US 2015/0316939 A1 · Four Way Valve With Oil Filled Actuator

Abstract

A thermally actuated flow control valve comprises a wax filled actuator assembly including a guide, a piston, a cup and a diaphragm. The cup is disposed at the guide first end and defines a cavity that receives a thermally activated pellet. The thermally activated pellet, diaphragm and piston act in concert to exert a variable actuating force as a temperature of a fluid increases between a first temperature T1 and a second temperature T2. The valve is arranged so that the cup and wax are directly exposed to fluid flowing through the valve and a peripheral shoulder of the cup acts as a valve member to control flow through the valve. One end of the guide also acts as a valve member to control flow between an inlet and outlet of a return flow pathway.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A thermally actuated flow control valve comprising:

a valve assembly including a guide having first and second ends and defining a chamber adjacent said first end and a guide bore adjacent said second end in communication with said chamber, said chamber receiving a fluid, a piston having first and second ends received in said guide bore and in contact with said fluid, a cup defining an interior cavity disposed at said guide first end, said interior cavity receiving a thermally activated pellet, and a diaphragm disposed between said thermally activated pellet and said guide and in contact with said fluid;
wherein said incompressible fluid acts as both a lubricant for said piston and to impart a variable actuating force on said piston as an environmental temperature increases between a first temperature T1 and a second temperature T2.

A thermally actuated flow control valve for use in a manifold having an inlet pathway and an outlet pathway each including inlet and outlet flow ports, defining a central cavity in fluid communication with said inlet and outlet pathways, the central cavity defining an annular valve seat intermediate the inlet and outlet pathways, and including a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the outlet flow port of the inlet pathway and the inlet flow port of the outlet pathway, the valve comprising:

an actuator assembly including:
a guide having first and second ends and defining a chamber adjacent said first end and a first bore adjacent said second end and in communication with said chamber;
a piston received in said first bore having first and second ends;
a cup defining a cavity disposed at said guide first end, said cavity receiving a thermally activated pellet;
a diaphragm received in said interior cavity between said thermally activated pellet and said guide;
a base receiving said piston second end having a flange extending radially away one end of a base body;
and
a return member compressed between said cup and said manifold,
wherein said cup is disposed adjacent the inlet pathway such that said cup is exposed to a fluid flowing from the inlet pathway and said thermally activated pellet, diaphragm and piston act in concert to exert a variable actuating force dependent upon said temperature of said fluid, said variable activating force moving said guide and cup away from said base toward said valve seat.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Four Way Valve With Oil Filled Actuator

Life of this patent

Four Way Valve With Oil Filled Actuator

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20