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US 12,759,446 B2Granted
Valve assembly
AssigneeLear Corporation
InventorsSamuel Blair, Timothy Cloutier, David J. Abdella
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An assembly is provided with a manifold with an inlet, and a plurality of outlets in fluid communication with the inlet. A valve is in cooperation with the plurality of outlets and operable to a plurality of positions wherein in each of the plurality of positions, one of the plurality of outlets is open and others of the plurality of outlets are closed.
Claims16
An assembly, comprising:
- a manifold with a plurality of inlets and a plurality of outlets in fluid communication with the plurality of inlets, and wherein each inlet from the plurality of inlets is associated with one pair of outlets from the plurality of outlets;
- a first valve engaged with the plurality of outlets and operable to a plurality of positions, wherein in each of the plurality of positions, one outlet from the one pair of outlets is open and the other outlet from the one pair of outlets is closed;
- a source of pressurized fluid in fluid communication with the plurality of inlets of the manifold, wherein the source of pressurized fluid comprises a compressor;
- and
- a second valve in fluid communication with the compressor to receive the pressurized fluid from the compressor, and wherein the second valve is in fluid communication with one or more inlets of the plurality of inlets to convey the pressurized fluid to the manifold.
2 more elements
An assembly comprising:
- a plurality of manifolds, each with an inlet, and a plurality of outlets in fluid communication with the inlet;
- a plurality of valves engaged with the plurality of outlets of one of the plurality of manifolds and operable to a plurality of positions, wherein in at least one of the plurality of positions, one of the plurality of outlets is open and others of the plurality of outlets are closed;
- an actuator connected to the plurality of valves to actuate the plurality of valves to the plurality of positions;
- the plurality of valves comprises a valve bar that is operably connected to the actuator to shift the plurality of valves to the plurality of positions;
- a plurality of seals mounted on the valve bar and the plurality of manifolds to direct fluid to one subset of the plurality of outlets while isolating others of the plurality of outlets;
- and
- wherein the valve bar is pivotal relative to the plurality of manifolds, and wherein the plurality of seals extend radially from the valve bar.
4 more elements
A seat assembly comprising:
- a seat bottom;
- a seat back;
- an assembly comprising:
- a manifold with a plurality of inlets and a plurality of outlets in fluid communication with the plurality of inlets, and wherein each inlet from the plurality of inlets is associated with one pair of outlets from the plurality of outlets,
- a first valve engaged with the plurality of outlets and operable to a plurality of positions, wherein in each of the plurality of positions, one outlet from the one pair of outlets is open and the other outlet from the one pair of outlets is closed,
- a source of pressurized fluid in fluid communication with the plurality of inlets of the manifold, wherein the source of pressurized fluid comprises a compressor, and
- a second valve in fluid communication with the compressor to receive the pressurized fluid from the compressor, and wherein the second valve is in fluid communication with one or more inlets of the plurality of inlets to convey the pressurized fluid to the manifold;
- and
- an actuator oriented in the seat bottom or the seat back, the actuator being in fluid communication with the plurality of outlets of the manifold to receive a pressurized fluid distributed through the manifold.
6 more elements
An assembly comprising:
- a plurality of manifolds formed within a housing, each manifold having an inlet and a plurality of outlets in fluid communication with the inlet;
- a plurality of valves engaged with the plurality of outlets of one of the plurality of manifolds and operable to a plurality of positions, wherein in at least one of the plurality of positions, one of the plurality of outlets is open and others of the plurality of outlets are closed;
- an actuator;
- and
- a valve bar connected to the plurality of valves, wherein the valve bar is operably connected to the actuator to shift the plurality of valves to the plurality of positions.
2 more elements
A valve assembly, comprising:
- an inlet housing substrate comprising a plurality of inlet ports incrementally spaced and disposed along a linear path;
- an outlet housing substrate comprising a plurality of outlet ports incrementally spaced and disposed along a linear path, wherein the inlet housing substrate and the outlet housing substrate engage with each other to define a cavity that is adapted to provide fluid communication between the plurality of inlet ports and the plurality of outlet ports;
- and
- a valve bar, comprising a plurality of valves, disposed within the cavity, wherein:
- at each position of the valve bar of a plurality of positions of the valve bar, a valve of the plurality of valves is in fluid communication with an associated inlet port of the plurality of inlet ports, while the valve is adapted to seal other inlet ports of the plurality of inlet ports;
- at a first valve bar position of the plurality of positions, each valve bar port is in fluid communication with a first outlet port of the plurality of outlet ports and is isolated from other outlet ports of the plurality of outlet ports;
- and
- at a second valve bar position of the plurality of positions, each valve bar port is in fluid communication with a second outlet port of the plurality of outlet ports and is isolated from other outlet ports of the plurality of outlet ports, the second outlet port being different from the first outlet port.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.