Pressure modulator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10656037-B2
Application number	US-201916415852-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2019
Priority date	Nov 24, 2014
Publication date	May 19, 2020
Grant date	May 19, 2020

Abstract

An apparatus and associated method, for controlling signal passage, includes a first passageway for a first fluid, a second passageway for a second fluid, and an interposed chamber. A first, movable diaphragm at a first chamber junction and a second, movable diaphragm at a second chamber junction, with a third fluid bound there between and interposed between the first and second passageways. A device varies a volume of the third fluid bound between the diaphragms and thus moves the diaphragms. A movable member and a reservoir of the device are configured such that the movable member is sufficiently movable to increase the volume of the reservoir to remove a sufficient portion of the third fluid bound between the first and second diaphragms from the chamber to cause the first and second diaphragms to be pressed against the first and second walls, respectively.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for controlling passage of a pressure signal, the apparatus comprising:
a first passageway for a first fluid therein;
a second passageway for a second fluid therein;
a chamber interposed between the first and second passageways, the chamber being partially bounded by a first wall adjacent a junction of the first passageway to the chamber and a second wall adjacent a junction of the second passageway to the chamber, the first wall being contoured as a convex shape with regard to the chamber and the second wall being contoured as a convex shape with regard to the chamber;
a first, movable diaphragm located across a junction of the first passageway and the chamber, the first diaphragm being movable to plural positions including a position with the first diaphragm pressed against the first wall;
a second, movable diaphragm located across a junction of the second passageway and the chamber, the second diaphragm being movable to plural positions including a position with the second diaphragm pressed against the second wall;
a third fluid, the first and second diaphragms bounding the third fluid there between and interposed between the first and second passageways at the chamber; and
a device for varying a volume of the third fluid bound between the first and second diaphragms and interposed between the first and second passageways at the chamber, a variation of the volume of the third fluid moving the first and second diaphragms, the device including a movable member and a reservoir in fluid communication with the third fluid bound between the first and second diaphragms, the movable member being movable to vary the volume of the reservoir, the movable member and the reservoir being configured such that the movable member being sufficiently movable to decrease the volume of the reservoir to introduce a sufficient portion of the third fluid bound between the first and second diaphragms into the chamber to cause the first and second diaphragms to be pressed against the first and second walls, respectively.

2. The apparatus as set forth within claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that the first and second diaphragms being pressed against the first and second walls, respectively, prohibits passage of a pressure signal between the first fluid in the first passageway and the second fluid in the second passageway through the third fluid bound between the first and second diaphragms.

3. The apparatus as set forth within claim 1 , wherein the second passageway is for connection to a pressure sensor and the second fluid is for transmission of pressure signals to the pressure sensor via the second passageway.

4. The apparatus as set forth within claim 3 , wherein the apparatus controls passage of a plurality of pressure signals.

5. The apparatus as set forth within claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second diaphragms is at least partially flexible.

6. The apparatus as set forth within claim 5 , wherein each of the first and second diaphragms is flexible.

7. The apparatus as set forth within claim 1 , wherein the first wall is contoured as a spheroid shape and the second wall is contoured as a spheroid shape.

8. The apparatus as set forth within claim 7 , wherein each of the first and second diaphragms are configured to conform to the shape of the respective first and second walls when the first and second diaphragms are pressed against the first and second walls, respectively.

9. The apparatus as set forth within claim 7 , wherein each of the first and second diaphragms are configured have a shape other than the shape of the respective first and second walls when the first and second diaphragms are not pressed against the first and second walls, respectively.

10. The apparatus as set forth within claim 1 , wherein the movable member of the device includes a piston.

11. The apparatus as set forth within claim 1 , wherein the movable member of the device includes a bladder.

12. The apparatus as set forth within claim 1 , wherein the first diaphragm is movable to a position that the first diaphragm does not engage the first wall and the second diaphragm is movable to a position that the second diaphragm does not engage the second wall.

13. The apparatus as set forth within claim 12 , wherein, with the first diaphragm in the position that the first diaphragm does not engage the first wall and with the second diaphragm in the position that the second diaphragm does not engage the second wall, transmission of the pressure signal between the first fluid in the first passageway and the second fluid in the second passageway through the third fluid bound between the first and second diaphragms is permitted.

14. A method for controlling passage of a pressure signal, the method comprising:
providing an apparatus for controlling passage of a pressure signal, the apparatus comprising:
a first passageway for a first fluid therein;
a second passageway for a second fluid therein;
a chamber interposed between the first and second passageways, the chamber being partially bounded by a first wall adjacent a junction of the first passageway to the chamber and a second wall adjacent a junction of the second passageway to the chamber, the first wall being contoured as a convex shape with regard to the chamber and the second wall being contoured as a convex shape with regard to the chamber;
a first, movable diaphragm located across a junction of the first passageway and the chamber, the first diaphragm being movable to plural positions including a position with the first diaphragm pressed against the first wall;
a second, movable diaphragm located across a junction of the second passageway and the chamber, the second diaphragm being movable to plural positions including a position with the second diaphragm pressed against the second wall;
a third fluid, the first and second diaphragms bounding the third fluid there between and interposed between the first and second passageways at the chamber; and
a device for varying a volume of the third fluid bound between the first and second diaphragms and interposed between the first and second passageways at the chamber, a variation of the volume of the third fluid moving the first and second diaphragms, the device including a movable member and a reservoir in fluid communication with the third fluid bound between the first and second diaphragms, and the movable member being movable to vary the volume of the reservoir; and
moving the movable member sufficiently to decrease the volume of the reservoir to introduce a sufficient portion of the third fluid between the first and second diaphragms into the chamber to cause the first and second diaphragms to be pressed against the first and second walls, respectively.

15. The method as set forth within claim 14 , wherein the first and second diaphragms pressed against the first and second walls, respectively, prohibits passage of a pressure signal between the first fluid in the first passageway and the second fluid in the second passageway through the third fluid bound between the first and second diaphragms.

16. The method as set forth within claim 14 , including connecting the second passageway to a pressure sensor and the second fluid is for transmission of pressure signals to the pressure sensor via the second passageway.

17. The method as set forth within claim 16 , wherein the method controls passage of a plurality of pressure signals.

18. The method as set forth within claim 14 , wherein the step of providing an apparatus includes providing that eac

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Grinde Christopher
• Seeberg Bjørn Erik

Classifications

• G05D16/0404

  with two or more controllers mounted in parallel · CPC title

• G01L13/02

  using elastically-deformable members or pistons as sensing elements · CPC title

• G05D16/08

  Control of liquid pressure · CPC title

• G01L15/00

  Devices or apparatus for measuring two or more fluid pressure values simultaneously · CPC title

• F15C3/04 Primary

  using diaphragms ({using loose plates or foils F15C3/005}; connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00) · CPC title