Pressure Regulator With External Poppet Preload Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pressure regulators that maintain a constant fluid pressure often require complex adjustments and may have inaccessible biasing members, making it difficult to adjust the fluid pressure needed to open or close the poppet without dismantling the regulator.
Innovation Solution
A pressure regulator design that includes a poppet biased to the open position, with an adjustable pre-load force applied by a second biasing member, allowing for external adjustment of the fluid pressure needed to close the pathway without disassembling the regulator.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the biasing member is made inaccessible without dismantling the regulator, then the structural integrity and reliability are improved, but the ease of adjustment deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The regulator is segmented into adjustable and fixed portions. The stop member is made separable from the housing through a tool-accessible interface, allowing the adjustment function to be isolated and accessed without compromising the integrity of the sealed regulator body. This enables adjustment while maintaining structural reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
A tool interface acts as an intermediary between the external adjustment tool and the internal stop member. This intermediary mechanism transmits adjustment forces without requiring direct access to the biasing member, allowing external adjustment while preserving the sealed integrity of the regulator housing.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the pre-load force is made adjustable, then the adaptability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment function is extracted and concentrated in the stop member, which is the only component requiring adjustment. By isolating the adjustment mechanism to a single element rather than requiring adjustment of multiple components, the overall device complexity is minimized while maintaining full adaptability of the pressure regulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The pre-load force is adjusted by changing the position parameter of the stop member along the longitudinal axis. This single parameter change controls the compression of the biasing member and thereby adjusts the poppet opening pressure, providing adaptability through a simple positional parameter rather than complex mechanical changes.
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 adjustment of the fluid pressure required to close the poppet from the exterior of the housing, enhancing usability and reducing the need for complex disassembly, while maintaining reliable pressure regulation.
Implementation Method 1
a biasing member that biases the poppet towards the open position
Implementation Method 2
Fluid passing along the fluid passage acts on the poppet to move the poppet to the closed position
Data Source
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AI summary
A pressure regulator manages fluid pressure along a pathway between an inlet port and an outlet port. A poppet opens and closes the pathway within the regulator. In certain regulators, a biasing member biases the poppet in common direction with the inlet port. In certain regulators, the poppet defines a through passage to route the fluid past the biasing member. In certain regulators, an adjustment interface arrangement enables a user to set what fluid pressure level closes the pathway by changing a pre-load applied to the poppet.