Cable assembly and air outflow valve incorporating the same
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorsSewa S. Sandhu, Kenyon Kehl
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved air outflow valve having a cable assembly that enhances its reliability. In a particular embodiment, the cable assembly couples the diaphragm to the control arm of the air outflow valve and includes a retainer and a cable. The retainer has a cavity to slidingly accept the end of the cable when the valve is operated in a manual mode. Thus, bending or kinking of the cable is substantially inhibited or prevented, resulting in improved valve reliability. The improved cable assembly also is available as a retrofit kit and a method of retrofitting an existing valve is also provided.
Claims21
An air outflow valve, comprising:
- a valve body;
- a valve disk movably mounted on the valve body and moveable through a plurality of positions between a closed position and an open position;
- a control arm coupled to the valve disk;
- a biasing element coupled between the control arm and the valve body for biasing the valve disk toward the closed position;
- a control diaphragm mounted within the valve body;
- a retainer coupled to the control diaphragm, the retainer having a body with an opening and an internal surface defining a cavity, the cavity extending from the opening a predetermined distance within the retainer;
- and
- a cable having a first end and a second end, the first end coupled to the control arm and the second end inserted through the opening and slidably located in the retainer cavity, the second end moveable within the retainer cavity between the opening and a position along the predetermined distance of the cavity,
- wherein the opening of the retainer is configured to retain the second end therein.
A kit for modifying an air outflow valve having a valve body, a valve disk movably mounted within the valve body and moveable through a plurality of positions between a closed position and an open position, and a control arm coupled to the valve disk, the kit comprising:
- a control arm, wherein the control arm comprises:
- a main body portion;
- at least two arms extending from the main body portion substantially parallel with one another and spaced apart from one another to from a slot there between, each arm including an indentation collocated with the indentation in the other arm to from a retaining hole for receiving the retaining ball therein;
- a cable assembly, wherein the cable assembly comprises:
- a retainer having a body with an opening in a first end thereof and an internal surface defining a cavity, the cavity extending from the opening a predetermined distance within the retainer;
- and
- a cable having a first end and a second end, the first end adapted for coupling to the control arm retaining hole and the second end inserted through the opening and slidably retained within the retainer cavity, the second end moveable within the retainer cavity between the opening and a position along the predetermined distance of the cavity,
- wherein the opening of the retainer is configured to retain the second end therein, and wherein the control arm retaining hole is dimensioned so as to allow the retaining ball to move within the control arm retaining hole;
- and
- a pulley assembly adapted for mounting within the value body, the pulley assembly including a rotationally mounted pulley positioned to be in physical contact with at least a portion of the cable when the cable is in tension.
An air outflow valve, comprising:
- a valve body;
- a valve disk movably mounted on the valve body and moveable through a plurality of positions between a closed position and an open position;
- a control arm coupled to the valve disk, the control arm including:
- a main body portion, and
- at least two arms extending from the main body portion substantially parallel with one another and spaced apart from one another to from a slot there between, each arm including an indentation collocated with the indentation in the other arm to form a retaining hole;
- a biasing element coupled between the control arm and the valve body for biasing the valve disk toward the closed position;
- a control diaphragm mounted within the valve body;
- a retainer coupled to the control diaphragm, the retainer having a body with an opening and an internal surface defining a cavity, the cavity extending from the opening a predetermined distance within the retainer;
- and
- a cable having a first end and a second end, the first end having a retaining ball coupled thereto and the second end inserted through the opening in the retainer body and slidably located in the retainer cavity, the second end moveable within the retainer cavity between the opening and a position along the predetermined distance of the cavity,
- wherein the opening of the retainer body is configured to retain the second end therein, and wherein the retaining hole is dimensioned so as to allow the retaining ball to move within the retaining hole.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.