Relay Valve Sealing Layout for 1:1 Pressure Ratio Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing relay valves for compressed air systems require costly mechanical processing of the housing cover to minimize friction losses and ensure sealing, which complicates the production and increases costs, especially when a 1:1 ratio of control pressure to working pressure is needed.
Innovation Solution
The relay valve design includes a housing with a first and second sealing element that delimits an annular space connected to the atmosphere, allowing for a circular piston top without a piston guide, enabling cost-effective production of the cover and maintaining a predetermined pressure ratio through dimensioned effective surfaces, and incorporates a damping volume separated from the control chamber via a throttle to prevent oscillations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a piston guide is inserted into the housing cover to achieve 1:1 identification, then the effective area of the relay valve piston on the control side and working side can be made the same, but mechanical processing of the housing cover is absolutely necessary which increases friction losses and complicates manufacturing
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the piston guide from the housing cover and relocates it to the relay valve piston itself. This allows the housing cover to be a simple, easily manufactured component while the precision piston guide is integrated into the piston, reducing manufacturing complexity of the cover and friction losses.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of inserting a piston guide into the housing cover as in conventional design, the invention inverts the approach by having the piston guide as an integral part of the relay valve piston. This reversal simplifies the housing cover manufacturing while achieving the same 1:1 pressure ratio control.
2Reliability
If mechanical processing of the housing cover is performed to minimize friction losses, then sealing is ensured, but production costs and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the complex mechanical processing requirement from the housing cover and transfers it to the relay valve piston. The housing cover becomes a simple component requiring minimal processing, while the piston incorporates the precision guide that ensures sealing with reduced friction.
3Ease of operation
If the relay valve piston is displaceably arranged in the housing along a relay valve axis, then control of compressed air is achieved, but complex sealing arrangements are required between the piston and housing
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the sealing function from a separate sealing arrangement between piston and housing and integrates it into the piston guide structure. The piston guide itself provides the sealing function, eliminating the need for additional sealing components and simplifying the overall design.
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 eliminates the need for complex mechanical processing of the housing cover, reduces production costs, and effectively maintains a desired pressure ratio while preventing piston oscillations, resulting in a more efficient and cost-effective relay valve system.
Implementation Method 1
The relay valve (2) has a first sealing element (54) and a second sealing element (56) for sealing the relay valve piston (14) from the housing (4, 6)
Implementation Method 2
The first sealing element (54), the second sealing element (56), the relay valve piston (14) and the housing (4, 6) delimit an annular space (58) located between the two sealing elements, the annular space being connected to the atmosphere
Implementation Method 3
incorporates a damping volume separated from the control chamber via a throttle to prevent oscillations
Implementation Method 4
the relay valve piston moves into the working chamber. The movement of the relay valve piston first closes the outlet valve and then opens the inlet valve
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The invention relates to a relay valve (2), comprising a housing having a pressure medium inlet that can be connected to a pressure medium source, at least one pressure medium outlet that can be connected to a consumer, at least one control input, and at least one ventilation (32) leading to the atmosphere. The relay valve (2) has further a relay valve piston (14), which is arranged in the housing along a relay valve piston axis (16) in a slidable manner. The relay valve (2) is characterized by a first sealing element (54) for sealing the relay valve piston (14) with respect to the housing, wherein the first sealing element (54) is fixed to the housing, and by a second sealing element (56) for sealing the relay valve piston (14) with respect to the housing, wherein the second sealing element (56) is fixedly arranged on the relay valve piston (14). An annular space (58) having a connection to the atmosphere is defined by the first sealing element (54), the second sealing element (56), the relay valve piston (14), and the housing.