Valve assembly
AssigneeArtemis Inielligent Power Limited
InventorsMun Keong Chang, Henry Dodson, Jens Eilers
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A valve assembly for regulating the flow of working fluid between a working chamber of a fluid working machine and a working fluid gallery comprises: a valve comprising a valve member and one or more cooperating valve seats; an actuator actuatable to apply a force to urge the valve member away from or towards the one or more valve seats; and a coupling between the actuator and the valve member. The coupling comprises a connector located at least partially within a tube. A connector void provided between at least a portion of the connector and the tube is in fluid communication with a working fluid gallery outlet.
Claims18
A valve assembly for regulating the flow of working fluid between a working chamber of a fluid working machine and a working fluid gallery, the valve assembly comprising:
- a valve comprising a valve member and one or more cooperating valve seats;
- an actuator actuatable to apply a force to urge the valve member away from or towards the one or more valve seats;
- and
- a coupling between the actuator and the valve member comprising a connector located at least partially within a tube,
- wherein a connector void provided between at least a portion of the connector and the tube is in fluid communication with a working fluid gallery outlet, and
- wherein the connector void is in fluid communication with the valve only by way of one or more leakage paths defined by clearances between valve assembly components, which clearances are smaller than or equal to close running or sliding fits.
A fluid working machine comprising a working chamber, a working fluid gallery and a valve assembly, the valve assembly being arranged to regulate a flow of working fluid between the working chamber and the working fluid gallery, the valve assembly comprising:
- a valve comprising a valve member and one or more cooperating valve seats;
- an actuator actuatable to apply a force to urge the valve member away from or towards the one or more valve seats;
- and
- a coupling between the actuator and the valve member comprising a connector located at least partially within a tube,
- wherein a connector void provided between at least a portion of the connector and the tube is in fluid communication with a working fluid gallery outlet, and
- wherein the connector void is in fluid communication with the valve only by way of one or more leakage paths defined by clearances between valve assembly components, which clearances are smaller than or equal to close running or sliding fits.
A valve assembly for regulating the flow of working fluid between a working chamber of a fluid working machine and a working fluid gallery, the valve assembly comprising:
- a valve comprising a valve member and one or more cooperating valve seats;
- an actuator actuatable to apply a force to urge the valve member away from or towards the one or more valve seats;
- and
- a coupling between the actuator and the valve member comprising a connector located at least partially within a tube,
- wherein a connector void provided between at least a portion of the connector and the tube is in fluid communication with a working fluid gallery outlet,
- wherein the coupling further comprises an armature located within an armature void which is in fluid communication with the connector void such that the armature void is in fluid communication with the working fluid gallery outlet by way of the connector void, and
- wherein the connector void is in fluid communication with the valve by way of a leakage path through a clearance provided between a first connector guide, located adjacent to the valve such that it is exposed at one side to fluid pressure around the valve, and the connector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.