Shut-Off Valve Support Structure for Service Port Access and Strength
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing shut-off valve support members in outdoor air conditioner units are prone to deformation under bending loads, leading to interference with service ports and impaired operability.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of an interference prevention portion and a stepped portion on the shut-off valve support member, which are continuous across both sides of the shut-off valves in the longitudinal direction, along with groove portions that extend to overlap with the shut-off valves, enhances the section modulus and strength of the support member, preventing interference and improving operability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the plate width of the shut-off valve support member is increased to ensure strength, then the strength is improved, but interference occurs between the support member and the service port
Solution Approach 1:
The support member is divided into distinct functional portions: a reinforcement portion with increased plate width to enhance strength, and a service port access portion with reduced plate width to prevent interference. This segmentation allows each region to be optimized for its specific function without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The plate width is varied locally across different regions of the support member. The reinforcement portion has a larger plate width specifically where structural strength is needed, while the service port access portion has a smaller plate width specifically where access is required, creating local quality variations that resolve the contradiction.
2Ease of operation
If the plate width is reduced to improve service port access, then the operability is improved, but the strength of the support member deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The support member is divided into distinct functional portions: a reinforcement portion with increased plate width to enhance strength, and a service port access portion with reduced plate width to prevent interference. This segmentation allows each region to be optimized for its specific function without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The plate width is varied locally across different regions of the support member. The reinforcement portion has a larger plate width specifically where structural strength is needed, while the service port access portion has a smaller plate width specifically where access is required, creating local quality variations that resolve the contradiction.
3Strength
If the plate width is increased to improve strength, then the strength is improved, but the section modulus decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniformly increasing plate width in two dimensions, the invention introduces a thickness dimension variation. The reinforcement portion has increased plate thickness, which effectively increases the section modulus (proportional to thickness cubed for rectangular sections) without increasing the plate width, thus maintaining service port access while improving both strength and section modulus.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
In a plate shaped shut-off valve support member configured to support a shut-off valve to which a refrigerant pipe on an indoor unit side is connected, and configured to be extended across a first fixing portion and a second fixing portion of an outdoor unit, the operability of a service port of the shut-off valve is ensured and the strength of the shut-off valve support member is improved. A shut-off valve support member (30) comprises an attachment portion (35), an interference prevention portion (36), and a stepped portion (37). A shut-off valve (61, 62) is attached to the attachment portion (35) with a service port (61a, 62a) of the shut-off valve (61, 62) protruding in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the shut-off valve support member. The interference prevention portion (36) is located at a position opposite to the attachment portion (35) when viewed in the longitudinal direction, away from the service port (61a, 62a) in a thickness direction of the shut-off valve support member, and is disposed so as to overlap with the service port (61a, 62a) when viewed in the thickness direction. The stepped portion (37) is formed between the attachment portion (35) and the interference prevention portion (36).