Compact flow control valve

• US 9,752,689 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2015
• Issued: 09/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Akron Brass Company (Comfidex Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Akron Brass Company (Comfidex Corp.)
• Inventors: Broome, Layton Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Reid, Michael R
• Application Number:
  US14/617,268
• Publication Number:
  US 20150226341A1
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• Field of Search: 251248-2505, 25131516, 251340-341
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/53 with toothed gearing
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/535 for rotating valves F16K31/54 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/54 with pinion and rack
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/60 Handles form, features or function of taps or faucet handles for domestic plumbing installations E03C1/04
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 5/0647 Spindles or actuating means

Abstract

One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for a valve. An exemplary valve may be able to provide a more compact profile than current valves, allowing for installation in locations that have size limitations, and/or may allow for more room in areas where prior non-compact valves are installed. Such a valve may be used for fluid intake to a pressurized fluid dispensing system. A compact valve can comprise a valve actuator that is disposed in line with the fluid intake of the valve, and not offset and extending from the valve, such that the flow of fluid passes through a point of rotation of the actuator. Further, a transmission may be used to transfer user actuation input to an internal flow control component, such as a ball-type flow controller, to move the flow control between an open and closed position.

Claims

1. A valve, comprising:

a flow control element configured to control a flow of fluid through the valve;

a transmission operably coupled with the flow control element, and configured to adjust a position of the flow control element in response to an actuation input force; and

an actuator operably-coupled with the transmission, the actuator comprising an actuator input receiver handle that receives the actuation input force, and mechanically transfers the actuation input force through an inline spur gear disposed in contact with the actuator input receiver handle to the transmission, the flow of fluid passing through the point of rotation around which the actuator input receiver handle rotates.

2. The valve of claim 1, comprising a valve body having a central longitudinal axis that lies along a direction of the flow of fluid, the point of rotation of the actuator lying on the central longitudinal axis.

3. The valve of claim 1, the inline spur gear of the actuator engaged with a transmission spur gear to transfer rotational force to the transmission in response to the application of a rotational actuation input to the actuator input receiver.

4. The valve of claim 1, the actuator configured to rotate around an inlet side of a valve body on a bearing operably coupling the actuator with the valve body.

5. The valve of claim 1, the actuator comprising one of:

an actuation input handle formed with the actuator; and

an actuation input handle fastened to the actuator.

6. The valve of claim 1, the transmission comprising one or more of:

a spur gear configured to operably couple with the actuator, the spur gear coupled with a drive configured to transfer the actuation input to the flow control element; and

a worm drive operably coupled with the actuator, the worm drive comprising;

a worm operably coupled with the actuator; and

a worm gear operably coupled with the worm and configured to transfer the actuation input to the flow control element.

7. The valve of claim 1, the transmission comprising a sectional gear operably coupled with the actuator, and configured to transfer the actuation input to the flow control element.

8. The valve of claim 1, the flow control element comprising a sealing side and a base side, the base side comprising a width less than a diameter of the sealing side.

9. The valve of claim 8, the sealing side comprising a convex-shaped sealing side configured to engage with a sealing surface of a valve seat disposed at an outlet side of the valve to mitigate the flow of fluid through the valve.

10. The valve of claim 8, the sealing side comprising a convex-shaped sealing side comprising a spherical segment-shaped surface having a spherical zone configured to engage with a sealing surface of a valve seat disposed at an outlet side of the valve to mitigate the flow of fluid through the valve, and the base side comprising a spherical diameter less than a diameter of the sealing side.

11. The valve of claim 1, the flow control element configured to rotate ninety degrees laterally in the valve between an open position and a closed position.

19. The valve of claim 1, the point of rotation of the actuator lying on a central longitudinal axis of the valve, the central longitudinal axis lying along a direction of fluid flow.

12. An apparatus for controlling fluid flow, comprising

an actuator disposed on a valve, comprising an actuator input receiver handle that receives a rotational actuation input, a point of rotation around which the actuator rotates is disposed in a path of fluid flow of the valve, the actuator comprising an inline spur gear disposed in contact with the actuator input receiver handle to mechanically transfer the rotational actuation input from the actuator input receiver handle to a transmission;

and

the transmission operably coupled with the inline spur gear of the actuator, and configured to transfer the rotational actuation input received from the inline spur gear to a flow control coupler engaged with a flow control element configured to control a flow of fluid through the valve in response to the rotational actuation input.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, the transmission comprising a sectional gear operably coupled with the actuator, and configured to transfer the rotational actuation input to the flow control coupler.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, the transmission comprising a spur gear configured to engage with the inline spur gear disposed on the actuator, and configured to receive the rotational actuation input from the inline spur gear.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, the transmission comprising a worm drive operably coupled to the spur gear, the worm drive comprising a worm operably engaged with a worm gear, the worm gear operably coupled with the flow control coupler.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, the actuator comprising an actuator bearing channel disposed on its inner surface, the actuator bearing channel configured to engage with a bearing disposed in a valve body bearing channel disposed on a valve body of the valve, the bearing configured to facilitate rotation of the actuator around an inlet portion of the valve body.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, the actuator comprising one of:

the actuation input handle formed with the actuator; and

the actuation input handle fastened to the actuator.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, the flow control element configured to rotate in the valve between an open position and closed position, resulting from an application of a rotational force to the coupler by the transmission.

20. An inlet valve, comprising:

a flow control element configured to control a flow of fluid through the valve;

a transmission operably coupled with the flow control element, and configured to adjust a position of the flow control element in response to an actuation input, the transmission comprising;

a spur gear configured to operably couple with an actuator; and

a worm drive operably coupled with the spur gear, the worm gear drive comprising;

a worm operably coupled with the spur gear; and

a worm gear operably coupled with the worm and configured to transfer the actuation input to the flow control element; and

the actuator comprising an inline gear operably coupled with the spur gear of the transmission, the flow of fluid passing through a point of rotation of the actuator, the actuator configured to;

rotate around an inlet side of a valve body on a bearing operably coupling the actuator with the valve body; and

apply a rotational actuation input to the transmission.