Actuator for valve and method thereof

Abstract

An actuator for a valve includes an electrical circuit (202), a cable coupled to the electrical circuit (202), a lower housing (204) supporting the electrical circuit (202), and an upper housing (206) coupled to the lower housing (204). A circuit (202) controls the position of the valve. The cable provides power and control to the circuitry (202). The lower housing (204) includes a first slot and a second slot to provide support for the cable in a first direction. The upper housing (206) includes a first protrusion and a second protrusion to provide support for the cable in a second direction. The first and second protrusions are positioned offset from the first and second slots of the lower housing (204).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of fire protection systems, and more particularly to actuators for fire protection valves and smoke control valves in a fire protection system. Background Art

[0002] Fire protection systems include active systems and passive systems. Active systems achieve their intended purpose based on a certain type of action, such as fire detection, fire suppression, and fire sprinklers. Passive systems can perform their intended functions without human intervention, such as fire protection, emergency lighting, and valves. The valves of passive fire protection systems include fire protection valves and smoke control valves, which protect the facility and its personnel from smoke and fire. Passive systems also inhibit the spread of fire and smoke, providing additional time for first responders to act.

[0003] Fire protection valves and smoke control valves are components of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning ("HVAC") system. The valves prevent heat, fire, and smoke from circulating in ducts and vents, thereby preventing them from spreading throughout the facility. When a fire emergency is detected, the valves close and cut off the air distribution to various areas of the facility, thereby minimizing the amount of oxygen that would fuel the fire and smoke flowing to other areas where there may be people.

[0004] Fire protection valves and smoke control valves include actuators that control the open and closed positions of the valves. For a fire protection system, the valves include wiring for connection to a power source and a control system. The cables of such wiring need to be firmly fixed in place without damaging the internal wiring to ensure the normal operation of the actuator. Traditional actuators typically include additional components, such as grommets or threaded connectors, which squeeze the cable when a nut is tightened over a gland. Traditional actuators also utilize complex assembly techniques to achieve a secure fit without damaging the cable. Unfortunately, the additional components and cumbersome assembly process for fixing the wiring increase the cost of the actuator. Summary of the Invention

[0005] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for eliminating pressure on a cable of an actuator for a fire protection and / or smoke control valve is provided. The method avoids damage to the cable wiring and insulation and avoids potential short circuits in the circuit during testing and operation. The method also minimizes the component cost and assembly time cost of the actuator.

[0006] The pressure relief method integrates pressure relief into the housing design without additional components. The method also simplifies and reduces assembly time by passing the cable through the conduit opening without special manipulation or orientation. Thus, when the housing components are fastened together, pressure relief of the cable is achieved. In addition, the method allows for controlled loading of the conductors without the need for additional stacking or thick cross-sections on the cable harness to prevent extrusion / tearing of the conductor insulation.

[0007] On the one hand, an actuator for a valve includes a circuit, a cable coupled to the circuit, a lower housing supporting the circuit, and an upper housing coupled to the lower housing. The circuit controls the position of the valve. The cable provides power and control to the circuit. The lower housing includes a first groove and a second groove to provide support for the cable in a first direction. The upper housing includes a first protrusion and a second protrusion to provide support for the cable in a second direction. The first protrusion and the second protrusion are positioned offset from the first groove and the second groove of the lower housing.

[0008] On the other hand, a method for an actuator for a valve. The circuit is supported by the lower housing to control the position of the valve, and the lower housing includes a first groove and a second groove. The cable is coupled to the circuit and provides power and control to the circuit. The first groove and the second groove of the lower housing provide support for the cable in a first direction. The upper housing is coupled to the lower housing. The first protrusion and the second protrusion of the upper housing provide support for the cable in a second direction. The first protrusion and the second protrusion of the upper housing are positioned offset from the first groove and the second groove of the lower housing.

[0009] The above features and advantages, as well as other features and advantages, will become more apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. While it is desirable to provide one or more of these or other advantageous features, the teachings disclosed in the present invention extend to those embodiments that fall within the scope of the appended claims, regardless of whether they achieve one or more of the above advantages. Description of the Drawings

[0010] To more fully understand the present disclosure and its advantages, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals represent like elements.

