Control of fluid flow
OwnerJoseph R. Paradisinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A flow control device with an inlet for the flow of fluid and a movable member sealing the inlet and having a flexible body for controlling flow by the extent to which the flexible body of the movable member is buckled. The movable member extends between the inlet and an outlet and is expandable laterally with respect to the axis of a channel for the outlet in order to control flow. A member external to the flow control device can activate the moveable member which can take the form of a plug seated in the inlet by depressing the plug from its seat. The movable member also can be bell-shaped with its upper portion sealing the inlet and slotted walls straddling the outlet.
Claims18
A flow control device comprising
- an inlet at a surface for the flow of fluid;
- an outlet connected to said inlet and disposed with respect thereto to serve as a conduit for flow into said inlet;
- and
- movable means disposed coextensively with said surface sealing said inlet and having a flexible single-layer and longitudinally-slotted body for controlling flow by the extent to which the flexible body of said movable means is buckled.
A flow control device comprising
- an inlet for the flow of fluid;
- an outlet connected to said inlet and disposed with respect thereto to serve as a conduit for flow into said inlet;
- and
- movable means having a head sealing said inlet and a flexible body for controlling flow by the extent to which said flexible body is buckled, comprising a bell-shaped member with a wall containing at least one slot therein extending in the axial direction of said outlet, from said head sealing said inlet to a base encircling said outlet.
The method of controlling fluid flow which comprises the steps of:
- (1) sealing an inlet by a flexible single-layer stopper that is swabbable across said inlet;
- and
- (2) controllably flexing said stopper to produce a fold in said layer and permit the flow of said fluid to an outlet.
The method of controlling fluid flow which comprises the steps of:
- (1) sealing an inlet channel by a swabbable and flexible single-layer stopper;
- and
- (2) controllably flexing said stopper to produce a fold in said layer and permit the flow of said fluid to an outlet;
- wherein said stopper has a body that extends longitudinally, further including the step of longitudinally slotting said stopper with slots that are elongated and uniformly spaced about said body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.