US-12618486-B2 - Cam-arm poppet valve

US12618486B2US 12618486 B2US12618486 B2US 12618486B2US-12618486-B2

Abstract

A check valve may include: a check seat defining a flow path and including downstream and upstream sides; a poppet assembly including a poppet body and a poppet seat, the poppet seat configured to form a fluid-tight seal with the downstream side; at least one first extension extending upstream from the poppet body and including a roller; and at least one cam arm disposed at least partially upstream of the poppet body and the check seat and configured to engage with the at least one roller; and at least one cam arm disposed at least partially upstream of the poppet body and the check seat and configured to engage with the at least one roller. Engagement between the at least one cam arm and the at least one roller is configured to urge the poppet in the upstream direction.

Inventors

Luis Fernando Prieto

Assignees

ACORN ENGINEERING COMPANY, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20230918

Claims (20)

1 . A check valve comprising: a check seat defining a flow path and extending about a longitudinal axis, the check seat comprising a downstream side and an upstream side; a poppet assembly comprising a poppet body and a poppet seat, the poppet seat configured to form a fluid-tight seal with the downstream side, the poppet body being configured to obstruct the flow path; at least one first extension extending from the poppet body in an upstream direction, the at least one first extension comprising a roller; and at least one cam arm disposed at least partially upstream of the poppet body and the check seat, the at least one cam arm configured to engage with the at least one roller, wherein, when a fluid pressure created by a fluid in the flow path reaches a cracking pressure, the poppet assembly is configured to move in a downstream direction, thereby breaking the fluid-tight seal, wherein engagement between the at least one cam arm and the at least one roller is configured to urge the poppet in the upstream direction, wherein, when the fluid-tight seal is formed between the poppet seat and the valve check seat, the poppet is in the closed position, and wherein, when the fluid-tight seal is broken and the poppet is moved downstream, the poppet is in the open position.
2 . The check valve of claim 1 , further comprising: a connecting bar connecting the poppet assembly to the check seat, the connecting bar extending through the check seat; and a compression spring disposed between the connecting bar and the check seat, wherein the connecting bar is configured to slide within the check seat as the poppet assembly moves in the downstream and upstream directions, and wherein the spring is configured to urge the poppet assembly in the upstream direction.
3 . The check valve of claim 2 , wherein the at least one roller comprises two rollers, and the at least one cam arm comprises two cam arms, wherein a first roller and a first cam arm define a first pair, and a second roller and a second cam arm define a second pair, and wherein the first pair and the second pair are displaced symmetrically about the connecting rod.
4 . The check valve of claim 1 , wherein the at least one cam arm comprises a body, the body defining an elbow configured to receive the at least one roller therein when the poppet assembly is in the closed position.
5 . The check valve of claim 4 , wherein the body of the at least one cam arm comprises a first end and a second end, and wherein the elbow is located between the first end and the second end.
6 . The check valve of claim 5 , wherein the at least one cam arm comprises a sloped surface extending from the elbow in a downstream direction, and wherein the sloped surface is angled relative to the longitudinal axis.
7 . The check valve of claim 6 , wherein the angle formed between the sloped surface and the longitudinal axis is such that the fluid pressure required to maintain the poppet assembly in the open position is less than the cracking pressure.
8 . The check valve of claim 6 , wherein the angle formed between the sloped surface and the longitudinal axis is such that the fluid pressure required to advance the poppet assembly in the downstream direction is greater than the cracking pressure.
9 . The check valve of claim 5 , further comprising: at least one shaft; and at least one torsion spring extending about the at least one shaft, wherein the at least one cam arm is rotatably supported by the at least one shaft proximate the first end, and wherein the at least one torsion spring is configured to bias the at least one cam arm in a rotational direction against the roller, so that the at least one cam arm and the at least one roller are configured to urge the poppet assembly in the upstream direction.
10 . The check valve of claim 9 , further comprising at least one second extension extending from the upstream side, the at least one second extension configured to receive the at least one shaft therein.
11 . The check valve of claim 10 , wherein the at least one shaft comprises a first end and a second end, and wherein the at least one cam arm is rotatably supported by the at least one shaft at the first end of the at least one cam arm, and the at least one second extension receives the second end of the at least one shaft.
12 . The check valve of claim 1 , wherein the poppet body defines a receiving space configured to receive at least a portion of the at least one cam arm therein when the poppet assembly is in the closed position.
13 . The check valve of claim 1 , wherein the at least one roller comprises two rollers, and the at least one cam arm comprises two cam arms.
14 . A check valve comprising: a valve body defining a flow path and extending about a longitudinal axis; a check seat extending from the valve body, the check seat comprising: a downstream side; an upstream side; an interior space defined between the downstream side and the upstream side, the interior space defining a fluid flow path; a first extension extending from the upstream side in an upstream direction; and a second extension extending from the upstream side in the upstream direction; a poppet assembly comprising a poppet body and a poppet seat, the poppet seat configured to form a fluid-tight seal with the downstream side in a closed position, the poppet body being configured to obstruct the fluid flow path; a third extension extending from the poppet body in the upstream direction, the third extension comprising a first roller; a fourth extension extending from the poppet body in the upstream direction, the fourth extension comprising a second roller; a first cam arm extending from the first extension in a downstream direction, the first cam arm being configured to engage with the first roller; a second cam arm extending from the second extension in a downstream direction, the second cam arm being configured to engage with the second roller, wherein the poppet assembly is configured to move in a downstream direction into an open position, thereby moving the first roller along the first cam arm and the second roller along the second cam arm.
