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US 6,484,751 B2Granted
Position detection for rotary control valves
AssigneeSPX Corporation
InventorsLawrence R. Lafler, Douglas J. Tanner, Val DiEuliis, Vernon M. Cottles
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rotary control valve includes a flow control element having a lower valve shaft rotatably received in a non-magnetic body portion. A magnet is coupled with a lower valve shaft and rotatable therewith to produce an external magnetic field that varies in accordance with the angular position of the flow control element. A magnetic field detector, positioned in the external magnetic field, is operable to detect the external magnetic field and to produce position signals representative thereof, such being indicative of the angular position of the flow control element.
Claims21
A valve comprising:
- a valve body having walls defining a flow path therethrough;
- a flow control element;
- mounting structure coupled with said flow control element and rotatably mounting said element in said flow path for rotation therein through a plurality of angular positions, said mounting structure including a first valve shaft extending through said body and an opposed, second valve shaft rotatably received in a body portion with said body and
- an angular position sensor including
- at least one magnet fixed relative to the flow control element, the magnet being rotatable with the flow control element and operable to present a magnetic field,
- a first sensor located so as to provide it with an angular orientation φ1 relative to a reference axis, and operable to detect the apparent strength of the magnetic field and to produce a signal V1 which is indicative thereof;
- a second sensor located so as to provide it with an angular orientation φ2 relative to the reference axis, and operable to detect the apparent strength of the magnetic field and to produce a signal V2 which is indicative thereof;
- an electric circuit operable to determine the angular position of the magnet and thereby the flow control element using the following formula, where the angular orientation of the rotatable element is θv, θ v = arctan [ cos ( φ 2 ) · V 1 - cos ( φ 1 ) · V 2 ] [ sin ( φ 1 ) · V 2 - sin ( φ 2 ) · V 1 ] . ( 16 )
5 more elements
A valve comprising:
- a valve body having walls defining a flow path therethrough;
- a flow control element;
- mounting structure coupled with said flow control element and rotatably mounting said element in said flow path for rotation therein through a plurality of angular positions, said mounting structure including a first valve shaft extending through said body and an opposed, second valve shaft rotatably received in a body portion with said body and
- an angular position sensor;
- wherein said angular position sensor includes two spaced magnets positioned within said second valve shaft, the north pole of one of said magnets being oriented adjacent the south pole and the other of said magnets, said magnets presenting respective first ends positioned adjacent said body portion and respective second ends inboard thereof, said sensor includes a ferromagnetic strap magnetically coupling said second ends.
2 more elements
A valve comprising:
- a valve body having walls defining a flow path therethrough;
- a flow control element;
- mounting structure coupled with said flow control element and rotatably mounting said element in said flow path for rotation therein through a plurality of angular positions, said mounting structure including a first valve shaft extending through said body and an opposed, second valve shaft rotatably received in a body portion;
- an angular position sensor;
- wherein said angular position sensor includes two spaced magnets positioned within said second valve shaft, the north pole of one of said magnets being oriented adjacent the south pole and the other of said magnets, said magnets presenting respective first ends positioned adjacent said body portion and respective second ends inboard thereof, said sensor includes a ferromagnetic strap magnetically coupling said second ends,
- said angular position sensor includes two magnetic field detectors, each being subject to changes in sensitivity due to temperature, said sensors being positioned with respective angular orientations offset from one another sufficiently to reduce the effect of temperature changes on sensor accuracy,
- said magnetic field detectors are operable to produce position signals as respective voltage signals V1 and V2, said angular position of said flow control elements being represented by θ v = arctan [ cos ( φ 2 ) · V 1 - cos ( φ 1 ) · V 2 ] [ sin ( φ 1 ) · V 2 - sin ( φ 2 ) · V 1 ] . ( 16 )
- where φ1 and φ2 are the respective angular orientations of said detectors.
