DE202019101129U1 - Device for the automatic actuation of a valve head of a shut-off valve and automatically driven shut-off valve - Google Patents

Abstract

Device for the electromotive actuation of a valve spindle (1a) of a shut-off valve provided with a valve head (1), the device having an electric motor (2) with a drive shaft (3) and a housing (4) surrounding the electric motor (2) at least in regions, characterized in that the housing (4) is fastened or can be fastened to the valve head (1) of the shut-off valve by means of a fastening structure (5) and that the drive shaft (3) of the electric motor (2) is attached directly or via a coupling element (6) the valve spindle (1a) is coupled and that the electric motor (2) is accommodated in the housing (4) in an axially movable and rotationally fixed manner, such that the electric motor (2) is axially dependent on an axial actuating movement of the valve spindle (1a) in the housing (4) is movable.

Description

The present invention relates to a device for the automatic actuation of a valve head of a shut-off valve according to the preamble of the first protection claim and an automatically drivable shut-off valve.

Almost all houses in developed countries have a domestic water connection. This can be switched off via a main shut-off valve - usually located in a service connection room - to enable repairs to water pipes or the replacement of water meters as well as to prevent the improper discharge of water due to a defect.

With the exception of industrial plants, these main shut-off valves are operated manually using a handwheel.

In the course of the automation of houses and in particular the protection against improper leakage of water, the water supply should be able to be interrupted electrically by control signals. Since there are as yet no electrically operated shut-off valves intended for use in houses, additional electrically operated shut-off valves are usually installed in the water supply as solenoid valves or motor-controlled ball valves. The necessary interruption of the water supply as well as the need to have the installation carried out by a specialist in the installation trade place narrow limits on the dissemination of such solutions.

The device described here uses the shut-off valve already installed in the house and supplements it with a motor control. This eliminates the costly installation of an additional shut-off valve.

Shut-off valves are typically implemented today using so-called angle seat valves, usually in conjunction with a so-called legally prescribed non-return valve. In the case of an angle seat valve, the water is sent through a round, defined opening that sits at an angle in the pipe. The inclined arrangement makes sense in terms of flow. A rubber seal is moved over this opening - connected to a spindle - which is pressed onto the opening when it is closed and moved away from the opening when it is opening. This spindle is led out of the valve and is operated directly from a handwheel. The conversion of the rotary movement into a linear movement is carried out by a thread, which is attached to both the spindle axis and in the housing of the valve.

In the technical implementation, the angle seat valves consist of the standardized valve body with the also standardized receptacle for the valve head. The valve head consists of the rubber seal, the spindle, the housing part connected to the spindle and the handwheel. Modern solutions add self-lubrication to the valve head to ensure smooth operation even after many years of use.

Since the valve heads outside the valve body are not standardized, there are a large number of variants that differ in their mechanical dimensions and also in the movement of the spindle axis. There are valve heads in which opening / closing the valve leads to a rising / falling spindle axis. Other implementations keep the spindle axis and thus the handwheel in the same position regardless of the degree of opening of the valve.

The DE 10 2017 117 904 A1 describes a valve body for an angle seat valve with a drive designed as a manual drive.

In the DE 44 123 75 A1 discloses a shut-off valve in which the stroke movement of the valve body is controlled by an actuator. The angled seat valve disclosed here is designed such that the flow channel merges from a round cross section in the area of the connecting piece to an annular cross section located approximately in the area of the valve body, i.e. beyond the valve seat, in order to then merge into an approximately U-shaped cross section, which finally flows back into goes over a circular cross section. This free space within the V-profile, which is arranged in the flow channel in a U-shape, is used for the spatial integration of the actuator, in particular of the servomotor, into the valve housing. The installation of such a shut-off valve is technically complex and requires specialist knowledge and the use of a specialist in the installation trade.

The EP 3 070 380 A1 discloses a valve drive with a drive shaft drivable via a motor. With this solution, the drive forces of the motor are transmitted to the drive shaft via numerous gears and shafts. The device has a very extensive construction and cannot be retrofitted to all common shut-off valves.

