Composite valve seal

• US 5,901,944 A
• Filed: 09/30/1997
• Issued: 05/11/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Xomox Corporation (Crane Company)
• Original Assignee: Xomox Corporation (Crane Company)
• Inventors: Ramakrishnan, M. R., Kirk, Steven M., Sandling, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fox, John
• Application Number:
  US08/940,698
• Time in Patent Office: 588 Days
• Field of Search: 251/306, 251/358, 251/304, 251/309
• US Class Current: 251/304
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 5/0271 between housing and plug

Abstract

A composite sealing unit for sealing between moving parts in a valve is disclosed. The sealing unit has a sealing portion that interfaces with the moving parts and is adapted to isolate a reinforcing portion from media within the valve. The reinforcing portion, which can be encapsulated within the sealing unit, is operative to enhance the resiliency of the sealing unit.

Claims

1. A plug valve assembly, comprising:

a) a valve body having an inlet, an outlet, and an internal flow passage extending between the inlet and outlet;

b) a plug having a port, said plug being movably disposed in the internal flow passage of the valve body for selectively controlling media flow through the internal passage; and

c) a sleeve at least partially interposed between the plug and the valve body for sealing between the pig and the valve body, said sleeve having a first portion and a second portion, said first portion being encapsulated within said second portion to isolate the first portion from media in the valve assembly, said first portion being operative to enhance the resiliency of the sleeve.

2. A plug valve assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the first portion of the sleeve is at least partially formed of an elastomer.

3. A plug valve assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the first portion of the sleeve is at least partially formed of a resilient structure.

4. A plug valve assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the first portion of the at least partially includes a fluid.

5. A plug valve assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the second portion of the sleeve is at least partially formed of a fluoroplastic material.

6. A plug valve assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the plug is tapered.

7. A plug valve assembly as recited in claim 1, further comprising sealing ribs in the valve body.

8. A plug valve assembly as recited in claim 7, wherein the first portion of the sleeve is aligned with the sealing ribs.

9. A plug valve assembly, comprising:

a) a valve body having an inlet, an outlet, and an internal flow passage extending between the inlet and outlet;

b) a plug having a port, said plug being rotatably disposed in the internal flow passage of the valve body for selectively controlling media flow through the internal passage; and

c) a sleeve at least partially interposed between the plug and the valve body for sealing between the plug and the valve body, said sleeve having a first portion and a second portion, said first portion being operative to enhance the resiliency of the sleeve, said second portion being adapted to isolate the first portion from media in the valve assembly wherein the first portion is encapsulated within the second portion.

10. A plug valve assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein the first portion of the sleeve is at least partially formed of an elastomer.

11. A plug valve assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein the first portion of the sleeve is at least partially formed of a resilient structure.

12. A plug valve assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein the first portion of the sleeve at least partially includes a fluid.

13. A plug valve assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein the second portion of the sleeve is at least partially formed of a fluoroplastic material.

14. A plug valve assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein the plug has an open position and a closed position, and the sleeve encircles the internal flow passage, whereby when the plug is in the closed position the sleeve prevents the flow of fluid from the inlet to the outlet.

15. A plug valve assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein the sleeve encircles the plug for containing fluid in the valve assembly.

16. A plug valve assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein the valve body further includes at least one continuous protrusion adapted to engage at least a portion of the sleeve.

17. A sleeve adapted to provide a seal between a valve body and a rotary plug member in a plug valve, said sleeve comprising a sealing portion and a resilient reinforcing portion encapsulated within the sealing portion, said sealing portion being adapted to interface with the rotary plug member, said reinforcing portion being operative to enhance the resiliency of the sleeve with said sealing portion being adapted to isolate, when installed in a plug valve, the reinforcing portion from media in the plug valve.

18. A sleeve as recited in claim 17, wherein the reinforcing portion of the sleeve is at least partially formed of an elastomer.

19. A sleeve as recited in claim 17, wherein the reinforcing portion of the sleeve is at least partially formed of a resilient structure.

20. A sleeve as recited in claim 17, wherein the reinforcing portion of the sleeve at least partially includes a fluid.

21. A sleeve as recited in claim 17, wherein the sealing portion of the sleeve is at least partially formed of a fluoroplastic material.

22. A sleeve as recited in claim 17, wherein the sleeve has a variable cross sectional wall thickness.