Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16K—VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING
  • F16K1/00—Lift valves or globe valves, i.e. cut-off apparatus with closure members having at least a component of their opening and closing motion perpendicular to the closing faces
  • F16K1/32—Details
  • F16K1/34—Cutting-off parts, e.g. valve members, seats
  • F16K1/46—Attachment of sealing rings
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T137/00—Fluid handling
  • Y10T137/4238—With cleaner, lubrication added to fluid or liquid sealing at valve interface
  • Y10T137/4245—Cleaning or steam sterilizing
  • Y10T137/4259—With separate material addition

Definitions

• This invention pertains to valve assemblies, and more particularly to sanitary valves having cleanable-in-place gaskets which are field replaceable.
• machinery including valve elements, for handling consumable products should be cleanable without the necessity of any disassembly and reassembly, i.e., the machinery should be cleanable with all the components in place.
• a sanitary linear valve assembly which includes a field replaceable gasket for sealing against a valve seat.
• apparatus which includes a valve stem comprising a valve stem plug and a valve stem shaft.
• the valve stem plug is formed with an external retaining surface which has its axis coincident with the axis of the valve stem shaft. Two axially spaced laterally extending shoulders serve to retain the replaceable gasket in place.
• a gasket of resilient plastic or elastomeric material is provided for use on the valve stem.
• the gasket is manufactured as an annular ring which fits loosely on a corresponding external surface of the valve stem plug, thus creating a seat assembly.
• the gasket is fabricated with a generally conical portion depending from one side of the annular ring.
• the conical portion has a central opening with an internal surface that conforms to the retaining surface of the valve stem plug.
• the gasket conical portion forms a hollow truncated cone which is axially retained on the valve stem plug between the two shoulders.
• the conical portion of the gasket is formed with an opening having an inner circumference which, when deformed, is capable of sliding over the valve stem end.
• the end is provided with a non- circular configuration in order to provide a circumference which is reduced compared to a circular shape having the same maximum diameter.
• the present invention also adapts the replaceable valve stem/gasket assembly to sanitary applications.
• the gasket and valve stem plug are dimensioned so that the gasket fits loosely on the valve stem plug and is capable of both axial and lateral movement relative thereto.
• the gasket is firmly pressed against the valve stem plug to create a tight seal.
• the valve stem is opened, clearances are created between corresponding retaining surfaces and shoulder portions of the gasket and valve stem plug.
• the valve plug end is also configured so that a space is provided between the plug end and the inside diameter of the gasket allowing axial fluid flow into this space.
• valve stem plug and corresponding gasket ring internal surface diverge in the same direction as the valve stem plug and gasket conical surfaces. This results in an increased flow path between the gasket and valve stem plug for washing fluid.
• valve stem end is preferably cut concavely so that openings are provided for axial flow of washing fluids into the gasket central opening. Consequently, the valve assembly can be cleaned in place, which eliminates non-productive disassembly and reassembly time.
• Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side view, partly in section, of one form of a fluid control apparatus incorporating a sanitary valve assembly of the present invention, showing the valve assembly in the open position;
• Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side view, partly in section, of a sanitary valve stem of the present invention
• Fig. 3 is an end view of the ste -sanitary gasket assembly in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
• Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along lines 4-4 of Fig. 3;
• Fig. 5 is an end view of a gasket separate from the valve seat
• Fig. 6 is an end view of a stem-sanitary gasket assembly of the present invention showing a modified embodiment
• Fig. 7 is an end view of the stem-sanitary gasket assembly of the present invention showing another modified embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
• valve 10 which includes the present invention.
• the valve finds particular usefulness in handling liquid and viscous food products and beverages. However, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to sanitary applications. - 6 -
• the control valve 10 includes an actuator (not shown) .
• the lower end of a bonnet portion 15 is detachably assembled to a valve body portion 17 having ports 18 and 21.
• a design for assembling the motor, bonnet, and valve body of the control valve, which do not constitute a part of the present invention, is described in U.S. patent 3,110,471.
• the bonnet 15 guides the valve stem shaft 13 of the seat assembly 25 of the present invention.
• the seat assembly 25 is actuated in a linear direction along the longitudinal axis of the valve stem shaft 13.
• the valve In Fig. 1, the valve is shown in the open position so that fluid entering port 21 may flow out of port 18.
• the seat assembly 25 includes a valve stem 13, Fig. 2, and a gasket 30.
• the gasket is positioned on the valve stem 13 as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4.
• the valve stem 13 usually includes a separate shaft (not shown) in accordance with conventional practice for attachment to an actuator.
• valve stem plug end 29 is constructed with a retaining surface 31 having its axis coincident with the axis of valve stem shaft 13.
• Surface 31 is generally conically surfaced at an angle of approximately 45° towards its apex end.
• a series of shoulder segments 35, 36, and 37 extend laterally from the apex end of surface 31.
