Valve arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9664167-B2
Application number	US-201314435508-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 30, 2013
Priority date	Oct 30, 2012
Publication date	May 30, 2017
Grant date	May 30, 2017

Abstract

A valve arrangement comprising: a valve outlet for communication with a low pressure drain; a valve housing provided with a bore for receiving fuel from an accumulator volume; and a valve member having a closed position in which it engages a valve seating defined by the bore to prevent fuel flow from the accumulator volume to the valve outlet. The valve arrangement further comprises a first restricted flow means for restricting the flow of fuel between the accumulator volume and the valve outlet during a first stage of valve opening movement; a second restricted flow means effective during a second stage of valve opening movement to provide a greater restriction than during the first stage; and a third restricted flow means effective during a third stage of valve opening movement to provide a variable restriction to fuel flow dependent on the extent of opening movement of the valve member.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A valve arrangement for use in limiting the pressure of fuel within an accumulator volume of an accumulator fuel system to a predetermined threshold level, the valve arrangement comprising:
a valve outlet for communication with a low pressure drain;
a valve housing provided with a valve housing bore for receiving fuel from the accumulator volume;
a valve member comprising a ball slidably received in a first section of the housing bore, said member having a closed position in which it is engaged with a valve seating defined by the valve housing bore to prevent fuel flow from the accumulator volume to the valve outlet;
biasing means for urging the valve member towards the valve seating;
a first restricted flow means for restricting the flow of fuel between the accumulator volume and the valve outlet during a first stage of valve opening movement as soon as the valve member is lifted from the valve seating;
a second restricted flow means effective during a second stage of valve opening movement which follows the first stage to provide a greater restriction than during the first stage; and
a third restricted flow means effective during a third stage of valve opening movement which follows the second stage to provide a variable restriction to fuel flow dependent on the extent of opening movement of the valve member;
wherein each of the first, second and third restricted flow means is defined between the ball and the first section of the valve housing bore;
wherein the valve seating is located on a first conical section which is defined by the valve housing bore;
wherein the first restricted flow means is defined between the valve member and the valve seating;
wherein the third restricted flow means is defined by a second conical section, which is defined by the valve housing bore;
wherein the first and second conical sections define an intermediate section therebetween, wherein the intermediate section cooperates with the valve member to define the second restricted flow means; and
wherein the intermediate section is arranged to have a taper, such that the level of restriction is increased as the valve member moves away from the first conical section towards the second conical section.

2. A valve arrangement for use in limiting the pressure of fuel within an accumulator volume of an accumulator fuel system to a predetermined threshold level, the valve arrangement comprising:
a valve outlet for communication with a low pressure drain;
a valve housing provided with a valve housing bore for receiving fuel from the accumulator volume;
a valve member comprising a ball slidably received in a first section of the housing bore, said member having a closed position in which it is engaged with a valve seating defined by the valve housing bore to prevent fuel flow from the accumulator volume to the valve outlet;
biasing means for urging the valve member towards the valve seating;
a first restricted flow means for restricting the flow of fuel between the accumulator volume and the valve outlet during a first stage of valve opening movement as soon as the valve member is lifted from the valve seating;
a second restricted flow means effective during a second stage of valve opening movement which follows the first stage to provide a greater restriction than during the first stage;
a third restricted flow means effective during a third stage of valve opening movement which follows the second stage to provide a variable restriction to fuel flow dependent on the extent of opening movement of the valve member; and
a piston member which is situated between the biasing means and the valve member;
wherein each of the first, second and third restricted flow means is defined between the ball and the first section of the valve housing bore.

3. A valve arrangement according to claim 2 , wherein the valve member and the piston member is formed together as an integrated component.

4. A valve arrangement according to claim 2 , further comprising means to limit the range of movement of the piston member.

5. A valve arrangement according to claim 2 , wherein the piston member is provided with an extension which cooperates with the valve member to aid positioning and/or retention of the valve member.

6. A valve arrangement according to claim 5 , wherein an end face of the extension is concave to aid positioning and/or retention of the valve member.

Assignees

• Delphi Int Operations Luxembourg Sarl

Inventors

• Rouillon Raphael
• Pereira Etienne
• Trenado Guillaume
• Rouet Jean-Luc

Classifications

• F16K17/0406

  in the form of balls · CPC title

• F02M63/0056

  Throttling valves, e.g. having variable opening positions throttling the flow · CPC title

• F16K17/048

  combined with other safety valves, or with pressure control devices · CPC title

• Y10T137/7848

  Permits flow at valve interface · CPC title

• F02M37/0029

  Pressure regulator in the low pressure fuel system (pressure regulator in low-pressure injection apparatus F02M69/54) · CPC title