METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR A SMART VALVE

• US 20090194718A1
• Filed: 02/05/2008
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Kulesha, Richard L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,783,285 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 251/74
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/002 actuated by temperature variation thermo-electric F16K31/025
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/025 actuated by thermo-electric means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6906 Aerial or water-supported [e.g., airplane or ship, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7876 With external means for opposing bias
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7931 Spring in inlet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7932 Valve stem extends through fixed spring abutment

Abstract

A smart drain valve comprises a support plate, a bolt passing through a center of the support plate, an outer plate connected to a first end of the bolt, an inner plate connected to a second end of the bolt, and a spring positioned between the inner plate and the support plate. The spring is made of a shape memory material.

Claims

1. A smart drain valve comprising:

a support plate;

a bolt passing through the support plate;

an outer plate connected to a first end of the bolt;

an inner plate connected to a second end of the bolt and located over the support plate; and

a spring positioned between the inner plate and the support plate, wherein the spring is made of a shape memory alloy.

2. The smart drain valve of claim 1 wherein the shape memory alloy is nickel-titanium.

3. The smart drain valve of claim 1 wherein the shape memory alloy is copper-aluminum-nickel.

4. The smart drain valve of claim 1 wherein the shape memory alloy is copper-zinc-aluminum-nickel.

5. The smart drain valve of claim 1 wherein the spring is a coil spring.

6. The smart drain valve of claim 1 wherein the spring is a flat spring.

7. The smart drain valve of claim 1 wherein the second end of the bolt is opposite the first end.

8. The smart drain valve of claim 1 wherein the smart drain valve is located in an enclosure on an aircraft.

9. The smart drain valve of claim 1 wherein the smart drain valve is associated with an enclosure, wherein the shape memory alloy changes configuration in response to a change in pressure, and wherein the smart drain valve opens in response to differential atmospheric pressures between an inside of the enclosure and an outside of the enclosure.

10. The smart drain valve of claim 1 wherein the shape memory alloy changes configuration in response to a change in temperature.

11. The smart drain valve of claim 1 wherein the shape memory alloy changes configuration in response to a trigger event, and wherein the trigger event is a presence of a current.

12. An aircraft having a drain valve, and wherein the drain valve comprises:

an inner plate;

a support plate, wherein the support plate is located below the inner plate; and

a biasing member located between the inner plate and the support plate, wherein the biasing member is made of a shape memory alloy that changes configuration in response to a trigger event to push the inner plate away from the support plate to form an opening, wherein fluid drains through the opening.

13. The aircraft of claim 12 wherein the trigger event is an occurrence of differential atmospheric pressures between an inside of an enclosure associated with the smart drain valve and an outside of the enclosure.

14. The aircraft of claim 12 further comprising:

an actuator switch, wherein the actuator switch triggers generation of an electric current to the smart drain valve, wherein a presence of the electric current is the trigger event.

15. The aircraft of claim 12 wherein the trigger event is a change in temperature.

16. A method for draining fluid from an enclosure, the method comprising:

responsive to an accumulation of fluid in an enclosure, sending an electric current to a smart drain valve associated with the enclosure, wherein the smart drain valve comprises a set of springs, wherein at least one spring in the set of springs is made of a shape memory material, wherein the shape memory material changes from a first configuration to a second configuration in a presence of the electric current to actuate the smart drain valve to an open position.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the fluid has drained out of the enclosure, stopping the electric current to the smart drain valve, wherein the at least one spring in the set of springs in the smart drain valve changes from the second configuration back to the first configuration in an absence of the electric current to actuate the smart drain valve to a closed position.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

selecting an actuator switch to send the electric current to the smart drain valve; and

reversing the actuator switch to stop the electric current to the smart drain valve.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

positing the at least one spring between an inner plate and a support plate of the smart drain valve.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the set of springs comprises a coil spring.

21. The method of claim 16 wherein the set of springs comprises a flat spring.

22. The method of claim 16 wherein the shape memory material is selected from a group consisting of nickel-titanium, copper-aluminum-nickel, and copper-zinc-aluminum-nickel.