Patent Application
20120261599
The present invention relates to the field of automated capabilities of solenoid valve to open and close positions. The system employs the energy savings methodology to hold the solenoid valve in desired services such as open or closed position.
Solenoid valve is the most useful units in many gas and liquid controlled appliances. Majority of the valves have a continuous consumption of energy to keep the valves in open or closed position, there are instances that solenoid valves overheats by fluctuating currents. The present invention refers to a solenoid valves with two isolated magnetic coils that make the valve into a neither open nor closed position. It does not consume energy continuously but it holds the valve plunger to open or closed utilizing springs and lock pin controlled by solenoid coils.
Solenoid valve overheating is dangerous to consumers and sometimes caused by fire triggered by natural gas or methane gas. In most household appliances like gas stove, heater and dryer utilizes solenoid valve however, if the valves overheats the plunger is sometimes welded to the overheated coil that locks the valve to open position which place the consumers into a dangerous situation against gas leaks. The present invention does not overheat and energy efficient solenoid valve. It can be designed to a closed position using a controlling capacitor to keep the plunger closed whenever power line is down or cut off.
To avoid solenoid valve from overheating caused by continuous consumption of energy, the source of energy must interrupted or shut-off from the source. The present invention contains solenoid coils in one valve that performs separate tasks by application of peak power distribution. It is energy efficient and does not overheat.
Consequently, an energy saving system and methods of solenoid valve automation to open and close position is needed in most household appliances and commercial machineries.
One feature of the present invention provides an energy efficient valve with an interrupted power source to prevent overheating of solenoid elements. The innovated solenoid valve has at least one plunger, one lock pin, two solenoids and springs compounded together in the valve housing. The valve is capable to maintain open or closed. The springs push the pin lock and the plunger. The coil magnetic induction pulls the pin and the plunger to open and closed the valve.
The valve have automatic switch module to cut-off the power supply to the solenoid when power peak is distributed. It has a self charging capacitor to hold energy and release the hold energy when the power source is down.
Another feature of the present invention provides the programming remotely to an open or close position using Radio Frequency, Bluetooth or WiFi signal connected to controlling interface.
Other safety feature of the present invention provides a safety ball bearing attached to the spring inside the plastic chamber. In case of fire, the extreme heat will melt the plastic chamber to release the bearing and permanently block the valve orifice.
The most extended feature is the valve adjustable knobs that can adjust the pushing power of the plunger to hold different PSI. This knob has a spring that is connected to the thread and the plunger.
The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention. In the following description, specific details are given to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. For example, circuits may be shown in block diagrams in order not to obscure the embodiments in unnecessary detail. In other instances, well-known circuits, structures and techniques may not be shown detail in order not to obscure the embodiments.
Also, it is noted that the embodiments may be described as a process that is depicted as a flowchart, a flow diagram, a structure diagram, or a block diagram. Although a flowchart may describe the operations as a sequential process, many of the operations can be performed in parallel or concurrently. In addition, the order of the operations may be re-arranged. A process is terminated when its operations are completed. A process may correspond to a method, a function, a procedure, a subroutine, a subprogram, etc. When a process corresponds to a function, its termination corresponds to a return of the function to the calling function or the main function.
Moreover, a storage medium may represent one or more devices for storing data, including read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disk storage mediums, optical storage mediums, flash memory devices and/or other machine readable mediums for storing information. The term “machine readable medium” includes, but is not limited to portable or fixed storage devices, optical storage devices, wireless channels and various other mediums capable of storing, containing or carrying instruction(s) and/or data. Furthermore, embodiments may be implemented by hardware, software, firmware, middleware, microcode, or any combination thereof. When implemented in software, firmware, middleware or microcode, the program code or code segments to perform the necessary tasks may be stored in a machine-readable medium such as a storage medium or other storage(s). A processor may perform the necessary tasks. A code segment may represent a procedure, a function, a subprogram, a program, a routine, a subroutine, a module, a software package, a class, or any combination of instructions, data structures, or program statements. A code segment may be coupled to another code segment or a hardware circuit by passing and/or receiving information, data, arguments, parameters, or memory contents. Information, arguments, parameters, data, etc. may be passed, forwarded, or transmitted via any suitable means including memory sharing, message passing, token passing, network transmission, etc.
The various illustrative logical blocks, modules, circuits, elements, and/or components described in connection with the examples disclosed herein may be implemented or performed with a general purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic component, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing components, e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a number of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration.
The methods or algorithms described in connection with the examples disclosed herein may be embodied directly in hardware, in a software module executable by a processor, or in a combination of both, in the form of processing unit, programming instructions, or other directions, and may be contained in a single device or distributed across multiple devices. A software module may reside in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. A storage medium may be coupled to the processor such that the processor can read information from, and write information to, the storage medium. In the alternative, the storage medium may be integral to the processor.
In the following description, certain terminology is used to describe certain features of one or more embodiments of the invention. The term “valve” refers to a gas valve type of device that regulates, directs or controls the flow of gaseous compound, opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways. Valves are technically pipe fittings but are usually discussed as a separate category.
Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems and methods of solenoid valve automation to open and close position. The system may include energy efficient solenoid valve which does not use electrical source unless it is trigger to close or to open position.
In other words, the valve does not continuously use energy and utilize it mechanical methodology in keeping it open or in close position. It uses lock pin, plunger and springs to hold the desired position.
According to another aspect, the interruption of the flow of the gases to the valve from the peak power distribution of the power control modules and the relay switches. The switches may be in a no contact (N.C.) position until triggered by manual or wireless signal.
Further aspect is that the valve works free from overheating and maintains its normal temperature that leads to perform its function more efficient and long lasting.
According to yet another embodiment, the valve has a single ball or bearing compounded with a spring and hold tightly in a plastic chamber. The fire extreme heat is enough to melt the plastic to release the bearing ball and it is forced or pushed by the spring to block the valve orifice and stop the flow of the gas permanently. This safety device was included to this innovation to prevent gas leaks when fire occurs.
The present Application for Patent claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/344,837 entitled “Methods of converting solenoid valve to open and close position”, Oct. 21, 2011 with confirmation no. 3060, and hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61344837 | Oct 2010 | US |
