Fluid Valve Sleeve Assembly for Coaxial Alignment and Low Pressure Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid valves, such as coaxial valves, face challenges in assembly complexity and ensuring coaxiality of components, leading to increased production costs and energy consumption due to multiple parts and potential angular offsets.
Innovation Solution
A sleeve-based design with a cylindrical section for the electromagnet components, including a constriction and widening, allows for integrated assembly and ensures coaxiality through O-ring sealing, reducing the number of moving parts and simplifying assembly, with a compression spring placed between the armature and core to minimize shifting forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple individual parts are used for the electromagnet components, then flexibility in design is improved, but assembly complexity increases and coaxiality cannot be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The core and armature are integrated into a single one-piece injection-molded component, eliminating the need for separate manufacturing and assembly of these parts. This merging reduces assembly complexity while maintaining design flexibility, as the integrated component can still be designed with varying geometries and functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The sleeve serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a structural housing for the electromagnet components, provides coaxial alignment through its cylindrical geometry, and incorporates sealing elements to prevent fluid leakage. This multi-functionality reduces the overall number of components needed in the valve assembly.
2Ease of manufacture
If multiple individual parts are used for the electromagnet components, then ease of manufacturing individual parts is improved, but manufacturing precision for coaxiality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The core and armature are manufactured as a single integrated component using injection molding, which ensures perfect coaxiality between these elements since they are formed in one operation. This eliminates the accumulation of tolerances that would occur if multiple parts were assembled together.
Solution Approach 2:
The transition from separate machined parts to an integrated injection-molded component represents a fundamental change in the manufacturing parameter space. Injection molding allows for complex three-dimensional geometries to be formed with inherent coaxiality, whereas traditional machining of separate parts would require precise alignment and multiple machining operations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a complex assembly design with numerous individual parts is used, then functional versatility is improved, but production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The core and armature are combined into a single injection-molded part, significantly reducing the number of components that need to be manufactured, inventoried, and assembled. This merging reduces production costs while the integrated design maintains the necessary functional versatility through careful geometric design.
Solution Approach 2:
The sleeve is designed to perform multiple functions: housing the electromagnet, providing coaxial alignment, and sealing the fluid passage. By making the sleeve multi-functional, the overall number of components is reduced, which lowers production costs while maintaining the valve's functional capabilities.
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 design results in a cost-effective, easy-to-manufacture fluid valve with reduced pressure loss and low power consumption, ensuring efficient fluid flow and easy assembly while maintaining coaxial alignment of components.
Implementation Method 1
sealing elements are provided on the second and third cylindrical sections... The sealing elements are advantageously designed as O-rings
Implementation Method 2
a compression spring placed between the armature and core to minimize shifting forces
Implementation Method 3
an electromagnet comprising a core and a flowable armature unit as well as a coil and magnetic return elements
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention relates to a sleeve for a fluid valve having a sleeve body (25) which has a first cylindrical portion (75) in which at least one core (26) and an armature (28) are to be arranged as parts of an electromagnet (10) to be produced, the sleeve body (25) being open at both ends. A first end (72) of the sleeve body (25) has a constriction (73) having an adjoining second cylindrical portion (79) and a second end (96) has a widening (97) having an adjoining third cylindrical portion (99), sealing elements (74, 100) being provided on the second and third cylindrical portions (77, 99).