Planetary Gear Valve Actuator Wear Reduction With Sliding Member
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrically operated valves with planetary gear type deceleration mechanisms experience premature wear due to high relative speed between resin sun gear and ring gear, leading to increased costs and reduced durability.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a sliding member made of a different material, such as metal or ceramic, between the sun gear and carrier, which reduces adhesion wear by using a metal or ceramic sliding member that abuts against the sun gear, eliminating the need for a leaf spring and reducing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the sun gear and ring gear are both formed from resin material to reduce cost, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but wear resistance deteriorates due to high relative speed between sliding surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the sun gear and ring gear from resin material (for cost reduction) while specifically enhancing the sliding member with metal material (for wear resistance). This localized material differentiation resolves the contradiction by applying different material properties to different components based on their functional requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials by combining resin material for the sun gear and ring gear with metal material for the sliding member. This composite approach allows the system to benefit from both the cost-effectiveness of resin and the superior wear resistance of metal, directly resolving the technical contradiction.
2Reliability
If a leaf spring is installed to separate the sun gear member from the ring gear to reduce wear, then wear resistance is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the separation function from the leaf spring and transfers it to the sliding member itself. The sliding member's geometry and material properties enable it to maintain separation between the sun gear and ring gear without requiring an additional leaf spring component, thereby reducing structural complexity while maintaining wear resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The sliding member is designed to perform multiple functions: it provides wear-resistant contact surfaces, maintains separation between the sun gear and ring gear, and transmits mechanical forces. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for a separate leaf spring, resolving the contradiction between wear resistance and device complexity.
3Ease of manufacture
If the sliding member is made of the same resin material as the sun gear, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but wear resistance deteriorates due to adhesion wear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the sliding member from metal material (different from the resin sun gear) specifically at the contact interface where wear occurs. This localized material differentiation addresses the wear resistance issue while keeping the overall manufacturing cost reasonable by only changing the material of the critical sliding component.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials by combining resin material for the sun gear with metal material for the sliding member. This material combination prevents adhesion wear between identical resin surfaces while maintaining cost-effectiveness, directly resolving the technical contradiction.
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 enhances wear resistance and durability while maintaining cost-effectiveness by preventing premature wear and improving the angular resolution of valve opening, allowing for high-load operation without the need for additional spring members.
Implementation Method 1
the relative speed between the sliding surfaces of these members is high, and therefore there is a risk of causing premature wear
Data Source
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AI summary
An electrically operated valve having excellent wear resistance while suppressing cost is provided. The electrically operated valve comprises a valve main body having a valve seat; a motor including a stator fixed to the valve main body and a rotor driven to rotate with respect to the stator, a planetary gear type deceleration mechanism configured to decelerate rotation of the rotor to transmit to an output gear, a valve member configured to be movable toward and away from the valve seat in an axial direction, and a feed screw mechanism configured to convert rotational movement of the output gear into movement of the valve member in the axial direction. The planetary gear type deceleration mechanism includes a sun gear coupled to the rotor, a planetary gear engaged with the sun gear, a carrier for rotatably supporting the planetary gear, an annular ring gear engaged with the planetary gear, and a sliding member abutting against an axial end of the sun gear. The output gear has a different number of teeth than the ring gear, and engages with the planetary gear, and the sliding member is made of a different material from the material of the sun gear.