Multistage regulating valve

• US 5,704,386 A
• Filed: 08/12/1996
• Issued: 01/06/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Lehmann, Uwe, Stich, Bodo, Wilhelm, Maik
• Primary Examiner(s): Ferensic, Denise L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KIM, JOANNE Y
• Application Number:
  US08/693,106
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: 137/512.1, 137/508, 137/538, 137/628, 137/512.2, 137/512.3, 137/599.2, 137/115.13, 137/115.14
• US Class Current: 137/115.13
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 17/046 the valve being of the gate valve type or the sliding valve type
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 17/0473 Multiple-way safety valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 17/065 with differential piston
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2605 Pressure responsive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7834 Valve seat or external sleeve moves to open valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86928 Sequentially progressive opening or closing of plural valves

Abstract

A multi-stage regulating valve is provided with a cylinder and an adjusting piston guided inside it to which a regulating pressure can be applied from one side and a return force from the other. Depending on the regulating pressure, the piston keeps at least one outlet aperture in the cylinder wall closed or partly or fully opens it and thus closes off a connection to the side of the piston to which the regulating pressure is applied or partly or fully opens it via the outlet aperture. To provide a multistage regulating valve which can alter the regulating characteristics over a wide range depending on the position of the piston even without the use of several return components, the piston consists of at least two partial pistons to which the regulating pressure can be applied, where the force of the return component can be applied to a first partial piston, whereby a follower interconnects the partial pistons in such a way that a return force is exerted on the second partial piston or other partial pistons via the first partial piston and the follower. The cylinder has at least one stop for the second or other partial pistons limiting the movement of the second or other partial pistons under the effect of the regulating pressure and against the action of the return component. The first partial piston is unaffected by the stop and remains movable against the return component if the regulating pressure increases further.

Claims

1. A multistage regulating valve, comprising:

a cylinder housing;

a regulating piston guided in said cylinder housing having at least one outlet opening in a cylinder wall, said regulating piston being impacted on one side by a regulating pressure and on another side by a restoring force such that, depending on the regulating pressure, said piston exposes the at least one outlet opening either partially, completely, or not at all, said outlet opening interrupting a connection to the one side of the piston impacted by either the regulating pressure or partially or completely creating said connection;

wherein said piston comprises at least two partial pistons each of which is capable of being subjected to the regulating pressure;

wherein a first of said two partial pistons is impacted by the restoring force;

wherein said piston further includes a dog connecting the at least two partial pistons with one another such that a second of said two partial pistons experiences a restoring force through the first partial piston and the dog;

wherein said cylinder housing comprises at least one stop for the second partial piston, said one stop limiting the movement of the second partial piston under the influence of the regulating pressure and against the restoring force, while the first partial piston is not influenced by the one stop and remains movable against the restoring force upon a further increase in the regulating pressure;

wherein said at least two partial pistons are arranged concentrically with respect to one another so as to provide at least one inner partial piston and one outer partial piston displaceable in a telescoping manner into one another;

wherein said outer partial piston is impacted via a compression spring providing the restoring force, while a pin extending from a bottom of said cylinder is provided as a stop for said inner partial piston configured such that an increased pressure is required to compress the compression spring via only said outer partial piston.

8. The multistage regulating valve according claim 1, further comprising circumferential annular grooves provided at an axial height of the at least one outlet opening in one of an inside wall of a blind hole in said cylinder housing and an outside wall of an outer partial piston.

2. A multistage regulating valve, comprising:

a cylinder housing;

a regulating piston guided in said cylinder housing having at least one outlet opening in a cylinder wall, said regulating piston being impacted on one side by a regulating pressure and on another side by a restoring force such that, depending on the regulating pressure, said piston exposes the at least one outlet opening either partially, completely, or not at all, said outlet opening interrupting a connection to the one side of the piston impacted by either the regulating pressure or partially or completely creating said connection;

wherein said piston comprises at least two partial pistons each of which is capable of being subjected to the regulating pressure;

wherein a first of said two partial pistons is impacted by the restoring force;

wherein said piston further includes a dog connecting the at least two partial pistons with one another such that a second of said two partial pistons experiences a restoring force through the first partial piston and the dog;

wherein said cylinder housing comprises at least one stop for the second partial piston, said one stop limiting the movement of the second partial piston under the influence of the regulating pressure and against the restoring force, while the first partial piston is not influenced by the one stop and remains movable against the restoring force upon a further increase in the regulating pressure;

wherein said at least two partial pistons are arranged concentrically with respect to one another so as to provide at least one inner partial piston and one outer partial piston displaceable in a telescoping manner into one another;

wherein the restoring force is provided via a compression spring acting on the inner partial piston;

wherein said cylinder housing has a blind hole having a lower stop in the form of a step-wise tapering diameter of said blind hole;

wherein the outer partial piston in an area exposed by said inner partial piston has a radial hole in its piston wall;

wherein said cylinder housing has at least two axially spaced outlet openings in its cylinder wall, one of said two axially spaced outlet openings being flush with the radial hole of the outer partial piston in a stop position of said outer partial piston while the other of said two axially spaced outlet openings is exposed by an edge of said outer partial piston in the stop position.

5. The multistage regulating valve according to claim 2, wherein at least three partial pistons are provided so as to slide into one another in a telescoping manner.

9. The multistage regulating valve according claim 2, further comprising circumferential annular grooves provided at an axial height of the at least one outlet opening in one of an inside wall of a blind hole in said cylinder housing and an outside wall of an outer partial piston.

