ELASTIC VALVE ELEMENT HAVING VARIABLE ORIFICE

• US 3,685,786 A
• Filed: 08/31/1970
• Issued: 08/22/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Riley D. Woodson
• Original Assignee: Riley D. Woodson
• Inventors: Woodson, Riley D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelson, M. Cary
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gerard, Richard
• Application Number:
  US05/068,106
• Time in Patent Office: 722 Days
• Field of Search: 251/4,8,340 138/45
• US Class Current: 251/4
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16877 Adjusting flow; Devices for setting a flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 47/06 with a throttle in the form of a helical channel
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 7/06 by means of a screw-spindle, cam, or other mechanical means F16K7/045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 7/20 with a compressible solid closure member

Abstract

An adjustable orifice valve for applications requiring highly accurate control over the rate of fluid flow employs a resilient, yieldable body having a passage of circular cross-section therethrough, and means for compressing the body in a direction generally parallel to the passage to deform the body inwardly and selectively determine the size of a circular orifice formed in the passage.

Claims

1. A variable orifice valve assembly comprising:

a resilient, elongated, generally cylindrical body having a fluid-carrying passage therethrough, said passage including a stretch in which a flow controlling constriction is presented, said body including a portion intermediate the ends of the body in circumscribing relationship to said stretch of the passage, said body portion being of greater diameter than longitudinally adjacent parts of the body and having a pair of opposed surfaces spaced longitudinally of the body, said surfaces of said body portion being undercut and inclined toward each other as their inner extremities are approached;

a sleeve mounted on said body and having an inturned flange provided with a face inclined complementally to one of said surfaces and engageable therewith;

a follower element having a face inclined complementally to the other of said surfaces and engageable therewith; and

a collar shiftably, threadably carried by the sleeve and having an inturned flange engageable with the extremity of said follower remote from said face of the latter, said collar engaging said follower to shift the latter for variably compressing said portion of the body in a direction generally parallel to said stretch to deform the body and vary said constriction as the collar is shifted relative to the sleeve.

2. A variable orifice valve assembly comprising:

a resilient, elongated, generally cylindrical body having a fluid-carrying passage therethrough, said passage including a stretch in which a flow controlling constriction is presented, said passage flaring outwardly from said stretch thereof as the ends of the body are approached, said body including a portion intermediate the ends of the body in circumscribing relationship to said stretch of the passage, said body portion being of greater diameter than longitudinally adjacent parts of the body and having a pair of opposed surfaces spaced longitudinally of the body;

a generally frustoconical, tubular, rigid support member extending into the passage and toward said stretch thereof at each end respectively of the body;

a sleeve mounted on said body and having an inturned flange provided with a face engageable with one of said surfaces;

a follower element having a face engageable with the other of said surfaces; and

a collar shiftably, threadably carried by the sleeve and having an inturned flange engageable with the extremity of said follower remote from said face of the latter, said collar engaging said follower to shift the latter for variably compressing said portion of the body in a direction generally parallel to said stretch to deform the body and vary said constriction as the collar is shifted relative to the sleeve.

3. The invention of claim 2, wherein said passage is circular in cross-section;

said passage is of gradually decreasing diameter within said stretch as said constriction is approached, the orifice presented by said passage at the zone of said constriction being substantially circular in cross-section throughout the operating range of variable compressions of said body portion produced by shifting of said collar relative to said sleeve.