# US 2014/0197345 A1 · Piston actuator controlling a valve and method for operating the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0197345 A1 - Document ID: US20140197345A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/154,268 - Filed: 2014-01-14 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-14 - Assignees: Dayco IP Holdings, LLC - Inventors: Brian M. Graichen; Dave Fletcher; Matt Gilmer; James H. Miller; Keith Hampton - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140197345A1 ## CPC - F16K 31/084: {the magnet being used only as a holding element to maintain the valve in a specific position, e.g. check valves (F16K31/082, F16K31/086 take precedence)} - F16K 3/0254: {being operated by particular means} - F16K 31/1221: {one side of the piston being spring-loaded} - F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)} ## Abstract Piston actuators and methods of its operation are described. The piston actuators include a housing defining a chamber having a piston therein and a spring seated against the piston to bias it into a starting position. The piston includes a ferromagnetic material, a magnet or both and a secondary magnet or ferromagnetic material, forming a first magnetic/ferromagnetic pair with the piston, is positioned to maintain the piston in a secondary position. A tertiary magnet or ferromagnetic material, forming a second magnetic/ferromagnetic pair with the piston, may assist the spring in maintaining the piston in the starting position. During operation, introduction into or removal from the chamber of an amount of fluid sufficient to overcome the force of the spring (and the tertiary magnet or ferromagnetic material) enables the attraction between the members of the first magnetic/ferromagnetic pair to move the piston to the secondary position as a snap movement. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A piston actuator comprising: a housing defining a chamber and comprising a port in fluid communication with the chamber; a piston at least partially comprising a ferromagnetic material, a magnet or both thereof, the piston disposed within the chamber; a spring seated against the piston to bias the piston into a starting position; and a secondary magnet or ferromagnetic material forming a first magnetic/ferromagnetic pair with the piston and positioned to maintain the piston in a secondary position once the piston moves to the secondary position; wherein, when the introduction of fluid into or the removal of fluid from the chamber via the port overcomes the force of the spring holding the piston in the starting position, the attraction between the members of the first magnetic/ferromagnetic pair moves the piston to the secondary position as a snap movement and thereafter maintains the piston in the secondary position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The piston actuator of claim 1, further comprising: a tertiary magnet or ferromagnetic material forming a second magnetic/ferromagnetic pair with the piston and positioned to assist the spring in maintaining the piston in the starting position; wherein, when the introduction of fluid into or the removal of fluid from the chamber via the port overcomes the force of the spring and the attraction between the second magnetic/ferromagnetic pair holding the piston in the starting position, the attraction between the members of the first magnetic/ferromagnetic pair moves the piston to the secondary position as a snap movement and thereafter maintains the piston in the secondary position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The piston actuator of claim 2, wherein, when the introduction of fluid into or the removal of fluid from the chamber via the port overcomes the attraction between the second magnetic/ferromagnetic pair, the spring and the attraction between the members of the second magnetic/ferromagnetic pair move the piston to the starting position as a snap movement. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The piston actuator of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a cap and the port enters the chamber through the cap. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The piston actuator of claim 1, wherein the piston includes a sealing member about its outer periphery. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The piston actuator of claim 1, further comprising: one or more bumpers positioned to contact the piston in the starting position or the secondary position to reduce noise made by the piston arriving in either of said positions. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The piston actuator of claim 1, further comprising: a valve operatively connected to the piston. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The piston actuator of claim 7, wherein the valve is a gate valve comprising a conduit and a gate member. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The piston actuator of claim 8, wherein the gate member is connected to the piston by a rail system providing sliding movement of the gate member along a longitudinal axis of the conduit thereby forming a seal within the conduit. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The piston actuator of claim 9, wherein the conduit tapers from both ends toward the valve opening, thereby having its smallest diameter at the valve opening. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The piston actuator of claim 7, wherein the valve is a poppet valve or a butterfly valve. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The piston actuator of claim 1, wherein at least one of the magnets in the piston and the secondary magnet is generally an annularly shaped magnet. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The piston actuator of claim 1, wherein at least one of the magnets in the piston and the secondary magnet is an injection molded magnet. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The piston actuator of claim 1, wherein the piston includes the ferromagnetic material, the housing includes the secondary magnet, the secondary magnet having a first major surface proximate the piston and a second major surface opposite the first major surface; and wherein the piston actuator further comprises a plate disposed adjacent to the second major surface of the secondary magnet thereby directing the magnetic flux inward toward the piston. ### Claim 15 A method for operating a piston actuator, the method comprising: providing a piston actuator comprising: a housing defining a chamber and comprising a port in fluid communication with the chamber; a piston at least partially comprising a ferromagnetic material, a magnet or both thereof, the piston disposed within the chamber; a spring seated against the piston to bias the piston into a starting position; and a secondary magnet or ferromagnetic material forming a first magnetic/ferromagnetic pair with the piston and positioned to maintain the piston in a secondary position once the piston moves to the secondary position; firstly introducing into or removing from the chamber an amount of fluid sufficient to overcome the force of the spring holding the piston in the starting position, and thereby the attraction between the members of the first magnetic/ferromagnetic pair moves the piston to the secondary position as a snap movement and thereafter maintains the piston in the secondary position. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the piston actuator further comprises a tertiary magnet or ferromagnetic material forming a second magnetic/ferromagnetic pair with the piston and positioned to assist the spring in maintaining the piston in the starting position; wherein introducing into or removing from the chamber an amount of fluid includes an amount of fluid sufficient to overcome the force of the spring and the attraction between the second magnetic/ferromagnetic pair holding the piston in the starting position. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, the method further comprising: oppositely of the firstly introducing into or removing of an amount of fluid, subsequently introducing into or removing from the chamber an amount of fluid sufficient to overcome the attraction between the second magnetic/ferromagnetic pair, and thereby the spring and the attraction between the members of the second magnetic/ferromagnetic pair move the piston to the starting position as a snap movement. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the piston actuator further comprises one or more bumpers positioned to contact the piston in the starting position or the secondary position to reduce noise made by the piston arriving in either of said positions. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the piston actuator further comprises a valve operatively connected to the piston. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the valve is a gate valve, a poppet valve, or a butterfly valve.