Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080251041 | Variable valve actuator with a pneumatic booster - Actuators, and corresponding methods and systems for controlling such actuators, provide independent valve control with a large initial or opening force. In an exemplary embodiment, an actuator includes a driver further including a housing defining a longitudinal axis and first and second directions, an actuation mechanism capable of generating actuation force at least in the first direction, and a rod with one end operably connected with at least one part of the actuation mechanism and with the other end available for an operable connection with a load such as an engine valve; at least one return spring operably connected with the rod through a spring retainer assembly and biasing the rod in the second direction; and a pneumatic booster further including a pneumatic cylinder, a pneumatic piston operably connected with the rod through the spring retainer assembly and biasing the rod in the first direction, a charge mechanism providing a controlled fluid communication between the pneumatic cylinder and a high-pressure gas source, and a bleed mechanism providing a controlled fluid communication between the pneumatic cylinder to a low-pressure gas sink. | 10-16-2008 |
20090045264 | Thermostatic expansion valve - A thermostatic expansion valve includes a valve body having an evaporator inlet port, an evaporator outlet port, a suction line port, and a liquid line port. A sensor chamber formed within the valve body is disposed between the evaporator outlet port and the suction line port. A valve is disposed within the valve body controls a flow of refrigerant from the liquid line port to the evaporator inlet port. A diaphragm separates a charge chamber and a pressure chamber where a pressure differential between a charge chamber and a pressure chamber controls the positioning of the valve. A restriction flow passage located to provide fluid communication between the sensor chamber and the pressure chamber is configured to limit a flow rate from the pressure chamber to sensor chamber, thereby slowing the opening of the valve resulting in a reduction of noise generated following an initial startup of a compressor. | 02-19-2009 |
20090133648 | Variable valve actuator with a pneumatic booster - Actuators, and corresponding methods and systems for controlling such actuators, provide independent valve control with a large initial or opening force. In an exemplary embodiment, an actuator includes a driver further including a housing defining a longitudinal axis and first and second directions, an actuation mechanism capable of generating actuation force at least in the first direction, and a rod with one end operably connected with at least one part of the actuation mechanism and with the other end available for an operable connection with a load such as an engine valve; at least one return spring operably connected with the rod through a spring retainer assembly and biasing the rod in the second direction; and a pneumatic booster further including a pneumatic cylinder, a pneumatic piston operably connected with the rod through the spring retainer assembly and biasing the rod in the first direction, a charge mechanism providing a controlled fluid communication between the pneumatic cylinder and a high-pressure gas source, and a bleed mechanism providing a controlled fluid communication between the pneumatic cylinder to a low-pressure gas sink. | 05-28-2009 |
20090145166 | Noise Reduction in a Thermostatic Expansion Valve - A thermostatic expansion valve assembly is provided for an air conditioning system. A thermostatic expansion valve includes a valve body having an evaporator inlet port, an evaporator outlet port, a suction line port, and a liquid inlet port. The thermostatic expansion valve controls a flow of refrigerant from the liquid line port to the evaporator inlet port. A liquid line conduit is coupled to the liquid inlet port. The liquid line conduit has at least a segment elevated above the liquid inlet port. The vapor within the liquid inlet conduit accumulates at an uppermost portion of the segment prior to a compressor startup. A substantial amount refrigerant liquid is maintained between the uppermost portion of the segment and the liquid inlet port prior to the compressor startup. | 06-11-2009 |
20100126442 | VARIABLE VALVE ACTUATOR WITH A PNEUMATIC BOOSTER - Actuators, and corresponding methods and systems for controlling such actuators, provide independent valve control with a large initial or opening force. In an exemplary embodiment, an actuator includes a driver further including a housing defining a longitudinal axis and first and second directions, an actuation mechanism capable of generating actuation force at least in the first direction, and a rod with one end operably connected with at least one part of the actuation mechanism and with the other end available for an operable connection with a load such as an engine valve; at least one return spring operably connected with the rod through a spring retainer assembly and biasing the rod in the second direction; and a pneumatic booster further including a pneumatic cylinder, a pneumatic piston operably connected with the rod through the spring retainer assembly and biasing the rod in the first direction, a charge mechanism providing a controlled fluid communication between the pneumatic cylinder and a high-pressure gas source, and a bleed mechanism providing a controlled fluid communication between the pneumatic cylinder to a low-pressure gas sink. | 05-27-2010 |
