Fluid handling – Line condition change responsive valves – Bi-directional flow valves
Patent
1987-12-14
1989-08-01
Nilson, Robert G.
Fluid handling
Line condition change responsive valves
Bi-directional flow valves
1375395, 137859, 25112916, 25112917, F16K 1514, F16K 1718, F16K 3106
Patent
active
048526053
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to a valve comprising a movable obturating member and a conjugate annular seat, said obturating member being able to move along a direction perpendicular to the plane of the seat in order to come and obturate the latter, or to move away therefrom, the valve being then capable of interrupting or allowing the flow of a fluid through said seat.
In a valve of this type, the displacements of the obturating member with respect to its seat are generally accompanied by frictions between the movable parts, these frictions causing said parts to wear out, and being sources of pollution of the fluid by solid particles coming off said parts (and risking to cause obstructions in the circuit of fluid). Such phenomena are particularly bad when the valve as well as the equipment associated thereto are required to have a long life and in cases when the valve cannot be controlled or maintained.
It is the object of the present invention to overcome these drawbacks, with a valve which works without friction, in which the obturating member, preferably constituted by a ball cooperating with a truncated seat, is fixed in the center of a substantially flat flexible circular membrane, placed in parallel to the plane of the seat, said membrane, which is mechanically isotropic about its center, being deformable in the direction perpendicular to its plane, but substantially rigid in any direction radial to the latter, whereas said membrane is constrained along its contour in a base with which the said seat is fast.
In a valve of this design, the displacements of the obturating member are only accompanied by deformations of the membrane through bending out of its natural plane, without any friction either between the obturating member and the central part of the member (with respect to which it is fixed), or between the contour of the membrane and the base supporting it (due to the constraining connection provided here). There is therefore no wearing down due to friction, and even less risks of pollution of the fluid flowing through the valve, this making the valve, as well as the devices to which said valve is connected, long lasting and extremely reliable. In addition, a valve according to the invention no longer needs lubricating, since there is no risk of seizing. Also, since the membrane causes the obturating member to be perfectly and permanently co-axial to its seat, there is no friction either between these last elements, which procures excellent and durable tightness.
According to one particular embodiment, the membrane comprises a central circular opening and the obturating member is fixed to a support in which the membrane is constrained along the contour of said opening. This novel constraining condition ensures the fixedness of the obturating member with respect to the center part of the membrane.
The constraining connection of the membrane with the base and optionally with the support of the obturating member can be obtained by welding, adhesive bonding, gripping or crimping, or by any other equivalent joining means.
In one embodiment, the membrane, with optionally the support in which it is constrained in its center, form a continuous wall defining a chamber with the base, said latter being provided with an orifice allowing the fluid to flow through said chamber.
In another embodiment, the membrane is perforated to allow the fluid to flow therethrough; the base then has no other orifice but the one necessary to allow the flow of fluid to reach the obturatable seat.
The membrane may be so designed as to be elastically deformable so that, being mounted in pre-stressed condition, it exerts a restoring force on the obturating member, which force can for example tend to apply the obturating member on its seat. A valve which has such a structure is directly applicable to the production of a non-return valve.
It is further possible to associate to a valve as above-defined an actuating device with which to control the displacements of its obturating member. When said actuating device is an electro-magnet, w
REFERENCES:
patent: 3105507 (1963-10-01), Dunmire
patent: 4252116 (1981-02-01), Genese
patent: 4365747 (1982-12-01), Knapp
Nilson Robert G.
Societe Anonyme: Societe Europeenne De Propulsion
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