Lead Wire Insulating Structure for Flow Rate Control Valves
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electronically controlled thermal devices face issues with high material and manufacturing costs, risk of ceramic heater breakage due to vibrations, poor assembly efficiency, and increased complexity due to multiple insulation components, leading to potential short-circuiting and deformation.
Innovation Solution
A lead wire insulating structure using a pair of insulating rod pieces to clamp and hold the heater and lead wires as a single unit, with a connector member and engagement concave/convex portions to prevent twisting and allow visual inspection, reducing the number of parts and assembly steps, and utilizing resin elasticity for secure attachment without adhesives.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple insulation components (tube, insulating rod, plate) are used to protect heater and lead wires, then insulation protection is improved, but device complexity and assembly steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the tube, insulating rod, and plate into a single integrated insulating rod that performs all insulation functions. The insulating rod includes a hollow cylindrical portion (replacing the tube), an insulating portion extending from the tube (replacing the insulating rod), and a plate-like portion (replacing the plate), all as one piece made of insulating material.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated insulating rod serves multiple functions simultaneously: it insulates the heater from the piston, insulates the lead wires from each other, provides structural support, and prevents displacement of components. This single component replaces three separate insulation components while maintaining all necessary protection functions.
2Reliability
If heater and lead wires are inserted in a tube for insulation, then insulation is improved, but insertability and assembly efficiency deteriorate due to dimensional tolerances
Solution Approach 1:
The insulating rod is divided into functional segments: a hollow cylindrical portion for receiving the heater, an insulating portion for holding lead wires, and a plate-like portion for positional stabilization. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall ease of assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the insulating rod have different structural characteristics optimized for local requirements: the hollow cylindrical portion provides radial insulation for the heater, the insulating portion provides spacing and insulation for lead wires, and the plate-like portion provides positional constraint. This local optimization improves insertability while maintaining insulation.
3Ease of operation
If connector is not fixed in rotation direction, then ease of assembly is improved, but lead wires may twist and break
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is designed with rotational freedom during the assembly process, allowing it to be easily positioned and connected. After assembly, the structure naturally stabilizes the lead wires through the insulating rod's geometry, preventing twisting without requiring complex locking mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulating rod acts as an intermediary element between the connector and lead wires, providing a stable reference structure that prevents lead wire twisting. The rod's rigid geometry constrains the lead wires' positions while allowing the connector to be freely assembled.
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 solution reduces the number of parts and assembly steps, enhances handling efficiency, lowers costs, prevents twisting and cracking of components, and ensures secure connections, while maintaining insulation and protection from vibrations, allowing for visual confirmation of connections during assembly.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing the elasticity of a resin member or the like instead of an adhesive when attaching that single unit member to a heater assembly
Implementation Method 2
by providing the heater inside the piston of the thermo-element and activating the heater to generate heat, heat the thermal expansion unit inside the thermo-element
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
Problem: An electronically controlled thermostat device that simplifies the insulating structure and external portions of lead wires of a heater incorporated as temperature control of a thermo-element of the, reduces the number of different parts, and facilitates assembly. Solution: A pair of insulating rod pieces 40, 40 clamping the heater 20 at the front end portion and configured to clamp a pair of lead wires 21, 22 extracted from the heater while maintaining an insulated state, and a connector member 30 installed on a side of the insulating rod pieces opposite the portion that holds installed and fixedly mounted on the outside of a device housing 10. The connector member at an inner end has connector terminals 31, 32 provided with a pair of lead end connecting pieces 31a, 32a to which the lead wires are connected, and is provided with an engagement concave portion 30b that engages engagement convex portions 43, 43 for preventing twisting provided on a side of the insulating rod pieces opposite the portion of the insulating rod pieces that holds the heater.