20100186434 | Automotive Thermostatic Expansion Valve With Reduced Hiss - An expansion valve for an air conditioning system circulates refrigerant through a fixed-displacement compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator. An inlet is provided for receiving refrigerant liquefied in the condenser. An outlet of the expansion valve supplies refrigerant to the evaporator. A valve element controls flow of refrigerant between the inlet and the outlet, wherein the valve element is normally closed. A control assembly is coupled to the valve element and is responsive to at least one temperature or pressure in the air conditioning system to open the valve element to variably meter the refrigerant to the evaporator. A bleed passage bypasses the valve element to conduct refrigerant between the inlet and the outlet. The bleed passage is adapted to bleed refrigerant to the evaporator immediately after the compressor shuts off to prime the air conditioning system for a lower superheat when the compressor turns on, and the bleed path has a flow capacity substantially smaller than the flow capacity of the main valve aperture. | 07-29-2010 |
20110017181 | Crossover valve systems - Crossover valve systems and corresponding methods offer an effective means to overcome large opening pressure force, or provide reasonable gas flow area, or both. In an exemplary embodiment, a crossover valve system for a split-cycle engine having a power cylinder and a crossover passage comprises first and second crossover valves, each valve opening outwardly away from the power cylinder and providing fluid communication between the power cylinder and the crossover passage, with the diameter of the second crossover valve being larger than the diameter of the first crossover valve; and an actuation mechanism operative to open the first crossover valve, then the second crossover valve after a predetermined delay to allow a certain rise in the pressure inside the power cylinder, resulting in much smaller differential pressure forces across the crossover valves, larger flow areas, or both. | 01-27-2011 |
20130255480 | Variable valve actuator - The present invention discloses an actuator, which is a combination of a hydraulic control unit and a spring-mass mechanical unit, comprising: a housing, with upper and lower ports; an actuation cylinder in the housing; an actuation piston in the actuation cylinder moveable along the longitudinal axis; a first fluid space; a second fluid space; a first piston rod connected to a first surface of the actuation piston; the second piston rod connected to a second surface of the actuation piston; a fluid bypass; a first spring system connected to the first piston rod, biasing the actuation piston in the second direction; a second spring system biasing the actuation piston in the first direction; a first flow mechanism; a second flow mechanism. The present invention also discloses two other preferred embodiments. The actuator features variable valve lift, low energy consumption, fast dynamic response, soft seating and easy controllability. | 10-03-2013 |
20140202424 | Variable throttle device - A variable throttle device comprises at least two fixed throttle orifices and one switch device. The at least two fixed throttle orifices are connected in series; and the switch device is connected in parallel with at least one of the at least two fixed throttle orifices. In another implementation, a variable throttle device comprises at least two throttle passages and one switch device, each of the at least two throttle passages has at least one fixed throttle orifice or a plurality of fixed throttle orifices connected in series, the at least two throttle passages are connected in parallel, and the switch device is connected in series with at least one of the at least two throttle passages to selectively open or close the at least one throttle passage. The variable throttle device can increase or decrease the throttling resistance to meet the requirements of the valve seating velocity under different operating conditions. | 07-24-2014 |
20140290603 | System and method for controlling variable valve time - The present disclosure provides a variable valve time control system and method. The variable valve time control system comprises an actuator, an actuation switch valve, an electronic control unit and a displacement sensor. The electronic control unit controls the actuation switch valve. The displacement sensor detects the engine valve displacement signal. The electronic control unit calculates the engine valve opening and closing times based on the displacement signal from the engine valve displacement sensor, and translates the engine valve opening and closing times into the corresponding switch times of the actuation-switch-valve power output. | 10-02-2014 |