Patent Publication Number: US-2003221733-A1

Title: Suppressor for manifold fluid line

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] The present invention is directed toward suppressors, and particularly toward suppressors for manifolds.  
       [0002] Suppressors are commonly used to absorb pulsations and suppress shocks in fluid lines, such as hydraulic systems. Such devices can include a cylindrical pressure vessel having a resilient diaphragm or bladder therein together with a valve extending through the pressure vessel for charging the pressure chamber defined between the diaphragm and wall of the pressure vessel with a gas such as nitrogen. With this arrangement, pulses and shocks in the hydraulic system act against the resilient diaphragm in opposition to the nitrogen charged pressure chamber.  
       [0003] For example, suppressors are conventionally charged with nitrogen at a percentage of the minimum hydraulic operating pressure. If the hydraulic fluid is oil, the oil has a free and unrestricted flow path through a tube extending between an inlet and an outlet and through radial holes in the tube which serves to act against the diaphragm or bladder on the side opposite that which has been subjected to the nitrogen charge. As hydraulic shock or pulses occur, the diaphragm expands against the nitrogen charge, thus absorbing the shock or pulse to protect the hydraulic system. Such a structure is shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,387.  
       [0004] Pulsation dampers commonly also have an inlet and an outlet which are connected at both points to the fluid line. Such structures are therefore naturally limited in their placement, and in particular are not readily adaptable to all installations, particularly those with limited available space. The above referenced U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,387, as well as U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,857,413, 4,721,444, 4,838,316, 4,872,486, and 5,337,791, all disclose pulsation dampers with an inlet and outlet, and usually directly connected in a line.  
       [0005] Also, in high pressure applications, it will be recognized that the charged gas may itself be at high pressure. If a bladder is charged at high pressure and not suitably contained, however, such as can occur when the pulsation damper is removed from the hydraulic system for maintenance or the like, the bladder can present a particular safety concern should it burst.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006] In one aspect of the invention, a suppressor for a fluid line in a manifold is provided, including a mounting body removably securable to the manifold, a diffuser attached to the mounting body and located in the fluid line when the mounting body is secured to the manifold, a charge bladder secured to the mounting body and disposed inside the diffuser, and a charging valve secured to the mounting body for charging gas through the mounting body into the interior of the charge bladder.  
       [0007] In one form of this aspect of the invention, the diffuser is a substantially cylindrical body with openings therethrough.  
       [0008] In another form, the suppressor further includes a discharge opening between the charge bladder interior and an opening in the mounting body adjacent the manifold when the suppressor is secured to the manifold, and a seal securable over the discharge opening and between the mounting body and the manifold when the mounting body is secured to the manifold whereby the seal prevents discharge of charge gas from the charge bladder when the mounting body is secured to the manifold.  
       [0009] In still another form, the charging valve includes an opening through the mounting body, and the discharge opening comprises a passage through the mounting body between the charging valve opening and the opening in the mounting body adjacent the manifold when the suppressor is secured to the manifold.  
       [0010] In yet another form, the mounting body includes a generally cylindrical outer surface with threads therearound for mounting in a threaded cylindrical opening in the manifold. Further, the discharge opening may be through the cylindrical outer surface and the seal is an O-ring disposed about the cylindrical outer surface and over the discharge opening, the O-ring being secured against the discharge opening by the manifold when the mounting body is threaded into the manifold threaded cylindrical opening.  
       [0011] In another aspect of the invention, a manifold is provided, including a manifold body defining a fluid path with an externally accessible opening through which the fluid path passes, and a suppressor removably received in the externally accessible opening and allowing passage of fluid through the opening. The suppressor includes a mounting body removably secured in the manifold body, where the mounting body blocks external access to the manifold body opening. The suppressor also includes a diffuser attached to the mounting body and extending into the manifold body opening, a charge bladder secured to the mounting body and disposed inside the diffuser, and a charging valve secured to the mounting body for charging gas through the mounting body into the interior of the charge bladder.  
       [0012] In one form, the manifold body opening is substantially cylindrical and the diffuser is a substantially cylindrical body with openings therethrough.  
       [0013] In another form, the manifold body and the mounting body have adjacent surfaces, with there further being a discharge opening between the charge bladder interior and the mounting body adjacent surface, and a seal over the discharge opening and between the mounting body and manifold body adjacent surfaces whereby the adjacent surfaces secure the seal over the discharge opening to prevent discharge of charge gas from the charge bladder.  
       [0014] In yet another form, the charging valve includes an opening through the mounting body, and the discharge opening comprises a passage through the mounting body between the charging valve opening and the mounting body adjacent surface.  
