Check valve flapper

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9464724-B2
Application number	US-201414452571-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 6, 2014
Priority date	Aug 6, 2014
Publication date	Oct 11, 2016
Grant date	Oct 11, 2016

Abstract

A check valve flapper for a check valve is provided and includes a flapper body and a hinge portion extending from the flapper body. The hinge portion includes a lower ear, a middle ear, and an upper ear. The lower ear, the middle ear, and the upper ear each include a hinge pin hole having a hinge pin hole diameter and an ear outer radius. A ratio of the hinge pin hole diameter to the ear outer radius is between 0.83 and 0.91.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A check valve flapper for a check valve, comprising:
a flapper body comprising an upper edge, a lower edge, and an arcuate edge between the upper edge and the lower edge, wherein curvature of the arcuate edge substantially aligns with curvature of a stop of the check valve; and
a hinge portion extending from the flapper body, the hinge portion comprising a lower ear, a middle ear, and an upper ear, wherein the lower ear, the middle ear, and the upper ear each comprise a hinge pin hole having a hinge pin hole diameter and an ear outer radius, and a ratio of the hinge pin hole diameter to the ear outer radius is between 0.83 and 0.91, wherein the lower ear aligns with the lower edge of the flapper body, the upper ear is offset from the upper edge of the flapper body, a check valve flapper length is defined between the lower edge of the flapper body and the upper edge of the flapper body, a middle ear offset is defined as a distance from the lower edge of the flapper body to an uppermost edge of the middle ear, a ratio of the check valve flapper length to the middle ear offset is between 2.08 and 2.11, the lower ear has a lower ear width, and a ratio of the check valve flapper length to the lower ear width is between 6.72 and 6.90.

2. The check valve flapper according to claim 1 , wherein an upper ear offset is defined as a distance from the lower edge of the flapper body to an uppermost edge of the upper ear, and a ratio of the check valve flapper length to the upper ear offset is between 1.18 and 1.20.

3. The check valve flapper according to claim 1 , wherein a reference point is defined on a centerline extending above the middle ear at half of the check valve flapper length from the lower edge of the flapper body, a flapper arcuate radius is defined as a distance between the reference point and the arcuate edge of the flapper body, and a ratio of the check valve flapper length to the flapper arcuate radius is between 1.76 and 1.77.

4. A method of installing check valve flappers in a check valve, the method comprising:
arranging a hinge portion of a first check valve flapper opposite a hinge portion of a second check valve flapper; and
inserting a hinge pin through a first hinge support of a check valve housing, through the hinge portions of the first and second check valve flappers, and through a second hinge support of the check valve housing, wherein each of the first and second check valve flappers comprise a flapper body and the hinge portion extending therefrom, the hinge portion comprising a lower ear, a middle ear, and an upper ear, wherein the lower ear, the middle ear, and the upper ear each comprise a hinge pin hole having a hinge pin hole diameter and an ear outer radius, and a ratio of the hinge pin hole diameter to the ear outer radius is between 0.83 and 0.91, wherein the flapper body further comprises an upper edge, a lower edge, and an arcuate edge between the upper edge and the lower edge, wherein curvature of the arcuate edge substantially aligns with curvature of a stop of the check valve, the lower ear aligns with the lower edge of the flapper body, the upper ear is offset from the upper edge of the flapper body, a check valve flapper length is defined between the lower edge of the flapper body and the upper edge of the flapper body, a middle ear offset is defined as a distance from the lower edge of the flapper body to an uppermost edge of the middle ear, a ratio of the check valve flapper length to the middle ear offset is between 2.08 and 2.11, the lower ear has a lower ear width, and a ratio of the check valve flapper length to the lower ear width is between 6.72 and 6.90.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein an upper ear offset is defined as a distance from the lower edge of the flapper body to an uppermost edge of the upper ear, and a ratio of the check valve flapper length to the upper ear offset is between 1.18 and 1.20.

6. The method according to claim 4 , wherein a reference point is defined on a centerline extending above the middle ear at half of the check valve flapper length from the lower edge of the flapper body, a flapper arcuate radius is defined as a distance between the reference point and the arcuate edge of the flapper body, and a ratio of the check valve flapper length to the flapper arcuate radius is between 1.76 and 1.77.

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp

Inventors

• Kamp Josh
• Feng Feng

Classifications

• F16K15/038 Primary

  having a common hinge · CPC title

• Y10T137/7898

  Pivoted valves · CPC title

• F16K1/2021

  with a plurality of valve members · CPC title

• F16K1/2028

  Details of bearings for the axis of rotation · CPC title

• F16K1/2014

  Shaping of the valve member · CPC title