The DE 20 2006 018 756 U1 describes a valve driven by an electric motor, in which a circuit comprises at least one changeover switch, by means of which the direct current electric motor is connected in a first switching position in series connection with a capacitor to the power supply device, and by means of which the electric motor is connected in a second switching position parallel to the capacitor and decoupled from the power supply device.

The DE10 2011 055 759 B4 relates to a water and / or gas protection system for a building, an evaluation and control unit being provided, which is assigned at least one sensor unit which can detect water and / or natural gas, the evaluation and control unit being assigned at least one motor-driven actuating device which is provided for mechanical coupling with a shut-off valve in or on the building for water or natural gas. The actuating device has a spindle drive, a spindle axis mounted in axle bearings being driven by the drive, on which a spindle runner runs in positive guidance, engagement extensions being formed as drivers on the spindle runner. The drive motor is coupled to the valve via a gear, which makes the design more mechanically complex.

The DE 91 016 33 U1 relates to an electromotive actuator for shut-off valves, which is mainly used in the sanitary area. The actuating device consists of an encapsulated electric motor gear unit, the drive shaft of which runs coaxially with the valve shaft. The housing of the electric motor gear unit is flanged to a coupling sleeve, which in turn can be attached to the polygon of the valve housing in a rotationally fixed manner. The relative position of the valve shaft is detected by means of a potentiometer located between the electric motor gear unit and the clutch.

In the DE 93 00 197 U1 discloses a shut-off valve that can be converted from manual to independent operation, in particular a ball valve. A pneumatic drive is provided for independent operation.

From the DE 51 12 75 C is an automatic drive for shut-off valves is known, with which by a motor-driven shaft, the rotational movement of which is transmitted by a gear to the only axially displaceable valve spindle. The movement transmission of the shaft to the valve takes place via a grooved drum, the control groove of which is designed so that when the shaft rotates, the axially movable valve spindle moves to alternately closing and opening the valve. This embodiment, too, cannot easily be retrofitted for common shut-off valves.

All previously known solutions are either structurally very complex and / or cannot be easily retrofitted to all common shut-off valves. A flexible use on a variety of known angle seat valves is currently not possible with any of the solutions.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a device for the automatic actuation of a valve head of a shut-off valve and an automatically drivable shut-off valve which has a simple construction and can be installed on conventional and already built-in shut-off valves without great effort.

This object is achieved by a device for the automatic actuation of a valve head of a shut-off valve with the features of the first protection claim and by an automatically drivable shut-off valve with the features of the ninth protection claim. Advantageous refinements result from the subclaims.

This object is achieved with a device for the electromotive actuation of a valve spindle of a shut-off valve provided with a valve head, the device having an electric motor with a drive shaft and a housing which at least partially surrounds the electric motor, the housing using a fastening structure on the valve head of the shut-off valve, is attached or in particular is releasably attachable and the drive shaft of the electric motor is coupled directly or via a coupling element to the valve spindle and the electric motor is accommodated in the housing in an axially movable and rotationally fixed manner, such that the electric motor is axially displaceable in the housing as a function of an axial actuating movement of the valve spindle is.

The electric motor is preferably designed as a motor block, wherein a gear, in particular a planetary gear, is arranged in a motor housing of the electric motor, in particular a planetary gear, the drive shaft of which is coupled or can be coupled to the valve spindle.

If the drive shaft of the electric motor is coupled to the valve spindle via a coupling element, the coupling element is preferably rigidly and positively connected both to the drive shaft of the electric motor and to the valve spindle.

A mounting plate is preferably arranged on the valve-side end face of the electric motor and engages with corresponding axially extending second shaped elements of the housing via first shaped elements.

The mounting plate is preferably rigidly and positively connected to the motor housing of the electric motor. This can be done by screwing or Welding or other suitable methods known to those skilled in the art.

The first shaped elements of the mounting plate are preferably designed in the form of at least two radially outward projections. It is conceivable that more than two projections pointing radially outward are formed, but these are then arranged distributed axially symmetrically over the cross section of the mounting plate.

