Metal Part Internal Recess Sealing Shutter Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

The production of metal parts with internal recesses, such as cylinder heads, often results in fluid communication between recesses due to core movement during casting, leading to stress on the separating walls and potential cracks, and existing sealing solutions are costly or difficult to implement.

Innovation Solution

A metal part design featuring internal and external orifices with a shutter system where the adjustment part is coaxial and inserted inside the internal orifice, closing the passage section without contact, ensuring a seal and reducing fluid communication while minimizing mechanical stress on the internal wall.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If plugs are used to seal internal openings between recesses, then fluid communication between recesses is prevented, but stress is exerted on the internal wall separating the recesses leading to potential cracking

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefluid seal between recessesVSAvoidinternal wall integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the sealing function from the internal wall structure by introducing a separate shutter element that can be inserted through external orifices. This removes the harmful stress concentration that would otherwise be applied to the internal wall separating the recesses, while still achieving the desired fluid seal.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The shutter acts as an intermediary element between the external environment and the internal recesses. It provides a sealing mechanism that does not directly contact or stress the internal wall,而是通过external orifices and a movable shutter assembly to control fluid communication.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Stability of the object's composition

If contact surfaces are created between cores to prevent rising during casting, then core stability is improved, but internal openings are created between internal recesses compromising fluid seal

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecore stability during castingVSAvoidfluid seal between recesses
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing function is segmented from the core structure itself. Instead of relying on contact surfaces between cores that create openings, the invention uses separate shutter elements that can be independently controlled to seal the recesses, allowing cores to be stable during casting without compromising future sealing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The shutter mechanism is designed to be installed and configured after casting, allowing the cores to remain stable during the casting process without needing to create contact surfaces that would compromise sealing. The sealing action is performed as a preliminary preparation before the part is put into service.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of manufacture

If cold box or hot box molding is used to reduce manufacturing cost, then production cost is reduced, but core stiffness is limited causing core rising during molten metal pouring

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing costVSAvoidcore stability during casting
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The invention allows the use of cost-effective cold box or hot box molding processes by making the core stability issue self-resolving. The shutters are designed to be installed after casting, so the cores don't need excessive stiffness during pouring. The system essentially serves itself by decoupling the casting stability requirement from the sealing requirement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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 design achieves reduced or zero fluid communication between recesses without stressing the internal walls, facilitating cost-effective production and maintaining structural integrity.

Implementation Method 1

close most of the passage cross-section of the internal orifice without coming into contact with a wall of the internal orifice

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid seal:

Data Source

PatentEP3017164B1Metal part produced by moulding comprising inner recesses, method for producing same and internal combustion engine comprising such a part
Publication Date: 2019.08.07 RENAULT SA
  • EP3017164B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3

AI summary

The invention concerns a metal part (10) comprising an outer wall (22) delimiting at least two inner recesses (14, 16) separated by an inner wall (18), said metal part comprising: at least one inner opening (20) passing through said inner wall (18), linking said recesses (14, 16), an outer opening (22) connected to each inner opening (20) passing through said outer wall (12), the axes (20a, 22a) of the connected inner and outer openings being merged, a shutter (24) associated with each inner opening (20) comprising: an attachment part (24a) sealingly fastened to the inside of the outer opening (22), -an adjustment part (24b) coaxial with the attachment part (20a), inserted into the inner opening, configured in such a way as to shut off the majority of the passage cross-section of said inner opening (20) without coming into contact with a wall (20b) of said inner opening (20).