Motor-operated valve diagnosing device

• US 7,836,784 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2006
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shikoku Research Institute, Inc. (Shikoku Electric Power Company Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Shikoku Research Institute, Inc. (Shikoku Electric Power Company Incorporated)
• Inventors: Nogami, Takeki, Yamaguchi, Shigeya
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams; Hezron
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bellamy; Tamiko D
• Application Number:
  US11/887,184
• Publication Number:
  US 20090056479A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,573 Days
• Field of Search: 731/68, 738/659, 737/60, 737/61
• US Class Current: 73/865.9
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/53 with toothed gearing
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 37/0083 by measuring valve parameters

Abstract

To provide a motor-operated valve diagnosing device capable of making a highly accurate diagnosis at a low cost. In a motor-operated valve diagnosing device for diagnosing a motor-operated valve having a motor-operated valve having a valve element driving part for opening and closing a valve element, and a spring cartridge which expands and contracts in proportion to a reaction force exerted thereon from the valve element driving part, a spring compression mechanism or a worm displacement measuring means is configured to be attached to the valve element driving part via an adapter. With this configuration, the spring compression mechanism and so on can be easily attached to and removed from the valve element driving part. In addition, since the spring compression mechanism and so on can be attached to the valve element driving part without any alternation of the valve element driving part, the spring compression mechanism can be shared by two or more motor-operated valves, and reduction of expense for a diagnosis of a motor-operated valve and improvement in accuracy of diagnosis can be achieved.

Claims

1. A motor-operated valve diagnosing device for diagnosing a motor-operated valve which comprises a valve element driving part for opening and closing a valve element using a rotational driving force of a worm to which a rotational driving force is applied, and a spring cartridge which expands and contracts in proportion to a reaction force exerted thereon from the valve element side of said valve element driving part in an axial direction of said worm,

said motor-operated valve diagnosing device comprising a spring compression mechanism operable for compressing the spring cartridge externally and measuring a compression force thereon simultaneously with measuring an amount of compression thereof, or a worm displacement measuring means for measuring displacement of said worm, wherein said spring compression mechanism or said worm displacement measuring means is attachable to the valve element driving part via an adapter, and

wherein said spring compression mechanism has a unitary structure including a base attachable to the adapter;

a pusher assembled to said base for reciprocating movement in an axial direction thereof;

a compressing means for pressing said pusher in an axial direction thereof to compress said spring cartridge via said pusher;

a compression force measuring means for measuring an axial force on said pusher as a compression force on said spring cartridge; and

a compression amount measuring means for measuring an axial displacement of said pusher as an amount of compression of said spring cartridge.

2. A motor-operated valve diagnosing device according to claim 1, wherein said spring compression mechanism is attachable to a support tool for supporting said spring cartridge in a separated state via said adapter.

3. A motor-operated valve diagnosing device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said compression force measuring means is capable of measuring both a compression force which is exerted on said spring cartridge when the motor-operated valve is operating, and a compression force which is exerted on said spring cartridge by compression of said compressing means when the motor-operated valve is in a stopped state.

4. A motor-operated valve diagnosing device according to claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising said worm displacement measuring means is operable for measuring an axial displacement of said worm when the motor-operated valve is operating.

5. A motor-operated valve diagnosing device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said compressing means comprises a hydraulic pressure driving mechanism.

6. A motor-operated valve diagnosing device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said hydraulic pressure driving mechanism is manually operable.

7. A motor-operated valve diagnosing device according to claim 5, wherein said hydraulic pressure driving mechanism is electrically operable.

8. A motor-operated valve diagnosing device according to claim 7, wherein said hydraulic pressure driving mechanism compresses said spring cartridge with a compression characteristic corresponding to operating characteristics of said worm at a time when the motor-operated valve is operating.

9. A motor-operated valve diagnosing device according to claim 3, wherein said compressing means comprises a hydraulic pressure driving mechanism.

10. A motor-operated valve diagnosing device according to claim 9, wherein said hydraulic pressure driving mechanism is manually operable.

11. A motor-operated valve diagnosing device according to claim 9, wherein said hydraulic pressure driving mechanism is electrically operable.

12. A motor-operated valve diagnosing device according to claim 11, wherein said hydraulic pressure driving mechanism compresses said spring cartridge with a compression characteristic corresponding to operating characteristics of said worm at a time when the motor-operated valve is operating.

13. A motor-operated valve diagnosing device according to claim 4, wherein said compressing means comprises a hydraulic pressure driving mechanism.

14. A motor-operated valve diagnosing device according to claim 3, wherein said hydraulic pressure driving mechanism is manually operable.

15. A motor-operated valve diagnosing device according to claim 3, wherein said hydraulic pressure driving mechanism is electrically operable.

16. A motor-operated valve diagnosing device according to claim 5, wherein said hydraulic pressure driving mechanism compresses said spring cartridge with a compression characteristic corresponding to operating characteristics of said worm at a time when the motor-operated valve is operating.