Dry pilot actuator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9492696-B2
Application number	US-201213981880-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 16, 2012
Priority date	Feb 16, 2011
Publication date	Nov 15, 2016
Grant date	Nov 15, 2016

Abstract

A dry pilot actuator provides for a high liquid to gas trip ratio. The actuator includes a housing having an interior surface defining an internal chamber with a central axis. The valve further includes a first inlet port; a second pilot port and a third drain port, each in communication with the internal chamber. A first actuator seat is disposed along the interior surface of the housing circumscribed about the central axis and a second actuator seat is circumscribed about the first actuator seat. A seal member having a sealed position and an open position is substantially aligned with the central axis of the housing in each of the sealed and open positions. The third port is isolated from the first and second port when the sealing member is in the sealed position, and in fluid communication with the first port when the sealing member is in the open position. The second port is isolated from the first and third ports when the sealing member is in the actuated position. A spring member biases the seal member toward the open position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dry pilot actuator comprising:
a housing having an interior surface defining an internal chamber with a central axis;
a first actuator seat disposed along the interior surface of the housing circumscribed about the central axis;
a second actuator seat disposed along the interior surface and circumscribed about the first actuator seat;
a seal member defining a sealed position engaged with the first actuator seat and the second actuator seat, the seal member further defining an open position axially spaced from the first and second actuator seats;
a first port proximate the first actuator seat in communication with the internal chamber;
a second port in communication with the internal chamber,
a third port in communication with the internal chamber, the third port being isolated from the first and second port when the sealing member is in the sealed position; the third port being in fluid communication with the first port when the sealing member is in the open position, the second port being isolated from each of the first and third ports when the sealing member is in the open position; and
at least one spring member disposed between the interior surface of the housing and the seal member to bias the seal member toward the open position.

2. The dry pilot actuator of claim 1 , wherein the at least one spring member is located between the first and second actuator seats.

3. The dry pilot actuator of claim 1 , wherein the at least one spring member comprises at least one coil spring having a first end engaged with a portion of the interior surface of the actuator that includes the first actuator seat, the coil spring having a second end engaged with a portion of the seal member that faces the first actuator seat.

4. The dry pilot actuator of claim 3 , wherein the first end of the at least one coil spring is located between the first actuator seat and the second actuator seat.

5. The dry pilot actuator of claim 1 , wherein the at least one spring member defines a total spring force of about 0.5 pounds-force (Lbs.-f).

6. The dry pilot actuator of claim 1 , wherein the at least one spring member has a first length in the sealed position and a second length in the open position, the second length being greater than the first length.

7. The dry pilot actuator of claim 1 , wherein the at least one spring member has a first length in the sealed position and a second length in the open position, the second length being less than the first length.

8. The dry pilot actuator of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second actuator seats are substantially circular, the first actuator seat having a first diameter ranging from about ¼ inch to about ½ inch and the second actuator seat having a second diameter ranging from about two inches to about 2⅛ inches.

9. The dry pilot actuator of claim 1 , wherein the sealing member defines a trip ratio of liquid trip pressure in pounds per square inch to gas trip pressure in pounds per square inch that ranges from about 5 to about 28.

10. The dry pilot actuator of claim 1 , wherein the seal member is in a sealed position and the first and second actuator seats define an annular void.

11. The dry pilot actuator of claim 1 , wherein the seal member is in a sealed position and the first and second actuator seats define an annular void, the third port being in communication with the annular void.

12. The dry pilot actuator of claim 1 , wherein the seal member is supported in the open position within the housing only by a frictional engagement with the at least one spring member such that the seal member is not supported by any other valve structure.

13. The dry pilot actuator of claim 1 , further comprising a locating structure that includes a plunger member to engage the sealing member to locate the sealing surface against the first and second actuator seats.

14. The dry pilot actuator of claim 1 , wherein the seal member comprises a cylindrical member, having a distal side opposed to the first and second actuator seats and a proximal side opposite the distal side, the distal side of the seal member includes a first seal portion for engagement with the first actuator seat and a second seal portion for engagement with the second actuator seat in the sealed position, the proximal side includes a third seal portion for sealing the second port from the inner chamber in the open position.

15. The dry pilot actuator of claim 1 , wherein the first port is an inlet port, the second port is a pilot port and the third port defines a drain port.

16. A residential fire protection system having a stand-by state and an actuated state, the system comprising:
a liquid supply piping system for supplying a liquid under a liquid pressure;
a residential sprinkler piping system being filled with a gas under a gas pressure in the stand-by state,
a fluid control valve for controlling the flow of liquid from the liquid supply piping system into the residential sprinkler piping system upon transition of the fire protection system from the stand-by state to the actuated state, the control valve including a chamber for holding a pressurized fluid to prevent the flow of fluid through the control valve; and
a dry pilot actuator including:
a housing having an interior surface defining an internal chamber with a central axis;
a first actuator seat disposed along the interior surface of the housing circumscribed about the central axis;
a second actuator seat disposed along the interior surface and circumscribed about the first actuator seat;
a sealing member defining a sealed position with the sealing member engaged with the first actuator seat and the second actuator seat, the sealing member further defining an open position axially spaced from the first and second actuator seats;
a first port proximate the first actuator seat and coupled to the chamber of the control valve to provide fluid communication between the chamber of the control valve and the internal chamber of the actuator;
a second port coupled a gas source;
a third port in communication with the internal chamber, the third port being isolated from the first and second port when the sealing member is in the sealed position; the third port being in fluid communication with the first port when the sealing member is in the open position to discharge the pressurized fluid from the chamber of the control valve to permit the flow of fluid through the control valve, the second port being isolated from each of the first and third ports by the sealing member when the sealing member is in the open position; and

at least one spring member disposed between the interior surface of the housing and the seal member to bias the seal member toward the open position.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one spring member is located between the first and second actuator seats.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the seal member is in a sealed position and the first and second actuator seats define an annular void in communication with the third port.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the first port is an inlet port, the second port is a pilot port and the third port defines a drain port.

Assignees

• Ringer Yoram
• Tyco Fire Products Lp

Inventors

• Ringer Yoram

Classifications

• F16K31/1221

  one side of the piston being spring-loaded · CPC title

• A62C35/62 Primary

  dry, i.e. empty of extinguishing material when not in use · CPC title

• A62C35/68 Primary

  Details, e.g. of pipes or valve systems (valves in general F16K) · CPC title