Valve Operator Housing With Overlap Cover for High-Pressure Strength
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing valve operator assemblies face challenges in maintaining structural integrity and strength, especially when made from lighter materials like plastic, under high fluid pressure, and require effective stress distribution to prevent damage and bursting.
Innovation Solution
The valve operator assembly design includes a housing with a cover that overlaps the sidewall, providing increased structural integrity and using stoppers to restrict the linear motion of the yoke nut instead of the sidewall, allowing for the use of lighter materials like plastic without compromising strength, and incorporating a yoke and yoke nut mechanism for rotational actuation of the valve stem.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the housing is made from lighter materials like plastic, then the assembly becomes lighter and more cost-effective, but the structural integrity and strength under high fluid pressure deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into two separate components: a body and a cover. The cover is mounted on the body such that its side portion overlaps the sidewall of the body, creating a layered structure. This segmentation allows the lighter plastic material to achieve the required structural integrity through geometric configuration rather than relying solely on material strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover's side portion extends downwards to overlap the sidewall in a vertical dimension, adding structural reinforcement in a different spatial orientation. This dimensional approach distributes stress across multiple layers and areas, compensating for the lower inherent strength of plastic material under high pressure conditions.
2Device complexity
If the sidewall restricts the linear motion of the yoke nut, then the structure is simpler, but the stress on the housing increases causing potential damage and bursting
Solution Approach 1:
The function of restricting the yoke nut's linear motion is extracted from the housing sidewall and assigned to separate stopper components. These stoppers are positioned to engage with the yoke nut, preventing its linear motion without requiring the housing sidewall to bear the associated mechanical stress. This separation protects the housing from stress concentration and potential failure.
3Strength
If the cover side portion overlaps the body sidewall, then the structural integrity is enhanced, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The overlapping configuration of the cover and body is achieved through controlled geometric parameters during molding. By specifying precise dimensional parameters for the cover's side portion extension and its overlap with the body sidewall, the design achieves enhanced structural integrity through standard plastic molding processes, balancing manufacturing feasibility with structural requirements.
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 design enhances the assembly's ability to handle high fluid pressures, reduces stress on the housing, and allows for a lighter, cost-effective, and corrosion-resistant construction suitable for submerged environments while maintaining stability and operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The yoke nut may include a yoke nut shaft bore to receive the shaft, and may be linearly movable upon rotation of the shaft, the linear motion of the yoke nut producing a rotational motion of the yoke
Data Source
AI summary
A valve operator assembly may include a housing, a yoke, and one or more stoppers. The housing is mountable on a valve, and includes a body having a sidewall including a shaft bore, to receive a shaft rotatable within the housing, and a cover having a top member mountable on a top portion of the body and a side portion extending downwards adjacent to and partially overlapping the sidewall. The yoke is operably coupled by a yoke nut to the shaft to impart rotation to a valve stem of the valve when the shaft is rotated. The one or more stoppers are disposed within the housing to restrict the linear motion of the yoke nut.