Thermostatic valve device having non-linear flow characteristics

Claim 2

A thermally responsive fluid flow control valve device for elimination of temperature fluctuations during initial opening operation comprising: a stationary valve member having an annular valve seat portion forming a fluid port, A linearly movable valve member having a closure portion normally engaging the valve seat portion to close the fluid port and movable with respect thereto, the stationary valve member including an annular flange encompassing the valve seat portion, the annular flange being substantially parallel with the line of movement of the movable valve member, the flange having an end spaced from the annular valve seat portion, the end having an inclined part so that initial movement of the movable valve member creates a small fluid flow passage between the inclined part and the movable valve member and increased movement of the movable valve member is non-linear with respect to the fluid flow passage created, thermally responsive actuator means, means joining the thermally responsive actuator means to the movable valve member for movement thereof with respect to the stationary valve member.

Claim 3

Thermally responsive valve structure comprising: a thermally responsive actuator, a stationary valve member provided with a substantially flat annular valve seat surface forming a fluid port, an annular flange having a substantially cylindrical inner surface surrounding the valve seat surface, the flange having an annular edge portion spaced from the valve seat surface, a movable valve member having a closure portion slidable within said cylindrical inner surface of the annular flange and engageable with the annular valve seat surface to close the fluid port, at least one of said portions being provided with a notch part, so that as the movable valve member moves in a direction from the valve seat surface, a fluid passage of limited area is created between one valve member and the notch part of the other valve member, and means attaching the thermally responsive actuator to the movable valve member for movement thereof with respect to the stationary valve member.

Claim 4

Thermally responsive valve structure comprising: a thermally responsive actuator, a stationary valve member provided with a substantially flat annular valve seat surface forming a fluid port, an annular flange having a substantially cylindrical inner surface surrounding the valve seat surface, the flange having an annular edge portion spaced from the valve seat surface, a movable valve member having a closure portion slidable within said cylindrical inner surface of the annular flange and engageable with the annular valve seat surface to close the fluid port, at least one of said portions being provided with a notch part, so that as the movable valve member moves in a direction from the valve seat surface, a fluid passage of limited area is created between one valve member and the notch part of the other valve member, and means attaching the thermally responsive actuator to the movable valve member for movement thereof with respect to the stationary valve member.

Claim 5

The thermally responsive valve structure of claim 2 in which the notch part is in the edge portion of the flange which encompasses the valve seat surface of the stationary valve member.

Claim 6

The thermally responsive valve structure of claim 2 in which the notch part is in the closure portion of the movable valve member.

Claim 7

A thermally responsive fluid flow control valve device for elimination of temperature fluctuations in the fluid during initial opening operation comprising: a stationary valve member having an annular valve seat portion forming a fluid port, a movable valve member having a closure portion normally in engagement with the annular valve seat portion and closing the fluid port and movable with respect thereto, the stationary valve member having an annular flange encompassing the valve seat portion and forming a recess within which the annular valve seat portion is located and within which the closure portion of the movable valve member is slidably movable, the annular flange of the stationary valve member having an end spaced from the valve seat portion and provided with a sloping part so that initial movement of the movable valve member with respect to the stationary valve member creates a small fluid flow passage between the flange and the movable valve member, and increased movement of the movable valve member is non-linear with respect to the fluid flow passage created between the flange and the movable valve member, thermally responsive actuator means, and means joining the thermally responsive actuator means to the movable valve member for movement thereof with respect to the stationary valve member.

Claim 8

A thermally responsive fluid flow control valve device for elimination of temperature fluctuations in the fluid during initial opening operation comprising: a stationary valve member having an annular valve seat portion forming a fluid port, a movable valve member having a closure portion normally in engagement with the annular valve seat portion and closing the fluid port and movable with respect thereto, the stationary valve member having an annular flange encompassing the valve seat portion and forming a recess within which the annular valve seat portion is located and within which the closure portion of the movable valve member is slidably movable, the annular flange of the stationary valve member having an end spaced from the valve seat portion and provided with a sloping part so that initial movement of the movable valve member with respect to the stationary valve member creates a small fluid flow passage between the flange and the movable valve member, and increased movement of the movable valve member is non-linear with respect to the fluid flow passage created between the flange and the movable valve member, thermally responsive actuator means, and means joining the thermally responsive actuator means to the movable valve member for movement thereof with respect to the stationary valve member.

