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US 10,993,546 B2Granted
Noise reducing plunger
AssigneeSleep Number Corporation
InventorsAnthony John Shakal, Casey Carlson, Ryan Douglas
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A valve can include a solenoid coil, a plunger having a core configured to respond to a magnetic field generated by the solenoid coil, and a valve disc. The valve disc can be positioned at a head of the core and configured to cushion impact when the valve is closed. A projection can be positioned and configured to cushion impact when the valve is opened. The valve can be used in an air bed system in fluid connection between an air pump and an inflatable air chamber of a mattress.
Claims16
An air bed system comprising:
- a mattress having at least one inflatable air chamber;
- an air pump;
- and
- a valve in fluid connection between the air pump and the inflatable air chamber so as to selectively regulate fluid communication between the air pump and the air chamber, wherein the valve comprises:
- a solenoid coil;
- a plunger having a core configured to respond to a magnetic field generated by the solenoid coil, wherein the core defines a shoulder extending circumferentially around the core;
- a valve seat;
- a seal insert;
- a core spring positioned between the seal insert and the core, wherein the core spring wraps at least partially around the core and abuts the shoulder to push against the core to bias the plunger toward a closed position;
- and
- a valve disc positioned at a head of the core and comprising an elastomer configured to cushion impact when the valve is closed, wherein the head of the core is sized and shaped to abut an opposing surface of the valve disc at a center of the head and to be spaced from the opposing surface near a rim of the head when the valve is in an open position, and wherein the core spring is positioned between the seal insert and the core so as to bias the core away from the seal insert such that the valve disc contacts the valve seat when the solenoid is not energized.
8 more elements
An air bed system comprising:
- a mattress having at least one inflatable air chamber;
- an air pump;
- and
- a valve in fluid connection between the air pump and the inflatable air chamber so as to selectively regulate fluid communication between the air pump and the air chamber, wherein the valve comprises:
- a solenoid coil;
- a plunger having a core configured to respond to a magnetic field generated by the solenoid coil;
- a valve seat;
- a seal insert;
- a core spring positioned between the seal insert and the core;
- and
- a valve disc positioned at a head of the core and comprising an elastomer configured to cushion impact when the valve is closed, wherein the head of the core is sized and shaped to abut an opposing surface of the valve disc at a center of the head and to be spaced from the opposing surface near a rim of the head when the valve is in an open position, and wherein the core spring is positioned between the seal insert and the core so as to bias the core away from the seal insert such that the valve disc contacts the valve seat when the solenoid is not energized, wherein the core spring is configured to push on the core which in turn pushes the valve disc against the valve seat and curves the valve disc such that the head of the core continues moving forward and a space between the head of the core and the opposing surface of the valve disc is reduced or eliminated when the solenoid coil is not energized.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.