Gas Shut-Off Valve With Inertial Trigger and Easy Manual Reset
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shut-off valves for motor homes and caravans require complex structures and high manufacturing costs due to the need for both anti-tilt and impact protection, making them difficult to install and maintain, and require significant force to manually reset after triggering.
Innovation Solution
A shut-off valve design where the closing force is generated by gas pressure, with a spring assisting in closing the valve when acceleration or tilt thresholds are exceeded, allowing the valve to remain closed permanently unless manually reset, using a lightweight inertial body and seals to ensure reliable sealing and easy manual reset.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a spring is used to force the valve disc into the closed position when acceleration or tilt thresholds are exceeded, then the valve closes reliably, but a relatively large force is required to open the valve manually
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heavy inertial body from the valve stem assembly and places it in a separate switching chamber. This separation allows the inertial body to trigger valve closure through a lightweight connection mechanism, while the valve stem itself remains lightweight and easy to operate manually for resetting.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a lightweight inertial body in a switching chamber as an intermediary between the acceleration/tilt detection system and the valve disc. This intermediary triggers the closing action through a mechanical linkage without requiring the valve stem to directly support heavy inertial forces, thus reducing manual reset force while maintaining reliable closure.
2Reliability
If both anti-tilt and impact protection functions are integrated into a single valve, then comprehensive safety is achieved, but the structure becomes complex and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a universal valve system where a single valve disc and valve body perform both anti-tilt and impact protection functions. The inertial body in the switching chamber detects both tilt angles and acceleration events, triggering the same valve closure mechanism, thus achieving comprehensive safety with a unified simple structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the anti-tilt and impact protection functions into a single integrated valve assembly. The switching chamber contains an inertial body that responds to both tilt and acceleration, and a single valve disc controls gas flow closure for both safety conditions, eliminating the need for separate valve mechanisms.
3Ease of operation
If the valve is designed to reset automatically when the tilt angle is undershot, then convenience is improved, but the valve may not remain reliably closed after activation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a dynamic valve system where the valve disc can be held in either open or closed position depending on the state of the inertial body. When gas pressure is present, it overcomes the spring force and holds the valve closed permanently, preventing automatic reset even if the tilt angle is corrected, thus ensuring safety persistence.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameter of the valve from temporary to permanent closure by utilizing gas pressure as a holding force. Once the valve closes due to tilt or acceleration, the gas pressure differential maintains the closed state indefinitely, requiring manual intervention to reset, thus ensuring reliable persistence of the safety function.
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 simplifies the structure, reduces manufacturing costs, and facilitates easier installation and maintenance by allowing the valve to remain closed after triggering, with minimal force required for manual reset, ensuring safe and reliable operation under various conditions.
Implementation Method 1
an inertial body provided in the switching chamber holds the valve disc in the open position against a restoring force of the spring
Implementation Method 2
a valve disc pre-tensioned by means of a spring is arranged opposite a valve seat... forcing the valve disc into the closed state
Implementation Method 3
the weight force is less than a closing force caused by a gas pressure which acts on the valve disc in the closed position
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The present invention relates to a piping system (22) having a connection (23) for a gas cylinder, a shut-off valve (20) arranged directly at the connection (23) and/or upstream of a pressure reducer (26) provided in the piping system for interrupting a gas flow when a predetermined acceleration and/or a predetermined tilting angle is exceeded.