WO2002093049A1

WO2002093049A1 - Arrangement in valve device, where the valve body is provided with radial projecting connection pins engaged with annular piston means which displaces the valve body

Info

Publication number: WO2002093049A1
Application number: PCT/SE2002/000907
Authority: WO
Inventors: Robert Lindkvist
Original assignee: Medicvent AB
Current assignee: Medicvent AB
Priority date: 2001-05-14
Filing date: 2002-05-13
Publication date: 2002-11-21
Anticipated expiration: 2003-11-14
Also published as: EP1387970A1; SE0101701L; SE521730C2; SE0101701D0

Abstract

The invention relates to valve device preferably for the control of the flow from an evacuation device, wherein the valve device includes a valve housing, connection openings and a through flow channel, the channel including a wider portion, in which a valve body is axially movable and arranged to in a specific position axially engage an sealing and abutment edge.The novelty lies in that at an end face of one portion of the valve housing enclosing one of the connection openings is arranged at least one annular cylinder in the shape of an axial groove, the annular grove or cylinder being essentially closed at one end at the opposite end opening towards the wider channel portion of the channel, and in said annular cylinder there is an annular piston means, on introduction of pressure fluid at the essentially closed cylinder end arranged to be displaced outwardly in order to engage connection means at the valve body and displace same away from its sealing position against the force of a spring means.

Description

I

Arrangement in valve device, where the valve body is provided with radial projecting connection pins engaged with annular piston means which displaces the valve body.

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a valve device, wherein the opening and closing functions take place under the influence of pressure medium, while the control of through flow and pressure may be controlled mechanically and/or by means of pressure medium.

The valve device is primarily intended to be included in systems for the evacuation of gases, fumes and the like in operation theatres and similar premises, wherein the valve may be mounted inside the operation theatre, the clinic or the like or outside thereof. The valve device is primarily essentially intended to be used at central evacuation systems having one or more suction sources. As an example on gases and the like to be removed may be mentioned anaesthesia/analgesia gases, diathermy fumes in connection with laser treatments and gas and dust arising in connection with pathology or autopsy work. The valve device, naturally, can be used in other connections for the removal, under controlled conditions, of contaminated gases and/or air, also air from which particles have been removed and filtrated containing un-wanted gases especially in laboratory or industrial environments.

The valve device, naturally, can be combined with means for measuring of through flow over the device as well as ejector devices, and the evacuation system may include water traps, sterile filter device and the like.

Background of the Invention

For the intended purposes, are - if control of the evacuation takes place at all - today used motor driven valves placed remote from the site of the use. Electrically operated valves are nearly always mounted at a distance from the source of suction in a separate space. Such valves are bulky and very expensive and, naturally, require that electrical current is available. If it is demanded to control the valves from the site of use, electrical lines must be arranged and gas tight control means placed at such site.

It is known to provide a valve housing with an axial through passage of channel, inside which a valve body is movable between a closing position where the valve body sealing engages a narrow portion of the passage and an open position where the axially displaced body is positioned in a wider portion of the through passage allowing the fluid to be controlled to pass by the peripheral portion of the valve body.

One aspect of this invention is to solve the problems connected with the present and known solutions by eliminating the demand for motor driven valves and requirements connected thereto, namely the installation of electric lines inside operation theatres and the like.

Another aspect connected with the above ones is to reduce the costs for evacuation systems of the kind involved.

A further aspect is to bring about a valve having a size, and consequently a space demand only a fraction larger than the size of the channels and connecting pieces involved.

Summary of the invention

The problem of constructing a pressure medium or fluid operated, remote controllable valve for the control of the flow of gas or other fluid there through has been solved as follows.

In a valve housing including at least two interconnected parts there is a through passage for the fluid to be controlled. In the passage there is a narrow portion presenting at one end a sealing edge and a wide portion allowing an essentially disk shaped valve body to be moved from a closing position in which the valve body sealing engages the sealing edge and a passage allowing position in which the valve body or disk is situated in the wide portion of the passage so that between the inside of said portion and the edge of the valve body a through passage allowing opening is provided. At the one valve housing part there is at least one annular cylinder space, but for a communication opening for operating fluid, closed in the one axial direction and open in the other axial direction towards a space closed towards the outside. Inside the annular cylinder room there is an axially displaceable likewise annular piston means, upon introduction of pressure medium at the closed end of the cylinder means displaceable into the closed off space in order to engage connector means projecting from the valve body into said space in order to displace the valve body, against the action of spring means from its sealing edge engaging position so that through passage can take place.

In another embodiment there are at the one valve part arranged two concentrically arranged cylinders, which as above, but for connecting openings, are closed at the one end and at the opposite end open towards a space closed off towards the outside at the other valve housing part. By introducing a pressure medium at the closed end of one of the two concentric cylinders, the piston means therein can be displaced axially in order to engage the radial connecting pins of the valve body or disk in order to - against the action of the spring means - displace the valve body from its sealing edge engaging position. By introducing a working fluid into the second of the two concentric cylinders the piston means thereof in a similar way can be displaced for engaging the connecting pins and after having reached an intended position - by closing the in connection for working fluid and consequently locking in the fluid volume having entered lock the annular piston means in its reached position. This results in creating a adjustable abutment for the valve body or disc and makes it possible to reach an adjustable minimum passage between the valve body and the sealing edge cooperating therewith.