3. A multistage regulating valve, comprising:

a cylinder housing;

a regulating piston guided in said cylinder housing having at least one outlet opening in a cylinder wall, said regulating piston being impacted on one side by a regulating pressure and on another side by a restoring force such that, depending on the regulating pressure, said piston exposes the at least one outlet opening either partially, completely, or not at all, said outlet opening interrupting a connection to the one side of the piston impacted by either the regulating pressure or partially or completely creating said connection;

wherein said piston comprises at least two partial pistons each of which is capable of being subjected to the regulating pressure;

wherein a first of said two partial pistons is impacted by the restoring force;

wherein said piston further includes a dog connecting the at least two partial pistons with one another such that a second of said two partial pistons experiences a restoring force through the first partial piston and the dog;

wherein said cylinder housing comprises at least one stop for the second partial piston, said one stop limiting the movement of the second partial piston under the influence of the regulating pressure and against the restoring force, while the first partial piston is not influenced by the one stop and remains movable against the restoring force upon a further increase in the regulating pressure;

wherein said at least two partial pistons are arranged concentrically with respect to one another so as to provide at least one inner partial piston and one outer partial piston displaceable in a telescoping manner into one another;

wherein at least three partial pistons are provided so as to slide into one another in a telescoping manner.

10. The multistage regulating valve according claim 3, further comprising circumferential annular grooves provided at an axial height of the at least one outlet opening in one of an inside wall of a blind hole in said cylinder housing and an outside wall of an outer partial piston.

4. A multistage regulating valve, comprising:

a cylinder housing;

a regulating piston guided in said cylinder housing having at least one outlet opening in a cylinder wall, said regulating piston being impacted on one side by a regulating pressure and on another side by a restoring force such that, depending on the regulating pressure, said piston exposes the at least one outlet opening either partially, completely, or not at all, said outlet opening interrupting a connection to the one side of the piston impacted by either the regulating pressure or partially or completely creating said connection;

wherein said piston comprises at least two partial pistons each of which is capable of being subjected to the regulating pressure;

wherein a first of said two partial pistons is impacted by the restoring force;

wherein said piston further includes a dog connecting the at least two partial pistons with one another such that a second of said two partial pistons experiences a restoring force through the first partial piston and the dog;

wherein said cylinder housing comprises at least one stop for the second partial piston, said one stop limiting the movement of the second partial piston under the influence of the regulating pressure and against the restoring force, while the first partial piston is not influenced by the one stop and remains movable against the restoring force upon a further increase in the regulating pressure;

wherein said at least two partial pistons are arranged concentrically with respect to one another so as to provide at least one inner partial piston and one outer partial piston displaceable in a telescoping manner into one another;

wherein said outer partial piston is impacted via a compression spring providing the restoring force, while a pin extending from a bottom of said cylinder is provided as a stop for said inner partial piston;

wherein at least three partial pistons are provided so as to slide into one another in a telescoping manner.

6. A multistage regulating valve, comprising:

a cylinder housing;

a regulating piston guided in said cylinder housing having at least one outlet opening in a cylinder wall, said regulating piston being impacted on one side by a regulating pressure and on another side by a restoring force such that, depending on the regulating pressure, said piston exposes the at least one outlet opening either partially, completely, or not at all, said outlet opening interrupting a connection to the one side of the piston impacted by either the regulating pressure or partially or completely creating said connection;

wherein said piston comprises at least two partial pistons each of which is capable of being subjected to the regulating pressure;

wherein a first of said two partial pistons is impacted by the restoring force;

wherein said piston further includes a dog connecting the at least two partial pistons with one another such that a second of said two partial pistons experiences a restoring force through the first partial piston and the dog;

wherein said cylinder housing comprises at least one stop for the second partial piston, said one stop limiting the movement of the second partial piston under the influence of the regulating pressure and against the restoring force, while the first partial piston is not influenced by the one stop and remains movable against the restoring force upon a further increase in the regulating pressure;

further comprising circumferential annular grooves provided at an axial height of the at least one outlet opening in one of an inside wall of a blind hole in said cylinder housing and an outside wall of an outer partial piston.

7. A multistage regulating valve, comprising:

a cylinder housing;

a regulating piston guided in said cylinder housing having at least one outlet opening in a cylinder wall, said regulating piston being impacted on one side by a regulating pressure and on another side by a restoring force such that, depending on the regulating pressure, said piston exposes the at least one outlet opening either partially, completely, or not at all, said outlet opening interrupting a connection to the one side of the piston impacted by either the regulating pressure or partially or completely creating said connection;

wherein said piston comprises at least two partial pistons each of which is capable of being subjected to the regulating pressure;

wherein a first of said two partial pistons is impacted by the restoring force;

wherein said piston further includes a dog connecting the at least two partial pistons with one another such that a second of said two partial pistons experiences a restoring force through the first partial piston and the dog;

wherein said cylinder housing comprises at least one stop for the second partial piston, said one stop limiting the movement of the second partial piston under the influence of the regulating pressure and against the restoring force, while the first partial piston is not influenced by the one stop and remains movable against the restoring force upon a further increase in the regulating pressure;

wherein said at least two partial pistons are arranged concentrically with respect to one another so as to provide at least one inner partial piston and one outer partial piston displaceable in a telescoping manner into one another;

further comprising circumferential annular grooves provided at an axial height of the at least one outlet opening in one of an inside wall of a blind hole in said cylinder housing and an outside wall of an outer partial piston.