Multi-function fluid control valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12480596-B2
Application number	US-202418416521-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 18, 2024
Priority date	Jan 18, 2024
Publication date	Nov 25, 2025
Grant date	Nov 25, 2025

Abstract

An aircraft fluid control valve is provided that includes a sleeve, a cap, first and second pistons, and first and second springs. The sleeve includes first and second inner chambers. Fluid inlet and outlet ports are disposed in the first sleeve wall. A high pressure reference port is in fluid communication with the base end and a low pressure reference port is in communication adjacent the cap end. The first piston has a center post, a base flange, and a piston head. The piston head is attached to the center post. The second piston (SP) has a SP center flange and a SP side wall. The SP side wall extends axially between a base end and a cap end. The first spring is disposed between the SP center flange and the cap. The second spring is disposed between the PH base flange and the SP center flange.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . An aircraft fluid control valve, comprising:
a sleeve that extends axially between a base end and a cap end, the sleeve including a first inner chamber and a second inner chamber, and the sleeve is enclosed at the base end, and the first inner chamber is defined by a first sleeve wall and the second inner chamber is defined by a second sleeve wall, wherein the first inner chamber extends from the base end to the second inner chamber, and the second inner chamber extends from the cap end to the first inner chamber, and a fluid inlet port and a fluid outlet port are disposed in the first sleeve wall, and a high pressure reference port is in fluid communication with the base end and a low pressure reference port is in communication adjacent the cap end; a cap in communication with the cap end of the sleeve; a first piston having a center post, a base flange, and a piston head, wherein the center post extends axially between the base flange and a distal end, and the piston head is attached to the center post at an axial position between the base flange and the distal end, the piston head (PH) including a PH base flange and a PH side wall, the PH base flange extends outwardly from the center post and the PH side wall extends axially from the PH base flange to a PH side wall distal end; a second piston (SP) having a SP center flange and a SP side wall, wherein the SP side wall extends axially between a SP side wall base end and a SP side wall cap end; a first spring disposed between the SP center flange and the cap; and a second spring disposed between the PH base flange and the SP center flange.

2 . The aircraft fluid control valve of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve includes a base end wall disposed at the base end and the high pressure reference port is disposed in the base end wall.

3 . The aircraft fluid control valve of claim 2 , wherein a portion of the center post extends through the SP center flange and a retainer is attached to the center post adjacent the distal end of the center post.

4 . The aircraft fluid control valve of claim 3 , wherein the valve is configured to permit axial travel of the first piston within the first inner chamber, and to permit axial travel of the second piston within the first inner chamber and the second inner chamber.

5 . The aircraft fluid control valve of claim 4 , wherein the first spring and the second spring are configured such that axial travel of the first piston causes the second piston to contact the cap before the first piston axially contacts the second piston.

6 . The aircraft fluid control valve of claim 5 , wherein the fluid inlet port is disposed a first axial distance from the base end of the sleeve, and the fluid outlet port is disposed a second axial distance from the base end of the sleeve, and the second axial distance is greater than the first axial distance thereby axially separating the fluid inlet port from the fluid outlet port.

7 . The aircraft fluid control valve of claim 6 , wherein the valve is in an open configuration when the second piston is in contact with the cap.

8 . The aircraft fluid control valve of claim 7 , wherein in a valve fully open configuration, the first piston is in axial contact with the second piston and the piston head of the first piston is axially separated from the fluid outlet port.

9 . The aircraft fluid control valve of claim 1 , wherein the second piston includes a first cavity portion defined by the SP center flange and the SP side wall on a cap end side of the SP center flange, and a second cavity portion defined by the SP center flange and the SP side wall on a base end side of the SP center flange; and
wherein a portion of the center post extends through the SP center flange thereby locating the distal end of the center post within the first cavity portion, and wherein a retainer is attached to the center post adjacent the distal end of the center post within the first cavity portion.

10 . The aircraft fluid control valve of claim 9 , wherein the PH side wall of the piston head is slidably received within the second cavity portion, and the second spring extends into the second cavity portion.

11 . The aircraft fluid control valve of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve and the second piston include respective mating physical features configured to positionally locate the second piston relative to the sleeve.

12 . The aircraft fluid control valve of claim 11 , wherein the second piston includes a rim flange disposed at the SP side wall cap end.

13 . The aircraft fluid control valve of claim 12 , wherein the second sleeve wall includes a pocket, and the rim flange includes a segment configured to be received within the pocket.

14 . The aircraft fluid control valve of claim 12 , wherein the low pressure reference port is disposed in the second sleeve wall, and the rim flange includes a channel aligned with the low pressure reference port.

15 . The aircraft fluid control valve of claim 1 , further comprising a spacer in contact with the first spring, or in contact with the second spring.

Assignees

• Pratt & Whitney Canada

Inventors

• Pellerin Hugues

Classifications

• F16K41/14

  with conical flange on the spindle which co-operates with a conical surface in the housing · CPC title

• F16K27/08

  Guiding yokes for spindles; Means for closing housings; Dust caps, e.g. for tyre valves · CPC title

• F16K17/065

  with differential piston · CPC title

• F16K3/265

  with a sleeve sliding in the direction of the flow line · CPC title

• F02C7/232

  Fuel valves {(control of fuel supply by means of fuel metering valves F02C9/263)}; Draining valves or systems (valves in general F16K) · CPC title