Vehicle Sill Drain Valve With Buoyant Gate Against Water Ingress
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Solution Overview
Problem
Build-up of fluid in vehicle sills leads to internal corrosion, prematurely ending the service life of vehicles, and existing apertures in sills allow fluid ingress and egress, exacerbating the issue.
Innovation Solution
A drain valve for vehicle sills featuring a valve body with a sill attachment, a moveable gate with a buoyancy pocket, and a seal for a fluid-tight connection, allowing fluid to exit but preventing ingress during deep water immersion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a two-way aperture is provided into the sill to allow fluid drainage, then fluid can exit the sill cavity, but fluid can also ingress into the sill when the vehicle passes through deep water
Solution Approach 1:
The gate is made movable rather than fixed, allowing it to dynamically respond to changing water levels. The gate automatically opens to allow drainage when the vehicle is on land and closes to prevent water ingress when the vehicle is immersed in deep water, transforming a static aperture into a dynamic control system.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve system is self-regulating through the buoyancy mechanism. When water level rises, the buoyant gate automatically closes the aperture without external control. When water level drops, the gate automatically opens to drain fluid, eliminating the need for external actuators or control systems.
2Reliability
If a drain aperture is provided in the sill, then fluid buildup can be reduced, but the aperture cannot distinguish between outgoing drainage and incoming water during immersion
Solution Approach 1:
The buoyant gate acts as a counterbalancing element that responds to water pressure differential. The buoyancy force creates a counteracting mechanism that automatically balances the need for drainage with the need for protection, allowing the system to adapt to different water conditions without external control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes its operational state based on water level parameters. At low water levels, the gate remains open for drainage. At high water levels, the buoyant gate closes the aperture. This parameter-based response allows the same structure to serve multiple functions under different conditions.
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 drain valve effectively prevents fluid ingress during deep water immersion while allowing fluid to exit, thereby reducing internal corrosion and extending the service life of vehicles.
Implementation Method 1
the gate further comprising a buoyancy pocket. The drain valve allows fluid to exit from the cavity of a sill if arranged in the default open position. When a vehicle enters deep water, above the level of the sill, the buoyancy pocket causes the gate to rise with the fluid and places the drain valve in the closed position
Implementation Method 2
a gate, moveably attached to the valve body, the gate moveable between a sealed position and an open position
Data Source
AI summary
The application discloses a drain valve for a vehicle sill. The drain valve includes a valve body, a sill attachment, a gate, moveably attached to the valve body. The gate being moveable between a scaled position and an open position. The gate further includes a buoyancy pocket.