Seal Assembly with Elastic Intermediate Piece for Tolerance Compensation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sealing arrangements for fluid control valves, particularly in cooling water systems, face challenges in maintaining long-term tightness under temperature fluctuations and require expensive production methods while struggling to compensate for wide tolerance ranges.
Innovation Solution
A sealing arrangement comprising a first and second separate sealing element, with a separate elastic intermediate piece, forming a form-fitting joint and circumferential projections for interlocking, allowing for elastic spacing and tolerance compensation, and utilizing hard sealing elements and an elastomer intermediate piece for enhanced sealing and ease of assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional sealing arrangements are used, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but long-term tightness under temperature fluctuations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing arrangement is divided into multiple separate sealing elements (first sealing element, second sealing element) and an intermediate piece, each performing specific sealing functions. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall sealing reliability under temperature fluctuations.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing arrangement combines different materials - hard sealing elements for structural stability and an elastomer intermediate piece for flexibility and tolerance compensation. This composite approach ensures long-term tightness under temperature variations while remaining cost-effective.
2Reliability
If complex sealing arrangements are used, then sealing reliability is improved, but production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing arrangement is divided into multiple separate sealing elements (first sealing element, second sealing element) and an intermediate piece, each performing specific sealing functions. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall sealing reliability under temperature fluctuations.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing arrangement combines different materials - hard sealing elements for structural stability and an elastomer intermediate piece for flexibility and tolerance compensation. This composite approach ensures long-term tightness under temperature variations while remaining cost-effective.
3Manufacturing precision
If rigid sealing elements are used, then manufacturing precision is improved, but tolerance compensation capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Different parts of the sealing arrangement have different material properties - hard sealing elements provide precise sealing surfaces, while the elastomer intermediate piece provides flexibility. This local differentiation of material quality enables both manufacturing precision and tolerance compensation.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing arrangement combines different materials - hard sealing elements for structural stability and an elastomer intermediate piece for flexibility and tolerance compensation. This composite approach ensures long-term tightness under temperature variations while remaining cost-effective.
4Adaptability or versatility
If separate sealing elements are used, then adaptability to temperature fluctuations is improved, but assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing arrangement is divided into multiple separate sealing elements (first sealing element, second sealing element) and an intermediate piece, each performing specific sealing functions. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall sealing reliability under temperature fluctuations.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastomer intermediate piece acts as a mediator between the first and second sealing elements, providing both spacing and form-fitting connection. This intermediary component simplifies assembly by pre-positioning the sealing elements relative to each other while maintaining adaptability to temperature variations.
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 provides a cost-effective sealing arrangement that maintains long-term tightness under temperature fluctuations and compensates for wide tolerance ranges, ensuring effective sealing and ease of installation in fluid control valves, particularly in cooling water systems.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic, in particular elastomeric, intermediate piece (8) for compensating length tolerances by elastic deformation
Implementation Method 2
a form-fitting connection between the two sealing elements (4, 6) in the axial direction
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
The invention relates to a seal assembly for use in a fluid regulating valve of a vehicle, comprising: a first separate seal element (4) for sealingly contacting an adjustable valve element of the fluid regulating valve, a second separate seal element (6) for sealingly contacting a valve housing of the fluid regulating valve, and a separate elastically deformable intermediate piece (8) which is arranged between the first seal element (4) and the second seal element (6) in order to elastically space the two seal elements (4, 6). The first seal element (4) and the second seal element (6) are bonded together in the axial direction of the seal assembly at least in one assembly position of the seal assembly (2) in the fluid regulating valve.