Check valves
AssigneeHamilton Sundstrand Corporation
InventorsPawel Czarnecki, Theodoros Sergiadis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to a rotary check valve, which utilizes the rotation of a rotary element to open and close the valve, rather than pivoting of hinge flappers, such as in other check valve designs. The rotary element is rotatably mounted to a valve plate which features shrouded openings that define windows. A plurality of vanes extending from the rotary element are used to close or open the windows in response to a reverse or forward fluid flow, respectively. This action opens or closes the valve. This design may reduce the force exerted on the valve components when the valve opens and closes, when compared to a pivoting hinge flapper design.
Claims15
A check valve comprising:
- a valve plate comprising a plurality of openings therethrough;
- a shroud extending from the valve plate around each of the openings, the shroud and the valve plate defining an at least partially circumferentially facing window;
- and
- a rotary element rotatably mounted to the valve plate about a rotational axis (R), the rotary element comprising a plurality of radially extending vanes, the rotary element mounted such that each vane is positioned between two adjacent shrouds;
- wherein the vanes are angled such that fluid flow incident thereon in a direction parallel to said rotational axis (R) will rotate the rotary element about the rotational axis (R);
- and
- wherein the rotary element is rotatable between an open position in which the vanes are spaced circumferentially from the windows to allow fluid to flow through the windows via the openings, and a closed position in which the vanes close the windows, thereby preventing fluid flow therethrough.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.