Methods and system for a zero hysteresis valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10933738-B2
Application number	US-201816040315-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 19, 2018
Priority date	Jul 19, 2018
Publication date	Mar 2, 2021
Grant date	Mar 2, 2021

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for a zero hysteresis valve. In one example, a valve comprises protrusions shaped to maintain a distance between a moveable portion of the valve and a valve seat.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A valve, comprising:
a piston which oscillates within a valve housing between an open position and a closed position,
a first protrusion and a second protrusion extending from a face of the piston and contacting a valve seat which prevents the piston face from moving within a threshold distance of the valve seat, and where the first protrusion and the second protrusion are separated by first and second gaps which flow fluid between the first and second protrusions, and the protrusions are rounded or pointed on an end which contacts a valve seat, and
a cross-sectional shape of the protrusions is narrower at a distal end which contacts the valve seat than at a base end formed on the face of the piston,
wherein fluid exits via a first outlet and a second outlet arranged 180° apart from one another, and the gaps are arranged 180° apart from one another and rotated 90° from the first and second outlets.

2. The valve of claim 1 , wherein the first protrusion and the second protrusion are identically shaped, and where the shape of the first and second protrusions is a semi-cylinder having a flat side in face-sharing contact with a top side of the piston, and where a half-circle extends from the flat side, a curved portion of the half-circle contacting the valve seat without compressing, and where the first and second protrusions are curved to match a curve of a circumference of the piston.

3. The valve of claim 1 , wherein line contact between the narrower distal end of the protrusions and the valve seat reduces a difference in exposed surface area between an open and closed position of the valve.

4. The valve of claim 1 , wherein the protrusions form line contact with the valve seat when the valve is in a closed position, and
wherein the line contact reduces hysteresis through a fully closed position, a fully open position, and positions therebetween.

5. The valve of claim 1 , wherein a height of the piston is sized such that the piston blocks the first outlet and the second outlet when the valve is in a closed position, and the outlets of the valve become unblocked when the protrusions break contact with the valve seat.

6. A system, comprising:
a pump;
a pressure control device positioned downstream of the pump and comprising a moveable piston adjusting flow of a fluid through an inlet and a plurality of outlets,
the piston blocking the plurality of outlets when the valve is in a closed position, and unblocking the outlets when one or more a first protrusion and a second protrusion breaks contact with the valve seat, and
the protrusions physically coupled to a top of the moveable portion, and where the pressure control device is symmetric, and where the first and second protrusions are separated by first and second gaps which flow fluid between the first and second protrusions, and the protrusions are rounded or pointed on an end which contacts a valve seat,
wherein fluid exits via a first outlet and a second outlet arranged 180° apart from one another, and the gaps are arranged 180° apart from one another and rotated 90° from the first and second outlets.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the one or more are pointed or rounded on an end which contacts the valve seat and are radially inward relative to the plurality of outlets.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the first and second protrusions are impervious to fluid flow.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the pointed or rounded surface forms line contact with the valve seat, and the protrusions do not compress in the closed position in the valve to maintain line contact between the protrusions and the valve seat.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the protrusions maintain a minimum distance between the piston and a valve seat of the pressure control device and the minimum distance is sized such that the piston unblocks the outlets when the protrusions break contact with the valve seat.

11. The system of claim 6 , wherein the protrusions form line contact with the valve seat and do not compress to maintain line contact between the protrusions and the valve seat when the valve is in the closed position.

12. The system of claim 6 , wherein an effective hydraulic area of the piston exposed to vapor in a closed position is equal to an effective hydraulic area exposed to vapor of the piston in an open position, and the equal hydraulic areas reduce hysteresis through a fully closed position, a fully open position, and positions therebetween.

13. The system of claim 6 , wherein the pressure control device is included in one or more of an engine system, a transmission system, and a driveline.

14. A method, comprising:
closing a valve by applying a first pressure evenly to a first effective area of a piston of the valve; and
opening the valve by applying a second pressure evenly to a second effective area of the piston;
wherein the piston further comprises a first protrusion and a second protrusion physically coupled to a top surface of the piston, and where the first protrusion and the second protrusion are separated by first and second gaps which flow a fluid between the first and second protrusions, and the protrusions are rounded or pointed on an end which contacts a valve seat; and
wherein fluid exits via a first outlet and a second outlet arranged 180° apart from one another, and the gaps are arranged 180° apart from one another and rotated 90° from the first and second outlets.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the fluid enters the valve via a single inlet, flows evenly across the top surface of the piston.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first protrusion and the second protrusion are rigid and do not recoil in response to the piston moving to a fully closed position where the first and second protrusions contact a valve seat of the valve to maintain line contact between the protrusion and valve seat.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first and second protrusions are half-cylinders with a narrow curved end contacting the valve seat.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Motin Abdul
• Perng Chin-Yuan

Classifications

• B60K15/03504

  adapted to avoid loss of fuel or fuel vapour, e.g. with vapour recovery systems · CPC title

• F16K17/0466

  with a special seating surface · CPC title

• B60K2015/03585

  by gas pressure · CPC title

• B60K2015/03296

  Pressure regulating valves · CPC title

• B60K15/03519 Primary

  Valve arrangements in the vent line · CPC title