1. A by-pass valve for a heat exchanger circuit, the by-pass valve comprising:
a housing defining communicating first and second bores therein, first and second main ports communicating with the first bore, and at least a further port communicating with the second bore, the second bore having a central axis and a peripheral valve seat about a valve opening facing the first bore;
a temperature responsive actuator located in the housing and having a reciprocating central shaft disposed along said central axis, the central shaft having a closed end portion;
an annular sealing member slidably mounted on the central shaft and extending outward from the central shaft to engage the valve seat and, together with the closed end portion, close the valve opening;
bias means for urging the annular sealing member toward the valve seat; and
a coiled return spring mounted in the housing for urging the central shaft closed end portion to retract and open the valve opening, the return spring having a first end connected to the closed end portion and a second end engaging a spring support in the housing facing the first bore, the return spring having a larger diameter at its second end than its first end.
2. The by-pass valve of claim 1 wherein the return spring tapers outward from its first end to its second end.
3. The by-pass valve of claim 1 wherein coils of the return spring have increasing diameters as the distance of the coils from the first end increases.
4. The by-pass valve of claim 1 wherein along a first axial length of the return spring, coils of the return spring have decreasing diameters as the distance of the coils from the first end increases, and along a second axial length of the return spring that is further from the first end than the first axial length, coils of the return spring have increasing diameters as the distance of the coils from the first end increases.
5. The by-pass valve of claim 1 wherein the second bore and first bore are cylindrical, the second bore having a smaller diameter than the first bore.
6. The by-pass valve of claim 1 wherein the spring support includes a spring seat extending at least partially about a periphery of the second bore.
7. The by-pass valve of claim 1 wherein the housing includes a branch port forming with the further port a branch port passage that communicates with the second bore, the spring support being located in the branch port passage.
8. The by-pass valve of claim 1 including a third bore serially communicating with the second bore, the second bore communicating directly with the first bore, the second bore having a larger cross-sectional flow area than the third bore, wherein the spring support includes a peripheral spring seat engaging the second end of the return spring, the peripheral spring seat being located at a transition between the second bore and the third bore, the second bore communicating with the further port through the third bore.
9. The by-pass valve of claim 8 wherein the third bore has a non-circular cross-sectional area transverse to the central axis and the second bore has a circular cross-sectional area transverse to the central axis.
10. The by-pass valve of claim 1 including a closure cap, the housing including an assembly opening located opposite the valve seat that is sealed shut by the closure cap, the closure cap and housing being formed from plastic materials with the closure cap sealably joined to the housing.
11. The by-pass valve of claim 10 wherein the closure cap is joined to the housing by ultrasonic welding, friction welding, adhesive bonding or solvent bonding.
12. The by-pass valve of claim 1 wherein the spring support includes a discrete support member extending across the second bore and having a flow opening therethrough.
13. The by-pass valve of claim 1 wherein the annular sealing member and the valve seat have sloping surfaces that cooperate when in a closed position.
14. A valve comprising:
a housing defining a first bore and a second bore having a common central axis and communicating with each other through a valve opening having a peripheral valve seat, the first bore, second bore and valve opening forming at least a portion of a closable flow path between a first opening and a second opening in the housing;
an actuator located in the housing and having a reciprocating seal disposed for movement along the central axis for engaging the valve seat and closing the valve opening;
a coiled return spring mounted in the housing for urging the reciprocating seal towards the first bore to open the valve opening, the return spring having a first end connected to the reciprocating seal and a second end engaging a spring support in the housing facing the first bore, the return spring having a larger diameter at its second end than its first end.
15. The valve of claim 14 wherein the reciprocating seal includes a reciprocating central shaft disposed along the central axis and having a closed end portion, and an annular sealing member slidably mounted on the central shaft and extending outward from the central shaft to engage the valve seat and, together with the closed end portion, close the valve opening; the actuator including bias means for urging the annular sealing member toward the valve seat;
wherein the first end of the return spring is connected to the closed end portion of the central shaft.
16. The valve of claim 14 wherein the return spring tapers outward from its first end to its second end.
17. A by-pass valve for a heat exchanger circuit, the by-pass valve comprising:
a housing defining a serially communicating first bore, second bore and third bore substantially aligned along a central axis with a valve seat facing the first bore at a juncture between the first bore and second bore and a spring seat facing the second bore at a juncture between the second bore and third bore, the first bore, second bore and third bore forming at least a portion of a closable flow path between a first opening and a second opening in the housing;
an actuator located in the housing and having a reciprocating seal disposed for movement along the central axis for engaging the valve seat and closing a valve opening between the first bore and second bore; and
a coiled return spring mounted in the housing for urging the reciprocating seal towards the first bore to open the valve opening, the return spring having a first end acting on the reciprocating seal and a second end engaging the spring seat,
wherein the second bore and third bore each have a different cross-sectional shape transverse to the central axis.
