PROPORTIONAL FLOW CONTROL VALVE

Abstract

A valve apparatus comprising a valve assembly including a valve retainer housing a movable seat defining a valve member configured to contact a conical valve seat of the valve retainer; and a motor assembly including a rotating shaft configured to drive the valve assembly; wherein the rotating shaft includes a thread formed at one end thereof, the thread being coupled with a sleeve which, through rotation of the thread by the rotating shaft, moves the sleeve toward and away from the movable seat to transfer an axial force to the seat, forcing the valve member to engage and disengage from the valve seat to open and close the valve assembly.

Description

PROPORTIONAL FLOW CONTROL VALVE CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 294,240, filed on December 28, 2021. The full disclosure of the foregoing application is incorporated herein by reference. FIELD This disclosure relates to a proportional flow control valve. BACKGROUND This section provides background information related to this disclosure, which is not necessarily prior technical information. Proportional control valves provide greater control over the amount of fluid that can pass through the valve. This can be particularly important when a specific amount of fluid is required for a specific application, such as a medical procedure or treatment. In this context, if the correct amount of fluid is not delivered during the procedure or treatment, its effectiveness may be reduced. Other applications that may require proportional control include delivering the correct amount of carbonation to a beverage, providing fluid pressure control to a mobility aid, and applications requiring fluid dosing. COMPENDIUM This section provides a general summary of the disclosure and is not an exhaustive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features. According to a first aspect of this disclosure, a valve apparatus is provided comprising a valve assembly including a valve retainer body housing a movable head defining a valve member configured to contact a valve seat of the valve retainer body; and a motor assembly including a rotating shaft configured to drive the valve assembly; characterized in that the rotating shaft includes a thread formed at one end thereof, the thread engaging with a sleeve which, through rotation of the thread by the rotating shaft, translates the sleeve toward and away from the movable head to transfer an axial force to the head, compelling the valve member to engage and disengage with the valve seat to open and close the valve assembly. According to the first aspect, the valve apparatus may also include a spring assembly to polarize the valve member away from the valve seat. zrp 17n / czn7 / =i / Yi According to the first aspect, the valve retainer body includes a first inlet, a second inlet, and an outlet, wherein the first inlet is configured to be in fluid communication with a first fluid and the second inlet is configured to be in fluid communication with a second fluid. According to the first aspect, the first and second fluids mix when the valve assembly is open. According to the first aspect, the first fluid includes a gas and the second fluid includes a liquid. According to the first aspect, the first fluid and the second fluid each include a liquid or a gas. According to the first aspect, the thread is configured in such a way that a single 360-degree rotation of the rotating shaft thread will fully open the valve assembly. According to the first aspect, the valve apparatus may also include a cylindrical spacer surrounding the rotating shaft between the thread and the engine assembly. According to the first aspect, the thread of the rotating shaft engages with a corresponding threaded surface of the sleeve, and the sleeve includes a cylindrical extension that slides onto the cylindrical spacer. According to the first aspect, the valve apparatus may also include a sealing diaphragm between the head and the thread of the rotating shaft, wherein a diameter of the sealing diaphragm is substantially equal to a diameter of the valve retainer body. According to a second aspect of this disclosure, a valve apparatus is provided that may include a valve retainer body defining a valve seat; a movable head defining a valve member configured to contact the valve seat of the valve retainer body; a rotating shaft configured to drive the movable head; a thread formed at one end of the rotating shaft; a sealing diaphragm between the movable head and the rotating shaft; and a sleeve engaged with the thread of the rotating shaft, wherein rotation of the thread by the rotating shaft translates the sleeve toward and away from the movable head to transfer an axial force to the head that compels the valve member to engage and disengage with the valve seat to open and close the valve assembly. According to the second aspect, the sleeve includes an internally threaded surface that engages with the thread of the rotating shaft. 