Actuator Assembly and Method of Securing an Actuator to a Valve Body

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019113148-A1
Application number	US-201715785568-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 17, 2017
Priority date	Oct 17, 2017
Publication date	Apr 18, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

An example actuator assembly includes a valve body having a body locating shoulder as a protrusion from an interior peripheral surface of the valve body, and an actuator having an end that is inserted into the valve body. The end has a first portion with a first diameter and a second portion with a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter, and the second portion includes a threaded region. A locating shoulder is between the first portion and the second portion of the end of the actuator arranged at a position where the first diameter changes to the second diameter. The locating shoulder mates with the body locating shoulder of the valve body when the actuator is inserted and screwed into the valve body to enable alignment of the valve body and the actuator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An actuator assembly, comprising:
a valve body having a body locating shoulder as a protrusion from an interior peripheral surface of the valve body; and an actuator having an end that is inserted into the valve body, the end having a first portion with a first diameter and a second portion with a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter, wherein the second portion includes a threaded region, and wherein a locating shoulder is between the first portion and the second portion of the end of the actuator arranged at a position where the first diameter changes to the second diameter, and wherein the locating shoulder mates with the body locating shoulder of the valve body when the actuator is inserted and screwed into the valve body to enable alignment of the valve body and the actuator.

2 . The actuator assembly of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is hollow and the first portion is at an opening of the actuator and is inserted into the valve body ahead of the second portion, wherein the first portion includes a tapered end abutting the valve body.

3 . The actuator assembly of claim 1 , wherein the body locating shoulder comprises a material that when subjected to pressure above a threshold, deforms to maintain a predetermined contact force between the valve body and the actuator.

4 . The actuator assembly of claim 1 , wherein the locating shoulder includes:
a corner defined by the first diameter changing to the second diameter; and a tapered portion abutting the corner and leading into threads of the threaded region of the second portion.

5 . The actuator assembly of claim 1 , wherein the valve body includes internal threads to mate with threads of the threaded region of the second portion of the end of the actuator.

6 . The actuator assembly of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of a wall of the first portion is less than about 2.5 mm.

7 . The actuator assembly of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of threads on the threaded region of the second portion is less than about 1.1 mm.

8 . The actuator assembly of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of a wall of the first portion is more than twice a thickness of threads on the threaded region of the second portion.

9 . The actuator assembly of claim 1 , wherein a spacing of threads on the threaded region of the second portion of the end of the actuator is about 30-34 threads per inch.

10 . The actuator assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second diameter is defined to extend to a root of threads of the threaded region of the second portion, and wherein a thickness of threads of the threaded region is about equal to a difference between the first diameter and the second diameter.

11 . The actuator assembly of claim 1 , wherein a load bearing area of the actuator, defined as an annular area between the first portion with the first diameter and the second portion with the second diameter, is maximized due to a relationship between a thread root diameter of the threaded region of the second portion and a thickness of a wall of the first portion of the end of the actuator.

12 . The actuator assembly of claim 11 , wherein the relationship includes a thickness of a wall of the first portion being more than twice a thickness of threads on the threaded region of the second portion.

13 . The actuator assembly of claim 1 , wherein the end of the actuator is inserted into the valve body up to a point longitudinally along the end, and wherein threads of the threaded region on the second portion extend longitudinally along the second portion from the locating shoulder to the point.

14 . The actuator assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a seal positioned in a groove disposed in an interior peripheral surface of the valve body and adjacent the body locating shoulder, wherein the seal is positioned circumferential to the first portion of the end of the actuator with the actuator inserted into the valve body.

15 . The actuator assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a seal positioned in a recess disposed in an interior peripheral surface of the valve body and adjacent an opening of the valve body, wherein the seal is positioned circumferential to the threaded region of the second portion of the end of the actuator with the actuator inserted into the valve body.

16 . The actuator assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a solenoid coil positioned over the actuator and abutting the valve body.

17 . A method of securing an actuator to a valve body, the method comprising:
providing a valve body having a body locating shoulder as a protrusion from an interior peripheral surface of the valve body; inserting an end of an actuator into the valve body, the end having a first portion with a first diameter and a second portion with a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter, wherein the second portion includes a threaded region, and wherein a locating shoulder is between the first portion and the second portion of the end of the actuator arranged at a position where the first diameter changes to the second diameter; and screwing the threaded region of the second portion of the end of the actuator into the valve body until the locating shoulder mates with the body locating shoulder of the valve body to enable alignment of the valve body and the actuator.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
providing the actuator having a thickness of a wall of the first portion more than twice a thickness of threads on the threaded region of the second portion.

19 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
maximizing a load bearing area of the actuator, defined as an annular area between the first portion with the first diameter and the second portion with the second diameter, due to a thickness of a wall of the first portion being more than twice a thickness of threads on the threaded region of the second portion.

20 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
sealing the first portion of the end of the actuator to an interior peripheral surface of the valve body using a seal positioned in a groove disposed in the interior peripheral surface of the valve body and adjacent the body locating shoulder.

Assignees

• Sun Hydraulics Llc

Inventors

• Borja Andy

Classifications

• F16D1/08

  with clamping hub; with hub and longitudinal key · CPC title

• F16K31/02

  electric {(F16K31/004 takes precedence)}; magnetic · CPC title

• F16K31/14 Primary

  for mounting on, or in combination with, hand-actuated valves · CPC title

• H01F7/126 Primary

  Supporting or mounting · CPC title