Rapid opening gas valve
AssigneeGaither Tool Company, Inc.
InventorDaniel Kunau
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pneumatically operated gas valve mounted on a vessel containing pressurized gas. The gas valve includes a piston positioned in a cylinder with one closed end so that the piston seats against a gas outlet to close the gas valve. A control reservoir is formed in the cylinder between the piston and the closed end of the cylinder. Upon filling vessel, some of the pressurized gas enters the control reservoir to provide a control pressure behind the piston. Actuating the control mechanism vents the control reservoir, resulting in the gas valve opening rapidly to release the pressurized gas in the vessel through an exhaust port of the gas valve.
Claims17
A gas valve in pneumatic communication with a source of pressurized gas, the gas valve comprising:
- a cylinder affixed to the source of pressurized gas in an airtight manner;
- an endcap of the gas valve attached to a proximal end of the cylinder, the proximal end of the cylinder being in contact with the pressurized gas;
- a piston configured to slide back and forth within the cylinder, wherein a distal end of the piston is configured to move in a distal direction until coming to rest with the valve being in a closed position;
- a control chamber formed within the cylinder between the endcap of the gas valve and a proximal end of the piston;
- and
- a control valve comprising a control valve inlet pneumatically connected to the control chamber and a control valve outlet pneumatically connected to atmosphere outside the gas valve;
- wherein the piston is configured to allow some of the pressurized gas to leak past the piston into the control chamber;
- wherein in response to opening the control valve, the piston reaches an open valve position in 50 ms or less, the 50 ms or less being measured from a time that the distal end of the piston pulls away from being at rest in the closed position, the open valve position being reached upon the piston reaching at least 75% of a total distance the piston is capable of traveling in a proximal direction.
A method of quickly pneumatically connecting a source of pressurized gas through a gas valve, the method comprising:
- providing a cylinder affixed to the source of pressurized gas in an airtight manner;
- attaching an endcap of the gas valve to a proximal end of the cylinder, the proximal end of the cylinder being in contact with the pressurized gas;
- configuring a piston to slide back and forth within the cylinder, wherein a distal end of the piston is configured to move in a distal direction until coming to rest with the valve being in a closed position;
- forming a control chamber within the cylinder between the endcap of the gas valve and a proximal end of the piston;
- and
- providing a control valve comprising a control valve inlet pneumatically connected to the control chamber and a control valve outlet pneumatically connected to atmosphere outside the gas valve;
- and
- opening the control valve and causing the piston to reach an open valve position in 50 ms or less, the 50 ms or less being measured from a time that the distal end of the piston pulls away from being at rest in the closed position, the open valve position being reached upon the piston reaching at least 75% of a total distance the piston is capable of traveling in a proximal direction;
- wherein the piston is configured to allow some of the pressurized gas to leak past the piston into the control chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.