Membrane Valve Sealing Bead Layout for Tolerance-Stable Sealing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing diaphragm valve arrangements face challenges in maintaining a consistent sealing effect, as it is often influenced by manufacturing tolerances and clamping force, which can lead to either insufficient sealing or hardening of the sealing membrane.

Innovation Solution

The diaphragm valve arrangement incorporates additional sealing arrangements on the upper and lower housing parts, specifically designed to provide a sealing effect that is largely independent of manufacturing tolerances and clamping force. These arrangements include axial and radial grooves, O-rings, and coatings to enhance sealing performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the sealing bead is clamped between the upper and lower housing parts with a predetermined clamping force, then a permanent sealing effect is achieved, but the elastic material of the sealing membrane may harden in continuous operation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing effectVSAvoidelastic material strength
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the geometric parameters of the annular groove, specifically creating an asymmetrical groove profile where the clamping surface is positioned closer to the sealing bead than the support surface. This parameter change allows the groove to accommodate manufacturing tolerances while distributing clamping forces more favorably, maintaining sealing effectiveness without excessive compression of the elastic sealing bead that would cause hardening.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The annular groove is designed with sufficient depth and appropriate profile beforehand to compensate for manufacturing tolerances and distribute clamping forces. This pre-designed groove geometry acts as a cushioning element that prevents excessive stress concentration on the sealing bead during assembly and operation, thereby preventing hardening while ensuring reliable sealing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Strength

If the sealing bead is clamped with insufficient force, then hardening of the elastic material is avoided, but the sealing effect becomes insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelastic material strengthVSAvoidsealing effect
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention optimizes the geometric parameters of the annular groove, including its depth, width, and profile shape, to create an asymmetrical configuration that enhances sealing effectiveness. The clamping surface is positioned closer to the sealing bead than the support surface, which improves sealing contact while requiring lower overall clamping forces, thus maintaining elastic material strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The annular groove is designed with an asymmetrical profile where the distance from the clamping surface to the sealing bead is smaller than the distance from the support surface to the sealing bead. This asymmetrical geometry concentrates the sealing effect at the critical interface while distributing the mechanical stress more favorably, achieving reliable sealing with reduced clamping force that prevents hardening.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

3Ease of manufacture

If the annular groove is designed to accommodate manufacturing tolerances, then assembly is simplified, but the sealing bead may be pressed too strongly and suffer hardening

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly easeVSAvoidelastic material strength
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The invention carefully selects and optimizes the dimensional parameters of the annular groove, including its depth, width, and asymmetrical profile. These parameter changes allow the groove to accommodate manufacturing tolerances in both the groove itself and the sealing bead while controlling the clamping force distribution to prevent excessive compression and hardening of the elastic material.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The annular groove is designed with locally optimized properties: the clamping surface region has different dimensional characteristics than the support surface region. This local quality differentiation allows the groove to accommodate tolerances in the assembly while concentrating the sealing function at the critical interface and distributing mechanical stresses to prevent hardening.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 additional sealing arrangements effectively improve the sealing performance by reducing the impact of manufacturing tolerances and clamping force, thereby preventing hardening of the sealing membrane and ensuring a consistent, reliable seal.

Implementation Method 1

The sealing bead is clamped between the upper housing part and the lower housing part... the elastic material of the valve diaphragm, displaced when the upper housing part is clamped against the lower housing part

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3494018B1Membrane valve arrangement
Publication Date: 2025.06.18 ZF CV SYST EURO BV
  • EP3494018B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3494018B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3494018B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The invention relates to a membrane valve arrangement (1), such as in a valve device of an anti-blocking system of a motor vehicle, having a disk-shaped valve membrane (10) consisting of an elastic material and a disk (14) having a central opening (15), wherein the valve membrane (10) is arranged having one of the two sides thereof on the disk (14), wherein the valve membrane (10) has a circumferential sealing bead (11) radially outside on the side thereof which is remote from the disk, wherein the disk (14) is arranged together with the valve membrane (10) between a housing upper part (2) and a housing bottom part (6) of the membrane valve arrangement (1), and wherein the sealing bead (11) is clamped between the housing upper part (2) and the housing lower part (6). In order to improve the sealing effect of said membrane valve arrangement in the region of the sealing bead, in a controlled manner and extensively independently of tolerances, and to improve the clamping force, according to the invention additional sealing arrangements are present on the housing upper part (2) and/or on the housing bottom part (6) in the region of the sealing bead (11) and/or in the radial outer edge region of the disk (14) supporting the valve membrane (10).