Tap for compressed or liquefied gases having an overcharging prevention function

• US 6,178,994 B1
• Filed: 02/24/2000
• Issued: 01/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Young Woo Industry
• Original Assignee: Young Woo Industry
• Inventors: Park, Chung Mu
• Primary Examiner(s): Walton, George L.
• Application Number:
  US09/512,071
• Time in Patent Office: 341 Days
• Field of Search: 137/413, 137/442, 137/446, 137/614.2, 141/18, 141/95, 141/198, 141/213
• US Class Current: 137/413
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/305 with valve member and actuator on the same side of the seat
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/306 with a valve member, e.g. stem or shaft, passing through the seat
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/307 Additional means used in combination with the main valve
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/26 with the valve guided for rectilinear movement and the float attached to a pivoted arm
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0413 with floats
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7371 Fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7465 Assembly mounted on and having reciprocating valve element coaxial with inlet pipe
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7478 With interposed cam, gear or threaded connection
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/88054 Direct response normally closed valve limits direction of flow

Abstract

There is disclosed a tap for compressed or liquefied gases having an overcharging prevention function, in which a gas can be directly infused/discharged into/from a gas storage tank, regardless of pressure/level of the liquefied gas inside/outside a gas storage tank, higher charging efficiency in the gas storage tank can be accomplished. The tap includes an upper part body provided inside with a first passage and a second passage communicating with the first passage in a perpendicular direction of the first passage, the first passage being connected to an external gas source or a gas combustion apparatus, a check valve positioned on the first passage, permitting a gas flow only to the second passage when the pressurized gas above a certain pressure level is charged from the external, a safety valve which acts when pressure of the gas inside a gas storage tank is above the preset level and then allows the gas exceeding the preset pressure level to be externally discharged, and a two-way valve having upper portion connected to the upper part body, acting to prevent the gas charged through the first and second passages from overcharging exceeding a level preset in the gas storage tank and to externally discharge the liquefied gas charged in the gas storage tank at the time of opening the check valve.

Claims

1. A tap for compressed or liquefied gases which has an overcharging prevention function, the tap comprising:

an upper part body provided inside with a first passage and a second passage communicating with the first passage in a perpendicular direction of the first passage, the first passage being connected to an external gas source or a gas combustion apparatus;

a check valve positioned on the first passage, permitting a gas flow only to the second passage when the pressurized gas above a certain pressure level is charged from the external;

a safety valve which acts when pressure of the gas inside a gas storage tank is above the preset level and then allows the gas exceeding the preset pressure level to be externally discharged; and

a two-way valve having upper portion connected to the upper part body, acting to prevent the gas charged through the first and second passages from overcharging exceeding a level preset in the gas storage tank and to externally discharge the liquefied gas charged in the gas storage tank at the time of opening the check valve,

wherein the two-way valve comprises;

a body provided inside with a third passage communicating with the second passage, the third passage being axially located by a first to third inner diameter parts which sequentially increase, and having at least one or more openings communicating with the inside of the gas storage tank and located at the second inner diameter part,

a flux valve provided inside with a fourth passage communicating with the third passage, and acting to set the first inner diameter part of the body in a opened or closed condition,

an elastic spring for imposing a force permitting a descent of the flux valve,

a nut whose outer peripheral is coupled to the third inner diameter part of the body, and provided inside thereof with a stepped fifth passage communicating with the fourth passage,

a buffering disk fixed to a lower end of the flux valve by means of the nut and between the fourth and fifth passages, and having a plurality of through-holes for absorbing an abrupt pressure change between the fourth and fifth passages,

a level-controlling valve which sets the valve between the disk inside the fifth passage and the stepped portion in an opened or closed position, and to which elasticity is loaded, the elasticity acting in a downward direction so as to maintain the closed position at the non-loaded condition, and

means for detecting a charging level in order to set the level-controlling valve in an opened position until the detected charging level inside the gas storage tank reaches the preset level, and to set the level-controlling valve in a closed position in the case of reaching the preset level.

2. The tap as claimed in claim 1, wherein both the level-controlling valve and the flux valve are set in opened positions when the gas storage tank has a level below the preset level and its first passage is connected to the gas source;

and wherein when the level inside the tank reaches the preset level and the first passage has no load, the level-controlling valve is set in closed position and the flux valve set in opened position.

3. The tap as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the level inside the tank reaches the preset level and the first passage is connected to the gas combustion apparatus, the level-controlling valve is set in closed position and the flux valve set in opened position.

4. The tap as claimed in claim 1, wherein the charging level detecting means comprises:

a cam, on upper surface thereof, having a certain curvature surface for setting the opened position of the level-controlling valve until the charging level reaches the preset level and a V-shaped hollow surface for setting the closed position of the level-controlling valve in order to block the charging of the gas when the charging level reaches the preset level; and

a float attached to arm extended along the V-shaped hollow surface of the cam, and for moving upward/downward depending on the level of the charging gas to pivot the cam.

5. The tap as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flux valve is located to slide up and down inside the third passage, and has a first and third outer diameter parts corresponding the first and third outer diameter parts of the flux valve, and wherein the flux valve further comprises a seal packing for in leakproof manner engaging the first inner diameter part with a stepped portion formed between the first and second outer diameter parts of the flux valve.

6. A two-way valve acting to prevent the overcharging of a tap for compressed or liquefied gases and to externally discharge the liquefied gas charged, the tap being connected with a gas storage tank through a first passage and a second passage communicating with the first passage in a perpendicular direction of the first passage, the first passage being connected to an external gas source or a gas combustion apparatus, the two-way valve comprising:

a body provided inside with a third passage communicating with the second passage, the third passage being axially located by a first to third inner diameter parts which sequentially increase, and having at least one or more openings communicating with the inside of the gas storage tank and located at the second inner diameter part;

a flux valve provided inside thereof with a fourth passage communicating with the third passage, and acting to set the first inner diameter part of the body in a opened or closed condition;

an elastic spring for imposing a force permitting a descent of the flux valve;

a nut whose outer peripheral is coupled to the third inner diameter part of the body, and provided inside thereof with a stepped fifth passage communicating with the fourth passage;

a buffering disk fixed to a lower end of the flux valve by means of the nut and between the fourth and fifth passages, and having a plurality of through-holes for absorbing an abrupt pressure change between the fourth and fifth passages;

a level-controlling valve which sets the valve between the disk inside the fifth passage and the stepped portion in an opened or closed position, and to which elasticity is loaded, the elasticity acting in a downward direction so as to maintain the closed position at the non-loaded condition; and

means for detecting a charging level in order to set the level-controlling valve in an opened position until the detected charging level inside the gas storage tank reaches the preset level, and to set the level-controlling valve in a closed position in the case of reaching the preset level.