7RPI 7η / R7Π7 / 3 / YILI According to the second aspect, the sleeve includes a support surface configured to contact the head and transmit the axial force to the head. According to the second aspect, the valve apparatus may also include a cylindrical spacer surrounding the rotating shaft at one end of the rotating shaft that does not include the thread. According to the second aspect, the sleeve includes a first portion configured to engage with the thread of the rotating shaft and an axially extending cylindrical portion that is configured to slide along the spacer. According to the second aspect, the valve retainer body includes a first inlet, a second inlet, and an outlet, wherein the first inlet is configured to be in fluid communication with a first fluid and the second inlet is configured to be in fluid communication with a second fluid. According to the second aspect, the first inlet is located on a first side of the valve member and the second inlet is located on a second side of the valve member, the outlet is located between the first inlet and the second inlet, and the first and second fluids mix when the valve assembly is open. According to the second aspect, the first fluid and the second fluid each include a liquid or a gas. According to the second aspect, a sealing diaphragm diameter is substantially equal to a valve retainer body diameter. According to the second aspect, the valve apparatus may also include a motor to rotate the rotating shaft and the rotating shaft thread to translate the sleeve to and from the moving head. Other areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided here. The description and specific examples in this summary are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. DRAWINGS The drawings described here are for illustrative purposes only of selected modalities and not of all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a first proportional control valve according to a principle of the present disclosure; and Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a second proportional control valve according to a principle of the present disclosure. zrp i zn / pznz / u / Yi The corresponding reference numbers indicate the corresponding parts along the various views of the drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The example modalities will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The example modalities are provided to make this disclosure comprehensive and to fully convey its scope to those skilled in the art. Numerous specific details, such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, are set out to provide a thorough understanding of the modalities covered by this disclosure. It will be evident to those skilled in the art that specific details are not required, that the example modalities can be incorporated in many different ways, and that none of these should be interpreted as limiting the scope of the disclosure. In some example modalities, known processes, well-known device structures, and known technologies are not described in detail. The terminology used here is intended to describe modalities of particular examples only and is not meant to be exhaustive. As used here, the singular forms *un*, *uno / una*, and *el / la* may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms *comprises*, *comprising*, *includes*, and *has* are inclusive and thus specify the presence of stated features, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more features, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. When an element or layer is referred to as being in, engaged with, connected to, or coupled to another element or layer, it may be directly in, engaged with, connected to, or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. Conversely, when an element is referred to as being directly in, directly engaged with, directly connected to, or directly coupled to another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted similarly (e.g., between versus directly between, adjacent versus directly adjacent, etc.). Although the terms first, second, third, etc., may be used here to describe various elements or components, these elements or components should not be limited by these terms. These terms may only be used to distinguish one element or component from another. Terms such as first, second, and other numerical terms zrp i zn / cznz / zi / Yi, when used here, do not imply a sequence or order unless the context clearly indicates it. Therefore, a first element or component could be called a second element or component without departing from the teachings of the example modalities. Spatially relative terms, such as internal, external, below, down, lower, above, and the like, may be used here to facilitate description of the relationship of one element or feature to another element or feature, as illustrated in the figures. Spatially relative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation, in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is rotated, elements described as below or under other elements or features would be oriented above those other elements or features. Thus, the example term "below" may encompass both an above and a below orientation. The device may be oriented in another way (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatially relative descriptors used herein are interpreted accordingly. Figure 1 illustrates a first proportional control valve apparatus 10 according to this disclosure. The valve apparatus 10 is configured to proportionally control a fluid flow, including liquids and gases. In the illustrated embodiment, the valve apparatus 10 is a three-way valve configured to allow two fluids to enter the valve apparatus 10 and mix with each other before exiting the valve apparatus 10. The two fluids may be the same or different, and it is contemplated that one fluid may be a liquid and the other fluid may be a gas. The first valve apparatus 10 includes a valve assembly 12 and a motor assembly 14 configured to actuate the valve assembly 12. The motor assembly 14 may include a stepper motor (not shown) housed in a motor housing 16 and an encoder 18. The encoder 18 is configured to provide positional feedback and indexing. By using an indexer, the valve apparatus 10 can be configured to open and close completely digitally. The valve assembly 12 includes a valve retainer body 20, a head 22, a coupling member 24 connecting the