Position indicator for valves

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9909687-B2
Application number	US-201514919772-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 22, 2015
Priority date	May 25, 2012
Publication date	Mar 6, 2018
Grant date	Mar 6, 2018

Abstract

A device for indicating the status of a valve includes a position indicator, wherein the position indicator includes a monitoring element, and a communication element. A method for indicating the status of at least one valve includes monitoring positions of a device enclosed by a first valve with a position indicator and communicating the positions of the device enclosed by the first valve with a communications element.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A device for indicating a status of a valve comprising:
a position indicator, wherein the position indicator comprises:
a ring gear, the ring gear mechanically coupled to a valve stem of the valve, the valve stem defining a first end and a second end, the first end disposed opposite from the second end, the first end engaging a gate comprised by the valve, the ring gear mechanically engaging the valve stem between the first end and the second end, the ring gear disposed within a gear enclosure, the valve stem extending through a bore defined by the gear enclosure, the gear enclosure positioned between the first end and the second end, the valve stem including threads having a pitch;
a monitoring element, the monitoring element configured to calculate movement of the gate based upon the pitch of the threads; and

a communication element.

2. The device of claim 1 , further comprising an o-ring mounted on the valve stem and positioned between the ring gear and the valve stem.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the position indicator further includes:
a potentiometer, the potentiometer including a rotatable potentiometer shaft; and
a potentiometer gear fixedly connected to the potentiometer shaft, the potentiometer gear mechanically coupled to the ring gear.

4. The device of claim 3 , further comprising an intermediate gear, the intermediate gear engaging both the ring gear and the potentiometer gear.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the position indicator includes a potentiometer mechanically correlated to the valve.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the position indicator is mountable between a stuffing box of the valve and an op nut of the valve.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the communication element includes a communication device.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the communication device includes a visual readout.

9. The device of claim 7 , wherein the communication device is connected to the position indicator by a wire conductor.

10. The device of claim 7 , wherein the communication device includes an antenna.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the valve stem is defined by an elongated rod.

12. A method for indicating a status of at least one valve comprising:
mechanically coupling a ring gear to a valve stem of a first valve;
mechanically coupling a potentiometer gear to the ring gear,
mechanically coupling the potentiometer gear to a rotatable potentiometer shaft of a potentiometer;
monitoring positions of a device enclosed by the first valve with a position indicator, wherein monitoring positions of the device comprises:
calculating a rotation of the valve stem based on a gear ratio of the potentiometer gear and the ring gear; and
calculating movement of the device enclosed by the first valve from the rotation of the valve stem; and

communicating the positions of the device enclosed by the first valve with a communications element;
wherein the valve stem includes threads having a pitch, and wherein calculating movement of the device includes basing a calculation upon the pitch.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
monitoring positions of a second device enclosed by a second valve with a second position indicator; and
communicating the positions of the second device enclosed by the second valve with the communications element.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising communicating the positions of the device enclosed by the first valve with a remotely located communicator.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
the valve stem defines a first end and a second end;
the first end is disposed opposite from the second end;
the first end engages the device;
the second end extends through a bonnet comprised by the first valve; and
the ring gear mechanically engages the valve stem between the first end and the second end.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
mechanically coupling the ring gear with an intermediate gear; and
mechanically coupling the potentiometer gear with the intermediate gear.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the valve stem is defined by an elongated rod.

Assignees

• Mueller Int Llc

Inventors

• Clark Kenneth A
• Brandt Jared Aaron
• Vanderburg Ralph William

Classifications

• F16K37/0041 Primary

  for measuring valve parameters (F16K37/0033 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E03B7/08

  Arrangement of draining devices, {e.g. manual shut-off valves}(draining devices in general F16K, F16L) · CPC title

• F16K37/0033

  using a permanent magnet, e.g. in combination with a reed relays · CPC title

• G08B21/18

  Status alarms (G08B21/02 takes precedence) · CPC title