Pressure regulator with slide-mount lobes
A pressure regulator for regulating the pressure of a fluid from an associated pressure reservoir includes a regulator body housing a shuttle assembly and supporting a multiplicity of radially-distributed service lobes. Each service lobe includes features in fluid communication with one or more chambers within the regular body, and performs a particular function relating to the pressure and contents within those chambers. Such lobes may include one or more of a bias lobe for regulating pressure within the shuttle bias chamber, a fill lobe through which the reservoir may be filled, a gauge lobe which displays the pressure within the reservoir, and a relief lobe including one or more burst disks to relieve over pressurization in the reservoir or output chamber of the regulator. Each service lobe may slideably engage a respective interface on the regulator body, and be releasably secured there by way of a threaded retainer.
1. A pressure regulator comprising:
a regulator body, a shuttle assembly, a fill lobe, a bias lobe, a relief lobe, and a gauge lobe, said regulator body having a first end, a second end, and a main bore extending therebetween along a main axis, said second end being adapted to be placed in fluid communication with a reservoir of pressurized gas, said shuttle assembly being received within said main bore for axial movement between a fluid release configuration and a fluid retention configuration, said main bore cooperating with said shuttle assembly to define a bias chamber, and cooperating with said shuttle assembly and retainer assembly to define an output chamber, said regulator body outwardly including a plurality of lobe interfaces generally radially distributed about said main axis, each said lobe interface including a respective port in fluid communication with said second end, each of said lobes being axially slidably engaged with a respective said lobe interface and axially releasably restrained thereat, said bias lobe including a pilot regulator in fluid communication generally between said second end and said bias chamber for regulating a bias pressure within said bias chamber, said relief lobe including a high-pressure burst disk in fluid communication between said second end and ambient air, said gauge lobe including a pressure gauge assembly in pressure-indicating fluid communication with said second end, and said fill lobe including a fill plug in fluid communication with said second end.
2. A pressure regulator as defined in claim 1 further comprising a sleeve element and a retainer assembly, said regulator body including a first portion at generally said first end, said sleeve element including an externally threaded portion and a radially-extending sleeve flange and being in receiving engagement with said first portion, said retainer assembly including a retainer element threadably received by said main bore generally at said first end and thereby axially releasably restraining said fill lobe, bias lobe, relief lobe and gauge lobe in said engagement with said respective lobe interfaces and axially releasably restraining said sleeve element in said receiving engagement with said first portion.
3. A pressure regulator as defined in claim 1 in which said relief lobe further includes a low pressure burst disk in fluid communication between said output chamber and ambient air.
4. A pressure regulator as defined in claim 3 in which said relief lobe includes a relief lobe body having a high-pressure burst vent and a low-pressure burst vent in fluid communication with ambient air, said high-pressure burst disk having a burst direction generally normal thereto and being in fluid communication between said second end and said high-pressure burst vent, said low-pressure burst disk being in fluid communication between said output chamber and said low-pressure burst vent, said high-pressure and low-pressure burst vents each extending in a manner substantially non-parallel to said burst direction.
5. A pressure regulator as defined in claim 1 in which said slidable engagement is established between a pair of guide rails on each lobe interface and a pair of guide rail channels in each respective lobe.
6. A pressure regulator as defined in claim 1 in which said relief lobe includes a relief lobe body and said gauge lobe includes a gauge lobe body, at least one of said relief lobe body and said gauge lobe body being made substantially of fiber-infused Nylon.
7. A pressure regulator comprising:
a regulator body, a shuttle assembly and a multiplicity of service lobes, said regulator body having a first end, a second end, and a main bore extending therebetween along a main axis, said second end being adapted to be placed in direct fluid communication with a reservoir of pressurized gas, said main bore being adapted to receive said shuttle assembly for axial movement thereof between a fluid release configuration and a fluid retention configuration, said main bore being further adapted to cooperate with said shuttle assembly to define a bias chamber, said regulator body outwardly including a plurality of lobe interfaces generally radially distributed about said main axis, each said lobe interface including a respective port in fluid communication with said second end, each of said multiplicity of service lobes being adapted to axially slidably engage a respective said lobe interface and be axially releasably restrained thereat, said slidable engagement being established between a pair of guide rails on each lobe interface and a pair of guide rail channels in each respective service lobe.
8. A pressure regulator comprising:
a regulator body, a shuttle assembly and a multiplicity of service lobes, said regulator body having a first end, a second end, and a main bore extending therebetween along a main axis, said second end being adapted to be placed in direct fluid communication with a reservoir of pressurized gas, said main bore being adapted to receive said shuttle assembly for axial movement thereof between a fluid release configuration and a fluid retention configuration, said main bore being further adapted to cooperate with said shuttle assembly to define a bias chamber, said regulator body outwardly including a plurality of lobe interfaces generally radially distributed about said main axis, each said lobe interface including a respective port in fluid communication with said second end, each of said multiplicity of service lobes being adapted to axially slidably engage a respective said lobe interface and be axially releasably restrained thereat, one of said service lobes being a bias lobe, said bias lobe including a pilot regulator adapted to be in fluid communication generally between said second end and said bias chamber and thereby regulate a bias pressure within said bias chamber when said bias lobe is in said engagement with its respective said lobe interface.
9. A pressure regulator comprising:
a regulator body, a shuttle assembly and a multiplicity of service lobes, said regulator body having a first end, a second end, and a main bore extending therebetween along a main axis, said second end being adapted to be placed in direct fluid communication with a reservoir of pressurized gas, said main bore being adapted to receive said shuttle assembly for axial movement thereof between a fluid release configuration and a fluid retention configuration, said main bore being further adapted to cooperate with said shuttle assembly to define a bias chamber, said regulator body outwardly including a plurality of lobe interfaces generally radially distributed about said main axis, each said lobe interface including a respective port in fluid communication with said second end, each of said multiplicity of service lobes being adapted to axially slidably engage a respective said lobe interface and be axially releasably restrained thereat, one of said service lobes being a gauge lobe, said gauge lobe including a pressure gauge assembly adapted to be in pressure-indicating fluid communication with said second end when said gauge lobe is in said engagement with its said respective lobe interface.