[0011] Figure 1 is an illustration of a fire and / or smoke valve including an actuator in an exemplary implementation operable to employ the techniques described in the present invention.

[0012] Figure 2 Depicts Figure 1 an exemplary implementation of the actuator of

[0013] Figure 3 is Figure 1 a simplified close-up view of an end portion of the actuator of

[0014] Figure 4 is shown along Figure 3 the line 4-4' of the Figure 1 end portion of the actuator.

[0015] Figure 5 is a flow chart of operations in an exemplary implementation operable to employ the techniques described in the present invention. Detailed Description

[0016] Various techniques related to systems and actuators that provide pressure relief for their power and / or control cables will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, where like reference numerals always represent like elements. The drawings discussed below, as well as the various embodiments used herein to describe the principles of the present disclosure, are illustrative only and should not be construed in any way to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that the principles of the present disclosure may be implemented in any suitably arranged device. It should be understood that the functionality described as being performed by certain system elements may be performed by multiple elements. Similarly, for example, one element may be configured to perform functionality described as being performed by multiple elements. Numerous innovative teachings of the present application will be described with reference to exemplary non-limiting embodiments.

[0017] The actuator provides an integrated pressure relief feature for the power and control cables (including power supply cables and auxiliary switch cables) of a rotary fire and / or smoke damper actuator, compliant with UL60730. Compared to previous solutions, the actuator significantly reduces assembly time and minimizes the need for additional components. In particular, the actuator includes a slot feature that replaces traditional cable fixing methods, such as winding wires around a structural post. The slot feature achieves pressure relief while being integrated into the lower housing of the actuator (such as an aluminum die-cast gear train chassis). The actuator also includes a crimp feature that is incorporated into the upper housing of the actuator (such as a plastic housing that protects the interior of the actuator). The slot feature holds the cable and corresponding wires in place during the assembly process without creating a load. Once the housing is installed, the cable and its wires are forced into a position that prevents them from being pulled out or pushed into the actuator.

[0018] Refer to Figure 1, which shows an illustration of a fire and / or smoke valve 100 including an actuator 102 in an exemplary implementation operable to employ the techniques described in the present invention. The valve 100 includes a frame 104 and a plurality of adjustable blocking members 106, such as vanes, blades, fins, louvers, etc. The blocking members 106 are connected to a rotatable shaft 108, which in turn is connected to a control shaft 110. The control shaft 110 is connected to the actuator 102 and is mechanically coupled to the rotatable shaft 108. Rotation of the control shaft 110 causes rotation of the rotatable shaft 108 and its corresponding blocking members 106.

[0019] When the blocking members 106 rotate, they either open the valve 100 to allow air flow through or close the valve to block air flow through. In some cases, the blocking members 106 can also be oriented at positions between the fully open and fully closed positions, thereby only partially restricting air flow through the valve. During a fire emergency, the actuator 102 operates the blocking members 106 to close or remain closed to prevent heat, fire, and smoke from spreading throughout the facility.

[0020] The actuator 102 is operable to control the valve 100 by rotating the blocking members 106 of the valve. In Figure 1 , the actuator 102 is shown physically attached to the valve 100. For some embodiments, the actuator 102 can be coupled to other wires 114 for connection to additional devices, such as an electronic fuse link (EFL) 116 or a sensor.

[0021] Referring to Figure 2 , a close-up view of an exemplary implementation of the actuator 102 is shown. The actuator 102 generally includes a circuit 202 for controlling the position of the valve 100 and other components, such as a power supply circuit, a motor controller, a drive member in the form of a motor, and a motor / valve interface. The actuator 102 also includes a lower housing 204 and an upper housing 206 to protect and otherwise support the circuit 202 and its associated components, and to hold the actuator near the valve 100. For some embodiments, the lower housing 204 including one or more slots integrated therein can be made of a die-cast metal material, such as aluminum. For some embodiments, the upper housing 206 including one or more protrusions integrated therein can be made of a moldable polymer material, such as plastic. The actuator 102 also includes one or more conduits 208 for accommodating a cable 112 coupled to the actuator to provide power and / or control.

[0022] Each cable 112 is coupled to the circuit 202, so each cable provides power and control to the circuit. Each cable can be a single cable or multiple different cables. For example, for some embodiments, each cable 112 can include a first cable that provides power to the circuit and a second cable that provides control information to the circuit.