5 more elements
An angular position sensor comprising:
- at least one magnet fixed relative to a rotatable element, the magnet being rotatable with the element and operable to present a magnetic field,
- a first sensor located so as to provide it with an angular orientation φ1 relative to a reference axis, and operable to detect the apparent strength of the magnetic field and to produce a signal V1 which is indicative thereof;
- a second sensor located so as to provide it with an angular orientation φ2 relative to the reference axis, and operable to detect the apparent strength of the magnetic field and to produce a signal V2 which is indicative thereof;
- an electric circuit operable to determine the angular position of the magnet and thereby the element using the following formula, where the angular orientation of the rotatable element is θv, θ v = arctan [ cos ( φ 2 ) · V 1 - cos ( φ 1 ) · V 2 ] [ sin ( φ 1 ) · V 2 - sin ( φ 2 ) · V 1 ] . ( 16 )
1 more element
An angular position sensor for sensing the position of a rotating first body in a second body, comprising:
- two spaced magnets positioned within said first body, the north pole of one of said magnets being oriented adjacent the south pole and the other of said magnets, said magnets presenting respective first ends positioned adjacent said second body and respective second ends inboard thereof;
- and
- a ferromagnetic strap magnetically coupling said second ends.
An angular position sensor for sensing the position of a rotating first body in a second body, comprising:
- two spaced magnets positioned within said first body, the north pole of one of said magnets being oriented adjacent the south pole and the other of said magnets, said magnets presenting respective first ends positioned adjacent said second body and respective second ends inboard thereof;
- a ferromagnetic strap magnetically coupling said second ends;
- and
- two magnetic field detectors, each being subject to changes in sensitivity due to temperature, said sensors being positioned with respective angular orientations offset from one another sufficiently to reduce the effect of temperature changes on sensor accuracy.
1 more element
A valve comprising:
- a valve body having walls defining a flow path therethrough;
- a flow control element;
- a mounting structure coupled with said flow control element and rotatably mounting said element in said flow path for rotation therein through a plurality of angular positions, said mounting structure including a first portion extending through said body and externally beyond the walls and a second portion rotatably received in a body portion within said body without projecting externally beyond the walls;
- and
- an angular position sensor including
- at least one magnet coupled with said second portion and rotatable therewith, said magnet being configured and positioned to present an external magnetic field at a location outside said valve body and adjacent said body portion, the apparent strength of said external magnetic field at said location being correlated with the angular position of said second valve portion and thereby with said flow control element, and
- a magnetic field detector positioned in said external magnetic field at said location, operable to detect the strength of said external magnetic field, and operable to produce angular position signals representative thereof, such being indicative of the angular position of said flow control element.
4 more elements
A valve comprising:
- a valve body having walls defining a flow path therethrough;
- a flow control element;
- a mounting structure coupled with said flow control element and rotatably mounting said element in said flow path for rotation therein through a plurality of angular positions, said mounting structure including a shaft, said shaft having a first portion extending through said body and externally beyond the walls and said shaft having a second portion rotatably received in a body portion within said body without projecting externally beyond the walls;
- and
- an angular position sensor including
- at least one magnet coupled with said second portion and rotatable therewith, said magnet being configured and positioned to present an external magnetic field at a location outside said valve body and adjacent said body portion, the apparent strength of said external magnetic field at said location being correlated with the angular position of said second portion and thereby with said flow control element, and
- a magnetic field detector positioned in said external magnetic field at said location, operable to detect the strength of said external magnetic field, and operable to produce angular position signals representative thereof, such being indicative of the angular position of said flow control element.
4 more elements
A valve comprising:
- a valve body having walls defining a flow path therethrough;
- a flow control element;
- mounting structure coupled with said flow control element and rotatably mounting said element in said flow path for rotation therein through a plurality of angular positions, said mounting structure including a first portion extending through said body and externally beyond the walls and a second portion rotatably received in a body portion within said body without projecting externally beyond the walls;
- and
- an angular position sensor including
- at least one magnet coupled with said second portion and rotatable therewith, said magnet being configured and positioned to present an external magnetic field at a location outside said valve body and adjacent said body portion, the apparent strength of said external magnetic field at said location being correlated with the angular position of said second portion and thereby with said flow control element, and
- magnetic field detector positioned in said external magnetic field at said location, operable to detect the strength of said external magnetic field, and operable to produce angular position signals representative thereof, such being indicative of the angular position of said flow control element,
- said angular position sensor including two spaced magnets positioned within said second portion,
- the north pole of one of said magnets being oriented adjacent the south pole and the other of said magnets, said magnets presenting respective first ends positioned adjacent said body portion and respective second ends inboard thereof.
