Valve Sleeve Fluid Rerouting System for Wear Repair
Solution Overview
Problem
Wear in valve assemblies due to repeated oscillations against the mating bore leads to fluid leakage and disrupted fluid control, requiring costly and labor-intensive repairs by reaming the mating bore and replacing the valve assembly.
Innovation Solution
A valve body fluid rerouting system that uses a valve sleeve with ports corresponding to fluid communication ports, but without a balance pressure line port, and a spool with lands and an aperture to create a chamber for hydraulic pressure, blocking the balance pressure line to prevent fluid entry and allowing the spool to oscillate, thus maintaining fluid control without reaming the bore.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the mating bore is reamed to a larger size and a new valve assembly is inserted to repair wear, then fluid leakage is corrected, but the repair process becomes time consuming and costly
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the valve system into a permanent valve body and a replaceable valve assembly, the invention enables quick replacement of worn components without time-consuming reaming operations. The valve assembly can be extracted and replaced as a unit, dramatically reducing repair time and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention designates the valve assembly as a disposable component that can be replaced when worn, while the expensive valve body is retained and reused. This approach discards only the necessary component (valve assembly) and recovers the valuable valve body, reducing overall repair costs and time.
2Reliability
If the balance pressure line is blocked to prevent fluid entry between valve components, then fluid leakage is prevented, but the spool needs an alternative means to obtain hydraulic pressure for oscillation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the balance pressure function directly into the valve assembly by incorporating a balance pressure port and internal passages. This integration eliminates the need for a separate balance pressure line through the valve body, preventing fluid leakage while maintaining the necessary hydraulic pressure for spool oscillation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces internal passages and chambers within the valve assembly as intermediary fluid routing paths. These internal passages mediate between the main fluid line and the balance pressure requirement, allowing the spool to receive hydraulic pressure without requiring a direct balance pressure line through the valve body that could leak.
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
Enables effective fluid rerouting and maintenance of valve function without the need for reaming or special machining, reducing repair costs and time, and preventing fluid leakage by blocking the balance pressure line and using a spool with an aperture for hydraulic pressure control.
Implementation Method 1
Valve assembly 104 communicates with other components in the fluid circuit, such as fluid strainer 120 and receiving valve assembly 124, via a first fluid line 128 and a second fluid line 132
Implementation Method 2
a spool, a spring, a plug, and a retaining pin
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a fluid rerouting system for valve bodies that use hydraulic pressure, via a balance pressure line, to move spools. In an exemplary embodiment, the system comprises a valve sleeve having a plurality of ports that are substantially aligned with a plurality of fluid connections in the mating bore, except that no valve sleeve port aligns with the balance pressure line. The system also includes a spool having a plurality of lands that are sized and configured to fit slidably in said valve sleeve. The combination of the valve sleeve and at least one of the lands form a chamber, fluid access to which is via an aperture traversing the land. Means for blocking the access of said balance pressure line to said valve sleeve are also included.