[0023] Reference Figure 3 , a simplified close-up view of the end portion 300 of the actuator 102 is shown. The end portion 300 includes components of the lower housing 204 and the upper housing 206. When attached to each other, the lower housing 204 and the upper housing 206 protect the interior of the actuator. The lower housing 204 is substantially located at the first side 302 of the actuator 102, and the upper housing 206 is substantially located at the second side 304 of the actuator opposite the first side. Even so, some portions of one housing 204, 206 can extend to the other side 302, 304 of the actuator 102. For example, one end 306 of the lower housing 204 can extend toward the second side 304 of the actuator 104, where the upper housing 206 is located.

[0024] The housing includes one or more conduit ports 308, 310 to support the corresponding cables 112 and thus allow wires to be fed through the ports. One or more ports 312 can also accommodate other wires 114 to connect the circuit 202 to additional devices. One or more cables 112 are located on the U-shaped grooves 314, 316 of the lower plate or housing 204. The upper housing 206 includes protrusions 318, 320 that press down on the cables 112 to provide stress relief. Each protrusion 318, 320 includes an arcuate end 322, 324 for pressing down on the cables 112. As Figure 3 shown, the combination of the U-shape of each groove 314, 316 and the corresponding arcuate ends 322, 324 of each protrusion 318, 320 forms channels 326, 328 for accommodating and securing the cables 112 from above and below, and laterally supporting the cables from the sides. For some embodiments, the actuator 104 can also include one or more openings 330 to support other wires 114 for connection to additional devices.

[0025] Considering the integration of the grooves and protrusions in the lower housing 204 and the upper housing 206, the assembly time to achieve the stress relief feature can be less than half the time required by traditional methods. Additionally, the above-described housing features provide protection for the cables 112 passing through the conduit ports 308, 310 to achieve IP40 or better ingress protection, such as against tools larger than 1 mm and small wires. Furthermore, the housing features secure the cables 112 to the actuator 102 to comply with industry safety standards. For example, the housing features hold the cables 112 such that they do not move significantly during the UL60730 pull wire test at the conduit ports 308, 310.

[0026] Reference Figure 4 , showing a cross-sectional view of an end portion 400 of an actuator of a valve as shown along line 4-4' of Figure 3 . The end portion 400 includes a lower housing 204 and an upper housing 206. One end of the end portion 400 includes one or more conduit ports, such as conduit port 310. The lower housing 204 includes a first groove 402 and a second groove 404, where the grooves are integrated with the lower housing. The upper housing 206 includes a first protrusion 406 and a second protrusion 408, where the protrusions are integrated with the upper housing. Thus, the first protrusion 406 and the second protrusion 408 are integral parts of the upper housing 206, and the first groove 402 and the second groove 404 are integral parts of the lower housing 204. For some embodiments, the grooves 402, 404 are cast into the lower die-cast aluminum plate or housing 204, and in order to provide an extrusion feature, the protrusions 406, 408 extend downward from the injection-molded plastic housing 206.

[0027] One or more cables 410 and their associated wires pass through the conduit port 310 and continue through the first groove 402 and the second groove 404 and the first protrusion 406 and the second protrusion 408. The lower housing 204 supports the circuit 202, and the first groove 402 and the second groove 404 of the lower housing provide support for one or more cables 410 in a first direction 412. The upper housing 206 is coupled to the lower housing 204, and the first protrusion 406 and the second protrusion 408 of the upper housing provide support for one or more cables 410 in a second direction 414. The first direction 412 is substantially opposite to the second direction 414.

[0028] Each cable 410 includes contact points 416, 418, 420, 422 that alternate between the protrusions 406, 408 and the grooves 402, 404. In particular, when the lower housing 204 and the upper housing 206 are assembled, the first protrusion exerts a first force on the first contact point 416 in the second direction 414, and the first groove exerts a second force on the second contact point 418 in the first direction 412. Additionally, the second protrusion exerts a third force on the third contact point 420 in the second direction, and the second groove exerts a fourth force on the fourth contact point 422 in the first direction. The first protrusion 406 and the second protrusion 408 of the upper housing 206 fix a selected portion of the cable 112 to the first groove 402 and the second groove 404 of the lower housing 204 without subjecting the cable to substantial pressure. By applying forces alternately in this way, the actuator 102 fixes its cable 112 while providing pressure relief.

