US3803544A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Pressure control system
Assignee: United States Department of the Navy
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Filing: 1972-07-17
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Granted: 1974-04-09
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Expires: 1992-07-17
Abstract
Abstract A control system for continuously maintaining pressure equilibrium between the outside and inside of a submersible body. The system comprises an inelastic accumulator lined with a gas charged flexible bladder connected to a unique valve arrangement capable of passing flow in two directions and actuated by bellows apparatus. The bladder is precharged to a pressure dependent on the expected depth of submergence. The system operates when ambient fluid pressure compresses the bellows apparatus of the valve arrangement allowing gas to flow into a pressure balancing chamber as the system is submerged. Upon ascending, flow is reversed through the valve arrangement back to the bladder until a predetermined pressure differential between the inside of the system and ambient pressure is reached, at which point remaining gas pressure is discharged to the ambient fluid.
Inventors
- 👤 A Wallen
- 👤 P Whitehead
- 👤 H Cazel
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 04:57
CPC Classifications
G; G10; G10K; G10K11/00; G10K11/004; G10K11/006
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
263 words
A pressure balancing control system for an acoustic projector in an ambient fluid and of the type having a transducer pressure balancing chamber, comprising, in combination: an accumulator means having an inelastic, vented housing formed to be secured to the projector, an inflatable bladder within said housing and having an opening therein, and a compressible fluid contained within said bladder; a first valve means having an inlet and an outlet responsive to the pressure difference between said compressible fluid at the outlet thereof and the ambient fluid, operatively connected at the inlet thereof to said bladder opening and formed to be connected at the outlet thereof to the chamber for opening when the ambient fluid pressure exceeds the compressible fluid outlet pressure; a second valve means having an inlet and an outlet operatively connected at the inlet thereof to said bladder opening and at the outlet thereof to the outlet of said first valve means, said second valve means including first pressure differential means for opening when the ambient fluid pressure exceeds the compressible fluid inlet pressure, and second pressure differential means for opening when the outlet pressure exceeds the inlet pressure respectively of said compressible fluid, the pressure differentials being predetermined; and a third valve means responsive to the pressure differential between the ambient fluid and the compressible fluid outlet pressure of said first valve means, operatively connected to said first valve means for opening when the compressible fluid outlet pressure thereof exceeds the ambient fluid pressure by an amount greater than the predetermined pressure differential of said second pressure differential means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
263 words
A pressure balancing control system for an acoustic projector in an ambient fluid and of the type having a transducer pressure balancing chamber, comprising, in combination: an accumulator means having an inelastic, vented housing formed to be secured to the projector, an inflatable bladder within said housing and having an opening therein, and a compressible fluid contained within said bladder; a first valve means having an inlet and an outlet responsive to the pressure difference between said compressible fluid at the outlet thereof and the ambient fluid, operatively connected at the inlet thereof to said bladder opening and formed to be connected at the outlet thereof to the chamber for opening when the ambient fluid pressure exceeds the compressible fluid outlet pressure; a second valve means having an inlet and an outlet operatively connected at the inlet thereof to said bladder opening and at the outlet thereof to the outlet of said first valve means, said second valve means including first pressure differential means for opening when the ambient fluid pressure exceeds the compressible fluid inlet pressure, and second pressure differential means for opening when the outlet pressure exceeds the inlet pressure respectively of said compressible fluid, the pressure differentials being predetermined; and a third valve means responsive to the pressure differential between the ambient fluid and the compressible fluid outlet pressure of said first valve means, operatively connected to said first valve means for opening when the compressible fluid outlet pressure thereof exceeds the ambient fluid pressure by an amount greater than the predetermined pressure differential of said second pressure differential means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
85 words
A pressure balancing control system as described in claim 1, wherein said accumulator means comprises: an inelastic housing formed to be secured to the projector; a first opening in said housing for transmitting ambient fluid therethrough; a slidably-mounted section of said housing urged normally open to produce said first opening; a second opening in said housing; and an inflatable bladder within said housing internally communicating with said second opening and urging said slidably-mounted housing section coplanar with internal surface of said housing when fully inflated.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
68 words
