Valve-in-valve body, vent port and method

• US 6,269,840 B1
• Filed: 12/10/1996
• Issued: 08/07/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Trane International Inc. (Trane Technologies plc)
• Original Assignee: American Standard Companies Incorporated (Ideal Standard International Topco SCA)
• Inventors: Beaver, Danny D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walton, George L.
• Application Number:
  US08/762,896
• Time in Patent Office: 1,701 Days
• Field of Search: 62/77, 621/49, 622/92, 137/15, 137/315, 137/317, 137/320, 137/321, 137/596.2, 137/637.2, 137/637.4, 137/614.18, 137/614.19, 137/798, 137/614.03, 137/614.06, 137/614.05, 137/614.17, 137/614.16, 137/227, 137/231
• US Class Current: 137/637.4
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00485 Valves for air-conditioning devices, e.g. thermostatic valves valves per se F16K; thermostatic valves per se G05D23/02
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00585 Means for monitoring, testing or servicing the air-conditioning
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/04 with a cut-off member rigid with the spindle, e.g. main valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/18 with actuating mechanism; Combined check valves and actuated valves
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2345/006 characterised by charging or discharging valves
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 41/40 Fluid line arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87137 And reciprocating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87241 Biased closed
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87249 Multiple inlet with multiple outlet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87965 Valve- or closure-operated by coupling motion
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8803 Also carries head of other valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/88046 Biased valve with external operator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49345 Catalytic device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49412 with assembly, disassembly or composite article making

Abstract

A valve in valve assembly. The assembly comprises a housing having an internal passage, a valve body in the housing and movably operable to control process fluid flow through the passage, and a chamber in the valve body. The chamber is open to the passage at a first chamber end. A valve core in the chamber controls service fluid flow the chamber.

Claims

1. A valve in valve assembly comprising:

a main valve housing having an internal passage and a throughbore having a first end open to the internal passage;

a valve body positioned in the throughbore and movably operable to control fluid flow through the passage;

a chamber in the valve body, the chamber being open to the passage at a first chamber end and open to the throughbore at a second chamber end; and

a flow control device located in the chamber at the first chamber end and controlling access between the chamber and the passage, wherein the flow control device comprises a valve core including a bore, a valve seat about the bore, a biasing device, and a valve stem, the bore linking the passage and the chamber, the valve stem having a first portion located within the bore and the valve stem having a second portion proximal the internal passage and biased by the biasing device to an inoperative position blocking the bore by engaging the valve seat.

2. The assembly of claim 1 further including a secondary plug seated in and blocking the chamber.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the housing includes first and second process apertures respectively located at first and second ends of the internal passage, the housing further including an external aperture, and the chamber having a second chamber end open to the external aperture.

4. The assembly of claim 3 wherein the housing includes an first annular surface, the valve body include a second annular surface, and the first and second annular surfaces are adapted to sealingly engage to block the internal passage.

5. The assembly of claim 3 wherein the external aperture is adapted to sealingly receive a service adapter within a portion of the chamber.

6. The assembly of claim 3 wherein the housing is adapted to sealingly receive a service adapter about the external aperture.

7. A valve in valve assembly comprising:

a main valve housing 12 having an internal passage and a throughbore having a first end open to the internal passage;

a valve body in the throughbore and moveably operable to control fluid flow through the passage;

a chamber in the valve body, the chamber being open to the passage at a first chamber end; and

a flow control device located in the chamber proximal the first chamber end and controlling access between the chamber and the passage, wherein the flow control device comprises a valve core including a bore and a valve stem, the bore linking the passage and the chamber, and the valve stem having a first portion located within the bore and a second portion in the internal passage biased to block the bore;

wherein the valve core includes a spring, the valve stem includes an annular third sealing surface, the flow control device includes a fourth annular sealing surface, and the spring biases the valve stem so that the third and fourth annular surfaces sealingly engage.

8. The assembly of claim 7 wherein the valve core is threadably engaged with the valve body.

9. The assembly of claim 7 wherein the valve core and the valve body are a unitary piece.

10. A valve comprising:

a housing;

first, second and third apertures in the housing;

a passage between the first and second apertures;

a throughbore in the housing open to the passage at a first throughbore end and to the third aperture at a second throughbore end;

a valve body movably positioned in the throughbore and having a first valve end adapted to block the passage in a closed valve body position and to unblock the passage in an open valve body position;

a chamber in the valve body open to the third aperture and to the passage when the valve body is in the open valve body position, and open to the third aperture and the first aperture when the valve body is in the closed valve body position; and

a valve core located in the chamber proximal the first valve end and having a bore linking the chamber and the passage and a valve seat around the bore, and further including a valve stem having a first portion located in the bore and a second portion located proximal the passage and operable between an open position allowing fluid flow through the bore and a closed position preventing such fluid flow by engaging the valve stem and the valve seat.

11. The valve of claim 10 wherein the valve core includes tooling controllable through the third aperture to move the valve core between the open and closed positions.

