Vent valve flow fuse

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11103102-B2
Application number	US-201916505833-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 9, 2019
Priority date	Jul 9, 2019
Publication date	Aug 31, 2021
Grant date	Aug 31, 2021

Abstract

A vent valve flow fuse includes a valve cap with a valve cap cavity defined by one or more valve cap interior surfaces. The vent valve flow fuse includes a valve body with a valve body cavity defined by one or more valve body interior surfaces. The vent valve flow fuse includes a poppet configured to at least partially fit within the valve cap cavity and the valve body cavity. The vent valve flow fuse includes a spring configured to fit within the valve body cavity and to generate a resistive force against the poppet. The poppet is in a first position when fluid having a first amount of fluid pressure enters the valve cap cavity from a vent valve and engages the poppet. The poppet is in a second position when fluid having a second amount of fluid pressure enters the valve cap cavity and engages the poppet.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A vent valve flow fuse, comprising:
a valve cap including a valve cap cavity defined by one or more valve cap interior surfaces;
a valve body including a valve body cavity defined by one or more valve body interior surfaces;
a poppet configured to at least partially fit within the valve cap cavity and at least partially fit within the valve body cavity, the poppet including an inlet portion with one or more inlet holes and an outlet portion with one or more outlet holes, wherein a diameter of the one or more inlet holes is less than a diameter of the one or more outlet holes; and
a spring configured to fit within the valve body cavity, the spring further configured to generate a resistive force against the poppet,
the poppet being in a first position when fluid having a first amount of fluid pressure enters the valve cap cavity from a vent valve in fluid communication with a fluid tank of an aircraft brewing apparatus and engages the poppet,
the poppet being in a second position when fluid having a second amount of fluid pressure enters the valve cap cavity from the vent valve with the fluid tank of the aircraft brewing apparatus and engages the poppet.

2. The vent valve flow fuse of claim 1 ,
the inlet portion comprising an inlet cavity defined by one or more inlet interior surfaces, the one or more inlet holes being in fluid communication with the inlet cavity; and
the outlet portion comprising an outlet cavity defined by one or more outlet interior surfaces, the one or more outlet holes being in fluid communication with the outlet cavity.

3. The vent valve flow fuse of claim 2 , further comprising:
a seal coupled to one or more exterior surfaces of the poppet.

4. The vent valve flow fuse of claim 3 , being configured to allow the fluid having the first amount of fluid pressure to pass from the vent valve to a drain reservoir of the brewing apparatus when the poppet is in the first position.

5. The vent valve flow fuse of claim 4 , wherein the inlet portion of the poppet is positioned within the valve cap cavity, wherein the outlet portion of the poppet is positioned within the valve body cavity and the valve cap cavity, wherein the seal is positioned within the valve body cavity when the poppet is in the first position.

6. The vent valve flow fuse of claim 5 , wherein the fluid having the first amount of fluid pressure enters the inlet cavity from the vent valve, exits the inlet cavity via the first set of holes into the valve cap cavity, enters the outlet cavity via the second set of holes from the valve body cavity, and exits the outlet cavity of the poppet to the drain reservoir.

7. The vent valve flow fuse of claim 3 , being configured to restrict fluid flow to a level not exceeding a flow rate of a drain reservoir of the brewing apparatus when the poppet is in the second position.

8. The vent valve flow fuse of claim 7 , wherein the inlet portion of the poppet is positioned within the valve body cavity, wherein the outlet portion of the poppet is positioned within the valve body cavity, wherein the seal is in contact with the one or more valve body interior surfaces when the poppet is in the second position.

9. The vent valve flow fuse of claim 8 , wherein the fluid having the second amount of fluid pressure enters the inlet cavity defined by one or more inlet interior surfaces of the poppet from the vent valve and exits the inlet cavity via the one or more inlet holes in the poppet into the valve cap cavity, wherein the fluid having the second fluid pressure is blocked from entering the one or more outlet holes by the seal engaging the one or more valve body interior surfaces.

10. The vent valve flow fuse of claim 1 , wherein the first amount of fluid pressure is less than the second amount of fluid pressure.

11. The vent valve flow fuse of claim 1 , wherein the first amount of fluid pressure is less than the resistive force generated by the spring, wherein the second amount of fluid pressure is greater than the resistive force generated by the spring.

12. The vent valve flow fuse of claim 1 , further comprising:
a seal inserted between one or more exterior surfaces of the valve cap and the one or more valve body interior surfaces when the valve cap and the valve body are coupled together, wherein the seal is configured to prevent fluid leakage between the valve cap and the valve body.

13. The vent valve flow fuse of claim 1 , wherein the aircraft brewing apparatus is installed within an aircraft galley of an aircraft.

14. An aircraft brewing apparatus, comprising:
a vent valve in fluid communication with a fluid tank;
a drain reservoir; and
a vent valve flow fuse in fluid communication with the vent valve and the drain reservoir, the vent valve flow fuse comprising:
a valve cap including a valve cap cavity defined by one or more valve cap interior surfaces;
a valve body including a valve body cavity defined by one or more valve body interior surfaces;
a poppet configured to at least partially fit within the valve cap cavity and at least partially fit within the valve cavity, the poppet including an inlet portion with one or more inlet holes and an outlet portion with one or more outlet holes, wherein a diameter of the one or more inlet holes is less than a diameter of the one or more outlet holes; and
a spring configured to fit within the valve body cavity, the spring further configured to generate a resistive force against the poppet,
the poppet being in a first position when fluid having a first amount of fluid pressure enters the valve cap cavity from the vent valve and engages the poppet,
the poppet being in a second position when fluid having a second amount of fluid pressure enters the valve cap cavity from the vent valve and engages the poppet.

Assignees

• Be Aerospace Inc

Inventors

• Devlin Byron A
• Beard John H
• Debald Keith R

Classifications

• F16K37/0041

  for measuring valve parameters (F16K37/0033 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A47J31/461 Primary

  Valves, e.g. drain valves · CPC title

• F16K17/30

  spring-loaded · CPC title

• B64D11/0007

  Devices specially adapted for food or beverage distribution services · CPC title

• F16K1/32

  Details (details of more general applicability F16K25/00 - F16K51/00) · CPC title