Vacuum Valve Mechanical Stopper for Sealing Body Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vacuum valves face issues with the sealing body tilting or moving to undesired positions during power outages or blackouts, leading to operational failures and seal degradation due to the lack of compressed air to counteract the compression spring's force.

Innovation Solution

A vacuum valve design incorporating a mechanical stopper that can move between restriction and non-restriction positions, utilizing compressed air to control the stopper's position and prevent sealing body movement when air pressure is lost, ensuring the sealing body remains in the correct position and preventing tilting.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If compressed air is used to drive the sealing body against the compression spring, then the sealing body can be controlled to the proper position during normal operation, but during power outages the sealing body may move to undesired positions causing tilting

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing body position controlVSAvoidsealing body tilting during blackout

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The mechanical stopper is pre-positioned to counteract the potential harmful movement of the sealing body during power outages. By providing a physical restriction before the tilting can occur, the system prevents the adverse effect rather than reacting to it after the fact.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The mechanical stopper acts as an intermediary element between the sealing body and the housing. It mediates the interaction by providing a controlled restriction point that prevents the sealing body from moving into harmful positions while still allowing normal operation when compressed air is available.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the mechanical stopper restricts sealing body movement at all times, then tilting is prevented, but the sealing body cannot move to the non-restriction position for maintenance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing body position stabilityVSAvoidsealing body accessibility for maintenance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The mechanical stopper transitions from a static restriction to a dynamic system that can move between restriction and non-restriction positions. This dynamic capability allows the system to adapt between normal operation mode (restricted) and maintenance mode (unrestricted).

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The mechanical stopper serves multiple functions: it prevents tilting during normal operation and enables maintenance access when needed. By integrating both protective and facilitative roles into a single component, the system achieves multi-functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Ease of operation

If the bonnet is detachably provided to enable maintenance access, then the sealing body can be accessed for maintenance, but the mechanical stopper must be moved between positions requiring additional control mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemaintenance accessibilityVSAvoidstopper operation mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The operation mechanism for the mechanical stopper is merged with the bonnet attachment/detachment operation. The same mechanical action that secures or opens the bonnet simultaneously positions the stopper appropriately, eliminating the need for separate control mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The bonnet attachment process automatically performs the function of positioning the mechanical stopper. The system uses the existing maintenance access mechanism to simultaneously control the stopper position, making the stopper operation self-serving through the bonnet's mechanical action.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

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

Prevents sealing body tilting and operational failures by restricting movement during power outages, maintaining seal integrity and ensuring reliable vacuum chamber pressure control.

Implementation Method 1

a compression spring configured to bias the sealing body in the gas downstream direction

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCompression spring: Spring

Implementation Method 2

a pressure receiving portion configured to push back the sealing body in the gas upstream direction against biasing force of the compression spring by the pressure of the compressed air

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCompressed air pressure: Pressure Increase

Data Source

PatentUS10578218B2Vacuum valve

Publication Date: 2020.03.03 SHIMADZU CORP

AI summary

A vacuum valve comprises: a housing configured such that a flow path of gas passing through a pair of opposing openings is formed; a valve body; a sealing body; a sealing body drive section configured to drive the sealing body in upstream and downstream directions of the gas; and a mechanical stopper including a restriction section configured to inhibit, at a restriction position, movement of the sealing body in the gas downstream direction. The mechanical stopper is disposed movable to a selected one of a first position at which movement of the sealing body toward a gas downstream side is inhibited at the restriction position or a second position at which movement of the sealing body from the restriction position to a non-restriction position on the gas downstream side is allowed.