VALVE ACTUATOR

Abstract

A valve actuator includes a motor and a gear assembly that receives driving force of the motor and controls a valve. In the gear assembly, a power transmission gear for transmitting rotational force of an input gear to an output gear includes a selective power transmission unit. When the output gear is in physical contact with a stopper, the power transmission gear transmits the rotational force of the input gear to the output gear is blocked. Accordingly, even after the valve is actuated to close a path, the rotational force of the input gear is not transmitted to the output gear even though the motor is continuously driven.

Claims

1. A valve actuator comprising: a motor; and a gear assembly configured to receive a driving force of the motor and control a valve, wherein the gear assembly includes: a first gear coupled to a rotational shaft of the motor and configured to receive the driving force of the motor, a second gear coupled to the valve and configured to transmit a rotational force of the first gear to the valve, and at least one power transmission gear configured to transmit the rotational force of the first gear to the second gear, wherein the at least one power transmission gear includes a third gear configured to, based on a rotational angle of the second gear, selectively block the rotational force of the first gear being transmitted to the second gear.

2. The valve actuator of claim 1, further comprising: a case that receives the gear assembly and the motor, wherein the gear assembly is housed inside the case.

3. The valve actuator of claim 2, further comprising: at least one stopper configured to limit the rotational angle of the second gear.

4. The valve actuator of claim 3, wherein the at least one stopper includes a first stopper configured to limit a clockwise-direction rotational angle of the second gear and a second stopper configured to limit a counterclockwise-direction rotational angle of the second gear, the first and second stoppers being housed inside the case.

5. The valve actuator of claim 4, wherein the third gear is configured to, based on the second gear rotating and physically contacting the at least one stopper, block power transmission of the first gear and the second gear.

6. The valve actuator of claim 5, wherein the gear assembly is configured to reduce a speed based on the rotational force of the first gear being transmitted to the second gear through the at least one power transmission gear.

7. The valve actuator of claim 5, wherein the third gear includes an outer wheel portion and an inner wheel portion positioned at an inner side of the outer wheel portion, the outer wheel portion and the inner wheel portion being connected by a selective power transmission unit.

8. The valve actuator of claim 7, wherein the selective power transmission unit includes: a plurality of concave portions and a plurality of convex portions that are alternately positioned at an outer circumferential surface of the inner wheel portion, and balls positioned at the plurality of concave portions and elastically pressed toward a center of the inner wheel portion.

9. The valve actuator of claim 8, wherein the outer wheel portion includes a plurality of spring installation portions that position a plurality of springs, the plurality of springs being configured to elastically press the balls.

10. The valve actuator of claim 9, wherein the plurality of concave portions, and the plurality of convex portions, the balls, and the plurality of spring installation portions are provided in even numbers.

11. The valve actuator of claim 10, wherein the plurality of convex portions, the plurality of convex portions, the balls, and the plurality of spring installation portions are arranged to be symmetric to each other around the inner wheel portion.

12. The valve actuator of claim 9, wherein the third gear is directly coupled to the first gear.

13. The valve actuator of claim 12, wherein the outer wheel portion includes an outer-wheel tooth portion engaged with a first-gear tooth portion of the first gear, and wherein the inner wheel portion includes an inner-wheel tooth portion positioned below the outer-wheel tooth portion.

14. The valve actuator of claim 13, wherein the at least one power transmission gear further includes: a fourth gear coupled to the third gear, and a fifth gear coupled to each of the fourth gear and the second gear.

15. The valve actuator of claim 14, wherein the fourth gear includes: a first fourth-gear tooth portion coupled to a third-gear tooth portion of the third gear, and a second fourth-gear tooth portion positioned below the first fourth-gear tooth portion.

16. The valve actuator of claim 15, wherein the fifth gear includes: a first fifth-gear tooth portion coupled to the second fourth-gear tooth portion of the fourth gear, and a second fifth-gear tooth portion positioned above the first fifth-gear tooth portion.

17. The valve actuator of claim 16, wherein the second gear includes a second-gear tooth portion coupled to the second fifth-gear tooth portion of the fifth gear.

