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US 12,514,376 B2Granted
Sleep system noise reducing valve
AssigneeSleep Number Corporation
InventorsAnthony John Shakal, Casey Carlson, Ryan Douglas
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A valve can include a solenoid coil, a plunger having a core configured to respond to a magnetic field generated by the solenoid coil, and a valve disc. The valve disc can be positioned at a head of the core and configured to cushion impact when the valve is closed. A projection can be positioned and configured to cushion impact when the valve is opened. The valve can be used in an air bed system in fluid connection between an air pump and an inflatable air chamber of a mattress.
Claims19
A sleep system comprising:
- at least one inflatable chamber;
- a pump;
- and
- a valve in fluid connection between the pump and the at least one inflatable chamber so as to selectively regulate fluid communication between the pump and the at least one inflatable chamber, the valve comprising:
- a solenoid coil;
- a plunger comprising a core, the plunger configured to respond to a magnetic field generated by the solenoid coil;
- a valve seat;
- a core spring at least partially abutting the core to push against the core to bias the plunger toward a closed position;
- and
- a valve disc positioned at a head of the core, the valve disc configured to cushion impact when the valve is closed, the head of the core sized and shaped to abut an opposing surface of the valve disc at a center of the head and to be spaced from the opposing surface near a rim of the head when the valve is in an open position, the core spring positioned with respect to the core so as to bias the core such that the valve disc contacts the valve seat when the solenoid coil is not energized, wherein the valve disc is configured to curve such that the head of the core continues moving forward and a space in a receptacle of the valve disc between the head of the core and the opposing surface of the valve disc is reduced or eliminated when the valve is closed.
7 more elements
A sleep system comprising:
- at least one inflatable chamber;
- a pump;
- and
- a valve in fluid connection between the pump and the at least one inflatable chamber so as to selectively regulate fluid communication between the pump and the at least one inflatable chamber, the valve comprising:
- a solenoid coil;
- a plunger comprising a core, the plunger configured to respond to a magnetic field generated by the solenoid coil;
- a valve seat;
- a core spring at least partially abutting the core to push against the core to bias the plunger toward a closed position;
- and
- a valve disc positioned at a head of the core, the valve disc configured to cushion impact when the valve is closed, the head of the core sized and shaped to abut an opposing surface of the valve disc at a center of the head and to be spaced from the opposing surface near a rim of the head when the valve is in an open position, the core spring positioned with respect to the core so as to bias the core such that the valve disc contacts the valve seat when the solenoid coil is not energized, wherein a front surface of the head is rounded, a surface of the valve disc opposing the front surface of the head is flat, and the surface of the valve disc opposing the front surface of the head is configured to bend around the front surface of the head when the head pushes the valve disc against the valve seat.
7 more elements
A pump assembly comprising:
- a pump;
- and
- a valve in fluid connection with the pump and configured to fluidly connect to at least one inflatable chamber so as to selectively regulate fluid communication between the pump and the at least one inflatable chamber, the valve comprising:
- a solenoid coil;
- a plunger having a core configured to respond to a magnetic field generated by the solenoid coil;
- a valve seat;
- a core spring positioned with respect to the plunger so as to bias the plunger to a closed position;
- and
- a valve disc positioned at a head of the core, the valve disc configured to cushion impact when the valve is closed, wherein the head of the core sized and shaped to abut an opposing surface of the valve disc at a center of the head and to be spaced from the opposing surface near a rim of the head when the valve is in an open position, wherein the core spring is positioned so as to bias the plunger such that the valve disc contacts the valve seat when the solenoid coil is not energized, and the core spring configured to push on the core which in turn pushes the valve disc against the valve seat and curves the valve disc such that the head of the core continues moving forward and a space between the head of the core and the opposing surface of the valve disc is reduced or eliminated when the solenoid coil is not energized.
6 more elements
A sleep system comprising:
- at least one inflatable chamber;
- a pump;
- and
- a valve in fluid connection between the pump and the at least one inflatable chamber so as to selectively regulate fluid communication between the pump and the at least one inflatable chamber, the valve comprising:
- a solenoid coil;
- a plunger having a core configured to respond to a magnetic field generated by the solenoid coil;
- and
- a valve disc positioned at a head of the core and configured to cushion impact when the valve is closed, the valve disc comprising:
- a forward-facing surface;
- a rear-facing surface;
- a receptacle, the head of the core positioned in the receptacle;
- and
- a plurality of projections attached to the rear-facing surface of the valve disc and extending in a rearward direction from the rear-facing surface away from the forward-facing surface, each of the plurality of projections sized and positioned to cushion the impact when the valve is opened, each of the plurality of projections extending from the rear-facing surface of the valve disc at a position that is adjacent to and along an outer surface.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.