Vacuum Valve Closing Unit Angular Clamping for Wobble-Free Positioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vacuum valve closing units face challenges in easy assembly and disassembly, stability, and accurate positioning of valve plates, leading to potential wobbling and inefficiencies in valve operation.

Innovation Solution

A closing unit design featuring a carrier plate with detachable valve plates and angular clamping surfaces, utilizing clamping pieces with angled surfaces to securely fasten the valve plates, ensuring stability and precise positioning through interacting clamping surfaces and guides like dovetailed connections.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If valve plates are detachably mounted on carrier plate using conventional fastening methods, then assembly and disassembly become easier, but positioning accuracy and stability deteriorate due to potential wobbling

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly and disassembly easeVSAvoidpositioning accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a carrier plate as an intermediary component between the valve plates and the valve rod. The carrier plate provides a stable mounting base with precisely formed recesses that receive and position the valve plates, ensuring accurate positioning while allowing detachable mounting for easy assembly and disassembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces conventional mechanical fastening methods (screws, clips) with a form-fit connection system. The valve plates are designed with protrusions that fit into corresponding recesses in the carrier plate, creating a wobble-free connection that ensures positioning accuracy while maintaining ease of assembly and disassembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Stability of the object's composition

If valve plates are securely fixed to prevent wobbling, then stability improves, but assembly and disassembly become more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevalve plate stabilityVSAvoidassembly and disassembly ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the closing unit into separable components: the carrier plate and the valve plates. The valve plates are designed as separate, detachable elements that can be independently assembled and disassembled from the carrier plate through simple form-fit connections, enabling easy maintenance while ensuring stability during operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The carrier plate serves as an intermediary structure that provides stable mounting for the valve plates through precisely formed recesses. These recesses create secure form-fit connections that prevent wobbling and ensure stability, while the modular design allows for easy assembly and disassembly of the valve plates.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Device complexity

If conventional fastening methods are used for valve plates, then device complexity remains low, but positioning accuracy and stability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefastening mechanism complexityVSAvoidpositioning accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex mechanical fastening systems with a simple form-fit connection. The valve plates have protrusions that fit into recesses in the carrier plate, creating a wobble-free connection that ensures positioning accuracy without requiring additional fastening components, thereby maintaining low device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines the fastening and positioning functions into a single integrated form-fit connection. The recesses in the carrier plate and protrusions on the valve plates simultaneously provide both secure attachment and precise positioning, eliminating the need for separate fastening mechanisms and simplifying the overall device structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS8511642B2Closing unit for a vacuum valve

Publication Date: 2013.08.20 VAT HOLDING AG

AI summary

A closing unit for a vacuum valve includes a first valve plate (7) for closing a first valve opening (2) of the vacuum valve, a second valve plate (8) for closing a second valve opening (3) of the vacuum valve, and a carrier plate (19) that lies between the valve plates (7, 8) to which the valve plates (7, 8) are fastened detachably. For fastening a corresponding valve plate (7, 8) to the carrier plate (19), at least one clamping piece (20, 21) is used by which interacting clamping surfaces (22-26) are clamped with each other. Of the interacting clamping surfaces (22-26), at least one is constructed as an angular surface by which the corresponding valve plate (7, 8) is pressed against the carrier plate (19).