Latching Valve Shuttle Mechanism for Reliable State Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing latching valves for air-operated devices with solenoid valves lack an efficient mechanism to maintain states without continuous activation signals, leading to unreliable operation in control systems.
Innovation Solution
A latching valve design featuring a housing with supply, delivery, and exhaust ports, and a shuttle that alternates between apply and release positions based on pilot pressures, utilizing sealed seats of different diameters to maintain states without continuous activation, ensuring fluid communication between ports accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a normally closed or normally open solenoid valve is used, then the valve can be controlled by electronic activation signals, but the valve requires continuous activation signals to maintain its state, leading to unreliable operation
Solution Approach 1:
The latching valve uses periodic action by receiving sequential pilot pressures (first pilot pressure to switch to open state, second pilot pressure to switch to closed state) instead of continuous activation signals. The valve maintains its state without continuous energy input, switching only when pilot pressures are applied, thereby improving reliability while eliminating the need for continuous activation signals.
2Use of energy by moving object
If a latching mechanism is implemented to maintain states without continuous activation, then energy consumption is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The latching valve merges the switching mechanism and state maintenance function into a single integrated structure. The valve body incorporates both the latching feature and the sequential pilot pressure reception capability, eliminating the need for separate latching components and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining energy efficiency.
3Reliability
If sequential pilot pressures are used to control state transitions, then the valve can latch without continuous signals, but the control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The latching valve uses an intermediary approach by introducing a mode select valve that mediates between the pilot pressure input and the main valve switching. This intermediary component simplifies the control logic by automatically selecting the appropriate response (latch open or latch closed) based on the sequence of pilot pressures received, reducing control system complexity while maintaining reliable state maintenance.
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 valve effectively maintains states (open or closed) until the next activation signal is received, improving reliability and operational efficiency in control systems by using sequential pilot pressures and spring biases to manage the shuttle's position.
Implementation Method 1
sequential pilot pressures at the apply port acting on the shuttle, and as a function of the supply pressure acting on one of an apply pair of sealed seats with different diameters in the housing bore and a release pair of sealed seats with different diameters in the housing bore
Data Source
AI summary
A latching valve includes a housing, a supply port, defined in the housing, which receives supply pressure, a delivery port defined in the housing, an exhaust port, defined in the housing, and an apply port defined in the housing. A housing bore fluidly communicates with the supply port, the delivery port, the exhaust port, and the apply port fluidly. A shuttle is sealingly and movably secured in the housing bore. The shuttle is alternately set to one of an apply position and a release position as a function of sequential pilot pressures at the apply port acting on the shuttle, and as a function of the supply pressure acting on one of an apply pair of sealed seats with different diameters in the housing bore and a release pair of sealed seats with different diameters in the housing bore. The delivery port fluidly communicates with the supply port while the shuttle is in the apply position. The delivery port fluidly communicates with the exhaust port while the shuttle is in the release position.