WO2009077520A1

WO2009077520A1 - Integrated pressure reducing valve assembly

Info

Publication number: WO2009077520A1
Application number: PCT/EP2008/067598
Authority: WO
Inventors: Paul Kremer
Original assignee: Luxembourg Patent Company S.A.
Priority date: 2007-12-17
Filing date: 2008-12-16
Publication date: 2009-06-25
Also published as: LU91402B1

Abstract

An integrated pressure reducing valve assembly, namely for a pressurized gas container, comprises in a common body (12): a high pressure gas inlet port, a high-pressure circuit portion, a shut-off valve, a pressure regulator (16), a low-pressure circuit portion and a low-pressure gas outlet port. A high-pressure gauge (20) is in communication with the high-pressure circuit portion and a low-pressure gauge (54) is in communication with the low-pressure circuit portion. The low-pressure gauge (54) is mounted onto a removable connector unit (56) for removably connecting a consumer equipment to the low pressure gas outlet port.

Description

INTEGRATED PRESSURE REDUCING VALVE ASSEMBLY

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a valve assembly with integrated pressure regulator, namely for coupling to a pressurized gas container such as a gas cylinder/bottle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventionally, pressurized gas bottles were equipped with a valve, which had to be connected to a pressure regulator on site, thereby involving additional connecting/disconnecting operations before use.

For improved safety and comfort, valve assemblies combining a shut-off valve and a pressure regulator within a single body have been proposed, especially in the medical field, which can be connected directly to a low- pressure utilization circuit. In such valve assembly, also known as Valve Integrated Pressure Regulator (VIPR), the high and low-pressure circuit portions are integrated together in a common valve body, together with a shut- off valve and adjustable pressure regulator. A typical VIPR is illustrated in Fig.1. The valve 2 has a body 3 comprising a base 4 with an external thread for mounting to a gas cylinder, a high-pressure inlet port arranged in the base and a low-pressure outlet port fitted with an outlet nipple 5. The gas circuit extends from the inlet port to the outlet port and comprises in series a manually actuated shut-off valve 6 and an adjustable pressure regulator 7. The valve body is also designed to accommodate a high-pressure gauge 8 and a low-pressure gauge 9, which are respectively in communication with the high and low pressure circuit portions of the valve assembly, and allow the user to check the bottle and the service pressures.

A recurrent problem with such valve assemblies is the failure or deficiency of the low-pressure gauge. Indeed, while the high-pressure gauge is a rugged device with low accuracy and simple mechanism, the low-pressure gauge is a precise measuring device with a more sophisticated and fragile mechanism.

In practice, it has been observed that shocks on the valve assembly and/or cylinder during transport and handling is a frequent cause of failure of the fragile low-pressure gauge. Users of such bottles being not authorized to modify/repair the valve assembly themselves — in order to replace the defective low-pressure gauge — the bottles must be shipped back to the gas production plant, although they may not be empty.

In other words, failure of the low pressure gauge in a valve integrated pressure regulator is a problematic issue since it is not foreseeable, and generates logistics and repair costs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to reduce damage and failure problems of low-pressure gauges due to shocks and the like during handling and transport of bottles equipped with integrated pressure reducing valve assemblies, the present invention proposes a valve assembly in accordance with claim 1.

According to an important aspect of the present invention, the low- pressure gauge is not integrated in the valve body, but is mounted onto a connector unit, which serves to removably connect a consumer equipment to the low pressure gas outlet port. Hence, removing the connector unit from the valve assembly causes disconnection of the consumer equipment fed by the valve assembly, and also causes removal of the low-pressure gauge from the valve assembly. This allows, when the present valve assembly is coupled to a pressurized gas cylinder, separating the fragile low-pressure gauge from the valve assembly for transportation and handling of the bottle. Removal of the low-pressure gauge from the valve assembly and gas cylinder avoids shocks, vibrations, etc. to the gauge, which would otherwise happen during transport and handling, and thus drastically reduces the risks of failure and damage of the low-pressure gauge. For ease of connection, the low-pressure gas outlet port and the inlet of the connector unit shall advantageously be provided with cooperating, detachable coupling means, preferably of the quick-connecting type. Preferably, a male quick-connector fitting is mounted onto the low-pressure gas outlet port in the valve body and the connector unit has an inlet formed as a female quick- connector.

