Valve Device Seal Surface Geometry for Low Drive Torque
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing valve devices require high drive torque to open when fully closed due to the inclined surfaces of the valve body biting into the housing, leading to increased operational difficulty and potential wear.
Innovation Solution
The valve device design features a valve body with an outwardly facing surface that remains out of contact with the housing, utilizing a cylindrical or spherical surface with specific seal distances and shapes to prevent biting, allowing the valve-facing surface to contact the housing without sliding, thus reducing the drive torque required to open the valve.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the valve body uses inclined surfaces (third and fourth seal sides) to close the valve opening, then the sealing performance is improved, but the drive torque required to open the valve increases significantly due to biting into the housing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional sealing approach by making the first and second seal sides (which are parallel to the rotation axis) longer than the third and fourth seal sides (which are inclined). This reversal of the sealing surface configuration allows the valve body to seal effectively without the inclined surfaces biting into the housing, thereby reducing the drive torque required to open the valve while maintaining sealing performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the sealing surfaces by specifying that the first and second seal sides extend for longer distances along the rotation axis compared to the inclined third and fourth seal sides. This parameter modification ensures that the primary sealing function is achieved by the axial seal sides rather than the inclined radial seal sides, eliminating the wedge effect that causes high biting forces.
2Ease of operation
If the outwardly facing surface of the valve body contacts the housing during rotation, then the valve body can be positioned and supported, but sliding friction increases wear and operational difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the positioning and support function from the outwardly facing surface of the valve body, which is specifically designed not to contact the housing during rotation. By removing this surface from the contact interface, the patent eliminates sliding friction and wear on the outwardly facing surface, while the sealing surfaces (first through fourth seal sides) provide the necessary contact for positioning and support during the closing operation.
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 reduces the drive torque needed to open the valve, minimizes wear, and prevents sliding noise, resulting in a more efficient and compact operation with lower power consumption.
Implementation Method 1
The biting means a binding force produced on the inclined surface by friction and pressing.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3(a)~3(b)
AI summary
A valve device includes a shaft (14), a valve body (15), and a housing (16) including a valve opening (10a). An outwardly facing surface (25, 26 and 30) of the valve body is to be out of contact with the housing and a valve-facing surface is to be in contact with the housing in a fully closed state in which the valve body closes the valve opening. A valve seal surface (21, 22, 31 and 32) includes a first valve seal surface (21) that protrudes in a valve closing direction and a second valve seal surface (22) that is recessed in a valve opening direction. A first seal distance (r1) in a radial direction from an outer diameter end of the first valve seal surface to a rotation axis (C2) is shorter than a second seal distance (r2) in the radial direction from an outer diameter end of the second valve seal surface to the rotation axis. The first valve seal surface and the second valve seal surface each have at least a curved surface.