Fluid control device and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12594971-B2
Application number	US-202117387754-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2021
Priority date	Jul 28, 2021
Publication date	Apr 7, 2026
Grant date	Apr 7, 2026

Abstract

A fluid control device includes a first conduit having a first end and a second end, and a first fluid that moves within the first conduit between the first end and the second end. The first conduit includes an interior surface defining a cavity of the first conduit. The fluid control device includes a second conduit having a third end and a fourth end, and a second fluid that moves within the second conduit between the third and fourth ends. At least a portion of the second conduit extends within the cavity of the first conduit. The first fluid is separate from the second fluid as the first fluid moves within the first conduit and the second fluid moves within the second conduit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A fluid control device comprising:
a first conduit oriented along a first axis having a first end and a second end, a first fluid configured to move within the first conduit between the first and second ends, the first conduit comprising an interior surface defining a cavity of the first conduit; and a second conduit oriented along a second axis having a third end and a fourth end, a second fluid configured to move within the second conduit between the third and fourth ends, the second conduit comprising an exterior surface and a structure coupled with, extending a distance away from, and gradually tapered from the exterior surface, wherein the second axis is different than the first axis, wherein a portion of the second conduit extends through a portion of the first conduit where the first axis and the second axis intersect; wherein the cavity of the first conduit oriented along the first axis extends beyond a portion where the first axis and the second axis intersect, wherein at least a portion of the second conduit extends within the cavity, and wherein the first fluid is configured to be separate from the second fluid as the first fluid moves within the first conduit and the second fluid moves within the second conduit.

2 . The fluid control device of claim 1 , wherein the exterior surface is separated from the interior surface.

3 . The fluid control device of claim 1 , wherein the structure is operably coupled with the exterior surface.

4 . The fluid control device of claim 1 , wherein the first fluid is configured to interfere with the structure as the first fluid moves within the first conduit.

5 . The fluid control device of claim 1 , wherein the first fluid is configured to separate into a first portion of the first fluid and a second portion of the first fluid, wherein the first portion is configured to move in a first direction around the exterior surface along a first passage, and wherein the second portion is configured to move in a second direction around the exterior surface along a second passage, wherein the first passage and the second passage are disposed on opposite sides of the second conduit.

6 . The fluid control device of claim 5 , wherein the first portion is configured to combine with the second portion subsequent to the second conduit.

7 . The fluid control device of claim 1 , wherein the first fluid is configured to have flow characteristics at a location upstream of the second conduit, and the first fluid is configured to have the same flow characteristics at a location downstream of the second conduit.

8 . The fluid control device of claim 1 , wherein the first fluid is configured to move within the first conduit in a first direction, and the second fluid is configured to move within the second conduit in a different, second direction.

9 . The fluid control device of claim 1 , wherein the first conduit comprises a first outlet disposed at the second end, and the second conduit comprises a second outlet disposed at the fourth end, wherein the first fluid is configured to be directed out of the first outlet in a first radial direction, and wherein the second fluid is configured to be directed out of the second outlet in a second radial direction that is radially offset from the first radial direction.

10 . The fluid control device of claim 9 , wherein the first radial direction is coplanar with the second radial direction.

11 . The fluid control device of claim 1 , wherein the first conduit and the second conduit are formed as a unitary structure.

12 . The fluid control device of claim 1 , wherein the first fluid is configured to be directed out of the first conduit and toward a surface of a route along which a vehicle moves to remove at least some debris from the surface, and the second fluid is configured to be directed out of the second conduit and toward the surface to improve traction of a wheel against the surface.

13 . A traction control system comprising:
the fluid control device of claim 1 , wherein the first conduit is configured to be coupled to a compressed air system of a vehicle for receiving the first fluid from the compressed air system, wherein the first fluid comprises compressed air, wherein the first conduit is configured to direct the compressed air towards a surface of a route along which the vehicle moves to clean debris, wherein the second conduit is configured to be coupled to a sanding system of the vehicle for receiving the second fluid from the sanding system, wherein the second fluid comprises sand mixed with air, and wherein the second conduit is configured to direct the sand mixed with air towards an interface surface between the route and a wheel of the vehicle to improve traction of the wheel against the route.

14 . A control device comprising:
a first conduit oriented along a first axis having a first end and a second end, a first fluid configured to move within the first conduit between the first and second ends, the first conduit comprising an interior surface defining a cavity of the first conduit; and a second conduit oriented along a second axis having a third end and a fourth end, a second fluid configured to move within the second conduit between the third and fourth ends, wherein at least a portion of the second conduit extends within the cavity, wherein the first fluid is configured to be separate from the second fluid as the first and second fluids move within the first and second conduits, wherein the second conduit comprises an exterior surface separated from the interior surface and a structure operably coupled, extending a distance away from, and gradually tapered from the exterior surface, and wherein the first fluid is configured to interfere with the structure as the first fluid moves within the first conduit, wherein the second axis is different than the first axis, wherein a portion of the second conduit extends through a portion of the first conduit where the first axis and the second axis intersect, wherein the cavity of the first conduit oriented along the first axis extends beyond a portion where the first axis and the second axis intersect.

15 . The control device of claim 14 , wherein the first fluid is configured to separate into a first portion of the first fluid and a second portion of the first fluid, wherein the first portion is configured to move in a first direction along a first passage around the exterior surface, and the second portion is configured to move in a second direction around the exterior surface along a second passage, wherein the first passage and the second passage are disposed on opposite sides of the second conduit.

16 . The control device of claim 14 , wherein the first fluid is configured to move within the first conduit in a first radial direction, wherein the second fluid is configured to move within the second conduit in a different, second radial direction, and wherein the first radial direction is coplanar with the second radial direction.

17 . The control device of claim 14 , wherein the first fluid is configured to be directed out of the first conduit and toward a route surface of a route along which a vehicle moves to remove at least some debris from the route surface, and wherein the second fluid is configured to be directed out of the second conduit and toward the route surface to improve traction of a wheel against the route surface.

18 . The control device of claim 17 , wherein the first fluid is configured to change a characteristic of the route surface, and wherein the second fl

Assignees

• Transp Ip Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Chikmangalore Manjunath Harsha Vardhana
• Hosur Mahantesh Mallappa
• Zhang Jingjun
• Dhulipalla Ravikumar
• Gosbal Anand

Classifications

• B05B7/0433

  with one inner conduit of gas surrounded by an external conduit of liquid upstream the mixing chamber · CPC title

• B61C15/105

  with gravity activated sanding equipment · CPC title

• B61C15/10

  by depositing sand or like friction increasing materials (for vehicles in general B60B; combined control of sanding apparatus and brakes B61H) · CPC title

• B61C15/08

  Preventing wheel slippage (adjusting wheel-braking force to prevent wheel slippage B60T8/00 {; removing undesirable matter from the permanent way of railways E01H8/00}) · CPC title

• B05B7/0441

  with one inner conduit of liquid surrounded by an external conduit of gas upstream the mixing chamber · CPC title