Flow Passage Switching Valve Sealing Member Torque Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flow passage switching valves face challenges in downsizing due to high peak torque requirements, which are caused by the interaction between the inner rib of the sealing member and the valve body, leading to increased rotational resistance.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a sealing member with a joining part that is pressed outward by the valve body, reducing the mutual interval between sealing parts and preventing them from being caught by the valve body openings, thereby reducing the maximum torque required for rotation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional sealing member with inner and outer ribs is used, then sealing performance is improved, but peak torque increases due to the inner rib being caught by the valve body opening periphery during rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the inner rib from the sealing member structure. By extracting the problematic inner rib that causes catching with the valve body opening periphery, the peak torque is reduced while the outer rib continues to provide sealing functionality through contact with the valve body outer peripheral surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the harmful catching effect into a beneficial continuous contact sealing mechanism. The outer rib is designed to continuously contact the valve body outer peripheral surface during rotation, transforming the intermittent catching problem into a smooth rotational sealing solution that reduces peak torque while maintaining reliability.
2Ease of operation
If a driving part capable of outputting peak torque is adopted, then the valve can rotate the valve body, but the driving part size increases
Solution Approach 1:
By removing the inner rib that causes peak torque generation, the required driving torque is reduced. This allows for a smaller, more compact driving part design while maintaining the ability to rotate the valve body effectively.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the torque parameter requirements by modifying the sealing member structure. The outer rib contact mechanism creates a more favorable torque profile during rotation, enabling the use of a smaller driving part with reduced power output capability.
3Reliability
If the inner rib is pressed by the valve body outer peripheral surface, then sealing is maintained, but the inner rib releases and gets into the valve body opening causing rotation hindrance
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the inner rib that causes rotation hindrance. By eliminating this component, the release-and-catch phenomenon during rotation is completely removed, ensuring smooth rotation while the outer rib maintains sealing through continuous contact with the valve body outer peripheral surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The outer rib acts as an intermediary sealing element that continuously contacts the valve body outer peripheral surface. This mediator maintains sealing reliability during rotation without the intermittent release and catch problems caused by the inner rib interaction with the valve body opening periphery.
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 effectively reduces the peak torque needed to rotate the valve body, allowing for the downsizing of the driving part and enhancing the compactness of the valve system.
Implementation Method 1
The resilient sealing member is pressed outward by the valve body, so that the sealing member deforms in the radial direction of the valve axis
Data Source
AI summary
The sealing member includes a first sealing part and a second sealing part and a joining part connecting together the first sealing part and the second sealing part. The first sealing part extends to surround a peripheral edge of the first opening hole on the main body inner peripheral surface side. The second sealing part extends to surround a peripheral edge of the second opening hole on the main body inner peripheral surface side. The joining part is placed at a position where a mutual interval between the first sealing part and the second sealing part is the smallest in the circumferential direction. Each of the first joining end portion and the second joining end portion of the joining part is pressed outward in the valve radial direction by the valve body outer peripheral surface to be resiliently deformed.