Method of operating a valve

• US 9,157,538 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2014
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VAT Holding AG (VAT Group AG)
• Original Assignee: VAT Holding AG (VAT Group AG)
• Inventors: Bachmann, Christoph, Ehrne, Florian
• Primary Examiner(s): Bastianelli, John
• Application Number:
  US14/547,655
• Publication Number:
  US 20150136236A1
• Time in Patent Office: 328 Days
• Field of Search: 137/12, 251/12, 251/14, 251 28- 29, 251/82, 251326-329
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/18 with separate operating movements for separate closure members
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/22 with an actuating member for each valve, e.g. interconnected to form multiple-way valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/06 with guided stems
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 3/029 with two or more gates
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 3/18 by movement of the closure members
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 51/02 specially adapted for high-vacuum installations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0379 By fluid pressure

Abstract

Method of operating a valve (1) which connects openings (2, 3) of at least two chambers (4, 5) to one another and, for closing the openings (2, 3) of each of the chambers (4, 5), has at least one dedicated closure member (6, 7), wherein for opening one of the openings (2, 3), the chamber (4, 5) assigned to said opening (2, 3) has generated in it a positive pressure which is higher than a current pressure in the valve-housing interior (8), wherein, by virtue of this positive pressure, the closure member (6, 7) assigned to said opening is raised up from the valve seat (10, 11) assigned to said opening (2, 3) and then, through this opening (2, 3), pressure equalization is carried out between the valve-housing interior (8) and the chamber (4, 5) assigned to said opening (2, 3). (FIG. 1)

Claims

1. A method of operating a valve which connects openings of at least two chambers to one another and, for closing the openings of each of the chambers, has at least one dedicated closure member, the method comprising:

for closing the openings in a closed position in a housing interior of the valve, pressing closure members by at least one longitudinal drive of the valve against valve seats, each assigned to the openings; and

for opening one of the openings, generating a positive pressure in the chamber assigned to said opening that is higher than a current pressure in a valve-housing interior, raising, via said positive pressure, the closure member assigned to said opening up from the valve seat assigned to said opening and then, through the opening, carrying out a pressure equalization between the valve-housing interior and the chamber assigned to said opening.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in order for the closure member assigned to said opening to be raised up from the valve seat assigned to said opening, the positive pressure overcomes forces to which the closure member is subjected in a direction of the closed position by the longitudinal drive and by a current pressure in the valve-housing interior.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, during the operation of opening the one of the openings, pressing the closure member closing the at least one other opening of the at least one other chamber by at least one of the longitudinal drive or by the pressure building up in the valve-housing interior, against the valve seat assigned to the other opening.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein, prior to the positive pressure being generated, a pressure prevailing in each case in the valve-housing interior and in the chamber assigned to said opening is lower than atmospheric pressure and, for generating the positive pressure the method further comprises building up atmospheric pressure in the chamber assigned to said opening.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one longitudinal drive moves the closure members toward one another and away from one another.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the closure members are movable independently of one another by at least one longitudinal drive.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the closure members is assigned a dedicated one of the longitudinal drives of the valve, and the longitudinal drives are arranged on a common longitudinal-drive carrier.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the closure members are movable between the respective closed position and at least one respective intermediate position by the at least one longitudinal drive and are movable between the respective intermediate position and a fully open position in each case by at least one transverse drive, the method further comprising raising the closure members, in the respective intermediate position, up from the respective valve seat, and maintaining the closure members arranged in a region between the openings and, moving the closure members, in the respective fully open position, outside of the region between the openings.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the closure member assigned to said opening is moved by said positive pressure, during the operation of being raised up from the valve seat assigned to said opening, from the closed position into the intermediate position.