Off-axis position monitoring and control system and related methods
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
F16K-037/00
F16K-005/04
G01D-005/14
F24F-011/84
출원번호
US-0156074
(2016-05-16)
등록번호
US-10151404
(2018-12-11)
발명자
/ 주소
Robson, Christopher J.
출원인 / 주소
Flow Control Industries, Inc.
대리인 / 주소
Perkins Coie LLP
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
5
초록▼
A flow control valve and a valve-position monitoring and control system coupled to the valve member and configured to precisely determine valve conditions related to the rotary position of the valve member. The system has an array of spaced apart transducers in an arcuate arrangement and in a fixed,
A flow control valve and a valve-position monitoring and control system coupled to the valve member and configured to precisely determine valve conditions related to the rotary position of the valve member. The system has an array of spaced apart transducers in an arcuate arrangement and in a fixed, non-moveable position relative to the valve's housing. A magnetic-field source is fixed to and rotates with the valve member as a unit. The magnetic-field source includes magnetic members adjacent to and out of physical engagement with the transducers. The magnetic member moves along an arcuate path parallel to the arcuate arrangement of the transducers as the valve member rotates through the plurality of rotary positions. The magnetic-field source provides magnetic flux detectable by at least a plurality of the transducers to precisely determine the rotational position of the magnetic-field source and/or the valve member, and the fluid flow rate through the control valve.
대표청구항▼
1. A control valve assembly, comprising: a valve housing;a valve member in the valve housing and being rotationally moveable about an axis of rotation relative to the valve housing between a plurality of rotary positions of the valve member, the valve member having a valve stem extending from the va
1. A control valve assembly, comprising: a valve housing;a valve member in the valve housing and being rotationally moveable about an axis of rotation relative to the valve housing between a plurality of rotary positions of the valve member, the valve member having a valve stem extending from the valve housing;a valve-position monitor coupled to the valve member and configured to determine valve conditions related to rotary positions of the valve member, the valve-position monitor comprising: a monitoring array having a plurality of coplanar transducers in a shaped arrangement relative to the axis of rotation and spaced radially apart from the valve stem, the transducers being in a fixed, non-moveable position relative to the valve housing;a magnetic-field source connected to the valve member and rotatable with the valve stem as a unit, the magnetic-field source comprising spaced apart magnetic members adjacent to opposing sides of the monitoring array and spaced apart a fixed distance from a plane of the transducers, the magnetic members being moveable adjacent to the opposing sides of the monitoring array and along a path parallel to the shaped arrangement of the transducers as the valve member rotates through the plurality of rotary positions, wherein the magnetic-field source provides magnetic flux detectable by at least a plurality of the transducers to determine at least one of the rotational positions of the magnetic-field source, the rotational position of the valve member, and a rate of flow through the control valve assembly. 2. The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein the monitoring array has a support plate connected to the housing, the monitoring array is attached to the support plate and supported apart from the valve housing. 3. The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein the transducers are arranged along an arcuate path, and wherein each transducer is an equal distance from the axis of rotation. 4. The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein the monitoring array comprises the plurality of transducers carried by a support member and an overmolding portion that encapsulates the transducers and at least a portion of the support member. 5. The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein the magnetic members comprise first and second magnetic field members spaced apart from each other in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation, and wherein the magnetic-field source is positionable so at least one transducer is positioned between the first and second magnetic field members. 6. The valve member of claim 1 wherein the magnetic-field source includes a Ferrous-based member with a first magnetic member on a first leg extending radially away from the axis of rotation and a second magnetic member on a second leg extending radially away from the axis of rotation and aligned with the first magnetic member in a direction normal to the first and second legs with at least a portion of the transducer array assembly positioned between the first and second magnetic members. 7. The valve member of claim 1 wherein the magnetic field source is at least partially encased in a non-conductive overmold portion and positioned so the transducers will move between the magnetic members as the valve member moves through the plurality of rotary positions. 8. The valve member of claim 1 wherein the transducers are Hall effect sensors. 9. The valve member of claim 1 wherein the transducers of the monitoring array are coplanar and supported on a substrate, and the transducers and substrate are encased in a non-conductive overmolding portion. 