VALVE REMOTE CONTROL APPARATUS

• US 20150184772A1
• Filed: 05/20/2013
• Published: 07/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yokogawa Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yokogawa Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Inagaki, Tetsuo, Saito, Hitoshi
• Granted Patent: US 9,689,505 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 20/00 Safety arrangements for fluid actuator systems; Applications of safety devices in fluid actuator systems; Emergency measures for fluid actuator systems
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/6336 representing a state of the output member, e.g. position, speed or acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/6343 representing a temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/857 Monitoring of fluid pressure systems
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/14 for mounting on, or in combination with, hand-actuated valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/42 by means of electrically-actuated members in the supply or discharge conduits of the fluid motor F16K31/40 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/60 Handles form, features or function of taps or faucet handles for domestic plumbing installations E03C1/04
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 37/00 Special means in or on valves or other cut-off apparatus for indicating or recording operation thereof, or for enabling an alarm to be given
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 37/0041 for measuring valve parameters F16K37/0033 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8242 Electrical

Abstract

It is to realize a valve remote control apparatus capable of driving and controlling, with wireless signals, an air motor configuring an automatic switch to be attached to a manual valve.

A valve remote control apparatus is configured to mechanically connect, to a manual operating portion 11 of an existing manual valve 10, an output shaft 21a of an air motor 21 using an air pressure as a drive source, and to remotely control the manual value 10. The valve remote control apparatus includes a solenoid valve (operating valve 53) operated by an operation signal transmitted and received wirelessly between a contact information terminal portion 51 and a contact information operating portion 52. The air pressure for driving and rotating the air motor 21 is supplied via the solenoid valve (operating valve 53).

Claims

1. A valve remote control apparatus configured to mechanically connect, to a manual operating portion of an existing manual valve, an output shaft of an air motor using an air pressure as a drive source, and to remotely control the manual value, the valve remote control apparatus comprising:

a solenoid valve operated by an operation signal transmitted and received wirelessly between a contact information terminal portion and a contact information operating portion, wherein

the air pressure for driving and rotating the air motor is supplied via the solenoid valve.

2. The valve remote control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the contact information operating portion includes a module configured to convert contact information transmitted from the contact information terminal portion into an electric signal capable of driving the solenoid valve.

3. The valve remote control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the solenoid valve is a double latch type solenoid valve.

4. The valve remote control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a limit detecting switch configured to detect a limit control air pressure output from a limit switch configured to detect a full-open state and a full-close state of the air motor, and to output contact information, wherein

the contact information operating portion includes a contact information reading portion configured to read the contact information output from the limit detecting switch, and

the contact information terminal portion includes a contact information analyzing portion configured to cause, when confirming that the contact information read to the contact information reading portion is turned on, transition of the contact information to an off-state.

5. The valve remote control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an intrinsically safety explosion-proof solenoid valve used as the solenoid valve;

a single-system voltage/current limiting portion configured to limit each of a voltage and an current, which drive a solenoid of the intrinsically safety explosion-proof solenoid valve, not to exceed a value predetermined for intrinsically safety explosion protection; and

an output terminal switching portion configured to selectively connect, to a terminal of the solenoid to be driven, a predetermined output limited by the voltage/current limiting portion.

6. The valve remote control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

a pressure monitor configured to measure an air pressure serving as the drive source;

a displacement sensor configured to detect displacement of the manual valve;

a temperature sensor configured to detect ambient temperature of the solenoid valve;

a module configured to detect an operating sound of the air motor and to analyze acoustic information concerning the detected operating sound; and

an energy harvesting function portion configured to serve as a power supply complementing a battery driving each of the portions.