18. The by-pass valve of claim 17 wherein the second bore has a circular cross-sectional shape and the third bore has a non-circular cross-sectional shape.
19. The by-pass valve of claim 18 wherein the third bore has a four sided cross-sectional shape.
20. The by-pass valve of claim 19 wherein the third bore has a rectangular cross-sectional shape.
21. The by-pass valve of claim 17 wherein the second bore has a larger cross-sectional flow area than the third bore and the reciprocating seal includes a reciprocating central shaft disposed along the central axis and having a closed end portion, and an annular sealing member slidably mounted on the central shaft and extending outward from the central shaft to engage the valve seat and, together with the closed end portion, close the valve opening; the actuator including bias means for urging the annular sealing member toward the valve seat; and the housing defines at least two ports communicating with the first bore and two further ports communicating with the third bore.
22. A by-pass valve for a heat exchanger circuit, the by-pass valve comprising:
a housing formed from a plastic material and defining a first bore with a valve opening communicating therewith, the valve opening having a peripheral valve seat facing the first bore, the housing defining an assembly opening communicating with the first bore opposite the valve seat, the first bore and valve opening forming at least a portion of a closable flow path between a first opening and a second opening in the housing;
an actuator located in the first bore and having a reciprocating seal disposed for movement along an axis for engaging the valve seat and closing the valve opening; and
a closure cap formed from plastic material and closing the assembly opening, the closure cap being sealably joined to the housing by a permanent joint.
23. The by-pass valve of claim 22 wherein the closure cap is joined to the housing by an ultrasonic weld or a friction weld.
24. The by-pass valve of claim 22 wherein the closure cap is joined to the housing by an adhesive bond or a solvent bond.
25. The by-pass valve of claim 22 wherein the reciprocating seal includes a reciprocating central shaft that is driven by a piston and disposed along a central axis of the first bore and having a closed end portion and an annular sealing member slidably mounted on the central shaft and extending outward from the central shaft to engage the valve seat and, together with the closed end portion, close the valve opening; and the actuator includes bias means for urging the annular sealing member toward the valve seat, the by-pass valve including a return spring within the housing for urging the annular sealing member away from the valve seat.
26. The by-pass valve of claim 25 wherein the actuator piston is connected to the closure cap.
27. A by-pass valve for a heat exchanger circuit, the by-pass valve comprising:
a housing defining a first bore with a valve opening communicating therewith, the valve opening having a peripheral valve seat facing the first bore, the housing defining an assembly opening communicating with the first bore opposite the valve seat, the first bore and valve opening forming at least a portion of a closable flow path between a first opening and a second opening in the housing;
an actuator located in the first bore and having a reciprocating seal disposed for movement along an axis for engaging the valve seat and closing the valve opening; and
a closure cap closing the assembly opening, the closure cap being sealably joined to the housing by a permanent joint selected from the group consisting of a friction weld, an ultrasonic weld, a solvent bond and an adhesive bond.
28. A method for making a by-pass valve for a heat exchanger circuit, comprising:
providing a housing defining a first bore with a valve opening communicating therewith, the valve opening having a peripheral valve seat facing the first bore, the housing including an assembly opening opposite the valve seat;
providing a closure cap;
providing an actuator having a reciprocating seal and inserting the actuator into the first bore through the assembly opening so that the actuator is located in the first bore for movement along a central axis for engaging the valve seat and closing the valve opening; and
permanently connecting the closure cap to the housing to seal the assembly opening.
29. The by-pass valve of claim 28 wherein the housing and closure cap are molded from plastic materials.
30. The method of claim 29 wherein the step of permanently connecting includes ultrasonically welding or friction welding the housing and closure cap to each other.
31. The method of claim 29 wherein the step of permanently connecting includes connecting the closure cap to the housing by adhesive binding or by solvent bonding.
32. A by-pass valve for a heat exchanger circuit, the by-pass valve comprising:
a housing defining a communicating first bore and second bore with a peripheral valve seat located at a junction thereof about a valve opening, the first bore, second bore and valve opening forming at least a portion of a closable flow path between a first opening and a second opening in the housing;
an actuator located in the first bore and having a reciprocating seal disposed for movement to engage the valve seat and close the valve opening;
a coiled return spring mounted in the housing for urging the reciprocating seal towards the first bore to open the valve opening, the return spring having a first end acting on the reciprocating seal, and a second end; and
a discrete spring support extending across the second bore and having a surface supporting the second end of the return spring, the spring support including at least one fluid flow opening there through for fluid flowing through the valve opening.
