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US 11,635,098 B2Granted
Pneumatic actuator end cap having an integral volume booster
AssigneeFisher Controls International LLC
InventorsPaul Taylor Alman, Jason Gene Olberding
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed that produce a pneumatic actuator end cap having an integral volume booster. An example pneumatic actuator end cap includes a first cavity to provide a first fluid passageway to receive a pressurized fluid from a source external to the pneumatic actuator end cap, a second cavity to provide a second fluid passageway to route the pressurized fluid to an internal chamber of a pneumatic actuator in which a piston is disposed, and a third cavity containing a fluid valve to control a flow of the pressurized fluid between the first fluid passageway and the second fluid passageway.
Claims14
A pneumatic actuator end cap comprising:
- a unitary body structured to couple to a pneumatic actuator, the body having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and an annular side wall between the first surface and the second surface, the body including a first portion of a volume booster integrally formed with the body, the first portion of the volume booster including:
- a first cavity formed in the annular side wall to provide a first fluid passageway to receive a first pressurized fluid from a source external to the pneumatic actuator end cap;
- a second cavity formed in the second surface to provide a second fluid passageway to route the pressurized fluid to an internal chamber of a pneumatic actuator structured to receive a piston;
- a third cavity formed at least partially between the first surface and the second surface;
- and
- a fluid valve positioned at least partially in the third cavity to control a flow of the pressurized fluid between the first fluid passageway and the second fluid passageway;
- and;
- a cover defining a second portion of the volume booster, the cover to couple to the first portion of the volume booster defined by the body, the cover to enclose the third cavity when the cover is coupled to the body, the cover including a fourth cavity defining a third fluid passageway to receive a second pressurized fluid external to the pneumatic actuator end cap, the second pressurized fluid being different than the first pressurized fluid, the second pressurized fluid providing a pilot signal to the fluid valve positioned at least partially in the third passageway to regulate an output of the volume booster.
5 more elements
A pneumatic actuator system comprising:
- a cylinder defining a pressure chamber structured to receive a piston;
- and
- an end cap coupled to the cylinder, the end cap including a body having a first surface, a second surface, and an annular flange positioned between the first surface and the second surface;
- the body including a plurality of pneumatic volume boosters radially spaced relative to a longitudinal axis of the end cap, each of the volume boosters including a plurality of cavities integrally formed in the body of the end cap, the cavities of respective ones of the volume boosters to provide fluid passageways to control a flow of a first pressurized fluid within the system, each of the volume boosters including at least a first cavity formed in the annular flange to define a first inlet port to receive a supply fluid from a supply source and a second cavity in the second surface to define a first outlet port in fluid communication with the pressure chamber of the cylinder.
1 more element
A method comprising:
- forming an end cap of a pneumatic actuator, the end cap having a first wall, a second wall and an annular side wall positioned between the first wall and the second wall, the annular side wall being non-parallel relative to at least one of the first wall or the second wall, during formation of the end cap:
- forming a plurality of first portions of volume boosters with the end cap, the first portions of the volume boosters being radially spaced relative to a longitudinal axis of the end cap, formation of each of the first portions of the volume boosters including:
- forming a first cavity in the side wall of the end cap, the first cavity to provide a first fluid passageway to receive a first pressurized fluid from an external source;
- forming a second cavity in at least a portion of the second wall of the end cap, the second cavity to provide a second fluid passageway to route the first pressurized fluid to an internal chamber of pneumatic actuator;
- and
- forming a first part of a third cavity between the first wall and the second wall;
- and
- forming a flow control valve in at least the first part of the third cavity, the flow control valve to control a flow of the first pressurized fluid between the first fluid passageway and the second fluid passageway;
- and
- forming a plurality of second portions of the volume boosters, ones of the second portions to couple to respective ones of the first portions, each of the second portions defining a second part of the third cavity when coupled to respective ones of the first portions, each of the second portions including a third fluid passageway to receive a second pressurized fluid, the second pressurized fluid being different than the first pressurized fluid, the second pressurized fluid providing a pilot signal to regulate an output of the volume boosters.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.