Gas Valve Resilient Elastomeric Seat Leakage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas valves often experience leakage due to porous areas at or near sealing surfaces, which can be undesirable in gas-fed appliances, and there is a need for improved sealing mechanisms to reduce such leaks.
Innovation Solution
A gas valve design featuring a valve body with grooves to accommodate elastomeric seats, which increase the sealing surface area and can be formed in various materials, allowing for improved sealing and potential replacement of the seats to address leakage issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a groove is provided in the valve cavity wall to accept an elastomeric seat, then the sealing surface area between the valve body and the elastomeric seat is increased, but the device complexity is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The valve seat is segmented into two distinct components: a groove formed in the valve cavity wall and a separate elastomeric seat component. This segmentation allows the elastomeric seat to be independently installed, removed, and replaced, while the groove provides the structural mounting feature. The separation enables improved sealing without requiring complex integrated designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastomeric seat acts as an intermediary component between the valve body groove and the valve member sealing surface. This intermediate element provides the actual sealing function, allowing the groove design to improve sealing performance without directly complicating the valve body structure itself.
2Ease of repair
If the elastomeric seat is made replaceable, then the ease of repair is improved, but the device complexity is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The elastomeric seat is designed as a separate, removable component from the valve body, allowing it to be independently replaced without replacing the entire valve assembly. This segmentation enables easy maintenance while keeping the overall valve structure relatively simple through standardized mounting grooves.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastomeric seat is designed as a consumable component that can be removed and replaced when worn or damaged, while the valve body and groove structure are retained and reused. This approach improves repairability by allowing selective replacement of only the wear-prone elastomeric component.
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 design reduces leakage by increasing the sealing surface area between the valve body and elastomeric seats, providing a more reliable seal even in applications where reduced leakage is not required, and allows for easy replacement of elastomeric seats for maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
a resilient elastomeric seat may be secured within each of the one or more grooves. The elastomeric seats may extend radially from the one or more grooves and at least partially into the valve cavity
Data Source
AI summary
A gas valve having a valve member disposed within a valve cavity, and an elastomeric valve seat extending from a valve cavity wall into the valve cavity. The valve member is movable between an open position in which the valve member does not engage the resilient valve seat thereby permitting gas to flow through the gas valve, and a closed position in which the valve member does engage the resilient valve seat thereby preventing gas to flow through the gas valve. In some embodiments, the elastomeric valve seat extends radially into the valve cavity from a groove formed in the valve cavity wall.