Overload protection valve

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure relate to an overload protection valve for automatic release of a load. The valve may include an outer housing having an end wall, a cam, and inner slide, and an overload spring. The inner slide may include a side wall, a shelf area, an internal barrier, an inlet and an outlet. Each of the inlet and outlet may include an opening through the side wall, and the inlet and the outlet may be separated by the internal barrier. The overload spring may be arranged between the end wall and the shelf area, and may define a load on the valve which will cause the valve to open. The cam may be configured such that when the valve is closed, the defined load will cause the cam to rotate thereby allowing the openings of the inlet and outlet to be in fluid communication and open the valve.

1 . An overload protection valve, comprising:
 an outer housing;   a cam arranged at least partially within the outer housing, the cam including an inward facing interior surface;   an inner slide including an inlet end for receiving a pressurized fluid from a pressurized fluid source, an outlet end for expelling the fluid, and an internal barrier or wall that separates the inlet end and the outlet end to prevent the fluid from passing directly between the inlet end and the outlet end; and   a plurality of compartments formed between the cam and the inner slide.   
     
     
         2 . The overload protection valve of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a cam actuation spring; and   an overload spring arranged around the inner slide,   wherein the inner slide includes a shelf area arranged between the cam actuation spring and the overload spring, the outer housing includes an end wall, and the end wall and the shelf area are configured to provide a compression force on the overload spring as the shelf area is pulled towards the end wall.   
     
     
         3 . The overload protection valve of  claim 2 , wherein the cam actuation spring is arranged between the shelf area of the inner slide and the cam and around the inner slide. 
     
     
         4 . The overload protection valve of  claim 2 , wherein the cam actuation spring is sized in order to provide a sufficient pushing force on the cam to move the cam in order to open or unlock the overload protection valve. 
     
     
         5 . The overload protection valve of  claim 2 , wherein the overload spring is sized according to a predetermined load selected for automatically opening the overload protection valve. 
     
     
         6 . The overload protection valve of  claim 1 , wherein the inward facing interior surface has a plurality of grooves, each grove including a respective seal. 
     
     
         7 . The overload protection valve of  claim 6 , wherein the cam has a cylindrical shape. 
     
     
         8 . The overload protection valve of  claim 6 , wherein each of the grooves is an annular groove that extends 360 degrees around the inward facing interior surface. 
     
     
         9 . The overload protection valve of  claim 6 , wherein each respective seal is a sealing O-ring that is sized to provide an air and fluid tight barrier between the cam and the inward facing interior surface. 
     
     
         10 . The overload protection valve of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of grooves and the respective seals form the plurality of compartments. 
     
     
         11 . The overload protection valve of  claim 1 , wherein the inner slide further includes a first opening that allows the fluid to flow from the inlet end into a first compartment of the plurality of compartments. 
     
     
         12 . The overload protection valve of  claim 11 , wherein when the overload protection valve is in a closed or locked configuration, the fluid is prevented from passing from the first compartment to a second compartment of the plurality of compartments. 
     
     
         13 . The overload protection valve of  claim 12 , wherein when the overload protection valve is in an open or unlocked configuration, the fluid is allowed to pass from the first compartment to the second compartment. 
     
     
         14 . The overload protection valve of  claim 13 , wherein the inner slide further includes a second opening that allows the fluid to flow from the second compartment to the outlet end. 
     
     
         15 . The overload protection valve of  claim 1 , wherein the overload protection valve is configured to trigger an emergency release of a load. 
     
     
         16 . A method of using an overload protection valve to control flow of a fluid, the method comprising:
 receiving, by an inlet end of an inner slide of the overload protection valve, a pressurized fluid from a pressurized fluid source,   wherein the overload protection valve includes an outer housing, a cam arranged at least partially within the outer housing, the cam including an inward facing interior surface, and an internal barrier or wall that separates the inlet end and an outlet end of the inner slide to prevent the fluid from passing directly between the inlet end and an outlet end of the inner slide;   when the overload protection valve is in a closed or locked configuration, allowing the fluid to flow from the inlet end to a first opening of the inner slide into a first compartment of a plurality of compartments formed between the cam and the inner slide; and   when the overload protection valve is in an open or unlocked configuration, allowing the fluid to flow to the outlet end via the first opening, the first compartment, a second compartment of the plurality of compartments and a second opening of the inner slide.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the overload protection valve is configured to trigger an emergency release of a load. 
     
     
         18 . An overload protection valve, comprising:
 an outer housing;   a cam arranged at least partially within the outer housing;   an inner slide including an inlet end for receiving a pressurized fluid from a pressurized fluid source; and   a plurality of compartments formed between the cam and the inner slide,   wherein, when the overload protection valve is in a closed or locked configuration, the fluid is allowed to flow from the inlet end to a first opening of the inner slide into a first compartment of the plurality of compartment, and   wherein, when the overload protection valve is in an open or unlocked configuration, the fluid is allowed to flow to an outlet end of the inner slide via the first opening, the first compartment, a second compartment of the plurality of compartments and a second opening of the inner slide.   
     
     
         19 . The overload protection valve of  claim 18 , wherein the cam includes an inward facing interior surface having a plurality of grooves, each grove including a respective seal. 
     
     
         20 . The overload protection valve of  claim 19 , wherein the plurality of grooves and the respective seals form the plurality of compartments.