Inflation valve
First Claim
1. A valve assembly capable of opening and closing to control the flow of a fluid pressure medium, comprising:
- an inlet port for receiving the fluid medium and an outlet port connected to the inlet port and discharging the fluid medium when the valve assembly is open;
a main valve seat located between said inlet port and said outlet port;
a main valve poppet normally urged against said main valve seat to close it, due, at least in part, to the pressure in a pressure volume derived from the fluid medium at the inlet port;
a cross over opening extending to the exterior of the valve assembly and coupled to said outlet port through a first restricted orifice;
a conduit leading from the pressure volume to the cross over opening;
a pilot valve located in said conduit, said pilot valve including a pilot valve seat and a pilot valve pin seal located down stream of said pilot valve seat, said pin seal being urged against said pilot valve seat to close said pilot valve;
means for moving said pilot valve pin seal away from said pilot valve seat to open said pilot valve so that the pressure in the pressure volume is reduced sufficiently to permit said main valve poppet to move away from said main valve seat due to the passage of fluid medium to said cross over opening and said outlet port, and the pressurization thereof, said means for moving said pilot valve pin seal including a plunger in which said pilot valve pin seal is retained and said plunger having a sensing surface in contact with the fluid pressure medium passed through said pilot seat; and
orifice means for controlling the flow of medium from the inlet to the cross over opening and outlet port when the pilot valve is opened so as to maintain a certain pressure at the sensing surface for a particular range of inlet pressure, the area of said sensing surface being such that the certain range of pressure at the sensing surface holds the plunger in a position that keeps the pilot valve pin seal away from the pilot valve seat until the inlet pressure drops below the particular range.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A pilot-operated valve suitable for pontoon inflation arrangements contains a main valve poppet urged against a valve seat connecting the inlet and outlet ports of the valve. A portion of the inlet pressure urges a piston carrying the valve poppet away from the valve seat, but this is resisted by a portion of the inlet pressure acting in a pressure volume on the opposite side of the piston. By way of an electrical signal, a manual operation or pneumatic pressure, a pilot valve is opened so as to relieve the pressure on the main valve poppet tending to close it. This allows the valve to open and fluid to pass through the valve assembly. Once the pilot valve has opened pressure from the inlet is applied within the pilot valve to hold it in the open position until the inlet pressure has been substantially reduced. Operation of the pilot valve also allows inlet pressure to be applied to a crossover connection of the valve. Thus a series of valves with their crossover connections connected together will all be operated, if one of them is operated so as to generate pressure in the crossover line.
-
Citations
12 Claims
-
1. A valve assembly capable of opening and closing to control the flow of a fluid pressure medium, comprising:
-
an inlet port for receiving the fluid medium and an outlet port connected to the inlet port and discharging the fluid medium when the valve assembly is open; a main valve seat located between said inlet port and said outlet port; a main valve poppet normally urged against said main valve seat to close it, due, at least in part, to the pressure in a pressure volume derived from the fluid medium at the inlet port; a cross over opening extending to the exterior of the valve assembly and coupled to said outlet port through a first restricted orifice; a conduit leading from the pressure volume to the cross over opening; a pilot valve located in said conduit, said pilot valve including a pilot valve seat and a pilot valve pin seal located down stream of said pilot valve seat, said pin seal being urged against said pilot valve seat to close said pilot valve; means for moving said pilot valve pin seal away from said pilot valve seat to open said pilot valve so that the pressure in the pressure volume is reduced sufficiently to permit said main valve poppet to move away from said main valve seat due to the passage of fluid medium to said cross over opening and said outlet port, and the pressurization thereof, said means for moving said pilot valve pin seal including a plunger in which said pilot valve pin seal is retained and said plunger having a sensing surface in contact with the fluid pressure medium passed through said pilot seat; and orifice means for controlling the flow of medium from the inlet to the cross over opening and outlet port when the pilot valve is opened so as to maintain a certain pressure at the sensing surface for a particular range of inlet pressure, the area of said sensing surface being such that the certain range of pressure at the sensing surface holds the plunger in a position that keeps the pilot valve pin seal away from the pilot valve seat until the inlet pressure drops below the particular range. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
Specification