A GAS-PRESSURE REGULATOR

Abstract

Example embodiments relate to a gas-pressure regulator having an inlet, an outlet, a housing, a diaphragm, a control element, a control chamber and a discharge chamber. The inlet and the outlet each open onto the control chamber, wherein the diaphragm partially delimits the control chamber. The diaphragm and the control element are movable relative to each other, wherein a passage between the control chamber and the discharge chamber is open in a relative discharge arrangement of the diaphragm and the control element. An adjustable biasing element impedes a relative movement between the diaphragm and the control element.

Claims

1. A gas-pressure regulator, comprising: an inlet, an outlet, a housing, a diaphragm, a control element, a control chamber, a discharge chamber, an adjustable biasing element and a spring component, wherein the inlet and the outlet each open onto the control chamber, wherein the diaphragm partially delimits the control chamber, wherein the diaphragm and the control element are configured and arranged within the housing such that the diaphragm and the control element are movable relative to each other, wherein a passage between the control chamber and the discharge chamber is open in a relative discharge arrangement of the diaphragm and the control element, wherein an adjustable biasing element impedes a relative movement between the diaphragm and the control element, wherein the relative movement between the diaphragm and the control element takes place against a spring force of the spring component), wherein the biasing element acts on the spring force, wherein the biasing element is configured and arranged so as to be movable relative to the control element, wherein a closing force of the spring component depends on a position of the biasing element relative to the control element, wherein the adjustable element can assume one of two fixed positions and is movable between the two fixed positions, wherein the biasing element prevents the discharge arrangement from being reached, and wherein either an eccentric component is provided, which causes an axial movement of the biasing element along the control element, or in inactive state, a protrusion of the control element rests in a recess of the plate-like biasing element and, by a rotation of the biasing element about a longitudinal axis of the control element, the protrusion is located outside the recess so that the biasing element assumes a deeper axial position in the direction of the diaphragm.

2. The gas-pressure regulator according to claim 1, wherein the control element projects through the diaphragm, and wherein the passage opens between the control element and the diaphragm.

3. The gas-pressure regulator according to claim 1, wherein the gas-pressure regulator further comprises a spring component, wherein a lever and a sealing element are movably arranged within the housing, wherein the sealing element is located between the inlet and the control chamber, and wherein the lever is in mechanical contact with the control element.

4. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0015] More specifically, there are several possibilities of configuring and further developing the gas-pressure regulator. To this end, reference is made on the one hand to the claims subordinate to the independent claim, and on the other hand to the description below of example embodiments in conjunction with the drawing, in which:

[0016] FIG. 1 shows a section through a configuration of a gas-pressure regulator according to the prior art,

[0017] FIG. 2 shows a section through a first configuration of a gas-pressure regulator according to an example embodiment with an inactive biasing element in a first phase,

[0018] FIG. 3 shows the gas-pressure regulator of FIG. 2 with an active biasing element in a second phase,

[0019] FIG. 4 shows a section through a second configuration of a gas-pressure regulator,

[0020] FIG. 5 shows a section through a third configuration of a gas-pressure regulator according to an example embodiment with an inactive biasing element in a first phase, and

[0021] FIG. 5 shows the gas-pressure regulator of FIG. 5 with an active biasing element in a second phase.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

[0022] FIG. 1 shows a section through a gas-pressure regulator 1 according to the prior art. A control chamber 7 which is delimited on the upper side by a movable diaphragm 5 is located within the housing 4 between an inlet 2 and an outlet 3 for the gas. The diaphragm 5 surrounds a plunger-shaped control element 6 which projects centrally through the diaphragm 5. The diaphragm 5 and the possibility to change the volume of the control chamber 7 through it, and the control element 6 which is connected to a lever 20 serve to regulate the pressure. On the side of the discharge chamber 8, the diaphragm 5 is loaded by a spring which pushes the diaphragm 5 in the direction of the control chamber 7. The lever 20 is rotatably mounted within the housing 4 and closes the inlet 2 into the control chamber by means of a sealing element 21.

[0023] For the case (represented here) that the applied gas pressure increases too much, a kind of pressure relief valve is provided. When the pressure increases, the diaphragm 5 moves away from the control chamber 7. A passage 9 is thus formed between the diaphragm 5 and the control element 6 in the center thereof. Due to his passage 9 or generally the opening between the center recess of the diaphragm 5 and the control element 6, the gas can flow out of the control chamber 7 and into the discharge chamber 8. The discharge chamber 8 is connected to the surroundings around the gas-pressure regulator 1 via an opening arranged at the upper end here. The fact that the passage 9 opens when a certain pressure in the control chamber 7 is reached however results in that a pressure test with a pressure above the value at which the pressure relief valve reacts is not possible. The closing force to be applied to open the passage 9 is caused by the spring component 11, which is supported on the control element 6 on the one hand and rests on the diaphragm 5 on the other hand.

[0024] FIG. 2 shows a first configuration of the gas-pressure regulator 1 according to an example embodiment, identical components being denoted by the same reference numerals as in FIG. 1. Therefore, to avoid repetitions, only the differences will be described here.

[0025] The essential difference is the variably insertable biasing element 10 which is here located in the discharge chamber 8 above the diaphragm 5. The biasing element 10 has an effect on the closing force of the spring component 11 by compressing the spring component 11 more or less. In the state shown here, as a result of the higher position of the biasing element 10, the spring component 11 is compressed only to such an extent that in normal use, the passage for releasing the excess pressure opens (see FIG. 1).

[0026] FIG. 3 shows the case where the biasing element 10 is located axially along the control element 6 lower in the direction of the diaphragm 5, as a result of which the spring component 11 is compressed more strongly and a higher closing force is obtained. The pressure in the control chamber 7 can thus be increased to a significantly greater extent.

[0027] FIG. 4 shows a detail of a gas regulator similar to the variant in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. The biasing element 10 is attached at the bottom near the diaphragm 5 and notas in the variant of FIG. 2 and FIG. 3in the direction of the end of the control element 6 facing away from the diaphragm 5.

[0028] The biasing element 10 of the configurations of FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the control element 6. In the inactive state (FIG. 2), a protrusion (provided, for example, by a pin which is passed through the upper end) of the control element 6 rests in a recess of the plate-like biasing element 10. As a result of the rotation of the biasing element 10, the protrusion no longer lies in the recess, so that the biasing element 10 assumes a lower axial position in the direction of the diaphragm 5 (FIG. 3).

[0029] In the variant of FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, an eccentric component 12 is provided which moves the biasing element 10 axially along the longitudinal axis of the control element 6. FIG. 5 shows the inactive state. The biasing element 10 is located at an upper axial end point. The eccentric component 12 is here also connected to the control element 6 and is again located above the biasing element 10. If the eccentric component 12 is rotatedas indicated here by the arrowthe biasing element 10 is moved axially in the direction of the diaphragm 5, which increases the closing force of the spring component 11, since it is more compressed. As a result, a higher force must be applied to open the passage between the diaphragm 5 and the control element 6.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0030] 1 gas-pressure regulator [0031] 2 inlet [0032] 3 outlet [0033] 4 housing [0034] 5 diaphragm [0035] 6 control element [0036] 7 control chamber [0037] 8 discharge chamber [0038] 9 passage [0039] 10 biasing element [0040] 11 spring component [0041] 12 eccentric component [0042] 20 lever [0043] 21 sealing element