Valve operator and method
US6059262A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 23, 1998 |
| Grant date | May 9, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 23, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF16K31/502
- WIPO fieldMechanical elements
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
The valve operator of the present invention provides an apparatus and method for reducing torque necessary for opening and closing a valve, such as a quarter-turn rotary valve. In the preferred embodiment, an outer handle adaptor has inner curved tracks that drive balls positioned in straight slots of a middle cylinder. As the balls move in the straight slots, they transfer torque energy to a valve shaft adaptor mounted within the middle cylinder and having outer curved threads that mesh with the balls. The pitch of the curved tracks of the outer handle differ from the pitch the curved tracks of the valve shaft adaptor to thereby effect a desired torque reduction ratio. The valve operator has relatively few components, at least three or more relatively rotatable components, preferably arranged in meshing configuration so as to effect a small size operator without the use of a gear box. The size of the operator is so small that it is comparable or the effectively the same as that of a valve having a simple straight-shaft valve operator.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.