Abstract:
The invention relates to an on-off valve with a pressure reducer intended to be connected to a gas cylinder. The objective of the invention is to ensure that the device is closed and put into service by way of simple and reliable means at high pressures. A shutter is controlled by a mobile part of the valve with pressure reducer, forming a low-pressure chamber of the device. The shutter is subjected to an elastic force in the closing direction. A working spring of the valve with pressure reducer acts on the mobile part in the opening direction. A rotary control member working over at least one turn makes it possible to compress the working spring into the position in which the valve with pressure reducer is put into service. In the closed position, a plate of pusher of the control member is remote from the working spring.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present invention is the US national stage under 35 U.S.C. §371 of International Application No. PCT/EP2013/052772, which was filed on Feb. 12, 2013, 2013 and which claims the priority of application LU 91946 filed on Feb. 20, 2012 the content of which (text, drawings and claims) are incorporated here by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    The invention relates to a pressure reducing and/or regulating device for pressurized gas, more particularly to a pressure reducing and/or regulating device designed to be mounted on a cylinder of pressurized gas. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Patent document FR 1 393 971 discloses a valve with a pressure reducer for pressurized gas, consisting essentially of pressure reducer and a rotary control member configured to open and close the valve via the pressure reducer on a rotation of less than one turn. The rotary control member comprises a wheel with two vertical internal grooves in which, respectively, two pins slide, the pins being fixed with a slider in translation in a cylindrical portion of the valve body. The pins pass through, respectively, inclined grooves in the wall of the cylindrical body portion. The rotation of the wheel has therefore the effect of driving in rotation, via the pins, the slider. The movement of the pins along the inclined grooves also has the effect of translating the slider. The latter interacts with the spring of a diaphragm pressure reducer. The latter includes a membrane defining a low pressure chamber down-stream of a shutter. The shutter typically includes a seat and a movable member. The movable member is controlled by a lever mechanically linked to a movable part of the diaphragm pressure reducer. In the operating position (or opening) the slider of the control member is in the lower position and compresses the spring against the movable part. The movable part is in the lower position and thus actuates the lever so as to open the shutter. The gas fills the low pressure chamber and pressure is established there. This pressure acts against the spring of the pressure reducer via the diaphragm so as to regulate the output pressure. In the closed position, the slider is in the high position and cooperates with the lower part of the spring so as to compress it against a stop connected to the mobile part of the pressure reducer via a rod. Thus, the movable part is held in the upper position via the elastic force of the same spring. This construction is advantageous in so far as the opening and closing of the device are provided by a single shutter which is that of the pressure reducer. It is also advantageous insofar as the opening and closing is activated by a manual control member with a fast command. However, it has some drawbacks, namely that it limits the pressure of the pressure reducer, it can lead to confusion when handling and lacks compactness. Indeed, this type of diaphragm pressure reducer valve is limited to working pressures of the order of 20 to 50 bar, in particular because of the presence of the membrane. The control member provides a compression of the spring in the two positions of closing and opening. It thus has an uncertain intermediate position satisfying neither a closure nor an opening in operation of the pressure reducer valve. This results in a possible confusion during handling. Moreover, the lever construction forming an angle is cumbersome and incompatible with mounting on a gas cylinder. The level of closing safety is also very limited because any deficiency in the valve, including the control mechanism, is likely to generate a leak that, especially in certain applications of corrosive and/or hazardous gases under high pressure (&gt;150 bar), can have serious and unacceptable consequences. 
         [0004]    Patent document FR 2 810 124 A1 discloses a pressure-reducing valve with rotary wheel with limited angular stroke. However, the rotary wheel is limited to flow control and/or pressure of the operating gas of the pressure reducing valve. The opening and closing of gas is indeed ensured by an independent body of the quarter-turn type. The stroke of the rotary hand wheel is limited to less than one turn with one or more stops disposed on the valve body. The wheel acts directly on a screw with a thread or a ramp cooperating with a thread or a reciprocal ramp of the body so as to convert the rotational movement of the wheel into a translational movement of a plate in contact with the pressure reducer spring. This latter is neither shown nor detailed in this teaching. The hand wheel is therefore limited, in a fairly conventional manner, to adjust the regulator. 
         [0005]    The U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,019 A discloses a valve with a hand wheel for adjusting the preload of the reducer spring. The wheel has an adjustment range corresponding to several turns and comprises means for locking in position by engagement of splines of the wheel with corresponding driving splines associated with the valve body. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    An objective of the present invention is to provide a pressure reducer and/or a regulation device for pressurized gas aiming to overcome at least one of the above mentioned disadvantages. More particularly, an objective of the invention is to provide a pressure reducer and/or a regulating device for pressurized gas with a simple and reliable construction, and capable of working at high pressures, in particular greater than 50 bars, more particularly greater than 100 bars, more particularly greater than 150 bars. 
         [0007]    The invention relates to a pressure reducing and/or regulating device for pressurized gas, comprising: a body with a gas inlet, a gas outlet and a passage connecting the inlet to the outlet; a shutter disposed in the passage and adapted to close the passage; a pressure reducer and/or a regulator with a movable part adapted to actuate the shutter under the effect of the gas pressure at the outlet of the valve; a first elastic means capable of acting on the movable part in the sense of an opening of the passage means; a manual rotary control member able to open the passage acting, e.g., by compression, on the shutter via the first elastic means; remarkable in that the device further comprises a second elastic means acting on the shutter in the closing direction of the passage; and in that the control member comprises a position for closing the passage when the first elastic means are free of stress from the control member. 
         [0008]    According to various advantageous embodiments of the invention, the control member includes a pusher acting on the first elastic means, the pusher being distant from the first elastic means in the closed position of the control member. 
         [0009]    According to various other advantageous embodiments of the invention, the control member is configured to open and close the passage by rotation of less than one turn, e.g., half a turn or less, e.g., a quarter turn or less. In various implementations the control member comprises a stopping means in a given position corresponding to the angular closure position. 
         [0010]    According to yet other advantageous embodiments of the invention, the control member comprises a piston accommodated in a cylindrical body portion of the device, a wheel and conversion means of the rotation of the wheel into a translational movement of the piston, the conversion means comprising at least one pin extending through a first slot in a wall portion of the cylindrical portion and cooperating with a second groove of the wheel or of the piston, at least one of first and second grooves being inclined. The inclination is relative to the longitudinal or sliding axis of the piston. The at least one inclined groove includes a corresponding notch forming a stopping means in a given angular position corresponding to the closure position. In various embodiments the at least one inclined groove is free of the stopping means in the vicinity of an angular position corresponding to the open position of the device. 
         [0011]    According to yet other advantageous embodiments of the invention, the pusher is disposed on the piston and comprises an adjustment means, e.g., by screwing, relative to the piston. 
         [0012]    According to yet other advantageous embodiments of the invention, the pusher comprises a means for transmitting a compressive force to the first elastic means, the transmission means comprising a contact means, e.g., with a ball, arranged at least substantially on the axis of the piston, allowing rotation of the piston relative to the first elastic means. 
         [0013]    According to yet other advantageous embodiments of the invention, the wheel is generally cylindrical and comprises a removable cover giving access to the adjusting means of the pusher. 
         [0014]    According to yet other advantageous embodiments of the invention, the wheel comprises at least one window in front of the piston, the device comprising at least one indication which can be seen through the at least one window in a position of the wheel corresponding to one of the open and closed positions. The at least one indication can be arranged on a disk or a holder arranged on the body between the cover and the piston. The disk or the support can comprise locating means relative to the body. 
         [0015]    According to yet other advantageous embodiments of the invention, the at least one window is provided on the removable cover. 
         [0016]    According to yet other advantageous embodiments of the invention, the control member comprises an elastic return means configured to release the first elastic means of compressive stresses. The control member can be configured to present in the closed position of the device a mechanical clearance between the pusher or at least one of the elements of the pusher and/or of the piston and first elastic means, e.g., the clearance being greater than 0.5 mm, e.g., 1 mm. 
         [0017]    According to yet other advantageous embodiments of the invention, the shutter is configured so that the movement of the shutter in the closing direction of the passage is oriented substantially in the flow of gas in use. 
         [0018]    According to further advantageous embodiments of the invention, the shutter includes a movable member and a seat, the movable member extending through the passage at the level of the seat and being linked, e.g., rigidly, to the movable part of the pressure reducer and/or regulator. 
         [0019]    According to yet other advantageous embodiments of the invention, the second elastic means directly act on the moving part of the pressure regulator and/or regulator. 
         [0020]    According to further advantageous embodiments of the invention, the shutter includes a movable member and a seat, the movable element member extending through the passage at the level of the seat and cooperating by a sliding engagement with the movable part of the pressure reducer and/or regulator. 
         [0021]    According to yet other advantageous embodiments of the invention, the sliding engagement comprises a stopper in the direction of approximation of the movable part of the pressure reducer and/or regulator with the movable member of the shutter and is free in the opposite direction. 
         [0022]    According to yet other advantageous embodiments of the invention, the second elastic means act directly on the movable element of the movable member of the shutter upstream of the seat. 
         [0023]    According to yet other advantageous embodiments of the invention, the shutter is aligned with the movable part. 
         [0024]    According to yet other advantageous embodiments of the invention, the movable part of the pressure reducer and/or regulator is a piston housed in a cylindrical portion of the body. 
         [0025]    According to yet other advantageous embodiments of the invention, the shutter is a first shutter and the device comprises a second shutter arranged upstream of the first shutter in the passageway, the first and second shutters being mechanically linked so that the second shutter closes before the first shutter, and wherein in various implementations the first and second shutters comprise, each, a movable closure member cooperating with a respective seat fixed with the body of the device. 
         [0026]    According to further advantageous embodiments of the invention, a spring acts on the second shutter in the normal flow of gas to close the passage way, and is mechanically linked with the first shutter by a simple mechanical stop so that the first shutter pushes the second shutter during an opening movement and there is a slight play in the mechanical connection between the two shutters when the two shutters are closed. 
         [0027]    All the above mentioned features are optionally disclosed in all possible combinations with the object of the invention. 
         [0028]    The invention provides a pressure reducing and/or regulating device for pressurized gas ensuring a dual function of shutoff valve and pressure reduction, the device having a single control member and having a very simple and reliable construction. Indeed, a single shutter is sufficient for the closure function and pressure reduction and/or regulation, and that for high pressures. The presence of second elastic means acting directly or indirectly on the shutter in the closing direction, combined with the fact that the control member relaxes the first elastic means guarantees a secure closure for such high pressures. Indeed, the closing action of the device corresponds to unloading the first elastic means, which is safe compared to the teaching of FR 1 393 971 where closing the device requires an effort of compressing the spring of the pressure reducer and where the control member can take an uncertain position corresponding to an intermediate position between the open and closed positions. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0029]      FIG. 1  is a sectional view of a valve with a pressure reducer according to various embodiments of the invention, the valve being in closed position. 
           [0030]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a cylindrical portion of a rotary control member of the valve of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. 
           [0031]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the valve of  FIG. 1  in the operating position, in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. 
           [0032]      FIG. 4  is a sectional view along line  4 - 4  of the valve of  FIG. 3 , in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. 
           [0033]      FIG. 5  is an elevation view of the rotary control member wheel of the valve of  FIGS. 1 ,  3  and  4 , in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0034]      FIG. 1  shows a longitudinal section of a valve with a pressure reducer and/or pressure regulator  2  according to various embodiments of the invention. In various embodiments the pressure reduction and/or regulation components and operation of the valve  2  can function as a pressure reducer and/or a pressure regulator and remain within the scope of the present invention. However, for simplicity and clarity the valve  2  will be simply referred to as the valve with pressure reducer  2 . The valve with pressure reducer  2  essentially comprises a body  4  with a gas inlet  6  (not visible), a gas outlet and a passage  10  inside of the body  4 , connecting the inlet  6  with the outlet. It should be noted that the passage  10  is only partly visible due to the fact that certain portions of the passage  10  are not in the plane of the section illustrated in the  FIG. 1 . 
         [0035]    The valve with pressure reducer  2  also includes a shutter disposed in the passage  10 , the shutter comprising substantially a movable member  14  and a seat  16 . The seat  16  is fixed to the body  4  by a mounting means comprising a seal and a screw element. The movable member  14  comprises a main portion cooperating with the seat  16  to close the passage  10 . This main portion is disposed upstream of the seat  16  relative to the normal flow direction of the gas when the valve with pressure reducer  2  is in service. It is subject to the resilient force of a spring  18  directed in the closing direction of the shutter and in the normal direction of flow of the gas. 
         [0036]    The movable member  14  also includes an extension  24  extending through the seat  16  and cooperating by a sliding engagement with a housing  28  of the movable part  22  of the valve with pressure reducer  2 . This movable part is a piston equipped with a seal  26  sliding in a cylindrical housing  30  of the body  4 . It defines with the body a cavity  20  forming a so-called low-pressure chamber disposed downstream of the shutter  14 ,  16 . 
         [0037]    A spring  36  is disposed on the face of the piston  58  which is opposed to the shutter  14  and  16 . The end of the spring  36  opposite to the movable part  22  of the valve with pressure reducer  2  is in contact with a pusher consisting essentially of a plate  44 , a ball  46  and a screw  48 . The plate  44  includes a portion projecting into the interior of the spring  36 . This protruding portion forms a cavity in which the ball  46  is housed. The cavity includes a concave conical surface receiving a face of the ball  46 . The corresponding end of the screw  48  also includes a concave conical surface receiving the opposite face of the ball  46 . The ball  46  and the conical surfaces provide a rotational connection free of, or at least with a very low, resisting torque. This connection is moreover self-centering by the interaction of the ball surface with concave conical surfaces. 
         [0038]    The screw  48  is engaged in a corresponding thread of a piston  58  sliding in a cylindrical portion  60  of the body  4  forming a wall. In various embodiments of the present invention, the cylindrical portion  60  accommodating the piston  58  is part of a part  34  of the body which is attached to the main body  4  by means of a ring nut  32 . 
         [0039]    The piston  58  includes two pins or rods  52  extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal or sliding axis of the piston, and oppositely. Each of these pins  52  is rigidly fixed to the piston  58  and passes through the cylindrical wall  60  and protrudes from the outer surface of the wall in question. A generally cylindrical control wheel  38  is disposed around the cylindrical wall  60 . The control wheel  38  includes two grooves  62  on its inner cylindrical surface, these grooves  62  being generally vertical and opposite. Each of the two pins  52  cooperate by engagement in one of these two grooves. 
         [0040]      FIG. 2  illustrates the part  34  with the ring nut  32  showing one of the two grooves  62  traversed by the pin  52 . The groove  62  is inclined so as to impose a movement component of the pins  52  along the longitudinal axis the part during rotation of the control wheel  38 . At least one of the grooves or guides  62  of the cylindrical wall includes a stop notch  64  of the pin  52  to a position of the piston  58  ( FIG. 1 ) which corresponds to an operating position of the valve with pressure reducer  2 . The cylindrical wall  60  also comprises a circular groove or slot  66  near its end opposite to the ring nut  32 , this groove  66  being adapted to receive a snap ring  54  ( FIG. 1 ) for retaining the control wheel  38 . 
         [0041]    Returning to  FIG. 1 , it is illustrated we can see that the control wheel  38  includes a cover  56  covering the top opening, near the snap ring  54 . The cavity housing the piston  58  and formed by the cylindrical wall  60  includes a return spring  40  based on a shoulder  42  of the cavity and on the face of the piston  58  directed towards the side of the shutter. The spring operates in compression and is configured to bias the piston  58  upwardly when the control member consisting essentially of the wheel  38 , the piston  58 , the pusher  44 ,  46  and  48  and the pins  52 , is in the closed position of the valve with pressure reducer  2 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , this closed position is reached when the pins  52  are close to the upper ends of the grooves  62  of the cylindrical wall  60 . In order to ensure satisfactory sealing, the control member is configured so as to have a stroke such that the pusher  44 ,  46  and  48  connected to the piston  58  becomes separated from the spring  36  of the valve with pressure reducer  2 . The return spring  40  is for biasing back the piston  58  and hence the pusher  44 ,  46  and  48  to its furthest position from the shutter. The pusher, more particularly its plate  44  is thus held remote, albeit small, of the free end of the spring  36  of the valve with pressure reducer  2 . No force in the opening direction of the shutter is thus exerted on the shutter via the working spring  36 . Only the spring  18  acts on the movable member  14  of the shutter in the closing direction. In case of increase of the pressure upstream of the valve with pressure reducer  2 , that is to say for example the pressure in the cylinder to which the valve with pressure reducer  2  can be connected, the pressure will increase the closing force exerted on the movable member  14 . A deformation of the seat or a matting of the contact surfaces of the seat  16  and/or the movable member  14  can be absorbed by the clearance between the end of the working spring  36  and the plate  44  of the pusher. It follows from this construction an increased security with the advantages of simple construction and a rapid command. 
