Hydraulic Pilot Valve Emergency Actuation Tool Integration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Hydraulic control systems for marine gear transmissions face the challenge of preventing unconscious manual emergency actuation during power failures, which can lead to unintended operation.

Innovation Solution

A hydraulic control system with an electrically actuated pilot valve featuring a tool-activated emergency actuation device that requires a specific tool for operation, ensuring conscious manual intervention by securing the tool in a designated location within the controller's housing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a manual mechanical emergency actuation device is provided for the pilot valve, then the transmission can be controlled during power failure, but the risk of unconscious unintentional actuation increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveemergency control capabilityVSAvoidunintentional actuation risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A tool is introduced as an intermediary between the operator and the emergency actuation device. The tool must be deliberately selected and used to activate the actuating screw, preventing accidental activation while ensuring emergency functionality remains available when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If a tool is required to actuate the emergency device, then unintentional actuation is prevented, but the ease of operation during emergency reduces

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveunintentional actuation preventionVSAvoidemergency actuation speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The tool is pre-positioned in the housing adjacent to the pilot valve, so that during an emergency the operator can immediately access and use it without searching or additional preparation steps, maintaining rapid response capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The tool and its storage location are combined into a single integrated unit within the housing. The tool is releasably mounted in a threaded hole in the housing, allowing quick removal while preventing loss or misplacement during normal operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of operation

If the tool is stored in the housing, then quick access during emergency is enabled, but the tool may become loose or lost due to vibrations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetool accessibilityVSAvoidtool retention

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

A purely mechanical threaded connection is replaced with a threaded connection enhanced by a locking mechanism (such as a lock washer or nyloc nut) that provides vibration resistance while allowing deliberate tool removal when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP2181920B1Hydraulic control for a ship transmission

Publication Date: 2018.04.04 ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG

Figure 1~2
Figure 3

AI summary

The hydraulic controller (1) has an electrically operated pilot valve (3), which has an emergency actuation device (6) for manual operation of the pilot valve. The emergency actuation device is operated by a tool (7). An operating screw is provided as the emergency actuation device at the pilot valve.