Patent Application
20240229939
The present disclosure relates generally to valves, and more specifically, to air valves such as venture air valves that control the flow rate of air or other gases.
One embodiment relates to a valve assembly, including a valve body having an inlet portion, an outlet portion, and a constriction portion; a shaft positioned within the valve body and extending along a longitudinal axis of the valve body; a cone provided within the inlet portion and configured to move along the shaft; a spring configured to bias the cone away from the constriction portion and positioned between a first piston fixed to the cone and a second piston fixed to the shaft; and an adjustable spacer positioned between a fixed position on the shaft and the second piston. The adjustable spacer is adjustable in length to change an effective length of the adjustable spacer and change a position of the second piston on the shaft.
Another embodiment relates to a valve assembly, including a valve body having an inlet portion, an outlet portion, and a constriction portion; a shaft positioned within the valve body and extending along a longitudinal axis of the valve body; a cone provided within the inlet portion and configured to move along the shaft. The cone includes an outwardmost radial periphery having a number of projections extending about the periphery.
Another embodiments relates to a valve assembly. The valve assembly includes a valve body comprising an inlet portion, an outlet portion, and a constriction portion, a shaft positioned within the valve body and extending along a longitudinal axis of the valve body, a cone disposed within the inlet portion and configured to move along the shaft; a spring positioned between a first piston fixed to the cone and a second piston fixed to the shaft, and an adjustable spacer positioned between a fixed position on the shaft and the second piston. The adjustable spacer is configured to be adjustable to change a position of the second piston on the shaft. In some embodiments, the cone includes an outwardmost radial periphery including a number of projections extending about the periphery. In some embodiments, the adjustable spacer is configured to be adjustable in length to change an effective length of the adjustable spacer and thereby change a position of the second piston on the shaft. In some embodiments, the first component threadingly engages the second component. In some embodiments, rotation of the first component relative to the second component changes the effective length of the adjustable spacer.
In some embodiments, the adjustable spacer includes s a third component movable relative to the second component to change the effective length of the adjustable spacer.
This summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. Other aspects, inventive features, and advantages of the devices or processes described herein will become apparent in the detailed description set forth herein, taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements.
Various objects, aspects, features, and advantages of the disclosure will become more apparent and better understood by referring to the detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters identify corresponding elements throughout. In the drawings, like reference numbers generally indicate identical, functionally similar, and/or structurally similar elements.
Before turning to the figures, which illustrate certain embodiments in detail, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the details or methodology set forth in the description or illustrated in the figures. It should also be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description only and should not be regarded as limiting.
Referring generally to the figures, various embodiments disclosed herein relate to air valves, and more specifically, venture air valves configured to provide a desired volumetric flow of air through a duct and/or to a space. Venturi air valves may include a valve body or body portion defining an inlet, a constructed portion, and an outlet. A cone may be provided in the inlet and move within the valve body to control the volumetric flow rate of air (or another gas) flowing though the valve.
In some embodiments, the valve is a pressure independent flow valve that utilizes a cone positioned on a shaft. The position of the cone defines the available flow area of an orifice. A spring is mounted on the shaft and coupled to the cone, such that as the static pressure within, for example, a duct coupled to the valve, increases, the spring is compressed and the cone moves along the shaft, changing the orifice size. During manufacturing and/or maintenance of the valve (e.g., during initial tuning, characterizing, etc.), it may be necessary to “tune” the valve, by adjusting the initial position and/or precompression of the spring to provide a desired flow control characteristic. As such, various embodiments herein are directed to an adjustable length spacer that is mountable on the shaft and configured to engage a piston coupled to the spring to enable adjustment of the spring compression and the linear travel of the cone. The spacer may include two or more components that are threaded or otherwise movable with respect to each other such that by rotating or otherwise moving the spacer components relative to each other, the effective length of the spacer changes. Once a desired length of the spacer is determined and the spacer is set to a desired effective length, the spacer may be permanently or semi-permanently fixed in place (e.g., fixed at a desired effective length).
