Flapper-mounted buffer to cushion check valve closure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10180198-B2
Application number	US-201715617666-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 8, 2017
Priority date	Jun 8, 2017
Publication date	Jan 15, 2019
Grant date	Jan 15, 2019

Abstract

A check valve for a fluid system includes: a valve body defining an inlet, an outlet, and an interior cavity; a closing member positioned inside the interior cavity, the closing member movable between an open position, providing fluid communication between the inlet and outlet, and a closed position, isolating the inlet from the outlet; and a buffer mounted on the closing member, the buffer configured to hold a portion of fluid in the fluid system and cushion movement of the closing member from the open position to the closed position.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A check valve for a fluid system, the check valve comprising:
a valve body defining an inlet, an outlet, and an interior cavity extending from the inlet to the outlet;
a flapper positioned inside the interior cavity, the flapper movable between an open position, providing fluid communication between the inlet and outlet, and a closed position, isolating the inlet from the outlet, the flapper comprising a stiffening insert encapsulated by a resilient body, the flapper defining an upstream surface and a downstream surface, a portion of the upstream surface defined by the resilient body forming a seal within the interior cavity in the closed position;
a rod positioned at least partially inside the valve body and comprising a first end proximate to the flapper and a second end distal from the first end, the rod extending through the valve body, the rod positioned at an angle with respect to the flapper, a distance from the first end of the rod to the flapper adjustable by manipulation of the second end of the rod from outside the valve body, an axially outermost portion of the first end of the rod relative to an axis defined by the rod facing the upstream surface of the flapper; and
a buffer mounted on the flapper and configured to move with the flapper, the buffer comprising a body and a flange, the body extending through the stiffening insert and the resilient body of the flapper, the body defining a bore sized to receive the first end of the rod, the buffer configured to hold a portion of fluid of the fluid system and cushion movement of the flapper from the open position to the closed position when the flapper is proximate to the closed position, the bore configured to receive the first end of the rod as the flapper approaches the closed position.

2. The check valve of claim 1 , further comprising a buffering device, the buffering device comprising a housing and the rod, the housing secured to the valve body and the rod positioned at least partially inside the housing.

3. The check valve of claim 1 , wherein the buffer comprises a buffer piston positioned inside the bore of the buffer, the buffer piston movable inside the bore between an extended position and a retracted position.

4. The check valve of claim 3 , wherein the buffer comprises a biasing element configured to maintain the buffer piston of the buffer in the extended position when the buffer piston is not in contact with the rod.

5. The check valve of claim 4 , wherein:
the first end of the rod contacts the buffer piston within the bore when the flapper is in the closed position;
the rod positions the buffer piston in the retracted position when the flapper is in the closed position; and
the biasing element is compressed when the flapper is in the closed position.

6. The check valve of claim 1 , wherein:
the first end of the rod and the bore define a buffer inner chamber when the first end of the rod is received within the bore;
a gap is defined between the rod and the bore;
the gap connects the buffer inner chamber in fluid communication with the interior cavity; and
the gap is sized to control a rate at which the fluid escapes from the buffer inner chamber.

7. The check valve of claim 1 , wherein:
the body of the buffer defines an opening to the bore; and
the opening is chamfered.

8. The check valve of claim 1 , wherein:
the body of the buffer defines an opening to the bore; and
the opening is radiused.

9. The check valve of claim 1 , wherein:
the flange of the buffer engages the downstream surface of the flapper;
a retaining fastener engages the body of the buffer; and
the retaining fastener engages the upstream surface of the flapper.

10. The check valve of claim 1 , wherein:
the flange of the buffer engages the downstream surface of the flapper; and
a fastener extends through the flange and into the flapper to secure the buffer to the flapper.

11. The check valve of claim 1 , wherein the first end of the rod is removed from the bore when the flapper is in the open position.

12. A check valve for a fluid system, the check valve comprising:
a valve body defining an inlet, an outlet, and an interior cavity;
a closing member positioned inside the interior cavity, the closing member movable between an open position, providing fluid communication between the inlet and outlet, and a closed position, isolating the inlet from the outlet, the closing member comprising a stiffening insert encapsulated within a resilient body;
a buffering device comprising a rod and a housing, the housing attached to the valve body, a first end of the rod extending into the interior cavity, a second end of the rod disposed external to the valve body; and
a buffer integrally defined by the stiffening insert of the closing member, a body of the buffer extending through the resilient body, the body of the buffer defining a bore sized to receive the first end of the rod in the closed position, the buffer configured to hold a portion of fluid of the fluid system within a buffer inner chamber and cushion movement of the closing member from the open position to the closed position, the buffer inner chamber defined between the bore and the first end of the rod when the rod is received within the bore.

13. The check valve of claim 12 , wherein the buffer inner chamber of the buffer is in fluid communication with the interior cavity of the valve body.

14. A method of using a check valve in a fluid system comprising a fluid, the method comprising:
moving a closing member positioned inside an interior cavity of the check valve toward an open position, the open position providing fluid communication between an inlet and an outlet of the check valve, the check valve comprising a valve body defining the inlet, the outlet, and the interior cavity;
moving the closing member of the check valve toward a closed position;
receiving a first end of a rod within a bore defined by a buffer as the closing member approaches the closed position, the rod secured to valve body, the buffer secured to the closing member; and
stopping movement of the closing member when the closing member is in a position proximate to the closed position with the buffer, the buffer configured to hold a portion of the fluid within a buffer inner chamber defined between the bore and the first end of the rod when the rod is received within the bore.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising cushioning movement of the closing member from the open position to the closed position when the closing member is proximate to the closed position.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein stopping movement of the closing member comprises moving fluid from the buffer inner chamber to a portion of the interior cavity of the valve body that is outside the buffer.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein moving fluid from the buffer inner chamber to a portion of the interior cavity of the valve body comprises passing fluid through a gap defined between the bore and the first end of the rod when the rod is received within the bore.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising sizing the gap to control a rate at which the fluid escapes from the buffer inner chamber.

19. The method of claim 14 , further comprising contacting the buffer of the closing member with the rod.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the buffer further comprises a biasing element, the method further comprising opening the closing member and decompressing the biasing element such that a buffer piston of the buffe

Assignees

• Mueller Int Llc

Inventors

• Milroy Jeff
• Smick Stephen J

Classifications

• F16K15/031

  the hinge being flexible · CPC title

• F16K47/023 Primary

  for preventing water-hammer, e.g. damping of the valve movement · CPC title

• F16K15/033

  spring-loaded · CPC title

• F16K15/1821

  for check valves with a hinged or pivoted closure member · CPC title

• F16F2230/007

  with, or used as an end stop or buffer; Limiting excessive axial separation · CPC title