Valve Bellows Axial Positioning for Flowable Media
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Solution Overview
Problem
Valves for flowable media, such as fluid adhesive or glue, face a reduction in service-life due to high force introductions caused by production-related longitudinal tolerances in metal bellows, leading to undesirable pretension and force redirections during operation.
Innovation Solution
The relative axial position between the bellows and the valve seat is adapted to compensate for production-related deviations in the bellows' longitudinal dimension, using means such as annular spacer pieces or adjusted positioning, to minimize undesirable force introductions and extend the service-life of the bellows.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the bellows is fixed in a standard position without adaptation, then the valve structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but production tolerances cause high force introductions and pretension that reduce service-life
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies preliminary action by pre-adapting the axial position of the bellows during assembly to compensate for expected production tolerances. The bellows is positioned at an adapted axial location relative to the valve seat before operation begins, which pre-compensates for dimensional deviations and prevents excessive force introductions during subsequent operation, thereby extending service-life without requiring complex active control mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the positional parameter of the bellows along the axial direction. By adjusting the axial position of the bellows relative to the valve seat within available adjustment ranges, the system compensates for production tolerances in bellows length. This parameter change allows the bellows to operate with reduced pretension and force introductions, improving reliability while maintaining a relatively simple structural implementation.
2Duration of action of moving object
If the bellows axial position is adapted to compensate for production tolerances, then service-life is extended by reducing force introductions, but the device requires additional adjustment mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The adaptation of the bellows axial position is performed as a preliminary action during the valve assembly process. By establishing the correct axial position of the bellows relative to the valve seat before the valve enters service, the system pre-compensates for production tolerances. This approach extends bellows service-life by minimizing force introductions during operation while integrating the adjustment into the manufacturing/assembly process itself, thereby limiting the impact on ease of manufacture.
3Ease of manufacture
If standard bellows positioning is used, then manufacturing and assembly are straightforward, but high pretension forces are introduced that accelerate bellows failure
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the axial position parameter of the bellows to reduce pretension forces. By positioning the bellows at an adapted axial location relative to the valve seat, the system minimizes the pretension and force introductions that would otherwise be caused by production tolerances. This parameter adjustment maintains ease of manufacture by using a relatively simple repositioning approach while significantly reducing the harmful forces that accelerate bellows failure.
Data Source
AI summary
A valve for flowable media having a valve housing and an elongate closure member arranged therein and which can be axially moved in a medium channel of the valve by a controllable actuator and which in a closed position abuts a valve seat and closes a discharge opening connected to the medium channel, and which is connected to a sealing element to seal the medium channel, namely, a part-piece of an elongate bellows, which moves in an axial direction during movements of the closure member and which is a hollow member made of metal, wherein another part-piece of the bellows is fixedly supported in the valve. The relative axial position between the bellows and the valve seat is adapted to a production-related deviation of the longitudinal dimension of the bellows used from a desired longitudinal dimension so that this deviation is compensated for.