Inner-Space-Sectioned Tube Design for Multi-Channel Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing manufacturing methods for tubes with multiple independent fluid channels face challenges in achieving sufficient sealing characteristics, weight reduction, and cost efficiency, particularly in applications like valve locker shafts for automobile engines, where the conventional methods result in high manufacturing costs and limited controllability due to redundant wall thickness and complex drilling processes.
Innovation Solution
The inner-space-sectioned tube design features at least two inner tubes inserted into an outer cylindrical tube with plane contact surfaces forming sealing portions, and a link segment connecting these surfaces to create subspaces, reducing the number of cold drawing passes and enhancing sealing performance, while maintaining a lightweight structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional drilling methods are used to create multiple fluid channels in a solid round bar, then the number of boreholes can be flexibly determined, but machining accuracy deteriorates and redundant wall thickness increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the solid round bar into multiple segmented tubes (outer tube and inner tubes) before assembly. This segmentation allows each tube to be manufactured with precise dimensions and then assembled together, eliminating the machining accuracy problems associated with drilling long boreholes through a solid bar while maintaining flexibility in determining the number of fluid channels.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple inner tubes are inserted into the outer tube to create independent fluid channels, then the number of fluid channels can be controlled, but sealing characteristics deteriorate due to contact surface issues
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the conventional point-contact or line-contact sealing surfaces with face-to-face contact surfaces between the outer tube and inner tubes. This curved surface contact provides larger contact area and better sealing characteristics, preventing fluid leakage between adjacent fluid channels while maintaining the ability to create multiple independent channels.
3Weight of moving object
If the tube structure is simplified to reduce weight, then weight reduction is achieved, but manufacturing costs increase due to more cold drawing passes
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs preliminary assembly of the outer tube and inner tubes before the final cold drawing process. By pre-assembling the tubes with their sealing surfaces in place, the subsequent cold drawing requires fewer passes to achieve the final dimensions and sealing, thereby reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining the lightweight structure.
4Length of moving object
If long fluid channels are formed by drilling, then the depth of channels can be increased, but the process becomes extremely difficult and accuracy is hardly assured
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of drilling long channels through a solid bar, the invention segments the tube structure into outer and inner tubes that are assembled together. This allows long fluid channels to be formed by the length of the tubes themselves rather than by drilling, dramatically reducing manufacturing difficulty while achieving the required channel depth.
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 improves sealing characteristics, reduces manufacturing costs, and increases tube strength by simplifying the manufacturing process, allowing for efficient formation of four or more independent fluid channels within a compact and lightweight structure.
Implementation Method 1
by providing inside tubes (2) such that some segments of their outer peripheral surfaces are pressure-bonded onto some segments of an inner peripheral surface of an outside tube (1)
Data Source
AI summary
An inner-space-sectioned tube wherein, in manufacturing the tube having four or more independent fluid channels formed inside thereof, while at least two lengths of inner tubes are set to inscribe an outer tube, cold working is applied, which is a simple manufacturing process, thereby enabling to reduce the number of cold drawing passes and allowing the inner space of the tube, even if the outer tube is small in size, to effectively be allocated for four independent fluid channels. Further, this inner-space-sectioned tube adopts a simple tube structure wherein the number of constituting members is reduced, thereby enabling to reduce weight while ensuring tube strength and to achieve further reduction of manufacturing costs.