Device for gas cylinder with shut-off valve, refill valve and pressure reducer in the gas cylinder

Abstract

The invention is directed to a device (102) for a gas cylinder, comprising a body (104), a gas inlet port (107) in a male threaded portion (104.1) of the body (104), a gas outlet port (108); a gas refill port (112); a gas delivery passage (120) interconnecting the gas inlet port (107) with the gas outlet port (108); and a gas refill passage (122) interconnecting the gas refill port (112) to a gas refill outlet (124); a shut-off valve (118); a refill valve (114); and a pressure regulating device (106) fluidly connected to the gas inlet port (107) at the male threaded portion (104.1), and configured for being inserted into the gas cylinder; wherein the gas refill outlet (124) is formed in the male threaded portion (104.1) and opens out to the ambient of the device, in the gas cylinder when the device (102) is mounted thereon.

Description

DEVICE FOR GAS CYLINDER WITH SHUT-OFF VALVE, REFILL VALVE AND PRESSURE REDUCER IN THE GAS CYLINDER

[0001] The invention is directed to the field of devices for gas cylinders, in particular for gas cylinders containing ultra-pure and dangerous gases like those used in the semi-conductor industry.

[0002] Prior art patent document published WO 2022 / 112442 A1 discloses a cylindrically shaped sub-atmospheric pressure reducer that is intended to be inserted through the neck of a gas cylinder for being located therein in operation. To that end, the cylindrically shaped sub-atmospheric pressure reducer is attached and fluidly connected to a valve body comprising a male thread to be engaged with the female thread of the neck of the gas cylinder and housing various devices such as a shut-off valve and a refill valve. That teaching fails however to provide details about the integration of these devices in the device body.

[0003] There is also a need to provide a complete gas cylinder device with several functions such as a pressure reducing function, a shut-off function, and a refill valve function, with a design as compact as possible.

[0004] The invention has for technical problem to overcome at least one of the drawbacks of the above-mentioned prior art, more particularly to provide a multifunction device for gas cylinders that is particularly compact and optimized in construction.Technical solution

[0005] The invention is directed to a device for a gas cylinder, comprising: a body comprising a male threaded portion configured for engaging with a collar of the gas cylinder, a gas inlet port in said male threaded portion, a gas outlet port; a gas refill port; a gas delivery passage interconnecting the gas inlet port with the gas outlet port; and a gas refill passage interconnecting the gas refill port to a gas refill outlet; a shut-off valve for the gas delivery passage, housed in the body; a refill valve for the gas refill passage, housed in the main body: and a pressure regulating device fluidly connected to the gas inlet port at the male threaded portion, and configured for being inserted into the gas cylinder; wherein the gas refill outlet is formed in the male threaded portion and opens out to the ambient of the device, in the gas cylinder when the device is mounted thereon.

[0006] The pressure reducer is advantageously of the sub-atmospheric type.

[0007] The pressure reducer is advantageously attached to the gas inlet port by welding.

[0008] The body is advantageously made of stainless steel.

[0009] According to a preferred embodiment, the gas delivery passage comprises a portion that extends along a longitudinal axis of the device, from the gas inlet port to the shut-off valve.

[0010] According to a preferred embodiment, the shut-off valve comprises: a shut-off seat that surrounds and connects directly with the first portion of the gas delivery passage; and a shut-off shutter movable on a downstream side of the shut-off seat and configured for selectively contacting said shut-off seat.

[0011] According to a preferred embodiment, the gas outlet port extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis at a level, along said longitudinal axis, that is lower than the shut-off seat, the gas delivery passage comprising a portion that is inclined and that interconnects a chamber housing the shut-off shutter with the gas outlet port.

[0012] According to a preferred embodiment, the gas delivery passage comprises a portion that extends transversally and interconnects the inclined portion of said gas delivery passage directly with the gas outlet port.

[0013] According to a preferred embodiment, the gas refill passage comprises a portion that extends longitudinally and off-set to the longitudinal portion of the gas delivery passage, from the gas refill outlet to the refill valve.

[0014] According to a preferred embodiment, the refill valve comprises: a refill seat that connects perpendicularly to the longitudinal and off-set portion of the gas refill passage; and a refill shutter movable on an upstream side of the refill seat and configured for selectively contacting said refill seat.

[0015] According to a preferred embodiment, the gas refill passage comprises a portion that is transversal and interconnects the longitudinal and off-set portion of said gas refill passage with a chamber housing the refill shutter.

