대표
청구항
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1. A valve for controlling a fluid, the fluid exerting a fluid pressure, the valve comprising:a body, the body including: a fluid passage; a valve seat defining an orifice, and including: a sealing gland including a support surface, the support surface including a notch; a resilient valve seat member disposed within the sealing gland; a valve sealing member disposed within the fluid passage and configured to seat against the valve seat member to effect sealing of the valve sealing member to the valve seat and thereby close the orifice; the notch being co...
1. A valve for controlling a fluid, the fluid exerting a fluid pressure, the valve comprising:a body, the body including: a fluid passage; a valve seat defining an orifice, and including: a sealing gland including a support surface, the support surface including a notch; a resilient valve seat member disposed within the sealing gland; a valve sealing member disposed within the fluid passage and configured to seat against the valve seat member to effect sealing of the valve sealing member to the valve seat and thereby close the orifice; the notch being configured to facilitate the application of the fluid pressure on the valve seat member to prevent leakage through the orifice and between the valve sealing member and the sealing gland when the valve sealing member is seated against the valve seat member; the valve seat member including: a first pressure responsive surface, exposed to the fluid passage, and including a valve engaging surface portion, wherein the valve engaging surface portion is configured to engage the valve sealing member to effect sealing of the valve sealing member to the valve seat; a second pressure responsive surface configured to receive the application of the fluid pressure; the notch being positioned to face the second pressure responsive surface; and the notch being configured to facilitate the application of the fluid pressure on the second pressure responsive surface to counterbalance applications of forces on the first pressure responsive surface. 2. A valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the valve seat member is supported within the sealing gland.3. A valve as claimed in claim 2, wherein the notch is characterized by a depth of at least 0.00254 millimeters (100 microinches).4. A valve as claimed in claim 3, wherein the notch is characterized by a depth of at least 0.0254 millimeters (0.001 inches).5. A valve as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first pressure responsive surface is located on the valve seat member substantially opposite to the second pressure responsive surface.6. A valve as claimed in claim 5, wherein the fluid passage is in fluid communication with the notch.7. A valve as claimed in claim 6, wherein the sealing gland includes a cavity, and wherein the cavity includes a channel between the support surface and the second pressure responsive member, the channel being defined by the notch.8. A valve as claimed in claim 7, wherein the valve further includes a pressure communication passage connecting the cavity of the sealing gland and the fluid passage.9. A valve as claimed in claim 8, wherein the sealing gland includes an aperture, and wherein the pressure communication passage is connected to the aperture.10. A valve for controlling a fluid, the fluid exerting a fluid pressure, the valve comprising:a body, the body including: a fluid passage; a valve seat defining an orifice, including: a sealing gland; a resilient valve seat member disposed within the sealing gland, and including a notch; a valve sealing member disposed within the fluid passage and configured to seat against the valve seat member to effect sealing of the valve sealing member to the valve seat and thereby close the orifice; the notch being configured to facilitate the application of the fluid pressure on the valve seat member to prevent leakage through the orifice and between the valve sealing member and the sealing gland when the valve sealing member is seated against the valve seat member; the valve seat member including: a first pressure responsive surface, exposed to the fluid passage, and including a valve engaging surface portion, wherein the valve engaging surface portion is configured to engage the valve sealing member to effect sealing of the valve sealing member to the valve seat; and a second pressure responsive surface configured to receive the application of the fluid pressure; wherein the notch is configured to facilitate the application of the fluid pressure on the second pressure responsive surface to maintain engagement of the valve seat member to the sealing gland upstream of the valve engaging surface. 11. A valve as claimed in claim 10, wherein the notch is configured to facilitate the application of the fluid pressure on the second pressure responsive surface to counterbalance applications of forces on the first pressure responsive surface.12. A valve as claimed in claim 11, wherein the sealing gland includes a support surface, and wherein the support surface faces the notch.13. A valve as claimed in claim 12, wherein the valve seat member is supported within the sealing gland.14. A valve as claimed in claim 13, wherein the notch is characterized by a depth of at least 0.00254 millimeters (100 microinches).15. A valve as claimed in claim 14, wherein the notch is characterized by a depth of at least 0.0254 millimeters (0.001 inches).16. A valve seal as claimed in claim 15, wherein the first pressure responsive surface is located on the valve seat member substantially opposite to the second pressure responsive surface.17. A valve as claimed in claim 16, wherein the fluid passage is in fluid communication with the notch.18. A valve as claimed in claim 17, wherein the valve further includes a pressure communication passage effecting fluid communication between the cavity of the sealing gland and the fluid passage.19. A valve as claimed in claim 18, wherein the sealing gland includes a cavity and wherein the cavity includes a channel between the support surface and the second pressure responsive member, the channel being defined by the notch.20. A valve as claimed in claim 19, wherein the gland includes an aperture, and wherein the pressure communication passage is coupled to the aperture.21. A valve for controlling a fluid, the fluid exerting a fluid pressure, the valve comprising:a body, the body including: a fluid passage; a valve seat defining an orifice, including: a sealing gland including a cavity; a resilient valve seat member disposed within the sealing gland; a valve sealing member disposed within the fluid passage and configured to seat against the valve seat member to effect sealing of the valve sealing member to the valve seat and thereby close the orifice; the sealing gland including at least two spaced apart apertures, configured to distribute fluid pressure within the cavity to act upon the valve seat member to prevent leakage through the orifice when the valve sealing member is seated against the valve seat member; and said at least two spaced apart apertures being configured to facilitate the application of the distributed fluid pressure on the valve seat member to prevent leakage through the orifice and between the valve sealing member and the sealing gland when the valve sealing member is seated against the valve seat member. 