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US 6,585,228 B1Granted
Electric valve actuator with eddy current clutch
AssigneeCooper Cameron Corporation
InventorLane P. McCaskill
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrically operated valve actuator with an eddy current clutch is disclosed. The use of the eddy current clutch provides an actuator that can control the rate of closing of the valve in a predetermined linear manner to avoid slamming the valve shut in an emergency shutdown.
Claims32
A valve actuator, comprising:
- an actuator housing;
- a bonnet secured to said actuator housing having a stem bore therethrough;
- a stem positioned within said stem bore of said bonnet, said stem configured for attachment to a valve closure member within a gate valve wherein movement of said stem moves said valve closure member within said gate valve between open and closed positions corresponding to operating and failsafe positions of said gate valve;
- a biasing module positioned within said actuator housing, connected to said stem and having a biasing member for urging said stem to a failsafe position;
- a transmission module moving said stem between said failsafe and operating positions, said movement opposed by said biasing member;
- a power module driving said transmission module;
- a control module to selectively release said stem from its operating position and allow said biasing member to move said stem to its failsafe position;
- and,
- a clutch assembly connected to said transmission module to control the movement of said stem at a preselected, linear rate as said stem is moved by said biasing member to said failsafe position.
6 more elements
A valve and valve actuator assembly, comprising:
- a valve body having a bore therethrough;
- a valve closure member movably positioned within said valve body to control flow through said valve body bore;
- a bonnet sealingly secured to said valve body having a stem bore therethrough;
- a stem positioned within said stem bore of said bonnet, said stem configured for attachment to said valve closure member wherein movement of said stem moves said valve closure member between open and closed positions corresponding to operating and failsafe positions of said gate valve;
- an actuator housing sealingly secured to said bonnet;
- a biasing module positioned within said actuator housing, connected to said stem and having a biasing member for urging said stem to a failsafe position;
- a transmission module moving said stem between said failsafe and operating positions, said movement opposed by said biasing member;
- a power module driving said transmission module;
- a clutch assembly connected to said transmission module to control the movement of said stem at a preselected, linear rate as said stem is moved by said biasing member to said failsafe position;
- a control module to selectively release said stem from its operating position and allow said biasing member to move said stem to its failsafe position;
- and,
- a clutch assembly connected to said transmission module to control the movement of said stem at a preselected, linear rate as said stem is moved by said biasing member to said failsafe position.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.