Springless Pressure-Sustaining Valve for Pneumatic Clutch Wear Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pressure-sustaining valves in pneumatically actuatable friction clutches are complex, expensive, and prone to high wear due to their design as conventional check valves with valve springs, which are not effectively maintained during the rare occurrence of supply pressure drops, leading to potential uncontrolled vehicle starting.
Innovation Solution
A pressure-sustaining valve designed as a check valve without a valve spring, featuring a housing ring with a retaining cage and a closing element that engages interlockingly and frictionally, remaining stationary during normal operation but closing only during supply pressure drops, utilizing a spring-elastic surface for reduced wear and cost-effective production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional check valve with valve spring is used as pressure-sustaining valve, then the valve can maintain air pressure in the actuating cylinder, but the valve is complex, expensive to produce, and subject to high wear due to repeated opening and closing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the valve spring from the check valve design, extracting the component that causes complexity and wear. The closing element is retained solely by frictional engagement with the retaining cage during normal operation, eliminating the need for a spring while maintaining the pressure-sustaining function when supply pressure drops.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a simple closing element made of soft material that can be easily replaced if worn, rather than using a complex precision-machined spring mechanism. This approach reduces production costs and simplifies the overall valve structure while maintaining reliability through the friction-based retention system.
2Reliability
If a conventional check valve with valve spring is used as pressure-sustaining valve, then the valve can maintain air pressure in the actuating cylinder, but the production cost is relatively high due to precision parts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the valve spring from the check valve design, extracting the component that causes complexity and wear. The closing element is retained solely by frictional engagement with the retaining cage during normal operation, eliminating the need for a spring while maintaining the pressure-sustaining function when supply pressure drops.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a simple closing element made of soft material that can be easily replaced if worn, rather than using a complex precision-machined spring mechanism. This approach reduces production costs and simplifies the overall valve structure while maintaining reliability through the friction-based retention system.
3Reliability
If a conventional check valve with valve spring is used as pressure-sustaining valve, then the valve can maintain air pressure in the actuating cylinder, but the valve is subject to high wear due to repeated opening and closing during clutch disengagement and engagement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the valve spring from the check valve design, extracting the component that causes complexity and wear. The closing element is retained solely by frictional engagement with the retaining cage during normal operation, eliminating the need for a spring while maintaining the pressure-sustaining function when supply pressure drops.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a simple closing element made of soft material that can be easily replaced if worn, rather than using a complex precision-machined spring mechanism. This approach reduces production costs and simplifies the overall valve structure while maintaining reliability through the friction-based retention system.
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 solution provides a low-wear, cost-effective valve arrangement that maintains air pressure in the actuating cylinder during supply faults, preventing uncontrolled vehicle starting and extending the service life of the valve device by minimizing mechanical wear and production complexity.
Implementation Method 1
the closing element of the pressure-sustaining valve, in the unpressurized state and with a positive pressure gradient from the direction of the outlet bore of the associated inlet valve, can be held by interlocking and frictional engagement in the retaining cage of the housing ring
Implementation Method 2
with a negative pressure gradient in the direction of the outlet bore of the associated inlet valve, can be lifted out of the retaining cage and pressed against the valve seat
Implementation Method 3
utilizing a spring-elastic surface for reduced wear and cost-effective production
Data Source
AI summary
A valve device (2), of a pneumatically actuatable friction clutch engageable by spring force, includes at least one inlet valve (16, 18) connected on the input side to a pressurized supply line and on the output side to an actuating cylinder of the friction clutch. A pressure-sustaining valve (20, 28) is upstream or downstream of the inlet valve and is designed as a check valve closing in the backflow direction. The pressure-sustaining valve is a springless check valve and includes a housing ring (22, 30) having a retaining basket (36), a closing element (24, 32), and a valve seat (26, 34). The closing element, in the depressurized state and with a positive pressure gradient is held in the retaining basket (36) of the housing ring (22, 30) and, with a negative pressure gradient is pressed out of the retaining basket (36) and against the valve seat (26, 34).