10. A control valve assembly, comprising: a valve housing;a valve member rotatably carried by the housing and being rotationally moveable about an axis of rotation between a plurality of rotary positions of the valve member;a valve-position monitoring and control system coupled to the valve member and comprising: a first portion coupled to the valve housing and being in a fixed, non-moveable position relative to the valve housing; anda second portion spaced apart from the first portion and connected to the valve member, wherein the second portion is rotatable with the valve member as a unit about the axis of rotation;wherein a first one of the first and second portions comprises a transducer array assembly having a plurality of spaced apart transducers positioned in a planar arrangement spaced apart from the valve member; andwherein a second one of the first and second control portions comprises a magnetic-field source having spaced apart magnetic members immediately adjacent to opposing sides of the transducer array assembly and spaced apart a fixed distance from a plane of the transducers, the magnetic members being moveable as a unit adjacent to the opposing sides of the transducer array and along a path parallel to the transducers as the valve member rotates about the axis of rotation, wherein the magnetic-field source provides magnetic flux detectable by at least a plurality of the transducers to precisely determine at least one of the rotational position of the magnetic-field source, the rotational position of the valve member, and a rate of flow through the control valve assembly. 11. The valve assembly of claim 10 wherein the valve-position monitoring and control system has a support plate connected to the housing, and the transducer array assembly is attached to the support plate and is supported apart from the valve housing. 12. The valve assembly of claim 10 wherein the transducer array assembly comprises the plurality of transducers carried by a support member and an overmolding portion that encapsulates the transducers and at least a portion of the support member. 13. The valve assembly of claim 10 wherein the magnetic members comprise first and second magnetic members spaced apart from each other in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation, and wherein the magnetic-field source is positionable so at least one transducer is positioned between the first and second magnetic members. 14. The valve member of claim 10 wherein the magnetic-field source is a Ferrous-based member with a first magnetic member on a first leg extending radially away from the axis of rotation and a second magnetic member on a second leg extending radially away from the axis of rotation and aligned with the first magnetic member with at least a portion of the transducer array assembly between the first and second magnetic members. 15. The valve member of claim 10 wherein the magnetic-field source is at least partially encased in a non-conductive overmold portion and positioned so the transducers will move between the magnetic members as the valve member moves through the plurality of rotary positions. 16. The valve member of claim 10 further comprising a controller operatively connected to the transducer array and configured to receive signals from the transducers related to the magnetic flux detected by one or more transducers, wherein the signals are useable to precisely determine the rate of flow through the control valve assembly. 17. The valve member of claim 7 wherein the overmolding portion is a first overmolding portion, and wherein the transducers of the monitoring array are coplanar and supported on a substrate, and the transducers and substrate are encased in a non-conductive second overmolding portion physically separate from the first overmolding portion. 18. An off-axis position monitoring and control system usable with a control valve assembly having a first valve portion and a second valve portion rotatable about an axis of rotation and relative to the first valve portion, wherein the second valve portion is rotatable between a plurality of rotary positions, the position monitoring and control system comprising: a transducer array assembly having a plurality of coplanar, spaced apart transducers arranged about the axis of rotation and spaced from the second valve member and being in a fixed, non-moveable position relative to the first valve portion;a magnetic-field source connected to the second valve portion and rotatable as a unit with the second valve portion, the magnetic-field source comprising magnetic members adjacent to opposing sides of the array assembly and spaced apart a fixed distance from a plane of the transducers, the magnetic members being moveable adjacent to the opposing sides of the array assembly and along a path parallel to the transducers as the valve member rotates through the plurality of rotary positions, wherein the magnetic-field source provides magnetic flux detectable by at least a plurality of the transducers to determine at least one of the rotational positions of the magnetic-field source, the rotational position of the valve member, and a rate of flow through the control valve assembly, wherein the magnetic members include first and second magnetic field members spaced apart from each other in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation, and wherein the magnetic-field source is positionable so at least one transducer is positioned between the first and second magnetic field members. 19. The position monitoring and control system of claim 18, wherein the magnetic-field source includes a Ferrous-based member with a first magnetic member on a first leg extending radially away from the axis of rotation and a second magnetic member on a second leg extending radially away from the axis of rotation and aligned with the first magnetic member in a direction normal to the first and second legs with at least a portion of the transducer array assembly positioned between the first and second magnetic members. 20. The valve member of claim 15 wherein the overmolding portion is a first overmolding portion, and wherein the transducers of the monitoring array are coplanar and supported on a substrate, and the transducers and substrate are encased in a non-conductive second overmolding portion physically separate from the first overmolding portion.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (5)
Hennemann Thomas L. ; Brady Daniel F., Dispensing system with multi-port valve for distributing use dilution to a plurality of utilization points and position sensor for use thereon.
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