Regulating Valve Wear Compensation via Biasing Pin
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Solution Overview
Problem
Regulating valves experience leakage and wear issues due to flexible sealings subjected to shearing forces and high contact pressures, leading to premature failure and the need for frequent replacements.
Innovation Solution
A regulating valve design featuring a rotatable obturator with a biasing arrangement using an elastic member and a pin with lower wear resistance, which adapts to the curvature of the housing, reducing wear and maintaining a high sealing force by compensating for wear through continuous pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a flexible sealing is used to reduce leakage, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but the sealing is subjected to shearing forces causing wear and reduced reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the flexible sealing component from the system and replaces it with a rigid sealing surface on the obturator that directly contacts the housing opening. This extraction eliminates the shearing force problem entirely while maintaining sealing effectiveness through the rigid sealing interface.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a flexible sealing that deforms to fill the gap, the patent inverts the approach by using a rigid obturator sealing surface that is biased against the housing opening. The sealing is achieved through controlled deformation of the rigid surface under biasing force rather than relying on flexible material deformation.
2Reliability
If the obturator is used as a sealing member with high spring load, then sealing force is improved, but contact pressure causes wear to the inner wall of the housing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the steel ball biasing mechanism that caused high contact pressure on the housing inner wall and replaces it with a pin-based biasing arrangement. The pin engages with a cam surface on the obturator, providing the necessary biasing force through a different mechanical pathway that eliminates the groove wear problem on the housing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a pin as an intermediary element between the spring and the obturator. The pin translates the spring force into a cam-actuated radial biasing force on the obturator, mediating the force transmission in a way that avoids direct high-pressure contact between the ball and housing inner wall.
3Reliability
If grease is introduced to cure insufficient sealing, then sealing is improved temporarily, but grease is flushed away over time requiring frequent maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the consumable grease with a mechanical sealing system based on rigid surfaces and elastic biasing. The sealing mechanism is self-sustaining and does not require periodic replenishment like grease would, effectively replacing a short-living solution with a durable mechanical system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a self-regulating sealing system where the elastic member automatically adjusts the sealing force based on wear and operational conditions. The system serves itself by maintaining optimal sealing pressure without external intervention, eliminating the need for periodic grease application and maintenance.
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
The solution provides a prolonged working life for the regulating valve with reduced risk of abrasive wear, allowing for higher spring loads and improved sealing effectiveness, and simplifies maintenance by enabling replacement of only the pin rather than the entire valve.
Implementation Method 1
The biasing arrangement comprises an elastic member and a pin, said pin having a first end portion arranged to abut the circumferential inner wall of the housing
Implementation Method 2
said first end portion having a lower wear resistance than the inner wall of the housing, and said pin being movable in the radial direction with regards to the longitudinal centre axis of the housing by the elastic member to such extent that wear of the first end portion of the pin is compensated for
Implementation Method 3
the sealing surface of the obturator sealingly abuts the circumferential inner wall of the housing
Data Source
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AI summary
A regulating valve (100) comprising an obturator (2) which is rotatable about a rotational axis in relation to an opening (8) to be regulated. The obturator (2) comprises a sealing surface (16) having a surface extension delimiting a sealing area exceeding the cross sectional area of the opening (8) of the housing to be regulated. A biasing arrangement (3) is supported by the obturator (2). The biasing arrangement (3) is arranged to act between the obturator (2) and the circumferential inner wall (7) of the housing to thereby urge the obturator (2) in the radial direction with regards to the longitudinal centre axis (L) of the housing whereby the sealing surface (16) of the obturator (2) sealingly abuts the circumferential inner wall (7) of the housing . The biasing arrangement (3) comprises an elastic member (25) and a pin (24) having a first end portion (27) arranged to abut the circumferential inner wall (7) of the housing. The first end portion (27) has a lower wear resistance than the inner wall (7). The pin (24) is movable in the radial direction by the elastic member (25) to such extent that wear of the first end portion (27) is compensated for. The first end portion (27) of the pin (24) may be worn down to such extent that it receives a curvature fitting the curvature of the circumferential inner wall (7) of the housing.