Magnetic check valve

• US 7,506,663 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2006
• Issued: 03/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cummins Filtration Incorporated (Cummins Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Fleetguard, Inc. (Cummins Incorporated)
• Inventors: Wieczorek, Mark T., Johnson, Mark J., Herman, Peter K., Thomas, Chad M., True-Dahl, Abby
• Primary Examiner(s): RIVELL, JOHN A
• Application Number:
  US11/490,330
• Publication Number:
  US 20080017256A1
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: 137/533.31, 137/533.19, 137/529, 137/533.2, 251/65
• US Class Current: 137/529
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/023 the valve member consisting only of a predominantly disc-shaped flat element
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/06 with guided stems
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/084 the magnet being used only as a holding element to maintain the valve in a specific position, e.g. check valves F16K31/082, F16K31/086 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7905 Plural biasing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7914 Cage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7915 Guide stem
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/792 Guide and closure integral unit

Abstract

A magnetic check valve includes a cage mountable in a fluid flow duct and supporting a plunger movable between a closed position blocking fluid flow past the valve, and an open position permitting fluid flow past the valve. One of the cage and the plunger includes a magnet, and the other of the cage and the plunger includes ferrous material magnetically attracted to the magnet to magnetically bias the plunger to the closed position.

Claims

1. A magnetic check valve comprising a cage mountable in a fluid flow duct and supporting a plunger moveable between a closed position blocking fluid flow past said valve, and an open position permitting fluid flow past said valve, one of said cage and said plunger including a magnet, the other of said cage and said plunger including ferrous material magnetically attracted to said magnet to magnetically bias said plunger to said closed position, wherein fluid flows axially in said duct, and said plunger slides axially in said duct in axial sliding relation along an axial guide track, wherein said fluid flows along an axial flow direction from upstream to downstream in said duct, said plunger comprises a disk spanning laterally relative to said axial flow direction and magnetically biased in an upstream axial direction to said closed position, and moveable in a downstream axial direction from said closed position to said open position against said magnetic bias, and wherein said plunger has at least one leg extending axially upstream from said disk, and said cage comprises a plate having at least one guide bore receiving said leg and guiding axial movement of said leg therethrough.

2. The magnetic check valve according to claim 1 wherein said plunger has a central said leg providing a pedestal extending axially upstream from said disk, and said plate has a central said guide bore receiving said pedestal and guiding axial movement of said pedestal therethrough, said pedestal providing said guide track.

3. The magnetic check valve according to claim 2 wherein said plate has a plurality of apertures around said central guide bore, said apertures permitting fluid flow axially therethrough.

4. The magnetic check valve according to claim 2 wherein said magnet is an annular ring magnet circumscribing said pedestal.

5. The magnetic check valve according to claim 2 wherein said pedestal has first and second shoulders axially spaced therealong, said first shoulder engaging said plate at said central guide bore during downstream axial movement of said pedestal along said central guide bore to limit and stop opening of said valve, said second shoulder being axially spaced downstream from said first shoulder and providing a mounting location for said magnet and setting the axial length of magnetic gap between said plate and said magnet in said closed position.

6. The magnetic check valve according to claim 2 wherein said pedestal comprises a plurality of extension legs extending axially through said central guide bore, said extension legs being laterally spaced by gaps therebetween permitting fluid flow therethrough.

7. The magnetic check valve according to claim 1 wherein said plunger has a plurality of said legs extending axially therefrom, and said cage comprises a plate having one or more guide bores each receiving one or more of said legs and guiding axial movement of said legs therethrough, said legs providing said guide track.

8. The magnetic check valve according to claim 7 wherein said magnet is secured to said plunger downstream of said plate and is adjacent said plate in said closed position and is axially spaced downstream from said plate in said open position.

9. The magnetic check valve according to claim 8 wherein said magnet is disk-shaped and spans laterally relative to said axial flow direction and is circumferentially surrounded by said plurality of legs.

10. The magnetic check valve according to claim 7 wherein said plate has a plurality of apertures laterally spaced from said guide bores, said apertures permitting fluid flow axially therethrough.

11. A magnetic check valve comprising a cage mountable in a fluid flow duct and supporting a plunger moveable between a closed position blocking fluid flow past said valve, and an open position permitting fluid flow past said valve, one of said cage and said plunger including a magnet, the other of said cage and said plunger including ferrous material magnetically attracted to said magnet to magnetically bias said plunger to said closed position, wherein fluid flows axially in said duct, and said plunger slides axially in said duct in axial sliding relation along an axial guide track, wherein said fluid flows alone an axial flow direction from upstream to downstream in said duct, said plunger comprises a disk spanning laterally relative to said axial flow direction and magnetically biased in an upstream axial direction to said closed, position, and moveable in a downstream axial direction from said closed position to said open position against said magnetic bias, wherein said cage has at least one leg extending axially downstream therefrom and guiding axial movement of said disk therealong, and wherein said cage has a plurality of said legs extending axially downstream therefrom and laterally circumscribing said disk and guiding said disk for axial movement therealong.

12. The magnetic check valve according to claim 11 wherein said cage has an upstream face plate spanning laterally relative to said axial flow direction, said face plate having one or more apertures permitting fluid flow axially therethrough, said legs of said cage being laterally spaced by gaps therebetween permitting fluid flow therethrough, said disk in said closed position engaging said face plate along a sealing surface laterally circumscribing said one or more apertures.

13. The magnetic check valve according to claim 12 wherein said legs have a stop shoulder spaced axially downstream of said face plate and engaging said disk during downstream axial movement of said disk to limit and stop opening of said valve.

