Pressure Regulator Valve Cam for Incremental Fuel Pressure Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pressure regulator valves for auto racing require removal from the engine and fuel manifold for precise adjustments, lacking the ability to make incremental adjustments without disassembly.
Innovation Solution
A pressure regulator valve with a cam mechanism having multiple faces of different depths, allowing for incremental pressure adjustments by rotating the cam to engage different faces with a spring-biased ball valve, enabling adjustments without disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a typical diaphragm-based pressure regulator valve is used, then pressure regulation function is achieved, but the valve must be removed from the fuel manifold system and attached to a flow meter to ensure precise fuel pressure adjustment
Solution Approach 1:
The cam is segmented into multiple faces, each milled to a different depth corresponding to specific pressure increments. This segmentation allows the operator to select predetermined pressure adjustments by rotating the cam to engage different faces, eliminating the need for removal and flow meter attachment while maintaining precision through the engineered depth variations of each cam face.
Solution Approach 2:
The cam faces are pre-milled to specific depths during manufacturing, creating predetermined pressure adjustment increments before the valve is ever installed. This preliminary action embeds the precision adjustment capability directly into the valve structure, allowing precise pressure regulation to be achieved in-situ without requiring subsequent calibration against a flow meter.
2Productivity
If a typical diaphragm-based pressure regulator valve is used, then pressure regulation function is achieved, but time and effort are consumed for disassembly and reassembly
Solution Approach 1:
The cam mechanism is designed to be self-contained within the valve body, with all adjustment faces and engagement surfaces integrated into the single component. This self-service design allows the valve to perform precise pressure adjustments while remaining installed in the fuel manifold system, completely eliminating the time-consuming disassembly and reassembly process that would otherwise be required for calibration.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a cam with multiple faces of different depths is used, then incremental pressure adjustments are enabled, but the cam mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple adjustment functions are merged into a single cam component by milling different faces to different depths. Each face represents a predetermined pressure increment, and all faces are integrated into one rotating element that engages with the existing ball valve and spring mechanism. This merging approach provides versatile pressure adjustment capability without requiring separate adjustment mechanisms for each increment, thereby limiting the increase in overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cam is designed as a rotary element with curved surfaces, where each face is milled to a specific depth creating a three-dimensional profile. This curved geometry allows smooth rotation and engagement with the ball valve while encoding multiple pressure adjustment levels in a compact, space-efficient form factor, minimizing the complexity increase compared to linear or multi-component adjustment systems.
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
Enables precise, incremental pressure adjustments directly in the engine system, saving time and effort by eliminating the need for disassembly and providing known pressure increments.
Implementation Method 1
A ball valve is positioned within the fluid passage and biased by a spring
Implementation Method 2
A cam is in biased engagement with the spring and ball valve to regulate pressure of fluid passing through the fluid passage
Data Source
AI summary
A pressure regulating valve includes a housing defining a fluid passage between at least one inlet and one outlet. A ball valve is positioned within the fluid passage and biased by a spring. A cam is in biased engagement with the spring and ball valve to regulate pressure of fluid passing through the fluid passage. The cam includes multiple faces, each face milled to a different depth, and means for adjusting a position of the cam relative to the ball valve, such that a different face of the cam enters into biased engagement with the spring of the ball valve, thereby altering a compression force exerted by the spring on the ball valve. The faces of the cam correspond to increments of desired pressure adjustment, such that rotation or movement of the cam surface between different faces results in discrete changes to the pressure of fluid passing through the valve.