head 22 to a shaft 25 of the motor assembly 14, a connecting bushing 26, a spring assembly 28, and a pair of sealing diaphragms 30. The valve assembly 12 also includes a valve housing assembly 32 comprising a first housing 34 connecting the valve assembly 12 to the motor assembly 14 and a second housing 36 housing the spring assembly 28. zRPLzn / cznz / q / Yi The valve retainer body 20 can be made of a rigid material, such as a metallic or polymeric material. The valve retainer body 20 includes a first end 37a configured to engage the connecting bushing 26 and a second end 37b configured to engage the second housing 36. The connecting bushing 26 and the second housing 36 can be threaded onto the first and second ends 37a and 37b, respectively, of the valve retainer body 20. One sealing diaphragm 30 is positioned between the first end 37a of the valve retainer body 20 and the connecting bushing 26, and another sealing diaphragm 30 is positioned between the second end 37b of the valve retainer body 20 and the second housing 36. The sealing diaphragms 30 are used to balance the head 22 under pressure. Diaphragms 30 may include an annular rib 31 that improves the sealing of the internal and external diameter of diaphragm 30.In this regard, for example, when diaphragm 30 is placed between the first end 37a of the valve retainer body 20 and the connecting bushing 26, and these components are threaded together, rib 31 is configured to compress, increasing the sealing capacity. A similar action occurs when diaphragm 30 is placed between the second end 37b of the valve retainer body 20 and the second housing 36, and these components are threaded together. Furthermore, the compression of rib 31 helps compensate for manufacturing tolerances of the components between the diaphragms 30. The valve retainer body 20 includes a first inlet opening or port 38 configured for fluid communication with a first fluid source (not shown), a second inlet opening or port 42 configured for fluid communication with a second fluid source (not shown), and an outlet opening or port 40. The head 22 is movably received within the valve retainer body 20. Similar to the valve retainer body 20, the head 22 can be made of a rigid material such as a metallic or polymeric material. The head 22 includes a proximal end 41 configured to connect to the coupling member 24 and a distal end 43 configured to connect to the spring assembly 28. A valve member 44 is located between the proximal and distal ends 41, 43 of the head 22 in the second port 30. As the head 22 moves back and forth along the X-axis of the valve assembly 12 to open and close the valve assembly 12, the valve member 44 is configured to contact a valve seat 46 of the valve retainer body 20, which is tapered to improve flow and reduce pressure drop.When valve member 44 is in contact with valve seat 46, valve assembly 12 is closed (as shown in Figure 1), and when valve member zRPLzn / cznz / q / Yi moves away from valve seat 46, valve assembly 12 opens (not shown). When valve assembly 12 is open, fluid entering through the first inlet port 38 and the second inlet port 42 is allowed to flow past valve member 44, mix, and then exit valve assembly 12 through outlet opening 40. The connector bushing 26 connects the first end 37a of the valve retainer body 20 to the first housing 34. The connector bushing 26 can be made of a rigid material such as a metallic material or a polymeric material. The connector bushing 26 includes an external threaded surface for connection to the valve retainer body 20 and an internal threaded surface for connection to the first housing 34.The head 22 is configured to be driven by an axially translatable sleeve 56, which is driven by the shaft 25 of the motor assembly 14. More specifically, the head 22 is connected to the shaft 25 via the coupling member 24 and the sleeve 56. The coupling member 24 includes a threaded projection 48 that engages threadedly with a threaded recess 50 of the head 22. A cylindrical main body 52 of the coupling member 24 includes a bearing surface 54 that is configured to engage with the sleeve 56 surrounding a thread 58 that is part of the shaft 25. As the shaft 25 and the thread 58 rotate, the sleeve 56 can be moved toward and away from the coupling member 24.When the sleeve 56 comes into contact with the coupling member 24 and exerts a force against the bearing surface 54, the coupling member 24 will transmit this force to the head 22 to force the valve member 44 to engage with the valve seat 46. When the sleeve 56 moves away from the coupling member 24, a counterforce exerted by the spring assembly 28 will bias the valve member 44 of the head 22 away from the valve seat 46 to open the valve assembly 12. Thread 58 can be specifically designed and customized to control the movement of valve member 44 to customize the proportional flow allowed to pass through valve assembly 12. In the illustrated form, thread 58 is designed to allow a valve stroke of 2.5 mm (i.e., valve assembly 12 is fully open) with a single 360-degree rotation of thread 58. Valve strokes less than 2.5 mm are permitted by controlling the amount of rotation of thread 58. In this way, by controlling the amount of rotation of thread 58, the flow through valve assembly 12 can be tightly controlled instead of fully opening and closing the valve assembly 12. It should be understood that the 2.5 mm valve stroke is merely an example, and that different valve strokes can be obtained by modifying the pitches between the crests of thread 58. The spring assembly 28 includes a first spring seat 60 attached to the second end 37b of the valve retainer body 20 and a second spring seat 62 coupled to an inner surface of the second