Unbalanced poppet relief valve

Claim 2

A relief valve assembly comprising a valve port having a seat, a poppet chamber, a poppet slidably positioned in said chamber and adapted to sealingly engage the valve seat, means yieldably biasing said poppet against the valve seat and adapted to permit the poppet to move axially to a second relief position out of sealing engagement with the valve seat when fluid pressure in the port exceeds a predetermined level, said poppet and chamber forming a relief flow circuit wherein fluid pressure develops a lateral force on the poppet causing the poppet to frictionally engage a wall of the chamber to damp axial movement thereof between said first and second positions, said relief flow circuit being formed by an interior surface of said chamber and an exterior surface of said poppet.

Claim 3

A relief valve assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the interior surface of said chamber is substantially cylindrical and the poppet includes an exterior cylindrical first surface portion in close proximity to an area of said cylindrical chamber surface and a diametrally opposite second surface portion having a spacing from an adjacent chamber surface area substantially greater than the cylindrical first portion spacing from the proximate chamber surface area.

Claim 4

A relief valve comprising a body having a port adapted to communicate with a system containing pressurized fluid, the port including an axial circular valve seat, and an internal axial poppet receiving chamber communicating with the valve seat, at least a portion of the chamber adjacent the valve seat having a cylindrical surface of a diameter greater than the diameter of the valve seat, a relief poppet in said chamber having at one end a face for sealing said valve seat, a relief spring disposed at an end of the poppet opposite said one end, means for maintaining a minimum predetermined compression force in said release spring against said poppet and said valve seat, said poppet having an exterior surface including a cylindrical portion of a diameter slightly less than said chamber diameter and in close proximity to a surface area of said chamber, said exterior poppet surface having a second portion diametrically opposite said cylindrical portion and substantially planar, a relief flow circuit formed by clearance between said cylindrical poppet surface portion and the proximate chamber surface area and between said planar poppet surface portion and an adjacent chamber surface area, means for venting relief flow from said circuit, the relative size of said cylindrical and planar poppet surface portions and their respective clearances with the associated chamber areas being arranged such that during relief flow the force of fluid pressure along the planar poppet surface portion is substantially less than the force of fluid pressure along the cylindrical poppet surface portion whereby a net lateral force is produced on the poppet to cause it to frictionally engage the chamber surface at its planar surface side.

Claim 5

A relief valve comprising a body having a port adapted to communicate with a system containing pressurized fluid, the port including an axial circular valve seat, and an internal axial poppet receiving chamber communicating with the valve seat, at least a portion of the chamber adjacent the valve seat having a cylindrical surface of a diameter greater than the diameter of the valve seat, a relief poppet in said chamber having at one end a face for sealing said valve seat, a relief spring disposed at an end of the poppet opposite said one end, means for maintaining a minimum predetermined compression force in said release spring against said poppet and said valve seat, said poppet having an exterior surface including a cylindrical portion of a diameter slightly less than said chamber diameter and in close proximity to a surface area of said chamber, said exterior poppet surface having a second portion diametrically opposite said cylindrical portion and substantially planar, a relief flow circuit formed by clearance between said cylindrical poppet surface portion and the proximate chamber surface area and between said planar poppet surface portion and an adjacent chamber surface area, means for venting relief flow from said circuit, the relative size of said cylindrical and planar poppet surface portions and their respective clearances with the associated chamber areas being arranged such that during relief flow the force of fluid pressure along the planar poppet surface portion is substantially less than the force of fluid pressure along the cylindrical poppet surface portion whereby a net lateral force is produced on the poppet to cause it to frictionally engage the chamber surface at its planar surface side.

Claim 6

A relief valve comprising a valve port having a seat, a poppet adapted to sealingly engage the valve seat, means for resiliently biasing the poppet to a first port sealing position and adapted to allow the poppet to move to a second non-sealing relief position when fluid pressure in the port is above a predetermined level, said poppet being slidably disposed in an axially extending guide chamber, said chamber limiting movement of the poppet from said first position to said second position in a generally axial direction, said chamber and said poppet being arranged to permit passage of relief flow therebetween, means responsive to relief flow through said port causing friction dampinG of movement of said poppet between said first position and said second position, said flow responsive means being formed by the interior surfaces of the chamber and the exterior surfaces of said poppet, said chamber and poppet surfaces mutually forming a relief flow circuit having a fluid pressure distribution under flow conditions resulting in a lateral force on said poppet causing the surface of said poppet to laterally frictionally engage an opposed surface of said chamber.

Claim 7

A relief valve comprising a valve port having a seat, a poppet adapted to sealingly engage the valve seat, means for resiliently biasing the poppet to a first port sealing position and adapted to allow the poppet to move to a second non-sealing relief position when fluid pressure in the port is above a predetermined level, said poppet being slidably disposed in an axially extending guide chamber, said chamber limiting movement of the poppet from said first position to said second position in a generally axial direction, said chamber and said poppet being arranged to permit passage of relief flow therebetween, means responsive to relief flow through said port causing friction dampinG of movement of said poppet between said first position and said second position, said flow responsive means being formed by the interior surfaces of the chamber and the exterior surfaces of said poppet, said chamber and poppet surfaces mutually forming a relief flow circuit having a fluid pressure distribution under flow conditions resulting in a lateral force on said poppet causing the surface of said poppet to laterally frictionally engage an opposed surface of said chamber.