WO2012156974A1

WO2012156974A1 - Pipe anchoring sleeves for polymeric hydraulic control valve body

Info

Publication number: WO2012156974A1
Application number: PCT/IL2012/050175
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hezi HAGBI
Original assignee: Ooval Valves Ltd.
Priority date: 2011-05-18
Filing date: 2012-05-16
Publication date: 2012-11-22
Also published as: IL212975A0; IL212975A

Abstract

This summary section of the patent application is intended to provide an overview of the subject matter disclosed herein, and should not be construed as limiting the invention to any features described in this summary section. The invention, the subject matter of this application, is characterized by the installation of adapting sleeves at the inlet flow seat and the outlet flow seat of hydraulic control valve with a body component manufactured from polymer material. The type of the material, from which the sleeves are made, is suited for anchoring by optimal bonding of the PVC piping in them (for example- the sleeves themselves are also made from PVC).

Description

PIPE ANCHORING SLEEVES FOR POLYMERIC HYDRAULIC CONTROL

VALVE BODY

Field of the Invention

The invention, the subject matter of this patent application, relates to hydraulic control valves that serve in the industry, agriculture, fire fighting and water conducting systems, and in particular in the field of valves the body components of which are made of polymeric materials and that are intended to be coupled with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) piping.

Background of the invention

In recent years the body components and the bonnets of hydraulic control valves - for example the body components of direct-sealing diaphragm valves that are operated by line pressure, are occasionally made of polymeric materials. Manufacturing these components from polymeric materials by the injection into molds manufacturing process that facilitates and lowers the price of manufacturing the valves, contributes to a substantial reduction in the weight of the valve and to its mode of withstanding corrosion effects (as compared to valves made by metal casting). The evolution of the composite materials technologies contributes, as well, to the growing prevalence of such valves because using composite materials for manufacturing these components (for example - by heat pressing into a mold) instills on the components attributes of strength and withstanding stress while maintaining their qualities that we have pointed out above.

Concurrently, in the majority of applications (for example— agriculture), the pipes that have to be anchored to the body components of the valve (at its flow inlet and flow outlet) are still made from the prevalent polymer polyvinyl chloride (recognized widely by its initials PVC).

The requirement to ensure the sealing between the piping components and the body of the valve brings about a known challenge - the difficulty of bonding PVC to many materials that are different from it. First, it is required to ensure maximum match (tight tolerance) between the inner diameter of the seat in the body of the valve and the outer diameter of the end of the pipe that is designed to be anchored in it. Then, the field technicians are generally required to use a cumbersome process of strict cleaning, roughening the contact surface and application of primer and dedicated glues wherein the reliability of the joint in time is dubious. Reference is being made to Figure No. 1. Figure No. 1 constitutes a view in perspective of a cross section of the body of valve 10 (in the illustrated example a body of a valve of the direct-sealing diaphragm valves that are operated by line pressure type), which there are anchored by bonding PVC pipes 20, while this necessitates meticulous attention to suitability of the dimensions and compatibility for bonding together the different materials.

An alternate possibility is to perform the anchoring by mechanical means, for example forming a screw thread on the end of the pipe and forming a matching thread at the body of the valve, operations that raise the costs of manufacturing the body of the valve and the piping.

An additional possibility is to manufacture the valve's body from a material that matches that of the pipe that has to be anchored to it, namely manufacturing the body of the valve also from PVC, but it was found that as time passes, this kind of valves - after long exposure to varying weather conditions (cold, sun radiation etc.), become brittle, easily cracked, and their ability of withstanding the water flow pressure is reduced.

Thus, in the time that preceded the invention, the subject matter of this application, there existed a need for a solution to the problem of achieving efficient anchoring of PVC piping to bodies of valves that are manufactured from advanced polymeric materials (for example - composite materials) that are not matched for an efficient bonding under field conditions as required, to the PVC piping.

Summary of the Invention

This summary section of the patent application is intended to provide an overview of the subject matter disclosed herein, and should not be construed as limiting the invention to any features described in this summary section.

The invention, the subject matter of this application, is characterized by the installation of adapting sleeves at the inlet flow seat and the outlet flow seat of hydraulic control valve with a body component manufactured from polymer material.

