Radial sealing butterfly valve

• US 9,945,486 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2016
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MKS Instruments Incorporated
• Original Assignee: MKS Instruments Incorporated
• Inventors: Hill, Gordon
• Primary Examiner(s): McManmon, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): Do, Hailey K
• Application Number:
  US14/995,727
• Publication Number:
  US 20160208929A1
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• Field of Search: 251159, 251160, 251170, 251171, 251173, 251174, 251192, 251305-307, 251314, 251316, 251317, 251358-360, 251363
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/226 Shaping or arrangements of the sealing
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/2261 the sealing being arranged on the valve member
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/2263 the sealing being arranged on the valve seat
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/2265 with a channel- or U-shaped seal covering a central body portion
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/2266 and being forced into sealing contact with the valve member by a spring or a spring-like member

Abstract

A valve assembly having a valve housing, the valve housing defining a passageway. A flapper valve arranged within the passageway is coupled to a rotatable valve shaft. A flexible wall, sealed along opposed edges to the valve housing, is controllable to at least two positions. The first position seals against the flapper valve and the second position releases the flapper valve allowing for ready movement of the valve.

Claims

1. A valve assembly, comprising:

a valve housing, the valve housing defining a passageway;

a flapper valve arranged within the passageway and coupled to a rotatable valve shaft;

a flexible wall sealed along opposed edges to the housing, the flexible wall controllable to at least two positions, including a first position sealing against the flapper valve and a second position releasing the flapper valve to allow for ready movement of the valve; and

an array of actuator arms, wherein each actuator arm pivots to control the flexible wall between the first position and the second position.

2. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the flexible wall is controllable to a range of positions between the first position and the second position to provide variable leakage.

3. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the flexible wall is u-shaped between the opposed edges.

4. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein one opposed edge of the flexible wall is displaced radially relative to a second opposed edge.

5. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the flexible wall provides vacuum isolation in the first position.

6. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the flexible wall is a u-shaped metal wall.

7. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein each actuator arm pivots about a fulcrum located within the valve housing.

8. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein each actuator arm pivots in response to a pneumatic actuator.

9. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein each actuator arm pivots in response to a spring.

10. The valve assembly of claim 1, further comprising a pressure regulating actuator to control the flexible wall between positions.

11. The valve assembly of claim 1, further comprising an electromechanical actuator to control the flexible wall between positions.

12. The valve assembly of claim 1, further comprising an elastomer material on a perimeter of the flapper valve.

13. The valve assembly of claim 1, further comprising an elastomer material coated onto an inner radial perimeter of the flexible wall.

14. A method of operation, comprising:

providing a flapper valve within a valve housing;

moving the flapper valve to a closed position; and

moving a flexible wall, sealed along opposed edges to the housing, between at least two positions with an array of actuator arms, including a first position sealing against the flapper valve when the flapper valve is in the closed position and a second position releasing the flapper valve to allow for ready movement of the valve, wherein each actuator arm pivots to control the flexible wall between the first position and the second position.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the flexible wall provides vacuum isolation when the flapper valve is in the closed position.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the flexible wall is controllable to a range of positions to provide variable leakage.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the flexible wall is u-shaped between opposed edges.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein one opposed edge of the flexible wall is displaced radially relative to a second opposed edge.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the flexible wall is a u-shaped metal wall.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein each actuator arm pivots about a fulcrum located within the valve housing.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein each actuator arm pivots in response to a pneumatic tube.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein each actuator arm pivots in response to a spring.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein the flexible wall is controlled to at least two positions by a pressure regulating actuator.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein the flexible wall is controlled to at least two positions by an electromechanical actuator.

25. The method of claim 14, further comprising an elastomer material on a perimeter of the flapper valve.

26. The method of claim 14, further comprising an elastomer material coated onto an inner radial perimeter of the flexible wall.