Combined pressure reducing and charging valve

• US 6,105,632 A
• Filed: 11/12/1998
• Issued: 08/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Interspiro AB (Ocenco, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interspiro AB (Ocenco, Inc.)
• Inventors: Buhlmann, Pierre
• Primary Examiner(s): Douglas, Steven O.
• Application Number:
  US09/180,583
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 141/18, 141/2, 141/197, 141/20, 141/39, 141/44, 141/47, 141/51, 141/63, 137/495, 137/505.42
• US Class Current: 141/18
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 9/02 Valves non-return valves mounted in breathing masks or helmets A62B18/10
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 11/2209 First-stage regulators B63C11/2245 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 2011/2218 comprising hollow piston valves, i.e. regulator valves with hollow stems connecting valve seat end in high pressure chamber to low pressure chamber at piston end
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 16/107 with a spring-loaded piston in combination with a spring-loaded slideable obturator that move together over range of motion during normal operation

Abstract

A pressure reducing and filling valve combination for use in conjunction with gas bottles, particularly gas bottles that contain breathing gas under high pressure for use by underwater divers, firemen, etc. The valve includes a valve chamber and a spring-loaded valve slide movable in the valve chamber for reducing the pressure with the aid of the spring when gas is taken from the bottle for delivery to a part of the chamber. The pressure in this chamber part is held substantially constant at a level determined by the spring force. An external multi-purpose valve connector is adapted to connect the valve chamber to external equipment when gas is consumed. When filling the bottle with gas under high pressure, the valve delivers gas to the bottle via the same passageway as that through which gas was delivered to the valve chamber in response to gas consumption.

Claims

1. A combined pressure reduction and bottle-filling valve for use with gas bottles containing highly pressurized breathing gas, the valve including a valve chamber and a spring-loaded valve slide movable in said valve chamber and which, when gas is taken from a bottle and delivered to a part of said valve chamber, reduces the pressure with the aid of the spring, so as to maintain the pressure in said valve chamber part substantially constant at a level determined by the force exerted by the spring, and an outer multi-purpose valve connector which, when gas is being consumed connects the valve chamber to external equipment and when filling the bottle with highly pressurized gas delivers gas to the bottle via the same passageway as that through which gas is delivered to the valve chamber as gas is consumed, wherein the spring actuates the valve slide so as to hold open the passageway extending from the bottle to said valve chamber part until the pressure in said valve chamber part reaches the level determined by the spring, and wherein a check valve maintains the passageway normally in a closed state under the influence of the pressure in the bottle and the valve slide is adapted to open said check valve under the influence of the spring when the pressure in said valve chamber part lies below the set spring pressure.

2. A valve according to claim 1, further comprising valve-slide latching means which prevent the check valve from opening even when the pressure in said part of said valve chamber is low.

3. A valve according to claim 1, wherein said check valve is adapted to open when a high pressure line is coupled to said connector for the purpose of filling the bottle.

4. A combined pressure reduction and bottle-filling valve for use with gas bottles containing highly pressurized breathing gas, the valve including a valve chamber and a spring-loaded valve slide movable in said valve chamber and which, when gas is taken from the bottle and delivered to a part of said valve chamber reduces the pressure with the aid of the spring, so as to maintain the pressure in said valve chamber part substantially constant at a level determined by the force exerted by the spring, and an outer multi-purpose valve connector which when gas is consumed connects the valve chamber to external equipment and when filling the bottle with highly pressurized gas delivers gas to the bottle via the same passageway as that through which gas is delivered to the valve chamber as gas is consumed, wherein the passageway is adapted to be closed by the valve slide against the action of said spring when the pressure in said valve-chamber part exceeds the set spring force and wherein the valve slide has the form of a piston that has a part which is provided with a sealing body capable to close the passageway, and the piston part includes means for conducting gas to the other side of the piston when said passageway is opened, said gas exerting a force on the piston and moving said piston against the action of the spring so that the sealing body closes the passageway.

5. A valve according to claim 4, wherein the piston-part carrying the sealing body is a hollow piston rod, the sealing body is provided on the outer end of the piston rod, the piston rod moves in a constricted part of the valve chamber and is provided with a sealing ring that co-acts with the wall of the constriction;

and the piston rod includes a radial channel which communicates with the rod cavity and is located between the sealing body and the sealing ring.

6. A valve according to claim 4, wherein a nozzle is provided in the passageway between the outer valve connector and said valve-chamber part, said nozzle functioning to maintain a substantially constant flow through the connector as gas is consumed.