Patent US2019525A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US2740263A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3886969A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Time delay vent valve
Assignee: United States Department of Energy
•
Filing: 1973-05-23
•
Granted: 1975-06-03
•
Expires: 1993-05-23
Abstract
Abstract A self-actuated valve that functions after a predetermined time delay. The valve can be used to determine the time a fluid is at a point of use or to control the flow of fluid to or from a point of use. The valve can be self resetting. Basically, the valve assembly consists of a spool-shaped piston positioned in a chamber of a housing having a continuously interconnected inlet, an optional outlet, and an exhaust port. The larger end of the spool-shaped piston is acted upon by the pressure within an accumulator volume and the small end of the piston forms a seal, thereby normally closing the exhaust port from the inlet. The piston is provided with a flow restrictive means that communicates the inlet with the accumulator. The accumulator can be provided with an optional venting valve. The time delay vent valve works in the following manner. Fluid flows into or through the valve housing and passes through the piston''s flow restrictive means into the accumulator. Since the accumulator end of the piston has a larger area than the inlet end, the total force on the accumulator end of the piston will exceed the total force on the inlet end after a period of time. The force differential moves the piston, which opens the seal, and allows the fluid to flow from the inlet through the exhaust port. The time delay is readily changed by simply changing the flow restrictive means in the piston. The valve can be self-resetting or can be externally reset by several techniques.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael L Shira
- 👤 Robert H Henderson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 04:30
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16K; F16K21/00; F16K21/04; F16K21/06; F16K21/12; F16K31/00; F16K31/12; F16K31/36; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T137/00; Y10T137/7722; Y10T137/7781; Y10T137/7835; Y10T137/7836
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
376 words
A time delay valve comprising: a housing defining a chamber therein, said housing comprising a first body portion and a second body portion interconnected by mating threaded sections of said first and second body portions, a piston-like member positioned in said chamber and having spaced end portions interconnected by a shank portion having a cross-sectional area smaller than said end portions, one of said end portions having a larger cross-sectional area than the other end portion, said housing being provided with a fluid inlet in open communication with a lower portion of said chamber, and with an exhaust port in communication with a central portion of said chamber, said central portion of said chamber having a cross-section greater than the cross-section of said lower portion of said chamber, means intermediate said lower portion and said central portion of said chamber defining a valve seat, said other end portion of said piston-like member being positioned to cooperate with said valve seat defining means such that a fluid seal is provided therebetween preventing fluid flow between said lower portion and said central portion of said chamber, means located in an upper portion of said chamber having a cross-section less than said central portion of said chamber and defining a pressure accumulator in fluid communication with said one end portion of said piston-like member, said lower, central, and upper portions of said chamber being in axial alignment with one another, said piston-like member being provided with a channel extending therethrough providing fluid communication between said lower portion of said chamber and said pressure accumulator means, and means forming a fluid flow restrictor and functioning as a time delay positioned in said channel, said fluid flow restriction forming means comprising a porous member positioned in an enlarged section of said channel such that a portion of the fluid flowing from said inlet into said lower portion of said chamber passes through said porous member into said pressure accumulator means thereby acting on the larger cross-sectional area of said one end portion of said piston-like member forcing said other end portion thereof away from said valve seat defining means and allowing fluid to pass from said lower portion to said central portion of said chamber and exhaust through said exhaust port.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
376 words
A time delay valve comprising: a housing defining a chamber therein, said housing comprising a first body portion and a second body portion interconnected by mating threaded sections of said first and second body portions, a piston-like member positioned in said chamber and having spaced end portions interconnected by a shank portion having a cross-sectional area smaller than said end portions, one of said end portions having a larger cross-sectional area than the other end portion, said housing being provided with a fluid inlet in open communication with a lower portion of said chamber, and with an exhaust port in communication with a central portion of said chamber, said central portion of said chamber having a cross-section greater than the cross-section of said lower portion of said chamber, means intermediate said lower portion and said central portion of said chamber defining a valve seat, said other end portion of said piston-like member being positioned to cooperate with said valve seat defining means such that a fluid seal is provided therebetween preventing fluid flow between said lower portion and said central portion of said chamber, means located in an upper portion of said chamber having a cross-section less than said central portion of said chamber