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US 2012/0222749 A1Published application
Fluid activated flow control apparatus
AssigneeColt Irrigation, LLC
InventorJames Walter Hurst
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments of a fluid flow regulating device and methods of using the same are described. Certain embodiments manages fluid flow between one or more input ports and output ports at least partly in response to fluid pressure changes and/or by a mechanism driven by fluid flow, optionally without using electrical power.
Claims22
A method for managing fluid flow in an output valve without using electrical power, comprising:
- receiving at a fluid pressure controlled actuator a first input flow of pressurized fluid at an inlet fluid port wherein the fluid pressure controlled actuator is mounted in a receiving area associated with an output valve, the receiving area configured to receive an electrically powered solenoid, wherein the fluid pressure controlled actuator is not electrically powered;
- directing, by the fluid pressure controlled actuator, at least a portion of the first input flow of pressurized fluid into a diaphragm chamber of the fluid pressure controlled actuator wherein the first input flow of pressurized fluid causes a first expansion of a diaphragm within the diaphragm chamber of the fluid pressure controlled actuator;
- at least partly in response to the first diaphragm expansion, rotating a wheel and a shaft, wherein the wheel interfaces with the shaft and wherein the shaft includes a shaft fluid port, wherein the rotation of the shaft opens a fluid passage through the shaft fluid port, wherein the fluid passage interfaces with the associated output valve and fluid passing through the shaft fluid port causes, at least in part, the associated output valve to actuate to a first position;
- receiving at the fluid pressure controlled actuator a pressure reduction of the first input flow of pressurized fluid;
- after the pressure reduction of the first input flow of pressurized fluid, receiving at the fluid pressure controlled actuator a second input flow of pressurized fluid;
- directing, by the fluid pressure controlled actuator, at least a portion of the second input flow of pressurized fluid into the diaphragm chamber of the fluid pressure controlled actuator wherein the second input flow of pressurized fluid causes a second expansion of the diaphragm within the diaphragm chamber of the fluid pressure controlled actuator;
- at least partly in response to the second diaphragm expansion, rotating the wheel and the shaft to obstruct the open fluid passage through the shaft fluid port and causing, at least in part, the associated output valve to actuate to a second position wherein the second position is spaced apart from the first position.
4 more elements
A method for managing fluid flow in an output valve, comprising:
- receiving at a fluid pressure controlled actuator a first input flow of pressurized fluid;
- directing, by the fluid pressure controlled actuator, at least a portion of the first input flow of pressurized fluid into a first chamber of the fluid pressure controlled actuator wherein the first input flow of pressurized fluid causes an expansion of a first diaphragm within the first chamber of the fluid pressure controlled actuator;
- at least partly in response to the first diaphragm expansion,
- opening a previously closed first fluid passage to cause, at least in part, an associated output valve to actuate to a first position;
- receiving at the fluid pressure controlled actuator a pressure reduction of the first input flow of pressurized fluid;
- after the pressure reduction of the first input flow of pressurized fluid, receiving at the fluid pressure controlled actuator a second input flow of pressurized fluid;
- directing, by the fluid pressure controlled actuator, at least a portion of the second input flow of pressurized fluid into a second chamber of the fluid pressure controlled actuator wherein the second input flow of pressurized fluid causes an expansion of a second diaphragm within the second chamber of the fluid pressure controlled actuator;
- at least partly in response to the second diaphragm expansion,
- obstructing the first fluid passage to cause, at least in part, the associated output valve to actuate to a second position wherein the second position is spaced apart from the first position.
6 more elements
A fluid regulator, comprising:
- one or more fluid inlets configured to receive a first flow of pressurized fluid;
- one or more fluid outlets;
- one or more diaphragms;
- one or more fluid passages;
- an actuator configured to, without utilizing an electrically powered component:
- open an output valve to provide a fluid flow path between the at least one of the one or more fluid inlets and the at least one of the one or more fluid outlets at least partly in response to:
- a first flow of pressurized fluid received via the at least one of the one or more fluid inlets,
- an expansion of a first diaphragm caused at least in part by the first flow of pressurized fluid received via the at least one of the one or more fluid inlets, and
- an opened first fluid passage caused at least in part by the expansion of the first diaphragm;
- close the output valve to obstruct the fluid flow path at least partly in response to:
- an interruption of the first flow of pressurized fluid received via the inlet,
- a subsequent, relative to the interruption of the first flow, second flow of pressurized fluid received via the one or more fluid inlets,
- an expansion of a second diaphragm caused at least in part by the second flow of pressurized fluid received via the at least one of the one or more fluid inlets and
- a closed second fluid passage caused at least in part by the expansion of the second diaphragm.
11 more elements
A method of retrofitting a valve actuator of a fluid regulator, the method consisting essentially of:
- removing from a first mount of the fluid regulator a solenoid configured to be electrically controlled to open and close a fluid regulator valve;
- and
- coupling to the first mount a fluid controlled actuator, wherein the fluid controlled actuator is configured to open and close the fluid regulator valve at least partly in response fluid pressure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.