Lever Actuated Cylinder Valve Spring Latch Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lever-operated cylinder valve assemblies lack a robust mechanism to securely retain the lever in a closed position, leading to potential accidental opening, material loss, and vulnerability to damage from undue force or accidental impacts.
Innovation Solution
A lever articulated cylinder valve assembly with a spring-based latch mechanism that provides a high clamping force while being easy to release, featuring a manually depressible release member and damping to absorb excessive closing force, with the spring and hook formed integrally without additional components, ensuring reliable engagement and resistance to accidental release.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a lever is used to operate the valve mechanism, then the speed of opening and closing is increased, but the lever becomes more easily knocked and inadvertently opened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by providing a latch mechanism that proactively prevents accidental opening before it can occur. The latch includes a hook that engages with a retainer on the lever, creating a mechanical lock that counteracts any unintended forces applied to the lever during normal handling or transit.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the valve assembly into distinct functional components: the lever for operation, the latch mechanism for security, and the retainer for engagement. This segmentation allows the lever to maintain its speed advantage while the separate latch components provide independent security functionality that doesn't interfere with the lever's primary operation.
2Reliability
If a resiliently deformable hook is used to retain the lever, then the lever can be retained in position, but the hook is vulnerable to damage and may cause noise and damage when struck
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional approach by making the retainer (not the hook) the resilient component. The retainer is formed with resilient material that can deform to accommodate engagement, while the hook remains a strong, rigid component that is resistant to damage. This inversion allows the retention function to be achieved while protecting the hook from vulnerability.
3Reliability
If a lever with resiliently deformable jaws is used to engage around a projection, then the lever can be retained, but the mechanism becomes complex and the jaws are weak and vulnerable to damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the resilient deformation function from the lever itself and places it solely in the retainer component. This allows the lever to remain a simple, strong, rigid component while the retainer provides the necessary compliance for engagement. The result is a much simpler overall mechanism without the complexity of integrated resilient jaws in the lever.
4Reliability
If the lever is closed with higher than average force, then the valve closes more securely, but the lever strikes the housing causing noise and potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by incorporating a damper between the lever and the housing. This damper is positioned to absorb impact energy before the lever can strike the housing with excessive force. The cushioning effect reduces both the noise and potential damage from high-force closing operations while still allowing secure valve closure.
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 solution effectively secures the lever in a closed position without rattling, absorbs excessive force, and allows easy manual release, enhancing safety and durability by providing a robust and reliable mechanism that prevents accidental opening.
Implementation Method 1
a spring (50) mounted to the valve body (3) and arranged to present an engagement portion (51) to the hook (40)
Implementation Method 2
The spring is deflected from its unstressed position by the manner in which it is mounted to the valve body or lever
Implementation Method 3
at least one damper is provided between the valve body and the lever
Implementation Method 4
because of the mechanical advantage provided by the lever, it is more easily possible to knock the lever and inadvertently open the valve
Data Source
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AI summary
A lever actuated cylinder valve assembly comprising a housing containing a valve body. A lever (27) is pivotally attached to the housing to operate a valve element (18, 19, 20). A latch mechanism retains the lever with respect to the housing. The latch mechanism comprises a hook (40) and a complementary spring (50). The spring is a bent wire or plate mounted so as to present an elongate engagement portion to the hook. The hook lifts the engagement portion to ride up the hook increasing the biasing force, such that, the rod passes over an apex of the hook and the rod moves to a latched position in which it is biased into the hook to hold the lever closed. A release member (43) is depressible by a user to lift the rod off the hook to release the rod from the hook.