FIELD

The present disclosure relates to two-way, two position, in-line valves, specifically to pressure activated two-way in-line valves for use in confined areas such as in tire inflation and deflation.

BACKGROUND

There exists a need for controlling two way pressure in a vessel such as a tire through a single air or other fluid line. Consequently, the present disclosure provides for a fluid pressure activated, two-way, two position in-line valve for applications where pressure is to be controlled as close to the vessel as possible and where space limitations prevent the use of prior art valves where the applications will only allow for one air or fluid line requiring air or fluid flow in both directions along the line such as in tire inflation and deflation through a single air line.

Both solenoid valves and electric valves are known in the prior art. Solenoid valves are operated electromagnetically. Solenoids create a magnetic field from electric current which in turn opens or closes the valve mechanically. Electric valves are driven by electric motors to produce valve action. Both solenoid and electric valves depend on electric current.

The in-line valve according to the present disclosure is pressure actuated and does not require energy usage other than the energy present in the form of fluid pressure in the line. The in-line valve is advantageous where there is no electricity readily available in proximity to the line so as to operate prior art electric valves or where the operation of such valves would be cost prohibitive or require unreliable rotating electrical contacts. Solenoid and electric valves generally include several structural components, may be large in size, and are usually not suitable for confined spaces.

The present disclosure is directed to in-line valves where reduced weight is important and wherein, in some applications, the in-line valve may be used in somewhat harsh environments which may cause the fluid line to fail thereby causing subsequent fluid leakage, and where pressure in the line may not always be maintained. For example, the valve according to the present disclosure may be used in place of rotating seals where expected leakage through such rotating seals may exceed design requirements or in situations where reliance on such rotating seals may cause safety concerns or for example reliability problems due to heat build-up and wear in the rotating seals.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure relates to a two-way, two position, in-line valve, which is actuated by in-line fluid pressure, and does not require external sources of electrical energy. The valve depends for operation on the pressure and flow of a liquid or air in a sealed environment. The valve is fluidic; for example for pneumatic or liquid state fluids. In an open position, the valve permits fluid flow through the fluid line, and in a closed position, the valve blocks fluid flow through the fluid line. The valve is compact and may be scalable to the size of the line in which the valve is intended to be mounted.

In one embodiment the valve includes two sections which rotate against and relative to one another upon a fluid pressure in the fluid line in which the valve is mounted being applied to one of the sections. The pressure may be in the form of a pressure pulse. Depending on the direction of the applied pressure, the valve seals or opens fluid flow ports in the valve. Rotation of the sections is about an axis which is along the line in the direction of fluid flow. The fluid pressure pulse or increase pushes one section against the other against a spring force, and cam surfaces and followers cause the rotation of one section relative to the other.

The cam follower may, in one embodiment, be in the form of a pin or other protuberance from one section following a cam surface in the form of a track in the other section. The cam track in which the cam follower moves is shaped to cause controlled linear movement of one section relative to the other to thereby open or close fluid flow apertures in the valve, as better described below.

The cam surface and cam follower may also be, in another embodiment, in the form of an angled tooth cam where angled teeth on each of the two sections are resiliently urged against one another, and one set of angled teeth on one section slide over the angled teeth on the other section so as to control the linear movement of one section relative to the other to thereby selectively open or close the fluid flow ports in a sealing section such as a sliding, rotational sealing piston operated on by a sliding, non-rotational plunger.

