Valve Assembly for Central Tire Inflation High Backpressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current valve designs for tire inflation systems fail to effectively function at high flow rates and backpressures, leading to issues where the valve cannot close when tire pressure is adjusted to a selected value.
Innovation Solution
A valve assembly with a housing, biasing member, and valve member featuring a frustoconical portion and continuous outer surfaces that allow pressurized fluid flow, enabling the valve to function effectively at high flow rates and backpressures by ensuring proper sealing and flow control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If current valve designs are used in tire inflation systems, then the valve structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the valve cannot close effectively at high flow rates and backpressures
Solution Approach 1:
The valve member is divided into multiple functional portions: a frustoconical portion for sealing against the housing, a cylindrical portion for flow control, and a stem portion for actuation. This segmentation allows each portion to perform its specific function optimally, ensuring reliable valve closing at high backpressures while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through standardized machining operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The frustoconical portion of the valve member features a tapered curved surface that mates with a corresponding tapered seat in the housing. This conical geometry provides progressive sealing contact, where the increasing contact area from the small end to the large end ensures positive sealing at high pressures while allowing smooth valve opening and closing operations.
2Productivity
If the valve is designed to function at high flow rates, then tire pressure adjustment speed increases, but backpressure increases causing the valve to fail to close
Solution Approach 1:
The valve assembly incorporates localized flow control features including a restricted orifice in the housing and a cylindrical portion of the valve member that creates a controlled flow restriction. This local quality approach allows high overall flow rates for rapid pressure adjustment while maintaining sufficient backpressure across the valve seat to ensure positive sealing when closing.
Solution Approach 2:
The frustoconical geometry of the valve member changes the pressure distribution parameters across the sealing surface. The tapered design creates a pressure gradient that enhances sealing force at the high-pressure end of the cone while allowing lower pressure at the actuation end, enabling the valve to close reliably even when operating at high flow rates with elevated backpressure.
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 valve assembly allows for precise adjustment and maintenance of tire pressure across a wide range of flow rates and high backpressures, ensuring the valve can close at the desired pressure, enhancing the reliability of tire inflation systems.
Implementation Method 1
A biasing member is disposed in the cavity adjacent a first perforation formed in the first housing. The valve assembly also comprises a valve member contacted by the biasing member.
Implementation Method 2
a first frustoconical portion having a continuous outer surface connected to a second portion having a continuous outer surface... wherein the continuous outer surfaces of the first frustoconical portion and the second portion allow a pressurized fluid to flow between the housing and the outer surfaces of the valve member
Data Source
AI summary
A valve assembly for a central tire inflation system is provided. The valve assembly includes a first housing having a first port connected to a second port via a cavity. The second port is in fluid communication with a wheel assembly. A biasing member is disposed in the cavity adjacent a first perforation formed in the first housing. A valve member is contacted by the biasing member. The valve member includes a first frustoconical portion having a continuous outer surface connected to a second portion having a continuous outer surface, a first end connected to the second portion and a second end connected to the first frustoconical portion wherein the continuous outer surfaces of the first frustoconical portion and the second portion allow a pressurized fluid to flow between the housing and the outer surfaces of the valve member.