Sprinkler Control Rod Sealing via Flat Water-Sealing Member
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sprinkler control rods require significant effort to operate due to increased frictional resistance from a large contact area with the saddle, leading to potential water leakage under high pressure.
Innovation Solution
The use of control rods with flat surfaces and a water-sealing member that maintains a reduced contact area with the internal plane surface of the tube, allowing for easier operation and effective waterproofing by sandwiching the sealing member between the rod and the platform.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the control rod body is completely abutted and wrapped at the saddle of the seal, then the control rod can effectively block water flow, but the contact area between the rod body and the saddle increases, augmenting the frictional coefficient and requiring significant effort to operate
Solution Approach 1:
The control rod is segmented into distinct functional zones: a water-sealing member for blocking water flow and a control rod body for actuation. This segmentation allows the sealing surface to be isolated from the actuation surface, reducing friction during operation while maintaining effective water blocking when engaged.
Solution Approach 2:
A water-sealing member acts as an intermediary between the control rod body and the saddle. This intermediary component provides the necessary sealing contact area without requiring the entire control rod body to be wrapped around the saddle, thereby reducing frictional resistance during operation.
2Shape
If the control rod body and saddle contact in arcuate abutment, then the control rod can be positioned, but the arcuate contact increases frictional resistance and allows water to flush along the periphery and infiltrate through chinks under high pressure
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using arcuate abutment between the control rod body and saddle, the invention inverts the approach by using a flat-tipped water-sealing member that makes linear contact with the saddle. This inversion eliminates the arcuate contact geometry that causes water to flush along the periphery and infiltrate through chinks.
Solution Approach 2:
The water-sealing member is designed with a flat tip that concentrates the sealing function at a specific location rather than distributing contact along an arcuate surface. This localized quality ensures proper sealing contact without the peripheral flushing and chink infiltration problems associated with arcuate abutment.
3Stress or pressure
If the control rod operates under high water pressure, then water discharge control is needed, but the strong current flushes along the periphery of the control rod and infiltrates through chinks, making the control rod ineffective
Solution Approach 1:
The water-sealing member serves as an intermediary that provides a dedicated sealing interface between the control rod and saddle. This intermediary structure prevents high-pressure water from flushing along the periphery and infiltrating through chinks, maintaining control effectiveness under high water pressure 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
This design reduces frictional resistance and prevents water leakage at high pressures, enabling effortless operation and enhanced waterproofing by ensuring a watertight seal regardless of pressure conditions.
Implementation Method 1
the contact area between the control rod and the platform of the tube so as to cut down the frictional coefficient
Data Source
AI summary
A water shutoff and discharge control apparatus for sprinklers comprises a water intake apparatus mounted to a support seat and swung back-and-forth by a sprinkling control assembly. The water intake apparatus has a tube with a platform and multiple outlets thereon, and both end sections of the tube have multiple control channels each connecting to the interior of the tube for the extension of a control rod there-through. Each control rod has a flat surface with a water-sealing member and a water-sealing area disposed thereon to match to the outlet, permitting the water-sealing member to abut watertight against an internal plane surface of the platform and slide along with the movement of the control rod to correspond to the outlet for water shutoff/discharge control thereby. Besides, the contact area between the control rod and the platform can be reduced, facilitating easier and more efforts-saving operation of the control rod thereby.