As it will be understood, the connector unit may be part of a consumer equipment, utilization circuit, user hose and the like, in which case its outlet is fixedly connected to one of the latter. Accordingly, the present invention also concerns a combination of valve assembly and consumer equipment, or user circuit or hose, wherein the connector unit is integral with the consumer equipment or user circuit/hose, i.e., the outlet of the connector unit is fixedly connected with one of the latter while its inlet is removably connected to the valve's outlet port. Alternatively, the connector unit may have its outlet provided with connecting means, preferably of the quick-connecting type, to allow connection thereto of the consumer equipment, utilization circuit, hose etc.

Although quick-connecting means are preferred on the connector unit, threaded connections may of course also be used. In one embodiment, the connector unit has an internal gas passage, which is formed by an upstream conduit portion defining the inlet and to which a downstream conduit portion defining the outlet is sealingly coupled. The low- pressure gauge is preferably coupled to the downstream conduit portion.

Optionally, at least one of a filter, check valve and flame arrestor may be arranged in the internal gas passage defined by the connector unit, preferably in the upstream conduit portion, depending on the application.

This two part structure of the connector unit permits to easily adapt, during its manufacturing, a variety of upstream conduit portions formed with the desired inlet diameters and connecting means, and with desired equipment inside the conduit portion. Advantageously, the low-pressure gauge and connector unit are partially enclosed by a protective housing, preferably a plastic housing, e.g. in an elastomeric material.

A residual pressure valve (RPV) may advantageously be serially arranged in the high-pressure circuit portion in order to close the latter in case the pressure in the cylinder falls below a predetermined pressure.

Optionally, a filling circuit may be defined in the body, allowing filling of the bottle on which the valve assembly is mounted.

The shut-off valve has an associated actuating mechanism, preferably of the manual type, that allows moving the valve member in order to close or open the gas flow through valve assembly.

The pressure regulator may typically have an associated adjusting mechanism to adjust the low pressure, which is preferably of the manual type. The low-pressure gauge thus permits a reading of the delivered gas pressure. However the pressure regulator may also be of the non-adjustable type, in which case the low-pressure gauge permits to check proper operation of the regulator. In the latter case, the body may include a flow regulator to vary the flow rate of low-pressure gas.

Preferably the low- and high-pressure gauges are of the mechanical type, featuring a measuring mechanism and a display with indicator needle. However they could be of the electronic type with a sensor. Besides, while the low- pressure gauge typically is configured to give the user a pressure reading, it can be configured to provide an indication of flow rate delivered by the valve assembly. Advantageously, the connecting means on the connector unit and on the low pressure gas outlet of the valve body may be additionally provided with mechanical coding means (or designed to provide such coding), which are meant to allow connection of a connector unit to a valve's gas outlet only if both are provided with corresponding/matching coding means. This avoids connec- tion of equipment not meant to be fed with the type of gas in the bottle on which the valve is mounted. Such coding means may also be designed to avoid connection of a connector unit not equipped with a low-pressure gauge, thereby avoiding use of the bottle without an appropriate connector unit in accordance with the present invention. The present valve assembly has been especially designed for mounting on pressurized gas recipients such as cylinders/bottles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 : is a perspective view of a conventional VIPR; FIG. 2: is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of an integrated pressure reducing valve assembly in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3: is a longitudinal section view through the valve assembly of Fig.2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A preferred embodiment of an integrated pressure reducing valve assembly 10 in accordance with the present invention is shown in perspective in Fig.2. As it may be recognized, the valve assembly 10 comprises a body 12 having a profiled lower end 13 with an external thread (not shown) forming a mounting base e.g. to a gas cylinder. As will be seen in detail below, an outlet connector 14, a pressure regulator housing 16, a manual valve actuator 18 and a high-pressure gauge 20 are attached to the valve body 12. It shall be appreciated that the measure of the pressure of the low- pressure gas delivered by the regulator 16 is permitted by a low-pressure gauge 54 that is mounted onto a connector unit 56, which is removably connected to the outlet connector 14 in the valve's low-pressure outlet port.

