Pressure Regulator Piston-Rod Structure for Stable Secondary Pressure

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing regulators face issues with increased sliding resistance and pressure fluctuations due to axial deviations between the piston and rod, leading to decreased ejection pressure and abnormal abrasion, particularly in piston-type regulators.

Innovation Solution

A regulator design featuring an independent rod slidably fitted into a fitting hole within the piston, allowing perpendicular displacement to offset pressure loads and minimize contact area for reduced sliding resistance, with a seal member on the rod to prevent sealing failures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the rod is fixed and fitted into the pressure reducing member (piston), then the structure is simple, but sliding resistance increases greatly due to shaking and inclination, causing decrease in ejection pressure and abnormal abrasion

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidsliding resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The rod is designed to be movable relative to the piston body, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position and orientation in response to pressure fluctuations and operational conditions. This dynamic capability enables the rod to maintain proper alignment during piston movement, preventing shaking and inclination that would otherwise generate excessive sliding resistance and abrasion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If the rod is divided into two parts, then the sliding resistance is reduced, but the structure becomes complicated and the number of friction parts increases, leading to deterioration of performance and occurrence of failure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesliding resistanceVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The rod is segmented into a first rod portion and a second rod portion that can move relative to each other. This segmentation allows each portion to independently adjust to pressure changes and movement conditions, reducing overall sliding resistance while maintaining structural integrity. The segmented design prevents the complications associated with fixed multi-part constructions by enabling controlled relative movement between segments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If the rod is made movable to reduce sliding resistance, then ejection pressure stability improves, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveejection pressure stabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The rod's movable design allows it to dynamically respond to pressure fluctuations by adjusting its position and orientation. This dynamic adaptation stabilizes ejection pressure by maintaining optimal alignment between the rod and piston throughout the operation cycle, preventing the shaking and inclination that would otherwise cause pressure instability and excessive sliding resistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 effectively suppresses the influence of primary pressure fluctuations on secondary pressure settings, reducing sliding resistance and preventing ejection pressure drops and abnormal abrasion, while maintaining stable fluid pressure adjustment.

Implementation Method 1

a pressure adjusting spring that biases the piston toward the output side

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

a seal member mounted to the rod on a recessed groove formed in one end portion facing the input side

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSealing:

Implementation Method 3

a piston that is slidably disposed in the passage in an axial direction and partitions the decompression chamber, the atmospheric pressure chamber, and the pressure adjusting chamber

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure control: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentEP4446576A1Pressure regulator
Publication Date: 2024.10.16 NIKKI CO LTD
  • EP4446576A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4446576A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4446576A1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

There is provided a regulator that can suppress the influence of a pressure reducing member (piston) on a secondary pressure setting value due to primary pressure fluctuation with a simple structure and does not cause an increase in sliding resistance due to axial deviation between the piston and a rod. A regulator (1) includes a piston (60) and a rod (80). The piston (60) includes a valve body (61) having a through hole (62), a fitting hole (63) that is coaxial with the through hole (62) and has a larger diameter than the through hole, an inlet-side piston portion (64) that partitions an inside of a passage (20) into a decompression chamber (A) and an atmospheric pressure chamber (B), an outlet-side piston portion (65) that partitions the inside of the passage (20) into the atmospheric pressure chamber (B) and a pressure adjusting chamber (C), and a fluid passage (66) that communicates the decompression chamber (A) and the pressure adjusting chamber (C). The rod (80) is an independent component, is slidably fitted in the fitting hole (63), and airtightly partitions the inside of the fitting hole (63) to form a back pressure chamber (D).