Claims
- 1. A bi-stable valve arrangement comprising:a movable body having first and second opposing ends and being constructed and arranged to define a passage between the body and another element, a seal member separate from said body, a first spring structure biasing the seal member in a first direction, and a second spring structure biasing the seal member in a direction opposite said first direction so that said seal member may seal said passage, said first and second spring structures having spring loads such that under certain fluid pressure conditions on said first and second ends of said body, said seal member moves against the bias thereon to permit fluid flow through said passage in one direction, and under different pressure conditions on said first and second ends of said body, said seal member moves against the bias thereon to permit fluid to flow through said passage in a direction opposite said one direction.
- 2. The valve arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said first spring structure includes a first retainer member separate from said seal member and a spring biasing said first retainer member to bias said seal member in said first direction, and said second spring structure includes a second retainer member separate from said seal member and a second spring biasing said second retainer member to bias said seal member in said direction opposite said first direction.
- 3. The valve arrangement according to claim 2, wherein said second spring has a spring load greater than a spring load of said first spring.
- 4. The valve arrangement according to claim 3, wherein said second spring is a latch spring and wherein said second retainer member moves from a retainer member biasing position to a latched position to maintain said passage in an open condition permitting fluid flow through said passage, said latch spring causing said second retainer member to remain in said latched position until being reset to said retainer member biasing position.
- 5. The valve arrangement according to claim 4, wherein said latch spring has an arm member having a latching portion at an end thereof, said second retainer having first and second latch engaging surfaces disposed in spaced relation, said latching portion engaging said first latch engaging surface when said second retainer member is in said biasing position and engaging said second latch engaging surface when said second retainer member is in said latched position.
- 6. The valve arrangement according to claim 5, wherein said second retainer member includes a cam surface between said first and second latch engaging surfaces, said latching portion of said latch spring riding on said cam surface as said second retainer member moves from said biasing position to said latched position.
- 7. The valve arrangement according to claim 1, in combination with a housing having a bore therein, said body being disposed in said bore so that said passage is defined between a periphery of said body and surfaces defining said bore.
- 8. The valve arrangement according to claim 1, in combination with a shaft extending though a bore in said body so that said passage is defined between surfaces defining said bore and a periphery of said shaft.
- 9. A bi-stable valve arrangement for a hydraulic device, the hydraulic device having an inner bore and an element disposed in the bore, a fluid passage being defined between the bore and a periphery of the element, and fluid pressure chambers on opposing sides of said element, said valve arrangement comprising:a seal member disposed generally adjacent to the fluid passage, a first spring structure biasing the seal member in a first direction, and a latch spring structure biasing the seal member in a direction opposite said first direction, said first spring and said latch spring being constructed and arranged so that said seal member may seal said passage, said first spring structure and said latch spring structure having spring loads such that under certain fluid pressure conditions in said fluid pressure chambers, said seal member moves against the bias of said first spring structure to permit fluid flow through said passage in one direction, and under different pressure conditions in said fluid pressure chambers, said seal member moves against the bias of said latch spring structure to an open position permitting fluid to flow through said passage in a direction opposite said one direction, said latch spring structure ensuring that said seal member remains in said open position until a resetting condition occurs to move the seal member to again seal said passage.
- 10. The valve arrangement according to claim 9, wherein said first spring structure includes a first retainer member and a spring biasing said first retainer member to bias said seal member in said first direction and said latch spring structure includes a second retainer member and a latch spring biasing said second retainer member to bias said seal member in said direction opposite said first direction.
- 11. The valve arrangement according to claim 10, wherein said latch spring has a spring load greater than a spring load of said first spring.
- 12. The valve arrangement according to claim 11, wherein said second retainer member moves from a biasing position to a latched position to maintain said passage in an open condition permitting fluid flow through said passage, said latch spring causing said second retainer member to remain in said latched position until being reset to said biasing position.
- 13. The valve arrangement according to claim 12, wherein said latch spring has an arm member having a latching portion at an end thereof, said second retainer having first and second latch engaging surfaces disposed in spaced relation, said latching portion engaging said first latch engaging surface when said second retainer member is in said biasing position and engaging said second latch engaging surface when said second retainer member is in said latched position.
- 14. The valve arrangement according to claim 13, wherein said second retainer member includes a cam surface between said first and second latch engaging surfaces, said latching portion of said latch spring riding on said cam surface as said second retainer member moves from said biasing position to said latched position.
- 15. A bi-stable valve arrangement comprising:a body constructed and arranged to define a passage between the body and another element, a seal member separate from said body, a first spring structure including a first retainer member, separate from said seal member, and a spring biasing said first retainer member to contact one surface of the seal member thereby biasing the seal member in a first direction, and a second spring structure including a second retainer member separate from said seal member, and a second spring biasing said second retainer member to contact a surface of the seal member opposite the one surface thereof, thereby biasing said seal member in a direction opposite said first direction so that said seal member may seal said passage, said first and second spring structures having spring loads such that under certain fluid pressure conditions, said seal member moves against the bias thereon to permit fluid flow through said passage in one direction, and under different pressure conditions, said seal member moves against the bias thereon to permit fluid to flow through said passage in a direction opposite said one direction.
- 16. The valve arrangement of claim 15, wherein the element is a housing having a bore, the body is a piston disposed for movement in the bore, with the passage defined between a periphery of the piston and surfaces defining said bore.
- 17. The valve arrangement of claim 15, wherein a shaft extends through a bore the body and the passage is defined between surfaces defining said bore and a periphery of said shaft.
- 18. A bi-stable valve arrangement comprising:a body having first and second opposing ends and being constructed and arranged to define a passage between the body and another element, a seal member, a first spring structure including a first retainer member and a spring biasing said first retainer member to a sealing position, a second spring structure including a second retainer member and a second spring biasing said second retainer member to a sealing position such that when said first and second retainer members are each in their sealing positions, the seal member seals said passage, said first and second spring structures having spring loads such that under certain fluid pressure conditions on said first and second opposing ends of said body, one of said retainer members moves from its sealing position to permit fluid flow through said passage in one direction, and under different pressure conditions on said first and second opposing ends of said body, the other of said retainer members moves from its sealing position to permit fluid to flow through said passage in a direction opposite said one direction, wherein said second retainer member is movable from said sealing position to a latched position to maintain said passage in an open condition permitting fluid flow through said passage, said second spring being constructed and arranged to maintain said second retainer member in said latched position until being reset to said sealing position.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/246,847, filed Feb. 9, 1999 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,035,634) and claims the benefit thereof.
US Referenced Citations (31)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
655522 |
Jul 1951 |
GB |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
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Parent |
09/246847 |
Feb 1999 |
US |
Child |
09/472241 |
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US |