Oval Multi-Stage Piston Valve for High Thrust in Less Space
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fluid control valves in semiconductor manufacturing require a large number of components and a significant installation area due to the need for multiple pistons to achieve sufficient thrust, leading to increased costs and space requirements.
Innovation Solution
A fluid control valve design featuring a multi-stage piston actuator unit with pistons having an elliptic or oval cross-section, allowing for a larger pressure-receiving surface area without increasing the thickness, reducing the number of components and enabling closer arrangement without interference, and utilizing resin-molded pistons for cost reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If multiple pistons are stacked coaxially to increase pressure-receiving surface area, then sufficient thrust is achieved, but the number of components and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The piston is divided into multiple pressure-receiving surfaces (first, second, and third pressure-receiving surfaces) at different locations, allowing the single piston to receive pressure from multiple directions and generate sufficient thrust without requiring multiple stacked pistons
Solution Approach 2:
The single piston performs multiple functions by having pressure-receiving surfaces at different locations (head end and circumference), effectively replacing what would traditionally require multiple separate pistons to achieve the same thrust
2Force
If multiple pistons and cylinders are stacked to provide sufficient thrust, then the pressure-receiving surface area is increased, but the installation area increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure-receiving surfaces are arranged in different spatial dimensions (axial direction and circumferential direction) on the same piston, allowing the thrust-generating surfaces to be distributed three-dimensionally rather than requiring multiple stacked pistons that would increase the axial length and installation area
3Force
If a large number of components are used to achieve sufficient thrust, then the thrust requirement is met, but the product cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple pressure-receiving surfaces that would traditionally require multiple separate pistons and cylinders are merged into a single integrated piston structure, reducing the total number of components and assembly steps while maintaining the required thrust 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 design achieves sufficient thrust with fewer pistons, reducing the number of components and installation area, while maintaining the necessary pressure-receiving surface area, thus lowering product costs and enabling more compact and efficient fluid control valve configurations.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure-receiving surface with a large area to receive the pressure of an operating fluid
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid control valve includes a multi-stage piston actuator unit with first piston and second pistons coaxially and slidably arranged therein and a valve unit provided with an inlet port for inflow of a control fluid and an outlet port for outflow of the control fluid. The first and second pistons are slidable in a sliding direction perpendicular to an imaginary line connecting the center of the inlet port and the center of the outlet port. The multi-stage piston actuator unit has a smaller thickness in a direction perpendicular to the imaginary line and perpendicular to the sliding direction than the thickness of the valve unit in the direction perpendicular to the imaginary line and perpendicular to the sliding direction. The first and second pistons have either an elliptic or oval cross-section taken perpendicular to the sliding direction, the cross-section having a long axis parallel to the imaginary line.