Servovalve Jet Pipe One-Piece Design

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional jet pipes for electro-hydraulic servovalves require accurate brazing processes for assembly, which can be challenging to ensure precise positioning and sealing, and there is a need for an improved design that enhances fluid flow and erosion resistance.

Innovation Solution

A one-piece jet pipe design with a tapered cavity and hardened nozzle section, featuring a fluid inlet and outlet with reduced diameters to minimize turbulence and cavitation, and optional supports for connecting to feedback or external force input devices, allowing for improved torque management and assembly simplicity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If a two-piece jet pipe construction with brazing is used, then the nozzle can be positioned accurately and sealed, but the manufacturing process becomes complex and difficult to ensure precision

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenozzle positioning precisionVSAvoidassembly process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the nozzle and pipe into a single integrated component manufactured from a single piece of material. This eliminates the brazing process and associated positioning challenges while maintaining manufacturing precision through direct formation of the nozzle geometry as part of the pipe structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies localized material property segmentation by hardening only the nozzle portion of the jet pipe while leaving the body material unchanged. This allows the nozzle to have erosion-resistant properties where needed while maintaining the ductility and manufacturability of the overall component as a single piece.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of manufacture

If the cavity diameter remains constant from inlet to outlet, then manufacturing is simpler, but fluid turbulence and cavitation increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecavity manufacturing simplicityVSAvoidfluid turbulence and cavitation
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality changes by tapering the cavity diameter specifically in the region where fluid acceleration occurs, while maintaining a constant diameter in other sections. This localized geometric modification reduces turbulence and cavitation at critical locations without complicating the overall manufacturing process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If the nozzle portion is hardened to resist erosion, then erosion resistance improves, but the overall component strength may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenozzle erosion resistanceVSAvoidoverall component strength
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality modification by hardening only the nozzle portion of the jet pipe where erosion resistance is critical, while leaving the body material in its original state. This selective hardening maintains overall component strength and ductility while providing enhanced erosion resistance at the high-velocity fluid discharge location.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 design enhances fluid flow efficiency, reduces turbulence and cavitation, and provides improved erosion resistance while simplifying assembly by using a single-piece construction and optional supports for enhanced torque management.

Implementation Method 1

The cavity may have a first diameter at the fluid inlet and a second diameter at the fluid outlet, and the second diameter may be smaller than the first diameter

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTapered geometry effect:

Implementation Method 2

reduces turbulence and cavitation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCavitation: Cavitation

Implementation Method 3

The portion of the body may be hardened relative to a remainder of the body. The hardened portion of the body may comprise less than 10 mm, 5 mm, 2 mm or 1 mm of the length of the nozzle

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectErosion resistance: Erosion

Data Source

PatentEP3023647B1Servovalve jet pipe
Publication Date: 2020.07.08 GOODRICH ACTUATION SYST
  • EP3023647B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3023647B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3023647B1 patent drawingFigure 4A~4B

AI summary

A jet pipe for a hydraulic servovalve is provided, comprising a body comprising a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet and a conduit in fluid communication with the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, wherein said body is a single piece of material.