Pilot Valve Boot Mounting with Compressed Anchor

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing pilot valve assemblies face challenges in mounting dustproofing boots due to difficulties in forming annular stopper grooves on flat end plates, requiring additional parts and time-consuming adjustments, and limited installation space in console boxes, making the process cumbersome and inefficient.

Innovation Solution

The pilot valve assembly features a boot with thick lip end anchor portions, a stopper groove around the cam member, and a mount member with openings that grip the root end anchor portion in a compressed state, allowing for easy and accurate fitting, using bolts for secure fixation and minimizing installation space with a non-circular bellows portion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a dustproofing boot is mounted using conventional methods with stopper grooves on the end plate, then hermetic sealing is achieved, but the mounting process becomes time-consuming and complex due to the need to form annular grooves on flat surfaces and perform precise adjustments

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehermetic sealingVSAvoidmounting time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

A mount member is introduced as an intermediary component between the end plate and the dustproofing boot. The mount member features a recess that receives the boot's root end anchor portion and uses a compression regulatory member to apply controlled compression, achieving hermetic sealing without requiring complex stopper groove formation on the end plate itself.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The compression regulatory member changes the compression parameter of the boot's root end anchor portion to achieve optimal sealing. By controlling the compression force through the mount member's recess structure, the system achieves hermetic sealing while simplifying the mounting process and reducing adjustment time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If additional parts like mount plates are added to form stopper grooves on the end plate, then hermetic sealing is achieved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehermetic sealingVSAvoidnumber of parts
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The mount member combines multiple functions into a single component: it provides structural support, creates the sealing interface through its recess, and incorporates the compression regulatory member. This merging eliminates the need for separate end plate modifications and reduces the overall number of parts required for achieving hermetic sealing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The mount member serves multiple purposes: it acts as a structural mounting element, provides the sealing interface for the dustproofing boot, and regulates compression forces. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized parts and simplifies the overall assembly structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Ease of operation

If the pilot valve assembly is designed for easy mounting of dustproofing boots, then mounting simplicity is improved, but the installation space requirements may increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemounting simplicityVSAvoidinstallation space
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The dustproofing boot is nested within the recess of the mount member, and the root end anchor portion is received within the recess structure. This nesting arrangement allows the sealing components to be compactly integrated without requiring additional external space, maintaining ease of mounting while respecting installation space constraints.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

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 configuration simplifies the mounting of the dustproofing boot, ensuring hermetic sealing and reducing installation time by allowing for precise alignment and secure fixation within the limited space of a console box, enhancing the overall efficiency and compactness of the hydraulic pilot valve assembly.

Implementation Method 1

a boot 40 made of a resilient material... to provide a hermetically sealed space internally of the boot 40

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

the root end anchor portion 42 of the boot is fixed in position in a compressed state between the end plate 30 and the mount member 21

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCompression: Compression

Data Source

PatentEP2395157B1Pilot valve device
Publication Date: 2016.07.27 HITACHI CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO LTD
  • EP2395157B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2395157B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2395157B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A pilot valve assembly comprised of a pilot valve proper employing a spool to be displaced in a valve casing to bring a hydraulic pressure port and an output port into and out of communication with each other, an operation means having an operating lever with a cam member attached thereto, a pivoting shaft erected on an end plate of the pilot valve proper and connected with the manual operating lever through a universal joint, and a boot of a resilient material hermetically connected between the operation means and the end plate in such a way as to completely enshroud said universal joint, cam member and pusher, the end plate being detachably fixed to the mount member, and the boot having one end thereof connected to the operation means and having the other end hermetically gripped between the end plate and the mount member.