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US 2022/0018455 A1Published application
Fluid Flow Control Valve
AssigneeWorcester Polytechnic Institute
InventorsMarko Popovic, Ellen Clarrissimeaux, Julia D'Agostino, Shannon Moffat
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The systems and methods for fluid flow control valve device, where the device may include a support structure, one or more fluid tubes associated with the support structure, tensioning element supported by the support structure and being rotatable about an axis point relative to the support structure in response to an application of force, and one or more threads, each extending between the tensioning element and the one or more fluid tubes, the one or more threads configured to provide sufficient tension to compress at least one of the one or more fluid tubes in response to tension generated due to the rotation of the tensioning element.
Claims22
A fluid flow control valve device, the device comprising:
- a support structure;
- one or more fluid tubes associated with the support structure;
- a tensioning element supported by the support structure and being rotatable about an axis point relative to the support structure in response to an application of force;
- and
- one or more threads, each extending between the tensioning element and the one or more fluid tubes, the one or more threads configured to provide sufficient tension to compress at least one of the one or more fluid tubes in response to tension generated due to the rotation of the tensioning element.
2 more elements
A method for controlling fluid flow through a control valve, the method comprising:
- coupling a first end of at least one fluid tube to a reservoir including a fluid and second end of the at least one fluid tube to a fluid flow control valve, the fluid flow control valve comprising:
- a tensioning element supported by the support structure and being rotatable about an axis point relative to a support structure in response to an application of force;
- and
- at least one thread extending between the tensioning element and the at least one fluid tube, the least one thread configured to provide sufficient tension to compress the at least one fluid tube in response to tension generated due to the rotation of the tensioning element;
- and
- rotating the tensioning element in a first direction to cause the at least one thread to reduce the tension applied to the at least one fluid tube;
- and
- wherein the reduced tension is sufficient to allow fluid to flow between the reservoir and the fluid flow control valve through the at least one fluid tube.
5 more elements
-15. (canceled)
A system for hydraulically assisted wearable clothing, the system comprising:
- a reservoir including an actuating fluid;
- multiple actuators;
- a fluid flow control valve in communication with the reservoir and the actuators for selectively supplying the actuating fluid to the actuators, the fluid flow control valve comprising:
- a support structure;
- one or more fluid tubes associated with the support structure;
- a tensioning element supported by the support structure and being rotatable about an axis point relative to the support structure in response to an application of force;
- and
- one or more threads, each extending between the tensioning element and the one or more fluid tubes, the one or more threads configured to provide sufficient tension to compress at least one of the one or more fluid tubes in response to tension generated due to the rotation of the tensioning element;
- wherein, when an actuator of the multiple actuators is pressurized by the fluid flow control valve to move the inner member to its expanded state, the pressurized actuator expands in the axial direction, and
- wherein, when an actuator of the multiple actuators is de-pressurized by the fluid flow control valve to return the inner member to its relaxed state, the de-pressurized actuator contracts in the axial direction;
- and
- a controller in communication with the fluid flow control valve to control operation of the fluid flow control valve and pressurization and de-pressurization of the multiple actuators.
9 more elements
-27. (canceled)
An exoskeleton comprising:
- a wearable sleeve;
- a first member and a second member combined with the wearable sleeve, the second member being pivotably connected to the first member;
- an actuator connected to the first member at a first end of the actuator and to the second member at a second end of the actuator;
- a fluid flow control valve in communication with the reservoir and the actuators for selectively supplying the actuating fluid to the actuators, the fluid flow control valve comprising:
- a support structure;
- one or more fluid tubes associated with the support structure;
- a tensioning element supported by the support structure and being rotatable about an axis point relative to the support structure in response to an application of force;
- and
- one or more threads, each extending between the tensioning element and the one or more fluid tubes, the one or more threads configured to provide sufficient tension to compress at least one of the one or more fluid tubes in response to tension generated due to the rotation of the tensioning element;
- wherein, when the actuator is pressurized by the fluid flow control valve to move the actuator to its expanded state, the actuator expands in the axial direction, and
- wherein, when the actuator is de-pressurized by the fluid flow control valve to return the actuator to its relaxed state, the actuator contracts in the axial direction to cause a movement of at least one of the first member and the second member relative to the other member.
8 more elements
29-41. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.