Non-Ported Expanding Gate Valve Slotted Guide Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Non-ported gate valves lack a design for an expanding gate assembly that can effectively seal and support seats in both open and closed positions, as they do not have a lower cavity to accommodate a gate assembly with a port, leading to unsupported seats when the valve is open and inadequate mechanical support.
Innovation Solution
A non-ported expanding gate valve design featuring a slotted guide fixedly positioned on the valve body, coupled with a pivoting rocker arm, which expands and collapses the gate assembly's thickness to seal and support seats, guiding lateral and axial movements, and retaining seats in position during valve operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a through-conduit gate valve design is used with an expanding gate assembly, then the valve can seal effectively in closed position, but the valve body becomes too long and complex for non-ported applications
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the lower ported section and lower cavity from the traditional through-conduit gate valve design, extracting only the essential upper portion needed for sealing functionality. This creates a compact non-ported valve body that eliminates unnecessary structural complexity while maintaining the expanding gate assembly's sealing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of having the gate assembly lower portion with port as in traditional designs, the invention inverts the approach by using a non-ported valve body where the gate assembly directly interfaces with the valve body upper portion. The guide structure is repositioned and redesigned to provide support without requiring a lower cavity.
2Length of moving object
If the gate assembly is shortened for non-ported valve, then the valve body length is reduced, but the seats become unsupported when valve is open
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from vertical support (requiring lower cavity) to lateral support by positioning guides on the sides of the valve body. The guides extend laterally to provide mechanical support for the seats and gate assembly in the open position, utilizing the horizontal dimension instead of relying on vertical cavity depth.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide structure acts as an intermediary element between the valve body and the gate assembly/seats. It provides mechanical support and guidance to the gate assembly and retains the seats in position, eliminating the need for the gate assembly lower portion to provide support when the valve is open.
3Ease of operation
If traditional guide structure is used, then gate assembly can move smoothly, but additional mechanical stops and retainers are needed
Solution Approach 1:
The guide structure is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it guides the gate assembly movement, supports the seats, retains the gate assembly in position, and provides structural support when the valve is open. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate mechanical stops and retainers, simplifying the overall design.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the functions of guidance, support, and retention into a single integrated guide structure. Rather than having separate components for each function, the guide combines these roles, reducing the number of parts and simplifying the mechanical design while maintaining smooth gate assembly operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A non-ported expanding gate valve and method of use, including an expanding gate assembly and a slotted guide, is fixedly positioned on the valve body and slidably coupled with a gate assembly. The guide has slots of varying widths that are used with a pivoting rocker arm coupled with the gate assembly to adjust the thickness of the gate assembly at the proper timing. The guides perform multiple functions, including: centralizing a rocker arm during opening between seats; collapsing the gate assembly when opening; allowing and controlling expansion when closing; guiding lateral movement during operation of the gate assembly between opposing guides on the sides of a flow passageway; guiding axial movement during operation of the gate assembly between opposing guide side flanges; retaining seats in position when the valve is open; and/or stiffening the guide in a lateral direction to control movement of the gate assembly.