The second shaped elements of the housing are also preferably distributed axially symmetrically over the cross section of the housing.

The outwardly facing projections of the mounting plate preferably engage in second shaped elements in the form of corresponding guide grooves in the housing. It is also conceivable that the first shaped elements arranged on the mounting plate are guide grooves, which in turn engage with the second shaped elements arranged on the housing, which would then be formed as projections. It is also conceivable that projections pointing radially outward are formed directly on the motor block of the electric motor and engage in corresponding guide grooves in the housing.

The device according to the invention is preferably assembled in the closed state, but is also possible when the valve is open.

The housing preferably has at least two recesses arranged opposite one another, into which the fastening structure engages.

The fastening structure is preferably a clamping device.

The shut-off valve is preferably an angle seat valve.

Also according to the invention is an automatically drivable shut-off valve having a device according to the invention.

The special implementation of the electromechanical drive, in particular the dimensioning of the existing components, enables flexible use on all currently known angle seat valves, but also in other valves with a valve stem.

The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of an exemplary embodiment and associated drawings.

• 1 eine Schnittzeichnung der erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung in Verbindung mit einem Ventilkopf eines Absperrventils entlang der Hauptachse;
• 2 eine Seitansicht der erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung;
• 3 eine schematische Ansicht der erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung in Verbindung mit einem Ventilgehäuse eines Absperrventils;
• 4 eine schematische Darstellung des Motorblocks mit Montageplatte und Kupplungselement der erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung;
• 5 eine schematische Ansicht der Klemmvorrichtung in Verbindung mit dem Gehäuse einer erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung.

Show it:

• 1 a sectional drawing of the device according to the invention in connection with a valve head of a shut-off valve along the main axis;
• 2nd a side view of the device according to the invention;
• 3rd a schematic view of the device according to the invention in connection with a valve housing of a shut-off valve;
• 4th a schematic representation of the engine block with mounting plate and coupling element of the device according to the invention;
• 5 is a schematic view of the clamping device in connection with the housing of a device according to the invention.

1 shows a sectional drawing of the device according to the invention in connection with a valve head 1 a shut-off valve along the main axis L . The valve head 1 is on a pipe 8th arranged and has a valve stem 1a and a bottom 1b on.

An electric motor 2nd is designed as a motor block, a planetary gear coupled to the electric motor, the drive shaft of which is arranged in a motor housing of the electric motor 3rd (Drive axis) with the valve spindle 1a is coupled. In in 1 illustrated embodiment, the coupling of the drive shaft 3rd and valve stem 1a via a coupling element 6 .

The electric motor 2nd is from a housing 4th surrounded, which by means of a fastening structure 5 on the lower part 1b of the valve head 1 is attached.

On the valve side of the electric motor 2nd is a mounting plate 7 arranged and rigid and form-fitting with screw connections to the motor housing of the electric motor 2nd connected. The mounting plate has two opposite, first, radially outwardly extending form elements 7a (Projections) on.

In the housing 4th are also two opposite, axially extending second shaped elements in the form of slots / guide grooves. The first form elements 7a the mounting plate 7 reach into the second form elements 4a of the housing 4th a.

Furthermore, the housing 4th two recesses arranged opposite each other 4c in which the mounting structure 5 intervenes. With the attachment structure 5 it is a clamping device by means of which the housing 4th on the lower part 1b of the valve head 1 is attached.

Due to the inventive design of the device, the torsional forces from the motor axis 3rd via the rigid positive coupling element 6 on the valve stem 1a transfer.

Likewise, the torsional forces from the motor housing 2nd on the mounting plate 7 transferred, in the embodiment shown via a positive rigid screw connection, and from the mounting plate 7 about the guide grooves 4a form-fitting in the direction of rotation but flexible in the axial direction on the housing 4th . From the housing 4th again they become positive in the direction of rotation but flexible in the axial direction on the clamping device 5 transferred, the form-fitting and rigid with the housing 4th and with the lower part 1b of the valve head 1 connected is.

Because the valve head 1a with torsion axially along the axis L is moved and this with the electric motor 2nd is coupled, the electric motor 2nd inside the case 4th axially along the axis L moves, the first form elements 7a the mounting plate 7 the axial movement in the guide grooves 4a of the housing 4th to lead.

The motor itself and the entire mechanics are strictly axially symmetrical, so that the mechanical connections only have to absorb the torsional forces required to turn the valve and the weight of the mechanics.

2nd shows a side view of the device according to the invention. The housing is particularly recognizable 4th and the electric motor arranged therein 2nd . In the housing 4th runs axially symmetrical to the main axis L the guide groove 4a , in which the first shaped element 7a the mounting plate 7 can intervene. The attachment structure is also recognizable 5 .

In 3rd is a schematic view of the device according to the invention in connection with a valve housing of a shut-off valve. The second feature 4a extends axially along the housing 4th . The first feature 7a is in engagement with the second shaped element here 4a .

On the valve side of the housing 4th there are recesses 4c in the housing 4th in which the mounting structure 5 intervenes. Using the attachment structure 5 is the housing 4th on the valve head 1 releasably attached.

4th shows a schematic representation of the motor block of the electric motor 2nd with mounting plate 7 and coupling element 6 the device according to the invention. The mounting plate 7 is fixed with the electric motor 2nd connected and has two opposite, radially outwardly extending first shaped elements 7a on. Fixed with the drive shaft of the electric motor not recognizable here 2nd is the coupling element 6 connected, which is the torsional forces of the drive shaft of the electric motor 2nd transfers to the valve spindle, not shown here.

In 5 is a schematic view of the clamping device 5 in connection with the housing 4th shown a device according to the invention. In the housing 4th are two opposite recesses 4c arranged, in which the fastening structure 5 intervenes. The mounting structure shown here 5 is a clamping device, which with the help of two screws 9 can be attached to the polygon of a valve head of a shut-off valve in a rotationally fixed manner.

1. 1. Eine Basisklemme. Diese umfasst die bei allen Ventilköpfen zwecks Einbau notwendige Mutternartige Struktur am Fuß des Ventilkopfes.
2. 2. Das Gehäuse, welches rohrförmig als Verbindungsrohr mit Führungsnuten ausgefoldet ist. Dies ist das Gehäuse des Antriebes und wird über eine geeignete Struktur mit der Basisklemme verbunden. Diese Verbindung überträgt sowohl die Torsionskräfte des Motors als auch das Gewicht des Antriebes auf den Ventilkörper
3. 3. Der Motor selbst ist fest mit einer Montageplatte verbunden. Die Montageplatte verfügt über zwei Erweiterungen, die in den Führungsnuten des Verbindungsrohres je nach Position der Spindel auf- und niederfahren.
4. 4. Der Adapter zwischen dem Ende der Ventilspindel und der Spindel des Antriebsmotors ist formschlüssig und starr.

The solution according to the invention thus essentially consists of only four mechanical components:

1. 1. A base clamp. This includes the nut-like structure at the base of the valve head that is necessary for all valve heads for installation.
2. 2. The housing, which is folded out tubularly as a connecting tube with guide grooves. This is the housing of the drive and is connected to the base terminal using a suitable structure. This connection transfers both the torsional forces of the engine and the weight of the drive to the valve body
3. 3. The motor itself is firmly connected to a mounting plate. The mounting plate has two extensions that move up and down in the guide grooves of the connecting tube depending on the position of the spindle.
4. 4. The adapter between the end of the valve spindle and the spindle of the drive motor is positive and rigid.

The motor itself and the entire mechanics are strictly axially symmetrical so that the mechanical connections only have to absorb the torsional forces required to turn the valve and the weight of the mechanics.

1. a) Zwischen Motorachse über den starren formschlüssigen Adapter direkt auf die Ventilspindel
2. b) Zwischen Motorgehäuse über die formschlüssige starre Verschraubung auf die Montage platte. Von dort über die Führungsnuten formschlüssig in Richtung der Rotation aber flexibel in Achsrichtung auf das Führungsrohr. Vom Führungsrohr wiederum formschlüssig in Richtung der Rotation aber flexibel in Achsrichtung auf die Basisklemme, die formschlüssig und starr mit dem Gehäuse verbunden ist.