Various other embodiments herein are directed to a cone having a peripheral edge configured to reduce noise relative to conventional cone designs. As air passes by the cone, turbulence from the flow of the air may create noise within the valve. In order to reduce the sound output from this flow of air, the outer edge or periphery of the cone may be provided with serrations or projections (e.g., formed by slits, cuts, or similar features, as discussed in greater detail below). The projections may be provided on the cone itself, or as part of a separate gasket or other member coupled to a portion of the cone and in which the serrations or projections are formed.
Referring now to
Referring to
In one embodiment, an adjustable spacer 50 (see
In one embodiment, the front portion 36 and rear portion 38 of the cone 26 are shaped to facilitate airflow through the valve assembly 10. For example, the front portion 36 may have a rounded or partially spherical contour extending radially outward from the inner housing 40 and sweeping back in the direction of airflow. The rear portion 38 provides support to the front portion 36 and extends from the outer edge or periphery of the front portion 36 and radially inward to the inner housing 40. The front and rear portions 36, 38 may be made of aluminum or any other suitable material.
In one embodiment, the inner housing 40 is generally cylindrical or tubular in shape, and is sized to accommodate the spring 42 and the first and second pistons 44, 46. The inner housing 40 and first and second pistons 44, 46 may be made of any suitable material, including fiberglass, polymers, etc.
Referring now to
The effective length of the spacer 50 is defined by one end of the third portion 56 and the flanged end of the first portion 52. The spacer 50 is configured such that the effective length of the spacer 50 is adjustable by rotating the first portion 52 relative to the second portion 54 and/or rotating the second portion 54 relative to the third portion 56. As such, by simple manipulation of the spacer portions 52, 54, 56 relative to one another, the effective length of the spacer 50 can be tuned for a particular valve application.
Referring to
In some embodiments, once a desired length for the adjustable spacer 50 is determined, the spacer 50 may be permanently fixed in position (e.g., at a desired effective length). Any suitable method of fixing the spacer 50 may be used, including thermal or chemical fusing or welding, pins, rivets, etc. Alternatively, a semi-permanent fixing may be utilized to enable later adjustments.
As shown in
Providing an adjustable spacer such as the spacer 50 described herein may enable adjustment or tuning of the precompression of the spring 42 in the cone 26 of the valve assembly 10 without requiring dismounting and/or disassembling the valve assembly 10, which may be required during tuning of more traditional valve assemblies. Additionally, providing a spacer such as spacer 50 with adjustable portions or components such as those described herein may enable a finer degree of control and more precise adjustments than other methods.
Referring now to
As shown in
In some embodiments, the projections 64 extend radially outward. In other embodiments, the projections 64 extend longitudinally back in the direction of air flow. In further embodiments, the projections 64 extend partially radially outward and partially back in the direction of flow. For example, the projections 64 may extend in a direction that generally coincides with the front surface 60 of the front portion 36 of the cone 26 (e.g., swept back at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the valve assembly 10).
In one embodiment, the projections 64 are integrally formed as part of the cone 26 (e.g., formed in the same piece of material that forms the front portion 36 of the cone 26). For example, the projections 64 may be formed in a piece of aluminum or other metal. In other embodiments, the projections 64 may be formed in a gasket 68 (e.g., a ring, etc.) that extends around the circumference of the cone 26 and is a separate component from the front portion 36 of the cone 26. An example gasket 68 is shown as the gasket illustrated in
Providing serrations or projections on the trailing outer edge of the cone may reduce the sound output resulting from airflow past the cone of the valve, resulting in a quieter operation of the valve and less disturbance to personnel in proximity to the valve.
As utilized herein, the terms “approximately,” “about,” “substantially”, and similar terms are intended to have a broad meaning in harmony with the common and accepted usage by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the subject matter of this disclosure pertains. It should be understood by those of skill in the art who review this disclosure that these terms are intended to allow a description of certain features described and claimed without restricting the scope of these features to the precise numerical ranges provided. Accordingly, these terms should be interpreted as indicating that insubstantial or inconsequential modifications or alterations of the subject matter described and claimed are considered to be within the scope of the disclosure as recited in the appended claims.
