초록 ▼

A valve assembly includes a valve body and a valve actuator which is releasably engageable with the valve body. The valve body has an internal cavity within which a valve member is located, and a valve stem is interconnected with the valve body and is accessible from the exterior of the valve body.

A valve assembly includes a valve body and a valve actuator which is releasably engageable with the valve body. The valve body has an internal cavity within which a valve member is located, and a valve stem is interconnected with the valve body and is accessible from the exterior of the valve body. The valve body further includes a mounting member, and the valve actuator is selectively engageable with the mounting member. The valve actuator includes a latch member which is movable between a latching position and a release position. The mounting member includes a slot, and the latch member has a blocking member that is received within the slot when the latch member is in its latching position, to prevent removal of the valve actuator from the valve body. The latch member is manually movable to a release position, in which the blocking member is removed from the slot in the mounting member to enable the valve actuator to be disengaged from the mounting member. The valve actuator includes a motor which drives a gear assembly for selectively imparting rotation to the valve member. The motor is secured to a mounting member such as a mounting plate. The mounting plate includes one or more walls that are exposed to the exterior of the valve actuator, such that heat from operation of the motor is conducted via the mounting plate away from the motor to the one or more walls for dissipation into the surrounding environment.

대표청구항 ▼

I claim: 1. A valve assembly comprising: a valve body defining an internal passage and including a valve member for controlling flow of fluid through the passage, wherein the valve member is mounted to an operating member movably mounted to the valve body for providing movement of the valve member,

