Fluid handling – Liquid level responsive or maintaining systems – By float controlled valve
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-08
2001-10-30
Walton, George L. (Department: 3753)
Fluid handling
Liquid level responsive or maintaining systems
By float controlled valve
C137S422000, C137S442000, C141S198000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06308729
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to filling apparatus for a pressurized fluid container, and particularly to a novel filling valve which achieves a faster filling rate of pressurized fluid containers with significantly reduced turbulence.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Pressurized fluid containers, such as pressurized LPG containers, are typically filled by transferring therein a fluid at high pressure from a pressurized fluid source, such as a tanker truck. The container is generally designed in the art such that when it has been filled to approximately 80% of its total volume, fluid begins to escape through a relief valve, thereby signaling that the container has been adequately filled and that the filling operation should be terminated.
Some municipal codes forbid allowing fluid, such as LPG, from escaping to the environment to signal the end of the filling process. Therefore, it is desirable to provide apparatus and methods for filling pressurized fluid containers without any fluid escaping to the environment.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,026,841 to Kozik, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, provides improved apparatus and methods for filling pressurized fluid containers without any fluid escaping to the environment. The pressurized fluid apparatus of U.S. Pat. No. 6,026,841 includes a pressurized fluid container, a pipe arranged for flow therethrough of the pressurized fluid into the container, a valve operatively connected to an end of the pipe disposed in the container, and a float attached to the valve. The float is insertable through an upper opening of the container.
The float is buoyed generally upwards by the pressurized fluid filling the container, such that when the float has been moved a predetermined amount, the float closes the valve and substantially stops flow of the pressurized fluid into the container. The valve is rotatably attached to the pipe and is closed by an angular upward movement of the float. The valve includes a tube with a longitudinal bore having a longitudinal axis formed therein, and a piston is slidingly disposed in the tube. When the float is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the piston sealingly abuts an internal end face of the tube, thereby closing the valve.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,026,841 further provides a bypass passageway such that a fluid, such as LPG vapor, can be conducted through the bypass passageway even during filling of the container. In this way, a consumer can constantly use the fluid, such as for home cooking, without interruption, even during filling of container.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention seeks to provide further improvements to U.S. Pat. No. 6,026,841. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,026,841, the pressurized fluid exits from the bottom of the valve into the pressurized fluid container. In the present invention, the pressurized fluid exits from a relatively large side port formed in the valve. The lateral exit of the pressurized fluid provides two surprising advantages. First, a significantly greater flow rate of pressurized fluid passes through the valve, meaning that the pressurized fluid container is filled faster than before. Second, the lateral exit of the pressurized fluid has significantly less turbulence than the bottom exit of U.S. Pat. No. 6,026,841. Thus, in the present invention, a faster filling rate is achieved with significantly reduced turbulence.
Another improvement of the present invention is concerned with release of the valve when the float arm starts to move downwards. The float arm is connected to a lever of the valve. When the level of the pressurized fluid goes down inside the container, the float arm swings downwards. At the moment the float arm swings downwards, the piston of the valve is supposed to move upwards, generally by means of a spring urging the piston upwards. However, if the float arm were to be rigidly connected to the valve lever, the valve lever could possibly interfere with the upward movement of the valve piston.
In the present invention, the float arm is connected to a lever of the valve in such a way that the float arm can rotate slightly with respect to the valve lever without causing any motion of the lever. This means that the float arm can descend a small amount before actuating the valve. The delay in actuating the valve permits the piston of the valve to move upwards without any interference from the valve lever.
There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a filling valve for a pressurized fluid container, including a tube with a longitudinal bore and a side port formed therein, a piston slidingly disposed in the tube, the piston being formed with a bore therethrough, a valve lever pivotally attached to a portion of the tube, the piston including a jutting portion which protrudes in a direction generally away from a bottom portion of the tube, a float arm attached to the valve lever, and a float mounted on the float arm, wherein when the float is positioned at a generally obtuse angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the tube, the jutting portion of the piston is raised and supported by the valve lever, such that the piston is raised and does not block the side port, thereby permitting fluid flow through the side port, and wherein when the float is sufficiently buoyed by a fluid, the float arm swings upwards and the jutting portion of the piston is no longer supported by the valve lever and the piston moves downwards and blocks the side port, thereby preventing fluid flow through the side port. The side port is preferably located on a side of the tube opposite to the float and float arm.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the jutting portion includes an elongate pin fixedly attached to the piston.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the piston is biased by a biasing device, which applies a force against the piston in a direction generally towards an upper portion of the tube.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention an upper end of the bore of the piston is larger in diameter than a lower end thereof.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the float arm is pivotally attached to the valve lever.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the float arm and the valve lever are configured such that there is a clearance between an internal perimeter of the float arm and the valve lever, wherein because of the clearance, the float arm is rotatable through an angle with respect to the valve lever without causing motion of the valve lever.
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Abelman ,Frayne & Schwab
K.C. Technologies Ltd.
Walton George L.
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