[0029] The positioning, length, and shape of the slots 402, 404 and the protrusions 406, 408 can vary to maximize the secure fit while maintaining pressure relief. To alternate between the protrusions 406, 408 and the slots 402, 404, the first and second protrusions of the upper housing 206 can be positioned offset from the first and second slots of the lower housing 204. For some embodiments, a first offset 424 between the first protrusion 406 and the first slot 402 is less than a second offset 426 between the second protrusion 408 and the second slot 404. Thus, the first protrusion 406 provides substantially secure support for the cable 112 at the first contact point 416 and the second contact point 418 closer to the first slot 402. For some embodiments, a protrusion difference 428 between the first protrusion 406 and the second protrusion 408 is greater than a height difference 430 between the first slot 402 and the second slot 404. Since the protrusion difference 428 follows the offset differences 424, 426 and supports the cable 112 in a different manner, the slots 402, 404 and the protrusions 406, 408 provide a secure fit while maintaining pressure relief.

[0030] For some embodiments, the slots 402, 404 provide lateral support for one or more cables 112. Each of the first slot 402 and the second slot 404 has a U-shaped structure to laterally support the cable 112 and guide the cable in a first direction 412. Similarly, the first protrusion 406 and the second protrusion 408 have semi-circular end portions to laterally support the cable and guide the cable in a second direction 414.

[0031] Reference Figure 5 , a flowchart of an operation 500 in an exemplary implementation is shown, which operation can be used to employ the techniques described in the present invention. The operation 500 represents a method for an actuator 102 of a valve 100. A circuit 202 for controlling the position of the valve 100 is supported by the lower housing 204 (502). The lower housing 204 includes a first slot 402 and a second slot 404. A cable 112 is coupled (504) to the circuit 202. The cable 112 provides power and control for the circuit 202. For some embodiments, the cable 112 includes a first cable that provides power to the circuit 202 and a second cable that provides control information to the circuit. The cable includes contact points 416, 418, 420, 422 that alternate between the protrusions 406, 408 and the slots 402, 404.

[0032] The lower housing 204 and the upper housing 206 are positioned adjacent to each other to protect the interior of the actuator 102 and secure the cable 112 to the actuator. In this manner, the upper housing and the lower housing are coupled to each other (508). Before coupling (508) the housings 204, 206 or in response to coupling the housings, the first slot 402 and the second slot 404 of the lower housing 204 provide (506) support for the cable 112 in a first direction 412. For some embodiments, each of the first slot 402 and the second slot 404 has a U-shaped configuration to laterally support the cable 112 and guide the cable in the first direction 412. Additionally, the first protrusion 406 and the second protrusion 408 of the upper housing 206 provide (510) support for the cable 112 in a second direction 414, where the first direction is substantially opposite to the second direction. The first protrusion 406 and the second protrusion 408 of the upper housing 206 secure a selected portion of the cable 112 to the first slot 402 and the second slot 404 of the lower housing 204 without subjecting the cable to substantial pressure. Additionally, the first protrusion 406 and the second protrusion 408 are integral parts of the upper housing 206, and the first slot 402 and the second slot 404 are integral parts of the lower housing 204.

[0033] In some embodiments, the first protrusion 406 and the second protrusion 408 of the upper housing 206 may be positioned to deviate from the first slot 402 and the first slot 404 of the lower housing 204. For some embodiments, a first offset 424 between the first protrusion 406 and the first slot 402 is less than a second offset 426 between the second protrusion 408 and the second slot 404. For some embodiments, each of the first protrusion 406 and the second protrusion 408 has a semi-circular end portion to laterally support the cable and guide the cable in the second direction 414. For some embodiments, a protrusion difference 428 between the first protrusion 406 and the second protrusion 408 is greater than a height difference 430 between the first slot 402 and the second slot 404.

