Valve mechanism for controlling release of pressurized fluid

摘要

A valve mechanism for controlling release of pressurized fluid includes a fluid chamber, a plunger and a plunger driver. The plunger is received in an aperture in the fluid chamber, and is movable between a fluid retention position in which fluid is substantially trapped in the fluid chamber and a fluid release position in which fluid can escape from the fluid chamber through passages in the plunger. The plunger is biased into the fluid retention position. The plunger driver engages the plunger to cause the plunger driver and the plunger to move in unison and move the plunger into the fluid release position during a first portion of a stroke of the driver towards the fluid chamber, and the plunger driver is further guided to permit the plunger to return to the fluid retention position during a second portion of the stroke.

主权项

1. A valve mechanism for controlling release of pressurized fluid, comprising:
a housing; a fluid chamber defined within the housing, the fluid chamber having a fluid chamber inlet and having a plunger aperture and defining an interior volume; a plunger having a closed end and a plunger outlet end, the plunger having at least one plunger fluid passage extending partially along a length of the plunger from the plunger outlet end, the plunger having at least one plunger inlet defined in a longitudinal wall thereof in fluid communication with the at least one plunger fluid passage; the plunger being slidably received in the plunger aperture in sealing engagement therewith with the closed end within the interior volume of the fluid chamber so as to be movable between a fluid retention position in which the at least one plunger inlet is isolated from the interior volume of the fluid chamber and a fluid release position in which the at least one plunger inlet is in fluid communication with the interior volume of the fluid chamber; a plunger biasing member acting between the plunger and the housing to bias the plunger into the fluid retention position; a plunger driver having a driving end and a driver outlet end and having at least one driver fluid passage extending therethrough, the plunger driver being slidably received within the housing for reciprocating, sliding movement of the plunger driver within the housing; and a guide channel for:
guiding the driving end of the plunger driver into engagement with the plunger to cause the plunger and the plunger driver to move in unison and move the plunger into the fluid release position during a first portion of a stroke of the plunger driver; andfurther guiding the plunger driver to permit the plunger to return to the fluid retention position under urging from the plunger biasing member during a second portion of the stroke of the driver towards the fluid chamber; wherein at least when the plunger is in the fluid release position, the at least one plunger fluid passage is in fluid communication with the at least one driver fluid passage.