Gas Valve Unit Shoulder Area for Torque Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas valve units for gas cooking appliances require complex electrical components and struggle with moment absorption during driver engagement, leading to inefficient control of gas flow and potential mechanical instability.
Innovation Solution
A gas valve unit design featuring a shoulder area on the valve body to absorb moments, allowing for mechanical actuation without electrical components, with a driver that lifts the shut-off body using a force counter to the closing spring's force, and a control area that can be actuated manually or by an electric motor, enabling precise control of gas flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the driver engages in the actuating area to open the on/off valve, then the shut-off element is lifted from the valve seat, but a torque is generated that causes mechanical instability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary element (the driver) that mediates between the actuating mechanism and the shut-off element. The driver transfers the actuating force while being designed to engage with the actuating area in a way that distributes and controls the generated torque, preventing direct transmission of destabilizing forces to the valve body structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by designing specific engagement features in the actuating area with particular geometric properties. The actuating area includes engagement surfaces with specific orientations and the driver has corresponding engagement elements positioned to create favorable force vectors, ensuring that the torque is absorbed locally without causing overall mechanical instability.
2Ease of operation
If individual electromagnets are used to actuate each on/off valve, then precise control of gas flow is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the electrical actuation system (electromagnets) with a mechanical actuation system. A single mechanical driver actuates multiple on/off valves through a mechanical linkage mechanism, eliminating the need for individual electromagnets for each valve while maintaining precise control capability through mechanical positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements universality by designing a single driver mechanism that serves multiple functions - it can actuate multiple different on/off valves (first, second, third valves) controlling different gas flows (cooker, hood, oven). This multi-functional driver replaces what would traditionally require multiple separate actuators.
3Device complexity
If a mechanical actuation system is used instead of electrical components, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ability to absorb moments during actuation is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses moment absorption by introducing geometric dimensions and spatial arrangement into the mechanical actuation system. The driver and actuating areas are positioned in specific three-dimensional configurations that create mechanical leverage and distribution of forces, allowing the system to absorb actuation moments through geometric design rather than requiring complex electrical compensation mechanisms.
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 the vertical tilting and twisting moments, ensuring stable operation and allowing for both manual and motorized actuation, enhancing the control of gas flow and reducing the need for electrical components, thus improving the overall efficiency and reliability of the gas valve unit.
Implementation Method 1
a closing spring (6.1-6.9), which, when the on/off valve (2.1-2.9) is closed, presses the shut-off element (4) onto a valve seat
Implementation Method 2
a driver (7) which is designed to lift the shut-off element (4) from the valve seat to open the on/off valve (2.1-2.9) by means of a force exerted by the driver (7) engaging in the actuating area (5)
Data Source
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AI summary
A gas valve unit for controlling a gas throughput guided to a gas burner of a gas device includes a plurality of on-off valves. Each on-off valve includes a movable valve body with a shut-off body and an activation area, a closing spring which, when the on-off valve is closed, pushes the shut-off body onto a sealing seat and thereby closes an opening. A driver lifts the shut-off body away from the sealing seat for opening the on-off valve by a force caused by the driver when engaging into the activation area against a force of the closing spring. The valve body has a shoulder area to accept a torque arising on engagement of the driver into the activation area.