It should be noted that the term “exemplary” and variations thereof, as used herein to describe various embodiments, are intended to indicate that such embodiments are possible examples, representations, or illustrations of possible embodiments (and such terms are not intended to connote that such embodiments are necessarily extraordinary or superlative examples).
The term “coupled” and variations thereof, as used herein, means the joining of two members directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary (e.g., permanent or fixed) or moveable (e.g., removable or releasable). Such joining may be achieved with the two members coupled directly to each other, with the two members coupled to each other using a separate intervening member and any additional intermediate members coupled with one another, or with the two members coupled to each other using an intervening member that is integrally formed as a single unitary body with one of the two members. If “coupled” or variations thereof are modified by an additional term (e.g., directly coupled), the generic definition of “coupled” provided above is modified by the plain language meaning of the additional term (e.g., “directly coupled” means the joining of two members without any separate intervening member), resulting in a narrower definition than the generic definition of “coupled” provided above. Such coupling may be mechanical, electrical, or fluidic.
The term “or,” as used herein, is used in its inclusive sense (and not in its exclusive sense) so that when used to connect a list of elements, the term “or” means one, some, or all of the elements in the list. Conjunctive language such as the phrase “at least one of X, Y, and Z,” unless specifically stated otherwise, is understood to convey that an element may be either X, Y, Z; X and Y; X and Z; Y and Z; or X, Y, and Z (i.e., any combination of X, Y, and Z). Thus, such conjunctive language is not generally intended to imply that certain embodiments require at least one of X, at least one of Y, and at least one of Z to each be present, unless otherwise indicated.
References herein to the positions of elements (e.g., “top,” “bottom,” “above,” “below”) are merely used to describe the orientation of various elements in the FIGURES. It should be noted that the orientation of various elements may differ according to other exemplary embodiments, and that such variations are intended to be encompassed by the present disclosure.
The hardware and data processing components used to implement the various processes, operations, illustrative logics, logical blocks, modules and circuits described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented or performed with a general purpose single- or multi-chip processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic device, 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, or, any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor also may be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. In some embodiments, particular processes and methods may be performed by circuitry that is specific to a given function. The memory (e.g., memory, memory unit, storage device) may include one or more devices (e.g., RAM, ROM, Flash memory, hard disk storage) for storing data and/or computer code for completing or facilitating the various processes, layers and modules described in the present disclosure. The memory may be or include volatile memory or non-volatile memory, and may include database components, object code components, script components, or any other type of information structure for supporting the various activities and information structures described in the present disclosure. According to an exemplary embodiment, the memory is communicably connected to the processor via a processing circuit and includes computer code for executing (e.g., by the processing circuit or the processor) the one or more processes described herein.
The present disclosure contemplates methods, systems and program products on any machine-readable media for accomplishing various operations. The embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented using existing computer processors, or by a special purpose computer processor for an appropriate system, incorporated for this or another purpose, or by a hardwired system. Embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure include program products comprising machine-readable media for carrying or having machine-executable instructions or data structures stored thereon. Such machine-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer or other machine with a processor. By way of example, such machine-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of machine-executable instructions or data structures and which can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer or other machine with a processor. Combinations of the above are also included within the scope of machine-readable media. Machine-executable instructions include, for example, instructions and data which cause a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or special purpose processing machines to perform a certain function or group of functions.
Although the figures and description may illustrate a specific order of method steps, the order of such steps may differ from what is depicted and described, unless specified differently above. Also, two or more steps may be performed concurrently or with partial concurrence, unless specified differently above. Such variation may depend, for example, on the software and hardware systems chosen and on designer choice. All such variations are within the scope of the disclosure. Likewise, software implementations of the described methods could be accomplished with standard programming techniques with rule-based logic and other logic to accomplish the various connection steps, processing steps, comparison steps, and decision steps.
It is important to note that the construction and arrangement of the valve assembly as shown in the various exemplary embodiments is illustrative only. Additionally, any element disclosed in one embodiment may be incorporated or utilized with any other embodiment disclosed herein. For example, the gasket of the embodiment shown in at least
This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/438,162, filed on Jan. 10, 2023, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63438162 | Jan 2023 | US |
