Mud Valve Integrated Yoke and Flange Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mud valves in industrial settings face issues with structural integrity due to loose or corroded bolts connecting the yoke and annular frame, complicating assembly, disassembly, and maintenance, and increasing manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
The mud valve is constructed as a single, permanently connected unit of annular frame and yoke, with the valve plug having tabs of different distances to facilitate assembly and disassembly without separating the components, and can be formed from a single casting or welded together for enhanced structural integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If the yoke and annular frame are connected with bolts, then the valve can be assembled and disassembled for maintenance, but the bolts may loosen, corrode, or fail over time reducing structural integrity
Solution Approach 1:
The yoke and annular frame are merged into a single permanently connected unit, eliminating the bolts that cause reliability issues. The integrated construction ensures structural integrity while the valve plug remains removable for maintenance, resolving the contradiction between ease of repair and reliability.
2Ease of manufacture
If the yoke and annular frame are manufactured as separate components, then manufacturing flexibility is improved, but additional manufacturing steps and assembly complexity are required
Solution Approach 1:
The yoke and annular frame are manufactured as a single integrated component, eliminating assembly steps and reducing device complexity. The integration removes bolts and fasteners from the design, simplifying both manufacturing and maintenance while maintaining the necessary functional separability through the removable valve plug.
3Ease of operation
If the valve plug has tabs at equal distances, then the valve plug can be easily aligned with guide rails, but the valve plug cannot be properly positioned during assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The tabs on the valve plug are positioned asymmetrically at different distances from the upper side of the plug. This asymmetric configuration enables proper alignment and positioning of the valve plug with the guide rails during assembly, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and assembly positioning complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A mud valve having a flange frame and yoke that are permanently connected to form a single unit without the aid of removable fasteners is described. Installation of the drain plug is facilitated by an arrangement of guide tabs on either side of the drain plug that are of different distances from the surface of the drain plug. This staggered arrangement allows the drain plug to be installed through a tilting and rotating of the drain plug that brings the tabs into alignment with guide rails on the yoke without necessitating the separation of the yoke from the flange frame. Similarly, the construction described allows the drain plug to be removed for repair or replacement in the field without disassembling the yoke and flange frame.