Patent ID: 8864102
Filing Date: 2014-10-21
Classification: F15B,F16K,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An actuator for actuating a plunger, the actuator comprising: a main inlet and a main outlet; first and second hollow caps facing one another, the second cap being provided with a cap channel extending therethrough; a main actuation assembly provided between the first and second hollow caps, comprising: an actuating stem slidably fitting in said cap channel, a portion of the stem extending outside of the second cap, said portion of the stem being connectable to the plunger, the actuating stem cooperating with the main piston so as to slide within the cap channel when the main piston moves between the actuated and unactuated positions; and a biasing mechanism biasing the piston in the unactuated position; wherein when pressurized fluid is at least one of forced through the main inlet and drawn from the main outlet, the first chamber of the main actuating assembly expands, moving the main piston from the unactuated position to the actuated position, the actuating stem thereby sliding within the cap channel, further comprising at least one stackable secondary actuating assembly disposed between the first and second caps, each assembly comprising: a cartridge inlet and a cartridge outlet; an actuating cartridge provided with a cartridge channel; an intermediate deformable diaphragm having opposite first and second surfaces; a first intermediate chamber limited by said first surface of the intermediate diaphragm, said first intermediate chamber being in fluid communication with said cartridge inlet; a second intermediate chamber limited by said second surface of the intermediate diaphragm, said second intermediate chamber being in fluid communication with said cartridge outlet; cartridge static sealing elements for fluidly sealing said first and second intermediate chambers; and an intermediate piston movable between the actuated and unactuated positions and including a piston surface operatively attached to the second surface of the intermediate diaphragm, the intermediate piston slidably fitting in the cartridge channel, said intermediate piston operatively cooperating with the main piston; wherein when pressurized fluid is at least one of forced through the cartridge inlet and drawn from the cartridge outlet, the first intermediate chamber expands, moving the intermediate piston from the unactuated position to the actuated position, assisting the sliding of the actuating stem within the cap channel, wherein for each of the at least one stackable secondary actuating assembly: wherein each of the at least one stackable secondary actuating assembly comprises a screw having an axial channel extending therethrough and a second diaphragm retaining nut, and wherein for each of the at least one stackable actuating assembly: the second intermediate deformable diaphragm is circular and is provided with a central hole, an inner periphery and an outer periphery; the intermediate piston is connected to said screw, the axial channel of said screw being aligned with the axial channel of the intermediate piston, said screw sealingly connecting the inner periphery of the second intermediate diaphragm to the intermediate piston, and the cartridge channel having said second diaphragm retaining nut sealingly screwed therearound, said retaining nut sealingly retaining the outer periphery of the second intermediate diaphragm to said actuating cartridge.