Fluid Valve Seal Assembly Using Elastic Intermediary Spacing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sealing arrangements for fluid valves, particularly those with adjustable or rotatable valve bodies, face challenges in achieving a reliable and durable seal due to tolerances and mechanical stresses, leading to potential leaks and reduced performance.
Innovation Solution
A sealing arrangement featuring a first and second separately formed sealing element, along with an elastically deformable intermediate piece with specific convex and concave radial surfaces, which provides both axial compression and bending capabilities to enhance the sealing effect and compensate for tolerances, using materials like PTFE and EPDM for improved friction and production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single sealing element is used between valve housing and valve body, then the device complexity is reduced, but the sealing reliability deteriorates due to inability to compensate for tolerances and mechanical stresses
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing structure is divided into multiple separate sealing elements (first sealing element against valve housing, second sealing element against valve body) with an intermediate piece between them. This segmentation allows each sealing element to independently contact its respective surface, compensating for tolerances and mechanical stresses to improve sealing reliability without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
An elastically deformable intermediate piece is introduced between the first and second sealing elements. This intermediary component can deform elastically to accommodate tolerance variations and mechanical stresses, maintaining reliable sealing contact while managing the complexity of having multiple sealing elements.
2Manufacturing precision
If rigid sealing elements are used, then the manufacturing precision requirements are reduced, but the sealing effect deteriorates due to inability to compensate for tolerances
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate piece is designed with elastic deformability, changing its mechanical parameters from rigid to flexible. This allows the intermediate piece to deform and adapt to tolerance variations in the valve housing and valve body, improving the sealing effect without requiring extremely tight manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediate piece is made elastically deformable, acting as a flexible element between the two sealing elements. This flexibility enables the structure to compensate for manufacturing tolerances and maintain reliable sealing contact under varying mechanical conditions.
3Reliability
If multiple separate sealing elements are used, then the sealing reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The first sealing element, intermediate piece, and second sealing element are combined into an integrated sealing arrangement that functions as a unified system. While multiple components are used, they work together synergistically to improve sealing reliability without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediate piece serves multiple functions: it spaces the sealing elements apart axially, provides elastic deformation to compensate for tolerances, and transmits mechanical forces between the sealing elements. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, managing the complexity while maintaining high sealing reliability.
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 effectively improves the sealing efficiency, rigidity, and assembly of the fluid valve, ensuring a reliable seal and enhanced performance by compensating for mechanical tolerances and stresses, particularly in rotatable valve applications.
Implementation Method 1
a separately formed, elastically deformable intermediate piece, which is arranged in an axial direction between a first wall of the first sealing element facing the second sealing element and a second wall of the second sealing element facing the first sealing element and elastically spaces the two sealing elements apart
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A sealing arrangement for a fluid valve is proposed, comprising: a first, separate sealing element (10) for sealing against a valve housing (100) of the fluid valve, a second, separate sealing element (20) for sealing against an adjustable, in particular rotatable, valve body (200) of the fluid valve, and a separate, elastically deformable intermediate piece (30), which is arranged in an axial direction between a first wall (12) of the first sealing element (10) facing the second sealing element (20) and a second wall (21) of the second sealing element (20) facing the first sealing element (10) for elastic spacing of the two sealing elements (10, 20), wherein in at least one axial section of the intermediate piece (30) an axial cross-section of the intermediate piece (30) has a first radial surface (31) and an opposing second radial surface (32),wherein this first radial lateral surface (31) is convex and this second radial lateral surface (32) is concave, planar or less convex than the first radial lateral surface.