Segmented Valve Body for Dosing Device Maintenance and Seal Inspection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current detergent dosing devices in professional cleaning are complex, difficult to maintain, and prone to operational issues due to intricate valves with numerous moving parts that are constantly dampened by detergent, leading to premature loss of functionality and difficulty in inspecting and replacing seals.

Innovation Solution

A valve body for a dosing device composed of two elements with sliding movement between pre-set positions, featuring external seals for easy inspection and maintenance, and independent elastic devices for reliable closing, allowing for quick detergent changes and simplified maintenance by removing parts through the inlet and outlet pipes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a valve with numerous moving parts and springs is used in the dosing chamber, then the dosing device can control the release of detergent, but the valve components are constantly dampened by detergent leading to premature loss of functionality and difficult maintenance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevalve functionalityVSAvoidmaintenance difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The valve body is divided into two separate elements (first valve body element and second valve body element) that can move independently. This segmentation allows each element to be simpler in design with fewer moving parts, reducing the complexity and maintenance difficulty while maintaining reliable detergent flow control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The seals are extracted from the interior of the dosing chamber and positioned on the exterior. Specifically, the seal for closing the outlet pipe is located on the outside of the hollow body, allowing it to be inspected and replaced without disassembling the valve mechanism or dealing with dampened interior components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Device complexity

If the valve components are assembled inside the dosing chamber, then the device structure is compact, but inspection and checking of the valve component becomes impossible due to constant dampening by detergent

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural compactnessVSAvoidinspection difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The seals are extracted from the interior of the dosing chamber and positioned on the exterior. Specifically, the seal for closing the outlet pipe is located on the outside of the hollow body, allowing it to be inspected and replaced without disassembling the valve mechanism or dealing with dampened interior components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The valve elements are designed to move in sliding motion between interior and exterior positions. The first valve body element can slide partially outside the hollow body, transitioning the seal location from an inaccessible interior dimension to an accessible exterior dimension for inspection purposes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Ease of operation

If the valve has intricate moving parts constantly dampened by detergent, then the dosing device can operate, but the moving parts are subject to premature loss of functionality due to encrustations from continual wetting-drying cycles

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedosing operationVSAvoidvalve durability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The valve body is divided into two separate elements (first valve body element and second valve body element) that can move independently. This segmentation allows each element to be simpler in design with fewer moving parts, reducing the complexity and maintenance difficulty while maintaining reliable detergent flow control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The seals are extracted from the interior of the dosing chamber and positioned on the exterior. Specifically, the seal for closing the outlet pipe is located on the outside of the hollow body, allowing it to be inspected and replaced without disassembling the valve mechanism or dealing with dampened interior components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Ease of manufacture

If the valve body is a single integrated component, then the construction is simple, but maintenance and replacement of worn parts requires lengthy disassembly and reassembly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconstruction simplicityVSAvoidmaintenance time
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The valve body is divided into two separate elements (first valve body element and second valve body element) that can move independently. This segmentation allows each element to be simpler in design with fewer moving parts, reducing the complexity and maintenance difficulty while maintaining reliable detergent flow control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The valve elements are designed to move dynamically between fixed positions (interior and exterior) rather than being fixed in one location. This dynamic design allows the same component to serve multiple functions: flow control when interior and ease of maintenance when exterior.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2959272B1Valve body of a dosing device
Publication Date: 2023.07.19 TTS CLEANING SRL
  • EP2959272B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2959272B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2959272B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The object of this invention is a valve body of a cleaning appliance, specifically a dosing device, whose valve body can open and close the inlet and outlet pipes of the dosing chamber of said dosing device, to release a correct amount of detergent for soaking a cleaning cloth.