Overflow protection valve assembly

• US 6,293,302 B1
• Filed: 07/28/1999
• Issued: 09/25/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BLUE RHINO GLOBAL SOURCING, LLC (Ferrellgas Partners LP)
• Original Assignee: Blue Rhino Corporation (Ferrellgas Partners LP)
• Inventors: Yet, Chan, Waters, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Walton, George L.
• Application Number:
  US09/362,791
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: 137/413, 137/414, 137/434, 137/442, 137/443, 137/444, 137/446, 137/390, 141/198
• US Class Current: 137/390
• 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 13/021 having the height as the parameter
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0109 with exteriorly curved end-piece
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0119 with flat end-piece
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/032 with substantially vertical main axis
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/018 Supporting feet
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0329 manually actuated
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0332 Safety valves or pressure relief valves
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0385 in blocks or units
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0394 in direct contact with the pressure vessel
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/035 Propane butane, e.g. LPG, GPL
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0153 Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/033 Small pressure, e.g. for liquefied gas
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0413 with floats
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/022 Avoiding overfilling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/73 Manual control
• 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

Abstract

A valve assembly is provided which includes a valve member for being shifted between open and closed positions, and a control member having an operative position for maintaining the valve member in the open position until a predetermined fluid level is reached and an inoperative position to allow the valve member to shift to the closed position at the predetermined fluid level. The valve assembly is preferably a two-way valve for use with LP tanks to prevent overfilling thereof beyond the maximum predetermined fluid level. A float assembly rises and falls in substantial correspondence to the rising and falling of the fluid level in the vessel space, and an actuator of the fluid assembly shifts the control member at the predetermined fluid level to the inoperative position to allow the valve member to shift to the closed position for preventing further fluid intake into the vessel. The use of the control member affords advantages in terms of providing a rapid and distinct cut off of fluid flow into the tank precisely at the predetermined fluid level.

Claims

1. A valve assembly for permitting fluid intake into an interior space in a vessel at pressures greater than ambient in a vessel filling operation and fluid discharge therefrom in a vessel unloading operation and for cutting off fluid intake into the vessel at a predetermined fluid level in the vessel space during filling operations, the valve assembly comprising:

a valve member for being shifted between open and closed positions;

a control member having an operative position for maintaining the valve member in the open position until the predetermined fluid level is reached and an inoperative position to allow the valve member to shift to the closed position at the predetermined fluid level;

a float assembly distinct from the control member for rising and falling in substantial correspondence to the rising and falling of the fluid level in the vessel space; and

an actuator of the float assembly for shifting the control member at the predetermined fluid level to the inoperative position to allow the valve member to shift to the closed position and prevent further fluid intake into the vessel, the control member being in the operative position at fluid levels other than at the predetermined fluid level during both filling and unloading operations,

the valve member shifting to the open position in response to the pressure differential between the vessel interior and ambient when the vessel is at the predetermined fluid level and opened to ambient independent of movement of the float assembly to begin vessel unloading operations.

2. The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein the control member includes a first biasing member for biasing the control member toward the operative position, and the valve member includes a second biasing member for biasing the valve member toward the closed position with the actuator shifting the control member to the inoperative position against the bias of the first biasing member to allow the valve member to be rapidly shifted to the closed position under the influence of the bias of the second biasing member.

3. The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein the control member is shifted in a first direction between the operative and inoperative positions, and the valve member is shifted in a second direction between its open and closed positions transverse to the first direction.

4. The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein the control member includes a biasing member for biasing the control member to the operative position, and the actuator includes a valve driving portion for driving the valve member toward the open position and a control member driving portion for driving the control member against its bias toward the inoperative position.

5. The valve assembly of claim 4 wherein the valve member includes a biasing member for biasing the valve member toward the closed position and an elongate stem for being engaged by the actuator valve driving portion during vessel filling operations to hold the valve member in its open position against its bias and disengaging from the stem as the vessel space fills with fluid with the control member maintaining the valve member in the open position to allow filling operations to continue, and continued filling of the vessel space causing the actuator control member driving portion to drive the control member to its inoperative position allowing the valve member to rapidly shift to its closed position under the influence of the bias of its biasing member at the predetermined fluid level to provide a snap shut valve for preventing further filling of the vessel space at the predetermined fluid level.

6. The valve assembly of claim 1 including a housing having at least one flow path therethrough for the flow of fluid into the tank interior space and out therefrom so that both vessel filling and unloading operations occur via fluid flow through the valve assembly housing.

7. The valve assembly of claim 6 wherein the valve member includes a biasing member for biasing the valve member toward its closed position with a force that is predetermined to allow the pressure differential between the vessel interior space and ambient to cause the valve member to shift from its closed position toward its open position when the valve assembly is opened to ambient to begin vessel unloading operations.

8. The valve assembly of claim 1 including a housing for containing the valve member and defining at least one flow path therethrough with the flow path directing fluid flow through the housing during vessel filling operations so that the valve member does not serve as an impediment to flow of fluid through the valve assembly during filling operations.

9. The valve assembly of claim 1 including a housing having an upper portion in which the valve member shifts and defining a flow path therethrough for vessel filling operations, and a lower portion to which the control member is mounted for shifting between its operative and inoperative positions independent of fluid forces generated by the fluid in the housing upper portion.

10. The valve assembly of claim 9 wherein the housing includes a portion separate from the flow path in which the valve member is shifted to its open position so that the valve member does not serve as an impediment to fluid flow through the flow path during vessel filling operations, and the valve member shifts out of the housing portion and into the closed position at the predetermined fluid level with the fluid forces generated by the flow of fluid pushing the valve member toward the closed position.

11. The valve assembly of claim 1 including a housing for containing the valve member and defining at least one flow path therethrough and having an outlet port which communicates with the flow path with the valve member in its open position, and

a back pressure mechanism for urging the valve member toward the closed position against the control member in its operative position, and with the control member shifted to its inoperative position rapidly shifting the valve member into the flow path to be snapped shut over the outlet port for providing a precisely defined fluid intake cutoff at the predetermined fluid level.

12. The valve assembly of claim 11 wherein the housing includes a diverter in which the valve member is held during tank loading and unloading operations with the flow path being about the diverter member, and the back pressure mechanism includes a through passageway in the diverter to allow fluid pressure build-up in the diverter against the valve member to urge it toward its closed position.

13. The valve assembly of claim 12 wherein the housing and diverter are formed of a reinforced plastic material.

14. The valve assembly of claim 13 where in the reinforced plastic material is a glass-filled plastic material.

15. A valve assembly for permitting fluid intake into an interior space in a vessel at pressures greater than ambient in a vessel filling operation and fluid discharge therefrom in a vessel unloading operation and for cutting off fluid intake into the vessel at a predetermined fluid level in the vessel space during filling operations, the valve assembly comprising:

a valve member for being shifted between open and closed positions;

a control member having an operative position for maintaining the valve member in the open position until the predetermined fluid level is reached and an inoperative position to allow the valve member to shift to the closed position at the predetermined fluid level;

a float assembly distinct from the control member for rising and falling in substantial correspondence to the rising and falling of the fluid level in the vessel space; and

an actuator of the float assembly for shifting the control member at the predetermined fluid level to the inoperative position to allow the valve member to shift to the closed position and prevent further fluid intake into the vessel;

wherein the control member includes a first biasing member for biasing the control member toward the operative position, and the valve member includes a second biasing member for biasing the valve member toward the closed position with the actuator shifting the control member to the inoperative position against the bias of the first biasing member to allow the valve member to be rapidly shifted to the closed position under the influence of the bias of the second biasing member,

the valve member shifting to the open position in response to the pressure differential between the vessel interior and ambient when the vessel is at the predetermined fluid level and opened to ambient independent of movement of the float assembly to begin vessel unloading operations.

16. A valve assembly for permitting fluid intake into an interior space in a vessel at pressures greater than ambient in a vessel filling operation and fluid discharge therefrom in a vessel unloading operation and for cutting off fluid intake into the vessel at a predetermined fluid level in the vessel space during filling operations, the valve assembly comprising:

a valve member for being shifted between open and closed positions;

a control member having an operative position for maintaining the valve member in the open position until the predetermined fluid level is reached and an inoperative position to allow the valve member to shift to the closed position at the predetermined fluid level;

a float assembly distinct from the control member for rising and falling in substantial correspondence to the rising and falling of the fluid level in the vessel space;

an actuator of the float assembly for shifting the control member at the predetermined fluid level to the inoperative position to allow the valve member to shift to the closed position and prevent further fluid intake into the vessel; and

a housing for containing the valve member and defining at least one flow path therethrough with the flow path directing fluid flow through the housing during vessel filling operations so that the valve member does not serve as an impediment to flow of fluid through the valve assembly during filling operations,

the valve member shifting to the open position in response to the pressure differential between the vessel interior and ambient when the vessel is at the predetermined fluid level and opened to ambient.