Actuating device
AssigneeCameron International Corporation
InventorsNorbert Lenz, Klaus Biester
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An actuating device for displacing a control device, such as a valve, gate valve, or the like, particularly for use in oil or gas production systems. The actuating device includes at least one torque motor having an electric drive and a thread drive that is rotatable by the electric drive. The actuating device also includes a threaded spindle, a screw nut, a torque control/regulation device, and a position detection device. The threaded spindle is axially displaceable to displace a flow control device between an advanced position and a retracted position. The torque motor is connected to the screw nut in a rotationally-fixed manner and the position detection device is assigned to the threaded spindle to determine the axial position thereof.
Claims19
An actuating device, comprising:
- an electric drive comprising at least one torque motor;
- a thread drive comprising a threaded spindle and a screw nut, wherein the at least one torque motor is connected to the screw nut in a rotationally-fixed manner and the threaded spindle is axially displaceable to displace a flow control device between an advanced position and a retracted position, and wherein a rotor of the at least one torque motor circumferentially surrounds a hollow shaft, the hollow shaft circumferentially surrounds the screw nut, and the hollow shaft connects the at least one torque motor to the screw nut in the rotationally-fixed manner;
- a position detection device configured to monitor an axial position of the threaded spindle;
- and
- a torque control/regulation device configured to control the at least one torque motor based at least in part on the axial position of the threaded spindle.
A method of operating an actuating device, comprising:
- operating at least one torque motor to drive rotation of a screw nut of a thread drive, thereby causing axial displacement of a threaded spindle of the thread drive and a flow control device coupled to the threaded spindle, wherein a rotor of the at least one torque motor circumferentially surrounds a hollow shaft, the hollow shaft circumferentially surrounds the screw nut, and the hollow shaft connects the at least one torque motor to the screw nut in a rotationally-fixed manner to enable the at least one torque motor to drive rotation of the screw nut;
- monitoring an axial position of the threaded spindle using a position detection device;
- and
- controlling the at least one torque motor to adjust a torque applied by the at least one torque motor based at least in part on the axial position using a torque control/regulation device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.