Self-aligning Valve Seal with Laterally Movable Poppet Member

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Solution Overview

Problem

Poppet valves often experience misalignment between the sealing surface and the valve seat due to dimensional deviations, leading to fluid leakage, especially at high pressures, and inadequate sealing engagement, which can result in erosion and further leakage.

Innovation Solution

A laterally movable poppet sealing member that self-aligns with the valve seat as the poppet is axially moved from an open to a closed position, utilizing contoured surfaces for alignment and a radially extending sealing member with an inner diameter that allows lateral movement to ensure proper sealing engagement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If dimensional deviations occur in conventional poppet valves, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but misalignment between sealing surface and valve seat occurs leading to fluid leakage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing performanceVSAvoidalignment precision
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing member is designed to be laterally movable on the poppet stem, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position to compensate for misalignment between the sealing surface and valve seat, thereby resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and sealing reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The laterally movable sealing member automatically self-aligns with the valve seat through its own movement capability, eliminating the need for high-precision manufacturing and external alignment mechanisms, thus improving sealing performance while maintaining manufacturing simplicity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If high pressure is applied to ensure sealing, then sealing force is improved, but erosion of sealing surfaces increases leading to further leakage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing engagementVSAvoiderosion
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The laterally movable sealing member enables dynamic alignment adjustment that distributes sealing contact more evenly, reducing concentrated stress points that cause erosion while maintaining adequate sealing force under high pressure conditions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If conventional fixed sealing member is used, then device complexity is reduced, but sealing alignment cannot be adjusted leading to fluid leakage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing alignmentVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing member is designed with lateral movement capability on the poppet stem, adding minimal structural complexity while enabling automatic alignment adjustment to improve sealing reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The lateral position of the sealing member can be adjusted to change the alignment parameters between sealing surfaces, allowing adaptation to dimensional deviations without significantly increasing device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3215769B1Self-aligning valve seal
Publication Date: 2020.01.08 SWAGELOK CO
  • EP3215769B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3215769B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3215769B1 patent drawingFigure 4A~4B

AI summary

A valve includes a valve body, a valve seat, and a poppet assembled with the valve body. The poppet includes an axially extending poppet stem and a radially extending poppet sealing surface. The poppet is axially movable between a closed position and an open position. The poppet sealing surface is defined by a sealing member disposed on the poppet stem. The sealing member is laterally movable on the poppet stem. When the poppet is moved from the open position to the closed position, the sealing member is laterally moved to align the sealing surface with the seating surface.