Control valve

• US 4,893,648 A
• Filed: 09/30/1988
• Issued: 01/16/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: OTTO BOCK Orthopadische Industrie Besitz-Und Verwaltungs-Kg Bahnhofstrasse 20 D-3428 Duderstadt
• Original Assignee: OTTO BOCK Orthopadische Industrie Besitz und Verwaltungs KG
• Inventors: Horvath, Eduard
• Primary Examiner(s): Nilson, Robert G.
• Application Number:
  US07/252,859
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• Field of Search: 137/504, 138/46
• US Class Current: 137/504
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 17/34 in which the flow-energy of the flowing medium actuates the closing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7792 Movable deflector or choke

Abstract

A control valve for controlling the flow of a liquid, especially liquid of hydraulic damping unit with a hydraulic piston-and-cylinder arrangement, has a pressure chamber defined by lamellae extending along generatrices of a cylindrical housing wall and an end wall juxtaposed with this cylindrical wall. Since the lamellae are flexible, when there is a pressure increase in the chamber, the lamellae are deflected outwardly to reduce the free cross section of the throttle gap.

Claims

1. A control valve for the control of a liquid flow, especially to a hydraulic piston-and-cylinder damper, said control 3 valve comprising:

an elongated housing having an axis, formed with a generally cylindrical wall over at least a portion of the periphery thereof and provided with an outlet at one end of said housing;

means in said housing formed with a pair of substantially parallel flexible lamellar-like walls extending parallel to generatrices of said cylindrical wall and reaching toward said cylindrical wall, a first end wall proximal to said end of said housing, and another end wall remote from said end of said housing, said lamellar-like walls and said end walls defining a trough-shaped pressure chamber in said member opening toward said cylindrical wall with said lamellar-like walls and said first end wall defining a throttle gap between said pressure chamber and said outlet decreasing in flow cross section as fluid pressure in said chamber increases as a result of outward deflection of said lamellar-like walls; and

means for feeding said liquid flow to said chamber.

2. The control valve defined in claim 1 wherein said housing has the configuration of a right circular cylinder.

3. The control valve defined in claim 2, further comprising an elongated valve body extending into said housing and constituting the means formed with said flexible lamellar-like walls said first end wall and said other end wall defining said trough-shaped pressure chamber.

4. The control valve defined in claim 3 wherein said body is formed inwardly of said chamber with an undercut enabling a portion of said body provided with said chamber and said first end wall to flex relative to the remainder of said body, thereby enabling variation in a width of said gap at said first end wall.

5. The control valve defined in claim 4 wherein said undercut extends generally parallel to a bottom of said chamber.

6. The control valve defined in claim 4 wherein said undercut reaches to a free end of said portion at said first end wall, said control valve comprising means in said housing for supporting said free end of said portion.

7. The control valve defined in claim 6 wherein said means for supporting said free end of said portion includes means adjustable in a direction transverse to said axis for selectively varying said width.

8. The control valve defined in claim 6 wherein said means adjustable in a direction transverse to said axis for selectively varying said width includes a roller extending transverse to said axis and braced against said free end of said portion, a rod extending in said body parallel to said axis and provided with a camming formation adjustably engaging said roller, and means operable from a location external to said housing for displacing said rod.

9. The control valve defined in claim 2, further comprising at least one elongated valve body extending into said housing and constituting the means formed with said flexible lamellar-like walls said first end wall and said other end wall defining said trough-shaped pressure chamber, said trough-shaped chamber being one of a plurality of such chambers formed in said housing and having respecting inlets for respective liquid flows and defining with the respective lamellar-like walls and first end walls respective throttle gaps communicating with said outlet.

10. The control valve defined in claim 9 wherein said body is formed inwardly of said chamber with an undercut extending generally along each of said chambers enabling a respective portion of said body provided with each chamber and the respective said first end wall to flex relative to the remainder of said body, thereby enabling variation in a width of said gaps at said first end walls.

11. The control valve defined in claim 10 wherein said undercuts each extend generally parallel to a bottom of the respective said chamber.

12. The control valve defined in claim 10 wherein said undercuts each reach to a free end of the respective said portion at the respective said first end wall, said control valve comprising means in said housing for supporting said free ends of said portions.

13. The control valve defined in claim 12 wherein said means for supporting said free ends of said portions includes respective means for each of said portions adjustable in a direction transverse to said axis for selectively varying the respective said width.

14. The control valve defined in claim 13 wherein each of said means adjustable in a direction transverse to said axis for selectively varying the respective said width includes a roller extending transverse to said axis and braced against the respective said free end of the respective portion, a respective rod extending in said body parallel to said axis and provided with a camming formation adjustably engaging the respective roller, and means operable from a location external to said housing for displacing said rods.