6 more elements
A valve comprising:
- a valve body having walls defining a flow path therethrough;
- a flow control element;
- mounting structure coupled with said flow control element and rotatably mounting said element in said flow path for rotation therein through a plurality of angular positions, said mounting structure including a shaft having a first portion extending through said body and externally beyond the walls and said shaft having a second portion rotatably received in a body portion within said body without projecting externally beyond the walls;
- and
- an angular position sensor including
- at least one magnet coupled with said second portion and rotatable therewith, said magnet being configured and positioned to present an external magnetic field at a location outside said valve body and adjacent said body portion, the apparent strength of said external magnetic field at said location being correlated with the angular position of said second portion and thereby with said flow control element, and
- magnetic field detector positioned in said external magnetic field at said location, operable to detect the strength of said external magnetic field, and operable to produce angular position signals representative thereof, such being indicative of the angular position of said flow control element,
- said angular position sensor including two spaced magnets positioned within said second portion,
- the north pole of one of said magnets being oriented adjacent the south pole and the other of said magnets, said magnets presenting respective first ends positioned adjacent said body portion and respective second ends inboard thereof.
6 more elements
A valve comprising:
- a valve body having walls defining a flow path therethrough;
- a flow control element;
- a mounting structure coupled with said flow control element and rotatably mounting said element in said flow path for rotation therein through a plurality of angular positions;
- and
- an angular position sensor including
- at least one magnet fixed relative to the flow control element, the magnet being rotatable with the flow control element and operable to present a magnetic field,
- a first sensor located so as to provide it with an angular orientation φ1 relative to a reference axis, and operable to detect the apparent strength of the magnetic field and to produce a signal V1 which is indicative thereof;
- a second sensor located so as to provide it with an angular orientation φ2 relative to the reference axis, and operable to detect the apparent strength of the magnetic field and to produce a signal V2 which is indicative thereof;
- an electric circuit operable to determine the angular position of the magnet and thereby the flow control element using the following formula, where the angular orientation of the rotatable element is θv, θ v = arctan [ cos ( φ 2 ) · V 1 - cos ( φ 1 ) · V 2 ] [ sin ( φ 1 ) · V 2 - sin ( φ 2 ) · V 1 ] . ( 16 )
6 more elements
A valve comprising:
- a valve body having walls defining a flow path therethrough;
- a flow control element;
- mounting structure coupled with said flow control element and rotatably mounting said element in said flow path for rotation therein through a plurality of angular positions, said mounting structure including a first valve shaft extending through said body and an opposed, second valve shaft rotatably received in a body portion;
- and
- an angular position sensor;
- wherein said angular position sensor includes two spaced magnets positioned within said second valve shaft, the north pole of one of said magnets being oriented adjacent the south pole of the other of said magnets, said magnets presenting respective first ends positioned adjacent said body portion and respective second ends inboard thereof.
3 more elements
A valve comprising:
- a valve body having walls defining a flow path therethrough;
- a flow control element;
- mounting structure coupled with said flow control element and rotatably mounting said element in said flow path for rotation therein through a plurality of angular positions, said mounting structure including a first valve shaft extending through said body and an opposed, second valve shaft rotatably received in a body portion;
- an angular position sensor;
- wherein said angular position sensor includes two spaced magnets positioned within said second valve shaft, the north pole of one of said magnets being oriented adjacent the south pole and the other of said magnets, said magnets presenting respective first ends positioned adjacent said body portion and respective second ends inboard thereof, said sensor includes a ferromagnetic strap magnetically coupling said second ends,
- said angular position sensor includes two magnetic field detectors, said detectors being positioned with respective angular orientations offset from one another.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.