The torsional forces act between two sub-elements:

1. a) Between the motor axis via the rigid, form-fitting adapter directly onto the valve spindle
2. b) Between the motor housing via the positive rigid screw connection on the mounting plate. From there via the guide grooves in the direction of rotation but flexibly in the axial direction onto the guide tube. From Guide tube, in turn, form-fitting in the direction of rotation but flexible in the axial direction on the base clamp, which is positively and rigidly connected to the housing.

The solution according to the invention enables an attachment to all common products on the market.

The device according to the invention is actuated via a control unit and enables the valve to be closed or opened automatically.

For example, in the event of a leak or a pipe break, which is detected by corresponding sensors that are connected to the control unit, a corresponding signal for closing the valve is passed on via the control unit, as a result of which the motor connected to the voltage supply rotates in the closing direction, so that the valve is closed.

If the control unit is connected to a smartphone, a tablet or the like via a wireless connection, for example, the function selected via this terminal, which is available for example via an app, can be used to initiate opening or closing of the valve via the control unit. For example, after starting a vacation trip, the water can still be turned off if this has been forgotten.

Reference list

1

Valve head

1a

Valve stem

1b

Lower part of the valve head

2nd

Electric motor

3rd

drive shaft

4th

casing

4a

second form elements

4c

Recesses

5

Attachment structure

6

Coupling element

7

Mounting plate

7a

first form elements

8th

pipe

9

Screws

L

Main axis

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is only included for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent literature cited

• DE 102017117904 A1 [0009]
• DE 4412375 A1 [0010]
• EP 3070380 A1 [0011]
• DE 202006018756 U1 [0012]
• DE 102011055759 B4 [0013]
• DE 9101633 U1 [0014]
• DE 9300197 U1 [0015]
• DE 511275 C [0016]

Claims (9)

Device for the electromotive actuation of a valve spindle (1a) of a shut-off valve provided with a valve head (1), the device having an electric motor (2) with a drive shaft (3) and a housing (4) surrounding the electric motor (2) at least in regions, characterized in that the housing (4) is fastened or can be fastened to the valve head (1) of the shut-off valve by means of a fastening structure (5) and that the drive shaft (3) of the electric motor (2) is attached directly or via a coupling element (6) the valve spindle (1a) is coupled and that the electric motor (2) is accommodated in the housing (4) in an axially movable and rotationally fixed manner, such that the electric motor (2) is axially dependent on an axial actuating movement of the valve spindle (1a) in the housing (4) is movable. Device after Claim 1 , characterized in that a mounting plate (7) is arranged on the valve-side end of the electric motor (2) and engages with corresponding axially extending second shaped elements (4a) of the housing (4) via first shaped elements (7a). Device after Claim 1 or 2nd , characterized in that the mounting plate (7) has first shaped elements (7a) in the form of at least two radially outwardly pointing projections (7a), which are formed in second shaped elements (4a) in the form of corresponding guide grooves (4a) in the housing (4) intervention. Device after Claim 3 , characterized in that the housing (4) has at least two opposite, axially extending guide grooves (4a) into which the at least two projections (7a) of the mounting plate (7) engage. Device according to one of the Claims 1 to 4th , characterized in that the housing (4) has at least two oppositely arranged recesses (4c) into which the fastening structure (5) engages. Device according to one of the Claims 5 to 6 , characterized in that the fastening structure (5) is a clamping device. Device according to one of the Claims 1 to 6 , characterized in that arranged in a motor housing of the electric motor (2) is a planetary gear coupled to the electric motor, the drive shaft (3) of which is coupled to the valve spindle (1a). Device according to one of the Claims 1 to 7 , characterized in that the shut-off valve is an angle seat valve. Automatically drivable shut-off valve comprising a device according to one of the Claims 1 to 8th .

Images