Inflation electric valve with manual override

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10969034-B2
Application number	US-201916418855-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 21, 2019
Priority date	Mar 22, 2019
Publication date	Apr 6, 2021
Grant date	Apr 6, 2021

Abstract

An inflation valve is provided and includes a valve defining main and command cavities and including first and second valve portions and a valve seat defining an outlet, a poppet disposed in the main cavity and including first and second rods to engage with the first valve portion and to extend through the valve seat and the second valve portion, respectively, and a piston disposed in the command cavity and a solenoid valve. The solenoid valve normally prevents main cavity-command cavity fluid flow to engage the poppet with the valve seat by fluid pressure acting on the poppet in the main cavity and permits the main cavity-command cavity fluid flow when energized to disengage the poppet from the valve seat by balanced fluid pressure acting on the poppet in the main cavity and on the piston in the command cavity to permit main cavity-outlet fluid flow.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An inflation valve, comprising:
a valve defining main and command cavities and comprising first and second valve portions and a valve seat defining an outlet;
a poppet disposed in the main cavity and comprising first and second rods extending therefrom and a piston, wherein the first rod engages with the first valve portion, the second rod extends through the valve seat and the second valve portion to an exterior of the valve and the piston is coupled with the second rod and is disposed in the command cavity; and
a solenoid valve to normally prevent main cavity-command cavity fluid flow to engage the poppet with the valve seat by fluid pressure acting on the poppet in the main cavity and to permit the main cavity-command cavity fluid flow when energized to disengage the poppet from the valve seat by balanced fluid pressure acting on the poppet in the main cavity and on the piston in the command cavity to permit main cavity-outlet fluid flow.

2. The inflation valve according to claim 1 , wherein the first valve portion is attachable to a pressurized container and defines through-holes by which the pressurized container pressurizes at least the main cavity.

3. The inflation valve according to claim 1 , wherein the valve further comprises a manifold along an axial length of which the solenoid valve is disposed and by which the main and command cavities are fluidly communicative when the solenoid valve is energized.

4. The inflation valve according to claim 1 , further comprising a manual actuator which is manually operable to disengage the poppet from the valve seat to permit the main cavity-outlet fluid flow.

5. The inflation valve according to claim 4 , wherein the manual actuator is anchored on the second valve portion to engage with the second rod.

6. The inflation valve according to claim 4 , wherein the second valve portion comprises sidewalls and a lid supported on the sidewalls and through which the second rod extends, and the manual actuator comprises:
a pull tab;
a fulcrum which is anchored on an exterior of the lid; and
a lever which is pivotable about the fulcrum to engage with a distal tip of the second rod upon an external force acting on the pull tab.

7. The inflation valve according to claim 1 , wherein the valve seat comprises a first flat surface and the poppet comprises a second flat surface corresponding to the first flat surface.

8. The inflation valve according to claim 1 , wherein the first rod has a larger diameter than the second rod.

9. The inflation valve according to claim 8 , wherein the balanced fluid pressure arises from the first rod having a larger diameter than the second rod.

10. The inflation valve according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a first seal by which the first rod sealably engages with the first valve portion;
a second seal by which the second rod sealably engages with the valve seat;
a third seal by which the piston sealably engages with the second valve portion in the command cavity;
a fourth seal by which the second rod sealably engages with the piston; and
a fifth seal by which the second rod sealably engages with the second valve portion.

11. An inflation valve, comprising:
a valve defining main and command cavities and comprising first and second valve portions and a valve seat defining an outlet;
a poppet disposed in the main cavity and comprising first and second rods extending therefrom and a piston, wherein the first rod engages with the first valve portion, the second rod extends through the valve seat and the second valve portion to an exterior of the valve and the piston is coupled with the second rod and is disposed in the command cavity; and
a solenoid valve configured to:
normally prevent main cavity-command cavity fluid flow to thereby cause the poppet to engage with the valve seat by fluid pressure acting on the poppet in the main cavity, and
permit the main cavity-command cavity fluid flow when energized to thereby cause the poppet to disengage from the valve seat by balanced fluid pressure acting on the poppet in the main cavity and on the piston in the command cavity to permit main cavity-outlet fluid flow.

12. The inflation valve according to claim 11 , further comprising a manual actuator which is manually operable to disengage the poppet from the valve seat to permit the main cavity-outlet fluid flow.

13. An inflation valve, comprising:
a pressurized container;
a valve defining main and command cavities and comprising a first valve portion defining through-holes by which the pressurized container pressurizes at least the main cavity, a second valve portion and a valve seat defining an outlet;
a poppet disposed in the main cavity and comprising first and second rods extending therefrom and a piston, wherein the first rod engages with the first valve portion, the second rod extends through the valve seat and the second valve portion to an exterior of the valve and the piston is coupled with the second rod and is disposed in the command cavity;
a solenoid valve to normally prevent main cavity-command cavity fluid flow to engage the poppet with the valve seat by fluid pressure acting on the poppet in the main cavity and to permit the main cavity-command cavity fluid flow when energized to disengage the poppet from the valve seat by balanced fluid pressure acting on the poppet in the main cavity and on the piston in the command cavity to permit main cavity-outlet fluid flow; and
a manual actuator which is manually operable to disengage the poppet from the valve seat to permit the main cavity-outlet fluid flow.

14. The inflation valve according to claim 13 , wherein the valve further comprises a manifold along an axial length of which the solenoid valve is disposed and by which the main and command cavities are fluidly communicative when the solenoid valve is energized.

15. The inflation valve according to claim 13 , wherein the manual actuator is anchored on the second valve portion to engage with the second rod.

16. The inflation valve according to claim 13 , wherein the second valve portion comprises sidewalls and a lid supported on the sidewalls and through which the second rod extends, and the manual actuator comprises:
a pull tab;
a fulcrum which is anchored on an exterior of the lid; and
a lever which is pivotable about the fulcrum to engage with a distal tip of the second rod upon an external force acting on the pull tab.

17. The inflation valve according to claim 13 , wherein the valve seat comprises a first flat surface and the poppet comprises a second flat surface corresponding to the first flat surface.

18. The inflation valve according to claim 13 , wherein the first rod has a larger diameter than the second rod.

19. The inflation valve according to claim 18 , wherein:
the balanced fluid pressure force arises from the first rod having a larger diameter than the second rod, and
a higher fluid pressure force at the first rod retains an open condition without actuation forces.

20. The inflation valve according to claim 18 , further comprising:
a first seal by which the first rod sealably engages with the first valve portion;
a second seal by which the second rod sealably engages with the valve seat;
a third seal by which the piston sealably engages with the second valve portion in the command cavity;
a fourth seal by which the second rod sealably engages with the piston; and
a fifth seal by which the second rod sealably engages with the second valve portion.

Assignees

• Goodrich Corp

Inventors

• John Poly Puthur
• Khare Akash

Classifications

• F16K31/42

  by means of electrically-actuated members in the supply or discharge conduits of the fluid motor (F16K31/40 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16K31/143

  the fluid acting on a piston · CPC title

• F16K31/383

  the fluid acting on a piston · CPC title

• F16K1/12

  with streamlined valve member around which the fluid flows when the valve is opened · CPC title

• F16K31/14

  for mounting on, or in combination with, hand-actuated valves · CPC title