Fluid flow fuse
US6202683A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 22, 1999 |
| Grant date | Mar 20, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 22, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T137/7791
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A fluid flow fuse has a body, which includes an inlet and an outlet with a valve seat therebetween. A valve stem having a valve member thereon is mounted in the body, and the valve member is operably connected to a diaphragm, which separates a region within the body into a pair of separate pressure chambers. Fluid passages are formed in the body communicating the separate pressure chambers with downstream pressure from the outlet and upstream pressure from the inlet. The pressure differential between the chambers is minimized so that at least one spring will normally hold the valve member in an open position, until the pressure differential reaches a predetermined amount, whereby the valve member is slowly and smoothly closed until fluid flow through the fuse is stopped. The valve seat and valve member do not form a perfectly tight seal, so as to allow some leakage, thereby allowing restricted fluid flow into the downstream side of the fuse and any system connected thereto, to equalize upstream and downstream pressures, which allows the valve to reset itself. Different types of valves, namely, sleeve valves and poppet valves, are used for different embodiments.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.