As it may more clearly be seen in Fig.3, the body 12, which may be made of brass or another metal, defines, on the inside, a utilization circuit with a high- pressure portion comprising: a high-pressure gas inlet port 22 at the opening of a stepped inlet channel 24 which extends in the body's lower end 13 substantially parallel to the axis of the latter, and which opens into a transverse channel 26 itself opening into a valve chamber 28. The end of the transversal channel 26 opening into the valve chamber 28 forms a valve seat 30, with which a valve member 32 cooperates to allow, or sealingly close, the flow of gas through the valve assembly 10. Another transverse channel 34 leads from the valve chamber 28 to a bore 38 accommodating a residual pressure valve 40, from which an oblique channel 42 leads to a high-pressure chamber 44 of the pressure regulator 16. Surrounding the high-pressure chamber 44 is an annular chamber 46 accommodating part of the regulator 16 mechanism, as will be explained below. Downstream of the pressure regulator 16 is the low- pressure circuit portion. Low-pressure gas exiting the pressure regulator 16 flows into the vertical channel 48, which opens into the outlet passage 50 itself opening in a low-pressure outlet port 52, in which the outlet connector 14 is mounted.

The operation of the shut-off valve and pressure regulator will now only be briefly described, as their operating principles are known in the art. Control of the shut-off valve 32 is achieved by means of a manual actuating mechanism accommodated in a stepped bore 60 coaxial with the valve chamber 28. The valve member 32 comprises a lower spindle 62, which is coupled to an upper spindle 64, itself rotationally coupled to a hand wheel 66. The upper spindle 64 has an external thread which cooperates with an internal thread in gland nut 68, whereby rotation of the handwheel 66 causes an axial displacement of the upper 64 and lower 62 spindles, and thus permits to lift-off the valve member 32 or bring it onto its seat 30, depending on the direction of rotation.

Pressure regulator 16 is of the single-stage type and comprises a regulator spindle 70 biased towards a regulator seat 72. The upper part of spindle 70 engages a downwardly biased piston 74 slideable in chamber 46. The inner piston 74 surface is stepped and defines with chamber 46 a variable detent chamber that communicates with vertical passage 48. As it is known to those skilled in the art, the gas detent occurs through the annular orifice defined between spindle 70 and seat 72. Technically, the low-pressure side is situated downstream of the regulator seat 72. The regulator closing pressure can be adjusted by rotation of the hand wheel 76, which determines the force exerted by spring 78 on piston 74.

Although not shown in Fig.3, the high-pressure gauge 20 is in permanent communication with the high-pressure circuit portion downstream of the shut-off valve 32, thereby allowing checking of the pressure bottle at any time.

Referring now more specifically to the connector unit 56, it has an internal gas passage 80 extending between an inlet 82 and an outlet 84. The internal gas passage 80 is defined, in the present embodiment, by an upstream conduit portion 86 sealingly coupled to a downstream conduit portion 88. The end of upstream conduit portion 86 bearing the inlet 82 is formed as female quick- connector, which is connected to outlet connector 14 formed as a male quick- connector. In the Figs, the quick-connecting means are only briefly illustrated, as these are known in the art.

The low-pressure gauge 54 is coupled to the Tee-shaped downstream conduit portion 88 and is in permanent communication with the internal gas passage 80 via channel 90 opening in bore 92 in which low-pressure gauge 54 is screwed. The outlet end 84 of the downstream conduit portion is formed as a quick-connector for cooperating with a quick connector of a consumer equipment (not shown).

A protective plastic housing 94 partially encloses the low pressure gauge 54 and connector unit 56. The housing may be made e.g. from elastomeric material.

In another, not-shown, embodiment the outlet 84 of the connector unit 56 is fixedly connected to a consumer equipment, or user circuit or hose. For example, the connector unit may be fixedly attached at one end of a flexible feed hose of a medical device. This means that the connector unit 56, although removably connected to the valve assembly 10, is not designed to be sepa- rated from its consumer equipment. Hence, when the gas cylinder on which the present valve is mounted is empty, the connector unit 56 with the low pressure gauge is disconnected from the valve's outlet connector 14, but remains connected to its associated consumer equipment. Typically, the inlet of the connector unit may be provided with a quick-connector while the fixed connection of the outlet to a consumer equipment hose may be carried out using threaded connections or other more permanent fixing means, as it is known by those skilled in the art.

This is quite different from the conventional practice employing a cylinder shut-off valve connected to a regulator with low pressure gauge, where the consumer equipment would first be disconnected from the regulator, and then the regulator dismounted from the valve.

