Flow diverting flapper

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9709178-B2
Application number	US-201514740952-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 16, 2015
Priority date	Jun 16, 2015
Publication date	Jul 18, 2017
Grant date	Jul 18, 2017

Abstract

A flow diverting valve includes a body having a concave spherical surface, a flange traversing a perimeter of the body, and a hinge connected to the flange and configured to rotate about a pivot axis.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A flow diverting valve comprising:
a body having a concave spherical surface and comprising:
a first end; and
a second end opposite the first end;

a flange traversing a perimeter of the body; and
a hinge connected to the flange and configured to rotate about a pivot axis;
wherein the first end is adjacent the flange near the hinge and the second end extends outward from the flange along a curved trajectory, forming a curved outer surface, and wherein the concave spherical surface of the body has a radius of curvature that is less than a radius of curvature of the curved outer surface of the body.

2. The flow diverting valve of claim 1 , wherein the second end has a thickness that is greater than a thickness of the first end and wherein a thickness along the body tapers from the second end to the first end.

3. The flow diverting valve of claim 2 , wherein an outermost point of the second end extends outward from the flange at an angle between 30 and 40 degrees from a point where the first end and flange intersect.

4. The flow diverting valve of claim 2 , wherein the body further comprises:
a first sidewall; and
a second sidewall, wherein the first and second sidewalls are positioned between the first and second ends and have a flat outer surface.

5. The flow diverting valve of claim 1 , wherein a radius of curvature of the concave spherical surface is less than an outer diameter of the flange but greater than an inner diameter of the flange.

6. The flow diverting valve of claim 1 , further comprising:
an inlet;
a first flow path; and
a second flow path; wherein the flow diverting valve is positioned to selectively close one of the first and second flow paths, and wherein the concave spherical surface is positioned to direct an air flow from the inlet when the flow diverting valve is positioned to close the first flow path.

7. The flow diverting valve of claim 6 , wherein the concave spherical surface has a radius of curvature that is greater than a diameter of the each of the first and second flow paths.

8. The flow diverting valve of claim 6 , wherein the first and second flow paths further comprise a first and a second inlet, respectively, and wherein the curved outer surface of the flow diverting valve is stowed within the second inlet when the flow diverting element is positioned to close the second flow path.

9. A method of controlling cooling air flow for an environmental control system, the method comprising:
closing one of a primary flow path and a secondary flow path with a flapper valve the flapper valve comprising:
a body having a concave spherical surface, wherein the concave spherical surface is positioned to direct an air flow from the inlet when the flow diverting element is positioned to close the first flow path;
a flange traversing a perimeter of the body, wherein the body has a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the second end extending outward from the flange, creating a thickness at the second end that is greater than a thickness at the first end, and wherein a thickness along the body tapers from the second end to the first end; and
a hinge connected to the flange near the first end and configured to rotate about a pivot axis; and

directing an air flow into the other of the primary flow path and the secondary flow path, wherein directing the air flow into the secondary flow path comprises directing the air flow along the concave spherical surface of the flapper valve to cause the air flow to turn toward the secondary flow path.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein closing the secondary flow path comprises:
stowing the concave spherical surface of the flapper valve in an inlet of the secondary flow path.

11. A flow diverting valve assembly comprising:
an inlet;
a first flow path;
a second flow path; and
a flow diverting element positioned to selectively close one of the first and second flow paths, wherein the flow diverting element comprises:
a body having a concave spherical surface, wherein the concave spherical surface is positioned to direct an air flow from the inlet when the flow diverting element is positioned to close the first flow path;
a flange traversing a perimeter of the body, wherein the body has a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the second end extending outward from the flange, creating a thickness at the second end that is greater than a thickness at the first end, and wherein a thickness along the body tapers from the second end to the first end; and
a hinge connected to the flange near the first end and configured to rotate about a pivot axis.

12. The flow diverting valve assembly of claim 11 , wherein the concave spherical surface has a radius of curvature that is greater than a diameter of the each of the first and second flow paths.

13. The flow diverting valve assembly of claim 11 , wherein an outermost point of the second end extends outward from the flange between 30 and 40 degrees from a point at which the flange and the first end intersect.

14. The flow diverting valve assembly of claim 11 , wherein the second end extends from the flange on a curved trajectory, thereby creating a curved outer surface, and wherein a radius of curvature of the curved outer surface is greater than a radius of curvature of the concave spherical surface.

15. The flow diverting valve assembly of claim 14 , wherein the inlet further comprises:
a housing, wherein a section of the housing comprises a curved inner surface with a radius of curvature substantially matching the radius of curvature of the curved outer surface of the flow diverting element, and wherein the curved inner surface and the curved outer surface are aligned when the flow diverting element is positioned to close the first flow path, and wherein the curved outer surface is stowed within an inlet of the second flow path when the flow diverting element is positioned to close the second flow path.

16. The flow diverting valve assembly of claim 11 , wherein the second flow path is substantially 90 degrees from the inlet, such that air flow in the second flow path is substantially perpendicular to the air flow in the inlet.

17. The flow diverting valve assembly of claim 11 , wherein each of the first and second flow paths further comprises:
an inlet; and
an annular seal positioned to engage the flange when the flow diverting element is positioned to close one of the first and second flow paths, and wherein the annular seal comprises a U-shaped ring configured to compress when engaged by the flange.

18. A flow diverting flapper valve comprising:
a body having a concave spherical surface and including:
a first end; and
a second end opposite the first end;

a flange traversing a perimeter of the body, wherein the second end extends outward from the flange, creating a thickness at the second end that is greater than a thickness at the first end, and wherein a thickness along the body tapers from the second end to the first end; and
a hinge connected to the flange near the first end and configured to rotate about a pivot axis.

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp

Inventors

• Dowd Peter J
• Army Jr Donald E

Classifications

• F16K27/0227

  with the valve members swinging around an axis located at the edge of or outside the valve member · CPC title

• F16K11/052 Primary

  with pivoted closure members, e.g. butterfly valves · CPC title

• F16K11/0525 Primary

  the closure members being pivoted around an essentially central axis · CPC title

• F16K27/0254

  with conical shaped valve members · CPC title