Segmented Valve Element Geometry for Stable Minute-Opening Flow

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electrically driven valves require complex and time-consuming processing to achieve accurate cylindrical shapes, leading to increased costs and complexity in achieving stable flow rate control, especially in the minute opening state.

Innovation Solution

The electrically driven valve design includes a valve main body with a valve chamber and orifice portion, a valve shaft with a valve element portion, and a driving mechanism to displace the valve shaft between limiting and open positions. The valve element portion features large- and small-diameter cylindrical portions and a tapered portion, while the orifice portion has corresponding cylindrical and tapered sections, allowing for stable flow rate control without the need for precise cylindrical shaping.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the inner circumference of the orifice and the outer circumference of the valve element are formed to have highly accurate cylindrical shapes, then stable flow rate control in the minute opening state is achieved, but processing time increases and manufacturing costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecylindrical shape accuracyVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The valve element is divided into multiple cylindrical portions with different diameters (first cylindrical portion, second cylindrical portion, third cylindrical portion) instead of using a single uniform cylindrical shape. The orifice is similarly segmented into corresponding portions. This segmentation allows each portion to have different dimensional requirements, reducing the need for highly accurate cylindrical shaping across the entire length while still achieving stable flow rate control in the minute opening state.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Manufacturing precision

If the inner circumference of the orifice and the outer circumference of the valve element are formed to have highly accurate cylindrical shapes, then stable flow rate control in the minute opening state is achieved, but manufacturing costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecylindrical shape accuracyVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The valve element is divided into multiple cylindrical portions with different diameters (first cylindrical portion, second cylindrical portion, third cylindrical portion) instead of using a single uniform cylindrical shape. The orifice is similarly segmented into corresponding portions. This segmentation allows each portion to have different dimensional requirements, reducing the need for highly accurate cylindrical shaping across the entire length while still achieving stable flow rate control in the minute opening state.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If a long and narrow cylindrical shape is used for the orifice and valve element, then constant cross-sectional area is achieved for stable flow rate control, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflow rate control stabilityVSAvoidstructural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The valve element is divided into multiple cylindrical portions with different diameters (first cylindrical portion, second cylindrical portion, third cylindrical portion) instead of using a single uniform cylindrical shape. The orifice is similarly segmented into corresponding portions. This segmentation allows each portion to have different dimensional requirements, reducing the need for highly accurate cylindrical shaping across the entire length while still achieving stable flow rate control in the minute opening state.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4538565A1Electrically driven valve
Publication Date: 2025.04.16 FUJIKOKI CORP
  • EP4538565A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4538565A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4538565A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention provides an electrically driven valve that ensures a desired flow rate characteristics even though it may be processed easily and may cut down costs. In the electrically driven valve (1), a valve element portion (43) of a valve shaft (40) includes a large-diameter valve element cylindrical portion, a small-diameter valve element cylindrical portion having a smaller diameter than the large-diameter valve element cylindrical portion, and a small-diameter tapered portion that is formed continuously to the small-diameter valve element cylindrical portion, wherein the orifice portion (13) of the valve main body includes a small-diameter orifice cylindrical portion, and a large-diameter orifice cylindrical portion having a greater diameter than the small-diameter orifice cylindrical portion, wherein, in a state where the valve shaft is at the limiting position, the small-diameter valve element cylindrical portion is positioned on an inner side in a radial direction of the small-diameter orifice cylindrical portion and the large-diameter valve element cylindrical portion is positioned on an inner side in a radial direction of the large-diameter orifice cylindrical portion, and wherein, in a state where the valve shaft is displaced from the limiting position to the open position, after the large-diameter valve element cylindrical portion has been withdrawn from the inner side in the radial direction of the large-diameter orifice, the small-diameter valve element cylindrical portion is withdrawn from the inner side in the radial direction of the small-diameter orifice cylindrical portion.