Constant flow rate controller valve

• US 4,893,649 A
• Filed: 09/30/1988
• Issued: 01/16/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Paul K. Skoglund
• Original Assignee: Paul K. Skoglund
• Inventors: Skoglund, Paul K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nilson, Robert G.
• Application Number:
  US07/251,920
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• Field of Search: 137/501, 137/504, 251/80
• US Class Current: 137/504
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0126 the sensing element being a piston or plunger associated with one or more springs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7792 Movable deflector or choke

Abstract

A constant flow rate controller valve includes a piston spring biased towards the top of the valve. Fluid or gas flowing into the valve increases the pressure in the chamber above the piston, forcing the piston toward a valve seat. A pin type valve stem is thus seated in the valve seat, blocking gas or fluid flow to the outlet port. The pressure in the chamber below the piston builds until the pressure in this chamber plus the piston spring force is greater than the pressure in the chamber above the piston. The piston then lifts the valve stem from the valve seat, and the pathway to the outlet orifice is opened. Fluid or gas flows through the piston via the caibrated orifice. An equilibrium flow rate is reached by variation in the piston position based on the interaction of the above gas or fluid pressures and spring force.

Claims

1. A valve mechanism for regulating gas or fluid flow comprising:

a housing having an inlet and outlet forming a flow passage through said housing;

a piston mounted in a bore formed in said flow passage, said piston intersecting said flow passage, said piston dividing a portion of said flow passage into first and second chambers located at opposite sides of said piston and respectively communicating with said inlet and outlet;

an orifice through said piston, said orifice connecting said first and second chambers, said orifice calibrated for a predetermined flow rate and being the sole gas or fluid flow passage from said inlet to said outlet;

a valve stem connected with said piston for movement therewith by a first spring means, said valve stem having a small surface area in relation to the surface area of said piston;

a valve seat between said piston and said outlet, said valve seat aligned to seat and unseat said valve stem based on the relative position of said piston within said housing;

a second spring means biasing said piston toward said inlet, said spring means providing a bias force that establishes a substantially constant pressure differential between said first chamber and said second chamber to enable a substantially constant outlet flow at varied pressures without substantial movement of said piston after flow is initiated; and

,

a screw adjustment means in contact with said valve seat, said valve seat being variable in position within said housing based upon adjustment of said screw adjustment means.

2. A valve mechanism for regulating gas or fluid flow comprising:

a housing having an inlet and an outlet forming a flow passage through said housing;

a piston mounted in a bore formed in said flow passage, said piston intersecting said flow passage, said piston dividing a portion of said flow passage into first and second chambers, said chambers located at opposite sides of said piston and respectively communicating with said inlet and outlet;

orifice means providing a calibrated rate of gas or fluid flow between said first and second chambers;

a valve stem connected to said piston by a first spring means, said valve stem having a surface area which is small in relation to the surface area of said piston;

a valve seat between said piston and said outlet, said valve seat aligned to seat and unseat said valve stem based on the position of said piston relative to said housing;

a second spring means biasing said piston toward said inlet, said second spring means providing a bias force that establishes a substantially constant pressure differential between said first chamber and said second chamber such that a substantially constant flow is produced at said outlet without substantial movement of said piston and without substantial additional movement of said valve stem relative to said valve seat after flow is initiated, whereby the flow rate remains substantially constant at varied pressures; and

means for varying the flow rate by adjusting said bias force exerted by said second spring means by varying the position of said valve seat in order to adjust the flow rate.

3. The valve mechanism of claim 2 wherein said orifice is the sole gas or fluid flow passage from said inlet to said outlet.

4. The valve mechanism of claim 3 further comprising sealing means between said piston and said housing to prevent flow peripheral to said piston.

5. The valve mechanism of claim 2 wherein said second spring means is a washer type spring.

6. The valve mechanism of claim 2 wherein said means for adjusting said force exerted by said second spring means is a screw in contact with said valve seat.

7. A valve mechanism for regulating gas or fluid flow comprising:

a housing having an inlet and outlet forming a flow passage through said housing;

a piston mounted in a bore formed in said flow passage, said piston intersecting said flow passage, said piston dividing a portion of said flow passage into first and second chambers, said chambers located at opposite sides of said piston and respectively communicating with said inlet and outlet;

an orifice through said piston, said orifice connecting said first and second chambers, said orifice calibrated for a predetermined flow rate and being the sole gas or fluid flow passage from said inlet to said outlet;

a valve stem connected with said piston by a first spring means, said valve stem having a small surface area in relation to the surface area of said piston;

a valve seat between said piston and said outlet, said valve seat aligned to seat and unseat said valve stem based on the relative position of said piston within said housing;

a second spring means biasing said piston toward said inlet; and

,

a screw adjustment means in contact with said valve seat, said valve seat being variable in position within said housing based upon adjustment of said screw adjustment means.

8. A valve mechanism for regulating gas or fluid flow comprising:

a housing having an inlet and an outlet forming a flow passage through said housing;

a piston mounted in a bore formed in said flow passage, said piston intersecting said flow passage, said piston dividing a portion of said flow passage into first and second chambers located at opposite sides of said piston and respectively communicating with said inlet and outlet;

orifice means providing a calibrated rate of gas or fluid flow between said first and second chambers;

a pressure regulating valve disposed within said flow passage between said piston and said outlet, controllable by said piston, and including a valve plug and valve seat;

a first spring means connecting said piston to said valve plug; and

a second spring means biasing said piston only toward said inlet, said second spring means cooperating with said piston and pressure regulating valve to establish a substantially constant pressure differential between said first chamber and said second chamber such that a substantially constant flow is produced at said outlet without substantial movement of said piston after flow is initiated.

means for varying the flow rate by adjusting the bias force exerted by said second spring means by varying the position of said valve seat in order to adjust the flow rate.