Self-regulated compact-geometry valve assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9255648-B2
Application number	US-201314053833-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 15, 2013
Priority date	Oct 12, 2012
Publication date	Feb 9, 2016
Grant date	Feb 9, 2016

Abstract

A self-regulated valve assembly contains a valve body which, in the lower part, has an input section for a connection to a tank intended to contain a fluid under pressure and, in the upper part, an output for connection to a pipe system. A piston is movable in the valve body along a first axis between an open position, enabling the fluid to communicate between the input section and the output, and a closed position. A spring type module is coupled to the piston and to the valve body and interacts dynamically with the piston at least after an actuation of the valve and during the entire cycle of self-regulation of the valve, imposing a positioning of the piston between its open and closed position. The spring type module is positioned beneath the lower sealing section of the piston and the dimensions of the valve assembly can be considerably reduced.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A self-regulated valve assembly, comprising: a valve body having a lower part with an input section for a connection to a tank intended to contain a fluid under pressure and, an upper part with an output for connection to a pipe system; a piston movable in said valve body along a first axis between an open position enabling the fluid to communicate between said input section and said output, and a closed position cutting off the fluid communication, said piston having an upper end section and a lower sealing section; and a spring type module coupled to said piston and to said valve body and biasing said piston to an open position, said spring type module interacting dynamically with said piston at least after an actuation of the valve assembly and during an entire cycle of self-regulation of the valve assembly, imposing a positioning of said piston between the open position and the closed position, allowing fluid communication between said input section and said output under a controlled output pressure, said spring type module positioned between said lower sealing section of said piston and an interior of the tank.

2. The valve assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said spring type module can be inserted into the tank.

3. The valve assembly according to claim 2 , wherein said spring type module is positioned in said lower part of said valve body, said lower part of said valve body itself being at least partially able to be inserted into the connection to the tank.

4. The valve assembly according to claim 3 , wherein said piston includes, beneath said lower sealing section, an additional cylindrical part which can be inserted into the tank and is movable in said lower part of the valve assembly.

5. The valve assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said valve body has, in said upper part, an upper static pressure chamber and beneath said upper static pressure chamber an auxiliary piston, said auxiliary piston having a lower curved surface.

6. The valve assembly according to claim 5 , wherein said piston has at most two circular guide lands against said valve body.

7. The valve assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said valve body outside the tank exhibits, along the first axis, a height of less than 125 mm and, transversally to said first axis, a diameter of less than 83 mm.

8. A self-regulated valve assembly, comprising:
a valve body having a lower part with an input section for a connection to a tank intended to contain a fluid under pressure and, an upper part with an output for connection to a pipe system;
a piston movable in said valve body along a first axis between an open position enabling the fluid to communicate between said input section and said output, and a closed position cutting off the fluid communication, said piston having an upper end section and a lower sealing section;
a spring type module coupled to said piston and to said valve body and interacting dynamically with said piston at least after an actuation of the valve assembly and during an entire cycle of self-regulation of the valve assembly, imposing a positioning of said piston between the open position and the closed position, allowing fluid communication between said input section and said output under a controlled output pressure, said spring type module positioned beneath said lower sealing section of said piston and disposed in the tank;
a threaded axis coupled to said piston;
a nut type movable element; and
a movable retaining element, said spring type module has two ends held respectively between an edge of said lower part of said valve body and said movable retaining element, a position of said spring type module with respect to said edge is variable by translation along the first axis, namely by said nut type movable element which can be positioned on said threaded axis coupled to said piston.

9. A self-regulated valve assembly, comprising: a valve body having a lower part with an input section for a connection to a tank intended to contain a fluid under pressure and, an upper part with an output for connection to a pipe system, said valve body having, in said upper part, an upper static pressure chamber and beneath said upper static pressure chamber an auxiliary piston, said auxiliary piston having a lower curved surface, wherein said valve body having a lower static pressure chamber beneath a lower edge of said sealing section of said piston, said lower static pressure chamber being, through activation of the valve assembly, balanced in pressure with said upper static pressure chamber; a piston movable in said valve body along a first axis between an open position enabling the fluid to communicate between said input section and said output, and a closed position cutting off the fluid communication, said piston having an upper end section and a lower sealing section; and a spring type module coupled to said piston and to said valve body and interacting dynamically with said piston at least after an actuation of the valve assembly and during an entire cycle of self-regulation of the valve assembly, imposing a positioning of said piston between the open position and the closed position, allowing fluid communication between said input section and said output under a controlled output pressure, said spring type module positioned between said lower sealing section of said piston and an interior of the tank.

10. A self-regulated valve assembly, comprising: a valve body having a lower part with an input section for a connection to a tank intended to contain a fluid under pressure and, an upper part with an output for connection to a pipe system, said valve body having, in said upper part, an upper static pressure chamber and beneath said upper static pressure chamber an auxiliary piston, said auxiliary piston having a lower curved surface; a piston movable in said valve body along a first axis between an open position enabling the fluid to communicate between said input section and said output, and a closed position cutting off the fluid communication, said piston having an upper end section and a lower sealing section, said piston having an intermediate section disposed between said end section and said sealing section and is positioned in an intermediate dynamic pressure chamber of said valve body, a volume of said intermediate section is greater than volumes of said upper and lower static pressure chambers; and a spring type module coupled to said piston and to said valve body and interacting dynamically with said piston at least after an actuation of the valve assembly and during an entire cycle of self-regulation of the valve assembly, imposing a positioning of said piston between the open position and the closed position, allowing fluid communication between said input section and said output under a controlled output pressure, said spring type module positioned between said lower sealing section of said piston and an interior of the tank.

11. The valve assembly according to claim 10 , wherein:
said valve body having first and second channels;
said intermediate dynamic pressure chamber is coupled to the tank connection by said first channels;
said upper and lower static pressure chambers are coupled to the tank connection by said second channels; and
said first channels having a greater diameter than said second channels.

12. The valve assembly according to claim 11 , wherein said first channels have a greater diameter than said second channels in a ratio of at least 5:1.

13. The valve assembly according to claim 10 , wherein said volume of said intermediate section is greater than said volumes of said upper and lower static pressure chambers by a rati

Assignees

• Siemens Ag
• Siemens Schweiz Ag

Inventors

• Beucher Stephane
• Degraeve Jeremy
• Magori Erhard
• Weugue William

Classifications

• G05D16/103 Primary

  the sensing element placed between the inlet and outlet (multiple-way valve G05D16/101) · CPC title

• Y10T137/7781

  With separate connected fluid reactor surface · CPC title

• Y10T137/7835

  Valve seating in direction of flow · CPC title

• F16K1/00 Primary

  Lift valves {or globe valves}, i.e. cut-off apparatus with closure members having at least a component of their opening and closing motion perpendicular to the closing faces ({in combination with sliding valves F16K3/246, F16K3/267} ; diaphragm valves F16K7/00) · CPC title

• A62C13/76

  Details or accessories · CPC title