Pneumatic Valve Core Needle Piercing Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pneumatic valve cores for inflatable sports balls are prone to damage during inflation due to the risk of the inflation needle piercing the ball bladder when it is flat, and they allow dirt to enter, leading to air leakage issues when re-pressurizing.
Innovation Solution
A pneumatic inflation valve core design featuring a lengthwise body with a passage that includes a slit and canal construction, a sheath that prevents the needle from piercing the bladder, and an indentation to guide the needle accurately, along with a material like natural rubber to enhance durability and prevent dirt entry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a short passage design is used in the conventional pneumatic valve core, then the valve core structure is simple, but the inflation needle may pierce through the ball bladder when the ball is flat
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the key parameter of passage length from short to long, where the passage extends through the entire length of the valve core body. This parameter change ensures the inflation needle is contained within the valve core, preventing it from piercing the ball bladder when flat, thus resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve core body acts as an intermediary structure between the inflation needle and the ball bladder. The long passage design ensures the needle is contained within this intermediary structure, preventing direct contact between the needle and the ball bladder, thereby protecting the bladder from damage.
2Ease of operation
If the conventional pneumatic valve core is used, then the inflation process is simple, but dirt can enter the canal and cause air leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible sealing structure where the passage is sealed by elastic material that conforms to the inflation needle. This flexible seal prevents dirt from entering the passage during inflation operations, while still allowing smooth needle insertion and removal, thus maintaining ease of operation while preventing contamination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harm of dirt entry into a benefit by designing a passage structure where the sealing surface and geometry work together to naturally prevent contamination. The long, narrow passage design with proper sealing converts the opening operation into a protected state, preventing dirt ingress while maintaining operational simplicity.
3Reliability
If the passage length is increased to contain the inflation needle, then the needle piercing risk is reduced, but the valve core length increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the passage length parameter to be sufficient for needle containment but not excessively long. The passage extends through the valve core body in a controlled manner, balancing the need for needle containment with the constraint of overall valve core dimensions, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and compactness.
Data Source
AI summary
An inflatable sports ball and its pneumatic inflation valve core are provided. The pneumatic inflation valve core includes a passage penetrating the pneumatic inflation valve core in a lengthwise direction. The passage is provided for receiving an inflation needle which is served for inflating a ball bladder of an inflatable sports ball. When an inflation needle inserts into the passage of the pneumatic inflation valve core, since the pneumatic inflation valve core has adequate length, the pneumatic inflation valve core prevents the inflation needle from piercing through the ball bladder as the ball bladder is flat.