Spring Seat for an Internal Valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018259079-A1
Application number	US-201715635904-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 28, 2017
Priority date	Mar 10, 2017
Publication date	Sep 13, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

An internal valve including a valve body, a poppet valve coupled to the valve body, a bleed valve, a stem slidably disposed in the valve body and operatively coupled to the bleed valve. The stem is shiftable from a first position wherein the poppet valve and the bleed valve are both closed, to a second position wherein the bleed valve is open, and a third position wherein the bleed valve is closed, the poppet valve is open, and the poppet valve may shift toward the closed position and the bleed valve may open in response to a pressure change. A spring seat is coupled to the stem via a retaining feature such that the spring seat is movably disposed in the valve body, and a spring is operatively coupled to the stem via the spring seat and configured to bias the stem toward the first position.

First claim

1 . An internal valve for connection to a fluid container, the internal valve assembly comprising:
a valve body having an inlet, an outlet, and defining a main flow path between the inlet and the outlet; a poppet valve coupled to the valve body and shiftable between an open position where the inlet of the valve body is open and a closed position where the inlet of the valve body is closed; a bleed valve including a bleed valve body having a bore, a bleed inlet, a bleed outlet, and defining a bleed flow path between the bleed inlet and the bleed outlet, the bleed valve arranged to open and close the bleed inlet; a valve stem slidably disposed in the valve body and operatively coupled to the bleed valve; an actuator operatively coupled to the valve stem and operable to shift the valve stem from a first position in which the poppet valve and the bleed valve are both closed, to a second position in which the bleed valve is open, and a third position in which the bleed valve is closed and the poppet valve is open, wherein when the valve stem is in the third position, the poppet valve is arranged to shift toward the closed position and the bleed valve is arranged to open in response to a pressure change; a spring seat coupled to the valve stem via a retaining feature such that the spring seat is movably disposed in the valve body; and a spring disposed in the main flow path and operatively coupled to the valve stem via the spring seat, the spring configured to bias the valve stem toward the first position.

2 . The internal valve of claim 1 , wherein the retaining feature comprises a ring coupled to the valve stem.

3 . The internal valve of claim 2 , wherein the ring is seated in a recess formed in the spring seat, thereby retaining the spring seat between the spring and the ring.

4 . The internal valve of claim 1 , wherein the retaining feature comprises a pin extending through a portion of the valve stem.

5 . The internal valve of claim 4 , wherein the pin is seated in a recess formed in the spring seat, thereby retaining the spring seat between the spring and the pin.

6 . The internal valve of claim 4 , wherein the valve stem is shiftable along a longitudinal axis, and wherein the pin is oriented along an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

7 . The internal valve of claim 1 , wherein the retaining feature comprises an annular shoulder of the valve stem.

8 . The internal valve of claim 1 , wherein the spring seat includes a groove sized to receive the spring, the groove configured to limit horizontal movement of the spring relative to the valve stem.

9 . The internal valve of claim 1 , further comprising a guide sleeve seated between a portion of the spring seat and the valve body.

10 . The internal valve of claim 1 , wherein the spring seat has an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end facing the inlet of the valve body and the outlet end facing the outlet of the valve body, and wherein the inlet end of the spring seat is disposed immediately adjacent the spring and the retaining feature is disposed immediately adjacent the outlet end of the spring seat.

11 . The internal valve of claim 1 , wherein the spring seat comprises an annular body defined by an outer wall and an inner wall spaced radially inward of the outer wall, the outer wall arranged to movably engage a portion of the valve body when the valve stem shifts between the first, second, and third positions, and the inner wall defining a central bore sized to receive the valve stem.

12 . An internal valve for equalizing a pressure differential between an upstream fluid source and a fluid container, the internal valve comprising:
a valve body having an inlet, an outlet, and defining a main flow path between the inlet and the outlet; a poppet valve arranged to open and close the inlet of the valve body; a bleed valve including a bleed valve body having a bore, a bleed inlet, a bleed outlet, and defining a bleed flow path between the bleed inlet and the bleed outlet, the bleed valve arranged to open and close the bleed inlet; a valve stem slidably disposed in the valve body and operatively coupled to the bleed valve, the valve stem shiftable from a first position in which the poppet valve and the bleed valve are both closed, to a second position in which the bleed valve is open and the poppet valve is closed, and a third position in which the poppet valve is open and the bleed valve is closed; and a spring seat coupled to the valve stem via a retaining feature such that the spring seat is movably disposed in the valve body, the spring seat comprising an annular body defined by an outer wall and an inner wall spaced radially inward of the outer wall, the outer wall arranged to movably engage a portion of the valve body when the valve stem shifts between the first, second, and third positions, and the inner wall defining a central bore sized to receive the valve stem; and a spring disposed in the main flow path and operatively coupled to the valve stem via the spring seat, the spring configured to bias the valve stem toward the first position.

13 . The internal valve of claim 12 , wherein the retaining feature comprises a ring coupled to the valve stem, and wherein the ring is seated in a recess formed in the spring seat, thereby retaining the spring seat between the spring and the ring.

14 . The internal valve of claim 12 , wherein the retaining feature comprises a pin extending through a portion of the valve stem, and wherein the pin is seated in a recess formed in the spring seat, thereby retaining the spring seat between the spring and the pin.

15 . The internal valve of claim 12 , wherein the valve stem is shiftable along a longitudinal axis, and wherein the pin is oriented along an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

16 . The internal valve of claim 12 , wherein the retaining feature comprises an annular shoulder of the valve stem.

17 . The internal valve of claim 12 , wherein the spring seat includes a groove defined between the outer and inner walls and sized to receive the spring, the groove configured to limit horizontal movement of the spring relative to the valve stem.

18 . The internal valve of claim 12 , further comprising a guide sleeve arranged between a portion of the spring seat and the valve body.

19 . The internal valve of claim 12 , wherein the spring seat has an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end facing the inlet of the valve body and the outlet end facing the outlet of the valve body, and wherein the inlet end of the spring seat is disposed immediately adjacent the spring and the retaining feature is disposed immediately adjacent the outlet end of the spring seat.

20 . An internal valve for equalizing a pressure differential between an upstream fluid source and a fluid container, the internal valve comprising:
a valve body having an inlet, an outlet, and defining a main flow path between the inlet and the outlet; a poppet valve arranged to open and close the inlet of the valve body; a bleed valve including a bleed valve body having a bore, a bleed inlet, a bleed outlet, and defining a bleed flow path between the bleed inlet and the bleed outlet, the bleed valve arranged to open and close the bleed inlet; a valve stem slidably disposed in the valve body and operatively coupled to the bleed valve, the valve stem shiftable from a first position in which the poppet valve and the bleed valve are both closed, to a second position in which the bleed

Assignees

• Emerson Process Man Regulator Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Li Li
• Jing Chen
• Feifei Ji
• Lijing Shao

Classifications

• F16K1/30

  specially adapted for pressure containers · CPC title

• F16K31/52408

  comprising a lift valve · CPC title

• F16K17/30

  spring-loaded · CPC title

• F16K17/048 Primary

  combined with other safety valves, or with pressure control devices · CPC title

• F16K39/024

  using an auxiliary valve on the main valve · CPC title