U.S. patent application number 17/406820 was filed with the patent office on 2022-02-24 for pinch valve.
The applicant listed for this patent is Flowtech International Limited. Invention is credited to Jason McKenna.
Application Number | 20220057001 17/406820 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | |
Filed Date | 2022-02-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20220057001 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
McKenna; Jason |
February 24, 2022 |
PINCH VALVE
Abstract
A pinch valve assembly includes a valve body having
axially-aligned inlet and outlet ports, a flexible sleeve that is
releasably mounted within the valve body, a mechanical pinching
mechanism, and a valve casing. The flexible sleeve has a
longitudinal bore defining a fluid flow path between the inlet port
and the outlet port. The pinching mechanism pinches the flexible
sleeve to thereby reduce the effective cross-sectional flow area
thereof. The valve casing assembly substantially encloses the valve
housing. The valve casing assembly includes at least one removable
portion to permit access to the valve housing and the flexible
sleeve, to facilitate replacement of the flexible sleeve.
Inventors: |
McKenna; Jason; (Holywood,
GB) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Flowtech International Limited |
Newtownabbey |
|
GB |
|
|
Appl. No.: |
17/406820 |
Filed: |
August 19, 2021 |
International
Class: |
F16K 7/06 20060101
F16K007/06 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 19, 2020 |
GB |
2012945.8 |
Claims
1. A pinch valve assembly comprising: a valve body having axially
aligned inlet and outlet ports; a flexible sleeve releasably
mounted within said valve body and having a longitudinal bore
defining a fluid flow path between said inlet port and said outlet
port; a mechanical pinching mechanism for pinching said flexible
sleeve and thereby reducing an effective cross-sectional flow area
thereof; and a valve casing assembly substantially enclosing said
valve body; wherein said valve casing assembly comprises at least
one removable portion to permit access to said valve housing and
said flexible sleeve, to facilitate replacement of said flexible
sleeve, said flexible sleeve being supported within a longitudinal
bore within said valve body extending between said inlet and outlet
ports; wherein said mechanical pinching mechanism comprises a pair
of opposed plungers mounted within said valve body and
diametrically opposite to one another and perpendicular to the
fluid flow path defined by said flexible sleeve within said valve
body, wherein each of said plungers is moveable between a retracted
position in which said pinch valve is in an open configuration, and
an extended position in which distal ends of said plungers engage
and deform said flexible sleeve to close or at least restrict said
fluid flow path defined by said sleeve, the plungers each including
a piston portion slidably mounted within a respective cylinder
within said valve body and adapted to be selectively coupled to a
supply of pressurised fluid to act against said piston portions of
said plungers and urge said plungers toward their retracted
positions to bring said pinch valve to its open configuration; and
wherein each of said plungers includes a transversely extending pin
coupled to said distal end of each said plunger, said pins acting
on said flexible sleeve when each said plunger is moved to its
extended position.
2. The pinch valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mechanical
pinching mechanism is configured such that said valve is normally
closed.
3. The pinch valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein said valve casing
assembly comprises: a first end plate through which one of said
inlet and outlet ports extends; a second end plate through which
the other of said inlet and outlet ports extends; a tubular casing
sandwiched between said first and second end plates; and a retainer
to retain said first and second ends plates onto opposite ends of
said tubular casing; wherein said retainer is releasable to permit
removal of at least one of said first and second end plates from
said tubular casing to facilitate replacement of said flexible
sleeve.
4. The pinch valve as claimed in claim 3, wherein said retainer
comprises threaded fasteners extending between said first and
second end plates.
5. The pinch valve as claimed in claim 4, wherein said threaded
fasteners extend through said tubular casing.
6. The pinch valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein said valve body
comprises a first part incorporating one of said inlet and outlet
ports and said mechanical pinching mechanism and a second part,
separable from said first part, said second part incorporating the
other of said inlet and outlet ports, wherein said second part of
said valve body is separable from said first part to facilitate
removal of said flexible sleeve from said valve body.
7. (canceled)
8. The pinch valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said plunger
is biased towards its extended position by a respective biasing
device.
9. The pinch valve as claimed in claim 8, wherein said respective
biasing device comprises a compression spring acting between said
respective plunger and an end cap secured to said valve body.
10. A pinch valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pin of each
said plunger is configured to retain said plunger within its
respective cylinder.
11. A pinch valve as claimed in claim 10, wherein said valve body
comprises an access cover removable to facilitate removal of said
pin or at least one of said plungers.
12. A pinch valve assembly comprising: a valve body having axially
aligned inlet and outlet ports; a flexible sleeve releasably
mounted within said valve body and having a longitudinal bore
defining a fluid flow path between said inlet port and said outlet
port; a mechanical pinching mechanism for pinching said flexible
sleeve and thereby reducing an effective cross-sectional flow area
thereof; and a valve casing assembly substantially enclosing said
valve body; wherein said valve casing assembly comprises: at least
one removable portion to permit access to said valve housing and
said flexible sleeve, to facilitate replacement of said flexible
sleeve, said flexible sleeve being supported within a longitudinal
bore within said valve body extending between said inlet and outlet
ports; a first end plate through which one of said inlet and outlet
ports extends; a second end plate through which the other of said
inlet and outlet ports extends; a tubular casing sandwiched between
said first and second end plates; and a retainer to retain said
first and second ends plates onto opposite ends of said tubular
casing, wherein said retainer is releasable to permit removal of at
least one of said first and second end plates from said tubular
casing to facilitate replacement of said flexible sleeve; wherein
said mechanical pinching mechanism comprises at least one plunger
mounted within said valve body and moveable between a retracted
position in which said pinch valve is in an open configuration, and
an extended position in which a distal end of said plunger engages
and deforms said flexible sleeve to close or at least restrict said
fluid flow path defined by said sleeve, the at least one plunger
including a piston portion slidably mounted within a respective
cylinder within said valve body and adapted to be selectively
coupled to a supply of pressurised fluid to act against said piston
portion of said at least one plunger and urge said at least one
plunger towards its retracted position to bring said pinch valve to
its open configuration; and wherein said at least one plunger
includes a transversely extending pin coupled to said distal end of
said plunger, said pin acting on said flexible sleeve when said
plunger is moved to its extended position.
13. The pinch valve as claimed in claim 12, wherein said retainer
comprises threaded fasteners extending between said first and
second end plates.
14. The pinch valve as claimed in claim 13, wherein said threaded
fasteners extend through said tubular casing.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to an improved pinch valve.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Pinch valves typically comprise a valve body within which is
mounted a resilient sleeve having a longitudinal bore defining a
fluid flow path between an inlet port through which a flowable
medium, such as a particulate material, may enter the sleeve, and
an outlet port through which the fluid or slurry that enters the
sleeve may exit the sleeve. The valve may be closed by deforming
opposite side walls of the sleeve into contact with one another to
close or at least restrict the fluid flow path defined by the
sleeve.
[0003] The deformation of the sleeve to a closed configuration may
be caused by a pneumatic or a hydraulic system that controls a
pressure that a fluid exerts on the exterior of the sleeve to
decrease an operating cross-section of the flow path defined by the
sleeve. Alternatively, the deformation may be caused by a
mechanical system that includes at last one actuating member
moveable between a retracted position and an extended position to
bring a "pinching head" to bear on an exterior surface of the
sleeve against a fixed anvil member or a further extendable
pinching head to thereby decrease the operating cross-section of
the flow path defined by the sleeve and thereby close the pinch
valve.
[0004] In a normally closed pinch valve the (or each) actuating
member may be biased towards its extended position to close the
pinch valve, for example under the action of a respective spring or
fluid pressure, to maintain the sleeve in its deformed closed
configuration, and a respective actuator may be provided to
selectively retract the (or each) actuating member to open the
valve.
[0005] The sleeve is typically secured within the valve body by
retaining mechanisms on each end of the sleeve to permit
replacement of the sleeve when worn, particularly where the pinch
valve is used to control the flow of a relatively abrasive
media.
[0006] Pinch valves typically have a relatively simple construction
and are easy to operate. Generally, only the pinch valve's sleeve
inlet and outlet ports come into contact with the flowable medium
whose flow the pinch valve controls, and the resilient material
from which the pinch valve sleeve is formed may be tailored so that
the sleeve does not interact with the medium.
[0007] However, the servicing of known pinch valves, and in
particular the replacement of the sleeve, can be problematic and
time consuming.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] According to aspects of the present invention, there is
provided a pinch valve assembly having a valve body, a flexible
sleeve, a mechanical pinching mechanism, and a valve casing
assembly. The valve body has axially-aligned inlet and outlet
ports, and the flexible sleeve is releasably mounted within the
valve body. The flexible sleeve has a longitudinal bore defining a
fluid flow path between the inlet port and the outlet port. The
mechanical pinching mechanism is operable to pinch the flexible
sleeve and thereby reduce the effective cross-sectional flow area
of the sleeve. The valve casing assembly substantially encloses the
valve housing and includes at least one removable portion to permit
access to the valve housing and the flexible sleeve, to facilitate
replacement of the flexible sleeve.
[0009] In one form, the mechanical pinching mechanism is configured
so that the valve is normally closed.
[0010] The valve casing assembly may include a first end plate
through which one of the inlet and outlet ports extends, a second
end plate through which the other of the inlet and outlet ports
extends and a tubular casing sandwiched between the first and
second end plates, and retainer or retaining means to retain the
first and second ends plates onto opposite ends of the tubular
casing, whereby the retainer can be released to permit removal of
at least one of the first and second end plates from the tubular
casing to facilitate replacement of the flexible sleeve. The
retainer may include threaded fasteners, such as nuts and bolts,
extending between the first and second end plates. The threaded
fasteners may extend through the tubular casing.
[0011] Optionally, the valve body includes a first part
incorporating one of the inlet and outlet ports and the mechanical
pinching mechanism and a second part, separable from the first
part, the second part incorporating the other of the inlet and
outlet ports, wherein the second part of the valve body is
separable from the first part to facilitate removal of the flexible
sleeve from the valve body.
[0012] The flexible sleeve may be supported within a longitudinal
bore within the valve body extending between the inlet and outlet
ports. In one embodiment the mechanical pinching mechanism may
include at least one plunger mounted within the valve body to be
moveable between a retracted position in which the pinch valve is
in an open configuration, and an extended position in which a
distal end of the plunger engages and deforms the flexible sleeve
to close or at least restrict the fluid flow path defined by the
sleeve. Optionally, the mechanical pinching mechanism may include a
pair of opposed plungers mounted diametrically opposite to one
another and perpendicular to the fluid flow path defined by the
flexible sleeve within the valve body.
[0013] The (or each) plunger may be biased towards its extended
position by a respective biasing device, such as a compression
spring, preferably acting between the respective plunger and an end
cap secured to the valve body, whereby removal of the respective
end cap from the valve body may permit removal of the respective
spring and the respective plunger from the valve body.
[0014] The (or each) plunger may include a piston portion slidably
mounted within a respective cylinder within the valve body and
adapted to be selectively coupled to a supply of pressurised fluid
to act against the piston portion of the respective plunger and
urge the respective plunger towards its retracted position to bring
the pinch valve to its open configuration. The plunger(s) may
include a transversely extending pin coupled to the distal end of
the plunger, the pin acting on the flexible sleeve when the plunger
is moved to its extended position. The pin of the (or each) plunger
may serve to retain the plunger within its respective cylinder
removal of the pin being required prior to removal of the plunger
from the valve body. The valve body may include an access cover
removable to facilitate removal of the respective pin or the
plunger(s) to facilitate removal of the respective plunger.
[0015] These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features
of the present invention will become apparent upon review of the
following specification in conjunction with the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] A pinch valve in accordance with an embodiment of the
present invention will now be described, by way of example only,
with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:--
[0017] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pinch valve in accordance
with the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 2 is a side view of the pinch valve of FIG. 1;
[0019] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the pinch valve of FIG. 1
with the outer casing removed;
[0020] FIG. 4 is a sectional exploded view of the pinch valve of
FIG. 1;
[0021] FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the pinch valve of FIG. 1 with
the valve in a normally closed configuration; and
[0022] FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the pinch valve of FIG. 1 with
the valve in an open configuration.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] As illustrated in the accompanying drawings, a pinch valve
in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes
a valve body 2 having axially aligned inlet and outlet ports 4,6
and a through bore 8 within which is supported a flexible sleeve
releasably mounted within the valve body 2 and having a
longitudinal bore defining a fluid flow path between the inlet port
and the outlet ports 6,8.
[0024] The valve body 2 is mounted within a valve casing assembly
including a first end plate 12 through which the inlet port 4
extends, a second end plate 14 through which the outlet port 6
extends (or vice versa) and a tubular outer casing 16 sandwiched
between the first and second end plates 12,14. Retaining bolts 18
extend through apertures in the end plates 12,14 and extend through
the outer casing 16 to engage cooperating nuts 20 to retain the
first and second ends plates 12,16 onto opposite ends of the outer
casing 16, whereby the nuts 20 can be removed to permit removal of
at least one of the first and second end plates 12,14 from the
outer casing 16 to facilitate replacement of the flexible sleeve 10
from the valve body 2 and to permit maintenance of the pinch valve,
as will be described below in more detail.
[0025] A mechanical pinching mechanism is provided within the valve
body 2 for pinching the flexible sleeve 10 and thereby reducing the
effective cross-sectional flow area thereof to close the pinch
valve. Optionally, the pinch valve is of the normally-closed
type.
[0026] In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the mechanical
pinching mechanism includes a pair of diametrically opposed
plungers 22,24 mounted opposite to one another within respective
axially aligned cylindrical receiving bores 26,28 in the valve body
2 to be moveable perpendicular to the longitudinal bore defined by
the flexible sleeve 10 between retracted positions (shown in FIG.
6), wherein the pinch valve is in an open configuration, and
extended positions (shown in FIG. 5), wherein distal ends of the
plungers 22,24 extend into the through bore 8 of the valve body 2
and engage and deform the flexible sleeve 10 to close or at least
restrict the fluid flow path defined by the sleeve 10.
[0027] Each plunger 22,24 includes a piston portion 30,32 slidably
mounted within its respective cylindrical receiving bore 26,28
within the valve body 2. A compression spring 34,36 is mounted in
each receiving bore to act upon the respective plunger 22,24
therein to bias the plungers 22,24 to their extended positions. A
respective threaded cap 38,40 is inserted into an outer end of each
receiving bore 26,28 against which outer ends of the springs 34,36
act, the caps 38,40 being removable from the valve body 2 to permit
removal of the springs 34,36 and plungers 22,24.
[0028] Each receiving bore 26,28 of the valve body 2 is adapted to
be selectively coupled to a supply of pressurised fluid, via
suitable fluid supply lines 42, such that compressed air or
hydraulic fluid can be supplied into the receiving bores 26,28 to
act against the piston portion 30,32 of each plunger 22,24 to urge
the plungers 22,24 towards their retracted positions, against the
respective springs 34,36, to selectively bring the pinch valve to
its open configuration.
[0029] A suitable seal, such as an O-ring 44, may be mounted in a
peripheral groove of the piston portion 30,32 of each plunger 22,24
to form a seal against the walls of the respective receiving bore
26,28 and a further seal, each as a further O-ring 46, may be
provided within a receiving groove of a reduced diameter aperture
in an inner end of each receiving bore 26,28 through which the
distal end of the respective plunger 22,24 extends.
[0030] Each plunger 22,24 includes a transversely extending pin
48,50 coupled to the distal end of the respective plunger 22,24,
for example extending through a hole in a distal end of the
respective plunger 22,24, such that the pins 48,50 act on the sides
of the flexible sleeve 10 when the plungers 22,24 are moved towards
their extended positions. The pins 48,50 may also serve to retain
the plungers 48,50 within their respective receiving bores 26,28
and thereby delimiting the retracted positions of the plungers
48,50.
[0031] The valve body 2 may include a removable access cover 52
which can be removed to facilitate removal of the pins 48,50 to
facilitate removal of the plungers 22,24 from the valve body 2.
[0032] The valve body 2 may include a unitary first part 54
incorporating one of the inlet and outlet ports 4,6 and the
mechanical pinching mechanism and a unitary second part 56,
separable from the first part 54, the second part 56 incorporating
the other of the inlet and outlet ports 4,6, wherein the second
part 56 of the valve body 2 is separable from the first part 54 to
facilitate removal of the flexible sleeve 10 from the valve body 2.
As best shown in FIG. 4, the first part 54 of the valve body 2 may
incorporate the inlet port 4, a portion of the through bore 8
within which the flexible sleeve 10 is mounted, and the receiving
bores 26,28 within which the plungers 22,24 of the mechanical
pinching mechanism are mounted. The second part 56 of the valve
body incorporates the remainder of the through bore 8 and the
outlet port 6.
[0033] In order to remove the sleeve 10 for replacement or repair,
the plungers 22,4 may first be moved to their retracted positions
by applying pressurised air or hydraulic fluid to the receiving
bores 26,28 and the bolts 20 may be removed, permitting removal of
the second end plate 14 and the outer casing 16 and the second part
56 of the valve body 2, after which the sleeve can be easily pulled
out of the remaining of the through bore in the first part 54 of
the valve body 2.
[0034] The first and second parts 54,56 of the valve body may be
machined or cast in metal or moulded in a suitable plastic
material.
[0035] By varying the pressure of the air or other fluid applied to
the receiving bores 26,28 of the valve body to act against the
piston portions 30,32 of the plungers 22,24 the position of the
plungers 22,24 between their extended and retracted positions can
be adjusted against the spring pressure of the return springs 34,36
to adjust the operating cross-section of the flow path defined by
the sleeve 10 and thereby control the flow rate of material through
the pinch valve between the inlet and outlet ports 4,6 thereof.
[0036] The invention is not limited to the embodiment described
herein but can be amended or modified without departing from the
scope of the present invention, which is intended to be limited
only by the scope of the appended claims as interpreted according
to the principles of patent law including the doctrine of
equivalents.
* * * * *