Regulating Valve Stem Locking Mechanism for On-Site Repair
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional regulating valves face challenges in component replacement, particularly when the valve body or stem is damaged, as the existing coupling structure with pins requires new holes to be machined, which is impractical in-site repairs and reduces engagement force, leading to increased costs when expensive components like bellows-welded valve stems need replacement.
Innovation Solution
A regulating valve design featuring a female screw on the valve body and a male screw on the valve stem with locking holes and grooves, allowing for secure engagement and easy replacement of components without reducing the screwing engagement force, where the locking member is inserted into the holes of the valve stem through grooves on the valve body, facilitating on-site repairs and reducing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a pin is inserted into a through-hole formed in the engagement portion by screwing between the valve stem and the valve body to prevent loosening, then the screwing engagement is secured against vibrations, but the entire engagement force is reduced by the amount equivalent to the area of the through-hole
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the hole formation into two separate segments: the through-hole is formed only in the valve stem, while the valve body maintains its threaded engagement surface intact. This segmentation allows the locking pin to pass through the valve stem without compromising the threaded engagement area in the valve body, thus preventing both loosening while preserving full engagement force.
2Reliability
If through-holes are formed in both the valve body and valve stem to insert a locking pin, then the screwing is prevented from loosening, but new components must be manufactured together as a set when either component is damaged, increasing replacement costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the hole formation to apply only to the valve stem, leaving the valve body's threaded portion intact. This allows the valve body to be replaced independently without needing to match pre-formed holes in the valve stem, enabling separate component replacement and reducing repair costs when only the valve body is damaged.
Solution Approach 2:
The through-hole is preliminarily formed in the valve stem during manufacturing, before assembly. This preliminary action ensures the hole is already positioned correctly to align with the threaded engagement area, eliminating the need for complex alignment operations during field assembly or replacement, while still allowing independent valve body replacement.
3Reliability
If through-holes are formed in the engagement portion to insert a locking pin, then loosening is prevented, but the alignment of new through-holes becomes difficult when replacing the valve body, requiring on-site machining which is impractical
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the hole formation to occur only in the valve stem and not the valve body, the patent eliminates the alignment difficulty between corresponding holes in both components. The valve body can be replaced with a standard unit that has intact threading, and the locking pin will naturally align with the pre-formed hole in the valve stem, making on-site replacement practical without machining.
Data Source
AI summary
A regulating valve includes a valve body having a cylindrical portion, a valve stem inserted into the cylindrical portion and coupled to the valve body, and a locking member, in which the valve body includes a female screw including threads formed on an inner wall of the cylindrical portion and a plurality of first holes penetrating through an inner wall and an outer wall of a region of the cylindrical portion, the region having no threads of the female screw, in which the valve stem includes a male screw having threads formed on a surface close to the other end of the valve stem and at least one second hole formed in a region of the surface close to the other end of the valve stem, the region having no threads of the male screw.