Actuator apparatus having internal passageways

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9291280-B2
Application number	US-201213547761-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 12, 2012
Priority date	Jul 12, 2012
Publication date	Mar 22, 2016
Grant date	Mar 22, 2016

Abstract

Actuator apparatus having internal passageways are disclosed. An example apparatus includes an actuator casing having a load apparatus to define an upper pressure chamber and a lower pressure chamber. The upper pressure chamber is opposite the lower pressure chamber. A yoke is to couple to the actuator casing to a fluid valve. An internal passageway is formed in a body of the yoke to fluidly couple a control fluid to at least one of the first or the lower pressure chamber. A fluid connector assembly is positioned in the actuator casing to fluidly couple the internal passageway to the upper pressure chamber. The load apparatus is between the internal passageway of the yoke and the upper pressure chamber.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
an actuator casing having a load apparatus to define an upper pressure chamber and a lower pressure chamber, the upper pressure chamber being opposite the lower pressure chamber;
a yoke to couple the actuator casing and a fluid valve, the yoke defining a body having an internal passageway to fluidly couple a control fluid to at least one of the upper pressure chamber or the lower pressure chamber;
a fluid connector assembly positioned in the actuator casing to fluidly couple the internal passageway to at least one of the upper pressure chamber or the lower pressure chamber, the load apparatus being positioned between the internal passageway of the yoke and the upper pressure chamber; and
a positioner mountable to the yoke, wherein the positioner is to supply the control fluid to the internal passageway, and wherein an outlet of the positioner is coupled to an inlet of the internal passageway when the positioner is mounted to the yoke.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the load apparatus comprises a piston or a diaphragm.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the upper pressure chamber is in communication with a first side of the load apparatus and the lower pressure chamber is in communication with a second side of the load apparatus, the first side being opposite the second side.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising a spring disposed in the upper pressure chamber to bias the load apparatus to a predetermined position when the control fluid applies a force to the second side of the load apparatus that is less than a force applied to first side of the load apparatus.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising a spring disposed in the lower pressure chamber to bias the load apparatus to a predetermined position when the control fluid applies a force to the first side of the load apparatus that is less than a force applied to the second side of the load apparatus.

6. An apparatus, comprising:
an actuator casing having a load apparatus to define an upper pressure chamber and a lower pressure chamber, the upper pressure chamber being opposite the lower pressure chamber;
a yoke to couple the actuator casing and a fluid valve, the yoke defining a body having an internal passageway to fluidly couple a control fluid to at least one of the upper pressure chamber or the lower pressure chamber;
a fluid connector assembly positioned in the actuator casing to fluidly couple the internal passageway to at least one of the upper pressure chamber or the lower pressure chamber, the load apparatus being positioned between the internal passageway of the yoke and the upper pressure chamber, wherein the fluid connector assembly includes a first fluid passageway disposed in the actuator casing to fluidly couple a first outlet of the internal passageway and the upper pressure chamber, and wherein the fluid connector assembly includes a coupling to couple the first fluid passageway to the load apparatus.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the load apparatus comprises an opening to fluidly couple the first fluid passageway and the upper pressure chamber.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first fluid passageway comprises tubing.

9. An apparatus, comprising:
an actuator casing having a load apparatus to define an upper pressure chamber and a lower pressure chamber, the upper pressure chamber being opposite the lower pressure chamber;
a yoke to couple the actuator casing and a fluid valve, the yoke defining a body having an internal passageway to fluidly couple a control fluid to at least one of the upper pressure chamber or the lower pressure chamber, wherein the internal passageway includes:
a first fluid path to fluidly couple to the upper pressure chamber of the actuator, the first fluid path formed in the yoke between a first end of the yoke and a second end of the yoke, the first fluid path having a first outlet positioned adjacent the first end of the yoke and a first inlet positioned between the first end and the second end; and
a second fluid path to fluidly couple to the lower pressure chamber of the actuator, the second fluid path formed in the yoke between the first end and the second end, the second fluid path having a second outlet positioned adjacent the first end of the yoke and a second inlet positioned between the first end and the second end; and

a fluid connector assembly positioned in the actuator casing to fluidly couple the internal passageway to at least one of the upper pressure chamber or the lower pressure chamber, the load apparatus being positioned between the internal passageway of the yoke and the upper pressure chamber.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the yoke has a U-shaped frame that defines a first leg and a second leg, and wherein the first fluid path is formed in the first leg of the U-shaped frame and the second fluid path is formed in the first leg of the U-shaped frame adjacent the first fluid path, the first fluid path being fluidly isolated from the second fluid path.

11. An apparatus, comprising:
an actuator casing having a load apparatus to define an upper pressure chamber and a lower pressure chamber, the upper pressure chamber being opposite the lower pressure chamber;
a yoke to couple the actuator casing and a fluid valve, the yoke defining a body having an internal passageway to fluidly couple a control fluid to at least one of the upper pressure chamber or the lower pressure chamber; and
a fluid connector assembly positioned in the actuator casing to fluidly couple the internal passageway to at least one of the upper pressure chamber or the lower pressure chamber, the load apparatus being positioned between the internal passageway of the yoke and the upper pressure chamber, wherein the fluid connector assembly is at least partially positioned in the lower pressure chamber when the internal passageway is coupled to the upper pressure chamber.

Assignees

• Mccarty Michael Wildie
• Fisher Controls Int

Inventors

• Mccarty Michael Wildie

Classifications

• F16K31/126 Primary

  the fluid acting on a diaphragm, bellows, or the like (F16K31/145, F16K31/165, F16K31/365, F16K31/385 take precedence) · CPC title

• F16K27/08 Primary

  Guiding yokes for spindles; Means for closing housings; Dust caps, e.g. for tyre valves · CPC title