Animal Watering Valve Filtration for Debris-Resistant Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing animal watering valves face issues with debris accumulation, restricted water flow due to contamination, and inadequate filtration, leading to potential blockages and inconsistent flow rates.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a lattice structure plug with pores sized between 20 and 100 microns for effective filtration, a diaphragm with multiple sealing surfaces to prevent debris-induced blockages, and a stem hat with a radially extending disk to prevent debris entry and ensure consistent water flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single-layer inline filter is used for filtration, then the filter structure is simple, but debris accumulation restricts water flow
Solution Approach 1:
The filter is divided into multiple layers with different pore sizes and filtration functions. The first layer (20-50 micron pores) captures larger debris particles, the second layer (5-20 micron pores) captures finer particles, and the third layer (1-5 micron pores) captures the finest particles. This segmentation allows each layer to handle specific particle sizes, preventing clogging of the entire filter and maintaining water flow rate.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter transitions from a single-layer two-dimensional structure to a multi-layer three-dimensional structure. This adds depth to the filtration system, creating multiple filtration planes that work in sequence. The multi-layer configuration increases the total filtration area and provides redundant flow paths, preventing complete blockage when debris accumulates.
2Device complexity
If a simple valve seat design is used, then the valve structure is simple, but debris lodging prevents proper sealing
Solution Approach 1:
The multi-layer filter is positioned upstream of the valve seat to preliminarily remove debris from the water flow before it reaches the valve seat. This preliminary filtration action prevents debris from reaching and lodging between the valve stem head and valve seat, ensuring reliable sealing without requiring a complex valve seat design.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-layer filter acts as an intermediary component between the water source and the valve seat. It mediates the interaction between debris and the valve seat by capturing debris particles in its multiple layers, preventing them from interfering with the sealing surface of the valve seat.
3Device complexity
If a standard shield is used to prevent animal interference, then the shield structure is simple, but bedding material clings to the shield and inhibits water flow
Solution Approach 1:
The shield is constructed with a porous structure that allows water to pass through while preventing bedding material from clinging to its surface. The porous configuration creates surface tension effects that repel fibrous bedding material, preventing it from adhering to the shield and blocking water flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The shield's physical parameters (surface texture, porosity, pore size distribution) are optimized to change its interaction with bedding material. By adjusting these parameters, the shield surface becomes less attractive to bedding fibers, reducing adhesion and maintaining water flow rate while still providing protection against animal interference.
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 solution enhances filtration efficiency, reduces debris-related blockages, and maintains consistent water flow rates by using a lattice structure plug and a diaphragm with multiple sealing surfaces, while the stem hat prevents debris from entering the valve, ensuring reliable operation.
Implementation Method 1
a lattice structure extending along said length of 2-8 mm. The lattice structure may include pores sized between 20 and 100 microns
Data Source
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AI summary
An animal watering valve (10) includes a housing (12) having an upstream end (18), a downstream end ( 14), a bore (42) extending therebetween, a valve element (50) and a valve actuator (46) located at least in part in the bore, and a plug (1 18) disposed within the bore upstream of the valve element. The plug (1 18) includes a lattice structure (132) extending along a length of the plug. The valve element (50) may be a diaphragm disposed within the bore to separate the bore into upstream and downstream portions. The valve actuator (46) has a stem with a stem body ( 100) extending downstream from a stem head (98) and through an outlet of the housing. The diaphragm includes a sealing surface with first and second annular ridges (88) and a groove (90) disposed therebetween. A stem hat (134) having a cap (136) and disk (140) is coupled to a downstream end of the stem. The disk (140) extends radially from the stem at a location upstream of the outlet.