A pressure balancing control system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said first valve means comprises: a housing formed to contain an internal chamber, first and second apertures; a bellows operatively connected to said housing sensitive to pressure differential between said housing and the ambient fluid; a valve formed in said housing for passing fluid therethrough; and a piston operatively connected between said bellows and said valve.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
70 words
A pressure balancing control system as described in claim 3, wherein said second valve means comprises: a housing formed to contain an internal chamber, first and second apertures; a bellows operatively connected to said housing internal chamber sensitive to pressure differential between said housing and the ambient fluid; a valve formed in said housing for passing said compressible fluid therethrough; and an actuator communicating with said bellows and said valve.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
88 words
A pressure balancing control system as set forth in claim 1, also including: a fourth valve means having an inlet and an outlet operatively connected at the inlet thereof to said respective first and second valve means outlets and at the outlet thereof to said bladder opening for passing said compressible fluid therethrough from the chamber to the bladder when the outlet pressure of said second valve means exceeds the inlet pressure thereof by a predetermined differential less than the predetermined pressure differential of said second valve means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
56 words
A pressure balancing control system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: said first and second valve means combined in a single housing each having an inlet and having a common outlet, being operatively connected at their respective inlets to said bladder opening and formed to be connected at said common outlet to the chamber.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
90 words
A pressure balancing control system as set forth in claim 6, wherein said combined first and second valve means comprises: a bellows operatively connected to said housing sensitive to pressure differential between said housing and the ambient fluid; a first valve formed in said housing for passing fluid therethrough; a second valve formed in said housing for passing fluid therethrough; a cage surrounding said second valve and communicating with said first valve; and a push rod communicating with said bellows and said cage and operatively connected to said second valve.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
53 words
A pressure balancing control system as set forth in claim 7, further comprising: a third valve formed in said housing for passing said fluid therefrom when the compressible fluid outlet pressure of said combined first and second valve means exceeds the ambient fluid pressure by an amount greater than a predetermined pressure differential.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
198 words
A control system for a chamber in an ambient fluid comprising, in combination: an inflatable accumulator means having a limited volume; a compressible fluid contained within said accumulator means; a first valve means having an inlet and an outlet operatively connected at the inlet thereof to said accumulator means and connected at the outlet thereof to the chamber for transmitting said compressible fluid therefrom when the ambient fluid pressure exceeds the pressure of said compressible fluid at said first valve means outlet; a second valve means having an inlet and an outlet operatively connected at the inlet thereof to said accumulator means and connected at the outlet thereof to said first valve means outlet for transmitting said compressible fluid therethrough when the ambient fluid pressure exceeds the pressure of said compressible fluid at said second valve means inlet and when the pressure at said second valve means outlet exceeds the pressure at said second valve means inlet respectively of said compressible fluid; and a third valve means operatively connected to said first valve means outlet for transmitting said fluid therefrom when the pressure of said compressible fluid at said first valve means outlet exceeds the ambient fluid pressure.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
198 words
A control system for a chamber in an ambient fluid comprising, in combination: an inflatable accumulator means having a limited volume; a compressible fluid contained within said accumulator means; a first valve means having an inlet and an outlet operatively connected at the inlet thereof to said accumulator means and connected at the outlet thereof to the chamber for transmitting said compressible fluid therefrom when the ambient fluid pressure exceeds the pressure of said compressible fluid at said first valve means outlet; a second valve means having an inlet and an outlet operatively connected at the inlet thereof to said accumulator means and connected at the outlet thereof to said first valve means outlet for transmitting said compressible fluid therethrough when the ambient fluid pressure exceeds the pressure of said compressible fluid at said second valve means inlet and when the pressure at said second valve means outlet exceeds the pressure at said second valve means inlet respectively of said compressible fluid; and a third valve means operatively connected to said first valve means outlet for transmitting said fluid therefrom when the pressure of said compressible fluid at said first valve means outlet exceeds the ambient fluid pressure.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
53 words
A control system as described in claim 9, wherein said accumulator means comprises: an inelastic housing formed to be secured to a structure; a first opening in said housing for transmitting ambiEnt fluid therethrough; a second opening in said housing; and an inflatable bladder within said housing internally communicating with said second opening.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
65 words
A control system as described in claim 10, wherein said first valve means comprises: a housing formed to contain an internal chamber, first and second apertures; a bellows operatively connected to said housing sensitive to pressure differential between said housing and the ambient fluid; a valve formed in said housing for passing fluid therethrough; and a piston operatively connected between said bellows and said valve.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
68 words
A control system as described in claim 11, wherein said second valve means comprises: a housing formed to contain an internal chamber, first and second apertures; a bellows operatively connected to said housing sensitive to pressure differential between said housing internal chamber and the ambient fluid; a valve formed in said housing for passing said compressible fluid therethrough; and an actuator communicating with said bellows and said valve.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
53 words
A control system as described in claim 9, further comprising: said first and second valve means combined in a single housing each having an inlet and having a common outlet, being operatively connected at their respective inlets to said accumulator means and formed to be connected at a common outlet to the chamber.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
87 words
A control system as described in claim 13, wherein said combined first and second valve means comprises: a bellows operatively connected to said housing sensitive to pressure differential between said housing and the ambient fluid; a first valve formed in said housing for passing fluid therethrough; a second valve formed in said housing for passing fluid therethrough; a cage surrounding said second valve and communicating with said first valve; and a push rod communicating with said bellows and said cage and operatively connected to said second valve.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
255 words
A pressure balancing control system for submersible apparatus in an ambient fluid, comprising, in combination: a sealed chamber formed to enclose the apparatus; an accumulator means having an inelastic, vented housing formed to be secured to the apparatus, an inflatable bladder within said housing and having an opening therein, and a compressible fluid contained within said bladder; a first valve means having an inlet and an outlet responsive to the pressure difference between said compressible fluid at the outlet thereof and the ambient fluid, operatively connected at the inlet to said bladder opening and connected at the outlet to said chamber for opening when the ambient fluid pressure exceeds the compressible fluid outlet pressure; a second valve means having an inlet and an outlet operatively connected at the inlet thereof to said bladder opening and at the outlet thereof to the outlet of said first valve means, said second valve means including first pressure differential means for opening when the ambient fluid pressure exceeds the compressible fluid inlet pressure, and second pressure differential means for opening when the outlet pressure exceeds the inlet pressure respectively of said compressible fluid, the pressure differentials being predetermined; and a third valve means responsive to the pressure differential between the ambient fluid and the compressible fluid outlet pressure of said first valve means, operatively connected to said first valve means for opening when the compressible fluid outlet pressure thereof exceeds the ambient fluid pressure by an amount greater than the predetermined pressure differential of said second pressure differential means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
255 words
A pressure balancing control system for submersible apparatus in an ambient fluid, comprising, in combination: a sealed chamber formed to enclose the apparatus; an accumulator means having an inelastic, vented housing formed to be secured to the apparatus, an inflatable bladder within said housing and having an opening therein, and a compressible fluid contained within said bladder; a first valve means having an inlet and an outlet responsive to the pressure difference between said compressible fluid at the outlet thereof and the ambient fluid, operatively connected at the inlet to said bladder opening and connected at the outlet to said chamber for opening when the ambient fluid pressure exceeds the compressible fluid outlet pressure; a second valve means having an inlet and an outlet operatively connected at the inlet thereof to said bladder opening and at the outlet thereof to the outlet of said first valve means, said second valve means including first pressure differential means for opening when the ambient fluid pressure exceeds the compressible fluid inlet pressure, and second pressure differential means for opening when the outlet pressure exceeds the inlet pressure respectively of said compressible fluid, the pressure differentials being predetermined; and a third valve means responsive to the pressure differential between the ambient fluid and the compressible fluid outlet pressure of said first valve means, operatively connected to said first valve means for opening when the compressible fluid outlet pressure thereof exceeds the ambient fluid pressure by an amount greater than the predetermined pressure differential of said second pressure differential means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-04-08 | 1977-10-08 | 1978-04-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-04-08 | 1981-10-08 | 1982-04-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-04-08 | 1985-10-08 | 1986-04-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |