One-way pressure activated piston seal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9970552-B2
Application number	US-201715651571-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 17, 2017
Priority date	Mar 15, 2012
Publication date	May 15, 2018
Grant date	May 15, 2018

Abstract

A solenoid actuated valve ( 10 ) holds pressure and volume of an accumulator with low leakage and provides low actuation drag during a release stroke for dumping fluid contents of the accumulator at very low current draw. Two elongate valve members ( 10 a, 10 b ) are assembled to be movable axially relative to one another with a gland or groove ( 10 c ) formed in one of the two valve members ( 10 a ). An o-ring ( 12 ) located within the groove ( 10 c ) is in a non-contacting relationship to the other valve member ( 10 b ) when in a non-energized state. An energizer ring ( 14 ) located within the groove ( 10 c ) can reciprocate axially with respect to the o-ring ( 12 ). The energizer ring ( 14 ) moves axially toward the o-ring ( 12 ) in response to fluid pressure against a surface ( 14 a ) of the energizer ring ( 14 ) opposite from the o-ring ( 12 ) to axially compresses the o-ring ( 12 ), causing the o-ring ( 12 ) to expand radially outwardly into sealing contact with the other valve member ( 10 b ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for holding pressure and volume of an accumulator with low leakage and for providing low actuation drag during a release stroke of a solenoid actuated valve ( 10 ) for dumping fluid contents of the accumulator at very low current draw comprising:
providing a groove ( 10 c ) in one of two valve members ( 10 a , 10 b ) movable axially with respect to one another;
positioning an o-ring ( 12 ) in the groove ( 10 c );
maintaining the o-ring ( 12 ) in a non-contacting relationship with respect to the other of the two valve members ( 10 b ) when in a non-energized state; and
assembling an energizer ring ( 14 ) within the groove ( 10 c ) for axially reciprocal movement with respect to the o-ring ( 12 ), where the energizer ring ( 14 ) is axially movable toward the o-ring ( 12 ) in response to fluid pressure against a surface ( 14 a ) opposite from the o-ring ( 12 ) and the o-ring ( 12 ) being compressible by the energizer ring ( 14 ) thereby causing radial expansion of the o-ring ( 12 ) into sealing contact with the other of the two valve members ( 10 b ) when in an energized state thereby sealing the solenoid actuated valve ( 10 ) in response to fluid pressure for holding pressure and volume of the accumulator with low leakage while the two valve members ( 10 a , 10 b ) are stationary with respect to one another, where the o-ring ( 12 ) is releasable from the energized state between the two valve members ( 10 a , 10 b ) into the non-energized state in response to initial movement of a release stroke of the solenoid actuated valve ( 10 ) thereby providing low actuation drag during relative movement between the two valve members ( 10 a , 10 b ) for dumping fluid contents of the accumulator at very low current draw.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
providing the energizer ring ( 14 ) with a rectangular cross section.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
providing the energizer ring ( 14 ) with an L-shaped cross section ( 14 b ).

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
providing the energizer ring ( 14 ) with an L-shaped cross section ( 14 b ) having an angled o-ring engaging surface ( 14 c ).

5. A one-way pressure activated piston seal comprising:
two members ( 10 a , 10 b ) movable axially relative to one another with a groove ( 10 c ) formed in one of the two members ( 10 a );
an o-ring ( 12 ) located within the groove ( 10 c ) formed in the one of the two members ( 10 a ), while the o-ring ( 12 ) is maintained in a non-contacting relationship with respect to the other of the two members ( 10 b ) when in a non-energized state; and
an energizer ring ( 14 ) located within the groove ( 10 c ) for axially reciprocal movement with respect to the o-ring ( 12 ), where the energizer ring ( 14 ) is axially movable toward the o-ring ( 12 ) in response to fluid pressure against a surface ( 14 a ) opposite from the o-ring ( 12 ) and the o-ring ( 12 ) being compressible by the energizer ring ( 14 ) to expand the o-ring ( 12 ) radially into sealing contact with the other of the two members ( 10 b ) when in an energized state while the two members ( 10 a , 10 b ) are stationary with respect to one another, where the o-ring is releasable from the energized state between the two members ( 10 a , 10 b ) into the non-energized state in response to initial movement between the two members ( 10 a , 10 b ) minimizing drag during relative movement between the two members ( 10 a , 10 b ).