[0016] According to a preferred embodiment, the transversal portion of the gas refill passage is located, relative to the longitudinal axis, below a chamber housing the shut-off valve.

[0017] According to a preferred embodiment, the gas refill port extends transversally to the longitudinal axis and perpendicularly to the refill valve, the gas refill passage comprising a portion that is inclined and interconnecting a chamber housing the refill shutter with the gas refill port.

[0018] According to a preferred embodiment, the gas outlet port is opposed to the refill valve.

[0019] According to a preferred embodiment, the gas inlet port is formed by a tubular portion of the body extending longitudinally from the male threaded portion of said body, the gas refill outlet being located laterally adjacent to said tubular portion.

[0020] The different portions of the gas delivery passage and of the gas refill passage are advantageously straight drillings.Advantages of the invention

[0021] The invention is particularly interesting in that it provides an optimized and compact arrangement of various functions of the device. The arrangement is advantageous in that the amount of material of the body is optimized by concentrating the bores to be machined therein for the gas outlet port, the gas refill port, the refill valve and / or the shut-off valve. Most of the portions of the gas delivery passage and the gas refill passages are longitudinal or transversal, thereby facilitating their drilling. Only two portions of said passages are optionally inclined, these portions being however short in length and with inclination angles relative to their reference longitudinal or transversal direction that are inferior to 45°.Brief description of the drawings

[0022] is a perspective of a device for gas cylinder according to a first embodiment of the invention.

[0023] is a layout of the architecture of the device of.

[0024] is as longitudinal sectional view of a device for gas cylinder according to a second embodiment of the invention.

[0025] is a transversal sectional view of the device of.Description of an embodiment

[0026] is a perspective representation of a device for a gas cylinder, according to a first embodiment of the invention.

[0027] The device 2 comprises a body 4 provided with a male thread, for instance a conical one, configured for engaging with a female thread of a neck of a gas cylinder. Such male and female thread on devices for gas cylinder and on gas cylinders are as such well-known. The device 2 further comprises a pressure reducer 6 being for instance cylindrically-shaped and attached and fluidly connected to a portion of the body 4 that is located inside the gas cylinder when said body 4 is engaged with a neck of the gas cylinder. The device 2 further comprises a gas outlet 8 whose flow is commanded by a shut-off valve not visible in, however actuated by the pneumatic actuator 10. The device 2 further comprises a gas refill port 12 and a refill valve 14 which selectively opens or close a refill gas passage between the gas refill port 12 and a gas refill outlet in the portion of the body 4 that is located inside the gas cylinder when said body 4 is engaged with a neck of the gas cylinder.

[0028] The pressure reducer 6 can be according to WO 2022 / 112442 A1, the content of which being incorporated by reference.

[0029] is an architectural layout of the device 2 of.

[0030] We can see the pressure reducer 6 located inside the gas cylinder, the shut-off valve 10 commanding the gas flow to the gas outlet 8, as well as the gas refill port 12 and the refill valve 14 commanding the refill flow from the gas refill port 12 towards the gas cylinder.

[0031] One or more filters 17 can be provided upstream or within the pressure reducer 6.

[0032] The above device will be described more in details in relation with a second embodiment of the invention, where the pneumatic actuator 10 is replaced by a manual wheel, all the rest being identical.

[0033] is a longitudinal sectional view of that second embodiment of the device for gas cylinder andis a transversal sectional view of the device. The reference signs of the first embodiment are used in the second embodiment for designating the same or corresponding elements, these numbers being however incremented by 100. It is also referred to the description these elements of the first embodiment for the second embodiment and vice versa.

[0034] The device 102 comprises a body 104 with a lower part 104.1 provided with a male thread for engaging with a female thread of a neck of a gas cylinder, as in the first embodiment. The cylindrically-shaped pressure reducer 106 is attached to the lower part 104.1 of the body 104 and fluidly connected to a gas inlet port 107 at said body 104. A gas delivery passage 120 fluidly interconnects the gas inlet port 107 on the body 104 to the gas outlet port 108. The gas delivery passage 120 comprises a longitudinally elongate portion 120.1 extending centrally along the longitudinal axis of the device 102 to the shut-off valve 118 at a top portion of the body 104. The shut-off valve 118 comprises a shut-off seat 118.1 that is advantageously directly formed in the body and that surrounds the longitudinally elongate portion 120.1 of the gas delivery passage 120, and a shut-off shutter 118.2 is movable in a chamber downstream of the shut-off seat 118.1 and configured for selectively contacting the shut-off seat 118.1 so as to selectively shut-off the gas delivery passage 120. The gas delivery passage 120 further comprises a second and inclined portion 120.2 that is inclined and that interconnects the chamber housing the shut-off shutter 118.2 with the gas outlet port 108. The inclination of the second and inclined portion 120.2 of the gas delivery passage 120 can be comprised between 20° and 45° relative to the longitudinal direction. The gas delivery passage 120 can further comprise a third and transversal portion 120.3 being transversal and interconnecting the second and inclined portion 120.2 with the outlet port 108.

