Pressure relief valve apparatus, system and method
AssigneeVortech Engineering, Inc.
InventorJames Middlebrook
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pressure relief valve includes a hollow body having an inlet and an outlet, with the hollow body including at least one aperture extending through a surface of the hollow body. An actuator assembly is attached to the hollow body and a sleeve is slideably positioned about the hollow body, with the sleeve moveably attached to the actuator assembly. During operation, the actuator assembly moves the sleeve from a first position that covers the aperture to a second position that un-covers at least a portion of the aperture.
Claims17
A pressure-relief valve apparatus, comprising:
- a hollow body having a longitudinal axis and an inlet opening and an outlet opening, each having a flange to enable removeable coupling to an internal combustion engine, the hollow body including at least one aperture extending through a surface of the hollow body, with the at least one aperture positioned transverse to the longitudinal axis and open to the outside of the hollow body;
- an actuator assembly coupled to the hollow body;
- and
- a sleeve slideably positioned about the hollow body, the sleeve comprising a cylinder lacking apertures on a lateral surface of the sleeve;
- where the actuator assembly is structured to move the sleeve from a first position that covers the at least one aperture to a second position that un-covers at least a portion of the aperture so that a fluid can pass from inside the hollow body through the at least one aperture.
A pressure-relief valve apparatus, comprising:
- a hollow body having a longitudinal axis and an inlet and an outlet, each having a flange to enable removeable coupling to an internal combustion engine, the hollow body including at least one aperture extending through a surface of the hollow body, with the at least one aperture positioned transverse to the longitudinal axis and open to the outside of the hollow body;
- two actuator assemblies coupled to the hollow body, with each actuator assembly comprising an electric motor structured to moveably position a shaft;
- and
- a sleeve slideably positioned about the hollow body, and coupled to both shafts, the sleeve comprising a cylinder lacking apertures on a lateral surface of the sleeve;
- where the actuator assemblies are structured to move the sleeve from a first position that covers the at least one aperture to a second position that un-covers at least a portion of the aperture so that a fluid can pass from inside the hollow body through the at least one aperture.
A method of decreasing a pressure in a pressurized system, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a hollow body having a longitudinal axis and an inlet and an outlet, each having a flange to enable removeable coupling to an internal combustion engine, the hollow body including at least one aperture extending through a surface of the hollow body, with the at least one aperture positioned transverse to the longitudinal axis and open to the outside of the hollow body;
- providing an actuator assembly coupled to the hollow body;
- providing a sleeve slideably positioned about the hollow body, and moveably coupled to the actuator assembly, the sleeve comprising a cylinder lacking apertures on a lateral surface of the sleeve;
- and
- moving the sleeve from a first position that covers the at least one aperture to a second position that un-covers at least a portion of the aperture, thereby decreasing a pressure in the pressurized system by allowing a fluid to pass from inside the hollow body through the at least one aperture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.