The type of the material, from which the sleeves are made, is suited for anchoring by optimal bonding of the PVC piping in them (for example - the sleeves themselves are also made from PVC).

In accordance with the invention, the installation of the sleeves is enabled either integrally - as a part of the manufacturing process by injection or by heat pressing of the valve body in the mold, or alternatively later on, by installing the sleeves inside the valve's seats (for example - using a snap-fit type connector), and while providing a possibility, accordingly, for suiting on the site (in the field) the sleeve that is proper for the outside diameter of the given PVC pipe.

Thus, by one aspect of the invention, the discussed subject is a hydraulic control valve that includes a body component made of a polymeric material and sleeves for anchoring a piping that are fit to be assembled on the seat of the flow inlet of the body component and the flow outlet of the body component and enable anchoring by gluing or bonding of the PVC piping in them.

In one embodiment of the invention, there is a hydraulic control valve where the sleeves are installed at the seat of the flow inlet and at the flow outlet of the body component already within the production stage of the body component in the mold and constitutes an integral part of it.

In a second embodiment of the same invention, there is a hydraulic control valve where the sleeves are formed, each one of them, on their ends - with a circumferential array of protruding tabs, and the seats of the flow inlet and the flow outlet of the body component are formed, each one - with a circumferential slot wherein from the instant of inserting the sleeves into the seats, it is suited to accept into it the circumferential array of protruding tabs, up to creating a snap-fit type of connector between them, wherein for assuring impervious sealing between the outer surface area of the sleeves to the surface area of the seats from the instant of creating the snap-fit connector between them, the sleeves are formed, each one of them, on its outer surface, with at least one circumferential slot, and in addition the valve comprises at least one pair of gaskets (seals) in an o-ring configuration that are suited - each one, for being installed inside the circumferential slot.

Brief Description of the Accompanying Drawings

Examples illustrative of embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to figures attached hereto. In the figures, identical structures, elements or parts that appear in more than one figure are generally labeled with a same numeral in all figures in which they appear. Dimensions of components and features shown in the figures are generally chosen for convenience and clarity of presentation and are not necessarily shown to scale. The figures are listed below.

Figure No. 1 constitutes prior art - it shows a cross section view in perspective of a body component of a valve unto which there is anchored a PVC pipe by gluing (bonding) and while this compels as said, strictness of match of the dimensions and compatibility for bonding between the different materials.

Figure No. 2 constitutes a view in perspective of a cross section of a body component of a valve unto which there are anchored PVC pipes in accordance with one configuration of the invention (integral sleeves).

Figure No. 3 constitutes a view in close range of the a-a section that is marked in

Fig. No. 2.

Figure No. 4 constitutes a view in perspective of the sleeve that is implemented in the embodiment illustrated in figures No. 2 and No. 3.

Figure No. 5 constitutes a view in perspective of valve's body component, a sleeve and a gasket (o-ring), in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention (a sleeve connectable to the body component using a snap-fit connector).

Figure No. 6 constitutes a view in perspective at a cross section of the body component of a valve that is illustrated in Fig. No. 5 after installing the sleeves and on them the gaskets (and before anchoring the pipes within them).

Figure No. 7 constitutes a view in close range of the b-b region that is marked in

Fig. No. 6. Detailed Description of a Preferred Configuration

In the following description, various aspects of the invention will be described. For the purpose of explanation, specific configurations and details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the techniques. However, it will also be apparent to one skilled in the art that the techniques may be practiced without specific details being presented herein. Furthermore, well-known features may be omitted or simplified in order not to obscure the description(s) of the techniques.

Reference is being made to figures No. 2 to No. 4. The figures describe, solely as a descriptive example, one embodiment of the invention (integral sleeves). Fig No. 2 constitutes a view in perspective of a cross section of a body component of a valve 30 wherein on its two sides there are anchored to it PVC pipes 40, 45 (only partial segments are shown). Fig. No. 3 constitutes a view in close range of section a-a that is marked in Fig. No. 2. Fig. No. 4 constitutes a view in perspective of sleeve 50 that is suited, during the process of manufacturing of the body component in the mold, for being integrally installed in seats 60, 70 of body component 30.

