Valve Pistol Wiper Ring Protects Sealing Against Abrasion

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing valve pistols for high-pressure cleaning devices face issues with sealing ring impairment and damage due to lime and abrasive particles, leading to increased roughness and flow resistance, which complicates assembly and affects the sealing effectiveness.

Innovation Solution

A valve pistol design incorporating a wiper ring adjacent to the sealing ring in the tappet channel, held by a retaining ring with radial extensions or a polygon shape, which removes deposited particles and maintains the sealing ring's integrity, along with a support ring to prevent gap extrusion, ensuring low flow resistance and easy assembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a sealing ring surrounds the valve tappet in the tappet channel, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but the sealing ring is impaired or damaged by lime and abrasive particles

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing effectivenessVSAvoiddamage from lime and abrasive particles
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A wiper ring is introduced as an intermediary element between the harmful particles (lime and abrasive) and the sealing ring. The wiper ring actively removes these particles from the valve tappet surface through relative movement, preventing direct contact between the particles and the sealing ring, thus protecting the sealing ring while maintaining sealing effectiveness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The wiper ring performs preliminary cleaning action by removing lime and abrasive particles from the valve tappet before these particles can reach and damage the sealing ring. This preventive measure ensures the sealing ring operates in a cleaner environment, reducing wear and impairment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If multiple rings (sealing ring and wiper ring) are held in the tappet channel, then protection and sealing are improved, but assembly complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing and protectionVSAvoidassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing ring and wiper ring are merged into a single integrated component rather than separate parts. This combined ring structure performs both sealing and wiping functions simultaneously, eliminating the need for separate installation steps while maintaining the protective and sealing benefits of having both rings

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The combined ring serves multiple functions: it provides sealing against the tappet channel wall and simultaneously acts as a wiper to remove particles from the valve tappet surface. This multi-functionality reduces the number of components needed and simplifies assembly while maintaining reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Ease of operation

If the valve tappet moves relative to the sealing ring, then valve operation is enabled, but limescale particles damage the sealing ring

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevalve operationVSAvoiddamage to sealing ring from limescale particles
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The wiper ring acts as a mediator between the moving valve tappet and the sealing ring. During valve operation, the wiper ring continuously removes limescale particles from the tappet surface through relative movement, preventing these particles from contacting and damaging the sealing ring while allowing the tappet to move freely for valve operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The relative movement between the valve tappet and sealing ring, which could potentially cause particle damage, is converted into a beneficial wiping action. The wiper ring utilizes this relative movement to actively scrape off limescale particles, transforming the harmful sliding contact into a protective cleaning mechanism

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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

The solution effectively prevents impairment of the sealing ring's effectiveness and reduces the risk of damage, maintaining a smooth operation with low flow resistance and ease of assembly, while ensuring the sealing ring remains functional even under high pressures.

Implementation Method 1

A wiper ring is arranged in the tappet channel adjacent to the sealing ring surrounding the valve tappet. The wiper ring rests against the valve tappet and is held in the tappet channel together with the sealing ring

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 2

A closing element is located in the first channel section, which rests against the valve seat under the action of a closing spring and can be moved into an open position spaced apart from the valve seat by shifting a valve tappet

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 3

The valve tappet extends through a tappet channel opening into the first channel section and is surrounded within the tappet channel by a sealing ring, thus ensuring that the cleaning fluid cannot flow out of the valve housing via the tappet channel

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3442722B1Valve pistol for a high-pressure cleaning device
Publication Date: 2021.06.09 ALFRED KARCHER SE & CO KG
  • EP3442722B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3442722B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3442722B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a valve pistol for a high-pressure cleaning device, having a valve (22) which has a valve housing (24) with a passage duct (30), which passage duct has a first duct section (52) in which there are arranged a valve seat (82) and a closing body (86) which, in a closed position, bears against the valve seat (82), wherein the closing body (76) is movable into an open position by displacement of a valve plunger (106), and the valve plunger (106), surrounded by a sealing ring (114), extends through a plunger duct (72) which opens into the first duct section (52), and, outside the valve housing (84), said valve plunger is mechanically coupled to a release lever (122). To further develop the valve pistol (10) such that the risk of an impairment of the sealing action of the sealing ring (114), and damage to the sealing ring (114), is reduced, it is proposed that the valve plunger (106) be surrounded by a stripper ring (110, 112) which is arranged adjacent to the sealing ring (114) and which bears against the valve plunger (106) and which is held together with the sealing ring (114) in the plunger duct (72) by a holding element (116) which is arranged with a spacing to the valve seat (82).