# US 10,480,683 B2 · Valve and closure member

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- Number: US 10,480,683 B2
- Document ID: US10480683B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/729,303
- Filed: 2017-10-10
- Published: 2019-04-11
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2017-10-10
- Assignees: Metso Flow Control Oy
- Applicants: Metso Flow Control Oy
- Inventors: Antti Kuitunen; Sampo Rosenberg; Pietari Luoto; Tarmo Laitinen; Tommi Bergström; Jari Ruhanen; Robbie Beehler; Bob Jenson; Kyle Kraning; Nick Kunz
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10480683B2

## CPC

- F16K 47/045: {and the closure member being rotatable}
- B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing
- F16K 5/0605: {with particular plug arrangements, e.g. particular shape or built-in means}
- F16K 5/12: Arrangements for modifying the way in which the rate of flow varies during the actuation of the valve
- F16K 39/06: for taps or cocks
- F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)}
- B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING

## Abstract

The invention relates to a valve having an inlet and an outlet, and a closure member. The closure member comprises an inlet area with a plurality of inlet openings and an outlet area. Main flow channels extend from initial openings in the inlet area through the closure member to openings in the outlet area, said initial openings are located in an initial flow inlet area of the inlet area which is first subjected to fluid from the inlet of the valve when the closure member is rotated from a fully closed position towards an initially open position.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A valve having an inlet and an outlet, and a closure member which is rotatably arranged in the valve to be moved between a fully closed position and a fully open position so as to control flow of a fluid from the inlet to the outlet of the valve; said closure member comprising: a flow inlet area and a flow outlet area; the flow inlet area comprising: an initial flow inlet area having at least one initial opening which is first subjected to fluid from the inlet of the valve when the closure member is rotated from the fully closed position towards an initial open position, and a main inlet flow area having at least one main opening which is subjected to fluid from the inlet after the at least one initial opening has been subjected to fluid and the closure member is rotated further from the initial open position towards the fully open position of the closure member; the flow outlet area comprising: an initial flow outlet area which is arranged to first discharge flow to the outlet of the valve when the closure member is rotated from the fully closed position towards the initial open position, and a main outlet flow area which is arranged to discharge flow when the closure member is rotated further from the initial open position towards the fully open position; at least one main flow channel extending from the main inlet flow area to the main flow outlet area allowing flow from the inlet of the valve through the closure member to the outlet of the valve; and at least one initial flow channel, different from the at least one main flow channel, having a helical shape, located within the closure member and extending closest to an outer periphery of the closure member for guiding flow from the initial flow inlet area to the initial flow outlet area.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A valve according to claim 1, wherein, said closure member is arranged to be turned more than 90° from the fully open position before reaching the fully closed position.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A valve according to claim 1, wherein the at least one initial flow channel and the at least one main flow channel are formed in an insert arranged to the closure member.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The valve according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least one initial flow channel has a cross sectional flow area which varies in different parts of the at least one initial flow channel.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The valve according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least one initial flow channel has a cross sectional flow area which varies with smooth transitions in different parts of the at least one initial flow channel.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The valve according to claim 1, wherein the at least one initial flow channel has at least one branch providing a secondary flow path to at least one main flow channel.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The valve according to claim 1, wherein the closing member has a plurality of initial flow channels each having a smaller cross sectional flow area than at least one main flow channel, said initial flow channels extending from the initial inlet opening along at least one main flow channel and opening up into the at least one main flow channel, at least two of said initial flow channels have a different length.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A valve according to claim 1, wherein the initial flow inlet area is provided with openings having a smaller cross sectional area than openings provided in the main inlet flow area.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The valve according to claim 1 wherein the closure member consists of one single solid piece.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The valve according to claim 1, wherein the at least one main flow channel has a helical shape.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The valve according to claim 1, wherein the at least one initial flow channel with said helical shape extends at least partly around a center axis of the closure member.