Patent NZ-552122-A (NZ)
Title: Multifunctional valve unit in which the flow control device is replacably removable from the rest of the unit
Inventor: GAWRYJOLEK THOMAS KASPER
Filed: 2005-07-18
Abstract: A multifunctional valve unit (10) for use on a gas cylinder to which it is attached for the controlled filling of the cylinder and for the controlled discharge of gas therefrom, the unit having a unitary or monolithic valve body (32) and the unit comprising: a filling port (12), provided by the body (32), for use in charging a gas cylinder on which the unit is mounted from a gas supply or source; a cylinder connector (14), provided by the body (32), the connector (14) being in gas flow communication, via a gas flow path (54) defined in the valve body (32), with the filling port (12), for releasable attachment of the unit to a gas cylinder on which the unit is mounted; a manually operable manual shut-off valve (16), mounted on the valve body (32), for opening and closing the flow path between the filling port (12) and the cylinder connector (14); a gas pressure regulator (18), mounted on the valve body (32), for regulating the pressure of gas issuing via the unit (10) from a gas cylinder on which the unit is mounted, the regulator (18) having an inlet in gas flow communication, via a gas flow path defined in the valve body (32) and via the manual shut-off valve (16), with the cylinder connector (14), the manual shut-off valve (16) being operative, simultaneously with its opening and closing the flow path between the filling port (12) and the cylinder connector (14), to open and close the flow path between the gas pressure regulator (18) and the cylinder connector (14); a minimum pressure retention valve (20), mounted on the valve body (32), for retaining gas in a gas cylinder on which the unit is mounted at a pressure above a minimum threshold valve, the minimum pressure retention valve (20) being operative to close the flow path between the cylinder connector (14) and the gas pressure regulator (18) when the pressure in the gas cylinder drops to the threshold value, and to open said flow path when the pressure in the gas cylinder rises above the threshold value and the manual shut-off valve (16) is open; a pressure gauge (22), mounted on the valve body (32), for measuring and displaying the gas pressure in the flow path (54) between the cylinder connector (14) and the manual shut-off valve (16), and thus also for measuring and displaying the pressure in a gas cylinder on which the unit is mounted; a flow control device (24), mounted on the valve body (32), having an inlet in gas flow communication with an outlet from the gas pressure regulator (18), for controlling the flow rate of gas issuing from the outlet of the gas pressure regulator (18), and for feeding gas at a controlled flow rate from the gas pressure regulator (18) to a gas outlet (122) from the multifunctional valve unit (10); and a pressure relief safety valve (26), mounted on the valve body (32), the pressure relief safety valve (26) having an outlet venting to atmosphere and an inlet in communication with the outlet from the gas pressure regulator (18), for relieving gas pressure where the outlet of the gas pressure regulator (18) communicates with the inlet of the flow control device (64), and thus for maintaining gas pressure there below a maximum threshold value, wherein the flow control device (24) is, as a whole, replaceably removable from the remainder of the multifunctional valve unit (10) while the cylinder connector (14) is connected to a gas cylinder containing gas and the manual shut-off valve is closed, the remainder of the multifunctional valve unit (10) remaining connected to the gas cylinder by the connector (14) and constituting the valve body (32), the filling port (12), the cylinder connector (14), the shut-off valve (16), the gas pressure regulator (18), the minimum pressure retention valve (20), the pressure gauge (22), the gas outlet (122) and the pressure relief safety valve (26).