Overflow Valve Design for High-Pressure Cleaning Devices
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
High-pressure cleaning devices face challenges in reducing the size of the overflow valve and simplifying assembly, as existing solutions require strong closing springs and often result in significant flow losses due to the use of injectors.
Innovation Solution
The control chamber is divided into an outlet pressure chamber and an overflow chamber, with a control piston surrounded by a sealing element, applying pressure from downstream and upstream of the check valve to reduce the pressure force on the control piston, allowing for a smaller closing spring and eliminating the need for an injector.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a strong closing spring is used to ensure reliable closing of the bypass valve during high-pressure operation, then the valve remains closed under pressure, but the valve size increases and assembly becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The control chamber is divided into two separate chambers (first control chamber and second control chamber) that are each connected to different pressure zones (downstream of check valve and upstream of check valve). This segmentation allows the control piston to be acted upon by different pressures independently, eliminating the need for a single strong closing spring and simplifying the overall valve structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses hydraulic pressure from the cleaning fluid itself to control the bypass valve. The control piston is acted upon by pressure forces from the cleaning fluid in both control chambers, creating a pressure-driven control mechanism that replaces the mechanical spring-based system. This pneumatic/hydraulic control reduces mechanical complexity while maintaining reliability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If an injector is used to control the bypass valve, then the valve can be actuated based on flow rate, but significant flow losses occur due to the flow resistance of the injector
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the injector component from the system entirely. Instead of using an injector to control the bypass valve, the control chamber is directly connected to the pressure line at two different locations (upstream and downstream of the check valve), allowing the control piston to respond to pressure differences without the energy losses associated with injector flow resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The control piston acts as an intermediary element that translates pressure differences in the cleaning fluid into valve actuation. Rather than using an injector to directly control the valve, the control piston mediates between the pressure forces acting on it and the valve position, enabling flow rate-based actuation without the harmful flow resistance of an injector.
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 reduces the required closing force, enabling a smaller overflow valve and lower flow losses, simplifying assembly and reducing energy consumption by minimizing pressure resistance.
Implementation Method 1
applying pressure from downstream and upstream of the check valve to reduce the pressure force on the control piston
Implementation Method 2
which is moved into an open position spaced apart from the valve seat against the closing force of a closing spring
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a high-pressure cleaning device (10) comprising a pump (14) which has a suction line (24) and a pressure line (30), said pressure line (30) being equipped with a nonreturn valve (34), and which has an overflow valve (84) that releases a flow path via an overflow line (74) depending on the pressure in order to discharge cleaning fluid out of the pressure line (30). The overflow valve (84) has a closing element (86) which rests against a valve seat (82) in a liquid-tight manner in a closed position and can be moved into an open position at a distance from the valve seat (82) against the closing force of a closing spring (92) and which is connected to a control piston (58) that is movably held in a control chamber (56) and is impinged upon by a pressurized cleaning fluid. The aim of the invention is to reduce the construction size of the overflow valve (84) without using an injector. This is achieved in that the control piston (58) divides the control chamber (56) into an outlet pressure chamber (64) and an overflow chamber (66). The outlet pressure chamber (64) is connected to a pressure line (30) region arranged downstream of the nonreturn valve (34) and has a first through-opening (96), through which a piston rod (94) fixed to the control piston (58) engages. The overflow chamber (66) is connected to a pressure line (30) region arranged upstream of the nonreturn valve (34) and has a second through-opening (80) which forms the valve seat (82). The through-openings (96, 80) have different sizes, and the control piston (58) can be acted upon by the closing force of the closing spring (92) on the control piston side facing the larger through-opening.