenient and time-consuming to install, requiring manual effort to position and secure the connection end both inside and outside the tank, leading to increased installation time and costs for manufacturers and sellers.
Innovation Solution
A filling valve design featuring a radially deformable external abutment that retracts and deploys to form a secure abutment against the tank's external face, combined with an axially movable internal abutment and a cam lever clamping device, allowing for faster and more convenient installation by operating the clamping mechanism from inside the tank.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional threaded connection end with collar-nut and lock nut is used, then the filling valve can be securely mounted on the tank, but the installation process becomes time-consuming and inconvenient requiring hands to be positioned both inside and outside the tank
Solution Approach 1:
The external abutment is designed to automatically deploy from a retracted position to an extended position that abuts against the external face of the tank, eliminating the need for manual positioning and tightening operations. The abutment self-secures the filling valve to the tank without requiring installer intervention for nut tightening or position adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using threaded connections that require tightening from outside the tank, the invention inverts the mounting approach by having the abutment extend from inside the tank to abut against the external face. This allows the installer to perform all operations from inside the tank, reversing the traditional outside-in mounting sequence.
2Reliability
If the connection end requires positioning and securing from both inside and outside the tank, then secure mounting is achieved, but installer discomfort and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The internal abutment and external abutment are merged into a single integrated connection end structure. The internal abutment provides positioning from inside the tank while the external abutment provides secure abutment against the external face, combining both functions into one component that eliminates the need for separate collar-nuts and lock nuts.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the threading and nut components from the connection end, replacing them with a simplified abutment structure. This removes the complex threaded body and multiple nuts, keeping only the essential abutment functions needed for secure mounting.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate components (threaded body, collar-nut, lock nut) are used, then adjustable mounting is possible, but device complexity and number of parts increase
Solution Approach 1:
The connection end is segmented into two functional abutments (internal and external) that can be independently positioned and adjusted. This segmentation allows adaptability to different tank configurations while maintaining a simpler overall structure compared to threaded connections with multiple nuts.
Solution Approach 2:
The dual abutment structure serves multiple functions: the internal abutment provides positioning and support from inside the tank, while the external abutment provides secure abutment against the external face. This multi-functional design replaces the specialized functions of threaded bodies, collar-nuts, and lock nuts with a universal abutment system.
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
Significantly reduces installation time and effort, enabling quicker and more practical mounting of the filling valve on the tank, with the adjustable cam lever accommodating different tank wall thicknesses and ensuring a secure seal through a frustoconical extension and radially deformable clips.
Implementation Method 1
the external abutment is axially integral with the connection end and is radially deformable to retract radially inside the orifice of the wall of the tank during passage from the inside to the outside of the tank, and deploy radially to form an abutment against the external face of the tank
Implementation Method 2
the internal abutment is axially movable mounted on the main body to form a vice with the external abutment, the main body comprising a clamping device of the vice, the clamping device comprising a cam lever intended to act on the internal stop to exert a clamping of the vice
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a fill valve (1) designed for mounting in a toilet tank comprising a wall having an opening (23) through which the fill valve (1) is intended to pass, and extending between an inner side (21) and an outer side (22) of the reservoir, said fill valve comprising: - a main part (10) designed to extend inside the tank and having an inner stop element (100); - a connecting end (11) designed to extend outside the tank and having an outer stop element (12), and being characterized in that the outer stop element (12) is axially secured to the connecting end (11) and is radially deformable so as to be able to retract radially inside the opening (23) in the tank wall when it moves from the inside to the outside of the tank and to expand radially so as to form a stop element against the outer side (22) of the tank, and in that the inner stop element (100) is axially movably mounted on the main part (10) to form a vice with the outer stop element (12), the main part (10) comprising a gripping device (101) of the vice.