Valve Actuator Locking Structure for Fixed Stem Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing valve actuators lack a mechanism to lock the manual operating mechanism after operation, making it difficult to maintain the valve stem in a fixed position.
Innovation Solution
A valve actuator design that includes a support body with circumferentially distributed locking structures, an operating member that can rotate relative to the support body to locked positions, and a locking member that engages with the locking structures to prevent rotation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a manual operating mechanism is provided to drive the valve stem, then the valve can be operated manually, but the operating member cannot be locked after operation and the valve stem cannot be maintained in a fixed position
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is segmented into multiple locking structures distributed along the circumferential direction, with each locking structure corresponding to a specific locked position. The locking member can selectively engage with different locking structures to maintain the operating member at various fixed positions, thereby achieving reliable position stability while keeping the structure modular and manageable
Solution Approach 2:
The locking member serves as an intermediary element between the operating member and the locking structures. It can move relative to the operating member to engage or disengage with the locking structures, enabling the locking and unlocking functions without directly modifying the operating member itself, thus maintaining structural simplicity
2Measurement precision
If multiple locking structures are distributed in the circumferential direction to enable precise positioning, then the valve stem can be maintained at multiple fixed positions, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The locking member is designed with universal functionality to engage with any of the multiple locking structures distributed in the circumferential direction. This single locking member can maintain the operating member at various locked positions corresponding to different valve openings (such as fully open, partially open, and fully closed positions), achieving precise positioning without requiring separate locking mechanisms for each position
Solution Approach 2:
The locking structures are arranged in the circumferential direction, utilizing the rotational dimension of the operating member. This allows precise positioning to be achieved by distributing locking structures along the circular path of rotation, rather than requiring linear arrangements or additional spatial dimensions, thus maintaining structural compactness
Data Source
AI summary
A valve actuator includes a support body, an operating member and a locking member. The support body is provided with a plurality of locking structures. The plurality of locking structures are distributed in a circumferential direction, with an axis surrounded by the circumferential direction being defined as a first axis. The operating member is rotatably connected to the support body about the first axis. The locking member is movably connected to the operating member. The operating member can rotate relative to the support body to a plurality of locked positions. Each locked position corresponds to one of the locking structures. When the operating member is in the locked position, the locking member can move relative to the operating member to engage with the corresponding locking structure to prevent the operating member from rotating relative to the support body. The valve actuator can enable locking and unlocking of the operating member.