       [0015] In still another form, the mounting body adjacent surface is generally cylindrical with threads therearound secured to threads in the manifold body externally accessible opening.  
       [0016] In another form, the seal is an O-ring disposed about the generally cylindrical mounting body adjacent surface, the O-ring being secured against the discharge opening by the manifold when the mounting body is threaded into the manifold threaded cylindrical opening.  
       [0017] In still another form, the seal alone is structurally incapable of preventing discharge of charge gas from the charge bladder.  
       [0018] In yet another form, the seal is an elastic O-ring.  
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0019]FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view along the axis of a first embodiment of a suppressor according to the present invention;  
     [0020]FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of a second embodiment similar to the first, with the suppressor mounted in a manifold; and  
     [0021]FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of a third embodiment, with the suppressor mounted in another manifold. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     [0022] One embodiment of a suppressor  10  according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 1.  
     [0023] The suppressor  10  includes a top cover or mounting body  12  suitably secured to a diffuser  14  which may be in a generally closed cylindrical shape with a plurality of openings therethrough.  
     [0024] A flexible or elastic charge bladder  20  is disposed inside the diffuser  14  and is suitably secured therein so that its interior  22  defines a gas-tight enclosure. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a flange  24  at its upper end may be secured between the diffuser  14  and the mounting body  12 .  
     [0025] A suitable charging valve  26  is provided on the mounting body  12 , and an opening  28  through the mounting body  12  from the charging valve  26  to the bladder interior  22  enables pressurized gas to be charged into the bladder  20 . The charging valve  26  may be any suitable structure for allowing the charging of such gas, preferably whereby the pressurized gas source may be disconnected after charging without releasing the pressurized gas from the charge bladder  20 .  
     [0026] In use, the suppressor  10  may be secured in a manifold as described below, whereby the diffuser  14  and charge bladder  20  are disposed in a fluid line so that pulsations in the fluid in the fluid line will be absorbed by passing of the fluid through the diffuser openings  16  and compression of the charge bladder  20  and the pressurized gas in its interior  22 .  
     [0027] In one form of the invention, a discharge opening  30  extends from the mounting body opening  28  to a location on the exterior surface of the mounting body  12 . A suitable seal  34  is located over the discharge opening  30 .  
     [0028] The seal  34  alone is incapable of closing the discharge opening  30  to maintain significant pressure inside the discharge opening  30  (and therefore the mounting body opening  28  and charge bladder  20 ). However, when the suppressor  10  is secured in place, such as in a manifold, the manifold is disposed over the seal  34  to hold it in place.  
     [0029] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the seal  34  is an O-ring disposed around the mounting body  12 . The seal  34  may be flexible and/or elastic so that it will seal the discharge opening, though in its broadest configuration the seal  34  should simply be provided so that it is generally located over the discharge opening  30  and will seal that opening  30  when the suppressor  10  is mounted in place for operation but will be unseated to allow discharge of pressurized gas when the suppressor  10  is removed.  
     [0030] FIGS.  2 - 3  illustrate two additional embodiments of the present invention as used with different manifolds. Like reference numerals are used with like parts, and similar but modified parts are identified by like reference numerals with prime (′) and double prime (″) added in FIGS. 2 and 3 respectively (e.g., mounting body  12  is identified as  12 ′ in FIGS. 2 and 12″ in FIG. 3).  
     [0031] Referring now to FIG. 2, the suppressor  10 ′ is shown mounted for use in a manifold  40 . The manifold  40  defines a fluid line having two supply lines  42 ,  44  interconnected by a component chamber  46  within which the suppressor  10 ′ is secured. The suppressor  10 ′ may be readily mounted in the manifold  40  by the connection of a threaded outer surface  48  on the mounting body  12 ′ with a threaded interior surface  49  of the component chamber  46 .  
     [0032] The mounting body  12 ′ as illustrated includes an annular flange  50  at its upper end (in the vertical orientation of the Figures) which seats against the upper surface of the manifold  40  when properly secured thereto. In the FIG. 2 embodiment, the discharge opening  30 ′ extends to an outlet just beneath the annular flange  50 , with the seal  34 ′ thereby secured over the outlet by the manifold  40  when the suppressor  10 ′ is secured to the manifold  40 , thereby preventing leaking of pressurized gas.  
     [0033] Accordingly, pulses in fluid in supply lines  42 ,  44  will be absorbed (suppressed) by the suppressor  10 ′ as the pulses enter the chamber  46 . Such functioning can further be readily achieved in a modular fashion, with conventional manifolds  40  with component chambers used. For example, the chambers which may, in some applications, be used to connect different fluid supply lines, could be used to easily locate the suppressor  10 ′ in a fluid line.  
