Rail Vehicle Acceleration Valve Shock-Resistant Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing acceleration valves for automatic air brakes in rail vehicles are prone to unintentional opening due to shocks and pressure fluctuations, leading to unintended venting of the main air line to the atmosphere, as the sealing force is compromised by the locking pin's frictional force being higher than the spring force.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates an additional elastic pretensioning force acting on the valve elements to ensure a secure sealing contact, with a guide element transmitting a holding force parallel to the actuation direction to prevent unintended contact and enhance the closing mechanism, utilizing a slotted hole and pin connection or conical surfaces for precise control and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the locking pin is used to lock the control sleeve in place, then the control sleeve is held securely, but the sealing force of the acceleration valve is canceled and the valve becomes sensitive to shocks and pressure fluctuations
Solution Approach 1:
A guide element is introduced as an intermediary component between the locking pin and the control sleeve. The guide element transmits the holding force from the locking pin to the control sleeve in a controlled manner, preventing direct frictional contact that would cancel the sealing force. This mediator allows stable positioning while preserving valve sealing integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism is segmented into separate functional components: the locking pin provides the holding force, the guide element transmits this force along the actuation direction, and the control sleeve performs the sealing function. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function without interfering with the sealing force.
2Reliability
If the spring force is used to ensure valve closure, then the valve seals when unlocked, but the spring force is insufficient to overcome the locking pin's frictional force during locked operation
Solution Approach 1:
The guide element acts as a mediator that redirects the holding force from the locking pin along the actuation direction, preventing this force from opposing the spring's sealing force. This allows the spring force to effectively close and seal the valve even when the locking pin is engaged.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide element counteracts the harmful effect of the locking pin's frictional force by transmitting it in a direction parallel to the actuation direction, effectively neutralizing its opposition to the sealing force. This allows the spring force to dominate the sealing action without being canceled by the locking mechanism.
3Productivity
If the control sleeve is locked by the locking pin, then the acceleration device remains open, but the valve cannot follow small movements of the valve disk and may open unintentionally
Solution Approach 1:
The guide element serves as a mediator that allows the control sleeve to move freely in response to valve disk movements while the locking pin maintains the accelerated venting state. The guide element transmits only the holding force, permitting small movements and pressure fluctuations without triggering unintended opening.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is designed to be dynamic in its response characteristics: the guide element allows the control sleeve to follow small movements of the valve disk dynamically, while the locking pin maintains the overall open state for accelerated venting. This dynamic design prevents unintentional opening while maintaining productivity.
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 solution significantly reduces the sensitivity of the acceleration valve to shocks and pressure fluctuations, ensuring a secure closure of the main air line from the atmosphere, preventing unintended venting and maintaining consistent operation.
Implementation Method 1
an additional element with an elastic pretensioning force, whereby the contact force of the first valve element and/or the second valve element is increased
Implementation Method 2
a guide element which is designed to transmit a holding force to the control element parallel to the direction of actuation in order to prevent the second valve element from coming into contact with the first valve element
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a valve (1), in particular an acceleration valve, for producing and reliably interrupting a fluid connection of a main air line (HLL) to the atmosphere (EX), which has: a housing (14) having an inlet opening (35) and an outlet opening (36) which are fluidically connected to one another; a first valve element (8) which is designed to produce or interrupt the fluid connection between the inlet opening (35) and the outlet opening (36); a second valve element (5) which is designed to come into contact with the first valve element (8), forming a seal, to interrupt the fluid connection, the contact between the first valve element (8) and the second valve element (5) being subjected to a resilient pretensioning force by an additional element, such that the contact force of the first valve element (8) and/or of the second valve element (5) is increased.