housing 36, with a coil spring 64 positioned between the first spring seat 60 and the second spring seat 62. The first spring seat 60 includes a threaded extension 66 coupled to the second end 37b of the valve retainer body 20 and an annular shoulder 68 configured to support a first end 64a of the spring 64. The second spring seat 62 includes a cylindrical projection 70 surrounded by an annular surface 72, with a second end 64b of the spring 64 surrounding the cylindrical projection 70 and supported by the annular surface 72. As noted earlier, the rotation of shaft 25 and thread 58 controls the amount the valve assembly 12 is allowed to open. Additionally, as noted earlier, spring assembly 28 is configured to polarize valve member 44 of the cylinder head 22 away from the valve seat 46. As shaft 25 and thread 58 rotate and move the cylinder head 22, spring 64 will compress, allowing the cylinder head 22 to move along the X-axis. Shaft spacer 74 is a hollow cylindrical member with an axial length that can be selected and adapted to limit shaft movement along the X-axis due to a spring (not polished) located within the motor assembly 14.The sleeve 56 includes an internal threaded surface 57 configured to engage with the thread 58 and an axially extending cylindrical section 61 that is configured to slide along an opening formed in the housing assembly 32 that includes a pair of parallel planes that prevent the sleeve 56 from rotating and allow the sleeve 56 to move back and forth as the shaft 25 rotates. The valve assembly 12 may also include a plurality of sealing members or gaskets 76 positioned around the outside of the valve retainer body 20. Specifically, the sealing members 76 are positioned within recesses 78 located above the valve retainer body 20. The depth of the recesses 78 and the cross-sectional diameters of the sealing members 76 may be specifically designed and adapted to allow the valve assembly 12 to be inserted into a manifold (not shown) without damaging the sealing member 76. In this respect, conventional valve devices are typically threaded (i.e., turned) to engage with a bore (not shown) in the manifold (not shown), which could damage the sealing members during this connection process. Furthermore, when unscrewing the device 7API 7n / PZn7 / =l / YI conventional bore valve, rotation could separate the motor assembly from the valve assembly and leave the valve assembly in the bore, requiring additional work to remove the valve assembly from the bore. With the illustrated configuration, the valve body 10 can be inserted into the manifold bore without rotating the valve body to ensure a fluid-tight connection. Then, to ensure that the valve body 10 remains seated with the manifold, the first housing 34 includes an opening 80 configured to receive a fastener 82 that can fix the valve body 10 to the manifold. Now, referring to Figure 2, a second proportional control valve apparatus 100 will be described. Valve apparatus 100 is similar to valve apparatus 10 described above. In this respect, the second valve apparatus 100 includes a valve assembly 112 and a motor assembly 114 that is configured to drive the valve assembly 112. The motor assembly 114 may include a stepper motor (not shown) housed in a motor housing 116 and an encoder 118 that is configured to provide positional feedback and indexing. Valve assembly 112 includes a valve retainer body 120, a two-piece head 122 connected to a shaft 124 of the engine assembly 114, a connecting bushing 126, a spring assembly 128, and a single sealing diaphragm 30. Valve assembly 112 also includes a valve housing assembly 132 that connects valve assembly 112 to engine assembly 114. The valve retainer body 120 can be made of a rigid material, such as a metal or a polymer. The valve retainer body 120 includes a first end 120a configured to engage the connecting bushing 126 and a second open end 120b that defines an outlet for the valve assembly 112. The connecting bushing 126 can be threaded onto the first end 120a of the valve retainer body 120. The sealing diaphragm 130 is positioned between the first end 120a of the valve retainer body 120 and the connecting bushing 126. The sealing diaphragm 130 is used to balance the head 122 under pressure. The diaphragm 130 can include an annular rib 131 that improves the sealing of the internal and external diameters of the valve retainer body 120. The valve retainer body 120 includes an inlet port 138 configured for fluid communication with a first fluid source (not shown). As noted above, the second open end 120b of the valve retainer body 120 defines a fluid outlet 140 from the valve assembly 112. The head 122 is movably received within the connecting bushing 126 and valve retainer body 120. The head 122 can be made of a rigid material such as a metallic or polymeric material. The head 122 includes a proximal end 123 within the connecting bushing 126 and a distal end 127 within the valve retainer body 120. The proximal end 123 of the head 122 includes a threaded projection 125a that engages within a corresponding threaded recess 125b of the distal end 127 to secure the proximal end 123 to the distal end 127. The diaphragm 130 is interposed between the proximal end 123 and the distal end 127 of the head 122. The distal end 127 defines a valve member 144.As the valve head 122 moves back and forth along the X-axis of the valve assembly 112 to open and close the valve assembly 112, the valve member 144 is positioned to contact a valve seat 146 of the valve retainer body 120, which is tapered to improve flow and reduce pressure drop. When the valve member 144 is in contact with the valve seat 146, the valve assembly 112 is closed (as shown in Figure 2), and when