Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16K—VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING
  • F16K17/00—Safety valves; Equalising valves, e.g. pressure relief valves
  • F16K17/02—Safety valves; Equalising valves, e.g. pressure relief valves opening on surplus pressure on one side; closing on insufficient pressure on one side
  • F16K17/04—Safety valves; Equalising valves, e.g. pressure relief valves opening on surplus pressure on one side; closing on insufficient pressure on one side spring-loaded
  • F16K17/0433—Safety valves; Equalising valves, e.g. pressure relief valves opening on surplus pressure on one side; closing on insufficient pressure on one side spring-loaded with vibration preventing means
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16K—VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING
  • F16K15/00—Check valves
  • F16K15/02—Check valves with guided rigid valve members
  • F16K15/025—Check valves with guided rigid valve members the valve being loaded by a spring
  • F16K15/026—Check valves with guided rigid valve members the valve being loaded by a spring the valve member being a movable body around which the medium flows when the valve is open
  • F16K15/028—Check valves with guided rigid valve members the valve being loaded by a spring the valve member being a movable body around which the medium flows when the valve is open the valve member consisting only of a predominantly disc-shaped flat element
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16K—VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING
  • F16K27/00—Construction of housing; Use of materials therefor
  • F16K27/02—Construction of housing; Use of materials therefor of lift valves
  • F16K27/0209—Check valves or pivoted valves
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16K—VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING
  • F16K47/00—Means in valves for absorbing fluid energy
  • F16K47/08—Means in valves for absorbing fluid energy for decreasing pressure or noise level and having a throttling member separate from the closure member, e.g. screens, slots, labyrinths
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T137/00—Fluid handling
  • Y10T137/7722—Line condition change responsive valves
  • Y10T137/7738—Pop valves
  • Y10T137/7739—Pop closing valves

Definitions

• This invention relates to relief valves. More particularly, this invention relates to relief valves having similar cracking and reseat pressures.
• the cracking pressure of a check valve is determined by the spring force and spring constant of the internal spring that constantly urges the poppet into a sealing position until unseated therefrom once the cracking pressure is attained and the valve is opened allowing fluid flow therethrough. Conversely, the poppet is reseated into its sealing, closed position by the force of the spring once the pressure is reduced to a predetermined resealing pressure.
• the cracking pressure is approximately equal to or slightly less than the reseating pressure to assure the relief valve will function to properly inflate the inflatable device to a pressure above the minimal inflation pressure without reaching the bursting pressure and to then reseat at a reseating pressure that is still above the minimal inflation pressure.
• the reseat pressure of many prior art relief valves is substantially lower than the cracking pressure.
• Another object of this invention is to provide a relief valve having a reseat pressure that is equal to or slightly less than its cracking pressure.
• Another object of this invention is to provide a relief valve that minimizes oscillations during opening or closing.
• Another object of this invention is to provide a relief valve having an increased flow rate.
• Another object of this invention is to provide a relief valve having a structure composed of a minimal number of parts to increase its reliability while decreasing cost of manufacture and assembly.
• this invention comprises a relief valve having a crenelated exhaust ring surrounding the poppet.
• the crenelated exhaust ring comprises a series of alternating crenels and merlons which together define an increasing cross-sectional exhaust area circumferentially about the poppet during cracking (i.e., once the pressure in the inflatable device exceeds the cracking pressure) as the poppet rises in the relief valve in response to increased pressures and, conversely, a decreasing cross-sectional exhaust area about the poppet during closing as the poppet lowers to its re-seated, sealed position.
• the particular design of the crenels in the form of a larger upper cross-sectional area to a smaller lower cross-sectional opening advantageously achieves a reseating pressure that is substantially equal to or slightly less than the cracking pressure while minimizing possible oscillations during re-seating of the poppet.
• the crenelated exhaust ring surrounding the poppet advantageously results in a relief valve having a higher flow rate at a given back pressure than would be achieved without the crenelated exhaust ring surrounding the poppet.
• Fig. 1 is a front view of the relief valve of the invention
• Fig. 2 is a an exploded front view of the relief valve of the invention (with spring omitted);
• Fig. 3 is a an exploded perspective top view of the relief valve of the invention (with spring omitted);
• Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective bottom view of the relief valve of the invention (with spring omitted);
• Fig. 5 is a perspective top view of the cap of the relief valve of the invention.
• Fig. 6 is a perspective bottom view of the cap of the relief valve of the invention.
• Fig. 7 is a perspective top view of the exhaust ring of the relief valve of the invention.
• Fig. 8 is a perspective bottom view of the exhaust ring of the relief valve of the invention.
• Fig. 9 is a perspective top view of the poppet of the relief valve of the invention.
• Fig. 10 is a perspective bottom view of the poppet of the relief valve of the invention.
• Fig. 11 is a perspective top view of the upper body of the relief valve of the invention.
• Fig. 12 is a perspective bottom view of the upper body of the relief valve of the invention.
• Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the relief valve of the invention showing the cylindrical spring installed.
• the present invention is an improvement of U.S. Patents 7,469,713 and 7,096,884, the disclosures of which are each hereby incorporated by reference herein. Similar to these earlier embodiments in these patents and using similar reference numerals where appropriate as shown in Figs. 1-4, the relief valve 10 of the invention comprises an upper body 12U and a lower body (not shown) threadably coupled together by complementary respective threads (see Fig. 12). A cap 14 is coupled to the upper body 12U. Cap 14 comprises a plurality of flow openings 16 about its periphery allowing internal fluid such as air to flow through the relief valve 10 to then be exhausted therefrom via openings 16 as shown by arrows 18.
• the upper body 12U and the lower body may be connected about an opening in an inflatable through the use of a complementary flanges 24 that sealingly capture the edge of the opening in the inflatable as the bodies are tightly threaded together.
• the lower body may comprise a heat-sealable flange that is sealed about the edge of the opening in the inflatable. Representative heat-sealable flanges are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,219,190, 4,015,622, 4,927,397 and 6,009,895, the disclosures of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
• the relief valve 10 of the invention comprises a poppet 30 having an annular groove 32 in which is positioned an annular O-ring 34 that seats on an annular seat 36 formed at the end of the lumen 38 of the upper body 12U (see Fig. 11).
• the poppet 30 is retained within the body 12U by an exhaust ring 40 that centers the poppet 30 yet allows it to reciprocate upwardly and downwardly during opening and closing of the valve 10.
• the poppet 30 includes a generally concave portion 46 having an upstanding protrusion 42 extending from the inside center thereof.
• Protrusion 42 comprises a plurality of interior webs 42W positioned at uniform intervals and forming a semi-spherical outer configuration.
• Poppet 30 further comprises three exterior webs 44 positioned at 120 degree intervals and being slightly tapered inwardly from the lumen 38 of the body 12.
• cap 14 comprises a plurality of tabs 14T that snap into corresponding slots 12US formed in the outer periphery of the cap 14 to securely retain the cap 14 into position.
• Cap 14 further comprises a plurality of downwardly extending legs 14L, such as three positioned at 120 degree intervals, to secure the exhaust ring 40 into position when the cap 14 is affixed to the upper body
• the exhaust ring 40 coupled with the exterior webs 44 assure that the poppet 30 may reciprocate upwardly within cap 14 without tilting sideways out of alignment where it might otherwise potentially jam.
• the relief valve 10 of the invention further comprises a cylindrical spring 50 having its uppermost coil 50U captured by an annular groove 14G formed in the underside of the cap 14.
• the lowermost coil 50L is dimensioned to fit into and be captured within the periphery of the concave portion 46 of the poppet 30.
• the exhaust ring 40 of the relief valve 10 of the present invention is best shown in Figs. 7 and 8.
• the exhaust ring 40 functions to center the poppet 30 about the annular seat 36 of the upper body 12U for proper sealing when the valve is closed and to guide the poppet 30 to rise straight upwardly during opening and to lower straight downwardly during closing to be once again properly re-seated in sealing engagement onto O-ring 34 positioned in the annular seat 36.
• the exhaust ring 40 defines the rate of exhausting fluid flow about the periphery of the poppet 30 as the poppet raises and lowers during opening and closing and to achieve a re-seating pressure that is substantially equal to or slightly less than the cracking pressure while minimizing possible oscillations during re-seating of the poppet.
• the exhaust ring 40 comprises an annular circular wall
• the upper edge of the annular wall 40W is crenelated, with a series of alternating crenels 40C and merlons
• a collar 52 is integrally formed about the wall 40W of the exhaust ring
• the collar 52 comprises a plurality of mounting holes 52H that are operatively positioned to fit over a corresponding plurality of mounting posts 52P extending upwardly from the periphery of the upper outer edge 36E of the annular seat 36.
• Arcuate ledges 12L extend upwardly about the periphery of the upper outer edge 36E to further centrally locate the collar 40C.
• the collar 52 further includes a plurality of resilient spring portions 52S that are aligned with the respective depending legs 14L extending from the underside of the cap 14.
• the resilient spring portions 52S when engaged by the legs 14L assure that the collar 40C of the exhaust ring 40 will remain tightly seated onto the upper outer edge 36E within allowable manufacturing tolerances.
• this stepped design of the crenels 40C produces a stepped decrease in the rate of exhausting as the poppet 30 lowers and transitions through the intersection of the upper and lower stepped portions 40CU and 40CL.
• the stepped increase/decrease in the rate of exhausting is believed to minimize possible noisy oscillations in the opening and closing of the poppet 30 because the poppet 30 opens and closes more pronouncedly than would otherwise occur without a stepped design.
• the relief valve of the invention may optionally incorporate a locking key (not shown) for fixedly locking the poppet 30 in its sealed, closed position seated on the annular seat 36 to thereby prevent the poppet 30 from cracking open irrespective of the internal pressure that would otherwise crack the poppet 30 against the force of the spring 50.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Safety Valves (AREA)
• Check Valves (AREA)

Priority Applications (9)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

Country Status (11)

Families Citing this family (7)

Citations (11)

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• 2014
  • 2014-04-18 NZ NZ713249A patent/NZ713249A/en unknown
  • 2014-04-18 JP JP2016509134A patent/JP6461099B2/ja active Active
  • 2014-04-18 EP EP14786010.0A patent/EP2986875B1/en active Active
  • 2014-04-18 BR BR112015026502-2A patent/BR112015026502B1/pt active IP Right Grant
  • 2014-04-18 WO PCT/US2014/034696 patent/WO2014172666A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2014-04-18 US US14/256,656 patent/US9732867B2/en active Active
  • 2014-04-18 CA CA2909724A patent/CA2909724C/en active Active
  • 2014-04-18 MX MX2015014673A patent/MX2015014673A/es active IP Right Grant
  • 2014-04-18 AU AU2014253727A patent/AU2014253727B2/en active Active
• 2015
  • 2015-10-11 IL IL241999A patent/IL241999B/en active IP Right Grant
  • 2015-10-13 ZA ZA2015/07620A patent/ZA201507620B/en unknown

Patent Citations (11)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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