In the illustrated example the subject matter discussed is body component 30, as said, of hydraulic control valve of the direct-sealing diaphragm valves that are operated by line pressure type, but any professional would understand that the invention is amenable to be implemented also in body components of valves that are from other types.

Body component 30 is manufactured from polymeric material (by injection into mold or by heat pressing) in a manner that is familiar and well known to the professionals.

As we shall see herein-below, sleeves 50 for anchoring piping 40, 50 are respectively installable at the flow inlet and flow outlet seats 60 and 70 of body component 30, and enable anchoring by gluing of PVC piping 40, 45 in them (for example - as per their being manufactured from PVC).

Sleeves 50 are formed in advance as a kind of a tubular pipe-like segment wherein their inner diameter is suited to the outer diameter of piping 40, 45 that is designated to be anchored to them (by gluing), for example, in an agricultural field (if the discussed subject is a valve that is intended to be used in agricultural irrigation). In the illustrated example, the outer surface area of sleeves 50 are formed with an array of protrusions 100, for improving their grip of seats 60, 70 that are injected (or heat pressed) on them during the manufacturing process. Protrusions arrays 100 includes, in the illustrated example, three ribs 1 10 that are formed wherein they protrude outwards from the outer surface area of the sleeve and extend around its circumference, but any professional would also understand that this specific three ribs array is solely an example and that the protrusion array might also be in a different configuration.

Any professional would also understand that the positioning of the sleeves in the mold, while centering them relative to the seat of the body component that is being injected (or heat pressed) in the manufacturing process on them, might also be executed by using gripping devices (that are not illustrated), that are located on the two sides of the mold and constitute a part of it. These gripping means might also comprise cooling means, for preserving the configuration of the sleeve that might be manufactured from a material whose melting point is low, e. g. from the polymeric material used for manufacturing the body component (for example - when the sleeves are made of PVC while at the same time the body component is manufactured by heat pressing of reinforced Nylon 6 with glass fibers reinforcement that required higher temperature).

Thus, combining sleeves that are manufactured in advance from a material that is compatible for gluing to PVC, integrally in the valve's body component, during the process of its manufacturing, wherein they are located at the valve's body flow inlet seat and flow outlet seat, enables to - later - anchoring by gluing of PVC piping inside them.

Reference is being made to Figures No. 5 to No. 7. The figures describe, by way of example only, a second embodiment of the invention (namely sleeves that are connectable to the body component using a snap-fit connector). Fig. No. 5 constitutes a view in perspective of the body component 230 of a valve, sleeve 250 and a sealing (o-ring) 255. Fig. No. 6 constitutes a view in perspective at a cross section of body component 230 after installing sleeves 250 and gasket 255 on its two sides (and before anchoring the pipes- that are not illustrated, inside). Fig. No. 7 constitutes a view in close range region b-b that is marked in Fig. No. 6.

In this example, too, the discussed subject is a body component 230 of hydraulic control valve of the direct-sealing diaphragm type of valves that are operated by line type pressure but any professional would also understand that the invention can be implemented also in body components of valves of other (different) types. In this case too, body component 230 is manufactured of polymeric material (by injection into a mold or by heat pressing); in a manner that is familiar and well known to the professionals.

As we will elaborate below, sleeves 250 are installable in the seats of the flow inlet 260 and at the flow outlet 270 of body component 230, and enable anchoring by gluing of PVC piping (that are not illustrated) in them (for example - as per the manufacturing of the sleeves from PVC).

Each one of sleeves 250 is formed in advance as a kind of a tubular pipe-like segment wherein its inner diameter is suited to the outer diameter of the piping that is designated to be anchored to them (by gluing). Hence, any professional would understand that in this embodiment of the invention it is possible to manufacture in advance a complete variety of sleeves 250 having different inner diameters one from the others and at a high precision level, in a manner that enables suiting on the site (in the field) to the specific piping.

