Thermostatic Valve Stirrup Locking for Compact Sleeve Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Thermostatic valves with sleeves in high-displacement heat engines face challenges in compactness and safety due to the difficulty in securely fastening the stirrup to the housing, leading to potential untimely release during installation, use, and maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A thermostatic valve design featuring a stirrup with arms that extend parallel to the central axis, connecting the thermostatic element to the housing, and fastened using plastic deformation of fastening arrangements within the geometric envelope of the sleeve, ensuring irreversible locking and preventing accidental release.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the stirrup is fastened to the housing using conventional methods, then the valve can be assembled, but the stirrup may be released untimely during installation, use, or maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening arrangement is pre-configured in a first configuration that allows easy insertion and assembly of the stirrup to the housing. Once assembled, it automatically transitions to a second configuration that provides secure locking, preventing untimely release during installation, use, or maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening arrangement is designed with dynamic characteristics, allowing it to transition between a first configuration (easy assembly) and a second configuration (secure locking). This dynamic behavior enables the fastening mechanism to adapt its state based on the assembly process, providing both ease of installation and reliable retention.
2Reliability
If the fastening arrangements are made irreversible to prevent release, then reliability improves, but ease of manufacture and assembly deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening arrangement transitions from a first configuration that facilitates easy assembly to a second configuration that provides irreversible locking. This dynamic transformation allows the component to be easily manufactured and assembled initially, then automatically secures itself to prevent accidental release during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening arrangement performs self-service by automatically transitioning from an assembly-friendly state to a locked state without requiring additional manual intervention. Once the stirrup is inserted, the fastening mechanism autonomously secures itself, combining ease of assembly with reliable locking.
3Volume of moving object
If the stirrup is designed to extend through the sleeve, then compactness is improved, but the risk of untimely release increases
Solution Approach 1:
The stirrup is pre-configured with fastening arrangements that will automatically transition to a locked state after assembly. This preliminary configuration allows the stirrup to extend through the sleeve for compact design while ensuring that the fastening mechanism secures the stirrup in place, preventing untimely release during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening arrangement on the stirrup exhibits dynamic behavior, transitioning from an unsecured state during assembly to a locked state after installation. This allows the stirrup to maintain a compact extended configuration through the sleeve while dynamically securing itself to prevent release during use or maintenance.
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 results in a more compact and safer thermostatic valve with secure fastening of the stirrup to the housing, preventing unintended release during assembly, operation, and maintenance, while maintaining the valve's geometric integrity.
Implementation Method 1
a thermostatic element, which includes both a heat-sensitive part, containing a thermodilatable material and arranged on the flow of the fluid in the housing between the orifices, and a movable part, translatable relative to the heat-sensitive part along the central axis under the effect of an expansion of the thermodilatable part
Implementation Method 2
said fastening arrangements being suitable for locking to the attachment part by plastic deformation of at least one part of the fastening arrangements
Data Source
AI summary
A valve with a sleeve movable along its central axis regulates fluid flow between the orifices of a housing for the valve. The valve has a thermost including heat-sensitive and movable parts, the latter being translatable relative to the heat-sensitive part along the central axis during expansion of a thermodilatable material contained in the heat-sensitive part. The thermostat is kinematically connected to the housing by a stirrup and kinematically connected to the sleeve, such that movements between the heat-sensitive and movable parts regulate the sleeve. In order for the valve to be more compact and safer, the stirrup has an arm extending lengthwise parallel to the central axis and connecting inside the sleeve the heat-sensitive part to an attachment part of the housing, and a fastener at its longitudinal end opposite the thermostat suitable for locking to the attachment part by plastic deformation.