14. A magnetic check valve comprising a cage mountable in a fluid flow duct and supporting a plunger moveable between a closed position b1ocking fluid flow past said valve, and an open position permitting fluid flow past said valve, one of said cage and said plunger including a magnet, the other of said cage and said plunger including ferrous material magnetically attracted to said magnet to magnetically bias said plunger to said closed position, wherein fluid flows axially in said duct, and said plunger slides axially in said duct in axial sliding relation along an axial guide track, wherein said fluid flows along an axial flow direction from upstream to downstream in said duct, said plunger comprises a disk spanning laterally relative to said axial flow direction and magnetically biased in an upstream axial direction to said closed position, and moveable in a downstream axial direction from said closed position to said open position against said magnetic bias, wherein said cage has an upstream face plate spanning laterally relative to said axial flow direction, said face plate having one or more apertures permitting fluid flow axially therethrough, said disk in said closed position engaging said face plate along a sealing surface laterally circumscribing said one or more apertures, wherein said cage has said guide track extending axially downstream from said face plate and laterally circumscribing said sealing surface and laterally circumscribing and engaging said disk and guiding said disk for axial movement therealong, and wherein said disk has one or more apertures permitting fluid flow axially therethrough, said one or more apertures being laterally spaced between said sealing surface and said guide track.

15. The magnetic check valve according to claim 14 wherein said guide track comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced legs separated by circumferential lateral gaps permitting fluid flow therethrough.

16. The magnetic check valve according to claim 14 wherein said guide track has a stop shoulder spaced axially downstream of said face plate and engaging said disk during downstream axial movement of said disk to limit and stop opening of said valve.

17. A magnetic check valve comprising a cage mountable in a fluid flow duct and supporting a plunger moveable between a closed position blocking fluid flow past said valve, and an open position permitting fluid flow past said valve, one of said cage and said plunger including a magnet, the other of said cage and said plunger including ferrous material magnetically attracted to said magnet to magnetically bias said plunger to said closed position, wherein fluid flows axially in said duct, and said plunger slides axially in said duct in axial sliding relation along an axial guide track, wherein said fluid flows along an axial flow direction from upstream to downstream in said duct, said plunger comprises a disk spanning laterally relative to said axial flow direction and magnetically biased in an upstream axial direction to said closed position, and moveable in a downstream axial direction from said closed position to said open position against said magnetic bias, wherein said cage has an upstream face plate spanning laterally relative to said axial flow direction, said face plate having one or more apertures permitting fluid flow axially therethrough, said disk in said closed position engaging said face plate along a sealing surface laterally circumscribing said one or more apertures, wherein said cane has said guide track extending axially downstream from said face plate and laterally circumscribing said sealing surface and laterally circumscribing and engaging said disk and guiding said disk for axial movement therealong, wherein said disk comprises a ferrous plate, and said magnet is secured to said cage upstream of said ferrous plate, and wherein said cage comprises a mounting seat securing said magnet thereto and spacing said magnet from said ferrous plate by a magnetic gap of defined axial length in said closed position, said face plate having a plurality of apertures laterally circumscribing said mounting seat and said magnet, and wherein said face plate comprises an annular segment spanning laterally between said mounting seat and said sealing surface, said annular segment having said plurality of apertures therethrough, said annular segment having an outer border at said sealing surface, said annular segment having an inner border at said mounting seat, said annular segment being tapered upstream as it laterally spans from said outer border to said inner border such that said inner border is axially spaced from said disk in said closed position by a first axial gap, the degree of said taper controlling the magnetic gap between said disk and said magnet provided by said first axial gap.

18. The magnetic check valve according to claim 17 wherein said outer border is spaced from said disk by a second axial gap, and wherein said first axial gap is greater than said second axial gap.

19. A magnetic check valve comprising a cage mountable in a fluid flow duct and supporting a plunger moveable between a closed position blocking fluid flow past said valve, and an open position permitting fluid flow past said valve, one of said cage and said plunger including a magnet, the other of said cage and said plunger including ferrous material magnetically attracted to said magnet to magnetically bias said plunger to said closed position, wherein fluid flows axially in said duct, and said plunger slides axially in said duct in axial sliding relation along an axial guide track, wherein said fluid flows along an axial flow direction from upstream to downstream in said duct, said plunger comprises a disk spanning laterally relative to said axial flow direction and magnetically biased in an upstream axial direction to said closed position, and moveable in a downstream axial direction from said closed position to said open position against said magnetic bias, wherein said disk has a curvilinear shape in axial cross-section, and wherein said disk is bowed concavely upstream such that a central portion of said disk is further upstream than a laterally outward portion of said disk, said magnet is secured to said cage, and said central portion is axially spaced from said magnet in said closed position by a magnetic gap having an axial length controlled by the degree of concave curvature of said disk.

20. A magnetic check valve comprising a cage mountable in a fluid flow duct and supporting a plunger moveable between a closed position blocking fluid flow past said valve, and an open position permitting fluid how past said valve, one of said cage and said plunger including a magnet, the other of said cage and said plunger including ferrous material magnetically attracted to said magnet to magnetically bias said plunger to said closed position, wherein fluid flows axially in said duct, and said plunger slides axially in said duct in axial sliding relation along an axial guide track, wherein said fluid flows along an axial flow direction from upstream to downstream in said duct, said plunger comprises a disk spanning laterally relative to said axial flow direction and magnetically biased in an upstream axial direction to said closed position, and moveable in a downstream axial direction from said closed position to said open position against said magnetic bias, and wherein said cage comprises a first cup-shaped member having an apertured lateral face plate and a first axial sidewall extending downstream therefrom, and said plunger comprises a second cup-shaped member having a lateral said disk and a second axial sidewall extending downstream therefrom, said disk being downstream of and axially facing said face plate, said second sidewall being laterally inward of and laterally facing said first sidewall, said second cup-shaped member being nested in and downstream of said first cup-shaped member.