Hydraulic Control Venting Chamber for Dust-Resistant Pressure Equalization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing motor vehicle hydraulic control systems face issues with impurities entering through vent holes in dusty or humid environments, leading to potential damage, leaks, or oxidation due to the limited size of these holes, which can clog easily and fail to adequately ventilate the interior volume.

Innovation Solution

A hydraulic control device with an intermediate chamber that includes a pipe system with an upper air passage from the interior volume to the outside and a lower air passage, designed to trap impurities and humidity, preventing them from entering the control rod's interior volume, and featuring grooves on the body's exterior contour to facilitate airflow while filtering out impurities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If vent holes are made larger to improve airflow and prevent overpressure/depression in the interior volume, then ventilation efficiency is improved, but impurities such as dust and moisture can enter more easily through the larger openings

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveventilation efficiencyVSAvoidimpurity ingress
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The venting function is segmented into two separate passages: a upper passage with limited dimensions that prevents impurity ingress, and a lower passage with larger dimensions that ensures adequate ventilation. This segmentation allows each passage to specialize in one function, resolving the contradiction between ventilation efficiency and impurity protection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The intermediate chamber acts as an intermediary between the exterior environment and the interior volume. It receives airflow from the lower passage, allows impurities to settle, and then provides cleaned air to the interior volume through the upper passage, mediating the conflict between ventilation and contamination prevention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If micro-leakage ducts with very small cross-sections are used to prevent impurity entry, then impurity protection is improved, but these ducts clog easily in greasy or humid atmospheres where dust accumulates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimpurity protectionVSAvoidclogging resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The ventilation system is segmented into two passages with different functions: the lower passage handles high-volume airflow with larger dimensions resistant to clogging, while the upper passage with smaller dimensions provides filtered ventilation to the interior volume, preventing impurity ingress.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The solution adds a spatial dimension by introducing an intermediate chamber between the exterior and interior volume. This creates a two-stage ventilation path that separates theç²— filtration (lower passage) from fine filtration (upper passage), solving the clogging problem through dimensional separation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Device complexity

If the interior volume is kept substantially constant to simplify sealing, then sealing complexity is reduced, but overpressures or depressions still occur due to atmospheric pressure or temperature variations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing complexityVSAvoidinternal pressure stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The pressure equalization function is extracted from the main sealing system by providing dedicated vent passages that connect the interior volume to the exterior atmosphere. This allows the sealing system to maintain its simplicity while the extracted ventilation function handles pressure variations independently.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 solution effectively prevents the introduction of impurities and moisture into the control system, maintaining a clean and dry environment by using the intermediate chamber as an airlock and ensuring sufficient ventilation without clogging, thus protecting the hydraulic components from damage.

Implementation Method 1

the intermediate chamber constitutes a plenum that can possibly receive impurities such as dust or humidity entering through the lower passage located in the lower part, which then settle inside this chamber and rise with difficulty to its upper part

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSedimentation: Sedimentation

Implementation Method 2

vent holes are placed towards this internal volume to prevent underpressure or overpressure during the movements of the rod

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure gradient: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentEP3635272B1Motor vehicle equipped with a hydraulic control device comprising a control
Publication Date: 2024.06.26 STELLANTIS AUTO SAS
  • EP3635272B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3635272B1 patent drawingFigure 3~6
  • EP3635272B1 patent drawingFigure 7~9

AI summary

The invention relates to a control for a motor vehicle, comprising a control rod emanating from a body (2) of this control while sliding axially, a sealed device (20) fixed, on the one hand, to the body (2) and, on the other hand, to the rod while closing an interior volume (42) of this control, and a duct (34) opening into the interior volume (42) allowing a passage of air from this interior volume (42) to the exterior of the control, this control being noteworthy in that it comprises an intermediate chamber (30), the duct (34) forming an upper air passage for air to pass from the interior volume (42) to a top part of this intermediate chamber (30), and in that the intermediate chamber (30) has a lower air passage (36) for air to pass to the exterior, which passage is arranged in a bottom part of this chamber (30).