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US 7,143,781 B2Granted
Flexible bladder apparatus for fluid flow control
AssigneeWwetco, LLC
InventorsMark C. Boner, Paula K. Gurney
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides an apparatus and method for controlling the flow of fluids through a conveyance with a hydraulic valve including a flexible portion. The flexible portion is positioned in the conveyance so that fluid enters the membrane from an upper containment space and the expansion of the flexible portion causes the valve to restrict or block the flow of fluid being controlled through the conveyance.
Claims23
A fluid control apparatus comprising:
- a) a fluid conveyance;
- and
- b) a valve positioned in the conveyance, wherein the valve includes a flexible portion secured to receive fluid from an upper containment including a preset fluid level to cause the valve to restrict the flow of fluid through the conveyance, wherein the preset fluid level is determined from the liquid height of a fluid storage point upstream from the valve in the conveyance, wherein said storage point provides fluid to the conveyance, and wherein the valve includes at least one upper opening to receive fluid from the containment above the flexible portion.
A fluid control apparatus comprising a flexible membrane positioned in a fluid conveyance:
- a) wherein flow of fluid outside the membrane and through the conveyance is controlled by top to down hydrostatic pressure of a fluid within the membrane;
- and
- b) wherein the fluid within the membrane is provided from an upper containment into an opening at the top of the membrane.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.