Mitigating ice build up in a fluid handling assembly
AssigneeGoodrich Corporation
InventorsDariusz Sapija, Agata Kurowska, Piotr Zajac
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fluid handling assembly comprising a cavity in which water may become trapped due to use of the assembly, and a membrane disposed in the cavity. The membrane divides the cavity into a first sub-cavity on a first side of the membrane that is configured to collect any water trapped in the cavity and a second sub-cavity on a second, opposite side of the membrane. The membrane is configured to change shape such that the first sub-cavity increases in volume and the second sub-cavity decreases in volume in response to being subjected to water freezing conditions. The increase in volume accommodates an increase in volume of any water that may be trapped in the first sub-cavity when it freezes to ice.
Claims15
A fluid valve comprising:
- a valve body;
- a valve seal;
- and
- a cavity defined between the valve body and the valve seal in which water may become trapped due to use of the fluid valve;
- and
- a membrane disposed in the cavity, wherein the membrane divides the cavity into a first sub-cavity on a first side of the membrane that is configured to collect any water trapped in the cavity and a second sub-cavity on a second, opposite side of the membrane, wherein the first sub-cavity is defined between the valve seal and the membrane and the second sub-cavity is defined between the membrane and the valve body;
- and
- wherein the membrane is configured to change shape such that the first sub-cavity increases in volume and the second sub-cavity decreases in volume in response to being subjected to water freezing conditions;
- and
- an elastic adhesive provided in the second sub-cavity for securing the membrane in place in the cavity, wherein the elastic adhesive fills the second sub-cavity.
A method of accommodating ice build-up from water trapped in a fluid valve having a valve body and a valve seal, the method comprising:
- disposing a membrane in a cavity of the fluid valve defined between the valve body and the valve seal where water may become trapped due to use of the fluid valve;
- using the membrane to divide the cavity into a first sub-cavity on a first side of the membrane that is configured to collect any water trapped in the cavity and a second sub-cavity on a second, opposite side of the membrane, wherein the first sub-cavity is defined between the valve seal and the membrane and the second sub-cavity is defined between the membrane and the valve body;
- configuring the membrane to change shape such that the first sub-cavity increases in volume and the second sub-cavity decreases in volume in response to being subjected to water freezing conditions in order to accommodate an increase in volume of any water that may be trapped in the first sub-cavity when it freezes to ice;
- filling the second sub-cavity (118b) with an elastic adhesive;
- and
- securing the membrane (120) in place in the cavity (116) with the elastic adhesive.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.