the valve member 144 moves away from the valve seat 146, the valve assembly 112 is open (not shown). When the valve assembly 112 is open, fluid entering the inlet port 138 is allowed to flow past the valve member 144 and then out of the valve assembly 112 through the outlet 140. The connecting bushing 126 connects the first end 120a of the valve retainer body 120 to the housing 132. The connecting bushing 126 can be made of a rigid material, such as a metallic or polymeric material. The connecting bushing 126 includes an internal threaded surface 126a for connection to the valve retainer body 120 and an external threaded surface 126b for connection to the housing 132. A radially inwardly extending ridge 129 projects into the head 122. The proximal end 123 of the head 122 is configured to be driven by the shaft 124 of the motor assembly 114. More particularly, the proximal end 123 of the head 122 defines the cylindrical main body 152, which has a bearing surface 154 configured to engage an axially translatable threaded sleeve 156 surrounding a thread 158 that is part of the shaft 124. As the shaft 124 and thread 158 rotate, the sleeve 156 can move toward and away from the bearing surface 154. When the sleeve 156 contacts the bearing surface 154, it transmits a force to the head 122 to force the valve member 144 to engage with the valve seat 146. When the sleeve 156 moves away from the bearing surface 154, a counterforce The force exerted by the spring assembly 128 will skew the valve member 144 of the head 122 away from the valve seat 146 to open the valve assembly 112. Thread 158 can be specifically designed and customized to control the movement of valve member 144 to customize the proportional flow allowed through valve assembly 112. In the polished configuration, thread 158 is designed to allow a valve stroke of 2.5 mm (i.e., valve assembly 112 is fully open) with a single 360-degree rotation of thread 158. Valve strokes less than 2.5 mm are permitted by controlling the amount of rotation of thread 158. In this way, by controlling the amount of rotation of thread 158, the flow through valve assembly 112 can be tightly controlled instead of fully opening and closing the valve assembly 112. The inwardly extending ridge 129 and extending towards the head 122 defines a first spring seat 160 and a shoulder 161 extending radially outwards from the near end 123 of the head 122 defines a second spring seat 162, with a helical spring 164 positioned between the first spring seat 160 and the second spring seat 162. As noted earlier, the rotation of shaft 124 and thread 158 controls the amount the valve assembly 112 is allowed to open. Furthermore, as noted earlier, spring assembly 128 is configured to move valve member 144 of the cylinder head 122 away from the valve seat 146. As shaft 124 and thread 158 rotate and move the cylinder head 122, spring 164 will compress, allowing the cylinder head 122 to move along the X-axis. Shaft spacer 174 is a hollow cylindrical member with an axial length that can be selected and adapted to limit shaft movement along the X-axis due to a spring (not polished) located within the motor assembly 114. The valve assembly 112 may also include a plurality of sealing members or gaskets 176 positioned around the outside of the valve retainer body 120. Specifically, the sealing members 176 are positioned within recesses 178 located above the valve retainer body 120. The depth of the recesses 178 and the cross-sectional diameters of the sealing members 176 may be specifically designed and adapted to allow the valve assembly 112 to be inserted into a manifold (not shown) without damaging the sealing member 176. In this respect, conventional valve devices are typically threaded (i.e., turned) to engage with a bore (not shown) in the manifold (not shown), which could damage the sealing members during this connection process.Furthermore, when unscrewing the conventional valve assembly from the bore, rotation could separate the motor assembly from the valve assembly, leaving the valve assembly in the bore. This would require additional work to remove the valve assembly from the bore. With the illustrated zAPLzn / cznz / q / Yi configuration, the valve assembly 100 can be inserted into the manifold bore without rotating the valve assembly, ensuring a fluid-tight connection. To ensure the valve assembly 100 remains seated with the manifold, the housing 132 includes an opening 180 configured to receive a fastener 182, which secures the valve assembly 100 to the manifold. Finally, it should be noted that each of the valve assemblies 12 and 112 provides a balanced design during use. The valve assemblies 12 and 112 are balanced because the valve retainer bodies 20 and 120, respectively, each have a diameter that is substantially the same as the effective sealing diameter of the diaphragms 30 and 130, respectively. By making the diameter of the valve retainer bodies 20 and 120 substantially the same as the effective sealing diameter of the diaphragms 30 and 130, respectively, the pressure fluctuations experienced by the valve assemblies 12 and 112 can be balanced during their operation. The preceding description of the modalities has been provided for illustrative and descriptive purposes. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit disclosure. The individual elements or features of a particular modality are generally not limited to that particular modality but, where applicable, are interchangeable and may be used in a selected modality, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also vary in many ways. Such variations should not be considered a departure from disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of disclosure.