[0035] As this is apparent, the pressure reducer 106 can be provided with one or several filters 117.1 and 117.2. The filter 117.1 is located downstream of the pressure reducer 106 and the filter 117.2 is locater upstream.

[0036] As this is apparent, the device 102 further comprises a gas refill outlet 124 on the lower part 104.1 of the body 104, on an area of said lower part 104.1 that is in direct contact with the interior of the gas cylinder when the device is mounted thereon. That area is directly adjacent the tubular-shaped gas inlet port 107. A gas refill passage 122 is formed in the body 104 and fluidly interconnects the gas refill port 112 (not visible inbut well in) with the gas refill outlet 124. The gas refill passage 122 comprises a first and longitudinal and off-set portion 122.1 that extends longitudinally but in an off-set manner from said longitudinal axis and the longitudinal portion 120.1 of the gas delivery passage 120. The gas refill passage 122 further comprises a second and transversal portion 122.2 fluidly interconnecting the longitudinal portion 122.1 to the refill valve 114. The latter comprises a refill seat 114.1 surrounding the second and transversal portion 122.2 of the gas refill passage and advantageously integrally formed in the body 104. The refill valve 114 further comprises a refill shutter 114.2 movable in a chamber formed in the body 104 directly upstream (in a gas refill direction from the gas refill port to the gas refill outlet port) of the refill seat 114.1. The refill shutter 114.2 is configured for selectively contacting in a gas tight fashion the refill seat 144.1 so as to selectively close the gas refill passage 122. The refill valve 114 is oriented transversally, advantageously perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis, meaning that the refill seat is perpendicular to that transversal direction and that the refill shutter 114.2 is movable along that transversal direction. The gas refill passage 122 can further comprise a third and inclined portion 122.3 (visible inonly) fluidly interconnecting the chamber housing the refill shutter 114.2 with the gas refill port 112. That third and inclined portion 122.3 of the gas refill passage 122 opens out laterally in the chamber i.e., radially external to the refill shutter 114.2. The gas refill passage 122 can further comprise a fourth and transversal portion 122.4 extending transversally in the body 104 and perpendicularly to the second transversal portion 122.2 and connecting directly to the gas refill port 112 and to the third and inclined portion 122.3 of the gas refill passage 120. The inclination of the third and inclined portion 122.3 of the gas refill passage 122 can be comprised between 20° and 35° relative to a transversal direction aligned with the refill valve 114.

[0037] As this is apparent in, the first and longitudinal portion 122.1 of the gas refill passage 122 terminates directly below the chamber of the shut-off valve 118. Also, the third and transversal portion 122.3 of the gas refill passage 122 is located below the bottom of the chamber of the shut-off valve 118, corresponding to the shut-off seat 118.1. This arrangement allows the chamber housing the refill valve 114 to have its bottom, corresponding to the refill seat 114.1, located transversally close to the chamber housing the shut-off valve 118. More specifically, a planar projection of the shut-off seat 118.1 preferably intersects the refill seat 114.1. The refill seat 114.1 is also advantageously located within a projection of a largest bore formed in the body 104 housing the shut-off valve 118.The third and inclined portion 122.3 of the gas refill passage 122, by being located below the chamber housing the shut-off valve 118, does not interfere with said chamber. The arrangement of the third and inclined portion 122.3 of the gas refill passage 122 allows the gas refill port 112 to be positioned centrally so as to have a projection main axis thereof intersecting the longitudinal axis, while keeping a compact configuration.

[0038] As this is also apparent in Figs. 3 and 4, the gas outlet port 108 can be located at approximately at the same level or height, relative to the longitudinal direction, as the gas refill portion 112 and the refill valve 114. This optimizes the material of the body. This arrangement is achieved thanks to the second and inclined portion 120.2 of the gas delivery passage 120, which allows the gas outlet port 108 to be longitudinally off-set relative to the bottom of the chamber housing the shut-off valve 118.

