Patent Application
20080115576
The present invention relates to a flow regulation valve with a rotatable positioning of measuring outlets in relation to the flow regulating function, and in a design, which meets the requirements of the market place.
Modern constructions of valves, which as to certain functions are similar to the design described in the following text, have a few drawbacks, which now can be eliminated by the present invention.
Thus, U.S. Pat. No. 5,533,549 relates to a valve with an integrated, replaceable venturi part, which is mounted in the same valve body as the measuring outlets, which belong to the venturi, and in the same valve body as the flow-limiting ball valve, which also belongs to it. This means, that the position of the measuring outlets always is the same in relation to the ball valve.
Another valve construction, with the same functional build-up as the one described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,533,549, is described in WO 01/71289 A1. The similarity between the US patent and this patent application is the same in principle, since the two constructions are based on a valve body, which contains the two measuring outlets and the flow regulating function. Thus, also in the later case all the adapters are locked in their position in relation to each other
In the market place solutions have been developed, which have comprised two valve bodies, one of which has comprised the regulation function and the other one has comprised the measuring function, i.e. a venturi part plus a measuring outlet. These parts have subsequently been screwed together with an internal and external thread. The problem with this type of solution is, that the measuring outlets not always will end up in the same position in relation to the ball valve or the handle/lever of the regulation part, but this position will be determined by the position of the threaded inlets in the two valve bodies. Also, in a mounted position the relative position of the measuring outlets and the handle/lever of the flow regulation function is locked.
The drawbacks of the constructions described above are several. The most important one of them is, that no such construction results in a flexibility, as regards the positions of the measuring outlets in relation to the regulation function.
The market place requirements have been clearly stated: An as large as possible freedom of choice is aimed at, as regards the mounting position of this type of valves, without forgoing the accessibility during service or adjustment work. Also, there are other requirements regarding the functions, which are not met by the modern constructions.
The object of the present invention is to counteract and as far as possible remove the above-mentioned drawbacks. Also, one object of the invention is to develop the art in this technical field, within other application areas as well as for other applications of valves, which are not specifically mentioned in the present patent application.
These objects are attained by constructing a multifunctional valve in such a way, as is defined herein.
Additional characterizing features and advantages of the present invention are set forth in the following description, reference being made to the enclosed drawings, which show a few not limiting embodiments.
The drawings show in detail in:
Thus,
It is shown in the drawings, that the collector 1 is provided with several lateral adapters. There are two adapters 3 having mounted nipples 19, which are disposed on the periphery of the collector and are normally at somewhat different distances from the adapter plane 7 of collector 1 and are preferably at a 90° angle with respect to the outlets. In the same plane as measuring outlet 3, which is disposed very close to adapter plane 7 of collector 1, there is also an adapter for a discharge 4, which preferably is disposed at a 180° angle with respect to the last-mentioned measuring outlet. There is an axial distance=a between the two measuring outlets, which is determined by the design of venturi part 8, which is mounted in collector 1. Collector 1 can of course be provided with an additional adapter, not just adapters 3 and 4, e.g. for ventilation, and this adapter may be disposed in almost the same axial plane as the adapter for discharge.
These figures also show a lever 17, by means of which a closing device 14 of a flow control part 2 is controlled, and a recess 38, in which a locking ring 36, for locking the collector 1 to the flow control part 2, has its ends, and is accessible from the outside.
The flow path through the unit extends from the inlet 5 to the outlet 6. The inlet has an adapter 20 with an outer thread 21 for connection and mounting the unit in a tube system or the like, the thread 21 being adjusted to a standardized overflow nut or a similar attachment part. The attachment part is sealed against the collector 1 by an O-ring 22, which is fitted into a machined O-ring groove 23.
The venturi part maybe a separate element, mounted in the collector or maybe is an internally machined part in the collector 1, and designed in such a way, that the venturi function is obtained. In this case, a hole 10 is drilled directly into the zone of the venturi part, corresponding to the place, where holes 13 are disposed according to
The venturi part 8 comprises various geometries, which are adapted partly to the various sizes and various inner diameters as well as partly to various volume streams within one and the same dimension of the collector, in which consequently various requirements as to the venturi part and its measuring areas can be met. This means, that it must be possible to mount various venturi parts according to current customer requirements. The venturi part is mounted in collector 1, before the latter is connected to venturi part 2. During mounting the venturi part is pressed into the collector, and its rear part, and to such an extent, that the front part of the venturi part is stopped by collar 40, which is present in the collector. Thus, the collector has a somewhat larger—preferably about 1 mm—diameter in the section, in which the venturi part is to be placed. When collector 1 has been united with the valve part 2, the venturi part will be held in place also in its rear part, since the wall 25 limits it in this direction.
