Flush Valve Plate Sealing Without Debris-Trapping Grooves

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing flush valve plates in vacuum toilets fail to fully close due to debris accumulation in seal grooves, leading to leakage and odor issues.

Innovation Solution

A flush valve plate design with an opening aligned with the port in the open position and a spring element between inner and outer plates to ensure continuous sealing, eliminating seal grooves and debris accumulation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a conventional flush valve plate with seal grooves is used, then the valve can be manufactured with standard sealing methods, but debris accumulates in the grooves preventing full closure and causing leakage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevalve closure reliabilityVSAvoiddebris accumulation in seal grooves

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and eliminates the seal grooves from the valve plate design. By removing the grooves that trap debris, the sealing surface becomes flush with the plate, allowing waste and contaminants to be swept away during operation rather than accumulating in recessed areas, thus preventing closure failure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of using traditional groove-based sealing where the seal sits in a recessed groove, the invention inverts the approach by making the sealing surface flush or protruding. This reversal prevents debris from entering and trapping in the sealing area, solving the closure reliability problem

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Productivity

If the valve plate is designed to rotate between open and closed positions, then waste can be efficiently evacuated during flushing, but the plate cannot return to full closure due to accumulated debris

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewaste evacuation efficiencyVSAvoidvalve closure completeness

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention removes the seal grooves that act as debris traps, allowing the valve plate to maintain full rotational travel between open and closed positions without obstruction from accumulated waste materials

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The flush valve plate design allows the waste flow itself to clean the sealing surface during operation. The flush action sweeps debris away from the sealing area, enabling the valve to self-maintain its closure capability without external cleaning mechanisms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

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

Ensures proper closure and prevents leakage and odor by maintaining a seal between the plate and the port, even under varying vacuum conditions.

Implementation Method 1

The spring element may comprise a springy material e.g. a sponge material having a spring structure. Alternatively, the spring element comprises one or more springs such as one or more conical springs or a wave spring.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP4700185A1Flush valve plate

Publication Date: 2026.02.25 BE AEROSPACE INC

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AI summary

A flush valve plate (30) having an opening (32) therethrough in a first plate portion and a solid plate area (34) in a second plate portion such that in a first position, the opening can be aligned with a port (20) of a flush valve to which the valve plate is, in use, mounted and in a second position, the solid plate area is moved into alignment with the port.