Valve Closing Assembly Using Scroll Spring Emergency Drive
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing valve actuating arrangements require oversized actuators due to the need for a large tensioning device to overcome the torque developed by mechanical energy storage in spiral or helical springs, which decreases during the actuation process, leading to inefficient dimensioning and increased size.
Innovation Solution
The use of a roller spring motor as an emergency drive, which provides a constant torque throughout the actuation process, allowing for a smaller maximum torque requirement and enabling a more compact design by eliminating the need for an additional clamping device, with the option to tension the scroll spring motor via the input shaft or a separate tensioning device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a spiral or helical spring is used for mechanical energy storage in the emergency drive, then the emergency drive can be independent of external energy supply, but the torque developed decreases during relaxation requiring oversized dimensioning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of spring behavior from variable torque (spiral/helical springs) to constant torque (roller spring motors). This parameter change allows the emergency drive to maintain sufficient torque throughout the entire actuation range without requiring oversized dimensioning, as the constant torque characteristic eliminates the need to account for torque decay during relaxation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses roller spring motors that replicate the energy storage function of spiral/helical springs but with improved torque characteristics. By copying the essential function (mechanical energy storage) while improving the torque delivery mechanism, the system achieves both energy independence and compact dimensioning.
2Force
If the tensioning device is dimensioned to overcome the maximum torque of spiral or helical springs, then sufficient torque is available for actuation, but the actuator becomes oversized for its usual tasks
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the torque parameter from variable (high initial torque that decreases) to constant (moderate torque maintained throughout actuation). This allows the actuator to be dimensioned for the actual required torque rather than the peak torque of traditional springs, eliminating oversizing while maintaining sufficient force for valve actuation.
3Reliability
If a large tensioning device is used to tension the emergency drive, then the emergency drive can overcome the spring force, but the overall device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
By changing from variable torque springs to constant torque roller spring motors, the tensioning device can be significantly smaller while maintaining reliable emergency drive functionality. The constant torque characteristic ensures sufficient force is available throughout the actuation process without requiring large mechanical components.
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 solution reduces the dimensioning requirements for the emergency drive and tensioning device, allowing for a more efficient and compact design while maintaining the necessary torque for actuating the valve, even in the event of a power failure.
Implementation Method 1
a roller spring motor (28) with a band-shaped spring element (13), which is wound up in a relaxed state
Implementation Method 2
mechanically store the energy required to move the output shaft into the desired end position in the event of a power failure in a spiral spring or a helical spring
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
For a fitting closing device (8), comprising an output shaft (9) for connecting a fitting (3) and an input shaft (10) for connecting an actuating drive (2), it is proposed that an emergency drive (11) for driving the output shaft (9) in the event of a mains power failure is designed as a scroll spring motor (28) and/or a force flow from the emergency drive (11) to the output shaft (9) is merged with a force flow from the input shaft (10) to the output shaft (9) by means of a superposition transmission (16) and/or the emergency drive (11) is locked and released by means of a locking device (19).