Watch Pressure-Relief Valve Assembly for Ceramic Head Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing watch case helium valves require assembly by fitting or welding, limiting the use of hard materials like ceramic, and are prone to damage from internal overpressure during decompression.
Innovation Solution
A pressure-relief valve design that uses an insert to secure the head to the tube via screwing and gluing, allowing the use of hard materials like ceramic and avoiding assembly by fitting or welding, with a movable head and sealing gaskets to manage internal pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If assembly by fitting or welding is used to secure the valve head to the tube, then the connection is strong and reliable, but the choice of materials is limited and hard materials like ceramic cannot be used
Solution Approach 1:
The valve head is divided into two separate components: a hard outer head (ceramic, sapphire, or ceramels) and a soft insert (elastomer or thermoplastic). The insert is secured to the head via screwing and/or gluing, allowing the hard head to be attached to the tube by fitting or welding while the insert provides the necessary flexibility for sealing and assembly. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by enabling both material versatility and connection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve head combines two different materials with complementary properties: a hard material (ceramic, sapphire, or ceramels) for durability and resistance to internal overpressure, and a soft material (elastomer or thermoplastic insert) for flexibility and sealing. This composite structure allows the use of hard materials that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to assemble by fitting or welding, while maintaining reliable connections.
2Strength
If hard materials like ceramic are used for the valve head, then resistance to internal overpressure is improved, but assembly by fitting or welding becomes difficult or impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The valve head is segmented into a hard outer shell and a soft insert. The hard head provides overpressure resistance while the soft insert facilitates assembly by fitting or welding to the tube. The insert acts as an intermediary that enables reliable assembly of the hard head without requiring direct welding or fitting of the ceramic material itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The soft insert serves as an intermediary component between the hard valve head and the tube. It enables the hard head to be securely attached to the tube through fitting or welding while the insert itself provides the necessary flexibility and sealing properties, resolving the manufacturing difficulty of assembling hard materials.
3Ease of operation
If the valve head is made movable in rotation and translation, then gas flow control is improved, but the complexity of the valve assembly increases
Solution Approach 1:
Rotational and translational movements are combined into a single unscrewing action. When the user unscrews the valve head, both rotation and axial translation occur simultaneously, controlling the gas flow through a single integrated motion rather than requiring separate rotational and translational steps. This merging simplifies the overall operation while maintaining effective gas flow control.
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 the use of hard materials like ceramic for the valve head while effectively managing internal pressure changes, preventing damage and ensuring reliable gas exchange.
Implementation Method 1
fastening between the material of the head and the material of the insert is achieved by screwing, preferably by screwing and gluing
Implementation Method 2
fastening between the material of the head and the material of the insert is achieved by screwing, preferably by screwing and gluing
Implementation Method 3
at least one gasket ensuring water-tightness of the valve while enabling, when it is not compressed, the passage of the gas
Data Source
AI summary
A pressure-relief valve (1) including: a tube (2) intended to be fastened to a watch case, a recessed head (3) mounted movable in rotation and in translation about and along the axis of the tube (2), the head (3) being able to adopt a first axial position where a gas flow could be performed between the inside and the outside of the watch case and a second axial position where this gas flow is prevented, a first insert (4) mounted within the recess of the head (3), the valve (1) being wherein the head (3) is mounted on the tube (2) via the first insert (4) and wherein the head (3) is fastened to said first insert (4) by a screw thread and/or a glue.