6. The seal of claim 5 , wherein the energizer ring ( 14 ) has a rectangular cross section.

7. The seal of claim 5 , wherein the energizer ring ( 14 ) has an L-shaped cross section ( 14 b ).

8. The seal of claim 5 , wherein the energizer ring ( 14 ) has an L-shaped cross section ( 14 b ) with an angled o-ring engaging surface ( 14 c ).

9. A solenoid actuated valve ( 10 ) for holding pressure and volume of an accumulator with low leakage and for providing low actuation drag during a release stroke of the solenoid actuated valve ( 10 ) for dumping fluid contents of the accumulator at very low current draw comprising:
two valve members ( 10 a , 10 b ) movable axially relative to one another with a groove ( 10 c ) formed in one of two valve members ( 10 a );
an o-ring ( 12 ) located within the groove ( 10 c ) formed in the one of the two valve members ( 10 a ), where the o-ring ( 12 ) is maintained in a non-contacting relationship with respect to the other of the two valve members ( 10 b ) when in a non-energized state; and
an energizer ring ( 14 ) located within the groove ( 10 c ) for axial movement with respect to the o-ring ( 12 ), where the energizer ring ( 14 ) is axially movable toward the o-ring ( 12 ) in response to fluid pressure against a surface ( 14 a ) opposite from the o-ring ( 12 ) and the o-ring ( 12 ) being compressible by the energizer ring ( 14 ) causing the o-ring ( 12 ) to expand radially into sealing contact with the other of the two valve members ( 10 b ) when in an energized state thereby sealing the solenoid actuated valve ( 10 ) in response to fluid pressure for holding pressure and volume of the accumulator with low leakage while the two valve members ( 10 a , 10 b ) are stationary with respect to one another, the o-ring ( 12 ) being releasable from the energized state between the two valve members ( 10 a , 10 b ) into the non-energized state in response to initial movement of a release stroke of the solenoid actuated valve ( 10 ) thereby providing low actuation drag during relative movement between the two valve members ( 10 a , 10 b ) for dumping fluid contents of the accumulator at very low current draw.

10. The valve ( 10 ) of claim 9 , wherein actuation of the solenoid actuated valve ( 10 ) unloads compressive pressure on the o-ring ( 12 ) allowing retraction from the radially expanded energized state to the non-contacting relationship with respect to the other of the two valve members ( 10 a , 10 b ) in the non-energized state.

11. The valve ( 10 ) of claim 9 , wherein the energizer ring ( 14 ) has a rectangular cross section.

12. The valve ( 10 ) of claim 9 , wherein the energizer ring ( 14 ) has an L-shaped cross section ( 14 b ).

13. The valve ( 10 ) of claim 9 , wherein the energizer ring ( 14 ) has an L-shaped cross section ( 14 b ) with an angled o-ring engaging surface ( 14 c ).

Assignees

• Borgwarner Inc

Inventors

• Jones Michael E
• Waterstredt Jeffrey J

Classifications

• F16J15/46

  with packing ring expanded or pressed into place by fluid pressure, e.g. inflatable packings (connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00; {for sealing arrangements in vehicles B60J10/244; for sealing arrangements of openings in buildings E06B7/2318}; for tube connections F16L) · CPC title

• F16K1/46 Primary

  Attachment of sealing rings · CPC title

• F16J15/56

  Other sealings for reciprocating rods · CPC title

• F16K31/0693

  Pressure equilibration of the armature · CPC title

• F16K31/0655

  Lift valves · CPC title