Patent · US Expired

Flow control system

US5000221A · kind A · utility

25Cited by
7References
38Claims
0Family size

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateSep 11, 1989
Grant dateMar 19, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 11, 2009

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T137/7822
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

To control the flow of a fluid from an environment to a vacuum source, a device including a piston (2) is mounted in the path of the fluid. The path is not vented so that the mass of fluid entering the device is equal to the mass exiting the device. The piston (2) is mounted so that it may constrict the path at a constriction point (5), and so that it may move in a direction (14) transverse to the flow of the fluid at the constriction point (5). The frontal face (15) of the piston (2) is exposed to the fluid in the path, and the distal face (16) of the piston (2) is exposed to a reference pressure (17). A restoring force, such as a spring (10) or the weight of the piston (2) is exerted on the piston (2) so as to tend to widen the path at the constriction point (5).

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.