Valve, receptacle and method for filling, extracting and evacuating

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10344918-B2
Application number	US-201615555322-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 24, 2016
Priority date	Mar 4, 2015
Publication date	Jul 9, 2019
Grant date	Jul 9, 2019

Abstract

A valve delimiting an internal circuit extending between an upstream end and a downstream end, the valve including, arranged in series in the internal circuit; an isolation valve and a dust valve, the isolation valve being movable relative to a set between an upstream closed position of the circuit and at least one downstream open position of the circuit. The isolation valve being biased toward the upstream position by a return member, the dust valve having a downstream end and being arranged downstream of the isolation valve and being movable relative to the body between an upstream closed position of the upstream end of the circuit and at least one downstream open position of the upstream end of the circuit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A valve fitting comprising:
a body delimiting an internal circuit for filling and extracting fluid, said internal circuit extending between an upstream end configure to be connected to a user member extracting or distributing pressurized fluid via the internal circuit and a downstream end configured to be placed in communication with the storage volume of a pressurized-fluid reservoir,
the valve fitting comprising, arranged in series in the internal circuit: an isolation valve and a dust valve, the isolation valve configured to move relative to a seat between an upstream position of closure of the circuit ( 3 ) and at least one downstream position of opening of the circuit,
the isolation valve being urged toward its upstream position by a return member,
the dust valve comprising a downstream end and being arranged upstream of the isolation valve and able to move relative to the body between an upstream position of closure of the upstream end of the circuit and at least one downstream position of opening of the upstream end of the circuit,

the dust valve being urged toward the upstream position by a return member, the valve fitting (further comprising, in the internal circuit a residual pressure valve distinct from the isolation valve, the residual pressure valve being arranged in series with the isolation valve and downstream of the isolation valve, and wherein the dust valve can be moved from its upstream position of closure toward:
a first predetermined downstream position, referred to as the “contactless position”, opening the upstream end of the circuit, wherein the downstream end of the dust valve does not push on the isolation valve, or
a second predetermined downstream position, referred to as the “contacting position”, opening the upstream end of the circuit, wherein the downstream end of the dust valve pushes on an upstream end of the mobile isolation valve in order, through contact, to move the isolation valve off the seat toward a first downstream position of opening of the circuit wherein the isolation valve does not push on the residual pressure valve, or
a third predetermined downstream position, referred to as the “filling position”, opening the upstream end of the circuit, wherein the downstream end of the dust valve pushes on an upstream end of the mobile isolation valve in order through contact to move the isolation valve off the seat toward a second downstream position of opening of the circuit in wherein the isolation valve pushes the residual pressure valve into a position of opening of the downstream end of the circuit.

2. The valve fitting of claim 1 , wherein the residual pressure valve comprises a nonreturn mechanism generating a force on the residual pressure valve that urges the residual pressure valve toward the position of closure of the circuit when the residual pressure valve is not mechanically actuated and is subjected to a determined fluidic pressure on its upstream part.

3. The valve of claim 2 , wherein the nonreturn mechanism comprises a canal connecting an upstream end of the residual pressure valve to a downstream chamber to convert a fluidic pressure on the upstream part of the residual pressure valve into a force on the downstream end of the residual pressure valve thereby moving said residual pressure valve into the position of closure of the circuit.

4. The valve fitting of claim 3 , wherein the nonreturn mechanism comprises a predetermined ratio of surface areas between, the upstream end of the residual pressure valve that is subjected to a fluid coming from upstream in the circuit and the downstream end of the residual pressure valve, so as to urge said residual pressure valve into the position of closure when these downstream and upstream ends are subjected to a determined pressure differential.

5. The valve fitting of claim 1 , wherein when the residual pressure valve is not moved mechanically into a position of opening of the circuit, the nonreturn mechanism prevents pressurized fluid from passing from upstream to downstream by keeping the residual pressure valve closed via the pressure of the fluid flowing from upstream to downstream on the residual pressure valve.

6. The valve fitting of claim 1 , wherein the dust valve bears a filter interposed in the path of at least some of the fluid passing between the upstream and downstream ends of the circuit, the filter being able to move with the dust valve.

7. The valve fitting of claim 1 , further comprising a downstream filter arranged in the internal circuit and interposed downstream of the residual pressure valve and forcing at least a portion of the flow of fluid passing through the circuit through the open residual pressure valve to pass through the filter.

8. The valve fitting of claim 1 , wherein the residual pressure valve is configured to re-close the circuit as long as the pressure differential between the downstream and upstream ends does not exceed a predetermined value comprised between 3 and 6 bar.

9. A pressurized-fluid receptacle, comprising a valve fitting as claimed in claim 1 .

10. A method of filling a pressurized-fluid receptacle comprising a valve fitting as claimed in claim 1 , by means of a conditioning outlet removably connected mechanically to the body of the valve fitting, comprising a step of moving the dust valve from upstream to downstream into a determined downstream position, referred to as the “filling position”, opening the upstream end of the circuit, in which position the downstream end of the dust valve pushes on an upstream end of the mobile isolation valve and through contact moves the isolation valve off the seat into a downstream position of opening of the circuit and wherein the residual pressure valve is also moved into a position of opening of the downstream end of the circuit so as to allow fluid to be transferred from upstream to downstream into the receptacle.

11. The filling method of claim 10 , wherein in the determined downstream position, referred to as the “filling position”, the downstream end of the dust valve pushes on an upstream end of the mobile isolation valve and thereby moves the isolation valve into a predetermined open position in which position the isolation valve in turn pushes the residual pressure valve into an open position of the downstream end of the circuit so as to allow the transfer of fluid from upstream to downstream into the receptacle.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the dust valve is moved downstream by a mechanical action of one end of a mobile valve pusher belonging to the conditioning outlet.

13. A method of extracting pressurized fluid from a pressurized-fluid receptacle as claimed in claim 9 , by means of a conditioning outlet removably mechanically connected to the body of the valve fitting, comprising a first step of moving the dust valve from upstream to downstream into a predetermined downstream position ,referred to as the “contacting position”, opening the upstream end of the circuit, in which position the downstream end of the dust valve pushes on an upstream end of the mobile isolation valve in order through contact to move the isolation valve off the seat toward a first downstream position of opening of the circuit in which position the isolation valve does not push on the residual pressure valve, so as to allow fluid to be extracted from the circuit from downstream to upstream through the residual pressure valve which has been opened by the downstream pressure in the receptacle.

14. A method of evacuating the valve fitting of a pressurized-fluid receptacle as claimed in claim 9 , by means of a conditioning outlet connected me

Assignees

• Air Liquide

Inventors

• Frenal Antoine

Classifications

• F17C2205/0329

  manually actuated · CPC title

• F17C2205/0382

  Constructional details of valves, regulators · CPC title

• F17C2223/036

  Very high pressure (>80 bar) · CPC title

• F17C5/06

  for filling with compressed gases · CPC title

• F17C2223/035

  High pressure (>10 bar) · CPC title