Lattice control cage for a regulator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10359128-B2
Application number	US-201615331394-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 21, 2016
Priority date	Oct 21, 2016
Publication date	Jul 23, 2019
Grant date	Jul 23, 2019

Abstract

A fluid valve includes a valve body having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. A fluid passageway connects the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet. A trim assembly is located within the fluid passageway and the trim assembly cooperates with a control member to control fluid flow through the fluid passageway. The trim assembly includes a cage having a lattice structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluid valve comprising:
a valve body having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;
a fluid passageway connecting the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet;
a trim assembly located within the fluid passageway, the trim assembly cooperating with a control member to control fluid flow through the fluid passageway, the trim assembly including a cage having a first cage ring and a second cage ring separated by a lattice structure, the lattice structure forming part of a cage wall, the lattice structure being recessed radially inward from an exterior edge of the first cage ring and from an exterior edge of the second cage ring,
wherein a filter is disposed in the cage wall upstream of the lattice structure, the filter including a plurality of openings that are smaller than a plurality of openings in the lattice structure.

2. The fluid valve of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of openings in the lattice structure are formed by a plurality of structural elements.

3. The fluid valve of claim 2 , wherein the openings are one of diamond-shaped and square-shaped.

4. The fluid valve of claim 2 , wherein the structural elements are oriented perpendicular to and parallel to a longitudinal axis of the cage.

5. The fluid control valve of claim 2 , wherein the structural elements are oriented at 45 degree angles relative to the longitudinal axis of the cage.

6. The fluid control valve of claim 2 , wherein the lattice structure has a uniform lattice density.

7. The fluid control valve of claim 2 , wherein the lattice structure has a non-uniform lattice density.

8. The fluid control valve of claim 7 , wherein the lattice structure has a lattice density that changes along a longitudinal axis of the cage.

9. The fluid control valve of claim 7 , wherein the lattice structure has a lattice density that changes in a radial direction, along a thickness of the cage wall.

10. The fluid control valve of claim 1 , wherein the filter is printed adjacent to the lattice structure.

11. The fluid control valve of claim 1 , wherein the filter is inserted adjacent to the lattice structure, the filter extending into the cage wall.

12. A trim assembly for a fluid control valve, the trim assembly comprising:
a cage having a first cage ring and a second cage ring separated by a lattice structure, the lattice structure forming part of a cage wall, the lattice structure being recessed radially inward from an exterior edge of the first cage ring and from an exterior edge of the second cage ring, and
a seat, the seat being located adjacent to the cage,
wherein the lattice structure comprises a plurality of structural elements that form a pattern of openings, and a filter disposed in the cage wall upstream of the lattice structure, the filter including a plurality of openings that are smaller than the openings in the pattern of openings.

13. The trim assembly of claim 12 , wherein the openings are one of diamond-shaped and square-shaped.

14. The fluid valve of claim 12 , wherein the structural elements are oriented perpendicular to and parallel to a longitudinal axis of the cage.

15. The fluid control valve of claim 12 , wherein structural elements are oriented at 45 degree angles relative to the longitudinal axis of the cage.

16. The fluid control valve of claim 12 , wherein the lattice structure has a uniform lattice density.

17. The fluid control valve of claim 12 , wherein the lattice structure has a non-uniform lattice density.

18. The fluid control valve of claim 17 , wherein the lattice structure has a lattice density that changes along a longitudinal axis of the cage or in a radial direction, along a thickness of the cage wall.

Assignees

• Emerson Process Man Regulator Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Griffin Jr James L
• West James M
• Quinn Nathan A

Classifications

• F16K3/246

  Combination of a sliding valve and a lift valve · CPC title

• F16K1/32

  Details (details of more general applicability F16K25/00 - F16K51/00) · CPC title

• F16K47/08 Primary

  for decreasing pressure {or noise level} and having a throttling member separate from the closure member {, e.g. screens, slots, labyrinths} · CPC title

• F16K1/36 Primary

  Valve members (for double-seat valves F16K1/44 {; for butterfly valves F16K1/222, F16K1/223}) · CPC title

• F16K47/14 Primary

  the throttling member being a perforated membrane · CPC title