     [0034] Further, if the discharge opening  30 ′ and seal  34 ′ are used as described, the suppressor  10 ′ may be easily and securely charged while in place. Moreover, such suppressor  10 ′ may be safely used, inasmuch as it will safely discharge the pressurized gas immediately upon removal of the suppressor  10 ′ from the manifold  40  (since the seal  34 ′ will be pushed aside by the pressurized gas when the manifold is not over the seal  34 ′ to secure it in place). Therefore, the dangers of damage and/or injury from handling suppressors which unknowingly have high pressure gas can be avoided.  
     [0035] Referring now to FIG. 3, the suppressor  10 ″ is shown mounted for used in another manifold  40 ″. The manifold  40 ″ defines a fluid line having at least four supply lines  42 ″,  43 ,  44 ″,  45  interconnected by a component chamber  46 ″ within which the suppressor  10 ″ is secured.  
     [0036] The mounting body  12 ″ of the suppressor  10 ″ includes a cylindrical flange  54  at its lower end (in the orientation of the Figures, it being understood that the actual orientation of the components to horizontal can be different from the orientation in the Figures) with an O-ring  56  around its lower end sealing the supply line  43  from the other supply lines  42 ″,  44 ″,  45 . The supply line  43  may thus be connected by chamber  58  around the flange  54  to another supply line (not seen in the sectional view of FIG. 3), without having the pulse dampening of the suppressor  10 ″ for that supply line  43 . It can be seen that a manifold  40 ″ having separate supply lines can therefore readily be run through a manifold  40 ″, with the suppressor  10 ″ dampening pulses in only one of the supply lines if so desired.  
     [0037] The suppressor  10 ″ may be readily mounted in the manifold  40 ″ by the connection of a threaded outer surface  48  on the mounting body  12 ″ with a threaded interior surface  49  of the component chamber  46 ″.  
     [0038] The mounting body  12 ′ as illustrated includes an annular flange  50  at its upper end (in the vertical orientation of the Figures) which seats against the upper surface of the manifold  40 ″ when properly secured thereto. In the FIG. 3 embodiment, as in the FIG. 2 embodiment, the discharge opening  30 ″ extends to an outlet just beneath the annular flange  50 , with the seal  34 ″ thereby secured over the outlet by the manifold  40 ″ when the suppressor  10 ″ is secured to the manifold  40 ″, thereby preventing leaking of pressurized gas.  
     [0039] Accordingly, pulses in fluid in supply lines  42 ″,  44 ″,  45  will be absorbed (suppressed) by the suppressor  10 ″ as the pulses enter the chamber  46 ″. Such functioning can also be readily achieved in a modular fashion, with conventional manifolds  40  with component chambers used. For example, the chambers which may, in some applications, be used to connect different fluid supply lines, could be used to easily locate the suppressor  10 ″ in a fluid line.  
     [0040] Further, as with the FIG. 2 embodiment previously described, if the discharge opening  30 ″ and seal  34 ″ are used as described, the suppressor  10 ″ may be easily and securely charged while in place. Moreover, such suppressor  10 ″ may be safely used, inasmuch as it will safely discharge the pressurized gas immediately upon removal of the suppressor  10 ″ from the manifold  40 ″ (since the seal  34 ″ will be pushed aside by the pressurized gas when the manifold is not over the seal  34 ″ to secure it in place). Therefore, the, dangers of damage and/or injury from handling suppressors which unknowingly have high pressure gas can be avoided.  
     [0041] In addition, as is also illustrated in FIGS.  1 - 2  showing the first two described embodiments, the mounting body  12 ″ may be secured to the diffuser  14 ″ by a threaded connection  60 , with the upper end  62  of the charge bladder  20 ″ compressed between the upper end of the diffuser  14 ″ and the mounting body  12 ″ to secure the charge bladder  20 ″ therein. This enables the entire suppressor  10 ″ to be conveniently sold and shipped as a unit rather than as piece parts. However, it should be understood that it would be within the broad scope of the an aspect of the invention to connect the mounting body  12 ″ and diffuser  14 ″ by other means. For example, if provided in piece parts, the diffuser  14 ″ could be simply telescopically received in the mounting body  12 ″, with the diffuser  14 ″ sized to seat inside the manifold  40 ″ so that as the mounting body  12 ″ is threaded into the manifold  40 ″ it is moved over and toward the end of the diffuser  14 ″ to thereby compress the upper end  62  of the charging bladder  20 ″ therebetween.  
     [0042] Still other aspects, objects, and advantages of the present invention can be obtained from a study of the specification, the drawings, and the appended claims. It should be understood, however, that the present invention could be used in alternate forms where less than all of the objects and advantages of the present invention and preferred embodiment as described above would be obtained.