[0034] Those skilled in the art will recognize that, for simplicity and clarity, the complete structure and operation of all data processing systems suitable for use in this disclosure are not depicted or described in this invention. Additionally, various features or processes described in this invention should not be considered essential for any or all embodiments, other than as described in this invention. Various features may be omitted or repeated in various embodiments. The various processes described may be omitted, repeated, executed sequentially, executed simultaneously, or executed in a different order. The various features and processes described in this invention may be combined in other embodiments as may be described in the claims.

[0035] It is important to note that although this disclosure includes a description in the context of a full-featured system, those skilled in the art will understand that at least a portion of the mechanisms of this disclosure can be distributed in the form of instructions contained in various forms of machine-usable, computer-usable, or computer-readable media, and this disclosure applies equally regardless of the specific type of instruction or signal-bearing medium or storage medium actually used to effect the distribution. Examples of machine-usable / readable or computer-usable / readable media include non-volatile, hard-coded media such as read-only memory (ROM) or erasable, electrically programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), as well as user-recordable media such as floppy disks, hard disk drives, and compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or digital versatile disc (DVD).

[0036] Although the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, substitutions, variations, and improvements disclosed in this invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the broadest form of this disclosure.

Claims

1. An actuator for a valve, include: a circuit for controlling the position of the valve; a cable coupled to the circuit, the cable providing power and control to the circuit; A lower housing supporting the circuit, the lower housing comprising a first slot and a second slot to provide support for the cable in a first direction; as well as An upper housing is coupled to the lower housing, the upper housing including a first protrusion and a second protrusion to provide support for the cable in a second direction, the first protrusion and the second protrusion being positioned to be offset from the first groove and the second groove of the lower housing.

2. The actuator according to claim 1, in, The first protrusion and the second protrusion of the upper housing fix the selected portion of the cable to the first groove and the second groove of the lower housing without subjecting the cable to substantial pressure.

3. The actuator according to claim 1, in, The first protrusion and the second protrusion are components of the upper housing and the first groove and the second groove are components of the lower housing.

4. The actuator according to claim 1, in, The cable includes a first cable that provides power to the circuit and a second cable that provides control information to the circuit, and wherein the cable includes contact points that alternate between protrusions and grooves.

5. The actuator according to claim 1, in, The first direction is substantially opposite to the second direction.

6. The actuator according to claim 1, in, The first groove and the second groove have a U-shaped structure to laterally support the cable and guide the cable in the first direction, and wherein the first protrusion and the second protrusion have semicircular end portions to laterally support the cable and guide the cable in the second direction.

7. The actuator according to claim 1, in, A first offset between the first protrusion and the first slot is smaller than a second offset between the second protrusion and the second slot.

8. The actuator according to claim 1, in, A protrusion difference between the first protrusion and the second protrusion is greater than a height difference between the first groove and the second groove.

9. A method for an actuator for a valve, the method include: supporting a circuit for controlling the position of the valve through a lower housing, the lower housing including a first slot and a second slot; coupling a cable to the circuit, the cable providing power and control to the circuit; Providing support for the cable in a first direction through the first slot and the second slot of the lower housing; coupling an upper housing to the lower housing; as well as The cable is supported in a second direction by first and second protrusions of the upper housing, the first and second protrusions of the upper housing being positioned to be offset from the first and second grooves of the lower housing.

10. The method according to claim 11, in, The first protrusion and the second protrusion of the upper housing fix the selected portion of the cable to the first groove and the second groove of the lower housing without subjecting the cable to substantial pressure.

11. The method according to claim 11, in, The first protrusion and the second protrusion are components of the upper housing and the first groove and the second groove are components of the lower housing.

12. The method according to claim 11, in, The cable includes a first cable that provides power to the circuit and a second cable that provides control information to the circuit, and wherein the cable includes contact points that alternate between protrusions and grooves.

13. The method according to claim 11, in, The first direction is substantially opposite to the second direction.

14. The method according to claim 11, in, The first and second grooves have a U-shaped structure to laterally support the cable and guide the cable in the first direction, and wherein the first and second protrusions have semicircular end portions to laterally support the cable and guide the cable in the second direction.

15. The method according to claim 11, in, A first offset between the first protrusion and the first groove is smaller than a second offset between the second protrusion and the second groove, and wherein a protrusion difference between the first protrusion and the second protrusion is greater than a height difference between the first groove and the second groove.

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