33. The by-pass valve of claim 32 wherein the housing defines in the second bore a support surface for supporting the discrete spring support about a periphery thereof.
34. The by-pass valve of claim 33 wherein the support surface includes an annular seat about a periphery of the second bore.
35. The by-pass valve of claim 33 including a third bore in direct communication with the second bore, the second bore communicating directly with the first bore, the second bore having a larger cross-sectional flow area than the third bore, wherein a peripheral seat located at a transition between the second bore and the third bore provides the support surface for supporting the discrete spring support.
36. The by-pass valve of claim 33 wherein the spring support includes a substantially planar disk having a plurality of flow openings formed therethrough.
37. The by-pass valve of claim 33 wherein the spring support has a cup-like profile, including an annular wall having an outer peripheral flange at a first end thereof and a radially inwardly extending flange at an opposite end thereof, the opposite end being located further from the first bore than the first end thereof, the peripheral flange engaging the support surface about the periphery of the second bore, the second end of the return spring being received within the annular wall and engaging the inwardly extending flange, the at least one flow opening being defined by the inwardly extending flange.
38. The by-pass port of claim 37 wherein the annular wall tapers inward from the first end of the spring support to the opposite end thereof and flow openings pass through the annular wall.
39. The by-pass port of claim 33 wherein the spring support has a cup-like profile, including an annular wall having an outer peripheral flange at a first end thereof and an annular spring seat at an opposite end thereof, the opposite end being located closer to the first bore than the first end thereof, the peripheral flange engaging the support surface about the periphery of the second bore, the second end of the return spring being received within the spring seat.
40. The by-pass valve of claim 32 wherein the reciprocating seal includes a reciprocating central shaft disposed along a central axis of the first bore and having a closed end portion, and an annular sealing member slidably mounted on the central shaft and extending outward from the central shaft to engage the valve seat and together with the closed end portion close the valve opening; and the actuator includes bias means for urging the annular sealing member toward the valve seat, the return spring having its first end connected to the closed end portion.
41. A by-pass valve for a heat exchanger circuit, the by-pass valve comprising:
a housing defining first and second bores aligned along a central axis and communicating through a valve opening surrounded by a peripheral valve seat, the first bore, second bore and valve opening forming at least a portion of a closable flow path between a first opening and a second opening in the housing;
a temperature responsive actuator located in the first bore and having a reciprocating central shaft disposed along said central axis, the central shaft having a closed end portion;
an annular sealing member slidably mounted on the central shaft and extending outward from the central shaft to engage the valve seat and, together with the closed end portion, close the valve opening;
bias means for urging the annular sealing member toward the valve seat; and
a coiled return spring mounted in the housing for urging the central shaft closed end portion to retract and open the valve opening, the return spring having a first end connected to the closed end portion and a second end engaging a spring support in the housing facing the first bore,
wherein the valve seat and the annular sealing member have corresponding sloping surfaces that cooperate when the sealing member engages the valve seat.
42. The by-pass valve of claim 41 wherein the corresponding sloping surfaces include cooperating conical portions.
43. A by-pass valve for a heat exchanger circuit, the by-pass valve comprising:
a housing formed from a plastic material and defining a first bore with a valve opening communicating therewith, the valve opening having a peripheral valve seat facing the first bore, the housing defining an assembly opening communicating with the first bore opposite the valve seat, the first bore and valve opening forming at least a portion of a closable flow path between a first opening and a second opening in the housing;
an actuator located in the first bore and having a reciprocating seal disposed for movement along an axis for engaging the valve seat and closing the valve opening; and
a closure cap formed from resilient material and closing the assembly opening, the closure cap being sealably mounted in an end of the upper bore adjacent the assembly opening, the housing including surfaces between which the closure cap is compressively engaged.
44. The by-pass valve of claim 43 wherein the housing and the closure cap include adjacent tapering surfaces, at least one of the tapering surfaces having an annular protrusion formed thereon for engaging the other of the tapering surfaces.
45. The by-pass valve of claim 44 including a plurality of the annular protrusions formed on the tapering surfaces.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A system, comprising:
a first transport;
a first controller in communication with the first transport;
a first channel unit in communication with the first transport; and
a first storage unit in communication with the first channel unit.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first channel unit comprises a plurality of channel units, and wherein the plurality of channel units are each in communication with the transport.
3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of channel units, and wherein the first transport is configured to:
receive a first signal comprising a request to store a file;
determine a storage configuration of a redundant storage system;
receive the file;
generate a plurality of data blocks comprising portions of the file;
compute a plurality of parity blocks based at least in part on the plurality of data blocks; and
transmit at least some of the plurality of data blocks and at least some of the plurality of parity blocks to the channel unit.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first transport is further configured to compute the plurality of parity blocks by computing an exclusive-OR value of a first data block and a second data block from the plurality of data blocks.