Instead of two annular cylinders and piston means, respectively, it is possible to use for the adjustment or set function utilize a mechanically operated device, such as a screw device axially engaging annular device movable to engage the connecting pins and abutments which according to the setting forms end stop allowing more or less displacement of the valve body or disc.

Additional features will be revealed will be found in the attached claims and the following description and drawings.

Description of preferred embodiment

The invention will be described more in detail in the following with references to the attached drawings, in which

Fig. 1 is an axial sectional view of an embodiment of the valve device according to the invention,

Fig 2 is a perspective view showing the parts of the valve device separated from each other,

Fig 3 is a perspective view of the valve disk or body and

Fig 4 in a partially sectional view shows a modified embodiment of the valve device. The valve housing as a whole includes the valve housing proper 1 , a so called cylinder part 2 and an enclosing jacket 3 as well as an end plate 4 , which also can be used as a wall securing means.

The valve housing proper is at one of its ends arranged to be connecting to a not shown channel or pipe for medium to be evacuated and inside a connection end opening 5 there is a valve chamber 6 having far larger diameter that said opening 5. The valve chamber is radial defined by a wall 7 having a number of, preferably three, slots 8 open at the end edge 9 of the wall and extending a distance towards the opening 5.

Outside the wall 7 there is a control ring 10 having axially oriented slots 11 closed at the ends and having a defined length. The slots 11 are arranged peripherally in a way similar to that of the slots 8.

Outside the control ring 7 a so called counter pressure ring 12 is arranged. It preferably has a L-shaped cross section and a spring 14 is arranged between its projecting flange portion 13 and an abutment at the valve house part. The counter pressure ring is displaceable towards the said far end against the action of the spring 14.

Instead of just one spring and as shown on the drawings, preferably three springs 14a may be mounted . These spring have the same function as the spring 14.

The so called cylinder part 2, in the same way as the valve housing proper, has a central opening 15, the end of which is adapted to be connected with a pipe or channel. The central opening in a direction inwardly ends at a seat 16 where a sealing ring of O-ring type is arranged. The through flow or cross section area at the seat is considerably smaller that that of the valve housing part 1. At the end of the cylinder part facing the valve housing part 1 there are besides the sealing edge to cooperate with the end edge 9 of the valve housing part, two annular grooves 18 and 19 serving as concentrically arranged cylinders. The cylinder grooves 18 and 19 are accordingly open towards the valve housing part and closed at their opposite ends but for connecting openings or holes 20 and 21 for working or pressure fluid. In each cylinder groove 18 and 19 there is an annular piston means 22 and 23, respectively. The annular piston means preferably at the closed cylinder end side includes a sealing ring 24 or 25 made of elastic material, and having a groove 26, 27 facing in the same direction so that the side portions 28, 29 defining the groove have a thickness reduced towards the ends so that they serve as piston seals. The sealing rings are supported by and engage rigid annular pistons 30 and 31 , respectively, adapted to cooperate with the valve body designated 32 in a way explained below.

The valve body or disk 32 has a diameter far smaller than the free diameter inside the valve chamber 6, which means that as long as the disk is remote from the seat 16, a passage for the gas or the medium to be controlled will appear at the edge of the disk or body 32. The disk 32 can be constructed in different ways and has an abutment edge 33 adapted to cooperate with the seat 16 of the cylinder part 2. At the disk periphery there are secured three connection pins 34, e.g. by threaded bores at the edge of the disk or adjoining edge portion. The connection pins 34 extend through the slots 8 in the wall 9 and through the slots 11 of the control ring 10. The extreme ends of the said pins will engage the side of the counter pressure ring 12 opposite to the spring 14 and consequently the spring strives to keep the valve disc engaging the seat 16.

By introducing pressure fluid into, say, the inner cylinder 19, the annular piston means 23 will be displaced towards the valve housing part . The outer portion of the piston means, i.e. the annular piston means 30 and 31 , respectively, then will engage connecting pins 34 of the valve disk and against the action of the spring, move the valve disk away from its sealing 16 engaging position. On removing the control fluid pressure the spring 14 will move the disk back to engage the sealing 16.

In such cases where there is a demand for keeping a minimum or set through flow, also when full through flow is not necessary, pressure fluid may be introduced into the outer cylinder 18, whereupon the piston means will engage the outer ends of the pins 34 and move the valve disk away from its sealing position. After having reached intended through flow position he pressure medium supply may be closed so that the enclosed fluid volume serves as a stop against the return movement of the piston means and consequently total closing of the valve.

