IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0442837
(2003-05-21)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
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출원인 / 주소 |
- T &
- S Brass and Bronze Works, Inc.
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대리인 / 주소 |
Nelson Mullins Riley &
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
4 인용 특허 :
6 |
초록
▼
A fluid valve assembly includes a housing, a valve, a rotatable driver received in the housing in operative communication with the valve, and an over-center linkage disposed between the driver and the housing. The housing includes an entrance to permit fluid flow into the housing and an exit to allo
A fluid valve assembly includes a housing, a valve, a rotatable driver received in the housing in operative communication with the valve, and an over-center linkage disposed between the driver and the housing. The housing includes an entrance to permit fluid flow into the housing and an exit to allow fluid flow out of the housing. The valve is disposed between the housing entrance and exit. The valve is configured in an open state to permit fluid flow through the housing and in a closed state to block fluid flow through the housing. Rotation of the driver from a first rotational position toward a second rotational position moves the valve from the closed to the open state, and rotation of the driver from the second rotational position to a third rotational position permits the valve to return to a closed state. The over-center linkage biases the driver to either the first or third rotational position.
대표청구항
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1. A fluid valve assembly, said valve assembly comprising:a housing including an entrance to permit fluid flow into said housing and an exit to allow fluid flow out of said housing; a valve disposed in said housing between said entrance and said exit, said valve being configured in an open state to
1. A fluid valve assembly, said valve assembly comprising:a housing including an entrance to permit fluid flow into said housing and an exit to allow fluid flow out of said housing; a valve disposed in said housing between said entrance and said exit, said valve being configured in an open state to permit fluid flow from said entrance to said exit and in a closed state to block fluid flow from said entrance to said exit; a rotatable driver received by said housing in operative communication with said valve so that rotation of said driver from a first rotational position toward a second rotational position moves said valve from said closed state to said open state and so that rotation of said driver from said second rotational position toward a third rotational position permits said valve to return to said closed state; wherein said second rotational position is between said first rotational position and said third rotational position; and an over-center linkage between said housing and said driver, said linkage configured so that when said driver is between said first rotational position and said second rotational position, said linkage biases said driver toward said first rotational position, and when said driver is between said second rotational position and said third rotational position, said linkage biases said driver towards said third rotational position. 2. The fluid valve assembly as in claim 1, wherein said first rotational position and said third rotational position are separated by an angle equal to 360° divided by a whole number greater than two.3. The fluid valve as in claim 2, wherein said first rotational position and said third rotational position are 180° apart.4. The fluid valve assembly as in claim 1, wherein said driver is an elongated stem axially received in said housing.5. The fluid valve assembly as in claim 1, wherein said over-center linkage includes a plurality of first generally saw-tooth shaped ramps rotationally fixed to said driver and a plurality of second generally saw-tooth shaped ramps rotationally fixed to said housing, wherein said first ramps matingly receive said second ramps when said driver is in said first rotational position and when said driver is in said third rotational position.6. The fluid valve assembly as in claim 5, including two sets of said first ramps and two sets of said second ramps.7. The fluid valve assembly as in claim 5, wherein said driver includes an elongated driver stem, wherein said first ramps are axially fixed to said driver stem and axially reciprocal with respect to said housing, and wherein said second ramps are received within an internal cavity of said housing so that said second ramps are rotationally held to said housing.8. The fluid valve assembly as in claim 7, including a first spring received by said housing in communication with said driver stem so that said first spring biases said first ramps to matingly receive said second ramps when said driver is in said first rotational position and in said third rotational position, wherein rotation of said driver stem from one of said first rotational position and said third rotational position toward said second rotational position moves said first ramps up said second ramps and moves said driver downward against said first spring.9. The fluid valve assembly as in claim 8, includinga stop axially fixed with respect to said housing so that said driver stem engages said stop during said rotation before said stem reaches said second rotational position; and a second spring operatively disposed between said housing and said second ramps; wherein said second ramps are axially reciprocally disposed between said first ramps and said second spring so that continued said rotation of said driver following engagement of said stop by said stem moves said second ramps axially away from said first ramps against said second spring, and wherein said second spring has a greater compression force than said first spring. 10. The fluid valve assembly as in claim 9, including an annular ring disposed in said housing and defining said second ramps on a transverse face thereof.11. The fluid valve assembly as in claim 10, wherein an interior surface of said housing defines a plurality of axially aligned cavities that receive a plurality of splines on said ring to rotationally fix said ring to said housing and to permit axial movement of said ring with respect to said housing.12. The fluid valve assembly as in claim 9, wherein said second spring includes at least one belleville spring.13. The fluid valve assembly as in claim 9 10, wherein compression of said second spring so that said driver can rotate to said second rotational position requires application of an axial force between said ring and said second spring of between 50-350 pounds.14. The fluid valve assembly as in claim 8, wherein said first spring is a coil spring.15. The fluid valve assembly as in claim 14 20, wherein said third spring is a coil spring.16. The fluid valve assembly as in claim 7, wherein said stem includes a shaft section and a flange section extending radially from said shaft section, said flange section defining said first ramps.17. The fluid valve assembly as in claim 16, wherein said flange section is non-integral with said shaft section and is pressed onto said shaft section.18. The fluid valve assembly as in claim 1, wherein said valve is a metering valve.19. A fluid valve assembly as in claim 1, wherein said valve includesa valve body having an inlet passage and an outlet passage defined therein, a movable valve stem disposed between said inlet passage and said outlet passage so as to seal said inlet passage from said outlet passage in said closed state of said valve and to define a fluid path from said inlet passage to said outlet passage in said open state of said valve, said valve stem being biased to said closed state, a sleeve configured with said valve body and having an inner diameter surface at least partially defining a pressure chamber within a fluid-tight metering chamber sealing a fluid medium in said metering chamber from said fluid path, said valve stem being movable through said pressure chamber, a piston assembly disposed within said pressure chamber and configured with said valve stem to move therewith, said piston assembly being movable to said open state upon actuation of said valve stem and automatically movable from said open state to said closed state upon release of said valve stem, said piston assembly including a sealing device configured to sealingly engage with said inner diameter surface of said sleeve during movement of said piston assembly to said closed state, and a metering passage defined through said valve stem between a location above said sealing device to a location below said sealing device, the rate of return of said piston assembly from said open state to said closed state being dependent upon the time required for said fluid medium in said pressure chamber above said sealing device to be metered through said metering passage to below said sealing device. 20. The fluid valve assembly as in claim 19, including a third spring disposed within said housing so that said third spring biases said valve stem toward said closed state of said valve.21. The fluid valve assembly as in claim 20, wherein said valve assembly is configured so that the time required for said valve to return to said closed state is greater than the time required for said driver to return to one of said first rotational position and said third rotational position.22. A fluid valve assembly, said valve assembly comprising:a housing including an entrance to permit fluid flow into said housing and an exit to allow fluid flow out of said housing; a valve disposed in said housing between said entrance and said exit, said valve being configured in an open state to permit fluid flow from said entrance to said exit and in a closed state to block fluid flow from said entrance to said exit; an elongated rotatable driver disposed in said housing, wherein said driver defines a plurality of first generally saw-tooth shaped ramps on a transverse face thereof, said first ramps being rotationally and axially fixed to said driver, wherein said driver is in communication with said valve so that rotation of said driver from a first rotational position toward a second rotational position moves said valve from said closed state to said open state, and wherein rotation of said driver from said second rotational position toward a third rotational position permits said valve to return to said closed state; a first spring operatively disposed between said driver and said housing; and an annular ring rotationally held to and axially movable with respect to said housing, wherein said ring defines a plurality of second generally saw-tooth shaped ramps on a transverse face thereof that engage said first ramps on said driver so that when said driver is between said first rotational position and said second rotational position, said first ramps and said second ramps and said first spring bias said driver toward said first rotational position and when said driver is between said second rotational position and said third rotational position, said first ramps and said second ramps and said first spring bias said driver toward said third rotational position, and wherein said first ramps and said second ramps matingly engage in said first rotational position and in said third rotational position. 