Manually-opened and latchable with only residual magnetism, two-way two-position fluid control valve assembly and methods of operation
First Claim
1. A manually-opened and latchable, with only residual magnetism, two-way two-position fluid control valve assembly operable to selectively open and block fluid flow therethrough, comprising:
- a valve housing defining a first fluid connection port, a second fluid connection port, and a valve port having an effective flow area, a first side, and an opposite second side;
a movable member positioned within the valve housing and having a first end portion and a second end portion, the movable member extending through the valve port with the first end portion of the movable member extending through the first side of the valve port;
a valve connected to the movable member between the first and second end portions, the valve located adjacent to the second side of the valve port, the movable member and the valve being selectively movable together to i) an opened position at which the valve opens the valve port to allow fluid communication between the first fluid connection port and the second fluid connection port and ii) a closed position at which the valve blocks the valve port to block fluid communication between the first fluid connection port and the second fluid connection port;
biasing means for biasing the movable member so that the movable member and the valve are biased to their closed position;
an electromagnetic actuator including an armature and a pole piece, the armature being selectively movable i) to contact the pole piece and ii) to be spaced away from the pole piece, the armature able to transfer movement to the first end portion of the movable member such that i) the valve is at its opened position when the armature contacts the pole piece and ii) the valve is at its closed position when the armature is spaced away from the pole piece, the electromagnetic actuator being minimized in capacity so that it is incapable of electromagnetically moving the armature towards the pole piece when the armature and the pole piece define an air gap therebetween greater than substantially zero, the electromagnetic actuator operable to selectively i) receive a latching digital pulse of electrical current and thereby latch together, with only residual magnetism, the armature and the pole piece only when the armature and the pole piece are located at zero air gap or substantially zero air gap of each other and ii) receive an unlatching digital pulse of reverse electrical current and thereby permanently cancel at least enough of such residual magnetism to allow the biasing means to move the movable member so that the valve is moved to its closed position while the armature moves away from the pole piece; and
a manually-operated reset device operable to manually open the valve by moving the armature into contact with the pole piece and then by moving the armature, without lost motion, until there is at least substantially zero air gap between the armature and the pole piece.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A disclosed is a 2-way 2-position fluid control valve assembly operable to manually open and automatically block fluid flow therethrough. The fluid control valve assembly includes a valve and an electromagnetic actuator having an armature and a pole piece. The valve is biased to its closed position whereat the armature is spaced away from the pole piece. The armature is manually movable to contact the pole piece while opening the valve. The armature and the pole piece are latchable together, with only residual magnetism, only when there is zero air gap or substantially zero air gap between the armature and the pole piece. When latched, the armature and the pole piece remain in that state until they are delatched by canceling at least enough of the residual magnetism so that the biased valve closes while the armature moves away from the pole piece.
-
Citations
38 Claims
-
1. A manually-opened and latchable, with only residual magnetism, two-way two-position fluid control valve assembly operable to selectively open and block fluid flow therethrough, comprising:
-
a valve housing defining a first fluid connection port, a second fluid connection port, and a valve port having an effective flow area, a first side, and an opposite second side;
a movable member positioned within the valve housing and having a first end portion and a second end portion, the movable member extending through the valve port with the first end portion of the movable member extending through the first side of the valve port;
a valve connected to the movable member between the first and second end portions, the valve located adjacent to the second side of the valve port, the movable member and the valve being selectively movable together to i) an opened position at which the valve opens the valve port to allow fluid communication between the first fluid connection port and the second fluid connection port and ii) a closed position at which the valve blocks the valve port to block fluid communication between the first fluid connection port and the second fluid connection port;
biasing means for biasing the movable member so that the movable member and the valve are biased to their closed position;
an electromagnetic actuator including an armature and a pole piece, the armature being selectively movable i) to contact the pole piece and ii) to be spaced away from the pole piece, the armature able to transfer movement to the first end portion of the movable member such that i) the valve is at its opened position when the armature contacts the pole piece and ii) the valve is at its closed position when the armature is spaced away from the pole piece, the electromagnetic actuator being minimized in capacity so that it is incapable of electromagnetically moving the armature towards the pole piece when the armature and the pole piece define an air gap therebetween greater than substantially zero, the electromagnetic actuator operable to selectively i) receive a latching digital pulse of electrical current and thereby latch together, with only residual magnetism, the armature and the pole piece only when the armature and the pole piece are located at zero air gap or substantially zero air gap of each other and ii) receive an unlatching digital pulse of reverse electrical current and thereby permanently cancel at least enough of such residual magnetism to allow the biasing means to move the movable member so that the valve is moved to its closed position while the armature moves away from the pole piece; and
a manually-operated reset device operable to manually open the valve by moving the armature into contact with the pole piece and then by moving the armature, without lost motion, until there is at least substantially zero air gap between the armature and the pole piece.
