Fluid control valve system and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016003364-A1
Application number	US-201414776186-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 13, 2014
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Jan 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A diaphragm-type control valve ( 10 ) having a valve body ( 12 ) holding a diaphragm ( 100 ) and an expansion member ( 150 ) is provided preferably for use in the separation of and fluid control between a fluid source and a pressurized gas volume. An inner surface of the valve body defines a chamber having an inlet ( 14 ) and an outlet ( 16 ) in communication with the chamber, and an elongated seat member ( 26 ). The expansion member ( 150 ) biases the diaphragm ( 100 ) to a seated position within the valve.

First claim

1 . A fluid control valve comprising:
a valve body having a first inner surface defining a chamber having a first axis and a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis, the chamber including an inlet and an outlet in communication with the chamber and substantially aligned along the first axis, the inner surface including an elongated seat member substantially aligned along the second axis, the seat member defining a groove, a portion of the body further defining a port in communication with the groove; a diaphragm member disposed within the chamber for controlling communication between the inlet and the outlet, the diaphragm member having an upper surface and a lower surface, the lower surface including at least a pair of spaced apart elongated members defining a channel therebetween, the diaphragm member having a first position permitting communication between the inlet and the outlet and a second position wherein the elongated members engage the seat member such that the channel is in communication with the groove to define an intermediate chamber in communication with the port; and an expansion member disposed within the chamber for moving the diaphragm member into the second position, the expansion member having a base portion and a plurality of radial projections extending from the base portion, each radial projection having opposing first and second ends and a flexure portion disposed between the first and second ends to provide a converging orientation between the first and second ends, the flexure portion defining a converging center point about which the first and second ends pivot when moving the diaphragm member into the second position.

2 - 17 . (canceled)

18 . The fluid control valve of claim 1 , the diaphragm member upper surface including an engagement portion, the base portion coupled to the engagement portion, the second end of each radial projection being in sliding engagement with the valve body first inner surface.

19 . (canceled)

20 . The fluid control valve of claim 1 , the valve body first inner surface including an engagement portion, the base portion coupled to the engagement portion, the second end of each radial projection being in sliding engagement with the diaphragm member upper surface.

21 . (canceled)

22 . The fluid control valve of claim 1 , the valve body first inner surface or the diaphragm member upper surface including protrusions spaced apart to receive the first end of each of the radial projections.

23 . The fluid control valve of claim 1 , the base portion defining a base portion outer diameter and the flexure portion defining a flexure portion outer diameter, the flexure portion outer diameter being greater than the base portion outer diameter.

24 . The fluid control valve of claim 1 , the flexure portion having an expanded position in which the diaphragm member is in the second position and having a contracted position in which the flexure portion is reversibly deformed to bring the first and second ends of each radial projection towards each other to permit the diaphragm member to assume the first position, the first and second ends remaining undeformed when the flexure portion moves between the expanded and contracted positions.

25 . The fluid control valve of claim 1 , the valve body having a bottom portion including the inlet and the outlet and a top portion removably mounted on the bottom portion with at least a portion of the diaphragm member disposed between the top and bottom portions to define a sealing surface between the top and bottom portions, the flexure portion of each radial projection disposed adjacent to the sealing surface in the first and second positions of the diaphragm member.

26 . The fluid control valve of claim 1 , the plurality of radial projections being distributed equally about a perimeter of the base portion.

27 . The fluid control valve of claim 1 , the diaphragm member disposed on a diaphragm axis, each of the plurality of radial projections having the first end extending from the base portion in a direction away from the diaphragm axis and the second end extending from the flexure portion in a direction towards the diaphragm axis.

28 . The fluid control valve of claim 27 , the second end of each radial projection terminating at an end portion, the end portion being curved away from the diaphragm axis.

29 . The fluid control valve of claim 1 , each of the radial projections having a width along a length of the first and second ends, the width varying along the length of the first and second ends.

30 . The fluid control valve of claim 1 , the first end and second end of each of the radial projections together with the flexure portion defining a converging center point of the first and second ends and defining an internal angle between the first and second ends, the flexure portion having a contracted position defining a first internal angle and an expanded position defining a second internal angle, the first internal angle being less than the second internal angle.

31 - 33 . (canceled)

34 . The fluid control valve of claim 1 , the plurality of radial projections being four or eight radial projections distributed equidistantly about a perimeter of the base portion.

35 . The fluid control valve of claim 1 , the first end of each radial projection having a first stiffness and the second end of each radial projection having a different second stiffness.

36 . The fluid control valve of claim 1 , the first end of each radial projection having a first length and the second end of each radial projection having a different second length.

37 . The fluid control valve of claim 1 , the flexure portion being an undulating bend of the radial projection.

38 . The fluid control valve of claim 37 , the undulating bend having multiple varying undulations.

39 . A fluid control valve for providing fluid control between a first fluid and a second fluid comprising:
a body having an inlet, an outlet, and an inner surface defining a passageway between the inlet and the outlet, the body further including a port in communication with the passageway and located between the inlet and the outlet; a flexible member engaged with the inner surface to dissect the passageway to define an inlet chamber in communication with the inlet for housing the first fluid, an outlet chamber in communication with the outlet for housing the second fluid and an intermediate chamber disposed between the inlet chamber and the outlet chamber and in communication with the port; and an expansion member disposed within the body to engage the flexible member in both a contracted position and an expanded position of the expansion member, the expansion member having a base portion and a plurality of radial projections extending from the base portion, each radial projection having opposing first and second ends and a flexure portion disposed between the first and second ends to define a converging center point about which the first and second ends pivot when transitioning between the contracted and expanded positions.

40 . The valve of claim 39 , further comprising a diaphragm chamber adjacent the inlet and outlet chambers.

41 . The valve of claim 39 , wherein the flexible member has an upper surface in communication with the diaphragm chamber and defining an upper surface area, the flexible member having a lower surface including a first lower surface portion in communication the inle

Assignees

• Tyco Fire Products Lp

Inventors

• Ringer Yoram
• Yang Su

Classifications

• F16K7/126 Primary

  the seat being formed on a rib perpendicular to the fluid line · CPC title

• F16K11/022 Primary

  comprising a deformable member · CPC title

• F16K27/0236

  Diaphragm cut-off apparatus · CPC title

• F16K27/0263

  multiple way valves · CPC title