Shut-off valve having two valve seats providing pressure equalization

Abstract

A shut-off valve that has particular application for opening and closing a compressed hydrogen storage tank. In one embodiment, the valve includes two valve sealing members where one side of one valve sealing member is on the high pressure side of the valve and an opposing side of the other valve sealing member is on the high pressure side of the valve. Therefore, the pressure applied to the two valve sealing members offset each other so that less force is required to open the valve against the high pressure.

1 . A valve comprising:
 a valve body defining a valve chamber therein, said valve body including a first inlet port, a second inlet port and an outlet port, said valve body further including a first valve seat and a second valve seat;   a coil mounting structure mounted to the valve body and including an internal bore;   an electromagnetic coil wound on the coil mounting structure;   a shaft extending from the internal bore of the coil mounting structure into the valve chamber, said shaft including a first sealing member mounted to the shaft proximate to the first valve seat and a second sealing member mounted to the shaft proximate the second valve seat; and   a spring applying a spring bias to the shaft to cause the first sealing member to seat against the first valve seat and the second sealing member to seat against the second valve seat, wherein input pressure applied to the first and second inlet ports causes the first sealing member to seat against the first valve seat and the second sealing member to be forced away from the second valve seat to provide pressure equalization.   
     
     
         2 . The valve according to  claim 1  wherein the valve is a shut-off valve for a compressed hydrogen tank. 
     
     
         3 . The valve according to  claim 2  wherein the valve is positioned within the compressed hydrogen tank. 
     
     
         4 . The valve according to  claim 3  wherein the valve body is mounted to an adaptor within the compressed hydrogen tank. 
     
     
         5 . The valve according to  claim 1  wherein the shaft includes a widened portion positioned within the internal bore of the coil mounting structure. 
     
     
         6 . The valve according to  claim 5  wherein the spring is positioned within a bore in the widened portion of the shaft. 
     
     
         7 . The valve according to  claim 1  wherein the first and second inlet ports extend through the valve body. 
     
     
         8 . The valve according to  claim 1  wherein the first and second sealing members are cylindrical sealing members. 
     
     
         9 . A valve comprising:
 a valve body defining a valve chamber therein, said valve body including at least one inlet port and an outlet port, said valve body further including a first valve seat and a second valve seat;   a coil mounting structure mounted to the valve body and including an internal bore;   an electromagnetic coil wound on the coil mounting structure;   a shaft extending from the internal bore of the coil mounting structure into the valve chamber, said shaft including a first sealing member mounted to the shaft proximate the first valve seat and a second sealing member mounted to the shaft proximate the second valve seat, said shaft including a widened portion positioned within the internal bore of the coil mounting structure; and   a spring positioned within a bore in the widened portion of the shaft, said spring applying a spring bias to the shaft to cause the first sealing member to seat against the first valve seat and the second sealing member to seat against the second valve seat, wherein input pressure causes the first sealing member to seat against the first valve seat and the second sealing member to be forced away from the second valve seat to provide pressure equalization.   
     
     
         10 . The valve according to  claim 9  wherein the valve is a shut-off valve for a compressed hydrogen tank. 
     
     
         11 . The valve according to  claim 10  wherein the valve is positioned within the compressed hydrogen tank. 
     
     
         12 . The valve according to  claim 11  wherein the valve body is mounted to an adaptor within the compressed hydrogen tank. 
     
     
         13 . The valve according to  claim 9  wherein the first and second sealing members are cylindrical sealing members. 
     
     
         14 . The valve according to  claim 9  wherein the at least one inlet port is a first inlet port and a second inlet port. 
     
     
         15 . The valve according to  claim 14  wherein the first and second inlet ports extend through the valve body. 
     
     
         16 . A shut-off valve for a compressed hydrogen storage tank, said valve comprising:
 a valve body defining a valve chamber therein, said valve body including a first inlet port, a second inlet port and an outlet port, said valve body further including a first valve seat and a second valve seat;   a coil mounting structure mounted to the valve body and including an internal bore;   an electromagnetic coil wound on the coil mounting structure;   a shaft extending from the internal bore of the coil mounting structure into the valve chamber, said shaft including a first sealing member mounted to the shaft proximate the first valve seat and a second sealing member mounted to the shaft proximate the second valve seat, said shaft including a widened portion positioned within the internal bore of the coil mounting structure; and   a spring positioned within a bore in the widened portion of the shaft, said spring applying a spring bias to the shaft to cause the first sealing member to seat against the first valve seat and the second sealing member to seat against the second valve seat, wherein input pressure causes the first sealing member to seat against the first valve seat and the second sealing member to be forced away from the second valve seat to provide pressure equalization.   
     
     
         17 . The valve according to  claim 16  wherein the valve is positioned within the compressed hydrogen tank. 
     
     
         18 . The valve according to  claim 17  wherein the valve body is mounted to an adaptor within the compressed hydrogen tank. 
     
     
         19 . The valve according to  claim 16  wherein the first and second sealing members are cylindrical sealing members.