US4631928A — Joule-Thomson apparatus with temperature sensitiv…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 217 words

Joule-Thomson expansion valve apparatus, comprising first means supporting a substantially frustro-conical valve member at a base portion of said valve member; second means supporting and retaining a tapered valve seat circumferentially adjacent a lengthwise portion of said valve member, said valve seat converging along said lengthwise portion toward a free end of said valve member opposite said base portion of said valve member and of reduced diameter relative to said base portion of said valve member, whereby opposing peripheral surfaces of said valve member and said valve seat define an annular passageway converging toward a terminal annular expansion opening adjacent said free end of said valve member; means for introducing high pressure coolant fluid into said passageway at a location upstream of said expansion opening; and temperature responsive means for drawing said valve seat longitudinally toward said base portion of said valve member in response to decreases in temperature of said fluid in order to reduce the effective flow area of said passageway and for withdrawing said valve seat longitudinally away from said base portion of said valve member in response to increases in temperature of said fluid in order to increase the effective flow area of said passageway, whereby coolant fluid flow through said passageway is adjustable in response to changes in temperature of said fluid.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 217 words

Joule-Thomson expansion valve apparatus, comprising first means supporting a substantially frustro-conical valve member at a base portion of said valve member; second means supporting and retaining a tapered valve seat circumferentially adjacent a lengthwise portion of said valve member, said valve seat converging along said lengthwise portion toward a free end of said valve member opposite said base portion of said valve member and of reduced diameter relative to said base portion of said valve member, whereby opposing peripheral surfaces of said valve member and said valve seat define an annular passageway converging toward a terminal annular expansion opening adjacent said free end of said valve member; means for introducing high pressure coolant fluid into said passageway at a location upstream of said expansion opening; and temperature responsive means for drawing said valve seat longitudinally toward said base portion of said valve member in response to decreases in temperature of said fluid in order to reduce the effective flow area of said passageway and for withdrawing said valve seat longitudinally away from said base portion of said valve member in response to increases in temperature of said fluid in order to increase the effective flow area of said passageway, whereby coolant fluid flow through said passageway is adjustable in response to changes in temperature of said fluid.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 20 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, including labyrinth spoiler means for causing degradation in coolant fluid flow through said passageway.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 20 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said valve member includes means for capturing contaminants contained in said coolant fluid.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 27 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 3, wherein said capturing means includes a circumferential groove in said valve member at a position along the length of said passageway.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 45 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said temperature responsive means includes different effective coefficients of thermal expansion of said first means and said second means, respectively, the effective coefficient of thermal expansion of said first means being less than that of said second means.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 105 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 5, wherein said first means includes elongate shaft means having first and second ends, said valve member being supported at said first end of said shaft means, wherein said second means includes elongate sheath means surrounding said shaft means along a major portion of the length of said shaft means, said sheath means having first and second ends with said tapered valve seat being supported at the internal periphery of said first end of said sheath means, said apparatus further including means for holding said second ends of said shaft means and said sheath means in selected relative longitudinal positions.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 17 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 6, wherein said holding means includes means for adjusting said selected positions.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 217 words

Joule-Thomson expansion valve apparatus, comprising elongate core means including a substantially frustro-conical tip at one end of said core means, said tip converging toward a free extremity thereof having a reduced diameter relative to a base portion of said tip; elongate sheath means surrounding a portion of said core means for relative movement longitudinally of said core means, said sheath means including at one end thereof an internal peripheral valve seat disposed circumferentially about said frustro-conical tip of said core means, said valve seat being tapered generally complementary to said frustro-conical tip and constructed to come into circumferential contact with an outer peripheral surface portion of said tip, with opposing peripheral surfaces of said valve seat and said tip defining a converging annular passageway terminating at an annular outlet opening adjacent said free extremity of said tip; and means for introducing coolant fluid into said passageway at a location upstream of said outlet opening, said core means having an effective coefficient of thermal expansion less than that of said sheath means, whereby said sheath means is movable longitudinally relative to said core means by differential expansion and contraction between said sheath means and said core means so as to adjust the effective flow area of said passageway in response to changes in temperature of said coolant fluid.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 217 words