A pre-setting of the possible movement of the valve disk 32 may also be achieved by means of a set screw 35. By turning the screw inwardly or outwardly at the front and of the valve house part the end position to be reached by the control ring 10 may be defined.

The valve arrangement can as already mentioned be controlled by means of pressure medium. This normally is air but also other pressure mediums or fluids can be used. The control device proper can be manually or automatically operated, i.e. connected to the evacuation unit to be controlled so that the valve will open on demand, where there is a need to evacuation. At narcoses masks the control device for example may be arranged to be controlled by the valve device controlling the supply of anaesthetic gas. On diathermy instruments the control device for the valve may the controlled inductively by the current supply to the instrument. The same goes for laser instruments and other electrically operated instruments. The control device may include one manually and one automatically operated part, the former controlling the pressure fluid to the valve cylinder device defining the end position of the valve disc, i.e. defining if there is a need for a minimum through flow and the rate thereof.

List of reference numbers.

1. Valve housing proper

2. Cylinder part 3. Jacket

4. End plate

5. Connection opening

6. Valve Chamber

7. Wall 8. Slots

9. End edge of wall

10. Control ring

1 1. Axial slots

12. Counter pressure ring 13. Flange portion

14. Springs (three)

15. Central opening

16. Seat

17. Sealing ring 18. Cylinder groove

19. Cylinder groove

20. Connection hole or opening

21. Connection hole or opening

22. Annular piston means 23. Annular piston means

24. Elastic sealing ring

25. Elastic sealing ring

26. Groove

27. Groove 28. Wall portions

29. Wall portions

30. Rigid annular piston means

31. Rigid piston means

32. Valve body or disk 33. Abutment edge or portion

34. Abutment pin

35. Adjusting screw

Claims

1. Valve device including a valve housing (1 ) having an inlet and an outlet and a valve chamber (6) with connection openings (5 and 15, respectively) and a valve body (32) having, at a radial projecting edge portion, an essentially axially facing all around abutment and edge portion (33), said portion on displacing the valve body being arranged to be moved to reach a sealing abutment position adjacent another seat or abutment (16) at the valve housing, and to be moved to reach through flow admitting positions remote from said seat or abutment (16), respectively, wherein the valve chamber (6) has larger cross section area than the valve body (32) so that between the all around abutment edge of the valve body and a wall radial defining the valve chamber (6) an through flow admitting passage (P) is created when the abutment or edge portion (33) is removed from the seat or abutment (16) facing in the opposite axial direction,

c h a r a c t e r i s e d in,

that at a part (2) of the valve device adjacent to the one connection opening (15) there is arranged at least one cylinder means (18 or 19) in the shape of an axial annular groove, the end of which facing away from the opposite connection opening (5) of the valve chamber, but for a connection opening or hole (20 or 21 ) for pressure medium, is closed, whereas the opposite end of the annular cylinder means opens up into a space radial outside the valve chamber (6),

that an annular piston means (22 or 23) is arranged inside the annular cylinder means (18 or 19) and intended to, upon the introduction of pressure medium into the annular cylinder thorough the connection opening (20 or 21 ) of the otherwise closed top end of the cylinder, be displaced from said top end in order to allow its opposite end or edge portion to project into the space radial outside the valve chamber (6),

that the valve body (32), preferably being disk shaped, is provided with a number of essentially radial projecting connection pins (34), through slot shaped openings (11 ) at the valve chamber (6) wall (7) penetrating into the surrounding space,

that the annular piston means (22 or 23) on being displaced from the closed top end of the cylinder is arranged to engage the connection pins (34) and thereby also displace the valve body or disk (32) from its seat or abutment (16) engaging position and that spring means is arranged to bias the connection pins (34) in a direction opposite that of the piston means on being biased by the pressure medium, said spring means on removing the pressure medium inside the annular cylinder means (18 or 19) biasing the piston means so as to return the valve body or disk (32) to its closing position.

2. Valve device according to claim 1 , c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that, in the part of the valve housing enclosing said one connection opening (15) two concentrically positioned annular grooves (18 and 19) serving as cylinder means are arranged, that in each such annular groove a similarly annular piston means (22 and 23) is arranged,

that the piston means (22 and 23), by introduction of a pressure medium into either of the annular cylinders at the ends thereof, closed but for the connection holes, are movable separately to engage the connection pins (34) of the valve body (32), the arrangement being such that the piston means of the one cylinder means after having moved the valve body or disk (32) to a certain position by means of pressure medium introduced into the top end of the corresponding cylinder, establishing a standing minimum through flow passage (P) by the abutment portion or edge (33) and the seat (6), by enclosing a pre set amount of the pressure medium introduced at the cylinder end, while the piston means of the other cylinder means by introducing and emptying, respectively an amount of pressure medium adapted to the demand, moving the valve body or disk (32) to and from its closed or pre-determined position to controlled position allowing intended through passage .

3. Valve device according to claims 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the valve housing is provided with an adjustable abutment means movable by means of a screw device or the like in the axial direction for establishing an end position for the opening of the valve body or disk (32).