Hydraulic Pump Multifunction Valve for Thermal Bypass and Overpressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hydraulic pumps are cumbersome and complex due to the presence of separate thermal bypass, overpressure, and check valves, which complicates their design and increases costs.
Innovation Solution
A multifunction valve integrating the functionalities of thermal bypass, overpressure, and check valves into a single component, utilizing a metal or technopolymer valve body with a movable shutter element and actuator member, including a shape memory alloy spring for temperature and pressure control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate thermal bypass valve, overpressure valve, and check valve are used in the hydraulic pump, then each valve can perform its specific function reliably, but the pump becomes cumbersome and complex with increased design complexity and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines three separate valve functions (thermal bypass valve, overpressure valve, and check valve) into a single integrated multifunction valve assembly. This merging reduces the number of separate components, simplifies the pump structure, and lowers design complexity while maintaining the reliability of each individual valve function through dedicated actuator devices within the integrated assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The multifunction valve assembly is designed to perform multiple valve functions simultaneously within a single component. The assembly includes a thermal bypass function, an overpressure protection function, and a check valve function, allowing one universal component to replace three separate specialized valves, thereby reducing overall system complexity.
2Reliability
If three separate valves are installed in the hydraulic pump, then comprehensive protection against overtemperature and overpressure is achieved, but the number of components increases leading to higher costs
Solution Approach 1:
By merging three separate valve components into a single multifunction valve assembly, the patent reduces the total number of parts that need to be manufactured, assembled, and inventoried. This consolidation lowers manufacturing costs while maintaining comprehensive protection capabilities against overtemperature and overpressure conditions through the integrated thermal bypass, overpressure, and check valve functions.
3Manufacturing precision
If independent valves are used for thermal bypass and overpressure control, then precise temperature and pressure control is achieved, but the valve system becomes more complex with separate components
Solution Approach 1:
The multifunction valve assembly provides precise temperature control through the thermal bypass valve function and precise pressure control through the overpressure valve function, all within a single integrated component. This multi-functional design maintains the manufacturing precision required for both thermal and pressure control while reducing valve system complexity by eliminating the need for separate independent valve assemblies.
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 multifunction valve simplifies the hydraulic pump design, reduces costs, and effectively protects internal and external components from overtemperatures and overpressures, while reducing power consumption and material costs by integrating three valve functions into one component.
Implementation Method 1
The actuator member (28) consists of a shape memory alloy spring
Data Source
AI summary
A hydraulic pump is described, comprising at least one inlet duct for a fluid, at least one outlet duct for the fluid and at least one pumping unit interposed between the inlet and outlet ducts. At least one multifunction valve is interposed between the inlet duct, upstream of the pumping unit, and the outlet duct, downstream of the pumping unit, which valve is configured to divert the flow of fluid from the inlet duct to the outlet duct without the fluid flowing into the pumping unit. The multifunction valve comprises a valve body that defines an inner bypass channel in which a shutter element is axially movable, an actuator member operatively associated with the shutter element and configured to move it from a closing position to an opening position of the bypass channel, and an elastic contrast element operatively associated with the shutter element and configured to keep it in the first closing position of the bypass channel when such shutter element is not actuated by the actuator member. The actuator member consists of a bias spring manufactured with a shape memory alloy, configured to move the shutter element from the first closing position to the second opening position of the bypass channel when a predefined temperature value is reached.