Rapid Opening Gas Valve
AssigneeGaither Tool Company, Inc.
InventorDaniel Kunau
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pneumatically operated gas valve includes a piston positioned in a cylinder with one closed end so that the piston may seat against a gas outlet to close the gas valve. A control reservoir may be formed in the cylinder between the piston and the closed end of the cylinder. Means for filling the control reservoir with gas to a control pressure may be provided so that the control pressure acting against the piston may close the gas valve. A release valve may be opened to allow the gas in the control reservoir to escape through an exhaust port to open the gas valve.
Claims20
A method of quickly releasing pressurized gas through a primary outlet, the method comprising:
- filling a control reservoir with pressurized gas to slide a piston located in a cylinder against the primary outlet to block primary gas from flowing through the primary outlet, the gas in the control reservoir having a control pressure, the control reservoir formed within the cylinder between the piston and a closed end of the cylinder;
- providing the primary gas into a primary gas reservoir, wherein the primary gas reservoir is pressurized to a primary pressure and the primary outlet is a path for the pressurized primary gas to escape from the primary gas reservoir;
- and
- releasing the pressurized gas from the control reservoir through a release valve to allow the control pressure to drop below a release pressure, said release pressure based on the primary pressure and a difference in area between an area of the primary outlet and a cross-sectional area of the piston;
- wherein the piston quickly slides away from the primary outlet if the control pressure drops below the release pressure, allowing the primary gas to escape through the primary outlet.
A gas valve comprising:
- a primary gas reservoir having a primary gas outlet with an outlet area;
- a receptacle with one closed end fixedly positioned inside the primary gas reservoir;
- a piston shaped to fit in the receptacle, the piston having a cross-sectional area greater than the outlet area of the primary gas outlet and positioned in the receptacle, the piston able to slide in a reciprocating motion in the receptacle, wherein a control reservoir is created in the receptacle between the closed end of the receptacle and the piston, a volume of the control reservoir dependent on a position of the piston in the receptacle;
- means for filling the control reservoir with control gas to a control pressure;
- and
- a release valve having an input and an outlet, the input of the release valve pneumatically coupled to the control reservoir;
- wherein the piston is seated against the primary gas outlet, blocking gas from leaving the primary gas reservoir if the control pressure of the control reservoir is greater than a release pressure, said release pressure dependent on a primary pressure of the gas in the primary gas reservoir and a difference in area between the outlet area and the cross-sectional area of the piston;
- and
- wherein if the release valve is opened and the gas in the control reservoir escapes through the outlet of the release valve and the control pressure of the gas remaining in the control reservoir drops below the release pressure, the piston quickly slides into the receptacle, away from the primary gas outlet, allowing the gas in the primary gas reservoir to flow through the primary gas outlet.
The gas valve of claim 18, wherein the polymer is a polyacetal polymer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.