IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
UP-0895897
(2007-08-27)
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등록번호 |
US-7762526
(2010-08-13)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Coleman, Nate
- Slaney, John
- Mallory, Sean
- Cederstav, Per
- Kruse, David
- Ballard, William
- Woods, Robert
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
Steins & Associates, P.C.
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
4 인용 특허 :
15 |
초록
▼
A Pendulum Valve having Independently and Rapidly Controllable Theta- and Z-axis Motion. The valve actuator used in the present invention provides the benefit of wide open unrestricted flow of a pendulum valve coupled with the high-resolution and wide dynamic range flow throttling of a ball or butte
A Pendulum Valve having Independently and Rapidly Controllable Theta- and Z-axis Motion. The valve actuator used in the present invention provides the benefit of wide open unrestricted flow of a pendulum valve coupled with the high-resolution and wide dynamic range flow throttling of a ball or butterfly valve. The actuator mechanism will include motor drives and associated control system so that the drives are closely coupled to give highly controlled motion. The drive assembly introduces a concentric shaft arrangement that, when coupled with the highly controllable motor drives, exploits a cam-follower arrangement to make the relative rotation between the two concentric shafts result in highly controlled theta and z-axis motion. Finally, the plate to seal spacing afforded is greater than previously possible with prior valve actuator mechanisms, thereby substantially reducing flow turbulence through the valve as the valve plate eclipses the valve ports.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. A valve assembly, comprising: a valve, comprising: a housing defined by a pair of coaxial openings in said housing, said openings in spaced relation separated by a distance defined as a flange spacing; a valve plate located in said housing, said valve plate defining a first o
What is claimed is: 1. A valve assembly, comprising: a valve, comprising: a housing defined by a pair of coaxial openings in said housing, said openings in spaced relation separated by a distance defined as a flange spacing; a valve plate located in said housing, said valve plate defining a first open position, a second eclipsing position and a third sealed position; and a plate actuator assembly, comprising: a concentric shaft assembly comprising a center shaft within a sleeve shaft, said sleeve shaft comprising a cam groove cut therein, said center shaft attached to said valve plate, said concentric shaft assembly defining three positions, a first open position corresponding to said valve plate first open position, wherein said valve plate is not coaxial with said openings, a second open position corresponding to said valve plate second open position, wherein said valve plate is coaxial with said openings, and a third closed position corresponding to said valve plate third closed position, with said center shaft defined by a follower roller extending therefrom to engage said cam groove; and motor means for selectively driving said concentric shaft assembly to each of said three positions by applying separate rotational forces to said sleeve shaft and said center shaft. 2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein: said sleeve shaft is defined by an axis, a distal end and an opposing drive end, said sleeve shaft being attached to a first spur gear at said drive end; and said center shaft is attached to said valve plate at a driven end and to a second spur gear at an opposing drive end, said center shaft further defined by an axis. 3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein: said sleeve shaft cam groove is cut therethrough said sleeve shaft; and said center shaft follower roller extending transverse to said axis defined by said center shaft, said follower roller extending into said cam groove. 4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein said plate actuator assembly further comprises: a motor base plate; a first drive motor attached to said motor base plate and operatively connected to rotate said first spur gear; and a second drive motor attached to said motor base plate and operatively connected to rotate said second spur gear. 5. The assembly of claim 4, wherein said sleeve shaft is fixed from moving in said center shaft axis direction and said sleeve shaft can rotate around its own axis. 6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein said center shaft can rotate around its own said axis and can further translate along its own said axis. 7. The assembly of claim 6, wherein: moving from said first open position to said second open position requires rotation of said center shaft and moving from said first or second open positions to said third closed position requires translation of said center shaft along said center shaft axis; and said first and second drive motors operatively cooperate to move said center shaft in said rotational and translational directions. 8. The assembly of claim 7, further comprising: a first pinion gear attached to the shaft of said first drive motor; a second pinion gear attached to the shaft of said second drive motor; wherein said first pinion gear engages said first spur gear and said second pinion gear engages said second spur gear. 9. The assembly of claim 8, wherein said second pinion gear is defined by a tooth thickness and said second spur gear is defined by a tooth thickness, said pinion gear tooth thickness exceeding said spur gear tooth thickness. 10. The assembly of claim 9, wherein said second pinion gear tooth thickness is at least two millimeters greater than said second spur gear tooth thickness. 11. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said motor means comprises at least two mechanical drive devices, at least one said drive device operatively coupled to move said center shaft and another at least one said drive device operatively coupled to move said sleeve shaft. 12. The assembly of claim 2, wherein said concentric shaft assembly further comprises: a housing within which said concentric shafts rotate, said housing defined by a top end and a bottom end; a flange ring attached to said bottom end of said housing; and a shaft assembly sealing ring attached to between said flange ring and said valve housing. 13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein said concentric shaft assembly further comprises: a keeper ring encircling said center shaft; and a bellows sleeve interconnecting said shaft assembly sealing ring and said keeper ring to provide a seal therebetween. 14. The assembly of claim 13, further comprising at least one center shaft seal between said keeper ring and said center shaft. 15. A pendulum valve and valve actuator combination, comprising: a valve, comprising: a housing defined by a pair of openings in said housing, said openings in spaced relation along a Z-axis and separated by a distance defined as a flange spacing; a valve plate located in said housing, said valve plate defining a first open position, a second eclipsing position and a third sealed position; a plate actuator assembly, comprising: a concentric shaft assembly comprising a center shaft within a sleeve shaft, one of either said center shaft or said sleeve shafts attached to said valve plate; and motor means comprising at least two motors, one said motor operating on said center shaft and one said motor operating on said sleeve shaft, and motor means for selectively driving said concentric shaft assembly to rotate said center shaft around an axis defined by said center shaft and further to translate said center shaft along said axis. 16. The combination of claim 15, wherein: said valve plate moving between said first open position and said second open position is defined a theta direction motion, said theta direction motion actuated by rotating said center shaft; and said valve plate moving between said second open position and said third closed position is defined as a Z-axis direction motion, said Z-axis direction motion actuated by translating said center shaft in a direction parallel to said Z-axis. 17. The combination of claim 16, wherein the distance between said second open position and said third closed position is equal to or greater than two millimeters. 18. A valve actuator comprising: a motor base plate; a first motor attached to said base plate; a second motor attached to said base plate; a first pinion gear attached to a shaft of said first motor; a second pinion gear attached to a shaft of said second motor; a first spur gear engaging said first pinion gear; a second spur gear engaging said second pinion gear; and a concentric shaft assembly comprising a sleeve shaft having a circumferential wall and a central bore and a center shaft located in said central bore, said sleeve shaft and said center shaft defining the same axis of rotation, said concentric shaft assembly further comprising transmission means disposed on said shafts to convert relative rotation between said shafts to translational motion of one of said shafts, said transmission means comprising a follower roller extending from one said shaft and engaging an arcuate slot formed in the other said shaft. 19. The valve actuator of claim 18, wherein said transmission means comprises said follower roller extending outwardly from a side wall of said center shaft and engaging said arcuate slot formed though said sleeve shaft. 20. The valve actuator of claim 19, wherein said arcuate slot is configured to prevent translational motion of said shafts when said motors and said gears cause said center shaft and said sleeve shaft to rotate at the same rate.
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