IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0487161
(2012-06-02)
|
등록번호 |
US-8777184
(2014-07-15)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
0 인용 특허 :
3 |
초록
▼
Disclosed is an expanding gate valve that expands the gate assembly by engagement of symmetrical opposing inclined cam surfaces with corresponding symmetrical opposing wedges, where at least one of the wedges is driven by the stem that moves the gate assembly, and where the gate assembly is urged ba
Disclosed is an expanding gate valve that expands the gate assembly by engagement of symmetrical opposing inclined cam surfaces with corresponding symmetrical opposing wedges, where at least one of the wedges is driven by the stem that moves the gate assembly, and where the gate assembly is urged back toward the retracted position by at least one lateral-force-inducing member at least when the gate assembly is not in the closed position. Example compact and full body gate valve designs are disclosed. Lateral-force-inducing members may comprise one or more springs, such as a snap-ring, or may comprise cam followers running against surfaces defining the gate members' movement profile. A sealed sleeve is also disclosed that seals the interior of the valve body from pressure in the pipeline when the valve is open, while allowing the gate assembly to expand and retract laterally.
대표청구항
▼
1. An expanding gate valve, comprising: (a) a valve body having a valve chamber and inlet and outlet passages and having spaced interior sealing surfaces;(b) a gate assembly comprising first and second gate members and being movable within the valve chamber to an open position permitting flow of flu
1. An expanding gate valve, comprising: (a) a valve body having a valve chamber and inlet and outlet passages and having spaced interior sealing surfaces;(b) a gate assembly comprising first and second gate members and being movable within the valve chamber to an open position permitting flow of fluid through the inlet and outlet passages and a closed position with the gate assembly located between the sealing surfaces and blocking the flow of fluid through the inlet and outlet passages, the gate members each defining an outer-facing surface facing in the direction of a corresponding interior sealing surface of the valve body, and an inner-facing surface facing the other gate member, the inner-facing surface of each gate member further defining an upper inclined cam surface and a lower inclined cam surface, the upper inclined cam surface symmetrical with the lower inclined cam surface about a latitudinal axis, the upper and lower inclined cam surfaces of the first gate member being symmetrical with the upper and lower inclined cam surfaces of the second gate member about a longitudinal axis, the upper and lower inclined cam surfaces disposed for engagement with opposed upper and lower wedges, respectively, and causing lateral expansion of said gate assembly responsive to engagement of the upper and lower wedges with the upper and lower inclined cam surfaces;(c) a valve stem having driving connection with the upper wedge and the gate assembly for moving the gate assembly linearly to said open and closed positions; and(d) at least one lateral-force-inducing member engaging the gate members and urging them toward each other at least when the gate assembly is not in the closed position;wherein the at least one lateral-force-inducing member further comprises:(e) a first cam follower attached to the first gate member and oriented to travel against a first surface fixed inside the valve chamber, the profile of the first surface causing the first gate member to move toward the second gate member when the gate assembly is moved away from the closed position; and(f) a second cam follower attached to the first gate member and oriented to travel against the first surface fixed inside the valve chamber, the profile of the first surface causing the first gate member to move toward the second gate member when the gate assembly is moved away from the closed position. 2. The expanding gate valve of claim 1, wherein the at least one lateral-force-inducing member further comprises: (g) at least one spring engaging both the gate members. 3. The expanding gate valve of claim 2, wherein the spring comprises a snap ring. 4. The expanding gate valve of claim 1, wherein the at least one lateral-force-inducing member further comprises: (g) the first and second cam followers being attached to one side of the first gate member, and corresponding third and fourth cam followers being attached to an opposing side of the first gate member, the third and fourth cam followers oriented to travel against a second surface fixed inside the valve chamber, the profile of the second surface causing the first gate member to move toward the second gate member when the gate assembly is moved away from the closed position. 5. The expanding gate valve of claim 1, wherein the at least one lateral-force-inducing member further comprises: (g) a fifth cam follower attached to the second gate member and oriented to travel against a third surface fixed inside the valve chamber, the profile of the third surface causing the second gate member to move toward the first gate member when the gate assembly is moved away from the closed position. 