Pressure reducing valve assembly

• US 6,581,628 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2001
• Issued: 06/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Vektek, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Vektek, Inc.
• Inventors: Smith, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hepperle, Stephen M.
• Application Number:
  US09/858,374
• Publication Number:
  US 20020170601A1
• Time in Patent Office: 769 Days
• Field of Search: 137/454.2, 137/505.42, 137/454.5, 251/64
• US Class Current: 137/454.2
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 16/109 with two or more pistons acting as a single pressure controller that move together over range of motion during normal operations controllers mounted in series G05D16/0402, controller mounted in parallel G05D16/0404
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7504 Removable valve head and seat unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7668 Retained by bonnet or closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7826 With valve closing bias

Abstract

A pressure reducing valve assembly (10) for receiving fluid from a high pressure line and delivering the fluid to a low pressure line includes an elongated tubular body (12), a pressure reducing valve (14) having a single, valved opening (54) interposed between high and low pressure ports (68),(70), and a pressure reducing reservoir (16) defined substantially between the body (12) and the pressure reducing valve (14). The pressure reducing reservoir (16) comprises the only substantial fluid communication between the body (12) and the pressure reducing valve (14) and fluidly communicates with the high pressure port (68) by the single, valved opening (54). In preferred forms, the pressure reducing valve (14) includes a valve insert (64) housing a spring (62) that, among other functions, serves as a reset valve to further reduce the space requirements and decreasing the cost and complexity of the valve assembly (10).

Claims

1. A pressure reducing valve assembly for receiving fluid from a high pressure line and delivering the fluid to a low pressure line, the valve assembly comprising:

an elongated tubular body having a vent operable to prevent air pressure buildup within the body and including a compression spring housed therein;

a pressure reducing valve including a high pressure port for receiving fluid from the high pressure line, a low pressure port for delivering fluid to the low pressure line, a single valved opening, and an inner chamber interposed between the opening and the high pressure port and fluidly communicating therewith so that fluid pressure in the chamber is substantially the same as fluid pressure in the high pressure port;

a pressure reducing reservoir defined substantially between the body and the pressure reducing valve,

said pressure reducing valve being shiftable into and out of a closed position, wherein fluid communication between the inner chamber and the pressure reducing reservoir is prevented,

said pressure reducing reservoir comprising the only substantial fluid communication between the body and the pressure reducing valve,

said high pressure port fluidly communicating with the pressure reducing reservoir by said single valved opening,

said pressure reducing reservoir fluidly communicating with the low pressure port so that fluid pressure in the reservoir is substantially the same as fluid pressure in the low pressure port; and

a base having an inlet port operable to fluidly communicate with the high pressure line, an outlet port operable to fluidly communicate with the low pressure line, and a single valve port operable to receive the pressure reducing valve such that the pressure reducing valve may be completely removed with the body through the valve port,

said base being coupled to the body wherein the pressure reducing valve is disposed ther between so that the inlet port is in fluid communication with the high pressure port and the outlet port is in fluid communication with the low pressure port.

2. The valve assembly as claimed in claim 1,

said compression spring providing a yieldable biasing force operable to yieldably bias the pressure reducing valve out of the closed position.

3. The valve assembly as claimed in claim 2,

said yieldable biasing force provided by the compression spring being adjustable.

4. The valve assembly as claimed in claim 3,

said pressure reducing valve being a ball-type valve including a ball valve and a valve seat.

5. The valve assembly as claimed in claim 4,

said body including a stem cooperating with the compression spring and the ball valve to shift the pressure reducing valve into and out of the closed position.

6. The valve assembly as claimed in claim 5,

said pressure reducing valve including a spring housed in the inner chamber and operable to yieldably bias the ball valve against the stem when the pressure reducing valve is out of the closed position and operable to yieldably bias the ball valve against the valve seat when the pressure reducing valve is in the closed position.

7. A pressure reducing valve assembly for receiving fluid from a high pressure line and delivering the fluid to a low pressure line, the valve assembly comprising:

a body assembly including

elongated tubular body having a first end and a second end,

a cap assembly threaded into the first end of the body,

a valve receiving section disposed at the second end of the body, the valve receiving section having threaded exterior sidewalls and substantially smooth interior sidewalls,

a chamber disposed between the first end and the second end of the body,

a vent through the body and operable to prevent air pressure buildup within the chamber,

a spool operable to slide within the second end of the housing and seal between the chamber and the valve retaining section thereby preventing fluid from entering the chamber from the valve retaining section, and

a spring disposed in the chamber and operable to exert a variable force between the cap assembly and the spool according to a pressure setting selected through the cap assembly;

a pressure reducing valve disposed within the valve receiving section and including

a high pressure port for receiving fluid from the high pressure line,

a low pressure port for delivering fluid to the low pressure line,

a substantially spherical ball disposed between the high pressure port and the low pressure port,

a seat operable to seal with the ball thereby preventing fluid from passing from the high pressure port to the low pressure port, and

wherein the spool engages the ball such that the ball is displaced from the seat when the low pressure port experiences pressure less than the pressure setting selected through the cap assembly;

a pressure reducing reservoir defined substantially between the body and the pressure reducing valve;

a base having a single valve port operable to receive the body and the pressure reducing valve such that the body and the pressure reducing valve may be completely removed through the valve port.

8. The valve assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the cap assembly may be removed from the body thereby allowing the body assembly to be completely disassembled and including a cap, a set screw threaded into the cap, and a lock washer operable to lock the screw within the cap thereby setting the pressure setting.

9. The valve assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein valve is sealed to the substantially smooth interior sidewalls of the valve receiving section of the body with at least one ring seal thereby allowing the valve to slide into and out of the body for ease of assembly and disassembly.