22. A valve as claimed in claim 21, wherein the valve seat member includes:a first pressure responsive surface, exposed to the fluid passage, and including a valve engaging surface portion, wherein the valve engaging surface portion is configured to engage the valve sealing member to effect sealing of the valve sealing member to the valve seat; and a second pressure responsive surface configured to receive the application of the distributed fluid pressure; wherein the at least two spaced apart apertures are configured to facilitate the application of the distributed fluid pressure within the cavity on the second pressure responsive surface to maintain engagement of the valve seat member to the sealing gland upstream of the valve engaging surface portion.23. A valve as claimed in claim 22, wherein the apertures are configured to facilitate the application of the fluid pressure on the second pressure responsive surface to counterbalance applications of forces on the first pressure responsive surface.24. A valve as claimed in claim 23, wherein the valve seat member is supported within the sealing gland.25. A valve seal as claimed in claim 24, wherein the first pressure responsive surface is opposite to the second pressure responsive surface.26. A valve for controlling flow of a fluid, the fluid exerting a fluid pressure, the valve having:a body including a fluid passage for the fluid, and a valve seat positioned adjacent to the fluid passage at an orifice coaxial with the fluid passage; the valve seat including a sealing gland comprising: a sealing gland defining a cavity therein, the sealing gland having a support surface thereon adjacent to the cavity; a resilient valve seat member disposed and supported within the cavity, the valve seat member including a first pressure responsive surface adjacent to the orifice and a second pressure responsive surface substantially opposed to the first pressure responsive surface; the support surface including a notch for positioning a portion of the support surface a predetermined distance apart from the second pressure responsive surface; a valve sealing member disposed in the fluid passage and movable between an engaged position, in which the valve sealing member is seated on the valve seat to block fluid flow through the orifice, and an open position, in which fluid flow through the orifice is permitted; a resilient member for urging the valve sealing member into the engaged position; the fluid passage including an upstream portion disposed upstream of the valve sealing member when the valve sealing member is in the engaged position, and a downstream portion disposed downstream of the valve sealing member when the valve sealing member is in the engaged position; the valve sealing member being urged into the open position by the fluid in the upstream portion; and the body including a communication channel for fluid communication between the downstream portion and the cavity in the sealing gland, such that fluid pressure in the cavity acts upon the second pressure responsive surface to urge the valve seat member to seal the orifice when the valve sealing member is in the engaged position. 27. A valve for controlling flow of a fluid, the fluid exerting a fluid pressure, the valve having:a body including a fluid passage for the fluid, and a valve seat positioned adjacent to the fluid passage at an orifice coaxial with the fluid passage; the valve seat including a sealing gland comprising: a sealing gland defining a cavity therein, the sealing gland having a support surface thereon adjacent to the cavity; a resilient valve seat member disposed and supported within the cavity, the valve seat member including a first pressure responsive surface adjacent to the orifice and a second pressure responsive surface substantially opposed to the first pressure responsive surface; the second pressure responsive surface including a notch for positioning a portion of the second pressure responsive surface a predetermined distance apart from the support surface; a valve sealing member disposed in the fluid passage and movable between an engaged position, in which the valve sealing member is seated on the valve seat to block fluid flow through the orifice, and an open position, in which fluid flow through the orifice is permitted; a resilient member for urging the valve sealing member into the engaged position; the fluid passage including an upstream portion disposed upstream of the valve sealing member when the valve sealing member is in the engaged position, and a downstream portion disposed downstream of the valve sealing member when the valve sealing member is in the engaged position; the valve sealing member being urged into the open position by the fluid in the upstream portion; and the body including a communication channel for fluid communication between the downstream portion and the cavity in the sealing gland, such that fluid pressure in the cavity acts upon the second pressure responsive surface to urge the valve seat member to seal the orifice when the valve sealing member is in the engaged position. 28. A valve for controlling flow of a fluid, the fluid exerting a fluid pressure, the valve having:a body including a fluid passage for the fluid, and a valve seat positioned adjacent to the fluid passage at an orifice coaxial with the fluid passage; the valve seat including a sealing gland comprising: a sealing gland defining a cavity therein, the sealing gland having a support surface thereon adjacent to the cavity; a resilient valve seat member disposed and supported within the cavity, the valve seat member including a first pressure responsive surface adjacent to the orifice and a second pressure responsive surface substantially opposed to the first pressure responsive surface; a valve sealing member disposed in the fluid passage and movable between an engaged position, in which the valve sealing member is seated on the valve seat to block fluid flow through the orifice, and an open position, in which fluid flow through the orifice is permitted; a resilient member for urging the valve sealing member into the engaged position; the fluid passage including an upstream portion disposed upstream of the valve sealing member when the valve sealing member is in the engaged position, and a downstream portion disposed downstream of the valve sealing member when the valve sealing member is in the engaged position; the valve sealing member being urged into the open position by the fluid in the upstream portion; the body including at least two communication channels for fluid communication between the downstream portion and the cavity in the sealing gland, such that fluid pressure in the cavity acts upon the second pressure responsive surface to urge the valve seat member to seal the orifice when the valve sealing member is in the engaged position.
