Granted Patent B2

US 7,766,035 · App. 11/634,489 · Granted Aug 3, 2010

Abstract

Claims (40)

1. A fluid jet for providing fluid under pressure to a desired location, the fluid jet comprising:

a valve body;

a valve element retaining region integrally formed with the valve body by a pair of confronting walls, wherein the valve element retaining region extends longitudinally within at least a portion of the valve body;

a fluid passage defined by a space between said confronting walls extending longitudinally within at least a portion of the valve body and in fluid communication with at least a portion of the valve element retaining region;

wherein the valve body is die cast as a one-piece component.

2. The fluid jet of claim 1 further comprising:

a fluid-exiting aperture through the valve body in fluid communication with the fluid passage.

3. The fluid jet of claim 2 further comprising:

at least one nozzle connected to the fluid-exiting aperture for directing fluid under pressure to a desired location.

4. The fluid jet of claim 1 further comprising:

a fluid pressure actuated valve element located within the valve element retaining region and moveable longitudinally therealong between a valve open and a valve closed position.

5. The fluid jet of claim 4 wherein the valve element retaining region prevents the valve element from vacillating within the valve body.

6. The fluid jet of claim 4 further comprising:

a cap having a fluid-entering aperture therethrough, the cap coaxially connected to the valve body relative to the valve element retaining region so as to retain the valve element therein.

7. The fluid jet of claim of claim 6 further comprising:

a spring located within the valve element retaining region and biasing the valve element toward the cap.

8. The fluid jet of claim 7 wherein the valve element is spring biased against the fluid-entering aperture during a valve closed position and is moveable against the spring force along the valve element retaining region during a valve open position in response to a predetermined oil pressure.

9. A fluid jet transferring fluid under pressure to a desired location, the fluid jet comprising:

a valve body having a bore extending along a length of the valve body for transferring fluid therethrough;

a valve element retaining region formed within the bore of the valve body by a pair of confronting walls integral with the valve body;

a fluid passage defined by a space between said confronting walls extending longitudinally within at least a portion of the valve body and in fluid communication with at least a portion of the valve element retaining region; and

a valve element located within the valve element retaining region and moveable longitudinally along the length of the valve body between a valve open and a valve closed position, wherein fluid enters the valve body and valve element retaining region at the valve open position, wherein the valve element is moveable to the valve open position at a predetermined fluid pressure, and further wherein the valve element retaining region has a diameter corresponding in size to a diameter of the valve element such that the walls of the valve element retaining region prevent the valve element from vacillating along the length of the valve body.

10. The fluid jet of claim 9 wherein the valve element has a diameter substantially equal to a diameter of the walls of the valve element retaining region.

11. The fluid jet of claim 9 wherein the valve body and the valve element retaining region are die cast as a one-piece component.

12. The fluid jet of claim 9 further comprising:

a spring biasing said valve element along the length of the valve body, the spring biasing said valve element into the valve closed position.

13. The fluid jet of claim 12 wherein the valve element compresses the spring at the predetermined fluid pressure to move to the valve open position.

14. The fluid jet of claim 9 wherein the walls of the valve element-retaining region form a second bore within the bore of the valve body.

15. The fluid jet of claim 9 further comprising:

a cap having an aperture therethrough, the cap coaxially connected to the valve body to retain the valve element within the valve body.

16. A fluid jet for providing fluid to a desired location, the fluid jet comprising:

a valve body having a bore extending longitudinally for passing fluid therethrough;

a pair of confronting walls within the bore of the valve body forming a valve element retaining region, the valve element retaining region extending longitudinally within the bore of the valve body, the walls having a diameter sized to receive a valve element and prevent the valve element from vacillating within the valve body along the length of the valve element retaining region;

a fluid passage defined by a space between said confronting walls extending longitudinally within at least a portion of the valve body and in fluid communication with at least a portion of the valve element retaining region; and

a biasing member located substantially within the valve element retaining region and biasing the valve element toward a valve closed position and is movable along the length of the valve element retaining region during a valve open position in response to a predetermined fluid pressure.

17. The fluid jet of claim 16 further comprising:

a nozzle connected to the valve body and in fluid communication with the bore of the valve body, the nozzle directing fluid under pressure to a desired location.

18. The fluid jet of claim 16 wherein the valve element is a ball.

19. The fluid jet of claim 18 wherein the walls defining the valve element retaining region are semi-circular and have a diameter substantially equal to a diameter of the ball.

20. The fluid jet of claim 16 wherein the valve body and the walls forming the valve element retaining region are die cast from powdered metal.

Assignments (18)