Diaphragm Pump Valve Plate Mounting for Precise Sealing Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing valve designs for diaphragm pumps face challenges in automated assembly, especially in small pumps, due to tight manufacturing tolerances and potential impairment from swelling of elastic valve plates, leading to unclear positioning and reduced functionality.
Innovation Solution
The valve design features outer edge mounts with webs connected via connecting brackets that engage with holding bases, allowing for precise positioning and tensioning of the valve plate, enabling easy assembly and maintaining functionality even under pressure differences, without requiring a common peripheral connecting element for sealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a common peripheral connecting element is used for sealing the valve plate, then sealing function is improved, but the valve plate is pinched and its function is impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The valve plate is divided into functionally separate parts: a closing body for sealing the valve seat and outer edge mounts for positioning. The sealing function is achieved by the closing body contacting the valve seat, while the outer edge mounts are positioned in recesses without requiring pinching, thus eliminating the harmful pinching effect while maintaining sealing reliability.
2Manufacturing precision
If tight manufacturing tolerances are required for perfect closing behavior, then sealing precision is improved, but assembly difficulty and manufacturing effort increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The valve plate design provides different degrees of freedom for different parts: the closing body maintains precise contact with the valve seat for sealing, while the outer edge mounts are positioned in recesses that provide tolerance compensation. This local differentiation allows acceptable closing behavior without requiring tight tolerances across all components, significantly easing manufacturing and assembly.
3Adaptability or versatility
If clearance is provided around the valve plate to accommodate swelling, then material swelling is accommodated, but form-fitting positioning is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The valve plate is segmented into a closing body and outer edge mounts. The outer edge mounts are positioned in recesses that provide form-fitting positioning and prevent excessive movement, while the closing body maintains contact with the valve seat for sealing. This segmentation allows the structure to accommodate material swelling without losing positioning precision, as the recesses provide guidance while allowing for dimensional changes.
4Ease of operation
If the valve plate is made of elastic material to enable valve movement, then valve functionality is improved, but chemical resistance and dimensional stability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The valve plate uses elastic material locally at the closing body to enable valve movement and sealing, while the outer edge mounts are positioned in recesses that constrain excessive deformation. This local application of elasticity provides the necessary movement capability while the recesses limit overall dimensional changes, improving chemical resistance and dimensional stability without sacrificing valve functionality.
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 ensures correct positioning and functionality of the valve plate, facilitating automated assembly and maintaining tight sealing across various pressure conditions, while minimizing dead space and avoiding material swelling issues.
Implementation Method 1
a valve plate (10), which is elastically pretensioned via outer edge mounts (101) in such a way that a preferably plate-shaped closing body (1) of the valve plate rests tightly on the valve seat (4)
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a valve (100), in particular a plate or non-return valve, for example for diaphragm pumps, comprising a valve chamber (14) which is delimited by a valve housing and in which at least one valve seat (4) is provided that interacts with a valve plate (10), said valve plate (10) being elastically pretensioned by traction via outer edge mountings (101) such that a closing body (1) of the valve plate (10) can be moved from a closed position, in which the closing body (1) sealingly lies on the valve seat (4), into an open position against the elasticity of the valve plate (10) at least in the region of the outer edge mountings (101) thereof, wherein the outer edge mountings (101) of the valve plate (10) have webs (2), and the outer edge mountings (101) have connection brackets (5) which are connected to the web (2) ends facing away from the closing body (1). The valve (100) according to the invention is characterized in that the outer edge mountings (101) only engage on the closing body (1) in a disconnected manner between one another, each of the outer edge mountings (101) has at least two webs (2), the webs (2) of each outer edge mounting (101) are connected together via a connection bracket (5), and each connection bracket (5) engages behind at least one paired holding base (7) of the valve housing. The invention also relates to a diaphragm pump which is provided with the valve according to the invention as an inlet and/or outlet valve (cf. fig. 1).