Control member for a fluid control device
AssigneeEmerson Process Management Regulator Technologies, Inc.
InventorChristopher Joseph Jack Hunt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A control member for use in a fluid control device is disclosed. The control member may include a through-bore for receiving a valve stem and one or more counter-bores aligned with the through-bore. One of the counter-bores may receive a connection member, such as a retaining nut, for connecting the control member to the valve stem. Accordingly, the connection member may be concealed within the control member and thus prevented from interfering with the fluid flow around the control member. Also disclosed is a fluid control device incorporating the control member and a method of assembling a fluid control device incorporating the control member.
Claims10
A fluid control device comprising:
- a valve body defining a flow path for a fluid;
- a valve seat disposed in the valve body along the flow path;
- an actuator casing connected to the valve body;
- a control member disposed in the valve body and movable between an open position in which the control member is spaced apart from the valve seat and a closed position in which the control member engages the valve seat;
- a biasing member disposed in the actuator casing and configured to bias the control member to the closed position or the open position;
- a valve stem connected between the biasing member and the control member and aligned with a longitudinal axis;
- a connection member mounted around the valve stem and abutting a bottom surface of the control member to fixedly connect the control member to the valve stem;
- and
- a through-bore formed in the bottom surface of the control member and aligned with the longitudinal axis, the through-bore receiving the valve stem;
- a first counter-bore formed in the bottom surface of the control member and aligned with the longitudinal axis, the first counter-bore receiving the connection member;
- a thickness of the connection member being less than or equal to a depth of the first counter-bore such that the connection member does not protrude from the first counter-bore;
- the connection member having a first diameter, the first counter-bore having a second diameter, wherein the second diameter is greater than first diameter;
- the through-bore having a third diameter that is less than the first diameter and the second diameter;
- and
- wherein the bottom surface of the control member includes a second counter-bore aligned with the longitudinal axis, the second counter-bore having a fourth diameter that is greater than the second diameter.
A control member for a gas regulator having a valve body defining a flow path for a fluid, a valve seat disposed in the valve body along the flow path, an actuator casing connected to the valve body, a biasing member disposed in the actuator casing and configured to bias the control member to a closed position or an open position, a valve stem connected between the biasing member and the control member, and a nut threadably engaging the valve stem, the control member comprising:
- a top surface having a planar portion configured to engage the valve seat when the control member is arranged in the closed position;
- a bottom surface configured to engage the nut;
- a through-bore formed in the bottom surface of the control member and configured to receive the valve stem;
- a first counter-bore formed in the bottom surface of the control member and configured to receive the nut, the first counter-bore being aligned with the through-bore;
- and
- wherein a depth of the first counter-bore is greater than or equal to a thickness of the nut so that the nut does not protrude from the first counter-bore when the nut engages the bottom surface of the first counter-bore;
- and
- wherein the first counter-bore has a larger diameter than the through-bore;
- and
- further comprising a second counter-bore formed in the bottom surface such that the first counter-bore is arranged between the through-bore and the second counter-bore, wherein the second counter-bore has a larger diameter than the first counter-bore.
A method of assembling a gas regulator, the method comprising:
- providing a biasing spring, a nut, a valve stem having a threaded end portion, and a control member having a through-bore and a first counter-bore aligned with the through-bore;
- inserting the valve stem through the biasing spring and through the through-bore of the control member until the threaded end portion of the valve stem is disposed in the first counter-bore of the control member;
- and
- rotating the nut about the threaded end portion of the valve stem so that the nut is threadably advanced along the threaded end portion of the valve stem until the nut abuts a bottom surface of the counter-bore to fixedly connect the control member to the valve stem;
- making a depth of the first counter-bore greater than or equal to a thickness of the nut so that the nut does not protrude from the first counter-bore when the nut is arranged against the bottom surface of the counter-bore;
- and
- providing the control member with a second counter-bore aligned with the first counter-bore, wherein the second counter-bore has a larger diameter than the first counter-bore.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.