Claim 9

The thermally responsive valve structure of claim 2 in which the valve seat surface of the stationary valve member is encompassed by said flange forming a recess within which the closure portion of the movable valve member is positioned to close the fluid port, the flange having said annular edge portion, the closure portion of the movable valve member having a peripheral edge provided with said notch part so that as the closure pOrtion of the movable valve member moves outwardly from the recess, a small fluid passage is created between the notch part of the peripheral edge of the closure portion of the movable valve member and the annular edge portion of the flange of the valve seat surface of the stationary valve member.

Claim 10

The thermally responsive valve device of claim 5 in which the annular flange which forms the recess has a peripheral edge provided with a part which is inclined.

Claim 11

The thermally responsive valve device of claim 5 in which the annular flange has an inclined wall surface within the recess and extending along at least a portion of the flange, so that as the closure portion of the movable valve member moves in a direction from the recess, a limited fluid passage is created between the movable valve member and the inclined wall surface.

Claim 12

The thermally responsive valve device of claim 8 in which the inclined wall surface is arcuate

Claim 13

Thermally responsive valve structure comprising: a thermally responsive actuator, a stationary valve member provided with an annular valve seat surface and forming a fluid port, a flange encompassing the valve seat surface and having an internal cylindrical surface substantially normal thereto, a hollow cylindrical movable valve member having a closure portion at one end thereof which is engageable with the annular valve seat surface to close the fluid port, said one end of the hollow cylindrical movable valve member being movable within the flange and slidably engageable with the internal cylindrical surface of the flange, the internal cylindrical surface of the flange having a central axis which is substantially coaxial with the axis of the cylindrical movable valve member, the flange having a sloping end surface spaced from the valve seat surface, so that as the movable valve member moves in a direction from the valve seat surface a fluid passage of limited area and of gradually increasing area is created between the closure portion of the movable valve member and the sloping end surface of the flange of the stationary valve member, and means attaching the thermally responsive actuator to the movable valve member for movement thereof with respect to the stationary valve member.

Claim 14

Thermally responsive valve structure comprising: a thermally responsive actuator, a stationary valve member provided with an annular valve seat surface and forming a fluid port, a flange encompassing the valve seat surface and having an internal cylindrical surface substantially normal thereto, a hollow cylindrical movable valve member having a closure portion at one end thereof which is engageable with the annular valve seat surface to close the fluid port, said one end of the hollow cylindrical movable valve member being movable within the flange and slidably engageable with the internal cylindrical surface of the flange, the internal cylindrical surface of the flange having a central axis which is substantially coaxial with the axis of the cylindrical movable valve member, the flange having a sloping end surface spaced from the valve seat surface, so that as the movable valve member moves in a direction from the valve seat surface a fluid passage of limited area and of gradually increasing area is created between the closure portion of the movable valve member and the sloping end surface of the flange of the stationary valve member, and means attaching the thermally responsive actuator to the movable valve member for movement thereof with respect to the stationary valve member.

Claim 15

Thermally responsive valve structure comprising: a thermally responsive actuator, a stationary valve member provided with a substantially flat annular valve seat surface forming a fluid port, the stationary valve member including a cylindrical flange having a substantially cylindrical inner wall surface encompassing the valve seat surface, the cylindrical flange having an end portion spaced from the valve seat surface, a movable valve member having a closure portion in slidable engagement with the cylindrical inner wall surface of the flange of the stationary valve member and engageable with the valve seat surface to close the fluid port, the end portion of the flange of the stationary valve member having a notch part so that as the movable valve member moves in a direction from the valve seat surface a fluid passage of limited area is created between the movable valve member and the notch part of the flange of the stationary valve member, and means attaching the thermally responsive actuator to the movable valve member for movement thereof with respect to the stationary valve member.

Claim 16

Thermally responsive valve structure comprising: a thermally responsive actuator, a stationary valve member provided with a substantially flat annular valve seat surface forming a fluid port, the stationary valve member including a cylindrical flange having a substantially cylindrical inner wall surface encompassing the valve seat surface, the cylindrical flange having an end portion spaced from the valve seat surface, a movable valve member having a closure portion in slidable engagement with the cylindrical inner wall surface of the flange of the stationary valve member and engageable with the valve seat surface to close the fluid port, the end portion of the flange of the stationary valve member having a notch part so that as the movable valve member moves in a direction from the valve seat surface a fluid passage of limited area is created between the movable valve member and the notch part of the flange of the stationary valve member, and means attaching the thermally responsive actuator to the movable valve member for movement thereof with respect to the stationary valve member.

Claim 17

The thermally responsive valve structure of claim 11 in which the movable valve member is a hollow cylindrical member open at each end thereof, a wall encompassing the movable valve member and slidably engaged thereby.

Claim 18

The thermally responsive valve structure of claim 11 in which the movable closure member is substantially flat.