The flow control part 2 has an outlet end 6 with an internal thread 39. A closing device 14, preferably a ball, is mounted in the flow control part 2. A sealing element 15 is positioned on the inner side of ball 14, when seen from outlet 6, and is limited by its outer end of wall 25, which is present within the flow control part.
The construction with a separate locking ring 24 results in a degree of freedom, as far as the finished mounting of the multifunctional valve in an installation is concerned.
In modern constructions, often a combination of adapter portions are used, which are mounted in the thread 39—
By means of the construction now described the installation contractor will be able to select the type of adapter principle/adapter portion, which is suitable, precisely in the present case, e.g. a tube directly threaded to the valve, a tube connection for steal tubes or a connection for soldering.
In
This portion of the construction is to be designed in a known, normal way and is not described in detail in this specification.
In
Flow control part 2 also has a machining 37, which is internally positioned and positioned in such a way, that this groove 37 will lie in the middle of groove 35 in the collector, when parts 1 and 2 are jointly mounted.
In order to be able to jointly mount parts 1 and 2, first one part is to be fitted into the other, the collector then being able to enter the flow control part. When part 1 has been introduced such a long way, that the locking ring 36 abuts part 2 and its end face, it is possible, with a mounting tool, to press locking ring 36 inwards in a radial direction in order to make it more or less abut groove 35 and its internal surface. When locking ring 36 lies in this pressed-in position, it is possible to bias the collector 1 further into the part 2, and in this way the locking ring 36 will tend to expand outwards, and when it has arrived into a position, where part 2 and its groove 37 are positioned opposite locking ring 36, the locking ring will spring outwards and lock the two parts 1 and 2 in a radial direction.
In principle, the outer groove 37 may be designed in such a way, that it is possible to remove the locking ring, and in this way, when e.g. servicing is carried out, enabling the replacement any of parts 1 and 2. One solution for being able to do this is, that on about 30-45° of the periphery of part 2 there is a machining, e.g. a cutter grinding, carried out, which means, that a recess 38 is formed and extends all the way up to groove 37—see also
When the two parts 1 and 2 are united as a unit, it is always possible to rotate the two parts in relation to each other. This possibility gives the construction a degree of freedom, which no valve with the corresponding or similar functions has been able to offer so far.
Alternatives of the solution, which are available on known constructions, are based on the possibility of joining the two parts 1 and 2 using expensive threaded joints, which partly are costly and require a lot of space and which also result in a certain leakage risk.
Thus, according to the present invention, flexibility is obtained with a simple locking ring, and at the same time a seal against an outer leakage is guaranteed through O-ring 33, which has been found to be a reliable sealing element, provided the geometrical relationships between the O-ring and the groove, in which it is mounted, have been chosen in the correct way.
The inventive construction, which has been described and shown in
In this case, the flow control part 2 has been provided with an external thread 43 in the end, which meets collector 1, in order to, by means of an overflow nut 44, jointly mount the two parts 1 and 2.
Mounting of the overflow nut is done such that it firstly is introduced onto the end of the collector and up to adapters 3 and 4, the locking ring then being mounted on top of the collector and is forced upwards onto cylindrical part 49, where groove 45 is positioned. When the locking ring reaches the groove 45, the locking ring snaps into the groove. In the next step an O-ring 33 is mounted.
The collector 1 can now be introduced into the flow control part and the nut 44 can now be moved up to thread 43 in the flow control part and the two parts 1 and 2 can be united by means of threads. When the nut 44 with the groove 47 and its rear edge 50 reach the locking ring, the locking ring and the collector are pressed against the flow control part, the front part 51 of the collector finally being stopped by wall 25 in the flow control part.
Also, with this design it is always possible to rotate the two parts 1 and 2 in relation to each other in order to offer the technician/the installation the flexibility, which is required in order to, in a particular case, be able to place e.g. measuring nipples 19 and adapter 4 for discharge and lever 17 for the flow control part respectively in the suitable positions. The rotation of parts 1 and 2 can be done by loosening the overflow nut 44. When the rotation has been carried out, a suitable tightening moment can be applied again.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0500537-6 | Mar 2005 | SE | national |
This is a national stage completion of PCT/SE2006/000187 filed Feb. 13, 2006 which claims priority from Swedish Application Serial No. 0500537-6 filed Mar. 10, 2005.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/SE06/00187 | 2/13/2006 | WO | 00 | 9/7/2007 |