Claims

1. A valve apparatus characterized in that it comprises: a valve assembly including a valve retainer body housing a movable head defining a valve member configured to contact a valve seat of the valve retainer body; and a motor assembly including a rotating shaft configured to drive the valve assembly; characterized in that the rotating shaft includes a thread formed at one end thereof, the thread engaging with a sleeve which, through rotation of the thread by the rotating shaft, translates the sleeve towards and away from the movable head to transfer an axial force to the head, forcing the valve member to engage and disengage with the valve seat to open and close the valve assembly.

2. The valve apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a spring assembly for polarizing the valve member away from the valve seat.

3. The valve apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the valve retainer body includes a first inlet, a second inlet, and an outlet, the first inlet being configured to be in fluid communication with a first fluid and the second inlet being configured to be in fluid communication with a second fluid.

4. The valve apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the first and second fluids are intermixed when the valve assembly is open.

5. The valve apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the first fluid includes a gas and the second fluid includes a liquid.

6. The valve apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the first fluid and the second fluid each include a liquid or a gas.

7. The valve apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the thread is configured in such a way that a single 360-degree rotation of the thread will fully open the valve assembly.

8. The valve apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a cylindrical spacer surrounding the rotating shaft between the thread and the motor assembly.

9. The valve apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the thread engages with a corresponding threaded surface of the sleeve, and the sleeve includes a cylindrical extension. zrp i zn / cznz / zi / Yi 10. The valve apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a sealing diaphragm between the head and the thread, the diameter of the sealing diaphragm being substantially equal to a diameter of the valve retainer body.

11. A valve apparatus characterized in that it comprises: a valve retainer body defining a valve seat; a movable head defining a valve member configured to contact the valve seat of the valve retainer body; a rotating shaft configured to drive the movable head; a thread formed at one end of the rotating shaft; a sealing diaphragm between the movable head and the thread; and a sleeve engaged with the thread, wherein rotation of the thread by the rotating shaft translates the sleeve toward and away from the movable head to transfer an axial force to the head that compels the valve member to engage and disengage with the valve seat to open and close the valve assembly.

12. The valve apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the sleeve includes an internally threaded surface that is engaged with the thread.

13. The valve apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the sleeve includes a support surface configured to contact the head and transmit the axial force to the head.

14. The valve apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that it further comprises a cylindrical spacer surrounding the rotating shaft at one end of the rotating shaft that does not include the thread.

15. The valve apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that the sleeve includes a first portion configured to be coupled with the thread and an axially extensible cylindrical portion.

16. The valve apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the valve retainer body includes a first inlet, a second inlet and an outlet, the first inlet being configured to be in fluid communication with a first fluid and the second inlet being configured to be in fluid communication with a second fluid.

17. The valve apparatus according to claim 16, characterized in that the first inlet is located on a first side of the valve member and the second inlet is located on a second side of the valve member, the outlet is located between the first inlet and the second inlet, and the first and second fluids are intermixed when the valve assembly is open.

18. The valve apparatus according to claim 16, characterized in that the first fluid and the second fluid each include a liquid or a gas.

19. The valve apparatus according to claim 11, 5 characterized in that a diameter of the sealing diaphragm is substantially equal to a diameter of the valve retainer body.

20. The valve apparatus according to claim 11 further comprises a motor for rotating the rotating shaft and the thread for moving the sleeve towards and away from the movable head.

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