5. The system of claim 4, wherein the first and second data blocks are consecutive data blocks from the plurality of data blocks.
6. The system of claim 4, wherein the exclusive-OR value is computed from n data blocks, where n is the number of channel units in the communication with the transport minus one.
7. The system of claim 6, wherein the plurality of data blocks and the plurality of parity blocks are assigned to one of the plurality of channel units according to the formula: channel unit=((stripe number\u22121) % number of channel units used)+1, wherein \u2018stripe number\u2019=Floor (byte position(data block size*(number of channel units\u22121)).
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first controller is configured to transmit a storage configuration to the first transport.
9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of channel units.
10. The system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the plurality of channel units is geographically distant from the other of the plurality of channel units.
11. The system of claim 1, wherein the first storage unit comprises a redundant array of inexpensive disks.
12. The system of claim 1, wherein the transport is in communication with a caching server and is configured to transmit a file to the caching server.
13. The system of claim 1, wherein the first controller is configured to:
maintain information for accessing the first channel unit,
detect the addition of additional channel units,
detect the removal or failure of the first channel unit, and
determine the status of the first channel unit.
14. A method, comprising:
receiving a first signal comprising a request to store a file;
generating a plurality of data blocks comprising portions of the file;
computing a plurality of parity blocks based at least in part on the plurality of data blocks; and
transmitting at least some of the plurality of data blocks and at least some of the plurality of parity blocks to a channel unit.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein determining a storage configuration of a redundant storage system comprises receiving a controller signal from a controller, the controller signal comprising the storage configuration associated with channel units in communication with a transport, the storage configuration comprising a number of channel units, information for accessing the channel units, and the status of the channel units.
16. The method of claim 14, further comprising generating a metadata file and transmitting a metadata signal to the channel unit, the metadata signal comprising the metadata file.
17. The method of claim 14, wherein computing the plurality of parity blocks comprises computing an exclusive-OR value of a first data block and a second data block from the plurality of data blocks.
18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first and second data blocks are consecutive data blocks from the plurality of data blocks.
19. The system of claim 17, wherein the exclusive-OR value is computed from n data blocks, where n is the number of channel units in the communication with the transport minus one.
20. The system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of data blocks and the plurality of parity blocks are assigned to one of a plurality of channel units according to the formula: channel unit=((stripe number\u22121) % number of channel units used)+1, wherein \u2018stripe number\u2019=Floor (byte position(data block size*(number of channel units\u22121)).
21. A method, comprising:
receiving a first signal comprising a request to retrieve a file;
identifying at least one channel unit in communication with a storage unit comprising at least one data block or at least one parity block associated with the file;
transmitting a signal to the at least one channel unit requesting the file;
receiving at least one data block or at least one parity block from the channel unit;
generating the file based at least in part on the at least one data block or at least one parity block; and
transmitting the file to the client.
22. The method of claim 21, further comprising transmitting a metadata signal to the at least one channel unit requesting the metadata file, and receiving the metadata file.
23. A computer-readable medium comprising program code, the program code comprising:
program code for receiving a first signal comprising a request to store a file;
program code for determining a storage configuration of a redundant storage system;
program code for generating a plurality of data blocks comprising portions of the file;
program code for computing a plurality of parity blocks based at least in part on the plurality of data blocks; and
program code for transmitting at least some of the plurality of data blocks and at least some of the plurality of parity blocks to a channel unit.
24. The method of claim 23, further comprising generating a metadata file and transmitting a metadata signal to the channel unit, the metadata signal comprising the metadata file.
25. The method of claim 23, wherein computing the plurality of parity blocks comprises computing an exclusive-OR value of a first data block and a second data block from the plurality of data blocks.
26. The system of claim 23, wherein the plurality of data blocks and the plurality of parity blocks are assigned to one of a plurality of channel units according to the formula: channel unit=((stripe number\u22121) % number of channel units used)+1, wherein \u2018stripe number\u2019=Floor (byte position(data block size*(number of channel units\u22121)).
27. A computer-readable medium comprising program code, the program code comprising:
program code for receiving a first signal comprising a request to retrieve a file from a client;
program code for identifying at least one channel unit in communication with a storage unit comprising at least one data block or at least one parity block associated with the file;
program code for transmitting a signal to the at least one channel unit requesting the file;
program code for receiving at least one data block or at least one parity block from the channel unit;
program code for generating the file based at least in part on the at least one data block or at least one parity block; and
program code for transmitting the file to the client.