6. The expanding gate valve of claim 5, wherein the at least one lateral-force-inducing member further comprises: (h) a sixth cam follower attached to the second gate member and oriented to travel against the third surface fixed inside the valve chamber, the profile of the third surface causing the second gate member to move toward the first gate member when the gate assembly is moved away from the closed position. 7. The expanding gate valve of claim 6, wherein the at least one lateral-force-inducing member further comprises: (i) the fifth and sixth cam followers being attached to one side of the second gate member, and corresponding seventh and eighth cam followers being attached to an opposing side of the second gate member, the seventh and eighth cam followers oriented to travel against a fourth surface fixed inside the valve chamber, the profile of the fourth surface causing the second gate member to move toward the first gate member when the gate assembly is moved away from the closed position. 8. The expanding gate valve of claim 1, wherein the lower wedge is attached to a bottom interior surface of the valve body. 9. An expanding gate valve, comprising: (a) a valve body having a valve chamber and inlet and outlet passages and having spaced interior sealing surfaces;(b) a gate assembly comprising first and second gate members and being movable within the valve chamber to an open position permitting flow of fluid through the inlet and outlet passages and a closed position with the gate assembly located between the sealing surfaces and blocking the flow of fluid through the inlet and outlet passages, the gate members each defining an outer-facing surface facing in the direction of a corresponding interior sealing surface of the valve body, and an inner-facing surface facing the other gate member, the inner-facing surface of each gate member further defining an upper inclined cam surface and a lower inclined cam surface, the upper inclined cam surface symmetrical with the lower inclined cam surface about a latitudinal axis, the upper and lower inclined cam surfaces of the first gate member being symmetrical with the upper and lower inclined cam surfaces of the second gate member about a longitudinal axis, the upper and lower inclined cam surfaces disposed for engagement with opposed upper and lower wedges, respectively, and causing lateral expansion of said gate assembly responsive to engagement of the upper and lower wedges with the upper and lower inclined cam surfaces;(c) a valve stem having driving connection with the upper wedge and the gate assembly for moving the gate assembly linearly to said open and closed positions; and(d) at least one lateral-force-inducing member engaging the gate members and urging them toward each other at least when the gate assembly is not in the closed position;wherein the at least one lateral-force-inducing member further comprises:(e) a first cam follower attached to the first gate member and oriented to travel against a first surface fixed inside the valve chamber, the profile of the first surface causing the first gate member to move toward the second gate member when the gate assembly is moved away from the closed position;(f) a second cam follower attached to the first gate member and oriented to travel against the first surface fixed inside the valve chamber, the profile of the first surface causing the first gate member to move toward the second gate member when the gate assembly is moved away from the closed position;(g) the first and second cam followers being attached to one side of the first gate member, and corresponding third and fourth cam followers being attached to an opposing side of the first gate member, the third and fourth cam followers oriented to travel against a second surface fixed inside the valve chamber, the profile of the second surface causing the first gate member to move toward the second gate member when the gate assembly is moved away from the closed position;(h) a fifth cam follower attached to the second gate member and oriented to travel against a third surface fixed inside the valve chamber, the profile of the third surface causing the second gate member to move toward the first gate member when the gate assembly is moved away from the closed position;(i) a sixth cam follower attached to the second gate member and oriented to travel against the third surface fixed inside the valve chamber, the profile of the third surface causing the second gate member to move toward the first gate member when the gate assembly is moved away from the closed position;(j) the fifth and sixth cam followers being attached to one side of the second gate member, and corresponding seventh and eighth cam followers being attached to an opposing side of the second gate member, the seventh and eighth cam followers oriented to travel against a fourth surface fixed inside the valve chamber, the profile of the fourth surface causing the second gate member to move toward the first gate member when the gate assembly is moved away from the closed position. 