Dual gas pressure regulator for a household appliance

Abstract

Gas pressure regulator valve adapted to a household appliance for the supply of a flow of NG or LPG gas that comprises a valve body ( 11 ) with an inlet conduit ( 12 ), an outlet conduit ( 13 ) of the gas at a nominal pressure, a pressurised chamber ( 14 ) connecting both conduits through a regulation valve ( 39,40 ), a diaphragm ( 22 ) connected to the valve member ( 39 ), a closure cap ( 26 ) and means ( 26 - 29,19,23,35 ) for the adjusting of the nominal pressure for NG or LPG gas. The adjusting means include a prestressed adjusting screw ( 35 ) on the diaphragm ( 22 ), a guide means ( 28 ) of the rotation on the cap ( 26 ) and a stopper means of the rotation on the body ( 11 ). The pressure value is adjusted by the rotation of the cap between two positions.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A gas pressure regulator valve adapted to a household appliance for the supply of a gas flow of any type of gas, natural NG or liquified LPG, comprising:
 a valve body with an inlet gas conduit from a NG or a LPG source at a variable pressure Pi, an outlet gas conduit of NG or LPG gas supplied at a respective nominal adjusted pressure Pn or Pl of said two types of gas, and a peripheral assembly surface;   a pressurised gas chamber connecting both the inlet and outlet conduit through a regulation valve whose passage hole is adjustable,   a division diaphragm connected to the valve member and assembled securely on the valve body, through a flexible seal;   a rotatable closure cap assembled on the valve body and defining an air chamber above the diaphragm at the atmospheric pressure;   adjusting means of said nominal pressure value Pn or Pl of the gas acting on the diaphragm and the valve member to effect on the latter a prefixed adjusting displacement,   said adjusting means comprising an adjusting screw threaded in the closure cap, at least one adjusting spring, prestressed and acting on the diaphragm to keep said pressure Pn or Pl in the gas chamber constant, a rotation guide in the closure cap and a rotation stopper in the valve body engageable with the rotation guide, and the closure cap provided with a retainer that retains the closure cap on the valve body, in the axial direction of the closure cap and of the valve body, permitting a degree of freedom for the rotation of the closure cap in relation to the valve body between two angular positions, an arc (A) being spaced between them, and   wherein said adjusting means on the closure cap determines in conjunction with a feature on the diaphragm two displacements of the valve member different to each other, for the adjusting of said respective nominal pressures Pn and Pl.   
     
     
       2. The gas pressure regulating valve according to  claim 1 , wherein said closure cap comprises a spacer that provides, in said air chamber, a space of separation of the closure cap on a base of the diaphragm and a peripheral rim that is positioned on said peripheral assembly surface on the valve body, for its sliding in rotation on said flexible seal, and a rigid retention ring of the closure cap secured to said valve body in such a way that the closure cap is conferred with said degree of freedom for the rotation (A). 
     
     
       3. The gas pressure regulating valve according to  claim 1 , wherein said said feature on the diaphragm comprises at least a pair of protuberances on the diaphragm oriented towards said air chamber and said adjusting means comprises at least two inserts on the closure cap projecting towards the diaphragm from a relative position in the specific radial direction which, in one of said angular positions of the closure cap act on the diaphragm protuberances, displacing the valve member to a prefixed adjusting opening of the regulation valve. 
     
     
       4. A gas pressure regulating valve comprising:
 a valve body having a gas inlet and a gas outlet,   a valve seat located between the gas inlet and the gas outlet;   a cap rotatably coupled with the valve body, the cap rotatable between a first angular position and a second angular position,   a diaphragm fixed in the valve body,   a valve member coupled to the diaphragm, the valve member moveable with the diaphragm to modify the distance of separation between the valve member and the valve seat, the cap and diaphragm having cooperative parts that engage one another when the cap is in the first angular position to cause the valve member to assume a substantially fixed distance of separation relative to the valve seat, when the cap is in the second angular position the cooperative parts of the cap and the diaphragm do not engage one another to permit movement of the valve member relative to the valve seat,   a resilient member acting on the diaphragm and operatively coupled to the cap, the diaphragm moveable against the resilient member to effect the regulation of pressure at the gas outlet when the cap is in the second angular position.   
     
     
       5. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 4, wherein when the cap is in the first angular position the regulator is configured to maintain a first non-zero pressure at the gas outlet corresponding to a liquid propane gas, and in the second angular position the regulator is configured to maintain a second non-zero pressure at the gas outlet corresponding to a natural gas. 
     
     
       6. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 4, wherein the cooperative parts comprise one or more first projecting features of the cap oriented toward the diaphragm and one or more second projecting features of the diaphragm oriented toward the cap. 
     
     
       7. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 6, wherein the one or more first projecting features comprise one or more inserts in the cap. 
     
     
       8. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 6, wherein the one or more first projecting features comprise one or more inserts in the cap and the one or more second projecting features comprise one or more protuberances formed in the diaphragm. 
     
     
       9. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 4, wherein the valve seat is integral with the valve body. 
     
     
       10. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 4, wherein the diaphragm has a first side and an opposite second side, the first side of the diaphragm forming with the valve body a first chamber in fluid communication with the gas inlet and the gas outlet. 
     
     
       11. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 10, wherein the second side of the diaphragm forms a second chamber situated between the cap and the diaphragm. 
     
     
       12. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 11, wherein the second chamber is vented to the atmosphere. 
     
     
       13. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 4, wherein the resilient member is a spring. 
     
     
       14. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 4, further comprising a tension adjustment member that couples the resilient member with the cap, the tension adjustment member axially moveable relative to the cap to adjust the tension of the resilient member. 
     
     
       15. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 14, wherein the tension adjustment member is threaded with the cap and capable of achieving at least a first threaded position and a second threaded position. 
     
     
       16. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 10, further comprising a rigid member coupled to the second side of the diaphragm in a region where the valve member is coupled to the diaphragm, the resilient member acting on the diaphragm via the rigid member. 
     
     
       17. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 4, wherein the diaphragm has a first side and an opposite second side, the first side of the diaphragm forming with the valve body a first chamber in fluid communication with the gas inlet and the gas outlet, the gas pressure regulator further comprising a tension adjustment member that couples the resilient member with the cap, the tension adjustment member axially moveable relative to the cap to adjust the tension of the resilient member acting on the second side of the diaphragm. 
     
     
       18. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 17, further comprising a rigid member coupled to the second side of the diaphragm in a region where the valve member is coupled to the diaphragm, the resilient member acting on the second side of the diaphragm via the rigid member. 
     
     
       19. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 4, wherein the cap comprises a peripheral rim situated on a peripheral surface of the valve body through a sealing member. 
     
     
       20. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 19, wherein the diaphragm comprises one or more fixing ribs housed in one or more recesses in the peripheral surface of the valve body. 
     
     
       21. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 19, wherein the valve body comprises an arc groove having a first end that delimits the first angular position and a second end that delimits the second angular position, the cap comprising a rotational guide situated in the groove. 
     
     
       22. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 19, wherein the peripheral rim of the cap comprises a first side situated adjacent the peripheral surface of the valve body and a second side opposite the first side, the gas pressure regulator further comprising a retainer ring situated adjacent the second side of the peripheral rim, the retainer ring coupled with the valve body. 
     
     
       23. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 22, wherein the retainer ring comprises a bottom surface adjacent the second side of the peripheral rim and a top surface opposite the bottom surface, the valve body comprising a peripheral edge that overlaps a top surface of the retainer ring to fix the retainer ring with the valve body. 
     
     
       24. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 22, wherein the retainer ring comprises one or more inserts supported on the cap to reduce friction between the retainer ring and cap during a rotation of the cap. 
     
     
       25. A gas pressure regulating valve comprising:
 a valve body having a gas inlet and a gas outlet,   a valve member located between the gas inlet and the gas outlet;   a cap rotatably coupled with the valve body, the cap rotatable between a first angular position and a second angular position,   a diaphragm fixed in the valve body,   the valve member operatively coupled with the diaphragm, the valve member moveable with the diaphragm to modify the passage area between the gas inlet and the gas outlet, the cap and diaphragm having cooperative parts that engage one another when the cap is in the first angular position to cause the valve member to assume a substantially fixed position corresponding to a substantially fixed passage area between the gas inlet and the gas outlet, when the cap is in the second angular position the cooperative parts of the cap and the diaphragm do not engage one another to permit movement of the valve member,   a resilient member acting on the diaphragm and operatively coupled to the cap, the diaphragm moveable against the resilient member to effect the regulation of pressure at the gas outlet when the cap is in the second angular position.   
     
     
       26. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 25, wherein when the cap is in the first angular position the gas pressure regulator is configured to maintain a first non-zero pressure at the gas outlet corresponding to a liquid propane gas, and in the second angular position the regulator is configured to maintain a second non-zero pressure at the gas outlet corresponding to a natural gas. 
     
     
       27. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 25, wherein the cooperative parts comprise one or more first projecting features of the cap oriented toward the diaphragm and one or more second projecting features of the diaphragm oriented toward the cap. 
     
     
       28. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 27, wherein the one or more first projecting features comprise one or more inserts in the cap. 
     
     
       29. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 27, wherein the one or more first projecting features comprise one or more inserts in the cap and the one or more second projecting features comprise one or more protuberances formed in the diaphragm. 
     
     
       30. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 25, wherein the diaphragm has a first side and an opposite second side, the first side of the diaphragm forming with the valve body a first chamber in fluid communication with the gas inlet and the gas outlet. 
     
     
       31. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 30, wherein the second side of the diaphragm forms a second chamber situated between the cap and the diaphragm. 
     
     
       32. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 31, wherein the second chamber is vented to the atmosphere. 
     
     
       33. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 25, wherein the resilient member is a spring. 
     
     
       34. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 25, further comprising a tension adjustment member that couples the resilient member with the cap, the tension adjustment member axially moveable relative to the cap to adjust the tension of the resilient member. 
     
     
       35. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 34, wherein the tension adjustment member is threaded with the cap and capable of achieving at least a first threaded position and a second threaded position. 
     
     
       36. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 30, further comprising a rigid member coupled to the second side of the diaphragm in a region where the valve regulator is coupled to the diaphragm, the resilient member acting on the diaphragm via the rigid member. 
     
     
       37. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 25, wherein the diaphragm has a first side and an opposite second side, the first side of the diaphragm forming with the valve body a first chamber in fluid communication with the gas inlet and the gas outlet, the gas pressure regulator further comprising a tension adjustment member that couples the resilient member with the cap, the tension adjustment member axially moveable relative with the cap to adjust the tension of the resilient member acting on the second side of the diaphragm. 
     
     
       38. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 37, further comprising a rigid member coupled to the second side of the diaphragm in a region where the valve member is coupled to the diaphragm, the resilient member acting on the second side of the diaphragm via the rigid member. 
     
     
       39. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 25, wherein the cap comprises a peripheral rim situated on a peripheral surface of the valve body through a sealing member. 
     
     
       40. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 39, wherein the diaphragm comprises one or more fixing ribs housed in one or more recesses in the peripheral surface of the valve body. 
     
     
       41. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 39, wherein the valve body comprises an arc groove having a first end that delimits the first angular position and a second end that delimits the second angular position, the cap comprising a rotational guide situated in the groove. 
     
     
       42. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 39, wherein the peripheral rim of the cap comprises a first side situated adjacent the peripheral surface of the valve body and a second side opposite the first side, the gas pressure regulator further comprising a retainer ring situated adjacent the second side of the peripheral rim, the retainer ring coupled with the valve body. 
     
     
       43. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 42, wherein the retainer ring comprises a bottom surface adjacent the second side of the peripheral rim and a top surface opposite the bottom surface, the valve body comprising a peripheral edge that overlaps a top surface of the retainer ring to fix the retainer ring with the valve body. 
     
     
       44. A gas pressure regulator according to claim 42, wherein the retainer ring comprises one or more inserts supported on the cap to reduce friction between the retainer ring and cap during a rotation of the cap.