Joule-Thomson expansion valve apparatus, comprising elongate core means including a substantially frustro-conical tip at one end of said core means, said tip converging toward a free extremity thereof having a reduced diameter relative to a base portion of said tip; elongate sheath means surrounding a portion of said core means for relative movement longitudinally of said core means, said sheath means including at one end thereof an internal peripheral valve seat disposed circumferentially about said frustro-conical tip of said core means, said valve seat being tapered generally complementary to said frustro-conical tip and constructed to come into circumferential contact with an outer peripheral surface portion of said tip, with opposing peripheral surfaces of said valve seat and said tip defining a converging annular passageway terminating at an annular outlet opening adjacent said free extremity of said tip; and means for introducing coolant fluid into said passageway at a location upstream of said outlet opening, said core means having an effective coefficient of thermal expansion less than that of said sheath means, whereby said sheath means is movable longitudinally relative to said core means by differential expansion and contraction between said sheath means and said core means so as to adjust the effective flow area of said passageway in response to changes in temperature of said coolant fluid.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 20 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 8, including labyrinth spoiler means for causing degradation in coolant fluid flow through said passageway.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 23 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 8, including means disposed along the length of said passageway for capturing contaminants contained in said coolant fluid.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 18 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 10, wherein said capturing means comprises a circumferential groove in said valve member.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 16 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 11, wherein said capturing means includes a plurality of said grooves.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 41 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein said frustro-conical tip defines an apex angle in the range of about 5° to about 30° and wherein said tapered seat defines an included angle in the range from about 5° to about 30°.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 16 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 13, wherein said apex angle and said included angle are equal.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 17 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 13, wherein said apex angle is slightly less than said included angle.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 22 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 15, wherein said apex angle is from about 1/4° to about 1° less than said included angle.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 30 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 8, including means for holding respective ends of said core means and said sheath means opposite said one ends thereof in selected relative longitudinal positions.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 17 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 17, wherein said holding means includes means for adjusting said selected positions.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 66 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 18, wherein said core means includes a shaft having said tip at one end of said shaft and having an opposite end secured to said holding means, wherein said sheath means includes a sheath slidably received over said shaft and having said tapered valve seat at one end of said sheath and having an opposite end secured to said holding means.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 98 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 19, wherein said adjusting means includes an adapter member slidably received over said opposite end of said shaft and fixedly attached to said opposite end of said sheath; a threaded adjustment member which is threadably engaged with said opposite end of said shaft and which is connected rotatably, in longitudinally fixed relation to said adapter member; and key and keyway means cooperable between said shaft and said adapter member for permitting relative longitudinal movement between said shaft and said adapter member and for preventing relative rotation between said shaft and said adapter member.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 88 words

Apparatus in accordance with claim 19, wherein said adjusting means includes key and keyway means cooperable between said shaft and said sheath for permitting relative longitudinal movement between said shaft and said sheath and for preventing relative rotation between said shaft and said sheath, and a threaded adjustment member having a first portion threadably engaged with said opposite end of said sheath by threads of a first pitch and having a second portion threadably engaged with said opposite end of said shaft by threads of a different pitch.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 244 words

A Joule-Thomson cryostat comprising a substantially cylindrical core shaft with a substantially frustro-conical tip at one end of said core shaft, said tip having a free extremity of smaller cross dimension than a base portion of said tip; a tubular sheath slidably received over said core shaft and having at one end an internal peripheral valve seat surrounding, in spaced relation, a lengthwise portion of said tip, said valve seat tapering from a larger cross dimension toward said base portion of said tip to a smaller cross dimension toward said free extremity of said tip, whereby opposing surfaces of said tip and said valve seat define a converging annular passageway terminating at an annular expansion opening adjacent said free extremity of said tip; means for holding respective ends of said core shaft and said sheath opposite said one ends thereof in selected relative longitudinal positions; and coolant fluid tubing means helically wrapped about said sheath and having an end in communication with said converging annular passageway for supplying high pressure coolant fluid to said passageway at a location upstream of said expansion opening, said core shaft having a coefficient of thermal expansion less than that of said sheath, whereby the effective flow area of said passageway is adjustable by relative longitudinal movement of said tip and said valve seat as a result of differential expansion and contraction between said core shaft and said sheath in response to changes in temperature of said coolant fluid.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 244 words

