Flapper Servo Valve Assembly With Press-Fit Core and Integrated Nozzles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flapper type servo valves are complex, expensive, and time-intensive to manufacture, requiring precise air gaps and brazed connections, leading to a bulky envelope and high production costs.
Innovation Solution
The servo valve design incorporates a flapper assembly with a press-fit mechanism, eliminating the need for brazed connections and precise air gaps, and integrates nozzles directly into the valve body, allowing for sliding movement instead of rotational motion, and simplifies calibration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional flapper type servo valves use brazed connections and precise air gaps, then assembly precision and reliability are improved, but manufacturing complexity and production cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flapper assembly is merged with the drive core by press-fitting the flapper directly into the drive core, eliminating separate brazed connections. The nozzle is merged with the valve body by integrating it as a single component, eliminating separate assembly steps and brazing operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The complex brazing process and precise air gap requirements are extracted/eliminated from the manufacturing process. The design takes out the need for specialized brazing operations and ultra-precise gap control by using press-fit connections instead.
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional flapper type servo valves use rotational motion with precise air gaps, then valve accuracy is improved, but manufacturing time and production cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using rotational motion with precise air gaps, the invention inverts the approach by using sliding/linear motion where the flapper moves axially within the nozzle. This reverses the conventional mechanism while achieving the same flow control function with simpler manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The design accepts slightly different wear characteristics of sliding components compared to rotational components, using simpler, more easily replaceable parts that reduce manufacturing complexity and time.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional flapper type servo valves use separate nozzle components, then assembly flexibility is improved, but device envelope and production cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle is merged with the valve body into a single integrated component. This eliminates the need for separate nozzle assembly and reduces the overall valve envelope volume while maintaining all necessary flow control functions.
4Strength
If conventional flapper type servo valves use brazed connections, then joint strength is improved, but manufacturing complexity and production time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The brazing process (thermal/chemical joining) is replaced with a mechanical press-fit connection. This substitution eliminates the need for brazing equipment, reduces production time, and simplifies the manufacturing process while maintaining sufficient joint strength for the application.
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 design reduces manufacturing complexity and cost, while maintaining accuracy and reliability, resulting in a smaller and lighter servo valve assembly.
Implementation Method 1
a magnetic coil, a core configured to move axially with respect to the coil when the coil is powered by a current dependent on the control signal
Implementation Method 2
obtain pressurised fluid from a high pressure source which is transmitted through the valve from which the fluid is output as a control fluid
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3D
AI summary
A servo valve comprising: a fluid transfer valve assembly comprising a valve body having a supply port (110) and a control port (C1); the valve body (201) comprising first and second nozzles (21A, 21B) and a drive member (500) therebetween, arranged to regulate flow of fluid from the supply port (110) to the control port in response to a control signal; and a drive assembly (1000) comprising a magnetic coil (700) and a core (600) passing through the coil (700) and configured to move axially with respect to the coil when the coil is powered by a current dependent on the control signal, the drive assembly arranged to move the drive member (500) relative to the first and second nozzles (22A, 22B) in response to the control signal, wherein the drive member comprises an elongate flapper member (500) having a first end (501) located between the first nozzle (22A) and the second nozzle (22B) and a second end (502) received in the core (600) of the drive assembly, such that axial movement of the core causes side-to-side movement of the end of the drive member between the nozzles (22A, 22B) such as to vary the spacing (A, B) between the end (501) and at least one of the nozzles as the end moves relative to the first and second nozzles.