Universal fatigue valve system
A valve system includes a cam that has a shaft portion with an opening configured to receive a motor shaft, where the opening is off-center within the shaft portion. The system also includes a connecting rod assembly mounted to the shaft portion of the cam, where the connecting rod assembly includes a flexible one-piece connecting rod. The system further includes a valve mounted to an end of the flexible one-piece connecting rod such that rotation of cam results in translation of the valve.
1. A valve system comprising:
a cam that includes a shaft portion with an opening configured to receive a motor shaft, wherein the opening is off-center within the shaft portion;
a connecting rod assembly mounted to the shaft portion of the cam, wherein the connecting rod assembly includes a flexible one-piece connecting rod; and
a valve mounted to an end of the flexible one-piece connecting rod such that rotation of the cam results in translation of the valve.
2. The valve system of claim 1 , further comprising a ball bearing assembly mounted on an outer surface of the shaft portion of the cam.
3. The valve system of claim 2 , wherein the ball bearing assembly is preloaded.
4. The valve system of claim 2 , wherein the connecting rod assembly is mounted to an outer surface of the ball bearing assembly.
5. The valve system of claim 4 , wherein the connecting rod assembly includes a ring portion that is integral with the flexible one-piece connecting rod, and wherein the ring portion is mounted to the outer surface of the ball bearing assembly.
6. The valve system of claim 1 , wherein the connecting rod assembly is made of plastic.
7. The valve system of claim 6 , wherein the plastic comprises a nylon plastic.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the flexible one-piece connecting rod includes a rod portion and a connector portion, and wherein the rod portion is thinner than the connector portion.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the flexible one-piece connecting rod also includes a step portion that forms a transition between the rod portion and the connector portion.
10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a motor that includes the motor shaft, wherein the motor is configured to rotate the motor shaft bi-directionally.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the motor rotates the motor shaft for a first number of degrees in a first direction relative to a starting position and for a second number of degrees in a second direction relative to the starting position.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein rotation of the motor shaft for the first number of degrees in the first direction relative to the starting position causes the flexible one-piece connecting rod to flex and push the valve inward into a first open configuration.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein rotation of the motor shaft for the second number of degrees in the second direction relative to the starting position causes the flexible one-piece connecting rod to flex and pull the valve outward into a second open configuration.
14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a valve block that houses at least a portion of the valve, wherein in the first open configuration air from an inlet port of the valve block travels to a first outlet port of the valve block.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein in the second open configuration air from the inlet port of the valve block travels to a second outlet port of the valve block.
16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first number of degrees relative to the starting position is between 53 degrees and 65 degrees.
17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first number of degrees relative to the starting position is 63 degrees.
18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the second number of degrees relative to the starting position is 63 degrees.
19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the valve is in a closed configuration when positioned at the starting position.
20. The system of claim 1 , wherein a maximum deflection of the flexible one-piece connecting rod during translation of the valve is less than one degree.