and defining a pressure accumulator in fluid communication with said one end portion of said piston-like member, said lower, central, and upper portions of said chamber being in axial alignment with one another, said piston-like member being provided with a channel extending therethrough providing fluid communication between said lower portion of said chamber and said pressure accumulator means, and means forming a fluid flow restrictor and functioning as a time delay positioned in said channel, said fluid flow restriction forming means comprising a porous member positioned in an enlarged section of said channel such that a portion of the fluid flowing from said inlet into said lower portion of said chamber passes through said porous member into said pressure accumulator means thereby acting on the larger cross-sectional area of said one end portion of said piston-like member forcing said other end portion thereof away from said valve seat defining means and allowing fluid to pass from said lower portion to said central portion of said chamber and exhaust through said exhaust port.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
376 words
A time delay valve comprising: a housing defining a chamber therein, said housing comprising a first body portion and a second body portion interconnected by mating threaded sections of said first and second body portions, a piston-like member positioned in said chamber and having spaced end portions interconnected by a shank portion having a cross-sectional area smaller than said end portions, one of said end portions having a larger cross-sectional area than the other end portion, said housing being provided with a fluid inlet in open communication with a lower portion of said chamber, and with an exhaust port in communication with a central portion of said chamber, said central portion of said chamber having a cross-section greater than the cross-section of said lower portion of said chamber, means intermediate said lower portion and said central portion of said chamber defining a valve seat, said other end portion of said piston-like member being positioned to cooperate with said valve seat defining means such that a fluid seal is provided therebetween preventing fluid flow between said lower portion and said central portion of said chamber, means located in an upper portion of said chamber having a cross-section less than said central portion of said chamber and defining a pressure accumulator in fluid communication with said one end portion of said piston-like member, said lower, central, and upper portions of said chamber being in axial alignment with one another, said piston-like member being provided with a channel extending therethrough providing fluid communication between said lower portion of said chamber and said pressure accumulator means, and means forming a fluid flow restrictor and functioning as a time delay positioned in said channel, said fluid flow restriction forming means comprising a porous member positioned in an enlarged section of said channel such that a portion of the fluid flowing from said inlet into said lower portion of said chamber passes through said porous member into said pressure accumulator means thereby acting on the larger cross-sectional area of said one end portion of said piston-like member forcing said other end portion thereof away from said valve seat defining means and allowing fluid to pass from said lower portion to said central portion of said chamber and exhaust through said exhaust port.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
376 words
A time delay valve comprising: a housing defining a chamber therein, said housing comprising a first body portion and a second body portion interconnected by mating threaded sections of said first and second body portions, a piston-like member positioned in said chamber and having spaced end portions interconnected by a shank portion having a cross-sectional area smaller than said end portions, one of said end portions having a larger cross-sectional area than the other end portion, said housing being provided with a fluid inlet in open communication with a lower portion of said chamber, and with an exhaust port in communication with a central portion of said chamber, said central portion of said chamber having a cross-section greater than the cross-section of said lower portion of said chamber, means intermediate said lower portion and said central portion of said chamber defining a valve seat, said other end portion of said piston-like member being positioned to cooperate with said valve seat defining means such that a fluid seal is provided therebetween preventing fluid flow between said lower portion and said central portion of said chamber, means located in an upper portion of said chamber having a cross-section less than said central portion of said chamber and defining a pressure accumulator in fluid communication with said one end portion of said piston-like member, said lower, central, and upper portions of said chamber being in axial alignment with one another, said piston-like member being provided with a channel extending therethrough providing fluid communication between said lower portion of said chamber and said pressure accumulator means, and means forming a fluid flow restrictor and functioning as a time delay positioned in said channel, said fluid flow restriction forming means comprising a porous member positioned in an enlarged section of said channel such that a portion of the fluid flowing from said inlet into said lower portion of said chamber passes through said porous member into said pressure accumulator means thereby acting on the larger cross-sectional area of said one end portion of said piston-like member forcing said other end portion thereof away from said valve seat defining means and allowing fluid to pass from said lower portion to said central portion of said chamber and exhaust through said exhaust port.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
