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US 8,496,224 B1Granted
Tunable valve assembly
OwnerDennis W. Gilstad, Barbara C. Gilstadinventors
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OwnerDennis W. Gilstad, Barbara C. Gilstadinventors
Estimating the term…
A tunable valve assembly attenuates valve-generated vibration at one or more predetermined assembly resonant frequencies. The assembly comprises a valve body having a peripheral groove spaced radially apart from a central reservoir. An adjustable preload flange is centrally coupled to the valve body for changing assembly compliance and for imposing a shear preload by partially constraining a viscoelastic element in the reservoir. Assembly resonant frequencies are thus predictably altered. Further, the vibration spectrum is narrowed and its amplitude reduced through hysteresis loss of closing impulse energy at each such altered resonant frequency. At least a first predetermined assembly resonant frequency is achieved through adjustment of shear preload, and at least a second predetermined assembly resonant frequency is achieved through choice of a viscoelastic or composite element in the peripheral groove. The peripheral groove itself may be fenestrated, thereby increasing responsiveness to longitudinal compressive force on the tunable valve assembly.
A tunable valve assembly substantially symmetrical about a longitudinal axis, said tunable valve assembly comprising a valve body, an adjustable preload flange, and a plurality of viscoelastic elements;
A tunable valve assembly comprising a valve body substantially symmetrical about a longitudinal axis, said valve body having a peripheral groove spaced apart from a central longitudinal guide stem by an annular reservoir, and said assembly further comprising viscoelastic groove and reservoir elements which lie in said peripheral groove and said annular reservoir respectively;
A tunable valve assembly comprising a valve body substantially symmetrical about a longitudinal axis, an adjustable preload flange centrally coupled to said valve body, and a plurality of viscoelastic elements;
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.