15 . The check valve of claim 14 , further comprising: a first torsion spring acting on the first cam arm; and a second torsion spring acting on the second cam arm, wherein the first torsion spring is configured to bias the first cam arm in a first rotational direction, wherein the second torsion spring is configured to bias the second cam arm in a second rotational direction, and wherein the biases created by the first torsion spring and the second torsion spring are such that the engagement of the first cam arm with the first roller and the engagement between the second cam arm with the second roller are configured to urge the poppet assembly in the upstream direction.
16 . The check valve of claim 15 , wherein the first rotational direction is the opposite of the second rotational direction.
17 . The check valve of claim 15 further comprising: a first shaft; and a second shaft, wherein the first shaft extends from the first extension, and the first cam arm is configured to rotate about the first shaft, wherein the second shaft extends from the second extension, and the second cam arm is configured to rotate about the second shaft, wherein the first torsion spring is disposed at least partially around the first shaft, and wherein the second torsion spring is disposed at least partially around the second shaft.
18 . The check valve of claim 14 , wherein the first cam arm and the second cam arm both comprise a body having a first end and a second end, the bodies both defining elbows between the first ends and the second ends.
19 . The check valve of claim 18 , wherein the first roller is configured to be received within the elbow of the first cam arm, and the second roller is configured to be received within the elbow of the second cam arm.
20 . The check valve of claim 18 , wherein the first cam arm and the second cam arm both comprise a sloped surface extending from their respective elbows in a downstream direction, and wherein the sloped surfaces are angled relative to the longitudinal axis.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/407,516, titled “Cam-Arm Poppet Valve” and filed on Sep. 16, 2022, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention This disclosure pertains to a poppet-style check valve having a cam-arm and roller arrangement displaced within the valve in order to control the flow characteristics required to open the valve. Description of Related Art Check valves use some variety of mechanisms and other physical characteristics to control characteristics of fluid flow within the valves and a piping system, depending on various operating parameters. Most check valves include a spring, which acts against fluid flow to hold the check in place. To open the check, fluid flow must create a pressure differential upstream and downstream of the check that is greater than the spring force. The point at which flow happens within the check valve is called the cracking pressure Check valves that only use a spring to keep the check shut lack the ability to have dynamic opening properties, meaning the check opens at a rate completely dependent on the force of the fluid flow acting against the check and its associated spring force. Thus, there is a need to have a check valve that includes dynamic opening features that allow for dynamic fluid flow control. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In some embodiments or aspects of the present disclosure, a check valve may include: a check seat defining a flow path and extending about a longitudinal axis, the check seat including a downstream side and an upstream side; a poppet assembly including a poppet body and a poppet seat, the poppet seat configured to form a fluid-tight seal with the downstream side, the poppet body being configured to obstruct the flow path; at least one first extension extending from the poppet body in an upstream direction, the at least one first extension including a roller; and at least one cam arm disposed at least partially upstream of the poppet body and the check seat, the at least one cam arm configured to engage with the at least one roller. The poppet assembly may be configured to move in a downstream direction, thereby breaking the fluid-tight seal. Engagement between the at least one cam arm and the at least one roller is configured to urge the poppet assembly in the upstream direction. When the fluid-tight seal is formed between the poppet seat and the valve seat, the poppet assembly is in the closed position, and when the fluid-tight seal is broken and the poppet assembly is moved downstream, the poppet assembly is in the open position. The check valve may further include a connecting rod connecting the poppet assembly to the check body, the connecting rod extending through the check body; and a compression spring disposed between the connecting rod and the check seat. The connecting rod may be configured to slide within the check body as the poppet assembly moves in the downstream and upstream directions, and the compression spring may be configured to urge the poppet assembly in the upstream direction. The at least one cam arm may include a body, the body defining an elbow configured to receive the at least one roller therein when the poppet assembly is in the closed position. The body of the at least one cam arm may include a first end and a second end, and the elbow may be located between the first end and the second end. The at least one cam arm may include a sloped surface extending from the elbow in a downstream direction, and the sloped surface may be angled relative to the longitudinal axis. The angle may be such that the fluid pressure required to maintain the poppet assembly in the open position is less than the cracking pressure. The angle may be such that the fluid pressure required to advance the poppet assembly in the downstream direction is greater than the cracking pressure. The check valve may further include at least one shaft; and at least one torsion spring extending about the at least one shaft. The at least one cam may be rotatably supported by the at least one shaft proximate the first end. The at least one torsion spring may be configured to bias the at least one cam arm in a rotational direction against the roller, so that the at least one cam arm and the at least one roller are configured to urge the poppet assembly in the upstream direction. The check valve may further include at least one second extension extending from the upstream side, the at least one second extension configured to receive the at least one shaft therein. The at least one shaft may include a first end and a second end, and the at least one cam arm may be rotatably supported by the at least one shaft at the first end of the at least one cam arm, and the at least one second extension may receive the second end of the at least one shaft. The poppet body may define a receiving space con