10. An expanding gate valve, comprising: (a) a valve body having a valve chamber and inlet and outlet passages and having spaced interior sealing surfaces;(b) a gate assembly comprising first and second gate members and being movable within the valve chamber to an open position permitting flow of fluid through the inlet and outlet passages and a closed position with the gate assembly located between the sealing surfaces and blocking the flow of fluid through the inlet and outlet passages, the gate members each defining an outer-facing surface facing in the direction of a corresponding interior sealing surface of the valve body, and an inner-facing surface facing the other gate member, the inner-facing surface of each gate member further defining an upper inclined cam surface and a lower inclined cam surface, the upper inclined cam surface symmetrical with the lower inclined cam surface about a latitudinal axis, the upper and lower inclined cam surfaces of the first gate member being symmetrical with the upper and lower inclined cam surfaces of the second gate member about a longitudinal axis, the upper and lower inclined cam surfaces disposed for engagement with opposed upper and lower wedges, respectively, and causing lateral expansion of said gate assembly responsive to engagement of the upper and lower wedges with the upper and lower inclined cam surfaces;(c) a valve stem having driving connection with the upper wedge and the gate assembly for moving the gate assembly linearly to said open and closed positions; and(d) at least one lateral-force-inducing member engaging the gate members and urging them toward each other at least when the gate assembly is not in the closed position;wherein the at least one lateral-force-inducing member further comprises:(e) a plurality of cam followers attached to interior surfaces of the valve chamber, the cam followers oriented to travel against at least two follower-engaging surfaces fixed to each side of opposing sides of both the first and second gate members, the profiles of the follower-engaging surfaces causing the first and second gate members to move toward each other when the gate assembly is moved away from the closed position. 11. An expanding gate valve, comprising: (a) a valve body having a valve chamber and inlet and outlet passages and having spaced interior sealing surfaces;(b) a gate assembly comprising first and second gate members each having a blocking portion longitudinally separated from a pass-through portion, the gate members being movable within the valve chamber to an open position permitting flow of fluid through the inlet passage, through the pass-through portions, and through the outlet passage, and a closed position with the blocking portion of the gate members located between the sealing surfaces and blocking the flow of fluid through the inlet and outlet passages, the gate members each defining an outer-facing surface facing in the direction of a corresponding interior sealing surface of the valve body, and an inner-facing surface facing the other gate member, the inner-facing surface of each gate member further defining first and second upper inclined cam surfaces and first and second lower inclined cam surfaces, the upper inclined cam surfaces symmetrical with the lower inclined cam surfaces about latitudinal axes, the upper and lower inclined cam surfaces of the first gate member being symmetrical with the upper and lower inclined cam surfaces of the second gate member about a longitudinal axis, the first upper and lower inclined cam surfaces disposed for engagement with opposed upper and lower closing wedges, respectively, the second upper and lower inclined cam surfaces disposed for engagement with opposed upper and lower opening wedges, respectively, and causing lateral expansion of said gate assembly responsive to engagement of the wedges with the corresponding inclined cam surfaces;(c) a valve stem having driving connection with the upper closing wedge and the lower opening wedge and the gate assembly for moving the gate assembly linearly to said open and closed positions; and(d) at least one lateral-force-inducing member engaging the gate members and urging them toward each other at least when the gate assembly is not in the closed or open position. 12. The expanding gate valve of claim 11, wherein the at least one lateral-force-inducing member further comprises: (e) at least one spring engaging both the gate members. 13. The expanding gate valve of claim 12, wherein the spring comprises a snap ring. 14. The expanding gate valve of claim 11, wherein the at least one lateral-force-inducing member further comprises: (e) a plurality of cam followers attached to opposing sides of both the first and second gate members, each cam follower oriented to travel against one of a plurality of follower-engaging surfaces fixed to interior surfaces of the valve chamber, the profiles of the follower-engaging surfaces causing the first and second gate members to move toward each other when the gate assembly is moved away from the closed position. 15. The expanding gate valve of claim 11, wherein the at least one lateral-force-inducing member further comprises: (e) a plurality of cam followers attached to interior surfaces of the valve chamber, each cam follower oriented to travel against one of a plurality of follower-engaging surfaces fixed to opposing sides of both the first and second gate members, the profiles of the follower-engaging surfaces causing the first and second gate members to move toward each other when the gate assembly is moved away from the closed position. 16. The expanding gate valve of claim 11, wherein the lower closing wedge is attached to a bottom interior surface of the valve chamber. 17. The expanding gate valve of claim 11, wherein the upper opening wedge is attached to a top interior surface of the valve chamber. 18. The expanding gate valve of claim 11, wherein the lower closing wedge is attached to a bottom interior surface of the valve chamber and the upper opening wedge is attached to a top interior surface of the valve chamber.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.