Patents by Inventor Derek Brighton

Derek Brighton has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Flow control valve capable of adjusting fluid flow characteristics in accordance with a position of a valve element in a bore
    Patent number: 6328535
    Abstract: A flow control valve has body (20) containing a “bucket” shaped valve element (1) that moves in a bore (2). The valve element (1) has a discharge orifice (8) through which a needle valve (9) projects. Movement of the valve element (1) within the bore (2) adjusts the annular clearance between the orifice (8) and the needle (9) thereby varying the pressure drop across the valve element (1) and the rate of the main flow through the valve. The inlet (4a) to the body (20) is located upstream of the valve element. With this arrangement, the spill flow rate is adjusted by movement of the valve element (1) within the bore (2). However, in all cases the main flow of fluid passes through the orifice (8) of the valve element (1) through the bore (2) to the outlet (10), thereby avoiding the formation of stagnant “pools” of fluid within the bore (2) of the flow control valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: Hobourn Automative Limited
    Inventors: Derek Brighton, Alec Thornelow