Valve with fail-safe device

• US 9,644,757 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2015
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kohler MIRA Limited (Kohler Company)
• Original Assignee: Kohler MIRA Limited (Kohler Company)
• Inventors: Peel, Kevin T., Conway, Sean P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Venkatesan, Umashankar
• Application Number:
  US14/878,788
• Publication Number:
  US 20160025235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 251 66, 251 68, 251 69
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/04 comprising only lift valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 17/36 actuated in consequence of extraneous circumstances, e.g. shock, change of position
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/0624 Lift valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/10 with additional mechanism between armature and closure member
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1919 characterised by the type of controller
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0635 by action on throttling means G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/1842 Ambient condition change responsive

Abstract

A power operated valve for controlling fluid flow is provided with a fail-safe device responsive to failure of the power supply to the valve to shut-off fluid flow. A valve member is coupled to linear actuator for movement towards and away from a closed position for controlling fluid flow through the valve. The linear actuator is held in a control position by the fail-safe device for normal operation of the valve with the power supply on. The fail-safe device responds to failure of the power supply to release the linear actuator. When the linear actuator is released, energy stored n a spring while the linear actuator was held in the control position is released and biases the linear actuator away from the control position causing the valve member to move to the closed position to shut-off fluid flow.

Claims

1. A valve for controlling fluid flow, comprising:

a first actuator comprising an electric motor that is electronically coupled to a power supply, the first actuator having a first end and a second end opposite the first end;

a first fail-safe device responsive to failure of the power supply to drive the first actuator, the first fail-safe device positioned proximate the first end of the actuator, and

a first valve member coupled to the second end of the first actuator for movement towards and away from a closed position for controlling fluid flow of a first fluid through the valve;

wherein the first actuator is held in a control position by the first fail-safe device for normal operation of the valve with the power supply on, and wherein the entire first actuator and the first valve member move towards the closed position in response to failure of the power supply.

2. The valve of claim 1, wherein the first actuator is biased away from the control position.

3. The valve of claim 2, wherein the biasing is provided by a spring that is configured in an energized state when the first actuator is held in the control position, and wherein the electric motor is disposed between the spring and the first valve member.

4. The valve of claim 3, wherein energy stored in the spring in the energized state is employed when the first actuator is released to move the entire first actuator and the first valve member towards the closed position.

5. The valve of claim 1, wherein the first valve member is configured to move to a safe position in response to fail-safe operation.

6. The valve of claim 5, wherein the first valve member is configured to move to the closed position to shut off fluid flow.

7. The valve of claim 5, wherein the first valve member is configured to move to a position in which some fluid flow is permitted through the valve.

8. The valve of claim 5, wherein the first valve member is configured to remain in the safe position when power to the valve is restored following fail-safe operation until the first actuator is reset in the control position, and wherein the first actuator is operable to move relative to the first valve member for resetting the first actuator in the control position.

9. The valve of claim 1, wherein the first actuator is held in the control position by one of a magnetic coupling and a mechanical coupling.

10. The valve of claim 1, wherein the first fail-safe device includes a latch unit configured to create a magnetic attraction force to hold the first actuator in the control position.

11. The valve of claim 10, wherein the latch unit includes an electromagnet, and wherein the first actuator is held in the control position by the electromagnet when the power supply is on and is released when the power supply is interrupted.

12. The valve of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to provide control signals to the first actuator to control at least one of a temperature or a flow rate of water dispensed through an outlet of the valve.

13. The valve of claim 1, wherein the first fail-safe device includes a latch unit configured to engage the first actuator to hold the first actuator in the control position.

14. The valve of claim 13, wherein the latch unit includes a catch, and wherein the first actuator is held in the control position by the catch when the power supply is on and is released when the power supply is interrupted.

15. The valve of claim 1, wherein the first actuator is a linear actuator that converts a rotational movement into a linear movement, and wherein the first actuator is coupled to the first valve member by a coupling unit for converting the rotational movement of the first actuator into the linear movement of the first valve member towards and away from the closed position.

16. The valve of claim 14, wherein the catch is mounted for rotation about a longitudinal axis to engage/disengage a groove of the actuator.

17. The valve of claim 16, wherein the catch is biased by a spring in a direction to disengage the grooves.

18. The valve of claim 16, wherein the groove engaged/disengaged by the catch is on an extension of the actuator.

19. The valve of claim 1, further comprising a drive member that is mounted on a shaft of the actuator and an anti-rotation member that is mounted on the actuator with the drive member located in an axial bore of the anti-rotation member, wherein the drive member and bore are configured to permit axial sliding movement of the drive member relative to the anti-rotation member while preventing rotational movement of the drive member relative to the anti-rotation member.

20. The valve of claim 19, wherein the drive member includes an internal screw threaded portion co-operable with an external screw threaded portion of the shaft to permit the axial sliding movement while the preventing rotational movement.

21. The valve of claim 19, wherein the bore has a cruciform shape and the drive member includes a plurality of ribs that co-operate with the cruciform shape to prevent the rotational movement while allowing the axial movement.