Plug-In Pressure Control Valve Assembly to Prevent Leaks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pressure control valves in the drinking water sector are complex to assemble and prone to leaks due to separate components requiring complex piping and sealing, leading to increased assembly time and potential leaks.
Innovation Solution
A compact pressure control valve design where the main valve, control block, and pilot valve are connected via plug-in connections, eliminating the need for screw connections and ensuring a medium-tight assembly, with integrated channels and seals for efficient medium guidance and pressure regulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If separate components are connected via screw connections and piping, then the valve can be assembled from modular parts, but the assembly becomes complex and prone to leaks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate components (main valve, control block, pilot valve) into a single integrated valve body. The medium flow paths are built into the valve body structure itself, eliminating the need for separate piping connections between components. This merging approach maintains modular functionality while significantly reducing assembly complexity and eliminating leak-prone screw connections.
2Ease of manufacture
If separate components are connected via screw connections and piping, then the valve can be assembled from modular parts, but the valve becomes prone to leaks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the medium flow channels directly into the valve body structure, eliminating separate piping connections that require screw fasteners and sealing elements. This merging of flow paths into the structural component itself eliminates the interfaces where leaks typically occur, thereby improving reliability while maintaining modular design benefits.
3Device complexity
If the actuator direction is perpendicular to flow direction, then the valve structure is conventional, but the design becomes less compact and more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional valve design by orienting the actuator's direction of movement parallel to the medium flow direction, rather than perpendicular to it. This inversion allows the valve elements to be arranged more compactly within the valve body, reducing the overall valve volume while maintaining functional effectiveness. The inverted configuration enables a more space-efficient layout of internal components.
4Ease of manufacture
If multiple separate components are used, then the valve can be manufactured using standard processes, but assembly time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple valve functions (main valve, control block, pilot valve) into a single integrated valve body that can be manufactured as one piece using injection molding or similar processes. This eliminates the need to assemble multiple separate components, dramatically reducing assembly time while maintaining the ability to use standard manufacturing processes for mass production.
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 reduces assembly time, minimizes the risk of leaks, and allows for modular flexibility, enabling easy conversion between pressure-reducing and pressure-retaining functions without visible pipelines or deflected medium paths, enhancing production efficiency and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
a spring element (8), wherein the valve element (6) and the guide cylinder (5) are arranged concentrically to one another and the valve element (6) is arranged displaceably on the guide cylinder (5)
Implementation Method 2
it is advantageous to provide at least one seal (14) in between to seal off the size-adjustable pressure chamber (13) formed by the valve element (6) and the guide cylinder (5)
Implementation Method 3
the main valve (2), the control block (3) and the pilot valve (4) are connected to one another in a medium-tight manner by means of plug-in connections (17)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
Pressure regulating valve for controlling the pressure of gaseous and liquid media in pipelines, preferably in the drinking water sector, comprising a main valve to which the pipeline is connected, wherein the main valve has a main valve body, a guide cylinder, a valve element, channels for guiding the medium and a spring element, wherein the valve element and the guide cylinder are arranged concentrically to each other and the valve element is slidably arranged on the guide cylinder, a control block, wherein the control block has channels for supplying the medium to the main valve and to the pilot valve and a pilot valve for regulating the control pressure, wherein the pilot valve also has channels for guiding the medium, wherein the main valve, the control block and the pilot valve are connected to each other in a medium-tight manner by means of push-fit connections.