Spring-capture assembly for a spring-biased mechanism and pressure relief valve including same
DCFirst Claim
1. A pressure relief valve for venting a pressure vessel containing a pressurized fluid, comprising:
- a mount, said mount having a lower portion adapted for mounting to the pressure vessel, a passageway for venting fluid therethrough, and an upper portion defining a first mating structure circumscribing said passageway;
a valve seat supported on said mount about said passageway;
a poppet matable with said valve seat to occlude said passageway and disrupt a flow of fluid therethrough, said poppet having an open position spaced from said valve seat and a closed position in abutting said valve seat;
a housing having a first portion defining a second mating structure complementary to said first mating structure, and at least one vent to atmosphere configured such that, when said poppet is in said open position, said passageway is in fluid communication with said atmosphere, and an opening for admitting passage of a tool;
a spring retainer having a mating structure mechanically interlockable with the tool, and a flange; and
a compression spring mounted within said housing and captured at one end by said housing and at an opposite end by said flange of said spring retainer, said compression spring biasing said poppet from an open position spaced from said valve seat toward a closed position in abutting relationship with said valve seat, seat compression spring having an axis and said opening of said housing being aligned with said axis.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A spring capture assembly is provided for securing a compression spring of a spring-biased mechanism, such as a spring-biased pressure relief valve, to permit disassembly of the mechanism without risk of damage or injury associate with rapid resiling of the spring from a compressed state. The assembly includes a tool, a housing having an opening for admitting passage of the tool and capturing the spring at one end, a spring retainer, and a compression spring mounted within the housing and captured at one end by said housing and toward an opposite end by the spring retainer. The tool is adapted for mating with the spring retainer and the housing to compress the spring therebetween. The spring capture assembly may be incorporated into a pressure relief valve for venting pressure and/or vacuum from a pressure vessel. Provided also is a method for disassembling a spring-biased mechanism including a spring capture assembly.
3 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A pressure relief valve for venting a pressure vessel containing a pressurized fluid, comprising:
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a mount, said mount having a lower portion adapted for mounting to the pressure vessel, a passageway for venting fluid therethrough, and an upper portion defining a first mating structure circumscribing said passageway; a valve seat supported on said mount about said passageway; a poppet matable with said valve seat to occlude said passageway and disrupt a flow of fluid therethrough, said poppet having an open position spaced from said valve seat and a closed position in abutting said valve seat; a housing having a first portion defining a second mating structure complementary to said first mating structure, and at least one vent to atmosphere configured such that, when said poppet is in said open position, said passageway is in fluid communication with said atmosphere, and an opening for admitting passage of a tool; a spring retainer having a mating structure mechanically interlockable with the tool, and a flange; and a compression spring mounted within said housing and captured at one end by said housing and at an opposite end by said flange of said spring retainer, said compression spring biasing said poppet from an open position spaced from said valve seat toward a closed position in abutting relationship with said valve seat, seat compression spring having an axis and said opening of said housing being aligned with said axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A spring capture assembly for a spring-biased mechanism comprising:
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a tool having an elongated member bearing threads, and supporting a complementarily threaded nut; a housing having an opening for admitting passage of said tool; a spring retainer mechanically interlockable to said tool; and a compression spring mounted within said housing and captured at one end by said housing and at an opposite end by said spring retainer, said compression spring having an axis and said opening of said housing being aligned with said axis; whereby rotation of said nut relative to said elongated member with said tool mated to said spring retainer and said nut abutting said housing withdraws the tool relative to the housing and acts to compress said compression spring between said spring retainer and said housing. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A method for disassembling a spring-biased mechanism having a spring capture assembly for capturing a compression spring of the mechanism, the method comprising:
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manually grasping an elongated tool having a distal end; inserting the distal end of the tool through a housing of the spring capture assembly; mating the distal end of the tool with a spring retainer of the spring capture assembly; manipulating the tool to draw up the spring retainer and compress the compression spring between the spring retainer and the housing; disassembling the spring-biased mechanism; and wherein disassembling the spring capture assembly from the spring-biased mechanism comprises rotating the housing of a spring-biased pressure relief valve relative to a mount of a pressure vessel to decouple complementary mating structures on the mount and on the housing. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A pressure relief valve for venting a pressure vessel containing a pressurized fluid, comprising:
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a mount having a lower portion adapted for mounting to the pressure vessel, a passageway for venting fluid therethrough, and an upper portion defining a first mating structure circumscribing said passageway; a valve seat supported on said mount about said passageway; a poppet matable with said valve seat to occlude said passageway and disrupt a flow of fluid therethrough, said poppet having an open position spaced from said valve seat and a closed position in abutting said valve seat; a housing having a second mating structure interengaged with said first mating structure, said housing having a top portion defining an opening and an internal passageway, said housing defining at least one vent to atmosphere configured such that, when said poppet is in said open position, said passageway is in fluid communication with said atmosphere; a spring retainer comprising a flange and a first threaded portion axially aligned with said opening, said internal passageway extending at least from said opening to said first threaded portion; said compression spring mounted within said housing and captured at one end by said housing and at an opposite end by said flange of said spring retainer, said compression spring biasing said poppet from an open position spaced from said valve seat toward a closed position in abutting relationship with said valve seat; and a threaded member disposed in said opening and along said internal passageway, said threaded member comprising a second threaded portion in threaded engagement with said first threaded portion, said threaded member comprising a shoulder portion contacting said top portion, said threaded member being configured such that rotating said threaded member causes said shoulder to urge against said top portion and move said first threaded portion axially relative to said second treaded portion, thereby causing said spring retainer to move relative to said housing. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification