Shuttle Valve
AssigneeThe Subsea Company
InventorBarry J. McMiles
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A shuttle valve has a housing with a plurality of inlet ports, an outlet port for fluid flow, and a passageway for fluid to flow from any one of the inlet ports to the outlet port. Each Inlet port has an associated plunger configured one to the other such that when sufficient pressurized fluid is flowing into any one of the inlet ports, fluid is prevented from flowing into any other inlet port. The plungers include male and female mating portions with a radial seal between them. A biasing spring allows one of the plungers to allow backward fluid flow through the associated inlet port when not under pressure.
Claims17
A shuttle valve assembly comprising:
- a housing with a plurality of inlet ports and an outlet port for fluid flow;
- said housing having a passageway for fluid to flow from any one of said plurality of inlet ports to said outlet port;
- each of said plurality of inlet ports has an associated plunger;
- the plurality of plungers configured one to the other such that when sufficient pressurized fluid is flowing into any one of the plurality of inlet ports, fluid is prevented from flowing into any other of the plurality of inlet ports;
- and
- one or more of the plurality of plungers includes a male portion and a female portion mated together.
A shuttle valve as claimed in claim wherein the housing has three inlet ports.
A shuttle valve assembly comprising:
- a housing having a plurality of inlet ports and an outlet port for fluid flow;
- said housing having a passageway for fluid to flow from any one of said plurality of inlet ports to said outlet port;
- each of said plurality of inlet ports has an associated plunger;
- the plurality of plungers configured one to the other such that when sufficient pressurized fluid is flowing into any one of the plurality of inlet ports, fluid is prevented from flowing into any other of the plurality of inlet ports;
- and
- each of the plurality of plungers includes a male portion and a female portion mated together with a radial seal positioned there-between.
A shuttle valve assembly comprising:
- a housing with a plurality of inlet ports and an outlet port for fluid flow;
- said housing having a passageway for fluid to flow from any one of said plurality of inlet ports to said outlet port;
- each of said plurality of inlet ports has an associated plunger;
- the plurality of plungers configured one to the other such that when sufficient pressurized fluid is flowing into any one of the plurality of inlet ports, fluid is prevented from flowing into any other of the plurality of inlet ports;
- and
- said plurality of plungers each includes a male portion and a female portion mated together.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.