115 words
The valve defined in claim 1, wherein said housing is internally configured such that said chamber comprises a first section defining said lower portion and having a first cross-section, a second section having a cross-section larger than said first section defining said central portion and connected to said first section through a third section having a cross-section different from the cross-section of said first and second sections, and a fourth section adjacent said second section defining said upper portion having a cross-section less than the cross-section of said second section, said fluid inlet being connected to said first section of said chamber, and said exhaust port being connected to said second section of said chamber.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
51 words
The valve defined in claim 1, additionally including means operatively positioned in said second body portion of said housing for selectively venting said pressure accumulator means, and wherein said first body portion of said housing is provided with a fluid outlet in open communication with said lower portion of said chamber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
68 words
The valve defined in claim 1, additionally including resilient means located in said chamber and positioned to apply a biasing force against said piston-like member to normally maintain said fluid seal between said valve seat defining means and said other end portion of said piston-like member, said biasing force being overcome by fluid pressure in said accumulator means acting against said one end portion of said piston-like member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
68 words
The valve defined in claim 1, additionally including means for selectively venting said pressure accumulator means, said venting means being operatively mounted in a cavity in said housing, said cavity being in fluid communication with said pressure accumulator means and with the housing exterior, said venting means including a movable stem-like member positioned to initiate and terminate fluid communication between said pressure accumulator means and said housing exterior.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
61 words
The valve defined in claim 1, wherein said housing includes an internally configured portion intermediate said lower chamber portion and said central chamber portion comprising said valve seat defining means, and wherein said piston-like member is provided with a groove in said other end portion containing an o-ring which cooperates with said valve seat defining means to create said fluid seal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
72 words
The valve defined in claim 1, wherein said chamber includes an upper portion of a cross-section less than said central portion, wherein said one end portion of said piston-like member is provided with a peripherally located o-ring cooperating with an interior surface of said housing defining said central chamber portion and preventing fluid passage from said upper portion of said chamber, said upper portion of said chamber defining said pressure accumulator means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The valve defined in claim 1, wherein said porous member comprises a sintered metaL plug.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
158 words
The valve defined in claim 1, wherein said first body portion of said housing is internally configured such that said chamber comprises a first section defining said lower portion and having a first cross-sectional area, an adjoining second section having a larger cross-sectional area defining a shoulder therebetween, a third section having a cross-sectional area larger than said adjoining section and defining said central portion, and a threaded section of a cross-section less than said third section, wherein said second body portion of said housing is threadedly secured in said threaded section of said first body portion and having a cavity therein defining said upper portion of said chamber and containing said pressure accumulator means, said fluid inlet being in communication with said first section of said chamber, said exhaust port being in communication with said third section of said chamber, and a fluid outlet in said housing in open communication with said first section of said chamber.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
102 words
The valve defined in claim 9, wherein said valve seat defining means comprises a disk-like member having an aperture therein through which said shank portion of said piston-like member extends, said second body portion of said housing being in contact with said disk-like member for maintaining same against said shoulder of said first body portion of said housing, seal means positioned intermediate said disk-like member and said first body portion to prevent fluid leakage therebetween, said disk-like member including a projecting portion forming a seat against which said other of said end portions of said piston-like member abutts creating said fluid seal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
58 words
The valve defined in claim 10, wherein resilient means is positioned around said shank portion of said piston-like member and intermediate said one end portion of said piston-like member and said disk-like member creating a biasing force on said piston-like member to normally maintain said other end portion of said piston-like member in abuttment with said disk-like member.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1186780A
Cited
US2635574A
Cited
US2748797A
Cited
US3236261A
Cited
US3677300A
Cited
US3783848A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-06-02 | 1978-12-02 | 1979-06-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-06-02 | 1982-12-02 | 1983-06-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-06-02 | 1986-12-02 | 1987-06-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |