Valves and valve actuation – Lost motion between actuator and valve
Reexamination Certificate
2002-08-21
2004-02-17
Bastianelli, John (Department: 3754)
Valves and valve actuation
Lost motion between actuator and valve
C251S149600
Reexamination Certificate
active
06691978
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Gaseous fuels, such as butane and propane, have found a wide acceptance in household and/or recreational vehicle use. Such fuels are commonly used in association with gas grills, gas lamps, gas heaters, gas cutting torches, and other similar devices. When using such devices, an individual obtains a pressurized gas vessel or cylinder and then connects the vessel or cylinder to a gas consuming device. Typically, the gas consuming device operates at a pressure less than the gas pressure in the pressurized gas vessel or cylinder. As a result, a pressure regulator is mounted downstream of the valve on the pressurized gas vessel or cylinder to reduce the pressure of gas flowing through the valve and into the gas consuming device.
Presently, various safety regulations exist concerning the operation of the valve on the pressurized gas vessel or cylinder. As a result, several attempts have been made to minimize the escape or loss of gas when a gas consuming device is connected to and/or disconnected from the pressurized gas vessel or cylinder. In addition, gas escape or loss also occurs during the refilling of the gas vessel or cylinder. The most common cylinder valve insert is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,330,155 to Lechner, issued on Jul. 19, 1994. Another cylinder valve insert is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,638 to Home, issued on Sep. 10, 1996. Still another cylinder valve insert is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,582,201 to Lee, issued on Dec. 10, 1996. These three patents are incorporated herein by reference. These three cylinder valve inserts reduce the amount of gas escape or loss when a male connector is connected to the valve on the gas vessel or cylinder. However, these valve inserts still result in some gas escape or loss, especially after a male connector has been connected and disconnected several times from the gas vessel or cylinder.
The valve inserts of Lechner '155, Home '638 and Lee '201 are designed to be mounted to a standard cylinder valve. Each valve insert includes a tubular body a valve member and a seal mounted to the valve member. The valve member includes a docking member designed to form a seal with a nipple of a standard connection fitting. The valve member is biased by a valve member spring, thereby causing the valve member to resist movement when the nipple contacts the docking member. The valve member laterally moves in the tubular body as the nipple is further inserted into the tubular body. The lateral movement of the valve member causes the seal to move from a closed to an opened position, thereby allowing gas to flow between the connection fitting and the cylinder valve.
Home '638 is directed to an improvement over Lechner '155. Home '638 discloses a tubular member having L-shaped notches designed to mate with a wrench. The L-shaped notches are designed to simplify the insertion of the tubular body into cylinder valve. Home '638 also discloses that the valve member includes an abutment surface for engagement with a modified POL nipple. The modified POL nipple engages the docking member on the valve member in a manner to reduce gas from leaking between the POL nipple and the valve member. Home '638 discloses that the modifications to the valve member and the POL nipple overcome a problem associated with the valve insert disclosed in Lechner'155. Home '638 discloses that, after repeated use of the Lechner valve insert, the strength of the spring may weaken, resulting in the POL nipple not hermetically engaging the docking member prior to the seal moving to an opened position.
Although the arrangement disclosed in Home '638 may overcome a design shortcoming of Lechner '155, the redesigned valve member of Home '638 has its own shortcomings. The modified POL nipple is designed to contact and to abut a surface on the valve member to cause the valve member to move laterally. Prior to the valve moving, the contoured surfaces of the POL nipple form a seal with the docking member on the valve member. However, after continued use, the docking member will become compressed and/or become worn in certain regions. As a result, the end of the POL nipple will abut against the valve member and cause the seal to open prior to the POL nipple forming a seal with the docking member on the valve member, thereby resulting in gas escaping from the cylinder valve.
Lee '201 discloses a valve insert that is similar to the valve insert of Lechner '155 and Home '638. The valve insert has a spring positioned on the end of the seal instead of between the tubular body and valve member as shown in Lechner '155 and Home '638. Similar to the problems associated with the valve inserts of Lechner '155 and Home '638, after continued use, the docking member will become compressed and/or become worn in certain regions thereby, resulting in the seal being moved to the opened position prior to the POL nipple forming a seal with the docking member on the valve member.
In view of the disadvantages of present valve inserts, there is a continued demand for a valve insert that ensures adequate sealing with a separable male connection, and that will minimize the loss or escape of gaseous fuel when the cylinder is disconnected from and re-connected to the male connection.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is related to the field of valves, and more particularly to an improved insert which is adapted to be mounted to the outlet end of a cylinder valve to improve the sealing engagement with a separable male fitting. The invention is particularly directed to LPG cylinder valves for household and recreational vehicle use, and will be particularly described with reference thereto. However, the invention has broader applications and can be used in any type of fluid valve wherein the prevention of leaking or escaping fluid (e.g. gas and/or liquid) is desired. For instance, the improved insert can also be used in industrial applications (e.g., welding gas cylinders, oxygen cylinders for medical applications, shielding gas cylinders for welding, helium gas cylinders used to inflate objects, hydrogen fuel tanks, etc.).
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a cylinder valve such as, but not limited to, a LPG cylinder valve, includes a valve insert designed to reduce or prevent leakage of fluid from the cylinder valve when a fluid connector is connected to and/or disconnected from the cylinder valve. The valve insert can be removably or irremovably inserted in the cylinder valve. When the valve insert is removably inserted in the cylinder valve, the valve insert can be connected to the cylinder valve in a variety of manners such as, but not limited to, a threaded arrangement, a snap ring arrangement, a bolt or screw arrangement, a latch arrangement, spring clip arrangement, a clamp arrangement, and/or the like. When the valve insert is irremovably inserted in the cylinder valve, the valve insert can also or alternatively be connected to the cylinder valve in a variety of manners such as, but not limited to, gluing, welding, brazing, soldering, riveting and/or the like. Alternatively, the interior of the cylinder valve can be configured by molding, machining, or the like to integrally form one or more components of the valve insert in the cylinder valve.
In accordance with another and/or alternative aspect of the present invention, the valve insert is mounted as a unit on and/or in a cylinder valve outlet to selectively enable a flow of fluid therethrough when another fluid connector is sufficiently engaged therewith, and to substantially prevent such fluid flow,when the cylinder valve and the fluid connector are sufficiently separated from one another. The valve insert includes a body member, a valve member, a seal member, and a valve biasing member. The components of the valve insert can be made from a variety of materials such as, but not limited to, metal, ceramic, plastic and/or rubber (natural and/or synthetic). In one embodiment of the invention,
Bartos Josef A.
Grewal Harsharan
Bastianelli John
Fay Sharpe Fagan Minnich & McKee LLP
GAAP Gas Controls LLC
LandOfFree
Cylinder coupling device does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Cylinder coupling device, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Cylinder coupling device will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3341867