The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 20, 2001
Filed:
Jun. 22, 1999
Robert P. Smith, Lake Forest, CA (US);
Q-Fuse, LLC, Costa Mesa, CA (US);
Abstract
A fluid flow fuse has a body, which includes an inlet and an outlet with a valve seat therebetween. A valve stem having a valve member thereon is mounted in the body, and the valve member is operably connected to a diaphragm, which separates a region within the body into a pair of separate pressure chambers. Fluid passages are formed in the body communicating the separate pressure chambers with downstream pressure from the outlet and upstream pressure from the inlet. The pressure differential between the chambers is minimized so that at least one spring will normally hold the valve member in an open position, until the pressure differential reaches a predetermined amount, whereby the valve member is slowly and smoothly closed until fluid flow through the fuse is stopped. The valve seat and valve member do not form a perfectly tight seal, so as to allow some leakage, thereby allowing restricted fluid flow into the downstream side of the fuse and any system connected thereto, to equalize upstream and downstream pressures, which allows the valve to reset itself. Different types of valves, namely, sleeve valves and poppet valves, are used for different embodiments.