Pressure Reducing Valve Planar Channel Layout for Compact Housing

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing pressure reducing valves for hydrogen gas in fuel cell vehicles have a complex channel arrangement that results in a large housing size and increased processing time and costs due to orthogonal channel orientations, leading to inefficiencies in manufacturing and size reduction.

Innovation Solution

The pressure reducing valve design simplifies the arrangement of delivery, output, and auxiliary channels by aligning their centerlines in the same plane, reducing the need for thick housing walls and allowing for easier processing, with the valve mechanism inside the pressure reducing chamber regulating pressure effectively.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the delivery channel, output channel, and auxiliary channel are arranged orthogonal to one another, then the channels can be independently connected, but the housing size becomes large and processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechannel connectivityVSAvoidhousing size

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the arrangement of delivery channel, output channel, and auxiliary channel into the same plane, combining their spatial paths. This planar integration allows all channels to be connected within a reduced housing volume, eliminating the need for three-dimensional orthogonal routing that increases size.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from three-dimensional orthogonal channel arrangement to two-dimensional planar arrangement. By changing the dimensional approach from 3D orthogonal routing to 2D planar routing, the housing size is reduced while maintaining all necessary channel connections.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of manufacture

If the delivery channel, output channel, and auxiliary channel are arranged orthogonal to one another, then the channels can be independently connected, but the processing time and costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechannel connectivityVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the arrangement of delivery channel, output channel, and auxiliary channel into the same plane, combining their spatial paths. This planar integration allows all channels to be connected within a reduced housing volume, eliminating the need for three-dimensional orthogonal routing that increases size.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from three-dimensional orthogonal channel arrangement to two-dimensional planar arrangement. By changing the dimensional approach from 3D orthogonal routing to 2D planar routing, the housing size is reduced while maintaining all necessary channel connections.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Volume of stationary object

If the channels are arranged in a simplified planar configuration, then the housing size is reduced, but the channel arrangement becomes more constrained

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehousing sizeVSAvoidchannel arrangement complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the channel arrangement into distinct planar layers or zones within the same plane, allowing each channel to have its own designated path while maintaining overall planar simplicity. This segmentation enables clear routing without requiring complex three-dimensional routing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from three-dimensional orthogonal channel arrangement to two-dimensional planar arrangement. By changing the dimensional approach from 3D orthogonal routing to 2D planar routing, the housing size is reduced while maintaining all necessary channel connections.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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 enables downsizing of the pressure reducing valve, reduces processing time and costs, and maintains effective pressure regulation and leakage checking functionality.

Implementation Method 1

The valve mechanism which is provided inside the pressure reducing chamber connected to the delivery channel and of which an amount of opening is changed to regulate a pressure inside the pressure reducing chamber

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure reduction: Pressure Drop

Data Source

PatentEP3557364B1Pressure reducing valve

Publication Date: 2023.03.15 JTEKT CORP

Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6

AI summary

A pressure reducing valve (10) includes: a housing (20) having an input port (21), an input channel (24) connected to the input port (21), a pressure reducing chamber (51) connected to the input channel (24), a delivery channel (25, 125) connected to the pressure reducing chamber (51), an output channel (28, 128) and an auxiliary channel (201, 202, 301, 302) branched off from the delivery channel (25, 125), an output port (22) connected to the output channel (28, 128), and an auxiliary port (201a, 202a, 301a, 302a) connected to the auxiliary channel (201, 202, 301, 302); and a valve mechanism (30) which is provided inside the pressure reducing chamber (51) connected to the delivery channel (25, 125) and of which the amount of opening is changed to regulate the pressure inside the pressure reducing chamber (51). Centerlines of the delivery channel (25, 125), the output channel (28, 128), and the auxiliary channel (201, 202, 301, 302) are arranged in the same plane.