Flow control valve having a motion conversion device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9803774-B2
Application number	US-201514874199-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 2, 2015
Priority date	Oct 2, 2015
Publication date	Oct 31, 2017
Grant date	Oct 31, 2017

Abstract

A motion conversion device is disclosed for converting motion in one direction into motion in another direction. The motion conversion device may include a single-acting cylinder hydraulically or pneumatically coupled to a double-acting cylinder such that movement of the single-acting cylinder along an axis causes movement of the double-acting cylinder along a non-parallel axis. The single-acting cylinder may be mechanically coupled to another single-acting cylinder such that movement of one of the single-acting cylinders in a direction causes movement of the other one of the single-acting cylinders in an opposite direction. In this way, the single-acting cylinders may cooperate to provide reciprocal motion of the double-acting cylinder. Also disclosed is a valve incorporating a motion conversion device for the purpose of moving a closure member between an open position and a closed position. Furthermore, a method for operating a valve closure member with a motion conversion device is disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A valve comprising:
a valve body including a flow passage;
a closure member movable between a closed position preventing fluid flow through the flow passage and an open position permitting fluid flow through the flow passage;
a first bore in fluid communication with a second bore;
a third bore in fluid communication with the second bore;
a first single-acting cylinder movable within the first bore along a first axis;
a double-acting cylinder coupled to the closure member and movable within the second bore along a second axis;
a second single-acting cylinder movable within the third bore along a third axis;
the second axis being non-parallel to the first axis and the third axis;
the first single-acting cylinder being configured to exert hydraulic or pneumatic pressure on a side of the double-acting cylinder to move the double-acting cylinder along the second axis in a direction that moves the closure member to one of the closed position and the open position; and
the second single-acting cylinder being configured to exert hydraulic or pneumatic pressure on an opposite side of the double-acting cylinder to move the double-acting cylinder along the second axis in an opposite direction to move the closure member to the other one of the closed position and the open position;
the first single-acting cylinder being mechanically coupled to the second single-acting cylinder such that (i) movement of the first single-acting cylinder toward the second axis causes movement of the second single-acting cylinder away from the second axis, and (ii) movement of the first single-acting cylinder away from the second axis causes movement of the second single-acting cylinder toward the second axis.

2. The valve of claim 1 , comprising:
the double-acting cylinder including a piston and a rod, the rod extending between the piston and the closure member; and
the first bore being in fluid communication with a first end of the second bore, the third bore being in fluid communication with a second end of the second bore, the piston of the double-acting cylinder being arranged between the first and second ends of the second bore.

3. The valve of claim 1 , the first axis being parallel to the third axis.

4. The valve of claim 1 , comprising an actuator configured to move the first single-acting cylinder along the first axis.

5. The valve of claim 1 , the first single-acting cylinder being mechanically coupled to the second single-acting cylinder by at least one rotatable link member.

6. The valve of claim 5 , the third bore including a first end in fluid communication with the second bore and a second end vented to the atmosphere.

7. The valve of claim 5 , comprising a slot formed in the first single-acting cylinder and configured to slidably receive an end of the at least one rotatable link member.

8. The valve of claim 5 , the at least one rotatable link member having a rotational axis arranged between the first axis and the third axis.

9. A motion conversion device for use with a control valve, the motion conversion device comprising:
a first bore in fluid communication with a second bore;
a first hydraulic cylinder comprising a first rod and a first piston movable within the first bore along a first axis;
a second hydraulic cylinder comprising a second rod and a second piston movable within the second bore along a second axis, the first axis being non-parallel to the second axis;
the first hydraulic cylinder being hydraulically coupled to the second hydraulic cylinder such that movement of the first hydraulic cylinder along the first axis causes movement of the second hydraulic cylinder along the second axis;
a third bore in fluid communication with the second bore; and
a third hydraulic cylinder comprising a third rod and a third piston movable within the third bore along a third axis, the third hydraulic cylinder being hydraulically coupled to the second hydraulic cylinder and mechanically coupled to the first hydraulic cylinder;
the first hydraulic cylinder being mechanically coupled to the third hydraulic cylinder such that: (i) movement of the first hydraulic cylinder toward the second axis causes movement of the third hydraulic cylinder away from the second axis, and (ii) movement of the first hydraulic cylinder away from the second axis causes movement of the third hydraulic cylinder toward the second axis.

10. The motion conversion device of claim 9 , the first hydraulic cylinder being a single-acting cylinder, the second hydraulic cylinder being a double-acting cylinder, and the third hydraulic cylinder being a single-acting cylinder.

11. The motion conversion device of claim 9 , the third bore including a first end in fluid communication with the second bore and a second end vented to the atmosphere.

12. The motion conversion device of claim 11 , the first axis being parallel to the third axis.

13. The motion conversion device of claim 9 , the first hydraulic cylinder being mechanically coupled to the third hydraulic cylinder by at least one rotatable link member.

14. The motion conversion device of claim 13 , the at least one rotatable link member having a rotational axis arranged between the first axis and the third axis.

15. The motion conversion device of claim 13 , comprising a slot formed in the first hydraulic cylinder and configured to slidably receive an end of the at least one rotatable link member.

16. A method for operating a valve, comprising:
moving a first single-acting cylinder along a first axis to exert hydraulic or pneumatic pressure on a side of a double-acting cylinder to move the double-acting cylinder along a second axis to close the valve;
moving a second single-acting cylinder along a third axis to exert hydraulic or pneumatic pressure on an opposite side of the double-acting cylinder to move the double-acting cylinder along the second axis to open the valve;
wherein the first single-acting cylinder is mechanically coupled to the second single-acting cylinder such that moving the first single-acting cylinder along the first axis causes the second single-acting cylinder to move in a direction away from the second axis, and (ii) moving the second single-acting cylinder along the third axis causes the first single-acting cylinder to move in a direction away from the second axis; and
wherein the second axis is non-parallel to the first axis and the third axis.

17. The method of claim 16 , the first single-acting cylinder being mechanically coupled to the second single-acting cylinder by a rotatable link member.

18. A valve comprising:
a valve body including a flow passage;
a closure member movable between a closed position preventing fluid flow through the flow passage and an open position permitting fluid flow through the flow passage;
a first bore in fluid communication with a second bore;
a third bore in fluid communication with the second bore;
a first single-acting cylinder movable within the first bore along a first axis;
a double-acting cylinder coupled to the closure member and movable within the second bore along a second axis;
a second single-acting cylinder movable within the third bore along a third axis;
the first axis being parallel to the third axis;
the second axis being non-parallel to the first axis and the third axis;
the first single-acting cylinder being configured to exert hydraulic or pneumatic pressure on a side of the double-acting cylinder to move the double-acting cylinder along the second axis in a direction that moves the closure member to one of the closed pos

Assignees

• Fisher Controls Int Llc

Inventors

• Gulleen Matthew Lawrence
• Hoff Elliot James

Classifications

• F16K31/1225 Primary

  with a plurality of pistons · CPC title

• F16K1/126

  actuated by fluid · CPC title

• F15B7/06

  Details (F15B15/00 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F15B7/001

  With multiple inputs, e.g. for dual control · CPC title

• F15B7/00

  Systems in which the movement produced is definitely related to the output of a volumetric pump; Telemotors · CPC title