Gas Regulating Valve Gasket Structure for Low-Force Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas cooking appliance regulating valves face challenges in ensuring effective sealing without increasing complexity and cost, often requiring stronger springs and larger gasket surfaces to maintain sealing pressure, especially when the valve is in the closed position.
Innovation Solution
The regulating valve design features a rotating disc supported by a gasket with protuberances and attachment arms, reducing the support surface area and allowing increased pressure with a weaker spring, eliminating the need for additional tensioning discs and minimizing friction and abrasion, thus ensuring sealing in any rotation position with reduced costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the gasket occupies the entire contact surface of the housing to support the rotating disc, then sealing is improved, but the spring strength and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The gasket is segmented into a closure member surrounding the outlet hole and attachment arms with protuberances, rather than occupying the entire contact surface. This segmentation allows the rotating disc to be supported at specific discrete points (protuberances) while maintaining sealing effectiveness at the closure member, reducing the overall gasket surface area and spring strength requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The gasket structure concentrates support and sealing functions at specific locations: the closure member provides sealing at the outlet hole while attachment arms with protuberances provide localized support points for the rotating disc. This local quality approach eliminates the need for full-surface gasket coverage, reducing material usage and spring strength requirements while maintaining sealing reliability.
2Reliability
If a stronger spring is used to maintain sealing pressure on the entire gasket surface, then sealing is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The spring only needs to provide force at the attachment arms with protuberances rather than distributing pressure across an entire large gasket surface. This segmentation of the support function allows a weaker, smaller spring to achieve the same sealing pressure effect by concentrating force at the discrete protuberance contact points.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the gasket support structure by replacing a large continuous support surface with discrete protuberances. This parameter change (from continuous to discrete support) allows reduction in spring force requirements while maintaining adequate sealing pressure at the critical closure member location.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the rotating disc contacts the entire gasket surface, then stability is improved, but friction and abrasion increase
Solution Approach 1:
The contact interface between the rotating disc and gasket is segmented from a continuous large surface to discrete protuberance points. This segmentation maintains rotational stability through multiple contact points while dramatically reducing the total contact area, thereby minimizing friction and abrasion between the rotating disc and gasket surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment arms with protuberances act as flexible elements that can adapt to the rotating disc position while maintaining contact. This flexible support structure provides stability through geometric constraint rather than large surface contact, reducing friction and wear.
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
This design enhances sealing efficiency and longevity by maintaining equilibrium and minimizing contact surface area, allowing for effective gas regulation with lower spring strength and reduced gasket size, resulting in a more cost-effective and durable valve.
Implementation Method 1
a spring which pushes the rotating disc and retains it axially at one end against the contact surface
Implementation Method 2
The rotating disc is supported by the gasket with protuberances and attachment arms, reducing the support surface area and allowing increased pressure with a weaker spring
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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Figure 6~8
AI summary
A regulating valve with at least one gas outlet conduit (12) and a housing (13) comprising at least one outlet hole (15) fluidically communicated with the outlet conduit (12); a rotating disc (20) arranged in the housing (13); a spring (50) axially retaining the rotating disc (20) in the housing (13); and sealing means surrounding the at least one outlet hole (15). The sealing means comprise a gasket (60) comprising a closure member (70) associated with each outlet hole (15), surrounding same, and at least one attachment arm (80) attached to the at least one closure member (70), comprising at least one protuberance (81), with the rotating disc (20) being supported on the closure members (70) and on the protuberances (81) when it presses on the gasket (60).