Fluid control valve unit

• US 5,127,876 A
• Filed: 06/26/1991
• Issued: 07/07/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bruce Aerospace, Inc. (Transdigm Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Bruce Industries, Inc. (Transdigm Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Walker, Richard R., Howe, Samuel H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Joyce, Harold
• Application Number:
  US07/721,824
• Time in Patent Office: 377 Days
• Field of Search: 454/76, 454/154, 454/286, 454/323, 454/334, 251/253, 251/263
• US Class Current: 454/76
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3442 the frame being spherical
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3478 acting on additional damper doors
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2013/003 Cabin ventilation nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/065 formed as cylindrical or spherical bodies which are rotatable

Abstract

An air control valve unit which includes an axially moveable and non-rotating closure member which is responsive to the rotative and non-axial movement of an actuator. The rotative movement of the actuator moves the closure member between a closed position which creates an airtight seal between the closure member and a plurality of open positions each allowing progressive amounts of air to flow from an air source through the valve unit member in fluid communication with the closure member. The closure member and actuator are supported in a cavity of the housing member.

Claims

1. An air control valve unit for variably controlling the discharge of air from an air source, comprising:

a housing having a wall defining a cavity extending axially therethrough;

an axially moveable and nonrotating tubular closure member received for progressive axial and nonrotating movement in said cavity;

said tubular closure member including sealing means at one end thereof for engagement with said housing to prevent flow of air therethrough and actuation means at the other end thereof for effecting axial movement thereof and further including aperture means between the sealing means and the actuation means for passage of air;

actuator means in fluid communication with said tubular closure member and including an end extending out of said housing;

said actuator means being axially fixed in said cavity and being rotatable with respect thereto;

said actuator means including a cam surface normally engaging said actuation means and operative upon rotation of said actuator means to effect progressive axial movement of said tubular closure member to permit flow of an amount of air related to the location of said aperture means relative to said housing.

2. An air control valve as set forth in claim 1 wherein said housing is a two part housing.

3. An air control valve as set forth in claim 1 further including:

means normally biasing said tubular closure member to a closed position to prevent air flow through said closure member and said actuator means.

4. An air control valve as set forth in claim 3 wherein said means normally biasing said tubular closure member to a closed position also prevents rotation thereof with respect to said housing.

5. An air control valve as set forth in claim 1 wherein said actuation means include a cam surface normally engaging said cam surface of said actuator means.

6. An air control valve as set forth in claim 1 wherein said actuator means is a two part actuator means.

7. An air control valve as set forth in claim 1 further including:

axial movement preventing means for preventing the axial movement of said actuator means with respect to said cavity.

8. An air control valve as set forth in claim 1 further including:

rotation preventing means for preventing rotation of the axially moveable closure member with respect to said housing.

9. An air control valve as set forth in claim 8 wherein said rotation preventing means include:

at least one extension element fixed to said closure member and extending outwardly therefrom; and

,

receiving means on the wall of said housing for receiving said extension element therein;

said receiving means adapted for allowing said extension element to slide freely along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of said cavity;

said receiving means adapted for preventing said extension element to rotate with respect to said housing.

10. An air control valve as set forth in claim 8 wherein said rotation preventing means include:

at least one extension element fixed to said housing and extending inwardly therefrom; and

,

receiving means on said closure member for receiving said extension element therein;

said receiving means adapted for allowing said extension element to slide freely along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of said cavity;

said receiving means adapted for preventing said extension element to rotate with respect to said housing.

11. An air control valve as set forth in claim 1 wherein said housing is generally spherically shaped and adapted to be universally pivotable.

12. An air control valve as set forth in claim 11 wherein the wall defining said cavity is cylindrical and is axially aligned with said generally spherical housing.

13. An air control valve as set forth in claim 1 wherein the wall defining said cavity is cylindrical.

14. An air control valve as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sealing means include:

a cap portion of said closure member having an outwardly extending radial flange; and

,

the top surface of said housing having a shape that conforms to the shape of the lower surface of said flange, said top surface adapted for tightly mating with the lower surface of said flange.

