Vibration damping device for thermostatic expansion valves
AssigneeThe Singer Company
InventorsCharles D. Orth, Robert J. Torrence
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vibration damping device for a thermostatic expansion valve comprises a spring member having a plurality of cantilevered fingers substantially parallel to the direction of travel of moving components but which are spring loaded to provide a force normal to that direction. The damping device is fixedly attached to one of the moving or stationary components and is arranged so that its fingers exert the normal force against the other of the moving or stationary components. Accordingly, a constant magnitude frictional force is produced over the range of movement, thus damping vibrations caused by pressure pulses from the compressor of the refrigeration system in which the thermostatic expansion valve is installed.
Claims4
In a thermostatic expansion valve of the type having a valve body and a valve actuator mechanism slidably secured in said valve body, an arrangement for damping vibration of said actuator mechanism comprising:
- means interposed between said valve body and said actuator mechanism for applying a constant force therebetween in a direction normal to the direction of sliding motion of said actuating mechanism including a unitary ring shaped member of spring metal fixedly secured to one of said valve body or said actuator mechanism, said member having a plurality of fingers extending in the direction of said sliding motion and biased into force applying contact with the other of said valve body or said actuator mechanism and a plurality of gripping tabs extending in the direction of said sliding motion but across the ring shaped member from said fingers into gripping engagement with said one of said valve body or said actuator mechanism.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.