Sanitary Fitting Body Partial Shell Injection Molding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sanitary fitting manufacturing processes face challenges in demolding complex water channels, leading to sharp-edged geometries that affect water flow and noise, and require multiple assemblies with additional sealing points and connection points, making them difficult to manufacture and install efficiently.
Innovation Solution
The use of partial shells, such as half-shells, which are connected via a tongue and groove mechanism and then predominantly covered with a molding compound through injection molding, creating sealed waterways without external sealing points and minimizing noise, while appearing as a single unit externally.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If complex water channels are realized by means of slides during casting, then the water channels can be formed in the base body, but sharp-edged geometries are created that have an unfavorable effect on water flow and noise development
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by replacing sharp-edged slide-formed geometries with rounded contours. The injection molding process naturally produces smooth, curved water channel geometries without the sharp edges created by sliding mechanisms, thereby improving water flow characteristics and reducing noise generation while maintaining manufacturing capability
2Ease of manufacture
If undercuts in the demolding direction are avoided by subdividing the base body into several assemblies, then demouldability is improved, but additional sealing points and connection points are created along with increased installation space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the water channels themselves rather than the base body structure. By forming separate water channel inserts that can be independently removed from the mold, the design achieves easy demouldability without subdividing the base body into multiple assemblies, thereby avoiding additional sealing points and connection points
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces water channel inserts as intermediary elements that facilitate mold demolding. These inserts act as mediators between the mold cavity and the final product, allowing complex undercut geometries to be formed without requiring the base body itself to be divided into multiple assemblies, thus avoiding additional sealing requirements
3Ease of manufacture
If water channels are demolded in parallel creating open water channels, then undercuts in the demolding direction are avoided, but the production process becomes multi-stage and subject to fluctuations requiring great effort for process reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming the water channels as separate inserts before the final assembly stage. These inserts are prepared in advance with their complete geometry including any undercut features, allowing them to be independently removed from the mold without requiring subsequent closing operations, thereby eliminating multi-stage production fluctuations and improving process reliability
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 method simplifies manufacturing, reduces installation space, minimizes sealing points, and ensures high tightness and smooth water flow, while avoiding undercuts and complex demolding issues, making the process more reliable and efficient for series production.
Implementation Method 1
The outside is predominantly covered by a molding compound by injection molding, so that the interface between the two partial shells is sealed by the molding compound
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The invention relates to a valve body (1) for a sanitary fitting and a method for manufacturing a valve body (1) for a sanitary fitting. The valve body (1) has an outer surface (2) formed by at least one first partial shell (3) and at least one second partial shell (4), wherein the at least one first partial shell (3) and the at least one second partial shell (4) are arranged to fit relative to each other, wherein at least one water channel (5) is formed between the at least one first partial shell (3) and the at least one second partial shell (4), and wherein the outer surface (2) is predominantly covered by a molding compound (6). The valve body (1) is simple to manufacture with as few sealing points as possible and appears as a single piece externally.