# US 12,000,498 B2 · Valve actuator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,000,498 B2 - Document ID: US12000498B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/883,818 - Filed: 2022-08-09 - Published: 2023-02-23 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2021-08-19 - Assignees: LG Electronics Inc. - Applicants: LG Electronics Inc. - Inventors: Joohang Kang; Youngchan Ahn; Deokkyu Lee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12000498B2 ## CPC - F16K 31/045: {with torque limiters} - F16D 7/10: moving radially between engagement and disengagement - F16K 1/14: with ball-shaped valve member (check valves F16K15/04) - F16K 5/0647: {Spindles or actuating means} - F16K 31/041: {for rotating valves (F16K31/055 takes precedence)} - F16K 31/535: {for rotating valves (F16K31/54 takes precedence)} - F16H 19/001: {for conveying reciprocating or limited rotary motion} - F16H 35/10: Arrangements or devices for absorbing overload or preventing damage by overload - 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)} - F16D: COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES - F16H: GEARING ## Abstract A valve actuator includes a motor and a gear assembly that receives driving force of the motor and controls a valve. In the gear assembly, a power transmission gear for transmitting rotational force of an input gear to an output gear includes a selective power transmission unit. When the output gear is in physical contact with a stopper, the power transmission gear transmits the rotational force of the input gear to the output gear is blocked. Accordingly, even after the valve is actuated to close a path, the rotational force of the input gear is not transmitted to the output gear even though the motor is continuously driven. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A valve actuator comprising: a motor; and a gear assembly configured to receive a driving force of the motor and control a valve, wherein the gear assembly includes: a first gear coupled to a rotational shaft of the motor and configured to receive the driving force of the motor, a second gear coupled to the valve and configured to transmit a rotational force of the first gear to the valve, at least one stopper configured to limit a rotational angle of the second gear, and at least one power transmission gear configured to transmit the rotational force of the first gear to the second gear, wherein the at least one power transmission gear includes a third gear configured to, based on the rotational angle of the second gear, selectively block the rotational force of the first gear being transmitted to the second gear, wherein the third gear is configured to, based on the second gear not contacting the stopper, transmit the driving force of the motor to the second gear through the first gear, and wherein the third gear is configured to, based on the second gear contacting the stopper, block the driving force of the motor from being transmitted to the second gear through the first gear. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The valve actuator of claim 1, further comprising: a case that receives the gear assembly and the motor, wherein the gear assembly is housed inside the case. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The valve actuator of claim 2, wherein the at least one stopper includes a first stopper configured to limit a clockwise-direction rotational angle of the second gear and a second stopper configured to limit a counterclockwise-direction rotational angle of the second gear, the first and second stoppers being housed inside the case. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The valve actuator of claim 3, wherein the gear assembly is configured to reduce a speed based on the rotational force of the first gear being transmitted to the second gear through the at least one power transmission gear. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The valve actuator of claim 3, wherein the third gear includes an outer wheel portion and an inner wheel portion positioned at an inner side of the outer wheel portion, the outer wheel portion and the inner wheel portion being connected by a selective power transmission unit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The valve actuator of claim 5, wherein the selective power transmission unit includes: a plurality of concave portions and a plurality of convex portions that are alternately positioned at an outer circumferential surface of the inner wheel portion, and balls positioned at the plurality of concave portions and elastically pressed toward a center of the inner wheel portion. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The valve actuator of claim 6, wherein the outer wheel portion includes a plurality of spring installation portions that position a plurality of springs, the plurality of springs being configured to elastically press the balls. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The valve actuator of claim 7, wherein the plurality of concave portions, and the plurality of convex portions, the balls, and the plurality of spring installation portions are provided in even numbers. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The valve actuator of claim 8, wherein the plurality of concave portions, the plurality of convex portions, the balls, and the plurality of spring installation portions are arranged to be symmetric to each other around the inner wheel portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The valve actuator of claim 7, wherein the third gear is directly coupled to the first gear. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The valve actuator of claim 10, wherein the outer wheel portion includes an outer-wheel tooth portion engaged with a first-gear tooth portion of the first gear, and wherein the inner wheel portion includes an inner-wheel tooth portion positioned below the outer-wheel tooth portion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The valve actuator of claim 11, wherein the at least one power transmission gear further includes: a fourth gear coupled to the third gear, and a fifth gear coupled to each of the fourth gear and the second gear. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The valve actuator of claim 12, wherein the fourth gear includes: a first fourth-gear tooth portion coupled to a third-gear tooth portion of the third gear, and a second fourth-gear tooth portion positioned below the first fourth-gear tooth portion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The valve actuator of claim 13, wherein the fifth gear includes: a first fifth-gear tooth portion coupled to the second fourth-gear tooth portion of the fourth gear, and a second fifth-gear tooth portion positioned above the first fifth-gear tooth portion. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The valve actuator of claim 14, wherein the second gear includes a second-gear tooth portion coupled to the second fifth-gear tooth portion of the fifth gear. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The valve actuator of claim 15, wherein the second-gear tooth portion of the second gear includes an arc shape. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The valve actuator of claim 16, wherein the at least one stopper is configured to, based on the second gear rotating, contact a side surface of the second-gear tooth portion of the second gear that includes the arc shape. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The valve actuator of claim 15, wherein the second gear further includes a stem coupling portion that couples a stem of the valve.