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US 11,959,564 B2Granted
Valve seat assembly
AssigneeMueller International, LLC
InventorsTimothy Wayne Stern, Stephen Adrianus de Boer, Fairlyte Paige Eubank
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Example aspects of a seat assembly for a valve, a valve, and a method for opening a valve are disclosed. The seat assembly for a valve can comprise a diaphragm defining a first diaphragm end and a second diaphragm end, the diaphragm comprising a diaphragm end wall at the second diaphragm end, the diaphragm end wall defining an inner diaphragm end wall surface and an outer diaphragm end wall surface; and a diaphragm guide comprising a guide disc, the guide disc defining an inner guide disc surface and an outer guide disc surface, the outer guide disc surface abutting the inner diaphragm end wall surface.
Claims24
A seat assembly for a valve, the seat assembly comprising:
- a valve body defining a pair of ports, the valve body comprising:
- a valve body step defining a recessed valve body sealing surface;
- and
- an annular diaphragm support flange comprising a rounded support surface;
- a diaphragm defining a first diaphragm end supported by the annular diaphragm support flange, the diaphragm comprising an annular diaphragm step extending about the recessed valve body sealing surface to form a seal at a second diaphragm end in a closed orientation, the diaphragm comprising:
- a diaphragm end wall at the second diaphragm end, the diaphragm end wall defining an inner diaphragm end wall surface and an outer diaphragm end wall surface, the outer diaphragm end wall surface defining the annular diaphragm step between the inner diaphragm end wall surface and the outer diaphragm end wall surface, a head pad extending from the annular diaphragm step to the outer diaphragm end wall surface engaging the recessed valve body sealing surface in the closed orientation;
- and
- a diaphragm sidewall coupled to the diaphragm end wall and extending from the first diaphragm end to the second diaphragm end, the diaphragm sidewall defining the annular diaphragm step between a diaphragm sealing surface of the outer diaphragm end wall surface and the diaphragm sidewall;
- and
- a diaphragm guide comprising:
- a guide disc defining an inner guide disc surface and an outer guide disc surface, the outer guide disc surface abutting the inner diaphragm end wall surface;
- and
- a guide stem monolithically formed with the guide disc.
10 more elements
A valve comprising:
- a valve body defining an inlet cavity region and an outlet cavity region, the valve body comprising:
- a valve body step defining a recessed valve body sealing surface;
- and
- a diaphragm support flange comprising a rounded support surface;
- a bonnet coupled to the valve body;
- and
- a seat assembly configured to move between an open orientation and a closed orientation, comprising:
- a diaphragm defining a diaphragm end wall at a second diaphragm end comprising a head pad extending from an inner end wall surface and an outer end wall surface and defining a diaphragm step opposite the valve body step defined between the inner end wall surface and the outer end wall surface, an annular diaphragm flange at a first diaphragm end retained between the bonnet and the valve body and supported the diaphragm support flange, and a diaphragm sidewall coupled to the diaphragm end wall and extending from the first diaphragm end to the second diaphragm end, the diaphragm sidewall defining the annular diaphragm step between a diaphragm sealing surface of the outer diaphragm end wall surface and the diaphragm sidewall;
- a diaphragm guide defining a guide disc abutting the diaphragm end wall;
- and
- a spring biasing the seat assembly to the closed orientation, a first spring end of the spring secured to the guide disc by engagement of the first spring end with a disc groove of the guide disc;
- wherein in the open orientation, fluid is permitted to flow between the inlet cavity region and the outlet cavity region;
- and
- wherein in the closed orientation, the head pad, comprising the outer end wall surface and the diaphragm step, engages the annular support flange of the valve body step, and fluid is prohibited from flowing between the inlet cavity region and the outlet cavity region.
11 more elements
A valve comprising:
- a valve body defining a pair of ports and comprising a valve body step defining a recessed valve body sealing surface, a diaphragm support flange comprising a rounded support surface, an inlet cavity region, and an outlet cavity region;
- a bonnet coupled to the valve body and defining an upper chamber, the bonnet defining a bonnet bore;
- a seat assembly movable between an open orientation and a closed orientation and defining an equalization pathway extending from the inlet cavity region to the upper chamber, comprising:
- a diaphragm supported by the diaphragm support flange and a diaphragm guide, the diaphragm guide defining a guide disc and a guide stem;
- and
- a diaphragm end wall at a second diaphragm end comprising a head pad extending from an inner wall to an outer wall and defining a diaphragm step between the inner wall and the outer wall and opposite the valve body step, the guide disc abutting the diaphragm end wall, the guide stem configured to slide through the bonnet bore,
- a diaphragm sidewall coupled to the diaphragm end wall and extending from a first diaphragm end to the second diaphragm end, the diaphragm sidewall defining the diaphragm step between a diaphragm sealing surface of the outer wall and the diaphragm sidewall;
- a depressurization pathway extending from the upper chamber to the outlet cavity region;
- and
- a solenoid system comprising a plunger, the plunger movable between a closed position, wherein the depressurization pathway is sealed by abutment of the plunger with an inlet channel of the depressurization channel, which causes engagement of the head pad and diaphragm step of the diaphragm to the recessed valve body sealing surface and the valve body step of the valve body, and an open position, wherein the depressurization pathway is unsealed.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.