A Joule-Thomson cryostat comprising a substantially cylindrical core shaft with a substantially frustro-conical tip at one end of said core shaft, said tip having a free extremity of smaller cross dimension than a base portion of said tip; a tubular sheath slidably received over said core shaft and having at one end an internal peripheral valve seat surrounding, in spaced relation, a lengthwise portion of said tip, said valve seat tapering from a larger cross dimension toward said base portion of said tip to a smaller cross dimension toward said free extremity of said tip, whereby opposing surfaces of said tip and said valve seat define a converging annular passageway terminating at an annular expansion opening adjacent said free extremity of said tip; means for holding respective ends of said core shaft and said sheath opposite said one ends thereof in selected relative longitudinal positions; and coolant fluid tubing means helically wrapped about said sheath and having an end in communication with said converging annular passageway for supplying high pressure coolant fluid to said passageway at a location upstream of said expansion opening, said core shaft having a coefficient of thermal expansion less than that of said sheath, whereby the effective flow area of said passageway is adjustable by relative longitudinal movement of said tip and said valve seat as a result of differential expansion and contraction between said core shaft and said sheath in response to changes in temperature of said coolant fluid.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 49 words

A cryostat in accordance with claim 22, wherein said frustro-conical tip defines an apex angle in the range from about 5° to about 30° and wherein said tapered seat defines an included angle in the range from about 5° to about 30° and is substantially complementary to said tip.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 17 words

A cryostat in accordance with claim 23, wherein said apex angle and said included angle are equal.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 18 words

A cryostat in accordance with claim 23, wherein said apex angle is slightly less than said included angle.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 23 words

A cryostat in accordance with claim 25, wherein said apex angle is from about 1/4° to about 1° less than said included angle.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 21 words

A cryostat in accordance with claim 22, including labyrinth spoiler means for causing degradation in coolant fluid flow through said passageway.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 20 words

A cryostat in accordance with claim 22, wherein said tip includes means for capturing contaminants contained in said coolant fluid.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 18 words

A cryostat in accordance with claim 28, wherein said capturing means includes a circumferential groove in said tip.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 31 words

A cryostat in accordance with claim 29, wherein said sheath has an opening aligned with said circumferential groove and wherein said end of said tubing means is connected to said opening.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 71 words

A cryostat in accordance with claim 22, wherein said sheath has an opening in communication with said passageway and wherein an annular adapter is attached to the outer periphery of said sheath, said adapter having an internal peripheral channel in communication with said opening in said sheath and having an inlet opening in communication with said channel, said end of said coolant fluid tubing means being connected to said inlet opening.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 27 words

A cryostat in accordance with claim 22, wherein said holding means includes means for adjusting said selected positions to calibrate the effective flow area of said passageway.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 135 words

A cryostat in accordance with claim 32, wherein said adjusting means includes a substantially tubular adapter member slidably received over said opposite end of said core shaft, said adapter member having a forward end portion of enlarged internal diameter in which said opposite end of said sheath is secured; means for sealing between the outer periphery of said core shaft and the inner periphery of said tubular adapter member; means for preventing relative rotation between said core shaft and said adapter member and for permitting relative longitudinal movement therebetween; and a threaded adjustment member threadably engaged with a threaded portion of said opposite end of said core shaft and rotatable about an axis of said core shaft, said adjustment member being rotatably coupled to said adapter member but longitudinally fixed relative to said adapter member.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 85 words

An assembly in accordance with claim 33, wherein said threaded portion of said opposite end of said core shaft is received within a threaded axial bore extending through a rear end portion of said adjustment member and wherein said adjusting means further includes a locking cap having a shaft portion threaded into said bore rearward of said threaded portion of said opposite end of said core shaft, said shaft portion of said locking cap abutting an extremity of said opposite end of said core shaft.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 114 words

An assembly in accordance with claim 32, wherein said opposite end of said sheath is threaded at a first pitch and said opposite end of said core shaft is threaded at a second pitch different from said first pitch, wherein said adjusting means includes key and keyway means cooperable between said core shaft and said sheath for slidably coupling said sheath to said core shaft and for preventing relative rotation between said sheath and said core shaft, and wherein said adjusting means further includes an adjustment member having a first portion threadably engaged with said opposite end of said sheath and a second portion threadably engaged with said opposite end of said core shaft.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1989-12-29	1990-06-30	1990-12-30	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1993-12-29	1994-06-30	1994-12-30	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1997-12-29	1998-06-30	1998-12-30	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Joule-Thomson apparatus with temperature sensitive annular expansion passageway

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