Back to results
US 12,742,504 B2Granted
Ball valve with endurance enhancing features
AssigneePrecision Engine Controls Corporation
InventorsBenoy Kumar, Kyle J. Smith, Kim Cockbill
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An example valve includes: a ball rotatable by a shaft, wherein the ball has a cam surface; a metering seat that contacts the ball; a sealing seat that contacts the ball when the ball is in a closed position; and a follower coupled to the sealing seat, wherein when the ball is in an open rotational range that allows fluid flow from a first port to a second port, the follower is engaged with the cam surface, thereby lifting the sealing seat off the ball, while the metering seat remains in contact with the ball.
Claims20
A valve comprising:
- a housing having an inlet port and an outlet port;
- a shaft disposed within the housing;
- a ball disposed within the housing and rotatable by the shaft, wherein the ball has an opening therethrough to control fluid flow from the inlet port to the outlet port, and wherein the ball has a cam surface;
- a metering seat that contacts the ball, wherein when the ball is rotated to an open position within an open rotational range, the metering seat prevents leakage around the ball and maintains fluid flow from the inlet port through the metering seat and the opening to the outlet port;
- a sealing seat that contacts the ball when the ball is in a closed position and prevents leakage in either direction through the valve;
- and
- a follower coupled to the sealing seat, wherein when the ball is in the open rotational range, the follower is engaged with the cam surface, thereby lifting the sealing seat off the ball, while the metering seat remains in contact with the ball.
4 more elements
An assembly comprising:
- an electronics module;
- an electric motor, wherein the electronics module is mounted to and controls the electric motor;
- and
- a valve comprising:
- a housing having an inlet port and an outlet port,
- a shaft disposed and rotatable within the housing via the electric motor, and
- a ball disposed within the housing and rotatable by the shaft, wherein the ball has an opening therethrough to control fluid flow from the inlet port to the outlet port, and wherein the ball has a cam surface,
- a metering seat that contacts the ball, wherein when the ball is rotated to an open position within an open rotational range, the metering seat prevents leakage around the ball and maintains fluid flow from the inlet port through the metering seat and the opening to the outlet port,
- a sealing seat that contacts the ball when the ball is in a closed position and prevents leakage in either direction through the valve, and
- a follower coupled to the sealing seat, wherein when the ball is in the open rotational range, the follower is engaged with the cam surface, thereby lifting the sealing seat off the ball, while the metering seat remains in contact with the ball.
7 more elements
A method comprising:
- rotating a ball of a valve from a closed position, wherein the ball has an opening therethrough to control fluid flow from an inlet port to an outlet port, wherein the ball has a cam surface, wherein the valve comprises (i) a metering seat that contacts the ball, wherein when the ball is rotated to an open position within an open rotational range, the metering seat prevents leakage around the ball and maintains fluid flow from the inlet port through the metering seat and the opening to the outlet port, (ii) a sealing seat that contacts the ball when the ball is in a closed position and prevents leakage in either direction through the valve, and (iii) a follower coupled to the sealing seat;
- upon the ball reaching a particular rotational position, causing the follower to engage the cam surface, thereby lifting the sealing seat off the ball, while the metering seat remains in contact with the ball;
- and
- further rotating the ball to a threshold rotational position, thereby exposing at least a portion of the opening to allow fluid flow from the inlet port through the metering seat and the opening to the outlet port.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.