Reed valve and method of making same
First Claim
1. A reed valve comprising, in combination, a reed cage defining a plurality of ports disposed in substantially coplanar relation, said reed cage defining a fluid flow passage so that fluid entering an inlet end of said cage passes downstream to said ports, and a reed mounted at one end to said reed cage and having a plurality of petals each of which is operative to overlie and close a corresponding one of said ports, said petals being interconnected at a common hinge end thereof so as to establish axially aligned hinge axes, said petals having selectively different transverse widths at their hinge axes to create predetermined petal flex characteristics whereby selected ones of said petals lift from their port closing positions when subjected to a first predetermined fluid pressure and others of said petals lift from their port closing positions when subjected to a second predetermined fluid pressure greater than said first fluid pressure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A reed valve includes a generally wedge shaped reed cage or block defining a fluid flow passage and having substantially coplanar discharge ports. A reed is mounted at a common hinge end to the reed cage and has a plurality of petals each of which overlies a corresponding one of the ports. The petals have predetermined edge profiles to establish different transverse widths at their hinge axes so that the petals overlying outer low pressure zones in the reed cage lift from their port closing positions at a lower fluid pressure than the petals that overlie higher pressure zones in the reed cage, thereby providing multiple stage lifting and reflex action by the reed petals relative to the reed cage ports.
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Citations
30 Claims
- 1. A reed valve comprising, in combination, a reed cage defining a plurality of ports disposed in substantially coplanar relation, said reed cage defining a fluid flow passage so that fluid entering an inlet end of said cage passes downstream to said ports, and a reed mounted at one end to said reed cage and having a plurality of petals each of which is operative to overlie and close a corresponding one of said ports, said petals being interconnected at a common hinge end thereof so as to establish axially aligned hinge axes, said petals having selectively different transverse widths at their hinge axes to create predetermined petal flex characteristics whereby selected ones of said petals lift from their port closing positions when subjected to a first predetermined fluid pressure and others of said petals lift from their port closing positions when subjected to a second predetermined fluid pressure greater than said first fluid pressure.
- 10. A reed comprising a flexible body defining a plurality of petals each of which has generally parallel longitudinal marginal edges, said petals being interconnected at a common hinge end thereof so as to establish axially aligned hinge axes for said petals, said petals having edge profiles adjacent said hinge end so as to establish selectively different transverse hinge axis widths and predetermined flex characteristics for said petals.
Specification