Self-Aligning Spring Seat for Fluid Regulator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fluid control devices experience misalignment and premature wear of spring components due to manufacturing imperfections, leading to uneven loading and side loading, which exacerbates when using large, high-rate springs.
Innovation Solution
A positioning device assembly with a self-aligning second spring seat featuring a ball and socket joint or partial spherical surfaces, allowing the seat ring to articulate relative to the spring seat adaptor, reducing friction and facilitating easier assembly and adjustment, thereby minimizing side loading and wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a conventional fixed spring seat structure is used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the spring experiences misalignment and side loading due to manufacturing imperfections
Solution Approach 1:
The spring seat structure is transformed from a fixed rigid structure to a dynamic self-aligning structure. The seat ring is made movable relative to the spring seat adaptor through a ball-and-socket joint mechanism, allowing the spring to automatically align itself during assembly and operation, eliminating misalignment caused by manufacturing imperfections.
Solution Approach 2:
The ball-and-socket joint mechanism uses spherical surfaces (ball portion and socket portion) to enable rotational movement and self-alignment. The curved spherical interfaces allow the seat ring to articulate and find its correct alignment position, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing precision and structural complexity.
2Ease of manufacture
If a fixed spring seat structure is used, then the assembly process is straightforward, but torque application during tightening causes side loading and wear on the spring
Solution Approach 1:
The movable seat ring design allows the assembly process to be more tolerant of torque application variations. During tightening, the seat ring can move and articulate to accommodate torque forces without transferring side loads to the spring, thereby extending component lifespan while maintaining ease of assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The ball-and-socket joint acts as an intermediary mechanism between the fixed spring seat adaptor and the movable seat ring. This intermediary structure absorbs and redirects torque forces, preventing them from being transmitted as side loads to the spring, thus protecting the spring while simplifying the assembly process.
3Productivity
If manufacturing imperfections are present, then production is easier and faster, but spring misalignment and uneven loading occur
Solution Approach 1:
The spring and seat ring are designed to self-align during assembly through the ball-and-socket joint mechanism. This self-aligning capability compensates for manufacturing imperfections in the tubular control member or other components, allowing fast production without sacrificing alignment precision. The system serves itself by automatically finding the correct alignment position.
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 self-aligning mechanism reduces side loading and wear on spring components, extending their lifespan and simplifying the assembly process by distributing torque effectively and reducing friction during tightening.
Implementation Method 1
reducing friction and facilitating easier assembly and adjustment
Data Source
AI summary
A spring seat for self aligning a bias-open or bias-close spring is disposed within a tubular control element of a gas regulator and designed to reduce side loading of the spring, which can cause the spring to prematurely fail. The spring seat can comprise a spring seat adaptor and a seat ring. The spring seat adaptor is fixed inside of the tubular control element and the seat ring is movably mounted on the spring seat adaptor via a ball and socket type joint. The movable seat ring is engaged by the spring and adapted to be self-aligned through three-dimensional displacement relative to the spring seat adaptor via the ball and socket joint.