         [0042]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , one can observe that the rotation of the control wheel  38  clockwise will cause the rotation of the piston  58  via the pins  52  and hence its translation towards the working spring  36  of the valve with pressure reducer  2 . This rotational movement of the wheel  38  will be stopped and stabilized when the pins  52  reach their respective notches  64  in the grooves  62  of the cylindrical wall  60 . In this stabilized position, the plate  44  of the pusher will be in contact with the working spring  36  which will work then in a state of compression, able to oppose the opposite force of the spring  18  and force the opening of the shutter  14 ,  16 . 
         [0043]    This situation is illustrated in  FIG. 3 . It can in fact be observed that the movable part  22  of the valve with pressure reducer  2  is displaced under the effect of the force of the working spring  36  and has therefore moved the movable member  14  of the shutter so as to open the passage. The gas can flow from the high pressure area upstream of the shutter to the low pressure  20 . The establishment of a pressure in the low pressure chamber  20  will exert a force directed in the direction of closing which will add to the force of the spring  18 , both efforts opposing the force of the working spring  36 . The principle of operation of the pressure reducer is as such well known to the skilled person. 
         [0044]    It should be noted that in this stable operating position of the valve with pressure reducer  2 , the stress of the working spring  36  can advantageously be adjusted by means of the screw  48  of the pusher. Indeed, it suffices to remove the cover  56  and release the nut  68  locking the screw  48  and then to adjust the screw  68  in question, for example through a tool such as an Allen wrench. The rotation of the screw  48  in the direction of increasing the compression of the working spring  36  will increase the pressure and/or flow outlet and vice versa, the rotation in the other direction will decrease the pressure and/or flow rate. The pressure and/or the output rate can be measured easily, which makes the final adjustment of the valve with pressure reducer  2  particularly convenient. 
         [0045]      FIG. 4  is a sectional view  4 - 4  of the expansion valve with pressure reducer  2  of  FIG. 3 . 
         [0046]      FIG. 5  is an elevation view of the control wheel  38  of the valve with pressure reducer  2  of  FIGS. 1 ,  3  and  4 . One can see the splined shape of the outer cylindrical surface of the control wheel  38 . The cover  56  comprises two windows  70  displaying the status of the valve with pressure reducer  2 . The valve with pressure reducer  2  comprises indeed a disk  72  (see  FIG. 3 ) disposed on the body, especially on the cylindrical wall  60  and with a defined relative angular position, for example by means of a locating device. Inscriptions  74  such as “CLOSE” are provided on the disk  72  on areas disposed in facing relation with the windows  70  when the wheel is in the closed position of the valve with pressure reducer  2 . These measures allow an easy and reliable display of the valve status. In the various embodiments of the invention described here, the angular stroke of the wheel is around one quarter of a turn and the two windows  70  are diametrically opposed. It is thus also possible to provide inscriptions expressing the open state of the valve with pressure reducer  2  such as “OPEN” to areas disposed in facing relation with the windows  70  when the wheel is in the position of opening the valve with pressure reducer  2 . 
         [0047]    It should be noted that the embodiments which that have been described in detail are purely illustrative. Indeed, many other embodiments of the invention as defined by the claims are possible. By way of example only, the construction of the pusher can be different from that which has been illustrated. The control member, in particular the means for converting the rotation of the wheel  38  into a movement of translation of the piston  58  can be different, in particular with regard to the position and/or shape of the grooves or guides  62 . The valve with pressure reducer  2  that has been described includes only two positions of the control member. It is possible to provide further positions. It is also possible to provide a second shutter disposed upstream of the first and mechanically connected to the first so that the second shutter closes before the first. The mechanical connection can be provided by a sliding engagement such as that between the rod  24  of the movable member of the shutter  14 ,  16  and the housing  28  of the movable part  22  of the valve with pressure reducer  2  shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  3  and  4 . For example, the second shutter can be mechanically linked with the first shutter by a simple mechanical stop so that the first shutter pushes the second shutter during an opening movement and there is a slight play in the mechanical connection between the two shutters when the two shutters are closed. Such an arrangement allows to confer greater security through simple and inexpensive measures.