12. A refrigeration valve comprising:

a housing including first, second and third apertures;

a passage in the housing extending between the first and second apertures;

a throughbore in the housing extending between the passage and the third aperture;

a valve body located within the throughbore and controllable through the third aperture to block or unblock the passage, the valve body having a first end proximal the passage;

a chamber in the valve body open to the first and third apertures; and

a flow control device located in the chamber proximal the first end of the valve body and having a bore connecting the chamber and the passage, a valve stem having a first portion located in the bore, and a second portion located proximal the passage and a valve seat around the bore, the flow control device being operable to control flow between the chamber and the passage by engaging and disengaging the second portion of the valve stem from the valve seat.

13. The refrigeration valve of claim 12 wherein the flow control device comprises a valve core moveable to control fluid flow between the first and third apertures and through the chamber.

14. The refrigeration valve of claim 13 wherein the valve core is a Schraeder fitting or a Bristol fitting.

15. The refrigeration valve of claim 14 wherein the valve core is threadably engaged with the valve body.

16. The refrigeration valve of claim 14 wherein the valve core and the valve body form a unitary piece.

17. The refrigeration valve of claim 13 wherein the housing does not support a Schraeder fitting.

18. A refrigeration valve comprising:

a housing including first, second and third apertures;

a passage in the housing extending between the first and second apertures;

a throughbore in the housing extending between the passage and the third aperture;

a valve body located within the throughbore and controllable through the third aperture to block or unblock the passage;

a chamber in the valve body open to the first and third apertures; and

a flow control device located in the chamber and having a bore therethrough;

wherein the flow control device comprises a valve core moveable to control fluid flow between the first and third apertures and through the chamber; and

further including at least one vent port in the valve body located to provide access between the second aperture and the third aperture when the valve body is in the blocked position.

19. The refrigeration valve of claim 18 including seals on the valve body located on either side of the vent ports and adapted to isolate the vent port when the valve body is in the unblocked position.

20. The refrigeration valve of claim 18 including a moveable seal located in the chamber and adapted to block the vent port in a first position and allow access to the vent port in a second position.

21. The refrigeration valve of claim 20 wherein the moveable seal comprises a hollow plug threadably engaged to the chamber.

22. The refrigeration valve of claim 20 wherein the moveable seal includes at least one access port adapted to rotatably align with the vent port in the first position.

23. A process fitting comprising:

a housing including a process inlet and a process outlet and a passage therebetween;

an external aperture in the housing;

a throughbore in the housing between the external aperture and the passage;

a valve body movably disposed in the throughbore and having a first position blocking the passage and a second position allowing process fluid to flow through the passage;

the valve body including an internal chamber open to the external aperture at a first valve body end and open to the passage at a second valve body end; and

the valve body including a valve core movably disposed in the internal chamber proximal the second valve body end and adapted to block fluid flow through the internal chamber,

the valve core having a bore therethrough linking the internal chamber with the passage, a valve seat arranged around the body, and a valve stem having a first portion located in the bore and a second portion located proximal the passage and operable to control fluid flow therethrough by engaging the valve seat.

24. A valve body for use in controlling fluid flow through a main valve, the main valve including a process fluid passage through the main valve and a throughbore connecting the passage to an external aperture, the throughbore being adapted to contain the valve body therein, the valve body comprising:

a body;

a chamber within the body and extending between the passage and the throughbore; and

a flow control device located within the chamber and adapted to control fluid flow through the chamber wherein the flow control device includes a Schraeder valve, the Schraeder valve including a first portion in the process fluid passage, a second portion in the chamber, and a third portion in the through bore.

25. A valve body suitable for use with a new or an existing valve including a passage and a through bore connecting the passage to an external aperture, the through bore being adapted to contain the valve body therein, the valve body comprising:

a longitudinally extending cylindrical body;

a longitudinal chamber in the body and extending the longitudinal length of the body so that a first end of the chamber opens at a first end of the body and a second end of the chamber opens at a second end of the body;

a fluid flow control device positioned within the chamber and adapted to control fluid flow therethrough wherein the fluid flow device includes a valve core biased in a closed position thereby to prevent fluid flow through the chamber and wherein the valve core includes a bore therethrough, a valve seat arranged about the bore and a valve stem having a first portion in the bore and a second portion extending at least partly out of the bore and adapted to control flow by engaging or disengaging the valve seat.

26. A valve-in-valve assembly comprising:

a main valve housing having an internal passage and a through bore having a first end open to the internal passage;

a valve body in the through bore and moveably operable to control fluid flow through the passage;

a chamber in the valve body, the chamber being open to the passage at a first chamber end;

an actuator extending through the through bore and the chamber; and

a flow control device located in the chamber and controlling access between the chamber and the passage;

the flow control device having a valve core including a moveable valve seat removably secured within the chamber, a bore linking the passage and the chamber, and a valve stem having a first portion located within the bore and extending therethrough and a second portion extending at least partly out of the bore and biased by the actuator to block the bore during a first inoperative condition.