15. The air control valve unit of claim 3 wherein said closure member biasing means include:

first support means fixed to said housing and,

second support means fixed to said closure member and,

a flexible and resilient element having one end fixed with respect to said first support means and the other end fixed with respect to said second support means;

said resilient element being in its relatively most relaxed condition when said closure member is in said closed position.

16. The air control valve unit of claim 1 further comprising temporary locking means for temporarily locking said actuator means into any of a plurality of positions.

17. The air control valve unit of claim 13 wherein said temporary locking means comprise:

an annular ring fixed to said housing in said cavity;

said annular ring having a lower edge containing a plurality of grooves; and

,

a projection fixed to said actuator means;

said projection adapted to temporarily mate with each of said grooves upon alignment thereof with said projection.

18. The air control valve unit of claim 1 further comprising means for preventing said closure member from moving completely out of said cavity.

19. An air control valve unit for variably controlling the discharge of air from an air source, comprising:

a two part housing having a wall defining a cavity extending axially therethrough;

said housing being generally spherically shaped and adapted to be universally pivotable;

the wall defining said cavity being cylindrical and axially aligned with said generally spherical housing;

an axially moveable and nonrotating tubular closure member received for progressive axial and nonrotating movement in said cavity;

said tubular closure member including sealing means at one end thereof for engagement with said housing to prevent flow of air therethrough and a cam surface at the other end thereof for effecting axial movement thereof and further including aperture means between the sealing means and the actuation means for passage of air;

actuator means in fluid communication with said tubular closure member and including an end extending out of said housing;

said actuator means being axially fixed in said cavity and being rotatable with respect thereto;

said actuator means including a cam surface normally engaging said cam surface of said tubular closure member and operative upon rotation of said actuator means to effect progressive axial movement of said tubular closure member to permit flow of an amount of air related to the location of said aperture means relative to said housing;

axial movement preventing means for preventing the axial movement of said actuator means with respect to said cavity;

an annular chamber in said housing;

at least one extension element fixed to said closure member and extending outwardly therefrom into said chamber;

receiving means on the wall of said housing for receiving said extension element therethrough;

said receiving means adapted for allowing said extension element to slide freely along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of said cavity;

said receiving means contacting said extension element preventing the axially moveable closure member from being rotated about the axis of said cavity;

a flexible and resilient element having one end fixed with respect to said extension element and the other end fixed with respect to said chamber;

said resilient element being in its relatively most relaxed condition when said closure member is in said closed position, whereby the resiliency of said flexible and resilient element normally biases said tubular closure member to a closed position to prevent air flow through said closure member and said actuator means.

20. An air control valve unit for variably controlling the discharge of air from an air source, comprising:

a housing having a wall defining a cavity extending axially therethrough;

said housing being generally spherically shaped and adapted to be universally pivotable;

the wall defining said cavity being cylindrical and axially aligned with said generally spherical housing;

an axially moveable and nonrotating tubular closure member received for progressive axial and nonrotating movement in said cavity;

said tubular closure member including sealing means at one end thereof for engagement with said housing to prevent flow of air therethrough and a cam surface at the other end thereof for effecting axial movement thereof and further including aperture means between the sealing means and the actuation means for passage of air;

a two part actuator means in fluid communication with said tubular closure member and including an end extending out of said housing;

said actuator means being axially fixed in said cavity and being rotatable with respect thereto;

said actuator means including a cam surface normally engaging said cam surface of said tubular closure member and operative upon rotation of said actuator means to effect progressive axial movement of said tubular closure member to permit flow of an amount of air related to the location of said aperture means relative to said housing;

axial movement preventing means for preventing the axial movement of said actuator means with respect to said cavity;

at least one extension element fixed to said housing and extending inwardly therefrom; and

,

receiving means on said closure member for receiving said extension element therethrough;

said receiving means adapted to allow said closure member to slide freely along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of said cavity;

said receiving means adapted for preventing said closure member to rotate with respect to said housing;

a flexible and resilient element having one end fixed with respect to said extension element and the other end fixed with respect to said closure member;

said resilient element being in its relatively most relaxed condition when said closure member is in said closed position, whereby the resiliency of said flexible and resilient element normally biases said tubular closure member to a closed position to prevent air flow through said closure member and said actuator means.