Partitioned flow regulating valve

• US 5,234,025 A
• Filed: 07/28/1992
• Issued: 08/10/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Paul K. Skoglund, Thomas J. Hilton
• Original Assignee: Paul K. Skoglund, Thomas J. Hilton
• Inventors: Hilton, Thomas J., Skoglund, Paul K.
• Primary Examiner(s): RIVELL, JOHN A
• Application Number:
  US07/921,310
• Time in Patent Office: 378 Days
• Field of Search: 137/501, 137/500, 137/497
• US Class Current: 137/501
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0126 the sensing element being a piston or plunger associated with one or more springs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7784 Responsive to change in rate of fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7788 Pressures across fixed choke

Abstract

A substantially constant flow regulating valve includes a piston dividing a bore into two chambers. The piston is spring biased toward the top chamber of the bore. Fluid from the inlet enters the top chamber through a reference pressure passage and exerts a downward force on the piston. Fluid from the inlet also passes through an inlet flow throttle and into the bottom chamber of the bore where it exerts an upward force on the piston in concert with the spring force. The piston includes an end which variably interacts with an orifice in the lower chamber to maintain a constant pressure differential between the top and bottom chambers.

Claims

1. A pressure independent fluid flow regulating valve comprising:

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

a piston mounted in a bore intersecting said flow passage, said piston dividing said bore into first and second chambers, said inlet and said outlet connected with said second chamber, said first chamber divided into a first portion and a second portion, said second portion of said first chamber and said second chamber having substantially equal fluid pressure during operation;

outlet varying means on said piston for varying the cross-sectional area of said outlet based on the pressure differential between said first chamber and said second chamber;

a reference pressure passage connected to said inlet and to said first chamber of said bore;

an adjustable throttle means disposed in said flow passage for varying the cross-sectional area of said flow passage; and

spring means biasing said piston toward said reference pressure passage.

2. The valve of claim 1 further comprising:

a chamber partition in said bore dividing said first portion and said second portion.

3. The valve of claim 1 wherein said reference pressure control passage is narrowed for controlling responsiveness of said valve during fluctuation of pressure at said inlet.

4. The valve of claim 1 further comprising:

means for guiding reciprocation of said piston in said bore, said means for guiding reciprocation including an elongate member on said piston, and a seat in said bore, said seat adapted to receive said elongate member whereby reciprocation of said piston in said bore is guided by reciprocation of said elongate member in said seat.

5. The valve of claim 4 wherein said seat is located in a chamber partition in said bore, said chamber partition dividing said first chamber into a first portion and a second portion.

6. A pressure independent fluid flow regulating valve comprising:

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

a piston mounted in a bore intersecting said flow passage, said piston dividing said bore into first and second chambers, said inlet and said outlet connected with said second chamber, said first chamber divided by a chamber partition into a first portion and a second portion, said second portion of said first chamber and said second chamber having substantially equal fluid pressure during operation;

outlet varying means on said piston for varying the cross-sectional area of said outlet based on the pressure differential between said first chamber and said second chamber;

a reference pressure passage connected to said inlet and to said first chamber of said bore;

an adjustable throttle means disposed in said flow passage for varying the cross-sectional area of said flow passage;

spring means biasing said piston toward said reference pressure passage; and

means for guiding reciprocation of said piston in said bore, said means for guiding reciprocation including an elongate member on said piston, and a seat in said bore, said seat adapted to receive said elongate member whereby reciprocation of said piston in said bore is guided by reciprocation of said elongate member in said seat.

7. The valve of claim 6 wherein said reference pressure control passage is narrowed for controlling responsiveness of said valve during fluctuation of pressure at said inlet.

8. The valve of claim 6 wherein said seat is located in said chamber partition in said bore.

9. A pressure independent fluid flow regulating valve comprising:

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

a piston mounted in a bore intersecting said flow passage, said piston dividing said bore into first and second chambers, said inlet and said outlet connected with said second chamber;

outlet varying means on said piston for varying the cross-sectional area of said outlet based on the pressure differential between said first chamber and said second chamber;

a narrowed reference pressure passage connected to said inlet and to said first chamber of said bore for controlling responsiveness of said valve during fluctuation of pressure at said inlet;

an adjustable throttle means disposed in said flow passage for varying the cross-sectional are of said flow passage;

spring means biasing said piston toward said reference pressure passage; and

means for guiding reciprocation of said piston in said bore, said means for guiding reciprocating including an elongate member on said piston, and a seat in said bore, said seat adapted to receive said elongate member whereby reciprocation of said piston in said bore is guided by reciprocation of said elongate member in said seat.

12. The valve of claim 9 wherein said seat is located in a chamber partition in said bore, said chamber partition dividing said first chamber into a first portion and a second portion.

10. The valve of clam 9 wherein said first chamber is divided into a first portion and a second portion, said second portion of said first chamber and said second chamber having substantially equal fluid pressure during operation.

11. The valve of claim 10 further comprising:

a chamber partition in said bore dividing said first chamber into said first portion and said second portion.