Valve Slide Actuation via Segmented Control Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing high-pressure blow-molding machine valves require significant design adjustments and increased control pressure to accommodate varying working pressures, leading to longer switching times and reduced repeatability.
Innovation Solution
A compact valve design utilizing an air spring as actuating means and elastic sealing elements, allowing the valve slide to maintain a small size independent of working pressure, with a large control surface for low control pressure operation and separate sealing elements for fluid-tight sealing, enabling flexible integration and short switching times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If control pressure is increased to maintain fluid-tight seat at higher working pressures, then sealing reliability is improved, but switching time increases and repeatability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The valve is segmented into two independent pressure systems: a control pressure system that operates at low pressure to move the valve member, and a working pressure system that operates at high pressure for the blowing process. The control pressure system is isolated from the working pressure system, allowing the valve member to be actuated by low control pressure without being influenced by high working pressure, thus maintaining fast switching times and high repeatability while ensuring reliable sealing.
Solution Approach 2:
A control pressure medium acts as an intermediary to actuate the valve member. This control pressure medium is introduced into a control chamber that is fluidically isolated from the working pressure line. The control pressure medium mediates the actuation process, allowing the valve member to be opened or closed by low control pressure independent of the high working pressure, thereby maintaining fast and repeatable switching while ensuring reliable sealing through the isolated control system.
2Adaptability or versatility
If valve design is adjusted to accommodate varying working pressures, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The valve design is segmented into independent control and working pressure systems. The control chamber is fluidically isolated from the working pressure line, allowing the valve to handle varying working pressures without requiring design adjustments. The control pressure system remains constant and simple, while the working pressure can vary independently, thus improving adaptability without increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve is designed with a universal control mechanism that can handle varying working pressures through a constant low control pressure system. The control chamber and sealing elements are designed to be independent of working pressure variations, allowing the same valve design to universally accommodate different working pressures for different container sizes and blowing processes, thereby improving adaptability without increasing complexity.
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 valve achieves independent switching from working pressure, allowing for high repeatability and short switching times, even after standstill, with the ability to set working pressure variably without affecting switching times, and a compact size for flexible integration into blow molding stations.
Implementation Method 1
an air spring acts on the valve slide in order to move the valve slide into the basic position
Implementation Method 2
the valve slide carries at least one elastic sealing element which, depending on the movement of the valve slide, can be brought into or out of engagement with a sealing sleeve
Implementation Method 3
control air can be introduced in order to move the valve slide out of the basic position
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
In a valve for a high-pressure blow molding machine for producing blown hollow bodies, comprising a valve housing (12) having a housing recess (16) circumferentially bounded by a housing wall (15), in which at least one valve element is slidably mounted by means of compressed air, wherein the valve housing (12) has at least one feed channel opening into the housing recess (16) for supplying feed air under working pressure and at least one working channel (23a, 23b) extending from the housing recess (16), at which working air under working pressure can be provided for the blow molding process depending on at least two different functional positions of the valve element, and wherein actuating means are associated with the valve element, which act with an actuating force on an actuating side of the valve element and move it into a basic position of the functional positions,The valve element, which can be moved out of the position by applying compressed air to a control side of the valve element, is designed as an elongated valve slide (29) which has a control section (30) having a control surface (33), which together with the valve housing (12) forms a control chamber (34) into which control air can be introduced in order to move the valve slide (29) out of the initial position independently of the supply air under working pressure.