• the surfaces 39 of these segments are preferably not perpendicular to the valve stem axis; but instead slope in the same general direction as surface 31.
• the base end of the tapered surface 31 terminates in an external circumferential surface 41.
• surface 41 is not cylindrical, but rather it tapers about 5° in the general direction of - 7 -
• a shoulder 43 having surface 44 generally perpendicular to the valve axis, extends laterally from the upper end of sloped surface 41.
• Concave indentations 38, 40 and 42 divide the stem end 29 into the segments 35, 36, 37 in the illustrated embodiment.
• the concave configuration of indentations 38, 40 and 42 enables flow of fluids in an axial direction into the space between the inner diameter of central opening 32 of gasket 30.
• the indentations can be of various configurations, such as straight line cuts at regular intervals around the periphery of stem end 29.
• the concave configuration is preferred, however, because this configuration is both easy to clean and enables greater fluid flow, thus providing for optimum flushing of the space between the inner surface 53 of the gasket 30 and surface 31.
• Gasket 30 can readily be installed over stem end 29 by deformation of the central opening 32, thus allowing sufficient stretching of the gasket to enable it to slide over the retaining segments 35, 36 and 37.
• a preferred material for the valve is a stainless steel, such as type 316 stainless steel.
• the valve 10 includes a field replaceable gasket 30.
• a field replaceable gasket 30 is a PTFE plastic.
• Elastomer gaskets of a harder durometer are also suitable as are composite - 8 -
• the gasket 30 is constructed with an annular ring 45 of generally rectangular cross-section. Ring internal surface 46 is sloped to correspond with the valve stem plug 41. To contact and provide a seal with tapered valve seat 19, the gasket ring is provided with an external chamfer 47.
• the gasket 30 is formed with a central opening 32 and a hollow retaining section 49 which extends from one end of the ring 45.
• the section 49 is defined by generally parallel external and internal surfaces 51 and 53, respectively.
• Inner surface 53 corresponds to valve stem conical surface 31.
• the opening 32 is of a diameter lesser than that of the outer perimeter of a circle drawn around shoulder segments 35, 36, 37.
• valve stem head 29 is manually inserted through the gasket ring 45 until the valve stem chamfer 39 strikes the internal surfaces 53. Then, as the gasket is pushed into further engagement with the valve stem, the opening 32 is deflected outwardly to allow the opening 32 to pass over shoulder segments 35, 36, 37. Tilting of the ring 30 assists in the installation process. The gasket 30 snaps back to its undeflected position when in place as seen in Figs. 3 and 4. The gasket is then retained during use between shoulders 35,36, 37 ,and 43.
• a gasket may be easily replaced in the field.
• the old gasket is cut from the valve stem, as with a knife, and a new gasket can be assembled to the original valve ste without the use of special - 9 -
• the gasket-stem combination of this invention performs similarly to that shown in my "532 patent.
• the present invention is also concerned with in-place cleaning of the valve seat assembly. That is accomplished by dimensioning the valve stem plug 25 and gasket 30 such that when the valve is in the open position, the gasket fits loosely on the valve stem plug.
• the gasket is capable of both axial and lateral movement with respect to the valve stem plug, because the distance between the retaining shoulders 35, 36, 37 and 43 is slightly greater than the length of the gasket.
• the designed clearances between the gasket and valve stem plug and openings 38, 40 and 42 provide a path for washing fluid that is flushed through the valve assembly during cleaning. Thus, any food particles that adhered to the seat assembly during normal operation may be removed without non- productive disassembly and reassembly of the control apparatus or the valve assembly.
• FIGS. 6 and 7 there are shown embodiments utilizing different configurations for the retaining shoulders at the distal ends 129 or 229 of the valve stem together with the indentations separating the same.
• FIG. 6 four shoulder segments 60, 62, 64, and 66 are shown. These segments are separated by concave indentations 61,
• valve stem end 229 includes two - 10 -
• the conical retaining surface 231 shown exposed for axial flow of cleaning fluid is similar to surface 31 of Figures 2-5.
• the gasket 30 with its circular opening 32 can be deformed sufficiently to allow placement over the stem ends 129 and 229 respectfully.
• Other stem end orientations having as many as 8-10 shoulder segments can also be utilized as needed.
• the number of shoulders preferred is somewhat dependent upon the diameter of the stem. For example, with a stem end 229 having a diameter of approximately 1 inch the two segments shown in Figure 7 are suitable.
• the embodiment shown in Figures 2-5 has been found particularly applicable to valve stems in which the stem end 29 has a diameter of approximately 1.5 to 3 inches.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Lift Valve (AREA)
• Valve Housings (AREA)
• Sealing Devices (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=21989261

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Families Citing this family (16)

Citations (1)

Family Cites Families (2)

• 1998
  • 1998-04-02 US US09/054,177 patent/US5996966A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 1999
  • 1999-04-01 MX MXPA00009638A patent/MXPA00009638A/es active IP Right Grant
  • 1999-04-01 CA CA002325426A patent/CA2325426C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-04-01 WO PCT/US1999/007214 patent/WO1999051896A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 1999-04-01 JP JP2000542590A patent/JP2002510782A/ja active Pending
  • 1999-04-01 EP EP99915203A patent/EP1068463A4/en not_active Withdrawn
• 2009
  • 2009-04-02 JP JP2009090562A patent/JP2009150557A/ja active Pending

Patent Citations (1)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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