Self-aligning valve port
AssigneeEmerson Process Management Regulator Technologies, Inc.
InventorBiao Zhou
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A regulator comprises a regulator valve and an actuator. The actuator is coupled to the regulator valve and comprises a control element for controlling the flow of fluid through the regulator valve. The regulator valve is equipped with a self-aligning valve port that includes a retaining portion, a biased portion disposed within the retaining portion, and a biasing member disposed between the retaining portion and the biased portion. The self-aligning valve port advantageously automatically adjusts to achieve sealed engagement with the control element of the actuator, thereby improving regulator performance.
Claims14
A fluid regulating device, comprising:
- a valve comprising an inlet, an outlet, and a self-aligning valve port disposed between the inlet and the outlet for allowing fluid to flow through the valve, the self-aligning valve port including a retaining portion, a biased portion at least partly disposed within the retaining portion, and a biasing member disposed between the retaining portion and the biased portion;
- and
- an actuator coupled to the valve and comprising a control assembly, the control assembly comprising a control element and a diaphragm operably connected to the control element, the control element extending into the valve and adapted to be displaced relative to the self-aligning valve port for controlling the flow of a fluid between the inlet and the outlet;
- wherein, upon contact with a portion of the control element, the biased portion automatically moves from a first position in which a longitudinal axis of the biased portion is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the retaining portion to a second position in which the longitudinal axis of the biased portion is disposed at an angle from the longitudinal axis of the retaining portion and alignment and sealing engagement between the biased member and seating face of the control element occurs, and
- wherein the self-aligning valve port further comprises a retention member limiting axial displacement of the biased portion relative to the retaining portion, the retention member disposed within a circumferential recess of the biased portion to help secure the retaining portion to the biased portion.
A method of automatically adjusting a valve port for use with a fluid regulating device, the fluid regulating device including an inlet, an outlet, the self-aligning valve port disposed between the inlet and the outlet, and a control assembly having a control member adapted to be displaced relative to the valve port, thereby controlling the flow of a fluid between the inlet and the outlet disposed within a regulator valve, the method comprising:
- providing a retaining portion around a seat ring of a valve port;
- biasing the seat ring into a first position wherein a longitudinal axis of seat ring is aligned or parallel with a longitudinal axis of the retaining portion,
- automatically adjusting the seat ring, after a portion of the control member contacts a portion of the seat ring, into a second position about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the retaining portion until alignment and sealing engagement between a seating face of the control member and the seat ring of the biased portion is achieved, and
- limiting axial displacement of the seat ring relative to the retaining portion via a retention member disposed within a circumferential recess of the seat ring.
A self-aligning valve port for use with a fluid regulating device, the fluid regulating device including an inlet, an outlet, wherein the self-aligning valve port is disposed between the inlet and the outlet, and a control assembly having a control member adapted to be displaced relative to the valve port, thereby controlling the flow of a fluid between the inlet and the outlet, the self-aligning valve port comprising:
- a retaining portion;
- a biased portion at least partly disposed within the retaining portion and including a seat ring;
- a biasing member disposed between the retaining portion and the biased portion;
- and
- a retention member limiting axial displacement of the biased portion relative to the retaining portion, the retention member including at least one of a retention ring, a retention clip or a C-clip connected to the biased portion and adapted to abut an end of the retaining portion;
- wherein, after a portion of the control member contacts a portion of the seat ring of the biased portion, the biased portion automatically rotates about an axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the retaining portion until alignment and sealing engagement between a seating face of the control element and the seat ring of the biased portion is achieved, and
- wherein the biased portion includes a circumferential recess for receiving the retention member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.