Safety Electrovalve with Thermally Yielding Abutment Element
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Solution Overview
Problem
Safety electrovalves in high-risk environments, such as those prone to fires, require a mechanism to interrupt fluid flow without additional electrical operations, especially in cases of overheating or fire scenarios.
Innovation Solution
A manual reset safety electrovalve with a thermally yielding abutment element that automatically switches to a closed configuration upon overheating, utilizing a magnetic activation system and shutter spring mechanism to control fluid flow, allowing for easy manual reset and status indication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a safety electrovalve uses conventional electrical control mechanisms to interrupt fluid flow, then the valve can be controlled reliably, but additional electrical operations are required which may fail during overheating or fire events
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the electrical control system with a thermal-mechanical system. A thermally yielding abutment element (made of heat-sensitive material) directly translates thermal energy from fire/overheating into mechanical motion that actuates the shutter device, eliminating the need for electrical components during the safety response.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the temperature parameter as the triggering mechanism. The abutment element's material properties change with temperature, transitioning from a solid state that maintains valve position to a softened state that allows automatic shutter actuation when exposed to fire or overheating conditions.
2Reliability
If the electrovalve requires manual reset operations, then the valve can be reliably reset after activation, but the reset process requires additional time and operational steps
Solution Approach 1:
The valve automatically responds to thermal conditions without requiring external control signals or complex reset procedures. The system serves itself by using the thermal environment to directly actuate the closure mechanism, and the manual reset required is simply a mechanical operation on the accessible shaft.
3Loss of information
If the electrovalve provides status indication through external shaft position, then the open/closed status is easily visualized, but the shaft protrusion requires additional space and structural complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The shutter shaft serves multiple functions: it acts as the actuating mechanism for the shutter device, provides the thermal conduction path to the abutment element, and simultaneously serves as the status indication pointer. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate indication mechanisms.
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
Effectively interrupts fluid flow during overheating events, ensuring safety without additional electrical operations, and allows quick status visualization for timely intervention, suitable for both normally open and closed configurations.
Implementation Method 1
the structural softening of which is such that the spring action on the disc, which is transmitted to the abutment element (28) through the shutter shaft (14), overcomes the residual resistance of the abutment element (28), causing the lowering of closing plate (8)
Implementation Method 2
a mobile core (30) shifting relative to the valve body, along a locking axis X, under the action of a magnetic field
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
The safety electrovalve (1) with manual reset comprises a valve body (2), a shutter device, a shutter spring (26) and an abutment element (28) thermally yielding for making a thermal protection system. Moreover, the open/closed status of the shutter device can be displayed. Finally, it is possible to obtain a normally open or normally closed electrovalve only by suitably rotating the abutment element in the electrovalve assembly step.