Pressure generator with check valve
AssigneeInternational Sanitary Ware Mfg. Cy.
InventorKarel C. Van Marcke
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
On actuation, each pressure generator at each of a plurality of locations along a conduit develops a pressure rise in the conduit to energize a pressure sensitive device in fluid communication with the conduit. Each pressure generator includes a bulbous member which expels a quantity of fluid (air) into the conduit when depressed and a valve for segregating the volume defined by the bulbous member from the conduit except when the bulbous member is depressed to minimize dissipation by a nonactuated pressure generator of the pressure rise within the conduit and generated by another actuated pressure generator.
Claims20
A pressure generator for pressurizing a conduit in fluid communication with a pressure responsive device, said pressure generator comprising in combination:
- (a) a base;
- (b) a flexible membrane secured to said base for defining in combination with said base an envelope having a volume commensurate with the state of flex of said membrane;
- (c) an aperture disposed in said base, said aperture being the only source of fluid communication with the interior of the envelope, said aperture accommodating both outflow and inflow of fluid between the envelope and the conduit;
- (d) a valve for sealing said aperture;
- (e) means for opening said valve to accommodate the outflow and inflow of fluid only in response to flexing of said membrane and a commensurate change in volume of the envelope;
- and
- (f) means for interconnecting said aperture with the conduit to direct flow of fluid between the envelope and the conduit;
- whereby, on flexing of said membrane, fluid is expelled from within the envelope through said valve into the conduit and fluid flow from said conduit through said aperture into the envelope is inhibited unless said membrane is flexed.
A pressure generator for injecting a volume of fluid into an attached conduit on actuation, said pressure generator comprising in combination:
- (a) means for expelling a volume of the fluid into the conduit on actuating said pressure generator from a quiescent state to an actuated state and for drawing in a volume of fluid from the conduit on deactuating said pressure generator from the actuated state to the quiescent state;
- and
- (b) means for inhibiting a flow of fluid through said expelling means only when said pressure generator is in the quiescent state.
A method for selectively interconnecting a selected one of a plurality of pressure generators in fluid communication with a pressure sensitive device through a common conduit, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) actuating the selected one of the pressure generators to create a pressure rise in the conduit and to actuate the pressure responsive device;
- (b) inhibiting at each of the unactuated pressure generators fluid flow from the conduit to each of the unactuated pressure generators;
- (c) deactuating the actuated one of the pressure generators;
- and
- (d) accommodating fluid flow from the conduit into the actuated pressure generator during said step of deactuating to absorb within the pressure generator the pressure rise in the conduit resulting from said step of actuating.
A generator for altering the pressure in a conduit in fluid communication with a pressure responsive device, said generator comprising in combination:
- (a) a chamber having an initial volume when in a quiescent state;
- (b) means for varying the volume of said chamber through outflow of fluid from said chamber to the conduit and for returning the volume of said chamber to its quiescent state through inflow of fluid form the conduit into said chamber;
- (c) an aperture in fluid communication with the interior of said chamber;
- (d) a vlave for sealing said aperture;
- (e) means for opening said valve only in response to a change in volume of said chamber from the quiescent state;
- and
- (f) means for interconnecting said aperture with the conduit to direct flow of fluid between said chamber and the conduit only when said chamber is in a state other than its quiescent state;
- whereby, on varying the volume of said chamber from the volume extant when said chamber is in the quiescent state, a change in pressure within the conduit will be present to act upon the pressure sensitive device and flow of fluid between said chamber and the conduit is inhibited when said chamber is in the quiescent state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.