Relief Valve Device with Solenoid Control for Engine Oil Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional relief valves in oil pumps for vehicles have complex structures and high component counts, leading to increased costs and operational difficulties due to multiple movable components, which affect their stability and efficiency across varying engine revolutions.
Innovation Solution
A relief valve device with a housing featuring a small-diameter and large-diameter section, a solenoid valve, and a spring that adjusts pressure relief based on engine revolutions, minimizing components and simplifying the structure for improved efficiency and lubrication at high revolutions while reducing pressure and flow at low and medium revolutions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional mechanical relief valve with piston and coil spring is used to adjust relief pressure, then relief pressure can be modified according to engine revolutions, but the number of components increases and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the relief valve body and piston into a single integrated component. The piston is formed as an integral part of the relief valve body, eliminating the need for separate piston and valve body components. This merging reduces the total number of components while maintaining the ability to adjust relief pressure through oil pressure acting on the piston face.
Solution Approach 2:
The relief valve body serves multiple functions: it acts as both the valve body and the piston structure, provides the pressure-receiving surface, and integrates the flow channels. This multi-functionality reduces component count while maintaining all necessary relief valve operations including pressure sensing, flow control, and relief.
2Adaptability or versatility
If oil pressure is supplied from both left and right sides to modify spring length, then relief pressure can be switched between two stages, but the total length of the mechanical relief valve becomes longer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a linear arrangement requiring oil passages on both sides to a radial arrangement where oil pressure acts on the piston face from the side. The flow channels are arranged radially within the valve body, allowing two-stage pressure control without increasing the axial length of the valve assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent nests the flow channels and piston structure within the relief valve body in a compact radial arrangement. The small-diameter and large-diameter flow channels are nested concentrically, and the piston is integrated within the valve body structure, maximizing space utilization without increasing overall length.
3Adaptability or versatility
If valve body and piston are designed as separate movable components, then relief pressure can be adjusted, but high-precision machining and assembly are required and operation becomes difficult to guarantee
Solution Approach 1:
The relief valve body and piston are merged into a single integral component. This eliminates the need for precise mating surfaces and assembly tolerances between separate valve body and piston parts. The single-piece construction removes accumulation of tolerances and simplifies both machining and assembly operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the piston function from a separate component and integrates it directly into the valve body structure. This eliminates the interface between piston and valve body, removing the need for precision sealing surfaces and alignment features that would require high-precision machining.
4Adaptability or versatility
If two movable components (valve body and piston) are used, then relief pressure can be modified, but the structure becomes complex and driving costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The valve body and piston are combined into one integrated component, reducing the number of movable parts from two to one. This simplification reduces structural complexity, eliminates the need for multiple seals and mounting features, and lowers overall system cost while maintaining relief pressure modification capability through oil pressure on the integrated piston face.
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 reduces the number of components, simplifies the mechanism, and enhances engine reliability by providing optimal oil pressure and flow rates across engine revolutions, ensuring efficient lubrication and cooling at high revolutions and improved efficiency at low and medium revolutions.
Implementation Method 1
a spring (8) that elastically urges the relief valve (4) in a direction opposite to a pressure relief direction
Implementation Method 2
a solenoid valve (6) mounted on the auxiliary relief flow channel (32), wherein the solenoid valve (6) is controlled so as to switch between communication and shut-off
Data Source
AI summary
The invention allows securing greater discharge pressure and flow rate at high revolutions of an engine in order to secure lubrication and cooling, while reducing discharge pressure and flow rate at low and medium revolutions of the engine in order to improve efficiency. The invention includes a housing; a relief valve; a valve passage; a main discharge flow channel; a main relief flow channel; an auxiliary relief flow channel; a solenoid valve mounted on the auxiliary relief flow channel; and a spring. The solenoid valve is controlled so as to switch between communication and shut-off between the auxiliary relief flow channel and the large-diameter passage section in accordance with an increase or decrease in engine revolutions, and oil in the large-diameter passage section is discharged when the shut-off is implemented.