Senior IP Gmbh

Eagle Technology, LLC

Senior Operations Inc.

Patrick B Reed

Peter A Jordan

Robert M Thorne

Clarke O Fowler

Brian L Goeller

James M Leithauser

Peter M Jordan

A module is retained in a slot of an electronics chassis. A clearance space is provided for receiving the module in a slot of the electronics chassis by controlling an internal pressure of a bellows. The bellows forms a part of a retainer that is disposed on an elongated rail extending along a length of the slot. The bellows defines an internal bellows capsule which contains a fluid. Once the module has been inserted in the slot, the module is secured with the retainer by further controlling the internal pressure of the bellows to exert a force on the module.

Module retention in an electronics chassis

A pressure balanced thermal actuator includes a flow housing having an inlet and an outlet, with the flow housing being affixed at opposing ends to two bellows housings, each of which contains a bellows. An actuation rod is operably coupled to each bellows and contains a fluid passage therewithin. When the temperature of the area surrounding the actuator increases, the pressure inside the bellows housings increases, and exerts a force on the bellows therein, compressing it. As a result, the actuation rod moves from a first position to a second position to align the fluid passage with the inlet and the outlet, enabling the controlled passage of a first fluid from the inlet, and through the fluid passage, to the outlet, to reduce the temperature of the area surrounding the valve assembly. The actuator is unaffected by changes in the ambient pressure, by working equally on two opposing bellows areas.

Pressure balanced thermal actuator

A valve assembly for high pressure applications includes a pre-charge chamber in fluid communication with a first bellows, at least one inlet for pressurized gas to enter the assembly, a system poppet and an outlet for releasing pressurized gas into a desired environment. The pre-charge chamber and first bellows are filled with pre-charge gas to a threshold pressure. Pressurized gas can flow through access channels into a second bellows, which expands to move a valve shaft connected to the poppet assembly to open the poppet and allow the release of gas. The expansion of the second bellows pushes incompressible fluid disposed between the two bellows against the first bellows, thus contracting the first bellows. The gas within each bellows maintains an internal pressure equal to the pressure exerted upon each bellows by the incompressible fluid, so as to minimize differential pressure across the bellows in the extended position.

High pressure valve assembly

A valve assembly for high pressure applications includes a pre-charge chamber, at least one inlet for pressurized gas to enter the assembly, a system poppet and an outlet for releasing pressurized gas into a desired environment. Pressurized gas can flow through access channels into a single bellows, which expands to move a shaft connected to the system poppet to open the poppet. In another embodiment, the pre-charge chamber compresses a first bellows to expand a second bellows, and vice versa upon reciprocation. The two bellows are hydraulically connected and filled with incompressible fluid. Each bellows has an internal limiting valve to retain incompressible fluid therewithin, and to preclude the complete nesting of either of the bellows. The retained fluid within the bellows maintains an internal pressure to minimize differential pressure, thereby minimizing the risk of bellows failure.

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Franklin, MA, United States of America

Patrick B Reed