Valve Assembly With Melted Tabs For Adjustable Damping
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing of dampers requires maintaining a stock of different fluid metering valve assemblies with specific manufacturing tolerances, leading to increased costs and complexity due to the need for various valve assemblies to achieve distinct damping characteristics.
Innovation Solution
A valve assembly design featuring a first valve plate with multiple openings and a valve element with extendable tabs that can be selectively heated with electrical energy to form orifices, allowing for adjustable damping characteristics without the need for multiple manufacturing setups.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple different valve assemblies are manufactured to achieve distinct damping characteristics, then the damping performance versatility is improved, but the manufacturing cost and inventory complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The valve element incorporates tabs with narrow portions that can be selectively melted to form orifices of varying sizes and configurations. This dynamic modification capability allows a single valve assembly to provide multiple damping characteristics by controlling which tabs are melted and to what extent, eliminating the need for multiple pre-manufactured valve variants.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical state and geometry of the valve element tabs through selective melting. By applying heat to specific tabs, the narrow portions melt to create orifices with specific dimensions. This parameter change (from solid tab to melted orifice) enables continuous adjustment of damping characteristics from a single base valve assembly design.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple different valve assemblies are manufactured to achieve distinct damping characteristics, then the damping performance versatility is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
A single valve assembly design with multiple tabs serves multiple functions by allowing selective melting of different tabs. The same base valve component can produce various damping characteristics depending on which tabs are melted, making the valve assembly universal and eliminating the need to manufacture and stock multiple specialized valve variants.
Solution Approach 2:
The selective melting process changes the geometric parameters of the valve element tabs in-situ during or after assembly. This post-manufacturing parameter adjustment allows customization of damping characteristics without requiring separate manufacturing processes for each valve variant, significantly reducing tooling and production costs.
3Manufacturing precision
If precise manufacturing tolerances are maintained for different valve assemblies, then the damping performance precision is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The valve element tabs are pre-formed with narrow portions at specific locations during standard manufacturing. These pre-formed tabs require only selective melting later to create the final orifice geometry, rather than requiring precise machining of different orifice shapes for each valve variant. This preliminary preparation simplifies the overall manufacturing process while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces complex mechanical machining processes with a simpler thermal melting process. Instead of using precision machining tools to create different orifice geometries for each valve type, the same base tabs are selectively melted using heat, which is a simpler and more cost-effective process that achieves comparable or better precision through controlled material removal.
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 provides flexibility in producing dampers with varying damping characteristics using a single manufacturing setup, allowing for programmable damping performance by adjusting the number and size of orifices formed, thus reducing production costs and inventory complexity.
Implementation Method 1
The at least one tab is selectively provided with electrical energy to melt the narrow portion to form an orifice
Implementation Method 2
The at least one tab includes a biasing portion which biases the central portion towards the first opening of the valve element
Data Source
AI summary
A valve assembly includes a first valve plate defining at least one first opening and at least one second opening. A valve element located above the first valve plate has a central portion, and at least one tab extending outwards from the central portion. The at least one tab includes a narrow portion axially aligned with the at least one first opening such that the narrow portion at least partially covers the at least one first opening. The at least one tab is selectively provided with electrical energy to melt the narrow portion to form an orifice. The orifice is fluidly coupled with the at least one first opening.