Retractable handle assembly, valve using the same and intermediate bulk container

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10823309-B2
Application number	US-201414762371-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 20, 2014
Priority date	Jan 21, 2013
Publication date	Nov 3, 2020
Grant date	Nov 3, 2020

Abstract

Retractable handle assembly used in a valve of an Intermediate bulk container (IBC) includes a valve body, a valve core, and a valve stem. The valve stem is used to drive the valve core to move so as to open/close the valve. The handle of the handle assembly is connected to the valve stem and can be rotated around the central rotating axis of the valve stem. When the valve needs to be opened/closed, the handle is rotated around the central rotating axis to a deployed state to open/close the valve. The handle is rotated around the central rotating axis to a retracted state so as to reduce the space occupied by the valve for the valve to be welded to the liner bag or installed to IBC. The handle can be switched between a deployed state and a retracted state.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A valve,
comprising a valve body, a valve stem, a flange that is connected to the valve body, and a handle assembly, the valve stem being used to open/close the valve,
wherein the handle assembly comprises a handle that includes a gripping portion and a rotating portion, wherein the rotating portion is installed into a groove of the valve stem by a handle pin passing through a handle pin hole and a rotating hole of the valve stem which are aligned to each other, so that the rotating portion is connected to the valve stem and is able to be rotated around a central rotating axis of the valve stem, such that when the valve needs to be opened/closed, the handle is rotated around the central rotating axis of the valve stem to a deployed state, where the stem can be driven to rotate by rotating the handle around a longitudinal axis of the stem so as to open/close the valve, or the handle is rotated around the central rotating axis to a retracted state for the valve to be welded to a liner bag or installed to an IBC, wherein the central rotating axis extends in a direction perpendicular to the valve stem and the longitudinal axis extends in an extending direction of the valve stem;
when the handle is in the retracted state, a part of the gripping portion located closer to the free end of the gripping portion than the rotating portion is configured to abut the valve body and be located within a perimeter of the flange so that a process of welding the valve to the liner bag or installing the valve to the IBC is not obstructed by the handle;
the handle achieves a switch between two working conditions.

2. The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the rotating portion and gripping portion are integrated, and the handle assembly further comprises: the handle pin,
wherein the center of the integrated rotating portion includes the handle pin hole, the bottom of the rotating portion includes recesses and an elastic projection, and the recesses are located at two sides of the elastic projection;
the valve stem includes the rotating hole and a position-limiting rib;
the handle pin is inserted into the rotating hole and the handle, so that the handle is rotated around the handle pin, and thereby being switchable between the deployed state and the retracted state, and
the elastic projection and the recesses are engaged with the position-limiting rib, so that the handle is maintained in the deployed state or in the retracted state.

3. A valve,
comprising a valve body, a valve stem, a flange that is connected to the valve body, and a handle assembly,
wherein the handle assembly includes a handle that includes a gripping portion and a rotating portion, wherein the rotating portion is installed into a groove of the valve stem by a handle pin passing through a handle pin hole and a rotating hole of the valve stem which are aligned to each other, so that the rotating portion is connected to the valve stem and is able to be rotated around a central rotating axis of the valve stem;
the handle includes an anti-misoperation device comprising an anti-misoperation projection provided on the handle and an anti-misoperation slot provided on a valve cover of the valve, and when the handle is in a retracted state, engagement between the anti-misoperation projection and the anti-misoperation slot prevents the handle from being deployed, thereby preventing the valve from being opened/closed accidently;
when the valve needs to be opened/closed, the handle is rotated around the central rotating axis to be a deployed state, where the stem can be driven to rotate by rotating the handle around a longitudinal axis of the stem so as to open/close the valve; or, the handle is rotated around the central rotating axis to a retracted state for the valve to be welded to a liner bag or installed to an IBC, wherein the central rotating axis extends in a direction perpendicular to the valve stem and the longitudinal axis extends in an extending direction of the valve stem;
when the handle is in the retracted state, a part of the gripping portion located closer to a free end of the gripping portion than the rotating portion is configured to abut the valve body and be located within a perimeter of the flange so that a process of welding the valve to the liner bag or installing the valve to the IBC is not obstructed by the handle;
the handle achieves a switch between two working conditions.

4. The assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the rotation portion and the gripping portion are integrated and the handle assembly further comprises: the handle pin,
wherein the center of the rotating portion includes the handle pin hole, and the bottom of the rotating portion includes recesses and an elastic projection;
the anti-misoperation projection is disposed at the tip of the gripping portion;
the valve stem includes the rotating hole and a position-limiting rib;
the handle pin is inserted into the rotating hole and the handle, so that the handle is rotated around the handle pin, and thereby being switchable between the deployed state and the retracted state; and
the elastic projection and the recesses are engaged with the position-limiting rib, so that the handle is maintained in the deployed state or in the retracted state.

Assignees

• Shanghai Hongyan Returnable Transit Packagings Co Ltd

Inventors

• Fang Zhengwei
• Qian Zuocheng
• Gong Kai
• Liao Qingxin

Classifications

• B65D77/0466

  the containers being mounted on a pallet · CPC title

• F16K35/00

  Means to prevent accidental or unauthorised actuation · CPC title

• F16K31/602 Primary

  Pivoting levers, e.g. single-sided (F16K31/605 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16K1/22

  with axis of rotation crossing the valve member, e.g. butterfly valves · CPC title

• F16K35/04

  yieldingly resisting the actuation · CPC title