18. The valve actuator of claim 17, wherein the second-gear tooth portion of the second gear includes an arc shape.

19. The valve actuator of claim 18, wherein the at least one stopper is configured to, based on the second gear rotating, contact a side surface of the second-gear tooth portion of the second gear that includes the arc shape.

20. The valve actuator of claim 17, wherein the second gear further includes a stem coupling portion that couples a stem of the valve.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a configuration of a general ball valve.

[0042] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a coupling state of a valve actuator and a ball valve according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0043] FIG. 3 is an exterior perspective view of the valve actuator illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0044] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the valve actuator illustrated in FIG. 3.

[0045] FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a coupling state of a gear assembly illustrated in FIG. 4.

[0046] FIG. 6 is a bottom perspective view of the gear assembly illustrated in FIG. 5.

[0047] FIG. 7 is a view illustrating a state in which an inner wheel portion and an outer wheel portion integrally rotate as a plan view of a third gear provided in the gear assembly illustrated in FIG. 4.

[0048] FIG. 8 is a view illustrating a state in which power transmission of the inner wheel portion and the outer wheel portion is blocked as the plan view of a third gear provided in the gear assembly illustrated in FIG. 4.

[0049] FIGS. 9 to 11 are views illustrating an operation state of the valve actuator.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] The present disclosure will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. The present disclosure can be realized in various different forms, and is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein.

[0051] A part irrelevant to the description will be omitted to clearly describe the present disclosure, and the same elements will be designated by the same reference numerals throughout the specification. Further, some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to illustrative drawings.

[0052] When reference numerals refer to components of each drawing, although the same components are illustrated in different drawings, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals as possible. Further, in describing the present disclosure, a detailed description of known related configurations and functions may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the subject matter of the present disclosure.

[0053] In describing the component of the present disclosure, when it is disclosed that any component is “connected”, “coupled”, or “linked” to other components, it should be understood that another component may be “interposed” between respective components or the respective components may be “connected”, “coupled”, or “linked” through another component.

[0054] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a coupling state of a valve actuator and a ball valve according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure and FIG. 3 is an exterior perspective view of the valve actuator illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0055] As illustrated, in order to install the valve actuator 100 in the ball valve 10, a plate 20 may be installed above the ball valve 10, and the valve actuator 100 may be coupled to the plate 20.

[0056] The plate 20 may be fixed to an upper end of the ball valve 10 by a fastening member such as a fastening screw, etc., and the valve actuator 100 may be fixed to the plate 20 by the fastening member such as the fastening screw, etc.

[0057] The valve actuator 100 includes a case 110.

[0058] The case 110 provides a space in which a motor 120 and a gear assembly provided in the valve actuator 100 are installed, the motor 120 is installed on an upper surface of the case 110 outside the case 110, and the gear assembly is disposed in an internal space of the case 110.

[0059] The motor 120 may be a motor of a type in which RPM control is accurate. However, this is not required, and the motor 120 may be a motor of a type in which the RPM control is inaccurate. That is, since the valve actuator according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may selectively transmit power by a mechanical structure, damage to the gear assembly may be prevented and the ball valve may be accurately controlled while using the motor of the type in which the RPM control is inaccurate.

[0060] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the valve actuator illustrated in FIG. 3, FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a coupling state of a gear assembly illustrated in FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 is a bottom perspective view of the gear assembly illustrated in FIG. 5.

[0061] In addition, FIG. 7 is a view illustrating a state in which an inner wheel portion and an outer wheel portion integrally rotate as a plan view of a third gear provided in the gear assembly illustrated in FIG. 4 and FIG. 8 is a view illustrating a state in which power transmission of the inner wheel portion and the outer wheel portion is blocked as the plan view of a third gear provided in the gear assembly illustrated in FIG. 4.

[0062] As illustrated, the gear assembly includes an input gear 131 coupled and/or connected to a rotational shaft of the motor 120 and receiving the driving force of the motor 120, an output gear 132 coupled to a stem 13 of the ball valve 10 and transmitting rotational force of the input gear 131 to the stem 13 of the ball valve 10 and at least one power transmission gear transmitting the rotational force of the input gear 131 to the output gear 132.

[0063] Hereinafter, it will be described as an example that the power transmission gear is constituted by third to fifth gears, but the number of power transmission gears may be appropriately changed.

[0064] In addition, in the exemplary embodiment, while the rotational force of the input gear is transmitted to the output gear through the power transmission gear, a speed is reduced by the gear assembly or the power transmission gear.

[0065] The first gear 131 includes a tooth portion 131a.

[0066] The third gear 133 directly coupled to the first gear 131 includes an outer wheel portion 133A and an inner wheel portion 133B installed at an inner side of the outer wheel portion 133A, and the outer wheel portion 133A and the inner wheel portion 133B are connected by a selective power transmission unit.

[0067] Accordingly, by the selective power transmission unit, the inner wheel portion 133B may also rotate integrally with the outer wheel portion 133A, and while the inner wheel portion 133B does not rotate, only the outer wheel portion 133A may also rotate.

[0068] In the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the selective power transmission unit includes a plurality of concave portions 133B-1 and a plurality of convex portions 133B-2 alternately formed on an outer circumferential surface of the inner wheel portion 133B, balls 133B-3 positioned at the plurality of concave portions 133B-1, and elastically pressed toward a center of the inner wheel portion 133B, and springs 133B-4 elastically pressing the ball 133B-3.

[0069] In addition, the outer wheel portion 133A includes a plurality of spring installation portions 133A-1 in which the springs 133B-4 elastically pressing the balls 133B-3 are installed, respectively.

[0070] Each of the number of concave portions 133B-1, the number of convex portions 133B-2, and the number of balls 133B-3, the number of spring installation portions 133A-1 of the outer wheel portion 133A, etc., may be provided as four as illustrated, but this is not limitative, and preferably, each may be provided as two or more.

[0071] The number of concave portions 133B-1, the number of convex portions 133B-2, and the number of balls 133B-3, and the number of spring installation portions 133A-1 of the outer wheel portion 133A may increase or decrease as large as required spring force.

[0072] In addition, when each of the number of concave portions 133B-1 and the number of convex portions 133B-2 of the inner wheel portion 133B, the number of balls 133B-3, the number of spring installation portions 133A-1 of the outer wheel portion 133A, etc., is provided as even number such as 2, 4, 6, etc., the concave portions 133B-1 and the convex portions 133B-2, the balls 133B-3, and the spring installation portions 133A-1 may be arranged at symmetric locations around the inner wheel portion 133B.

[0073] In addition, the spring 133B-4 has spring force of a degree of being compressed when the second gear 132 rotates in a clockwise direction or counterclockwise direction and is in physical contact with the stopper 140, and then a torque value of a radial conversion torque or more of the spring force is applied.

[0074] The outer wheel portion 133A includes a first tooth portion 133a physically directly coupled to the tooth portion 131a of the first gear 131 and the inner wheel portion 133B includes a second tooth portion 133ba disposed below the first tooth portion 133a on an axis of the third gear 133.

[0075] A first tooth portion 134a of a fourth gear 134 is directly physically coupled to the second tooth portion 133b of the third gear 133, and the second tooth portion 134b is positioned below the first tooth portion 134a on the axis of the fourth gear 134.

[0076] In addition, a fifth gear 135 includes a first tooth portion 135a physically directly coupled to the second tooth portion 134b of the fourth gear 134, and a second tooth portion 135b positioned above the first tooth portion 135a on the axis of the fifth gear 135, and a tooth portion 132a of the second gear 132 is physically directly coupled to the second tooth portion 135b of the fifth gear 135.

[0077] The tooth portion of the second gear 132 may be formed in an arc shape.

[0078] Meanwhile, the second gear 132 further includes a stem coupling portion 132c coupled to a stem 13 of the ball valve 10.

[0079] Accordingly, when the motor 120 is actuated, the driving force of the motor 120 is transmitted to the output gear 132 sequentially through the first gear 131, the third gear 133, the fourth gear 134, and the fifth gear 135, and appropriate speed reduction is made during the power transmission process.

[0080] Hereinafter, the actuation of the valve actuator according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 11.

[0081] FIG. 9 is a view illustrating an actuation state of the gear assembly within a normal actuation range of the valve actuator, FIG. 10 is a view illustrating the actuation state of the gear assembly when the motor is driven, the second gear rotates in the counterclockwise direction in the state illustrated in FIG. 9, and gear engagement is released, and FIG. 11 is a view illustrating the actuation state of the gear assembly when the motor is driven the second gear rotates in the clockwise direction in the state illustrated in FIG. 9, and the gear engagement is released.

[0082] The stopper 140 for physically limiting a rotational angle of the second gear 132 is installed inside the case 110.

[0083] FIG. 9 illustrates a state in which two stoppers 140 are installed to limit rotational angles in the clockwise and counterclockwise directions of the second gear 132, respectively, but when the motor 120 is configured to rotate in any one direction of the clockwise direction or the counterclockwise direction, only one stopper 140 may also be installed to limit only the rotational angle in any one direction of the clockwise direction or the counterclockwise direction of the second gear 132.

[0084] First, referring to FIGS. 7 and 9, within the normal actuation range of the valve actuator, the ball 133B-3 of the selective power transmission unit is pressed by the spring 133B-4 to be positioned within the concave portion 133B-1 of the inner wheel portion 133B.

[0085] Here, the “normal actuation range of the valve actuator” means a state in which driving of the motor 120 is stopped and an initial state in which the motor 120 is driven in order to close the path by controlling the ball valve 10.

[0086] Accordingly, when the gas leakage is detected while the ball valve 10 is being used, a driving signal is applied to the motor 120 and the motor 120 is thus driven, and the driving force of the motor 120 is transmitted to the second gear 132 sequentially through the first gear 131, the third gear 133, the fourth gear 134, and the fifth gear 135, and as a result, the second gear 132 rotates in the clockwise direction or the counterclockwise direction and the path of the ball valve 10 is closed.

[0087] In addition, as illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 10 to 11, when the second gear 132 rotates at 90 degrees in the clockwise direction or the counterclockwise direction, the second gear 132 is in contact with the stopper 140. A side surface of the arc-shaped tooth portion 132a of the second gear 132 is in contact with the stopper 140.

[0088] However, in the valve actuator according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, even after the second gear 132 is in contact with the stopper 140, the driving of the motor 120 is not sopped, but the motor 120 is continuously driven.

[0089] In this case, when the torque value of the radial conversion torque or more of the spring force is applied to the third gear 133, the ball 133B-3 installed between the outer wheel portion 133A and the inner wheel portion 133B is pressed while the outer wheel portion 133A of the third gear 133 rotates, and as a result, the ball 133B-3 is positioned at the convex portion 133B-2 of the inner wheel portion 133B while the spring 133B-4 is compressed.

[0090] Therefore, the rotational force of the first gear 131 transmitted to the outer wheel portion 133A of the third gear 133 is not transmitted, but blocked.

[0091] As such, since the rotational force of the outer wheel portion 133A is selectively transmitted or blocked by the actuation of the selective power transmission unit installed between the outer wheel portion 133A and the inner wheel portion 133B, damage to the motor and/or the gear assembly is prevented due to an over-torque.

[0092] In addition, in the valve actuator of the present disclosure, since the spring force is actuated in a radial direction of the gear, durability and driving stability are secured when applying a torque in a gear rotation direction.

[0093] In addition, since the valve actuator of the present disclosure need not include a separate electronic switch and a separate PCB for the motor stop signal, the instability of the electronic switch or the electronic sensor is removed, and the complexity and the material cost of the device are improved.

[0094] Further, since a contact portion pressing the inner wheel portion is formed in a ball structure, the ball rotates even in high-speed rotation, thereby improving the durability and the driving stability.

[0095] Hereinabove, the valve actuator for controlling the ball valve provided in the air conditioner has been described, but the valve actuator according to the present disclosure may be used in a valve for controlling a path of gas or a fluid.