It may further be noted that connector unit 56 has a particular structure allowing a handy and efficient use thereof. As already mentioned, the integration of the pressure gauge in the connector unit, in this application a low pressure gauge 54, avoids the need for such gauge on the valve to which it is connected. The upstream conduit portion 86 with the inlet 82 is advantageously removably coupled to the downstream conduit portion 88 with the outlet 84, which allows easy exchange or replacement of the upstream conduit portion 86, in particular to install another upstream conduit portion with a different configuration of inlet port (e.g. different diameter). The housing 94, preferably made from plastic, forms a protective coating for the connector and allows an easy grip of the connector 56. The housing 94 is preferably arranged to partially enclose the pressure gauge and the downstream conduit portion 88, while leaving the tip of the upstream conduit portion 86 accessible for exchange and connection. The optional arrangement of one or more of a filter, check valve and flame arrestor in the gas passage 80, further increases the safety of use.

In another possible embodiment (not shown) of the connector unit, the upstream and downstream conduit portions are coupled to one another via an intermediate coupling portion fixedly mounted inside the housing. The pressure gauge may then be in communication with this intermediate coupling portion while both the upstream and downstream conduit portions can be exchanged.

Claims

1. An integrated pressure reducing valve assembly, namely for a pressurized gas container, comprising in a common body: a high pressure gas inlet port, a high-pressure circuit portion, a shut-off valve, a pressure regulator, a low- pressure circuit portion and a low-pressure gas outlet port, said valve as- sembly further comprising: a high-pressure gauge in communication with the high-pressure circuit portion; a low-pressure gauge in communication with the low-pressure circuit portion; and a connector unit for removably connecting a consumer equipment to said low pressure gas outlet port; characterized in that said low-pressure gauge is mounted onto said removable connector unit.

2. The valve assembly according to claim 1 , characterized in that said low- pressure gas outlet port and the inlet of said connector unit are provided with cooperating, detachable coupling means, preferably of the quick- connecting type.

3. The valve assembly according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a male quick-connector fitting is mounted onto said low-pressure gas outlet port in the valve body; and in that said connector unit has an inlet formed as a female quick-connector.

4. The valve assembly according to any one claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said connector unit is fixedly connected to a consumer equipment, or user circuit or hose.

5. The valve assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said connector unit comprises an internal gas passage pro- vided with at least one of a filter, check valve and flame arrestor.

6. The valve assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that said internal gas passage is formed by an upstream conduit portion with the inlet that is sealingly, and preferably removably, coupled to a downstream conduit por- tion with the outlet.

7. The valve assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that said low- pressure gauge is in fluid communication with the downstream conduit portion of said connector unit.

8. The valve assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, charac- terized in that said low-pressure gauge and connector unit are partially enclosed by a housing, preferably from plastic material, more preferably made from elastomeric material.

9. The valve assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by a filling circuit in the body allowing filling of the bottle on which the assembly is mounted.

10. The valve assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by means for manually adjusting the pressure regulator.

11. The valve assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said shut-off valve comprises associated valve actuating means.

12. The valve assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the low-pressure gauge is configured to indicate a gas pressure or flow rate of delivered gas.

13. The valve assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, charac- terized by cooperating mechanical coding means on the valve body and connector unit.

14.A pressurized gas cylinder equipped with a valve assembly according to any one of the preceding claims.

15. Assembly of a valve assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 13 and of a consumer equipment, wherein said consumer equipment has a fixed feed line ending with said connecting unit fixedly secured thereto, and said connector unit is removably connected to said low pressure gas outlet port of said valve assembly.

16.A connector unit for connecting a valve to a consumer equipment or user circuit, said connector unit comprising an internal gas passage extending between an inlet and an outlet; a pressure gauge in communication with said internal gas passage; and a protective housing; wherein said gas pas- sage is formed by an upstream conduit portion with the inlet that is sealingly coupled to a downstream conduit portion with the outlet.

17. The connector unit according to claim 16, wherein said inlet is provided with detachable coupling means, preferably of the quick-connecting type, configured to cooperate with an outlet port of said valve.

18. The connector unit according to claim 16 or 17, wherein said upstream conduit portion is removably coupled to said downstream conduit portion to allow its replacement or exchange.

19. The connector unit according to claim 16, 17 or 18, wherein said housing is made from plastic, preferably elastomeric material.

20. The connector unit according to any one of claims 16 to 19, wherein at least one of a filter, check valve and flame arrestor is provided in said gas passage.

21. The connector unit according to any one of claims 16 to 20, comprising a flexible hose fixedly connected to its outlet.