Internal Valve Cam Assembly for Removable Shaft Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing internal valve actuating assemblies for compressed liquid and gas systems face challenges in efficiently transitioning between closed and open positions, particularly in designs where space constraints prevent the removal of the actuating shaft and cam components simultaneously, hindering maintenance and servicing.
Innovation Solution
The proposed valve actuating assembly features a cam holder and cam that remain positioned within the valve body when the actuating shaft is decoupled, utilizing a non-circular cam holder connection portion and retaining rings to secure the cam holder stem, allowing for the removal of the actuating shaft while maintaining the cam and cam holder in place, facilitating maintenance and servicing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If the actuating shaft is removed for maintenance, then access for maintenance is improved, but the cam holder and cam cannot remain in place due to space constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The actuating assembly is divided into separable components: the actuating shaft can be independently removed from the cam holder, while the cam holder with cam remains in the valve body. This segmentation allows partial disassembly for maintenance without requiring complete removal of all components.
Solution Approach 2:
The actuating shaft is extracted as a separate removable component from the cam holder assembly. The connection portion between the actuating shaft and cam holder is designed to allow the shaft to be taken out while leaving the cam holder and cam in place within the valve body.
2Reliability
If the actuating shaft is permanently fixed to the cam holder, then connection reliability is improved, but maintenance complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connection between the actuating shaft and cam holder is made dynamic rather than permanent. The removable connection portion allows the shaft to be detached when needed while maintaining a secure connection during normal operation, providing flexibility for maintenance while ensuring operational reliability.
3Ease of repair
If the cam holder is designed to remain in place during shaft removal, then maintenance access is improved, but the connection mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The cam holder serves as an intermediary component between the actuating shaft and the cam. It is designed to remain in place within the valve body while allowing the actuating shaft to be removed. The cam holder includes a connection portion that interfaces with the shaft, enabling selective removal of the shaft while retaining the cam holder and cam assembly.
Data Source
AI summary
A valve actuating assembly is provided that comprises a cam holder positioned within a valve body of an internal valve, a cam operably coupled to the cam holder and configured to engage a valve stem of the internal valve for moving the internal valve between a first position and a second position, and an actuating shaft extending through at least a portion of the valve body, rotation of the actuating shaft causing rotation of the cam holder and the cam, wherein the actuating shaft is removably coupled to the cam holder such that the actuating shaft can be decoupled from the cam holder and removed from the valve body, the cam holder and the cam being configured to remain positioned within the valve body when the actuating shaft is decoupled from the cam holder and removed from the valve body.