A FLUID CONTROL DEVICE WITH A STRAIGHT PATH FROM AN INLET PORT TO A VALVE SEAT

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention is related to the field of fluid control devices, and in particular, to a fluid control device with a generally straight path from an inlet port to a valve seat.

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Traditionally the flow path between the inlet port and the top surface of the valve seat in a fluid control device has not been straight. The fluid path typically takes a number of bends from the inlet port to the valve seat. The bends may limit the flow rate of the fluid from the inlet port to the valve seat.

The present invention is directed to overcoming this and other disadvantages inherent in the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The scope of the present invention is defined solely by the appended claims, and is not affected to any degree by the statements within this summary.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a fluid control device comprises a fluid control body that is provided with a first side, which includes an inlet port, and a bottom side that forms a valve cavity. The inlet port forms an opening in the first side. The opening is provided with an upper edge and a lower edge and is coupled to the valve cavity. A valve facing side is formed in the valve cavity and configured so that a generally straight path is provided through at least part of the inlet port to a valve seat located on the valve facing side.

In another embodiment of the present invention, a method of operating a fluid control device comprises directing a fluid flow from an inlet port to a valve seat where there is a generally straight path from the inlet port to the valve seat and controlling a flow rate of the fluid flow past the valve seat by adjusting a gap between a sealing member and the valve seat.

In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a fluid control device comprises: a fluid control body provided with a first side, which includes an inlet port, and a bottom side, which forms a valve cavity. A valve seat is formed in the valve

cavity. Means are provided for directing fluid from the inlet port to the valve seat via a generally straight path through at least part of the inlet port to the valve seat.

ASPECTS According to one aspect of the present invention, a fluid control device comprises: a fluid control body provided with a first side, the first side including an inlet port; the inlet port forming an opening in the first side where the opening including an upper edge and a lower edge; the fluid control body including a bottom side where the bottom side forms a valve cavity and where the opening is coupled to the valve cavity; and a valve facing side formed in the valve cavity, the valve facing side configured so that a generally straight path is provided through at least part of the inlet port to a valve seat located on the valve facing side. Preferably, a sealing member is located in the valve cavity and spring loaded against the valve seat provided on the valve facing side and an activator assembly is installed in the top side of the fluid control body and configured to act against the spring loaded sealing member to move the spring loaded sealing member away from the valve seat.

Preferably, a device including a tube shaped hollow member is coupled to the inlet port where the tube shaped hollow member is provided with a wall thickness and where the wall thickness is smaller than a distance from the lower edge of the opening in the inlet port to the bottom surface of the valve facing side.

Preferably, a device including a tube shaped hollow member is coupled to the inlet port where the tube shaped hollow member is provided with a wall thickness and where the wall thickness is smaller than a distance from the lower edge of the opening in the inlet port to the bottom surface of the valve facing side and the device is selected from the group: a fitting or a connector.

Preferably, the opening formed by the inlet port is provided with a circular cross section.

Preferably, the opening formed by the inlet port is provided with a non-circular cross section.

Preferably, the valve facing side includes a section located between the inlet port and an inner periphery of the valve seat and at least a portion of that section of the valve facing side is positioned above a lower edge of the opening whereby a generally straight path is provided through at least part of the inlet port to the valve seat located on the valve facing side.

Preferably, the valve facing side is provided with a bottom surface located on a plain positioned between the upper edge and lower edge of the opening thereby providing the fluid with a generally straight path through at least part of the inlet port to the valve seat located on the valve facing side.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of operating a fluid control device comprises: directing a fluid flow from an inlet port to a valve seat where there is a generally straight path from the inlet port to the valve seat; and controlling a flow rate of the fluid flow past the valve seat by adjusting a gap between a sealing member and the valve seat.

Preferably, the flow is directed through a connector installed into the inlet port. According to another aspect of the present invention, a fluid control device comprises: a fluid control body provided with a first side, the first side including an inlet port; the fluid control body including a bottom side where the bottom side forms a valve cavity; a valve seat formed in the valve cavity; and a means for directing fluid from the inlet port to the valve seat via a generally straight path through at least part of the inlet port to the valve seat.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a regulator in an example embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of regulator body in an example embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of regulator body in an example embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of regulator body in an example embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Figures 1 - 4 and the following description depict specific examples to teach those skilled in the art how to make and use the best mode of the invention. For the purpose of teaching inventive principles, some conventional aspects have been simplified or omitted. Those skilled in the art will appreciate variations from these examples that fall within the scope of the invention. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the features described below can be combined in various ways to form multiple variations of the invention. As a result, the invention is not limited to the specific examples described below, but only by the claims and their equivalents. Figure 1 is a sectional view of a regulator 100 in an example embodiment of the current invention. A regulator is an example of a fluid control device. Regulator 100 has a body 102, and activator assembly 110 (also called a bonnet assembly), and a sealing member assembly 112. An inlet port 104 and an outlet port 106 are located at opposite sides of regulator body 102. Threads are shown formed in the inlet and outlet ports, but it is within the scope of the present invention to utilize other connection techniques instead of threads. The sealing member assembly 112 is installed into a cavity formed in the bottom of regulator body 102. The sealing member assembly 112 has a spring loaded sealing member that seals against a valve seat 108 formed in the cavity in the bottom of regulator body 102. Activator assembly 110 forces the spring loaded sealing member away from the valve seat to allow fluid to flow from the inlet port, through the cavity, past the valve seat, and out through the outlet port (as shown by flow arrow 120).

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view of a regulator body 202 in an example embodiment of the invention. Regulator body 202 has top side 201, valve facing side 207, inlet port 204, outlet port 206 and valve cavity 203. Inlet port 204 is formed in a first side of body 202 and outlet port 206 is formed in the opposite side of body 202. In other example embodiments of the invention output port 206 may be located in another side of body 206, for example the front side. Valve cavity 203 is formed in the bottom of body 202. Valve facing side 207 is formed in the valve cavity 203 and provided with a valve seat 222. The bottom surface of the valve facing side 207, such as surface 208 in Figure 2, forms plain AA. Although in the presently preferred embodiment the valve facing side 207 is provided with a surface 208 that functions as a bottom surface of the valve facing side 207, in alternative embodiments, the bottom surface of the valve facing side 207 may include the valve seat 222. By way of example, and not limitation, in alternative embodiments, such as the embodiment depicted in FIG. 3, the valve facing side 207 may be fabricated without surface 208, whereby the valve seat 222 is the bottom surface. By way of example, and not limitation, in alternative embodiments, such as the embodiment depicted in FIG. 4, the valve facing side 207 may be fabricated with surface 208, whereby the valve seat 222 and the surface 208 are located in the same plane and form a bottom surface.

In the embodiments depicted, the inlet port 204 has an opening passing through the side wall of body 202 and coupled to valve cavity 203. The opening typically has a circular cross sectional area, but may have other shapes, for example oval, "D" shaped, or a rounded rectangle. The opening in inlet port 204 has an upper surface 226 and a lower surface 224. As shown, upper surface 226 lies on plain CC and lower surface 224 lies on plain BB. The plain AA, on which the bottom surface 208 of valve facing side 207 lies upon, is positioned between the plain CC formed by the top surface 226 and the plain BB formed by the bottom surface 224 of the opening in inlet port 204. Distance d is the distance between the lower surface 224 of the opening in inlet port 204 and bottom surface, such as surface 208 in Figure 2 and/or the valve seating surface 222 in alternative embodiments, of valve facing side 207. As shown, the valve seat passageway 228 is coupled to valve seat 222 and the outlet port 206 has an outlet port passageway 230 coupled to valve seat passageway 228. In operation, fluid flows (as shown by arrow 220) from inlet port 204, through the

opening in inlet port 204, into valve cavity, past valve seat 222 and into valve seat passageway 228, then into outlet port passageway 230, and out through outlet port 206. Because the bottom surface, such as, for example, surface 208 in Figure 2 and/or valve seating surface 222 in alternative embodiments, of valve facing side 207 is higher than the lower surface of the opening in inlet port 204, fluid can flow in a generally straight line from inlet port to valve seat 208. The straight flow path may allow more flow for the same sized inlet port and increase valve operation.

Typically either a fitting or a connector is installed into inlet port 204. The fitting and connector usually comprise a hollow tube that couples to inlet port 204. The hollow tube has a predetermined wall thickness. In the embodiment depicted, when distance d is larger than the wall thickness of the fitting or connector, then fluid flowing through the connector or fitting will have a generally straight path from inlet port to valve seat 208 even with the fitting or connector installed into inlet port 204. In one example embodiment of the invention, distance d is sized to be greater than the typical wall thickness of fittings or connectors that mate with inlet port 204. Even when distance d is smaller than the typical wall thickness of the connectors and fittings configured to mate with inlet port 204, a positive distance d may allow smoother flow from inlet port to valve seat 208.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that in other embodiments, the bottom surface of the valve facing side 207 may be positioned lower than the lower surface of the inlet port 204; so long as at least a portion of the section of the valve facing side 207 located between the inlet port 204 and an inner periphery of the valve seat 222, which is preferably shown located adjacent to the passageway 228, is positioned above the lower edge (224), such as, for example, between the upper edge (226) and lower edge (224) of the opening, whereby a generally straight path is provided so that fluid may flow via the generally straight path through at least part of the inlet port (208) to the valve seat (222) located on the valve facing side (207).