Magnetic Shut-Off Actuator for Seismic Fluid Line Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing emergency shut-off devices often require electrical power and significant physical force for activation, making them unreliable in emergency situations such as earthquakes, landslides, or power outages, and they lack the ability to remain functional for extended periods without maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A seismic emergency shut-off device utilizing a magnetic driver mechanism with a guide tube and magnets that generates significant force with minimal activation energy, eliminating the need for electrical power and allowing for long-term readiness, featuring a frictionless latching system and adjustable drive force, enabling activation by seismic events or other forces without external energy sources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If conventional emergency shut-off devices are used, then they can shut off fluid lines, but they require electrical power and significant physical force for activation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical or electrical actuation systems with a magnetic field-based actuation system. Magnets are positioned to create magnetic repulsion forces that automatically trigger the shut-off mechanism when a vehicle passes nearby, eliminating the need for electrical power sources, batteries, or manual activation forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The shut-off device is designed to activate automatically through passive magnetic coupling with passing vehicles. The magnetic field from the vehicle interacts with magnets in the device to generate sufficient force for activation without requiring external power sources, manual intervention, or additional energy input systems.
2Reliability
If conventional emergency shut-off devices are used, then they can perform shut-off function, but they require maintenance and have limited functional life
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates mechanical contact components and electrical systems that require maintenance by using a magnetic field-based activation mechanism. The magnetic interaction between passing vehicles and the device has no moving parts or consumable elements, resulting in indefinite functional life without maintenance requirements.
3Ease of operation
If conventional emergency shut-off devices are used, then they can be activated, but they require significant physical force or power sources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual or mechanically-intensive activation methods with passive magnetic coupling. The magnetic field from passing vehicles automatically generates sufficient force to trigger the shut-off mechanism, making activation effortless and eliminating the need for significant physical force or complex activation procedures.
4Extent of automation
If springs and electrical components are included, then the device can be activated, but the functional life is limited and maintenance is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates springs, electrical components, and other maintenance-requiring elements by using pure magnetic field interaction for automatic activation. The magnetic-based system has no consumable parts or degrading components, enabling indefinite operational life while maintaining automatic activation capability.
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 device can generate substantial force with minimal activation, remaining functional indefinitely without electricity or maintenance, effectively shutting off fluid lines or other mechanisms in emergency situations, ensuring safety and reliability over decades or centuries.
Implementation Method 1
first and second magnets affixed at a selected position on opposite sides along a length of the guide tube with like poles facing each other... magnetic axes of first and second magnets being substantially aligned with each other to form a magnetic repulse shift line... third magnet coupled to the drive piston and configured to cross the magnetic repulse shift line to generate a drive force
Data Source
AI summary
An emergency shut-off device comprises an activation means configured to generate an activation force in response to detecting a seismic event, and a magnetic driver having a hollow guide tube with two magnets affixed at a selected position on opposite sides along a length of the guide tube with like poles facing each other and a drive piston movable inside the guide tube. The driver piston is coupled to a third magnet and has a first end for receiving an activation force to move the third magnet crossing a magnetic repulse shift line formed by the two magnets, and a second end for applying the drive force to an output system to effectuate a shut-off of a fluid line.