Control valve with a self-compensating piezoelectric actuator
First Claim
1. A control valve, comprising:
- a closure member movable between a valve opening work position and a valve closing rest position, and an actuator device, including a fixed portion, a piezoelectric actuating member having a reference portion for connection to said fixed portion and a free portion rigidly connected to the closure member and movable relative to the reference portion as a result of mechanical deformations produced in the actuating member by the piezoelectric effect, urging means adapted to maintain the closure member in said valve rest position when the piezoelectric actuating member is not excited, and locking means operable to selectively retain said reference portion of the actuating member in a previously determined reference position in which said reference portion is fixed firmly to said fixed portion so that excitation of the actuating member is adapted to cause actuation of the valve, or free said reference portion in an adjustment or tuning condition relative to the fixed portion while the actuating member is not excited so that the reference portion is allowed to reach a newly determined reference position relative to the fixed portion while said urging means keep the closure member in the valve rest position.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An actuator for a control valve includes a piezoelectric actuating member for bringing about the movement of a closure member of the valve between an open position and a closure position; the member has a reference portion for connection to a fixed portion of the device and a free portion for connection to the closure member, the free portion being movable relative to the reference portion as a result of mechanical deformations produced in the actuating member by the piezoelectric effect. The reference portion of the actuating member is controllable selectively between a condition in which it is locked in a reference position and is fixed firmly to the fixed portion of the device, and a free condition in which it is movable relative to the fixed portion.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A control valve, comprising:
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a closure member movable between a valve opening work position and a valve closing rest position, and an actuator device, including a fixed portion, a piezoelectric actuating member having a reference portion for connection to said fixed portion and a free portion rigidly connected to the closure member and movable relative to the reference portion as a result of mechanical deformations produced in the actuating member by the piezoelectric effect, urging means adapted to maintain the closure member in said valve rest position when the piezoelectric actuating member is not excited, and locking means operable to selectively retain said reference portion of the actuating member in a previously determined reference position in which said reference portion is fixed firmly to said fixed portion so that excitation of the actuating member is adapted to cause actuation of the valve, or free said reference portion in an adjustment or tuning condition relative to the fixed portion while the actuating member is not excited so that the reference portion is allowed to reach a newly determined reference position relative to the fixed portion while said urging means keep the closure member in the valve rest position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification