Fluid Control Valve Diaphragm Structure for Large Stroke
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fluid control valves face challenges in achieving large diameters and outputs with low repulsiveness, as they require increased movable strokes without raising actuator output, leading to manufacturing costs and quality control issues due to the need for precise machining and high defect probabilities.
Innovation Solution
A fluid control valve with a diaphragm structure featuring a tubular protruding part and a brim part that spreads outward, allowing orthogonal pressure and force application, enabling large deformation without excessive force, and formed from thin metal plates to minimize defects and costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If the thin film part is made thinner to lower repulsiveness, then the repulsiveness is reduced, but manufacturing cost increases due to highly accurate cutting requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a thin film part made by drawing process rather than machining, allowing the film to be made thinner to reduce repulsiveness while avoiding the high manufacturing costs associated with precise machining of thin materials. The drawing process inherently produces thin-walled structures without requiring post-machining operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the manufacturing method parameter from machining to drawing process, and also optimizes the wall thickness parameter within a specific range (0.03-0.1 times the inner diameter) to achieve the desired low repulsiveness while maintaining manufacturability through the drawing process.
2Force
If the thin film part is made thinner to lower repulsiveness, then the repulsiveness is reduced, but the probability of defects such as cavities increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a drawing process to form the thin film part, which inherently produces more uniform and defect-free thin-walled structures compared to machining methods. The drawing process creates consistent wall thickness and eliminates cavities that would form during machining of thin materials.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the manufacturing method from machining to drawing, the patent achieves thin wall thickness (0.03-0.1 times inner diameter) without the defect problems associated with machining thin materials. The drawing process parameters are optimized to prevent cavity formation during manufacturing.
3Length of moving object
If the area of the thin film part is increased to increase bending deformation, then the deformation amount increases, but the force compensation from fluid pressure also increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a thin-walled tubular structure formed by drawing, which provides high flexibility and large bending deformation capability. The thin walls (0.03-0.1 times inner diameter) allow the structure to deform easily under actuator force while maintaining a compact overall area, thus avoiding significant fluid pressure compensation.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of increasing the planar area of the thin film to increase deformation, the patent utilizes the axial dimension by creating a tubular protruding structure that can bend axially. This dimensional approach allows large deformation stroke without proportionally increasing the area exposed to fluid pressure.
4Manufacturing precision
If conventional machining is used to form the thin film part, then manufacturing precision can be achieved, but quality control cost increases due to strict inspection requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adopts a drawing process to form the thin film part, which inherently produces consistent wall thickness and uniform structures without the variability introduced by machining operations. This eliminates the need for strict post-manufacturing inspection, reducing quality control costs while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the manufacturing method from machining to drawing, the patent achieves the required precision through the drawing process itself, which produces consistent dimensional parameters (wall thickness, diameter) without requiring subsequent inspection and rework cycles.
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 solution allows for a larger stroke and output while reducing manufacturing and inspection costs, with a lower likelihood of defects, by efficiently using actuator force and preventing pressure compensation, thus enhancing the fluid control valve's performance and responsiveness.
Implementation Method 1
the protruding part can be largely deformed in the axial direction even with a small force
Implementation Method 2
pressure received from fluid present on a side where the pin is protruded, i.e., in a direction normal to the thin film part
Data Source
AI summary
In order to make it possible to increase a diameter and output thereof, a diaphragm structure is provided that has low repulsiveness, can be largely deformed to increase a stroke even without being applied with a large force from an actuator, and is unlikely to give rise to a defect or fault even when formed thin, and a fluid control valve is provided with the diaphragm structure and the actuator that presses the diaphragm structure, wherein the diaphragm structure is provided with: a protruding part that is formed in a tubular shape and pressed by the actuator; a brim part that spreads from a base end of the protruding part outward with respect to the protruding part; and a support part that is formed on an outer circumference of the brim part and attached to another member, and the brim part is formed in a film shape.