Patent US3921660A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3921660A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Three-way, two-position non-interflow poppet valve
Assignee: Marotta Scientific Controls Inc
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Filing: 1974-08-15
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Granted: 1975-11-25
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Expires: 1994-08-15
Abstract
Abstract This invention is a three-way, two-position poppet valve that opens a pressure port when at one end of the valve stroke, and an exhaust passage when at the other end of the valve stroke. In order to prevent interflow between the pressure and exhaust passages, when the poppet valve is at intermediate positions between the ends of its stroke, there are parts of the poppet valve that function like a sleeve valve for preventing such interflow. The valve is preferably pilot operated and the preferred embodiment is internally piloted to make the valve more compact and suitable for use in a bore of a control system for well heads of undersea oil wells. The pilot valve can be operated by hydraulic or electric power to make the high pressure fluid that the valve controls supply the power to operate the main valve element.
Inventors
- 👤 Slawomir Kowalski
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 17:05
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16K; F16K31/00; E; E21; E21B; E21B33/00; E21B33/02; E21B33/03; E21B33/035; E21B33/0355; E21B34/00; E21B34/16; F16K11/00; F16K11/02; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S251/00; Y10S251/90; Y10T; Y10T137/00; Y10T137/402; Y10T137/8593; Y10T137/86493; Y10T137/86574; Y10T137/86582; Y10T137/86614; Y10T137/86622; Y10T137/8663; Y10T137/8667; Y10T137/86686
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
347 words
A three-way, two-position poppet valve assembly including in combination a main valve element, a housing in which the valve element is enclosed, the housing including a valve chamber, bearings in the housing axially spaced from one another and in which the valve element has sliding axial movement through a stroke, means for supplying working fluid to and from a cylinder including a port opening into the housing, other means for supplying working fluid to the valve housing including a second port opening into the housing, means for exhausting working fluid from the cylinder at the full pressure of the working fluid supply, including a third port opening into the housing, means for moving the valve element through its stroke, valve seats in the housing at opposite ends of the valve chamber, the valve element being within both of said bearings during its entire stroke, and one of said bearings being located axially between the valve seats, poppet valve faces on the valve element in position to contact with the seats to close off communication to and from the chamber, at opposite ends of the valve stroke witH the second and third ports respectively, generally cylindrical surfaces of the valve element adjacent to and extending back from each poppet value face in the direction of the poppet valve face at the opposite end of the valve element, generally cylindrical guide surfaces of the housing and in which the generally cylindrical surfaces of the valve element slide with close clearance to prevent any substantial flow of fluid along the side of the valve element while the cylindrical surfaces of the valve element are moving in the cylindrical guide surfaces of the housing, the length of the cylindrical guide surfaces adjacent to each of the poppet valve faces being shorter than the stroke of the valve element so that each poppet valve face that is moving toward open position moves beyond and clear of the generally cylindrical guide surface, at the same end of the housing, before the valve element reaches its open position at either end of its stroke.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
347 words
A three-way, two-position poppet valve assembly including in combination a main valve element, a housing in which the valve element is enclosed, the housing including a valve chamber, bearings in the housing axially spaced from one another and in which the valve element has sliding axial movement through a stroke, means for supplying working fluid to and from a cylinder including a port opening into the housing, other means for supplying working fluid to the valve housing including a second port opening into the housing, means for exhausting working fluid from the cylinder at the full pressure of the working fluid supply, including a third port opening into the housing, means for moving the valve element through its stroke, valve seats in the housing at opposite ends of the valve chamber, the valve element being within both of said bearings during its entire stroke, and one of said bearings being located axially between the valve seats, poppet valve faces on the valve element in position to contact with the seats to close off communication to and from the chamber, at opposite ends of the valve stroke witH the second and third ports respectively, generally cylindrical surfaces of the valve element adjacent to and extending back from each poppet value face in the direction of the poppet valve face at the opposite end of the valve element, generally cylindrical guide surfaces of the housing and in which the generally cylindrical surfaces of the valve element slide with close clearance to prevent any substantial flow of fluid along the side of the valve element while the cylindrical surfaces of the valve element are moving in the cylindrical guide surfaces of the housing, the length of the cylindrical guide surfaces adjacent to each of the poppet valve faces being shorter than the stroke of the valve element so that each poppet valve face that is moving toward open position moves beyond and clear of the generally cylindrical guide surface, at the same end of the housing, before the valve element reaches its open position at either end of its stroke.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
94 words
The valve assembly described in claim 1 characterized by seals at both of said bearings for preventing fluid flow axially between the bearings and valve element, the first port being at one end of the valve housing and the valve housing having the second and third ports opening through a side wall of the housing at different distances from said end of the valve housing, one of the side wall ports communicating, through the interior of the valve element, with the first port when the valve element is at one end of its stroke.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
172 words
The valve assembly described in claim 2 characterized by the valve seat at one end of the valve element being between the first port and one of the side ports, and the valve seat at the other end of the valve element being located axially of the housing between the side ports, a flange extending radially from the valve element and forming an annular piston, and a generally cylindrical portion of the housing in which said flange moves as a piston with a first chamber on one side and a second chamber on the other side thereof, a pressure sealing ring between opposite sides of the annular piston, passages connecting the second port, that is a pressure port at all times, with said first chamber to move the valve element in one direction, and means for controlling flow of the pressure fluid to said second chamber, and an overbalancing area of the valve element on the second chamber side of the annular piston to move the valve element in the other direction.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
135 words
The valve assembly described in claim 3 characterized by the valve element having an area exposed to pressure from the pressure port for all positions of the valve element, said area facing in a direction to counterbalance the force on the first chamber side of the annular piston, a spring compressed between the valve element and a part of the housing for urging the valve element in a direction to expand the length of the first chamber, the area of the annular piston which is exposed to the pressure in the second chamber being sufficient, when the pressure in both chambers is equal, to overbalance both the force in the first chamber and the force of the spring, and to move the valve element in a direction to expand the length of the second chamber.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
76 words
The valve assembly described in claim 4 characterized by the spring holding the valve element in position to shut off the cylinder from the pressure port when there is no pressure in said pressure port, and the fluid from the pressure port being open at all times to the first chamber for holding the valve element in tis exhaust position when there is pressure in the first chamber and no overbalancing pressure in the second chamber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
98 words
The valve assembly described in claim 1 characterized by a spring in the valve housing urging the valve element in a direction to close one of the poppet valve faces against its seat, a second chamber in the valve housing, a movable wall of the second chamber connected with the valve element for movement as a unit therewith, and a pilot valve movable into oNe position for admitting fluid under pressure into said chamber to move the valve element against the force of the spring, and movable into a second position to exhaust fluid from said second chamber.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
114 words
The valve assembly described in claim 1 characterized by the valve housing being of circular cross section for most of its length and the valve element having a passage therethrough, a pod for holding control apparatus, said pod having a recess with a cylindrical wall, ports opening through such cylindrical wall from the pod in position to communicate with the passages in the valve element and value housing when the valve housing is located in said recess, sealing elements between sides of the valve housing and the cylindrical wall of the pod recess at spaced locations along the cylindrical wall of the recess, and fastening means for holding the valve housing in the recess.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
The valve assembly described in claim 7 characterized by a pilot valve for supplying fluid under pressure to operate said valve element, the pilot valve being located in the valve housing and within the projected limits of the cylindrical recess of the pod.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
69 words
The valve assembly described in claim 1 characterized by a pressure chamber in the housing including a movable wall that is a part of the main valve element and that extends radially of the axis of movement of the main valve element, a pilot valve that supplies fluid under pressure to said chamber to operate the valve element in one direction, and operator-controlled means for actuating the pilot valve.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
52 words
The valve assembly described in claim 9 characterized by an actuator for the pilot valve located in the housing with the pilot valve and the main valve element, the housing being sealed for sub-sea operation, and remote control means for operating the actuator from a station above the surface of the sea.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
48 words
The valve assembly described in claim 10 characterized by the pilot valve actuator being electromagnetic and having a coil for energizing the actuator, a remote control switch, wires extending to the station above the surface of the sea, said wires connecting the coil with said remote control switch.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
56 words
The valve asssembly described in claim 10 characterized by the pilot valve actuator being responsive to electric current, and a control switch for supplying electric current to the pilot valve actuator, said control switch including a receiver for sonic signals transmitted through the sea water from the remote control means above the surface of the sea.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
68 words
The valve assembly described in claim 1 characterized by the housing having two pressure chambers, each of which has a part of the valve element as a movable wall thereof and against which pressure is exerted to move the valve element in opposite directions, ports through which working fluid is supplied to and from said chambers, said ports being the ends of passages extending through the valve element.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
120 words
The valve assembly described in claim 13 characterized by a pilot valve for supplying pressure to operate the main valve element, the pilot valve being a two-position poppet valve with seats at both ends, a first passage extending through the pilot valve lengthwise thereof, and a second passage opening through a side of the pilot valve and into the first passage, these passages in the pilot valve being the only passages of the pilot valve between the seats thereof, the pilot valve when at one end of its stroke supplying fluid under pressure to operate the main valve element and at the other end of its stroke providing an exhaust outlet for the pressure that operates the main valve element.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
100 words
The valve assembly described in claim 14 characterized by the exhaust outlet including a passage leading through a wall of the valve housing and communicating with a groove extending around a generally circular outside surface of the valve housing, and an elastomeric ring that fits into said groove to prevent water from entering the housing where the passage opens inTo said groove, the ring being stretched by exhaust fluid from said passage to discharge the exhaust fluid past said ring, but the ring serving as a check valve to prevent back flow of fluid into the housing through said passage.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
147 words
The valve assembly described in claim 13 characterized by a pilot valve for controlling flow into and out of one of said chambers, the main valve element having a passage therethrough leading from the port that communicates with one of said chambers to another port that opens through and end face of the main valve element, the pilot valve having an end face that confonts the end face of the main valve element across a cylindrical space in which a part of the main valve element and a part of the pilot valve element move as pistons, and a passage through the pilot valve and opening through said end face of the pilot valve for supplying pressure fluid through said cylindrical space to the passage in the main valve element that leads to the port of the main valve element that communicates with one of said chambers.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-11-24 | 1979-05-26 | 1979-11-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-11-24 | 1983-05-26 | 1983-11-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-11-24 | 1987-05-26 | 1987-11-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |