Fire Suppression Valve with Cylindrical Piston and Offset Cover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing firefighting system valves are prone to leaks, require complex assembly, and must be completely replaced after activation, leading to inefficiencies and increased maintenance costs.
Innovation Solution
A one-piece valve design with a cylindrical piston and cover, featuring equidistant grooves for O-rings and a precise 0.3 mm bore, allowing for easy maintenance and reuse by unscrewing the cover, reducing potential leaks and simplifying the manufacturing process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If complex multi-component valves are used to control extinguishing agent flow, then flow control precision is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to multiple potential leak points
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple valve components (body, piston, seals, spring, bore) into a single integrated valve body structure. This eliminates the need for separate components that would require assembly and multiple sealing interfaces, thereby maintaining precise flow control through the integrated piston and bore design while significantly improving reliability by eliminating potential leak points at component interfaces.
2Ease of manufacture
If valves are designed as two separate bodies screwed and glued together, then ease of manufacture is improved, but ease of repair deteriorates as the valve cannot be opened after assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the valve into a main valve body and a removable cover that can be unscrewed. This allows the valve body to be manufactured as a single integrated piece (maintaining manufacturing ease), while the cover provides access to internal components for maintenance and refilling operations, thereby improving ease of repair without compromising manufacturing simplicity.
3Reliability
If check valves are added to prevent extinguishing agent ingress, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the sealing function directly into the piston design with O-rings positioned in grooves on the piston body, eliminating the need for separate check valves. The piston itself acts as the sealing element, combining the flow control and sealing functions in a single component, thereby maintaining sealing reliability while reducing device complexity.
4Reliability
If a larger bore (0.5 mm) is used to prevent agent ingress, then reliability is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates as precise throttling cannot be provided
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements different bore sizes at different locations within the valve body. The main bore is precisely controlled at 0.3 mm for accurate throttling of the extinguishing agent flow, while the connection bores are larger (0.5 mm) to prevent agent ingress and allow for manufacturing tolerances. This local differentiation of bore sizes allows the system to achieve both precise flow control and reliable sealing without compromise.
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 design enhances system reliability, reduces maintenance work, and enables refilling of pressure vessels without disassembly, providing cost savings and improved operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The piston (13) is axially movable in the longitudinal bore (6) along the longitudinal axis between a first and a second end position and, in its first end position, rests on a circumferential edge (8) formed by the connection end (5)
Implementation Method 2
The piston (13) has an end close to the cover and an end close to the connection end, in particular far from the cover, and each end comprises a circumferential groove for receiving a sealing means that can be brought into operative contact with an inner circumferential surface of the valve body
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
An automatic valve (1) for fire-fighting and fire-suppression systems comprises a valve body (2), a cylindrical piston (13), and a cover (4). The valve body (2) has a central longitudinal bore (6) extending along its longitudinal axis, into which connection bores (7) extending transversely to the longitudinal axis open. The valve body (2) further has a connection end (5) for reversible connection to a pressure vessel and a cover end (3) opposite the connection end (5) for reversible connection to the cover (4), wherein the cover (4) has a bore (10) with an internal thread arranged offset to the longitudinal axis of the valve body (2). The connection end (5) has an inner diameter that is smaller than an inner diameter of the longitudinal bore (6) of the valve body (2).The piston (13) is movable axially along the longitudinal axis in the longitudinal bore (6) of the valve body (2) between a first and a second end position, wherein in its first end position it rests on a circumferential edge (8) formed by the connection end (5). The piston (13) has an end near the cover and an end near the connection end, each end comprising a circumferential groove (15) for receiving a sealing means that can be brought into operative contact with an inner circumferential surface of the valve body (2).