Rotary Valve Seal Member Structure for Hermetic Cooling-Water Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rotary valves in electric vehicles suffer from inadequate fluid sealing due to low elasticity of the seal members, leading to leakage and deformation under high-temperature conditions, complicating the configuration and increasing maintenance costs.
Innovation Solution
A seal member with a cylindrical metal part and a rubber valve seat, featuring a first sealing portion that extends oppositely to the metal part's direction and a second sealing portion with a rounded end, which absorbs pressure and reduces deformation, utilizing the pressure of cooling water to enhance sealing efficiency and simplify the configuration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If an elastic seal member is used in the rotary valve, then the seal member can be simplified in configuration, but the elasticity is low resulting in insufficient sealing ability and fluid leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The seal member is constructed as a composite structure combining a metal part (providing structural support and shape retention) with an elastic seal portion made of rubber or elastomer material (providing sealing capability). This composite approach allows the seal member to maintain simple configuration while achieving reliable sealing through the synergistic properties of different materials.
2Reliability
If a complex seal member configuration is used, then the sealing ability can be improved, but the seal member deforms under high-temperature driving conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The metal part of the seal member provides thermal stability and resistance to deformation under high-temperature conditions, while the elastic seal portion maintains sealing effectiveness. This composite structure resolves the contradiction by combining materials with complementary properties - the metal ensures dimensional stability at high temperatures while the elastic material ensures sealing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal member design incorporates parameters such as the thickness, elasticity modulus, and geometric dimensions of both the metal part and elastic seal portion to optimize performance. By carefully selecting these parameters, the seal member achieves adequate sealing ability while maintaining resistance to deformation under high-temperature operating conditions.
3Reliability
If the seal member elasticity is increased to improve sealing, then the sealing ability improves, but the seal member becomes more complex and costly to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than increasing the elasticity of a single homogeneous seal member (which would increase manufacturing complexity), the invention uses a composite structure where the elastic seal portion provides the necessary sealing properties while the metal part provides structural support. This approach achieves adequate sealing ability with simpler, more cost-effective manufacturing processes.
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 seal member effectively reduces fluid leakage and deformation, improving the sealing ability between ports and valve members, simplifying the configuration and manufacturing process, and reducing maintenance costs while maintaining the valve assembly hermetic.
Implementation Method 1
the first sealing portion has elasticity to absorb pressure by a valve member being in contact with the seal member
Implementation Method 2
the exposed portion at the first end of the cylindrical metal part may be cooled by cooling water
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a seal member that is applied to a valve assembly. The seal member includes: a cylindrical metal part supporting the seal member and defining a channel through which cooling water flows; and a valve seat provided to surround an outer surface of the cylindrical metal part and keeping the valve assembly hermetic, in which the valve seat has a first sealing portion protruding from a second end of the cylindrical metal part in an opposite direction to a direction in which the cylindrical metal part extends.