Retention mechanism for noise attenuation dome in fluid flow control device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11041571-B2
Application number	US-201816213690-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2018
Priority date	Dec 7, 2018
Publication date	Jun 22, 2021
Grant date	Jun 22, 2021

Abstract

A fluid flow control device includes a valve body defining an inlet, an outlet, and a fluid flow path extending therebetween, a rotatable valve member at least partially disposed in the valve body, an attenuator operably coupled to the valve body, and a retention member disposed within the valve body. The rotatable valve member is rotatable within the fluid flow path from a shut-off position to an open position for controlling the flow of fluid through the fluid flow path. The attenuator defines an attenuator body that includes a plurality of noise-reducing apertures. The retention member is positioned against a portion of the attenuator body to retain the attenuator within the valve body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluid flow control device comprising:
a valve body defining an inlet, an outlet, a fluid flow path extending from the inlet to the outlet, and a stepped cavity section defining a first surface extending in a direction generally parallel to the fluid flow path, the stepped cavity section including a groove extending into the first surface in a direction generally perpendicular thereto, the groove defining a first and a second opposing surface and a gap therebetween;
a rotatable valve member at least partially disposed in the valve body and being rotatable within the fluid flow path from a shut-off position to an open position for controlling the flow of fluid through the fluid flow path;
an attenuator operably coupled to the valve body, the attenuator defining an attenuator body including a plurality of noise-reducing apertures; and
a retention member comprising a ring having a first surface and a second surface, the retention member being at least partially disposed between the first and the second opposing surfaces of the groove of the valve body such that the first surface of the ring is positioned adjacent to the first opposing surface of the groove and the second surface of the ring is positioned adjacent to the second opposing surface of the groove;
wherein the retention member is positioned against a portion of the attenuator body to retain the attenuator within the valve body and to prevent the attenuator from moving inwardly toward the rotatable valve member.

2. The fluid flow control device of claim 1 , wherein the retention member is constructed from a metallic material.

3. The fluid flow control device of claim 1 , wherein the groove is open to the fluid flow path.

4. The fluid flow control device of claim 1 , further comprising a floating ball seal carrier at least partially disposed within the valve body, the ball seal carrier adapted to exert a sealing force on the rotatable valve member.

5. The fluid flow control device of claim 4 , further comprising a sealing element disposed within a groove formed on a portion of the ball seal carrier such that the ball seal carrier sealingly engages the valve body.

6. The fluid flow control device of claim 1 , wherein the attenuator body defines a retention flange, wherein the retention member is configured to abut the retention flange to retain the attenuator within the valve body.

7. The fluid flow control device of claim 6 , wherein the valve body further defines a retention member groove to accommodate a portion of the retention member.

8. The fluid flow control device of claim 7 , wherein the retention member is frictionally fit within the retention member groove.

9. The fluid flow control device of claim 6 , wherein the retention flange includes a bore to accommodate a pin that secures the attenuator to the valve body.

10. The fluid flow control device of claim 9 , wherein the rotatable valve member rotates relative to the attenuator.

11. A method of assembling a fluid flow control device having a valve body defining an inlet, an outlet, a fluid flow path extending from the inlet to the outlet, and a stepped cavity section defining a first surface extending in a direction generally parallel to the fluid flow path, the stepped cavity section including a groove extending into the first surface in a direction generally perpendicular thereto, the groove defining a first and a second opposing surface and a gap therebetween, the method comprising:
disposing an attenuator within the valve body, the attenuator defining an attenuator body including a plurality of noise-reducing apertures;
positioning a portion of a retention member comprising a ring having a first surface and a second surface at least partially between the first and the second opposing surfaces of the groove of the valve body and against a portion of the attenuator to retain the attenuator within the valve body and to prevent the attenuator from moving inwardly into the valve body such that the first surface of the ring is positioned adjacent to the first opposing surface of the groove and the second surface of the ring is positioned adjacent to the second opposing surface of the groove; and
disposing a rotatable valve member within the valve body.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising positioning a floating ball seal carrier within the valve body such that the ball seal carrier exerts a sealing force on the rotatable valve member.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising disposing a sealing element within a groove formed on a portion of the ball seal carrier such that the ball seal carrier sealingly engages the valve body.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the retention member is positioned against a retention flange of the attenuator body such that the retention member abuts the retention flange to retain the attenuator within the valve body.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising securing the attenuator to the valve body via a pin disposed in a bore formed in the retention flange of the retention member.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising at least partially disposing the retention member within a retention member groove formed within the valve body.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising frictionally fitting the retention member within the retention member groove.

Assignees

• Fisher Controls Int Llc

Inventors

• Volkens Evan M
• Scheuffele Zachary M

Classifications

• F16K47/02 Primary

  for preventing water-hammer or noise · CPC title

• F16K27/067

  with spherical plugs · CPC title

• F16K5/0626

  Easy mounting or dismounting means · CPC title

• F16K5/08

  Details · CPC title

• F16K47/14

  the throttling member being a perforated membrane · CPC title