Pinch Valve Solenoid Spring Force Balance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pinch valves are not miniaturized enough and do not switch fluid flow states rapidly enough, requiring a solution for both size reduction and faster operation.
Innovation Solution
A pinch valve design incorporating a solenoid with a coil that attracts a movable iron core, assisted by an elastic means, to displace a valve plug and clamp the conduit, allowing for rapid fluid flow interruption with a lightweight and compact structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a conventional pinch valve structure is used, then the valve can clamp the conduit and interrupt fluid flow, but the valve is large in size and heavy in weight
Solution Approach 1:
The valve body is divided into an upper body and a lower body that can be assembled together, allowing the solenoid assembly to be integrated into the upper body while maintaining a compact overall structure. This segmentation enables space optimization without compromising the clamping force capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The conventional mechanical actuation system is replaced with an electromagnetic solenoid system. The solenoid generates magnetic force to drive the valve plug, eliminating the need for larger mechanical linkages and actuators, thereby reducing the overall valve size and weight while maintaining adequate pressing force.
2Speed
If a conventional pinch valve structure is used, then the valve can clamp the conduit, but the fluid flow state switching is slow
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical actuation system is replaced with an electromagnetic solenoid system that can rapidly generate and cancel magnetic fields. This allows the valve plug to be quickly driven to the clamping position and rapidly return to the open position, achieving fast fluid flow switching without complex mechanical mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve design incorporates dynamic elements including a movable iron core in the solenoid that can rapidly respond to electromagnetic activation, and an elastic restoring mechanism that enables quick return motion. These dynamic features facilitate rapid opening and closing actions for fast flow state switching.
3Force
If the solenoid is made larger to provide sufficient pressing force, then the pressing force is adequate, but the solenoid becomes heavy and large in size
Solution Approach 1:
The solenoid assembly is integrated with the valve plug and valve body structure. The movable iron core of the solenoid is directly connected to the valve plug, and the magnetic circuit is optimized by utilizing ferromagnetic materials in the valve body. This merging eliminates separate mounting structures and reduces overall weight while maintaining adequate pressing force.
Solution Approach 2:
The solenoid design optimizes magnetic circuit parameters including the use of high-permeability ferromagnetic materials for the valve body and optimized coil winding configurations. These parameter changes increase the magnetic force density, allowing a smaller and lighter solenoid to generate sufficient pressing force for clamping the conduit.
4Weight of moving object
If the solenoid is made smaller and lighter, then the valve is more compact, but the pressing force becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The valve body and solenoid components utilize ferromagnetic materials with optimized magnetic properties to enhance the magnetic circuit efficiency. This increases the magnetic flux density and force generation capability of the smaller solenoid, ensuring sufficient pressing force is achieved despite the reduced size and weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressing force generation is segmented between the solenoid's magnetic force and the elastic restoring force of the valve mechanism. This segmentation allows the solenoid to be smaller since it only needs to provide the activating force, while the elastic components contribute to the overall pressing force during the clamping action.
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 enables rapid switching of fluid flow states while ensuring a large pressing force, allowing for a smaller and lighter solenoid, and accommodating various conduit materials through adjustable elastic forces.
Implementation Method 1
a solenoid connected to the body and having a coil, the solenoid being excited by energizing the coil for attracting a movable iron core toward a fixed iron core
Implementation Method 2
an elastic means that urges the movable iron core toward the fixed iron core
Data Source
AI summary
A pinch valve includes a spring disposed between a movable iron core of a solenoid and an end cover thereof, and which urges the movable iron core toward the side of a tube provided in a body. An elastic force of the spring is set to be smaller than a reactive force of the tube that is applied to a valve plug. In a non-excited state of the solenoid, the valve plug is pressed toward the solenoid by the reactive force of the tube, so as to enable a fluid to flow through a flow passage of the tube. Conversely, in an excited state of the solenoid, since an attractive force of the movable iron core toward the tube is added to the elastic force of the spring, the valve plug is pressed in opposition to the reactive force of the tube for thereby blocking the flow passage.