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Pressure regulator for hydrogen storage system

  • US 9,074,703 B2
  • Filed: 10/28/2008
  • Issued: 07/07/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2008
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A pressure regulator comprising:

  • a main body;

    a piston having an outlet face and a longitudinal axis and a first channel integrally formed within the piston, a wall of the first channel forming a first portion of the piston and adapted to cooperate with the main body to form a seal between the piston and the main body;

    a first biasing device disposed within the first channel, the first portion of the piston disposed radially outward of the first biasing device with respect to the longitudinal axis, the first biasing device exerting a radial outward force from the longitudinal axis to secure the first biasing device in the first channel while simultaneously exerting a force on the first portion of the piston to abut an interior wall of the main body to form the seal between the first portion of the piston and the main body, wherein the first biasing device does not contact the interior wall of the main body; and

    an end cap coupled to the main body to enclose the piston, the end cap having an inner surface in contact with a first portion of the outlet face of the piston in an open position of the pressure regulator, the end cap further including a recess defining an outlet pressure chamber disposed radially inward of the inner surface, the first channel and the first biasing device both positioned radially outward of the recess in the open position of the pressure regulator such that in the open position of the pressure regulator the first channel and the first portion of the outlet face of the piston are not exposed to a first pressure in the recess;

    wherein a force caused by a second pressure in the outlet pressure chamber exceeding a loading force of a loading element causes the piston to move away from the end cap further exposing the inner surface of the end cap in addition to the first portion of the outlet face and the first channel of the piston to the second pressure in the outlet pressure chamber thereby adding a surface area of each of the first portion of the outlet face of the piston and the first channel to a surface area of the piston exposed to the pressure in the outlet pressure chamber.

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