23. The fluid valve assembly as in claim 22, wherein said first rotational position and said third rotational position are 180 degrees apart.24. The fluid valve assembly as in claim 22, wherein said valve is a metering valve.25. The fluid valve assembly as in claim 24, wherein said metering valve includesa valve body having an inlet passage and an outlet passage defined therein, a movable valve stem disposed between said inlet passage and said outlet passage so as to seal said inlet passage from said outlet passage in said closed state of said valve and to define a fluid path from said inlet passage to said outlet passage in said open state of said valve, said valve stem being biased to said closed state, a sleeve configured with said valve body and having an inner diameter surface at least partially defining a pressure chamber within a fluid-tight metering chamber sealing a fluid medium in said metering chamber from said fluid path, said valve stem being movable through said pressure chamber, a piston assembly disposed within said pressure chamber and configured with said valve stem to move therewith, said piston assembly being movable to said open state upon actuation of said valve stem and automatically movable from said open state to said closed state upon release of said valve stem, said piston assembly including a sealing device configured to sealingly engage with said inner diameter surface of said sleeve during movement of said piston assembly to said closed state, and a metering passage defined through said valve stem between a location above said sealing device to a location below said sealing device, the rate of return of said piston assembly from said open state to said closed state being dependent upon the time required for said fluid medium in said pressure chamber above said sealing device to be metered through said metering passage to below said sealing device. 26. The fluid valve assembly as in claim 25, including a third spring operatively disposed between said valve and said valve stem so that said third spring biases said valve stem away from said valve permitting said valve to return to said closed state.27. The fluid valve assembly as in claim 26, wherein said third spring is a coil spring.28. The fluid valve assembly as in claim 22, including two sets of said first ramps and two sets of said second ramps.29. The fluid valve assembly as in claim 22, wherein rotation of said driver moves said first ramps against said second ramps so that said driver compresses said first spring and moves said driver axially away from said second ramps to engage said valve.30. The fluid valve assembly as in claim 22, wherein said housing defines a stop disposed so that said stop blocks further downward axial movement of said driver and said driver engages said stop before said driver reaches said second rotational position.31. The fluid valve assembly as in claim 30, including a second spring operatively disposed between said ring and said housing so that said second spring biases said second ramps against said first ramps.32. The fluid valve assembly as in claim 31, wherein said second spring has a greater compressive force than said first spring.33. The fluid valve assembly as in claim 31, wherein the force required to compress said second spring to enable said driver to rotate to said second rotational position is greater than 200 pounds.34. The fluid valve assembly as in claim 31, wherein said second spring is at least one belleville spring.35. The fluid valve assembly as in claim 22, wherein an interior surface of said housing defines a plurality of axially aligned cavities that receive a plurality of splines on said ring to rotationally fix said ring to said housing and to permit axial movement of said ring with respect to said housing.36. The fluid valve assembly as in claim 22, wherein said first spring includes a coil spring.37. A fluid valve assembly, said valve assembly comprising:a housing including a generally cylindrical lower section threadedly engaged to a generally cylindrical upper bonnet, said housing lower section including an entrance to permit fluid flow into said housing and an exit to allow fluid flow out of said housing; a metering valve disposed in said housing between said entrance and said exit, said metering valve being configured in an open state to permit fluid flow from said entrance to said exit and in a closed state to block fluid flow from said entrance to said exit; an elongated rotatable driver disposed through said upper bonnet, said driver defining a handle at its upper end for rotation of said driver and two sets of generally saw-tooth shaped first ramps on an axially upward facing transverse face of an annular collar extending radially outward from a lower end of said driver; an annular ring disposed between said housing and said driver, wherein said ring is rotationally held to, but is axially moveable with respect to, said housing and defines two sets of generally saw-tooth shaped second ramps on an axially downward facing transverse face and wherein said annular ring receives said annular collar so that said first ramps receive said second ramps; a first spring disposed between said driver and said housing so that said first spring biases said driver annular collar toward said annular ring; a second spring disposed between said annular ring and said upper housing bonnet so that said second spring biases said annular ring toward said driver annular collar, wherein the compressive force of said second spring is greater than the compressive force of said first spring so that rotation of said driver from a first rotational position, in which said first ramps matingly engage said second ramps, toward a second rotational position, in which peaks of said first ramps oppose peaks of said second ramps, drives said driver annular collar and said driver axially downward on said second ramps against said first spring to engage said metering valve and drive said metering valve from said closed state to said open state; and a stop disposed within said housing so that said driver engages said stop prior to said driver reaching said second rotational position, so that, following engagement of said stop by said driver, further rotation of said driver to said second rotational position drives said annular ring axially upward on said first ramps against said second spring, and so that rotation of said driver beyond said second position moves said first ramps and said second ramps with respect to each other to mating engagement at said a third rotational position, in which said first ramps matingly engage said second ramps.
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