Rotary Valve Sealing via Spring-Biased Passage Member
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional rotary type valve devices face challenges in ensuring consistent sealing performance due to positional misalignment and uneven compression during assembly, particularly when fluid flows from the axial passage to the radial passage, leading to inadequate sealing.
Innovation Solution
The rotary type valve device incorporates a biasing spring and a modular assembly design with a holding member and passage member that includes a hooking portion and annular seal member, ensuring proper alignment and compression, regardless of fluid flow direction, to maintain effective sealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the seal member is assembled by being sandwiched between the sub-connection member and the casing, then the assembly process is simple, but positional misalignment and uneven compression occur leading to poor sealing performance
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into a casing and a sub-connection member that are separately assembled. The seal member is placed in a groove on the sub-connection member before assembly, allowing precise positioning. This segmentation enables both simple assembly process and high sealing precision by separating the functions of assembly convenience (casing) and sealing accuracy (sub-connection member with groove).
Solution Approach 2:
The groove structure on the sub-connection member acts as an intermediary element that precisely positions the seal member during assembly. This groove serves as a mediator between the assembly process and the sealing function, ensuring the seal member is correctly aligned and compressed without requiring complex assembly procedures.
2Reliability
If the seal member is pressed by fluid pressure from the radial passage, then sealing is effective when fluid flows from radial to axial passage, but the seal member is pressed away from the rotor when fluid flows from axial to radial passage
Solution Approach 1:
A spring is introduced to provide a counteracting force that presses the seal member against the rotor outer circumferential surface. This spring force acts as a counterweight to the fluid pressure that would otherwise push the seal member away during reverse flow. The combination of spring force and seal member elasticity ensures reliable sealing in both forward and reverse flow directions.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing mechanism transitions from relying solely on fluid pressure (unidirectional) to using a combination of spring force and seal member elasticity. This parameter change enables the sealing system to adapt to bidirectional flow conditions, maintaining effective sealing regardless of flow direction by balancing mechanical pre-compression with fluid pressure effects.
3Device complexity
If a conventional seal member assembly structure is used, then the structure is simple, but assembly misalignment occurs leading to inconsistent sealing performance
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is segmented into a casing and a sub-connection member with an integrated groove structure. This segmentation allows the seal member to be precisely positioned in the groove during assembly, ensuring consistent alignment and compression. The simple two-part segmentation maintains structural simplicity while achieving reliable and consistent sealing performance through the groove-based positioning mechanism.
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 configuration allows for easy assembly and achieves desired sealing performance in both directions of fluid flow, enhancing the valve's operational reliability and flow rate control.
Implementation Method 1
a biasing spring which biases the passage member toward the outer contour surface
Implementation Method 2
the seal member has an inner curved portion disposed on the radial passage side of the casing and foamed to be pressed by a pressure of a fluid guided from the radial passage and thus to be brought into close contact with the outer circumferential surface of the rotor
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a rotary type valve device capable of being easily assembled and securing desired sealing performance. The rotary type valve device includes a rotor having an internal passage formed around an axis and an opening portion which opens outward from the internal passage to an outer contour surface in a radial direction, a housing supporting the rotor to be rotatable around the axis and defining an axial passage communicating with the internal passage and a radial passage facing the outer contour surface and capable of communicating with the opening portion, a passage member disposed in the housing to define a part of the radial passage, and a biasing spring biasing the passage member toward the outer contour surface. The housing comprises a housing body accommodating the rotor, and a holding member coupled to the housing body and having a tubular portion holding the biasing spring and the passage member.