US 5,245,997 AGranted

Valve cartridge assembly for a pressure regulator of supplied air breathing apparatus

AssigneeRespirator Research, Ltd.

InventorJosef A. Bartos

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Abstract

A cartridge valve assembly is slidably and sealingly receivable in a recess therefor in the housing of a pressure regulator for supplied air breathing apparatus. The cartridge valve is preassembled and slidably inserted as a unit in the pressure regulator housing recess, and the body is provided with an external shoulder engaged by a headed fastener in the housing to retain the cartridge valve assembly in the housing recess. The cartridge comprises a cylindrical body having a bore therethrough in which a valve stem is slidably supported for a valve element thereon to open and close the bore at one end thereof providing an air outlet for the valve. An air inlet port opens radially through the body into the bore, and the outer surface of the body carries O-ring seals on axially opposite sides of the air inlet port which sealingly engage the cartridge recess. The end of the body opposite the air inlet pivotally supports a valve stem actuating lever arm.

Claims36

Dependent claims

A valve cartridge assembly for a pressure regulator for supplied air breathing apparatus, said pressure regulator including housing means having a recess slidably receiving said valve cartridge assembly, a diaphragm supported by said housing means and valve stem actuator means between said diaphragm and said valve assembly, said valve cartridge assembly comprising, body means receivable in said recess and having first and second ends and a cylindrical bore therethrough between said first and second ends, said bore having an axis, said body means having an outer surface between said first and second ends thereof and at least one inlet port from said outer surface to said bore between said first and second ends, said bore at said second end of said body means providing an outlet port, means providing valve seat means about said outlet port, valve stem means axially slidably supported in said bore and having first and second ends respectively adjacent said first and second ends of said body means, valve element means on said second end of said valve stem means, said valve stem means being axially displaceable between closed and open positions in which said valve element means respectively engages said seat means to close said outlet port and disengages said seat means to open said outlet port, biasing and sealing means between said stem means and said bore biasing said stem means toward said closed position and sealing said stem means and said bore between said first end of said body means and said inlet port, and seal means on said outer surface of said body means for sealing engagement with said recess in said regulator housing means, said seal means surrounding said outer surface on axially opposite sides of said inlet port.

A valve cartridge assembly for a pressure regulator for supplied air breathing apparatus, said pressure regulator including housing means having a recess slidably receiving said valve cartridge assembly, a diaphragm supported by said housing means and valve stem actuator means between said diaphragm and said valve assembly, said valve cartridge assembly comprising, cylindrical body means having an axis and axially opposite first and second ends, a bore through said body means coaxial with said axis, said body means having an outer surface between said first and second ends thereof, at least one inlet port opening radially through said body means from said outer surface to said bore between sad first and second ends of said body means, said bore at said second end of said body means providing an outlet port, valve stem means axially slidably supported din said bore and having a first end at said first end of said body means and a second end axially outwardly adjacent said second end of said body means, said body means including means providing seat means about said outlet port, valve element means on said second end of said valve stem means, said valve stem means being axially displaceable between closed and open positions in which said valve element means respectively engages and disengages said seat means, annular seal means extending about said outer surface of said body means on axially opposite sides of said inlet port, annular resilient biasing and sealing means surrounding said valve stem means and having a radially inner portion attached to said valve stem means and a radially outer portion attached to said body means in said bore between said first end of said body means and said inlet port, valve stem actuator support means mounted on said first end of said body means radially outwardly of said first end of said valve stem means, and said outer surface of said body means adjacent said first end thereof including means for retaining said valve cartridge assembly in said recess in said regulator housing means.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.