In the illustrated example, the end of sleeve 250 is formed with a circumferential array 300 of protruding tabs 310. The seats of the inlet flow and the outlet flow 260 270 from the body component, are formed, each one of them, with a circumferential slot 320 (for example - by a short and simple machining act after manufacturing the body component by injection or by heat pressing). From the instant of inserting the sleeves 250 into the seats, slots 320 are suited to accept into them the circumferential array 300 of the protruding tabs 310 to create a snap-fit type of connector between them, and in manner that prevents the extraction of the sleeves.

Each of sleeves 250 is formed, on their outer surface, with a circumferential slit 330 (in the illustrated example one slot, but any professional would understand that it is feasible to form several slots at a given spacing one from the other).

An additional component shown in the illustrated example constitutes a couple of gaskets in o-ring configuration 255, that are suited (each one) for being installed inside the circumferential slot 330 (and if more slots were formed, then obviously there is required the same number of such gaskets).

Gaskets 255 serve to assure tight sealing between the outer surface areas of sleeves 250 to the surface area of seats 260, 270 from the instant of forming a snap-fit connector between them. Thus, installing the body component with sleeves that are manufactured in advance from a material that is gluing-compatible to PVC, while the body component for itself requires only minimal machining acts for their reception and installation in it (in the illustrated example - forming circumferential slots 320 as required for enabling the snap-fit connector), wherein the sleeves that are located at the seats of the flow inlet and the flow outlet from the body component, enable later on, anchoring by gluing of the PVC piping inside them.

As was described above, while referring to the accompanying figures, the invention provides a solution to the necessity of anchoring PVC piping to a valve's body components that are manufactured from advanced materials (for example - composite materials) that are not compatible for efficient gluing to PVC piping as required under field conditions.

The invention has been described using various detailed descriptions of embodiments thereof that are provided by way of example and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. A described embodiment might comprise different features, wherein not all of them are required in all embodiments of the invention. Some embodiments of the invention utilize only some of the features or possible combinations of the features. Variations of the embodiment of the invention that is described and embodiments of the invention comprising different combinations of features noted in the described embodiment will occur to persons with skill in the art. It is intended that the scope of the invention be limited only by the claims and that the claims be interpreted to include all such variations and combinations.

Claims

1. A hydraulic control valve that comprises:

a body component made of polymeric material; and

sleeves for anchoring piping that are installable at the seats of the inlet flow and the outlet flow from said body component and enable anchoring by gluing of PVC piping in them.

2. A hydraulic control valve in accordance with claim 1, wherein said sleeves are made of PVC.

3. A hydraulic control valve in accordance with claim 1, wherein

said sleeves are integrally installed at the seats of the inlet flow and the outlet flow from said body component, during the manufacturing process of said body component in a mold.

4. A hydraulic control valve in accordance with claim 3, wherein

the outer surface area of said sleeves is formed with an array of protrusions in order to support their coupling to said seats of the inlet flow and the outlet flow from said body component.

5. A hydraulic control valve in accordance with claim 1, wherein

each one of said sleeves is formed, at its end with a circumferential array of protruding tabs; and

each one of said seats of the inlet flow and the outlet flow from said body component are formed with a circumferential slot wherein from the instant of inserting said sleeves into said seats, is suited to accept into it said circumferential array of protruding tabs in order to create a snap-fit connector between them; and

each one of said sleeves is formed on its outer surface area with at least one circumferential slot, and in addition

said valve comprises at least one pair of gaskets in o-ring configuration that are suited, each one of them, to being installed inside said circumferential slot in order to assure tight sealing between said outer surface area of said sleeves to the surface area of said seats, from the instant of forming a snap-fit connector between them. A hydraulic control valve in accordance with claim 5, wherein

said sleeves are formed in a varied inventory of internal diameters in a manner that it enables suiting on the site (in the field) to the outer diameter of specific piping.

A body component of a hydraulic control valve made of polymeric material, and sleeves that are installable for anchoring piping at the flow seat and the out flow seat of said body component and enable anchoring by gluing of PVC piping in them.

Sleeves for anchoring piping that are installable in inlet flow seat and outlet flow seat of a hydraulic control valve body component made of polymeric material and enables anchoring by gluing of PVC piping in them.