Patent ID: 6901952

Claim:
A gas flow regulation module for use with a pressure vessel, the pressure vessel having a wall adapted to contain a gas under a storage pressure in an interior space defined by the wall and an opening in the wall, the opening having a minimum opening diameter, the gas flow regulation module having: a head portion having an exterior side and an opposed interior side; a neck portion extending from the interior side of the head portion to an inner end thereof, the neck portion being adapted to be sealably secured in the opening; a body portion extending from the inner end of the neck portion such that, when the neck portion is secured in the opening, the body portion is positioned in the interior space; the body portion having a maximum external diameter which is less than the minimum opening diameter, to permit the insertion of the body portion through the opening into the interior space; the body portion having: a base; an inlet port in fluid communication with the interior space of the pressure vessel when the body portion is positioned in the interior space; a flow passage extending from the inlet port to a first stage regulator; a transfer passage in the base extending from the first stage regulator to a second stage regulator; the flow passage including a valve seat positioned therein, between the first stage regulator and the inlet port; the valve seat defining an orifice; an outlet passage extending from the second stage regulator to an outlet port located in the head portion; the first stage regulator and the second stage regulator being adapted to reduce pressure exerted by the gas flowing therethrough from the storage pressure to an exit pressure; a bore extending from a manual shut-off valve port in the head portion and through the neck portion and the base to the flow passage, the bore being in fluid communication with the flow passage; and a manual shut-off valve including: a manual shut-off valve body sealably secured in the manual shut-off valve port; a valve stem extending in the bore from a proximal end thereof operatively connected to the manual shut-off valve body to a distal end; the distal end including an engagement portion with a sealing surface thereon, the sealing surface being adapted for sealable engagement with the valve seat to prevent gas flow through the orifice; the valve stem being movable between a closed position, in which the engagement portion engages the valve seat to seal the orifice and thereby prevent gas flow through the flow passage to the first stage regulator, and an open position, in which the engagement portion is disengaged from the valve seat such that the orifice is unobstructed, to permit gas to flow through the flow passage to the first stage regulator, whereby the flow of gas through the gas regulation module is controllable by the manual shut-off valve.