Pressurized Fluid Cylinder Valve with Real-Time Autonomy Display
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing valve systems for pressurized fluid cylinders face challenges in rapidly displaying selected autonomy or withdrawal rate information, react slowly to parameter changes, and fail to effectively manage hazardous situations, such as incorrect gas flow rate selection, especially when used with medical ventilators.
Innovation Solution
The valve system includes a manual control member that can move into intermediate positions between flow rate and pressure values, with a data processing unit that suppresses or displays adjacent values, generates warnings, and calculates remaining fluid autonomy based on pressure measurements, using sensors like capacitive, optical, or magnetic sensors to provide immediate and accurate feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple successive pressure measurements are performed to calculate and display autonomy information, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time increases (30-60 seconds calculation time)
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary calculations of fluid quantity and autonomy immediately when pressure measurements are taken, rather than waiting for multiple successive measurements. The electronic logic calculates and displays autonomy information directly from the measured pressure data, eliminating the 30-60 second delay associated with multiple successive measurements while maintaining accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors pressure and provides immediate feedback to the user through the display. When pressure measurements are taken, the electronic logic immediately calculates and displays the corresponding fluid quantity and autonomy information, creating a real-time feedback loop that eliminates delays and improves both speed and accuracy of information provision.
2Reliability
If pressure measurements are taken at regular intervals to monitor fluid content, then reliability is improved, but loss of time increases (identical reaction time for parameter changes)
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors pressure and calculates fluid quantity and autonomy information without interruption. Rather than taking measurements at discrete regular intervals, the electronic logic continuously processes pressure data to provide real-time updates on fluid content and autonomy, ensuring immediate detection of any parameter changes while maintaining reliable monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The system establishes a continuous feedback loop where pressure measurements are immediately processed and displayed. This continuous monitoring and immediate feedback mechanism ensures that any changes in fluid parameters are detected and displayed without delay, improving both reliability of monitoring and responsiveness to parameter changes.
3Adaptability or versatility
If manual control member is positioned between adjacent flow rate values to enable precise flow control, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases (intermediate position handling)
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a position sensor to detect the exact position of the manual control member and provides immediate feedback to the electronic logic. This feedback mechanism enables the system to accurately determine and display the corresponding flow rate value even when the control member is positioned between predefined adjacent values, allowing precise flow control without adding complex control mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces complex mechanical interpolation mechanisms with an electronic solution. Instead of using additional mechanical components to handle intermediate positions, the patent uses a position sensor and electronic logic to detect and process intermediate positions of the manual control member, converting the mechanical positioning problem into an electronic calculation problem that is simpler and more precise.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a valve for a pressurized fluid cylinder comprising a member for manually controlling a flow-regulating member, a sensor for detecting the position of the member for manually controlling the regulating member, a data acquisition, storage, and processing member, and a display for information relating to the fluid flow and/or pressure imposed by the regulating member and/or the valve use mode, wherein when the manual control member is disposed in an intermediate position between two respective adjacent values of the flow and/or pressure of the fluid allowed to pass from the upstream end to the downstream end, the data acquisition, storage and process member is designed to suppress the display information.