I claim: 1. A valve assembly comprising: a valve body defining an internal passage and including a valve member for controlling flow of fluid through the passage, wherein the valve member is mounted to an operating member movably mounted to the valve body for providing movement of the valve member, wherein the operating member includes an axially extending connector portion accessible from the exterior of the valve body; an actuator assembly including a motor having an output and a drive mechanism; and a removable connection arrangement interposed between the valve body and the actuator assembly for providing removable interconnection of the actuator assembly with the valve body, wherein the removable connection arrangement includes an axial movable latch member associated with the actuator assembly, wherein the latch member is axially movable between an engaged position and a release position, and engagement structure associate with the valve body, the engagement structure of the valve body comprising a slot and wherein the latch member in its engaged position includes a locking section disposed within the slot so as to prevent removal of the actuator assembly from the valve body, the latch member further including an actuator arrangement operable to place the the latch member in its release position, in which the latch member is disengageable from the engagement structure associated with the valve body, and in its engaged position, in which the latch member is engaged with the engagement structure associated with the valve body; wherein, when the actuator assembly is connected to the valve body, the actuator assembly drive mechanism is interconnected with the connector portion of the operating member for providing movement of the operating member, and thereby movement of the valve member, in response to operation of the motor; and wherein the latch member is constructed and arranged such that, when the latch member is in its engaged position, the latch member functions to prevent engagement of the actuator assembly with the engagement structure associated with the valve body when the actuator assembly is removed from engagement with the valve body, and to prevent removal of the actuator assembly from the valve body when the actuator assembly is engaged with the valve body. 2. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the actuator arrangement comprises a manually operable actuator member, wherein the actuator member is manually engageable by a user so as to move the latch member between its engaged position and its release position. 3. The valve assembly of claim 2, wherein the actuator member is configured so as to be accessible from an exterior defined by the actuator assembly. 4. The valve assembly of claim 3, wherein the valve body includes an outwardly extending mounting member and wherein the actuator arrangement includes a housing defining a passage within which the outwardly extending mounting member is received, wherein the slot is formed in the outwardly extending mounting member of the valve body. 5. The valve assembly of claim 4, wherein the mounting member and the actuator member passage each define a mating non-circular cross section to provide engagement of the actuator housing with the valve body in a predetermined orientation. 6. The valve assembly of claim 4, wherein the axially extending connector portion of the operating member extends outwardly from the valve body at a location spaced from the mounting member. 7. The valve assembly of claim 4, wherein the latch member includes a blocking portion and a release portion, wherein, when the latch member is in its engaged position, the blocking portion is located within the passage to prevent removal of the actuator assembly from the valve body via engagement of the blocking portion within the slot and to prevent engagement of the actuator assembly with the valve body via engagement of the blocking portion with the mounting member when the actuator assembly is disengaged from the valve body, and wherein, when the latch member is in its release position, the release portion of the latch member is located adjacent the passage, wherein the release portion is configured so as not to interfere with the passage and to enable the mounting member to be moved into and removed from the passage to provide engagement and disengagement of the actuator assembly to and from the valve body. 8. The valve assembly of claim 7, wherein the release portion of the latch member comprises a recess associated with the latch member. 9. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the valve body and actuator assembly further comprise: a gear housing defining an internal cavity, within which one or more drive gears are movably mounted, wherein the one or more drive gears include an output drive gear adapted for engagement with the operating member; a motor mounting member configured to overlie at least a portion of the gear housing internal cavity; and a motor secured to the motor mounting member, wherein the motor includes an output member adapted for engagement with one of the drive gears for imparting movement to the operating member through the output drive gear. 10. The valve assembly of claim 9, wherein the motor mounting member is configured to generally enclose the internal cavity. 11. The valve assembly of claim 10, wherein the motor mounting member includes a mounting wall to which the motor is secured and which is configured to generally enclose the internal cavity of the gear housing, and at least one outwardly extending wall extending from the mounting wall, wherein the outwardly extending wall is exposed to the exterior of the valve actuator for dissipating heat generated by operation of the motor. 12. The valve assembly of claim 11, wherein the mounting wall and the outwardly extending wall are formed of a metallic material for facilitating the conduction of heat from the mounting wall to the outwardly extending wall. 13. The valve assembly of claim 11, wherein the motor mounting member includes a pair of outwardly extending walls extending from the motor mounting wall. 14. The valve assembly of claim 11, further comprising a cover member configured to enclose the motor and the motor mounting member, wherein the cover member includes an open area through which the outwardly extending wall of the motor mounting member is exposed to the exterior of the valve actuator. 15. The valve assembly of claim 9, wherein the valve actuator is adapted for releasable engagement with the valve body, wherein the valve body includes an actuator mounting member and wherein the gear housing includes a movable latch member that is movable between an engaged position in which the latch member is engaged with the actuator mounting member for securing the valve actuator to the valve body via engagement with the actuator mounting member, and a release position in which the latch member enables the valve actuator to be moved into and out of engagement with the actuator mounting member. 16. The valve assembly of claim 15, wherein the actuator mounting member comprises a mounting post extending outwardly from the valve body, wherein the mounting post includes a slot, and wherein the gear housing defines a passage adapted to receive the mounting post, wherein the latch member include a manually engageable actuator portion exposed to the exterior of the gear housing, and a latching portion including blocking structure positioned within the passage when the latch member is in its engaged position, wherein the blocking structure is received within the slot in the mounting post for preventing removal of the valve actuator from the valve body, and further includes a recess adapted to be aligned with the passage so as to release engagement with the mounting post slot to enable the valve actuator to be removed from engagement with the mounting post. 17. The valve assembly of claim 16, further comprising a spring for biasing the latch member toward its engaged position, wherein the actuator portion of the latch member is adapted for manual engagement by a user for placing the latch member in its release position prior to engagement of the valve actuator with the mounting post so as to enable the mounting post to be received within the passage, and wherein release of the actuator portion of the latch member functions to enable the latch member to be moved to its latching position under the influence of the spring so as to secure the valve actuator to the mounting post. 18. A method of assembling a valve, wherein the valve includes a valve body, a mounting member associated with the valve body, the valve body also including a valve member and an operating member interconnected with the valve member, wherein the operating member is accessible from the exterior of the valve body, comprising the steps of: providing an actuator assembly, wherein the actuator assembly includes a motor having an output and a drive mechanism, and a manually operable latch member, the latch member being axially movable between an engaged position and a release position; manually operating the latch member to place the latch member in the release position, the step of manually operating the latch member to place it in its release position being carried out under the influence of a spring which functions to move the latch member to its release position when the latch member is released; engaging the actuator assembly with the valve body by positioning the valve body such that the mounting member associated with the valve body is received within a passage associated with the actuator assembly, and wherein the step of moving the latch member to its engaged position is operable to engage blocking structure associated with the latch member within a slot defined by the mounting member, wherein the blocking structure and slot are configured to prevent removal of the actuator assembly from the valve body when the latch member is in its engaged position so as to maintain the actuator assembly in engagement with the valve body; moving the latch member to the engaged position subsequent to engagement of the actuator assembly with the valve body, wherein the latch member includes latch structure engaged within a receiver associated with the valve body when the latch member is in the engaged position to maintain the actuator assembly in engagement with the valve body.