Pressure regulator baffle seat with radial flow paths

• US 6,334,460 B1
• Filed: 12/06/1999
• Issued: 01/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Hem, Bunnareth
• Primary Examiner(s): Hepperle, Stephen M.
• Application Number:
  US09/455,310
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 137/508, 123/459
• US Class Current: 137/508
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 16/0655 using one spring-loaded membrane
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7834 Valve seat or external sleeve moves to open valve

Abstract

A flow-through pressure regulator includes a housing having an inlet and an outlet offset along a longitudinal axis. The housing is separated by a divider into a first chamber and a second chamber. The divider has a passage that communicates the first chamber with the second chamber. The passage includes a first section extending along the longitudinal axis and a second section extending transverse to the longitudinal axis. A closure member permits or inhibits flow through the passage.

Claims

1. A flow-through pressure regulator, comprising:

a housing having an inlet and an outlet offset along a longitudinal axis;

a divider separating the housing into a first chamber and a second chamber, the divider having a passage that communicates the first chamber with the second chamber, the passage including a first section extending along the longitudinal axis and a second section extending transverse to the longitudinal axis; and

a closure member that permits or inhibits flow through the passage.

2. The flow-through regulator of claim 1, wherein the divider comprises a seat, the seat being suspended by the divider in the housing to provide the passage, the seat having a first seat portion and a second seat portion disposed along the longitudinal axis, the first seat portion being disposed in the first chamber, a second seat portion being disposed in the second chamber, the first section of the passage extending along the longitudinal axis in both the first portion and the second portion of the seat, and the second section of the passage extending transverse to the longitudinal axis in the second portion of the seat.

3. The flow-through regulator of claim 2, wherein the seat comprises a first surface disposed in the first chamber, a second surface disposed in the second chamber, and a side surface disposed between the first surface and the second surface.

4. The flow-through regulator of claim 3, wherein the first section communicates with the first surface and the second section communicates with the side surface.

5. The flow-through regulator of claim 4, wherein the first section comprises a first wall extending from the first surface to an end wall within the second portion, and wherein the second section comprises a second wall extending from the first wall to the side surface.

6. The flow-through regulator of claim 5, wherein the second wall extends from the first wall to diametrically opposed locations on the side surface, and intersects the first wall proximate the end wall.

7. The flow-through regulator of claim 1, wherein the divider comprises a diaphragm.

8. The flow-through regulator of claim 7, and further comprising:

a first biasing element located in the second chamber, the first biasing element engaging a locator on an end of the second cup-shaped member and biasing the diaphragm toward an end of the first cup-shaped member.

9. The flow-through regulator of claim 1, wherein the closure member comprises a ball disposed in a retainer, the retainer being located in the first chamber, and having a flat annulus secured to a housing, the housing having an internal funnel, the internal funnel including a conical portion confronting the flat annulus and a cylindrical portion with an end wall, the conical portion of the funnel supporting the ball, and the cylindrical portion of the funnel supporting a spring that biases the ball toward the divider.

10. The flow-through regulator of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a first cup-shaped member and a second cup-shaped member, the first cup-shaped member having a first base, a first lateral wall extending in a first direction along the longitudinal axis from the first base, and a first flange extending from the first lateral wall in a direction substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis, the second cup-shaped member having a second base, a second lateral wall extending in a second direction along the longitudinal axis from the second base, and a second flange extending from the second lateral wall in a direction substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis, the first flange and the second flange being secured together to provide a unitary housing.

11. The flow-through regulator of claim 10, wherein the divider comprises a diaphragm secured between the first flange and the second flange to provide the first chamber and the second chamber.

12. The flow-through regulator of claim 1, wherein the flow-through pressure regulator emits sound at a sound rating in Sones that remains substantially constant from a low fuel flow rate to high fuel flow rate.

13. A seat for a flow-through regulator, the seat comprising:

a first seat portion having a first surface disposed about a central axis;

a second seat portion having a second surface offset from the first surface along the central axis;

a side surface disposed between the first surface and the second surface; and

a passage extending from the first surface through the first portion and the second portion to the side surface, the passage having a first section and a second section, the first section of the passage extending along the central axis in both the first portion and the second portion of the seat, the second section of the passage extending transverse to the central axis in the second portion of the seat, the first section communicating with the first surface and the second section communicating with the side surface.

14. The seat of claim 13, wherein the first section comprises a first wall extending from the first surface to an end wall within the second portion, and wherein the second section comprises a second wall extending from the first wall to the side surface.

15. The seat of claim 14, wherein the second wall extends from the first wall to diametrically opposed locations on the side surface, and intersects the first wall proximate the end wall.

16. A method of stabilizing noise generation in a flow-through regulator, wherein the flow-through regulator includes a housing with an inlet and an outlet offset along a longitudinal axis, a divider separating the housing into a first chamber and a second chamber, the divider including a passage that provides communication between the first chamber and the second chamber, and a closure member that permits or inhibits flow through the passage, the method comprising:

providing the passage with a first section extending along the longitudinal axis and a second section extending transverse to the longitudinal axis; and

communicating the first section with the first chamber and the second section with the second chamber.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

providing the first section with a first wall;

providing the second section with a second wall; and

extending the second wall through the first wall to diametrically opposed locations.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

suspending a seat with the divider in the housing to provide the passage, the seat having a first seat portion and a second seat portion disposed along the longitudinal axis, the first seat portion being disposed in the first chamber, a second seat portion being disposed in the second chamber, the first section of the passage extending along the longitudinal axis in both the first portion and the second portion of the seat, and the second section of the passage extending transverse to the longitudinal axis in the second portion of the seat.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the seat comprises a first surface disposed in the first chamber, a second surface disposed in the second chamber, and a side surface disposed between the first surface and the second surface, and further comprising:

extending the first wall from the first surface to an end wall within the second portion; and

extending the second wall from the first wall to the side surface.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

extending the second wall from the first wall to diametrically opposed locations on the side surface; and

intersecting the first wall with the second wall proximate the end wall.