Metering valve
First Claim
1. An automatically closing metering valve for metering the flow of a fluid, comprising:
- a valve body having an inlet passage and an outlet passage defined therein, and a movable stem member disposed between said inlet passage and said outlet passage so as to seal said inlet passage from said outlet passage in a closed mode of said valve and to define a fluid path from said inlet passage to said outlet passage in an open mode of said valve, said stem member being biased to said closed mode;
a sleeve member configured with said valve body and having an inner diameter surface at least partially defining a pressure chamber within a fluid-tight metering chamber sealing a fluid medium, in said metering chamber, from said fluid path, said stem member being movable through said pressure chamber;
a piston assembly disposed within said pressure chamber and configured with said stem member to move therewith, said piston assembly being movable to said open mode upon actuation of said stem member and automatically movable from said open mode to said closed mode upon release of said stem member, said piston assembly including a sealing device configured to sealingly engage with said inner sleeve member inner diameter surface during movement of said piston assembly to said closed mode;
a metering passage defined through said stem member between a location above said sealing device to a location below said sealing device, the rate of return of said piston assembly from said open mode to said closed mode being dependent upon the time required for fluid in said pressure chamber above said sealing device to be metered through said metering passage to below said sealing device; and
at least one vent passage defined from a location above said sealing device to a position below said sealing device when said sealing device is within a predefined location in its movement from said open mode to said closed mode so that said vent passage vents fluid entrapped above said sealing device thereby causing said piston assembly to close at a quicker rate.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A metering valve includes a valve body with an inlet passage and an outlet passage defined therein, and a movable stem member disposed between the inlet passage and outlet passage. An inner sleeve member is configured within the valve body and has an inner diameter surface at least partially defining a pressure chamber within a fluid-tight meter chamber, the stem member being movable through the chamber. A piston assembly is disposed within the pressure chamber and is configured with the stem member to move therewith. The piston assembly is movable to an open mode upon actuation of the stem member and automatically moves from the open mode to the closed mode upon release of the stem member. The piston assembly includes a sealing device which engages with the inner sleeve member inner diameter surface during movement of the piston assembly to the closed mode. A metering passage is defined through the stem member between a location above the sealing device to a location below the sealing device such that the rate of return of the piston assembly from the open mode to the close mode is dependent upon the size of the metering passage. At least one additional vent passage is defined from a location above the sealing device to a location below the sealing device in the closed mode. The vent passage includes at least one hole defined above the sealing device completely through the inner sleeve member, and at least a second hole defined below the sealing device completely through the inner sleeve member. The vent passage is only established upon the sealing device passing across the second hole in its movement from the open mode to the close mode.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An automatically closing metering valve for metering the flow of a fluid, comprising:
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a valve body having an inlet passage and an outlet passage defined therein, and a movable stem member disposed between said inlet passage and said outlet passage so as to seal said inlet passage from said outlet passage in a closed mode of said valve and to define a fluid path from said inlet passage to said outlet passage in an open mode of said valve, said stem member being biased to said closed mode; a sleeve member configured with said valve body and having an inner diameter surface at least partially defining a pressure chamber within a fluid-tight metering chamber sealing a fluid medium, in said metering chamber, from said fluid path, said stem member being movable through said pressure chamber; a piston assembly disposed within said pressure chamber and configured with said stem member to move therewith, said piston assembly being movable to said open mode upon actuation of said stem member and automatically movable from said open mode to said closed mode upon release of said stem member, said piston assembly including a sealing device configured to sealingly engage with said inner sleeve member inner diameter surface during movement of said piston assembly to said closed mode; a metering passage defined through said stem member between a location above said sealing device to a location below said sealing device, the rate of return of said piston assembly from said open mode to said closed mode being dependent upon the time required for fluid in said pressure chamber above said sealing device to be metered through said metering passage to below said sealing device; and at least one vent passage defined from a location above said sealing device to a position below said sealing device when said sealing device is within a predefined location in its movement from said open mode to said closed mode so that said vent passage vents fluid entrapped above said sealing device thereby causing said piston assembly to close at a quicker rate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 21)
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14. An automatically closing metering valve for metering the flow of a fluid, comprising:
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a sleeve member at least partially defining a pressure chamber within a fluid-tight metering chamber sealing a fluid medium, in said metering chamber, from the fluid flow metered by the metering valve, and a movable piston assembly disposed within said pressure chamber, said piston assembly including a sealing piston movable within said pressure chamber between an open mode and a closed mode; an actuating device associated with said piston assembly for moving said piston assembly to said open mode, said piston assembly automatically returning to said closed mode upon release of said actuation device; a variable metering passage defined in said piston assembly defining a path for fluid entrapped above said sealing piston to pass to below said sealing piston upon movement of said piston assembly from said open mode to said closed mode; and at least one vent passage defined from a location above said sealing device to a position below said sealing device when said sealing device is within a predefined location in its movement from said open mode to said closed mode so that said vent passage vents fluid entrapped above said sealing device thereby causing said piston assembly to close at a quicker rate. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification