Pressure relief valve for structure

Abstract

A pressure relief valve for structure. A valve with a spoiler around its edge sits in a valve seat around a structure valve aperture, and is spring-loaded into a closed position. Storm wind entering the structure through a breached window, door, or other structure opening escapes through the valve, which opens when exposed to a pressure differential of approximately 1.5 psi. Lift created by storm wind impinging on the spoiler tends to urge the upwind side of the valve closed. The valve may incorporate a skylight. In the preferred embodiment, the shape of the valve was a spherical or spheroid section, and the spring-loading was provided by a plurality of spring assemblies disposed around the edge(s) of the valve.

1 . A pressure relief valve for structure comprising a valve sized to sit in a valve seat, said valve seat being disposed around a structure valve aperture, and means of resisting opening of said valve. 
   
   
       2 . The pressure relief valve for structure of  claim 1  wherein said valve comprises a spoiler disposed around an edge of said valve, whereby lift caused by storm wind impinging on an upwind side of said valve is spoiled, thereby urging said upwind valve side to remain closed. 
   
   
       3 . The pressure relief valve for structure of  claim 2  wherein said means of resisting opening of said valve comprises a plurality of spring assemblies disposed around said structure valve aperture, each said spring assembly comprising a spindle through a spring. 
   
   
       4 . The pressure relief valve for structure of  claim 3  wherein each said spring assembly further comprises a spring stop at one end of said spindle, said spring being disposed between said spring stop and said structure, and an opposite one end of said spindle is attached to said valve. 
   
   
       5 . The pressure relief valve for structure of  claim 3  wherein said valve comprises a plurality of valve spindle apertures, said structure comprises a structure spindle aperture corresponding to each said valve spindle aperture, each said spindle is slidably disposed within one said valve spindle aperture and a corresponding said structure spindle aperture, said spindle comprises a spring stop at one end and a spindle stop at an opposite end, and said valve is spring-loaded closed by means of said springs. 
   
   
       6 . The pressure relief valve for structure of  claim 2  wherein said valve comprises a skylight. 
   
   
       7 . The pressure relief valve for structure of  claim 2  wherein a shape of said valve is a spherical section. 
   
   
       8 . The pressure relief valve for structure of  claim 2  wherein a shape of said valve is a spheroid section. 
   
   
       9 . The pressure relief valve for structure of  claim 2  wherein said valve is spring-loaded closed sufficiently to open when subjected to a pressure differential of 1.5±1 psi. 
   
   
       10 . In combination a structure and a pressure relief valve for structure comprising a valve, a structure, and means of resisting opening of said valve, said structure comprising a structure valve aperture and a valve seat around said structure valve aperture, said valve being sized to seat in said valve seat. 
   
   
       11 . The pressure relief valve for structure of  claim 10  wherein said valve comprises a spoiler disposed around an edge of said valve, whereby lift caused by storm wind impinging on an upwind side of said valve is spoiled, thereby urging said upwind valve side to remain closed. 
   
   
       12 . The pressure relief valve for structure of  claim 11  wherein said valve is spring-loaded closed sufficiently to open when subjected to a pressure differential of 1.5±1 psi. 
   
   
       13 . The pressure relief valve for structure of  claim 11  wherein said means of resisting opening of said valve comprises a plurality of spring assemblies disposed around said structure valve aperture, each said spring assembly comprising a spindle through a spring. 
   
   
       14 . The pressure relief valve for structure of  claim 13  wherein each said spring assembly further comprises a spring stop at one end of said spindle, said spring being disposed between said spring stop and said structure, and an opposite one end of said spindle is attached to said valve. 
   
   
       15 . The pressure relief valve for structure of  claim 13  wherein said valve comprises a plurality of valve spindle apertures, said structure comprises a structure spindle aperture corresponding to each said valve spindle aperture, each said spindle is slidably disposed within one said valve spindle aperture and a corresponding said structure spindle aperture, and said spindle comprises a spring stop at one end and a spindle stop at an opposite end. 
   
   
       16 . The pressure relief valve for structure of  claim 11  wherein said valve comprises a skylight. 
   
   
       17 . The pressure relief valve for structure of  claim 11  wherein a shape of said valve is a spherical section. 
   
   
       18 . The pressure relief valve for structure of  claim 11  wherein a shape of said valve is a spheroid section. 
   
   
       19 . The pressure relief valve for structure of  claim 11  wherein said means of resisting opening of said valve comprises a plurality of valve spindle apertures in said valve, a structure spindle aperture and a spring corresponding to each said valve spindle aperture, a cable passing through successive valve spindle apertures, structure spindle apertures and springs, and cable stops attached to said cable so as to compress at least one said spring when said valve opens. 
   
   
       20 . The pressure relief valve for structure of  claim 11  wherein said valve is spring-loaded closed. 
   
   
       21 . The pressure relief valve for structure of  claim 1  wherein a plan view shape of said valve and valve seat is circular. 
   
   
       22 . The pressure relief valve for structure of  claim 10  wherein a plan view shape of said valve and valve seat is circular. 
   
   
       23 . The pressure relief valve for structure of  claim 2  wherein a cross-sectional shape of said spoiler is circular. 
   
   
       24 . The pressure relief valve for structure of  claim 11  wherein a cross-sectional shape of said spoiler is circular.