Integrated Pressure Limiter for Wall-Mounted Boilers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pressure limiters for plumbed installations, such as wall-mounted boilers, are complex in structure and assembly due to their dual functions as pressure regulators and drain cocks, often requiring separate components and mechanisms that complicate the system.
Innovation Solution
A pressure limiter that integrates a hand-actuated opening and closing member with a barrier assembly and helical spring, allowing it to function as both a drain cock and pressure regulator, simplifying the structure and assembly by using a single mechanism for both functions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a pressure limiter uses separate components for pressure regulation and drain cock functions, then each function can be optimized independently, but the overall device complexity and assembly complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the pressure regulation function and drain cock function into a single integrated device. The hand-actuated opening and closing member serves dual purposes: it manually opens the drain passage for draining operations and simultaneously acts as the barrier assembly that responds to pressure differential to regulate pressure automatically. This merging eliminates the need for separate components while maintaining both functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The opening and closing member is designed as a multi-functional component that performs both manual draining operation and automatic pressure regulation. By making this single component universal, the patent reduces device complexity while ensuring both functions are optimized through coordinated design of the barrier assembly, helical spring, and passage geometry.
2Ease of manufacture
If a pressure limiter uses separate components for pressure regulation and drain cock functions, then each component can be designed independently, but the assembly complexity and installation time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the previously separate pressure regulation mechanism and drain cock into a single integrated assembly. The opening and closing member integrates both functions, eliminating multiple assembly steps and reducing installation complexity while maintaining independent design freedom for each functional aspect during the manufacturing phase.
3Device complexity
If a pressure limiter integrates both drain cock and pressure regulation functions in a single mechanism, then the structure is simplified and assembly is easier, but the reliability may be compromised due to functional integration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines both functions in a single mechanism while maintaining functional reliability through careful design. The helical spring provides consistent biasing force for pressure regulation, the barrier assembly responds predictably to pressure differential, and the hand-actuated opening and closing member provides reliable manual control. The integrated design actually improves reliability by eliminating interfaces between separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated mechanism is designed to automatically perform pressure regulation without external intervention. The barrier assembly and helical spring work together to automatically respond to pressure differential, while the opening and closing member can be manually actuated for draining. This self-service capability ensures reliable operation for both functions within a single integrated system.
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 integrated solution simplifies the structure and assembly of plumbed installations by enabling the pressure limiter to perform both drain cock and pressure regulation functions efficiently, ensuring reliable operation and easy maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
a barrier assembly (15) which in the embodiment illustrated comprises an essentially tubular body (16) mounted so as to be axially moveable in the internal passage (6e) defined inside the intermediate portion (6a) and inside the top end portion (6c) of the opening and closing member (6)... a helical spring (12) extending partially into the tubular element (16) of the barrier assembly (15) and reacting at its top end against an internal shoulder of this tubular element
Implementation Method 2
an external annular groove (13) is made to house an O-ring seal (14) which presses against the smooth wall of the portion (5a) of the passage (5) of the body (2)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The drain cock (1) comprises a body (2) with a pipe (3) that leads to a valve seat (4), a hand-actuated opening and closing member (6) screwed onto a formation (5b) on the body (2), barrier members (15, 16, 19; 15, 16, 27; 19) connected to the opening and closing member (6) and able to act on the valve seat (4), in such a way that when said member (6) is, relative to the body (2), in a closed position and in an open position, respectively, these barrier members shut off and disengage from, respectively, the seat (4), preventing and permitting, respectively, communication between an upstream portion of the installation and a region downstream of the valve scat (4). The drain cock (1) also comprises a moveable barrier (19; 16; 31) separated from the opening and closing member (6) and stressed by a spring (12) towards a shutoff position in which it is able, when this member (6) is in the closed position, to prevent the passage of liquid between the pipe (3) of the body (2) and a discharge passage (8b; 32). The arrangement is such that said barrier (19; 16; 31) is able to move from the shutoff position, against the action of the spring (12), when the pressure of the fluid upstream of the seat (4) exceeds a predetermined value, to a position in which it allows fluid to be discharged from the portion of the installation upstream of the seat (4) to the discharge passage (8b; 32).