-
-
2. A manually-opened and latchable, with only residual magnetism, two-way two-position fluid control valve assembly operable to only selectively open and block fluid flow therethrough, comprising:
-
a valve housing defining an external first fluid connection port, an external second fluid connection port, and an internal valve port having an effective flow area, a first side, and an opposite second side;
a movable rigid force transfer member positioned within the valve housing and having a first end portion and a second end portion, the movable member extending through the valve port with the first end portion of the movable member extending through the first side of the valve port;
exactly one poppet valve rigidly connected to the movable member between the first and second end portions, the valve located adjacent to the second side of the valve port, the movable member and the valve being selectively movable together between i) a fully opened position at which the valve is spaced away from the valve port to allow fluid communication between the first fluid connection port and the second fluid connection port and ii) a fully closed position at which the valve is positively seated against the valve port to completely block fluid communication between the first fluid connection port and the second fluid connection port;
a non-electrical biasing means for biasing the movable member so that the movable member and the valve are biased towards their fully closed position;
an electromagnetic actuator including an armature and a stationary pole piece directly facing the armature, the armature being selectively movable i) to contact the pole piece and ii) to be spaced away from the pole piece, the armature able to transfer movement to the first end portion of the movable member such that i) the valve is at its fully opened position when the armature contacts the pole piece and ii) the valve is at its fully closed position when the armature is spaced away from the pole piece, the electromagnetic actuator being minimized in capacity so that it is incapable of electromagnetically moving the armature towards the pole piece when the armature and the pole piece define an air gap therebetween greater than substantially zero, the electromagnetic actuator operable to selectively i) receive a latching digital pulse of electrical current and thereby latch, with only residual magnetism after termination of such electrical current, the armature and the pole piece together but only when the armature and the pole piece are located at at least substantially zero air gap of each other and ii) receive an unlatching digital pulse of reverse electrical current and thereby permanently cancel at least enough of such residual magnetism to allow the biasing means to move the movable member so that the valve is moved to its fully closed position while the armature moves away from the pole piece a distance greater than substantially zero air gap; and
a manually-operated reset device operable to manually open the valve by moving the armature into contact with the pole piece and then by moving the armature, without lost motion, until there is at least substantially zero air gap between the armature and the pole piece. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
-
-
31. A fluid system, comprising:
-
an appliance operable to utilize fluid and having a fluid inlet passage; and
a manually-opened and latchable, with only residual magnetism, two-way two-position fluid control valve assembly operable to selectively open and block fluid flow therethrough, said control valve assembly including a valve housing, a movable member, exactly one valve, a biasing means for biasing the movable member, an electromagnetic actuator, a manually-operated reset device, an electronic control module, and at least one sensor, said valve housing defining an inlet port adapted to be connected to a source of fluid, an outlet port connected to the fluid inlet passage of the appliance, and an internal valve port having an effective flow area, a first side, and an opposing second side, said movable member positioned within the valve housing and having a first end portion and a second end portion, the movable member extending through the valve port with the first end portion of the movable member extending through the first side of the valve port, said valve connected to the movable member between the first and second end portions, the valve located adjacent to the second side of the valve port, the movable member and the valve being selectively movable together to i) a fully opened position at which the valve opens the valve port to allow fluid communication between the inlet port and the outlet port and ii) a fully closed position at which the valve completely blocks the valve port to completely block fluid communication between the inlet port and the outlet port, said biasing means biasing the movable member so that the movable member and the valve are biased to their closed position, said electromagnetic actuator including an armature and a pole piece, the armature being selectively movable i) to contact the pole piece and ii) to be spaced away from the pole piece, the armature portion able to transfer movement to the first end portion of the movable member such that i) the valve is at its fully opened position when the armature contacts the pole piece and ii) the valve is at its fully closed position when the armature is spaced away from the pole piece, the electromagnetic actuator being minimized in capacity so that it is incapable of electromagnetically moving the armature towards the pole piece when the armature and the pole piece define an air gap therebetween greater than substantially zero, the electromagnetic actuator operable to selectively i) receive a latching digital pulse of electrical current and thereby latch together, with only residual magnetism, the armature and the pole piece but only when the armature and the pole piece are located at at least substantially zero air gap of each other and ii) receive an unlatching digital pulse of reverse electrical current and thereby permanently cancel at least enough of such residual magnetism to allow the biasing means to move the movable member so that the valve is moved to its fully closed position while the armature moves away from the pole piece, said manually-operated reset device operable to manually open the valve by directly contacting the armature then by pushing the armature, without lost motion, until there is at least substantially zero air gap between the armature and the pole piece, said electronic control module positioned within the valve housing and operable to selectively send to the electromagnetic actuator one of i) the latching digital pulse of electrical current to latch together the armature and the pole piece with only residual magnetism after termination of such electrical current and ii) the unlatching digital pulse of reverse electrical current to cancel at least enough residual magnetism to allow the biasing means to move the movable member so that the valve is moved to its fully closed position while the armature moves away from the pole piece, said sensor operable to sense for a condition necessitating closure of the valve and provide a corresponding signal to the electronic control module which, in response, sends to the electromagnetic actuator the unlatching digital pulse of reverse electrical current to allow closure of the valve by the biasing means. - View Dependent Claims (32)
-
-
33. A method of operating a manually-opened and latchable, with only residual magnetism, two-way two-position fluid control valve assembly operable to selectively open and completely block fluid flow therethrough, said control valve assembly including a valve and an electromagnetic actuator having a movable armature and a stationary pole piece, said method comprising the steps of:
-
biasing the valve to its fully closed position whereat the armature is spaced away from the pole piece a distance greater than substantially zero air gap;
opening the valve by manually moving the armature to contact the pole piece with at least substantially zero air gap therebetween;
maintaining the valve at its fully opened position by latching together, with only residual magnetism, the armature and the pole piece only when there is at least substantially zero air gap therebetween; and
closing the valve by canceling at least enough of the residual magnetism between the armature and the pole piece to allow the biased valve to be moved to its fully closed position. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
-
Specification