Self-Aligning Servo Gas Valve for Secure Inlet Closure
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing servo gas valves have separate valve stems and plungers with springs, which complicate alignment and increase component count, making secure closure of the gas inlet connection when the actuator is deactivated less reliable due to potential misalignments.
Innovation Solution
The valve stem and plunger are integrated into a single element, eliminating the need for separate springs and providing self-alignment through the valve body's design, allowing compensation for misalignments between the valve stem and valve seat, especially when the valve stem is crooked.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate valve stem and plunger with springs are used, then the valve can provide alignment compensation, but the device complexity increases and secure closure reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the separate valve stem and plunger into a single integrated valve stem element. The valve stem now directly performs both the stem function and plunger function, eliminating the need for a separate plunger component. This integration reduces device complexity while maintaining secure closure reliability through the self-alignment capability of the integrated design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent removes the first spring from the system by integrating the plunger function into the valve stem. The spring force is now provided only by the second spring acting on the integrated valve stem, simplifying the mechanism. This extraction of the separate first spring reduces component count and device complexity while maintaining the necessary forces for secure closure.
2Reliability
If separate valve stem and plunger are used, then alignment compensation is possible, but the quantity of components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the valve stem and plunger into a single integrated element, reducing the component count from two separate parts to one. The integrated valve stem maintains the alignment compensation capability by incorporating the self-alignment features directly into its structure, eliminating the need for a separate plunger component while preserving the functional benefit of alignment compensation.
3Reliability
If separate valve stem and plunger with first spring are used, then the valve can provide self-alignment, but the opening force required by actuator increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the plunger function into the valve stem, eliminating the first spring and reducing the total spring force that the actuator must overcome. The integrated design maintains self-alignment capability through geometric features of the valve stem itself, reducing the opening force requirement while preserving the self-alignment function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent removes the first spring from the system, eliminating its spring force from the actuator's opening force requirement. The self-alignment capability is maintained through the integrated valve stem design rather than through the removed first spring, thereby reducing the total force the actuator must provide while preserving the self-alignment function.
Data Source
AI summary
Servo gas valve comprising a gas inlet connection, a servo gas connection, a bleed gas connection, a valve body, and first and second valve seats. When a first section of the valve body is pressed against the first valve seat, the gas inlet connection is closed and the servo gas connection and the bleed gas connection are in communication with each other. When a second section of the valve body is pressed against the second valve seat, the gas inlet connection is opened and is in communication with servo gas connection while the bleed gas connection and the servo gas connection are not in communication with each other. The first section of the valve body is configured to allow for self-alignment of the first section of the valve body relative to the first valve seat when the first section of the valve body is pressed against the first valve seat.