Valve cap with integral seal
AssigneesTrane International Inc., Trane Air Conditioning System (China) Co., Ltd.
InventorsJames Russell CUDE, Michial Ernest KIRKSEY, Guangwei RONG
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A valve cap (14) can be configured to have an integral sealing member (50) at least part of which is extendable into an opening (18) of a valve body (12) and seals against an inner surface of a valve body wall (16). The sealing member (50) is configured to have a void space (51) such that when fluid leaks from a valve stem disposed in the valve body (12), an internal pressure in the void space forces a surface of the sealing member (50) against the inner surface of the valve body wall (16), thereby tightening a seal between the sealing member (50) and the valve body wall (16). In such circumstances, the fluid is prevented effectively from exiting the valve cap (14).
Claims8
A valve assembly, comprising:
- a valve body having a cylindrical wall and a free end defining an opening, the valve body defining an interior space;
- and
- a valve cap that closes the opening of the valve body, the valve cap comprising:
- a side wall;
- a closed end connected to the side wall, the closed end and the side wall defining an interior space;
- an integral sealing member that extends from the closed end into the interior space, at least part of the integral sealing member being extendable into the opening of the valve body and seals against an inner surface of a valve body;
- and
- a void space formed along a surface of the seal member such that when fluid leaks from a valve stem disposed in the valve body, an internal pressure in the void space forces a surface of the sealing member against the inner surface of the valve body, thereby tightening a seal between the sealing member and the valve body.
A valve cap configured to close an opening of a valve body, the valve body having an opening from which fluid may exit from the valve body, the valve cap comprising:
- a side wall;
- a closed end connected to the side wall, the closed end and the side wall defining an interior space;
- a cylindrical sealing member that extends from the closed end into the interior space, at least part of the sealing member being extendable into the opening of the valve body and configured to seal against an inner surface of a valve body;
- and
- a void space defined by the sealing member such that when fluid leaks from a valve stem disposed in the valve body, an internal pressure in the void space forces a surface of the sealing member against the inner surface of the valve body, thereby tightening a seal between the sealing member and the valve body.
A method for tightening a seal formed between a valve body and a valve cap, comprising:
- extending at least part of a sealing member formed on the valve cap into an interior space defined by the valve body to form a seal between an inner surface of the valve body and an outer surface of the sealing member;
- and
- forcing the outer surface of the sealing member against the inner surface of the valve body by an internal pressure caused by leakage of fluid into the interior space of the valve body, thereby tightening the seal between the sealing member and the valve body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.