Flow control valve with eddy current dampening

• US 10,253,901 B1
• Filed: 08/05/2018
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Econtrols Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Econtrols Incorporated
• Inventors: Champaigne, Jack M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chaudry, Atif H
• Application Number:
  US16/055,136
• Time in Patent Office: 247 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B24C 7/00 Equipment for feeding abrasive material; Controlling the flowability, constitution, or other physical characteristics of abrasive blasts
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/123 with stationary valve member and moving sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 27/048 Electromagnetically actuated valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 3/246 Combination of a sliding valve and a lift valve
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 3/265 with a sleeve sliding in the direction of the flow line
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 3/267 Combination of a sliding valve and a lift valve F16K3/262, F16K3/265 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/0651 the fluid passing through the solenoid coil
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/0655 Lift valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/0668 Sliding valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/082 using a electromagnet and a permanent magnet
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/086 the magnet being movable and actuating a second magnet connected to the closing element
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/10 with additional mechanism between armature and closure member
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 37/005 for measuring fluid parameters F16K37/0033 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/3367 Larner-Johnson type valves; i.e., telescoping internal valve in expanded flow line section

Abstract

A valve is provided having an inlet to receive a flowable particulate media and an outlet to dispense the media. The valve has an inlet portion with a funnel and repelling magnets. A shuttle sleeve extends from the inlet portion to allow a shuttle to slide along a central axis between an opened and a closed position. The shuttle has shuttle magnets that are oriented to have poles that face the repelling magnets to create a biasing force that biases the shuttle towards the closed position. When the shuttle moves, the shuttle magnets create eddy currents in a tube. The closed position is defined by a sealing edge of the shuttle contacting a sealing surface on a flow director. A capacitive sensor surrounds the flow director to measure the amount of media that is dispensed by the valve.

Claims

1. An electrically operated flow valve for particulate, said flow valve comprising:

an inlet portion having an inlet chamber, a repelling magnet fixed with respect to said inlet chamber, said inlet chamber extending from an inlet to a terminal edge on a shuttle sleeve;

a sealing surface fixed with respect to said terminal edge on said shuttle sleeve;

a shuttle circumscribing said shuttle sleeve and slidable with respect to said shuttle sleeve between an opened position and a closed position, said opened position defined by a sealing edge of said shuttle being spaced from said sealing surface and a shuttle magnet being closer to said repelling magnet, said closed position defined by said sealing edge of said shuttle contacting said sealing surface and said shuttle magnet being further from said repelling magnet, said inlet portion has a funnel shield located adjacent said repelling magnet and said shuttle having a shuttle magnet shield adjacent said shuttle magnet, said repelling magnet repelling said shuttle magnet to bias said shuttle towards said closed position;

an outlet portion having an outlet chamber extending from said sealing surface to an outlet, a flow director fixed with respect to said shuttle sleeve for directing said particulate away from a central region of said outlet portion, said outlet portion including a capacitive sensor, said capacitive sensor located in a flow sensor body having a surface facing said fixed flow director, said surface cooperating with said fixed flow director to define an annular flow path; and

a tube surrounding said shuttle magnet, said tube being fixed with respect to said shuttle sleeve and said tube being made from a material that generates eddy currents when said shuttle slides between said opened and closed positions.

2. The flow valve in claim 1, wherein said fixed flow director being cylindrical.

3. The flow valve in claim 1, said capacitive sensor having a first sensor ring adjacent a second sensor ring.

4. The flow valve in claim 1, said sealing surface on said fixed flow director being an annular groove.

5. The flow valve in claim 1, said fixed flow director having a cone portion, said cone portion located in a central chamber, said central chamber located between said inlet chamber and said outlet chamber.

6. The flow valve in claim 1, said inlet chamber has a funnel having a larger diameter near a top edge and narrowing to a smaller diameter towards said shuttle sleeve.