US 9,952,607 B2Granted

Pressure balanced thermal actuator

AssigneeSenior IP GmbH

InventorsPatrick B. Reed, Brian L. Goeller, James M. Leithauser

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Abstract

A pressure balanced thermal actuator includes a flow housing having an inlet and an outlet, with the flow housing being affixed at opposing ends to two bellows housings, each of which contains a bellows. An actuation rod is operably coupled to each bellows and contains a fluid passage therewithin. When the temperature of the area surrounding the actuator increases, the pressure inside the bellows housings increases, and exerts a force on the bellows therein, compressing it. As a result, the actuation rod moves from a first position to a second position to align the fluid passage with the inlet and the outlet, enabling the controlled passage of a first fluid from the inlet, and through the fluid passage, to the outlet, to reduce the temperature of the area surrounding the valve assembly. The actuator is unaffected by changes in the ambient pressure, by working equally on two opposing bellows areas.

Claims28

Dependent claims

A thermal actuator comprising:

a first fluid flow housing having an inlet, an outlet, a first end and a second end opposite said first end, said first fluid flow housing being used for the controlled passage of a first fluid between said inlet and said outlet;
a first bellows housing having a proximal end and a distal end, with said proximal end being operably affixed to said first end of said first fluid flow housing;
a second bellows housing having a proximal end and a distal end, with said proximal end being operably affixed to said second end of said first fluid flow housing;
a first bellows operably positioned within said first bellows housing, said first bellows having a fixed end affixed proximate to said first end of said first fluid flow housing and a movable end opposite said fixed end, said first bellows being surrounded by a first bellows region within said first bellows housing, said first bellows region containing a medium therewithin;
a second bellows operably positioned within said second bellows housing, said second bellows having a fixed end affixed proximate to said second end of said first fluid flow housing and a movable end opposite said fixed end, said second bellows being surrounded by a second bellows region within said second bellows housing, said second bellows region containing a second fluid therewithin;
and
an actuation rod that extends internally from said movable end of said first bellows, through said first fluid flow housing, to said movable end of said second bellows, said actuation rod having a fluid passage disposed therewithin to alternatively block, and enable, the flow of said first fluid from said inlet to said outlet;
said actuation rod, said first bellows and said second bellows collectively forming a reciprocating actuator capable of moving between a first position for blocking said passage of said first fluid and a second position for enabling said passage of said first fluid,
said second position serving to align said fluid passage of said actuation rod with both said inlet and said outlet of said first fluid flow housing, thereby enabling the controlled passage of said first fluid to flow from said inlet through said fluid passage and into said outlet.

6 more elements

A thermal actuator comprising:

a first fluid flow housing having an inlet, an outlet, a first end and a second end opposite said first end, said first fluid flow housing being used for the controlled passage of a first fluid between said inlet and said outlet;
a first bellows housing having a proximal end and a distal end, with said proximal end being operably affixed to said first end of said first fluid flow housing;
a second bellows housing having a proximal end and a distal end, with said proximal end being operably affixed to said second end of said first fluid flow housing;
a first bellows operably positioned within said first bellows housing, said first bellows having a fixed end affixed to an internal surface in said distal end of said first bellows housing, and a movable end opposite said fixed end, said first bellows being surrounded by a first bellows region within said first bellows housing, said first bellows containing a medium therewithin;
a second bellows operably positioned within said second bellows housing, said second bellows having a fixed end affixed to an internal surface in said distal end of said second bellows housing and a movable end opposite said fixed end, said second bellows being surrounded by a second bellows region within said second bellows housing, said second bellows containing a second fluid therewithin;
an actuation rod that extends internally from said movable end of said first bellows, through said first fluid flow housing, to said movable end of said second bellows, said actuation rod having a fluid passage disposed therewithin to alternatively block and enable the flow of said first fluid from said inlet to said outlet
said actuation rod and said movable ends of said first and second bellows collectively forming a reciprocating actuator capable of moving between a first position for blocking said passage of said first fluid and a second position for enabling said passage of said first fluid,
said second position serving to align said fluid passage of said actuation rod with both said inlet and said outlet of said first fluid flow housing, thereby enabling the controlled passage of said first fluid to flow from said inlet through said fluid passage and into said outlet.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/203,618Filed 6 Jul 2016
Published: US 2018/0011501 A111 Jan 2018
Granted: 24 Apr 2018
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

G05D 23/025
The sensing element being of the rod type, tube type, or of a similar type: the sensing element being placed within a regulating fluid flow
F02C 7/12
Features, components parts, details or accessories, not provided for in, or of interest apart form groups F02C1/00 - F02C6/00; Air intakes for…:…
F02C 9/28
Control of fuel supply: regulating systems responsive to plant or ambient parameters, e.g. temperature, pressure, rotor speed
F16K 31/002
Actuating devices; Operating means; Releasing devices: actuated by temperature variation