Claims

A device (2; 102) for a gas cylinder, comprising:a body (4; 104) comprising:a male threaded portion (104.1) configured for engaging with a collar of the gas cylinder,a gas inlet port (107) in said male threaded portion (104.1),a gas outlet port (8; 108);a gas refill port (12; 112);a gas delivery passage (120) interconnecting the gas inlet port (107) with the gas outlet port (8; 108); anda gas refill passage (122) interconnecting the gas refill port (12; 112) to a gas refill outlet (124) formed in the male threaded portion (104.1) and opening out to the ambient of the device, in the gas cylinder when the device (2; 102) is mounted thereon;a shut-off valve (118) for the gas delivery passage (120), housed in the body (4; 104) and comprising a shut-off seat (118.1) and a shut-off shutter (118.2) longitudinally movable on a downstream side of the shut-off seat (118.1) and configured for selectively contacting said shut-off seat (118.1);a refill valve (14; 114) for the gas refill passage (122), housed in the body (4; 104) and comprising a refill seat (114.1) and a refill shutter (114.2) transversally movable on an upstream side of the refill seat (114.1) and configured for selectively contacting said refill seat (114.1); anda pressure regulating device (6; 106) fluidly connected to the gas inlet port (107) at the male threaded portion (104.1), and configured for being inserted into the gas cylinder;characterized in thata planar extension of the shut-off seat (118.1) intersects the refill seat (114.1) and the refill seat (114.1) is located within a projection of a largest bore formed in the body (104) housing the shut-off valve (118).The device (2; 102) of claim 1, wherein the gas delivery passage (120) comprises a longitudinal portion (120.1) that extends along a longitudinal axis of the device, from the gas inlet port (107) to the shut-off valve (118).The device (2; 102) of claim 2, wherein the shut-off seat (118.1) surrounds and connects directly with the longitudinal portion (120.1) of the gas delivery passage (120).The device (2; 102) of claim 3, wherein the gas outlet port (8; 108) extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis at a level, along said longitudinal axis, that is lower than the shut-off seat (118.1), the gas delivery passage (120) comprising an inclined portion (120.2) that is inclined and that interconnects a chamber housing the shut-off shutter (118.2) with the gas outlet port (8; 108), when the device is in an upright orientation.The device (2; 102) of claim 4, wherein the gas delivery passage (120) comprises a transversal portion (120.3) that extends transversally and interconnects the inclined portion (120.2) of said gas delivery passage directly with the gas outlet port (8; 108).The device (2; 102) of one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the gas refill passage (122) comprises a longitudinal portion (122.1) that extends longitudinally and off-set to the longitudinal portion (120.1) of the gas delivery passage (120), from the gas refill outlet (124) to the refill valve (14; 114).The device (2; 102) of claim 6, wherein the refill seat (114.1) connects perpendicularly to the longitudinal portion (122.1) of the gas refill passage (122).The device (2; 102) of claim 7, wherein the gas refill passage (122) comprises a transversal portion (122.2) that is transversal and interconnects the longitudinal and off-set portion (122.1) of said gas refill passage (122) with a chamber housing the refill shutter (114.2).The device (2; 102) of claim 8, wherein the transversal portion (122.2) of the gas refill passage (122) is located, relative to the longitudinal axis, below a chamber housing the shut-off valve (118).The device (2; 102) of any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the longitudinal portion (122.1) of the gas refill passage (122) terminates directly below a chamber of the shut-off valve (118) when the device is in upright orientation.The device (2; 102) of any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the gas refill port (12; 112) extends transversally to the longitudinal axis and perpendicularly to the refill valve (14; 114), the gas refill passage (122) comprising an inclined portion (122.3) that is inclined and interconnects a chamber housing the refill shutter (114.2) with the gas refill port (12; 112).The device (2; 102) of any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the gas outlet port (8; 108) is opposed to the refill valve (14; 114).The device (2; 102) of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the gas inlet port (107) is formed by a tubular portion of the body (4; 104) extending longitudinally from the male threaded portion (104.1) of said body, the gas refill outlet (124) being located laterally adjacent to said tubular portion.The device (2; 102) of any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the gas refill port (12; 112) is positioned transversally at a central position on the body (4; 104).The device (2; 102) of any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the gas refill port (112) is positioned such as to have a projection main axis intersecting the longitudinal axis.

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