Abstract:
The present invention comprises a valve, such as a ball valve as is typically employed as a through-hull valve on a vessel, equipped with a handle for manual operation, and further equipped with an electric drive capable of opening and closing the valve upon receipt of a control signal. The valve of the present invention also incorporates a status sensor and transmitter capable of reporting the current status of the valve and its associated drive system. Preferably, the valve of the present invention also incorporates a power source, such as a battery, capable of operating the electric drive in the event that power from an external source becomes unavailable.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    Electrically actuated valves are not a new concept; opening a closed valve or closing an open valve with the touch of a button from a remote location has long been convenient and desirable. As a result, valves having motor drives have long been used in the manufacturing industry, in the marine industry, and in other application areas to provide both mechanical power where valve actuation by human power was inconvenient or impossible, and remote operation. 
         [0002]    It has long been recognized that an electrically operated valve must have a manual override capability, but the methods for achieving manual operation are not intuitive, and the procedure is physically difficult, time consuming, and often requires the use of tools. Furthermore, in a system that includes multiple valves, often in multiple sizes, such as on a marine vessel, monitoring and controlling the valves presents additional challenges to the designer and operator, alike. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The present invention comprises a valve, such as a ball valve as is typically employed as a through-hull valve or seacock on a marine vessel, equipped with a handle for manual operation, and further equipped with an electric drive capable of opening and closing the valve upon receipt of a control signal. The valve of the present invention also incorporates multiple status sensors and a transmitter capable of reporting the current status of the valve and its associated drive system. Preferably, the valve of the present invention also incorporates a power source, such as a battery, capable of operating the electric drive in the event that power from an external source becomes unavailable. 
         [0004]    The valve of the present invention may be manually operated from either the open to the closed position, or from the closed to the open position by actuation of the handle, without any prior adjustment of the valve or electric drive, and without the use of tools or disengagement of the electric drive from the valve itself. In this way, emergency or manual operation is intuitive (being exactly like operation of prior-art, non-motorized valves) and fast (without requiring the operations prior to manual actuation that are common in prior-art powered valve systems.) The ability to quickly open or close the valve by manually manipulating the control handle may be critical for the safe operation of vessel systems and for over-all integrity of the vessel. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  depicts in perspective view, the valve of the present invention in its open position. 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  depicts in semi-transparent perspective view, the valve of the present invention in its open position. 
           [0007]      FIG. 3   a  depicts the drive cam of the present invention, in “ready” position. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3   b  depicts the drive cam of the present invention in “counterclockwise” position. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3   c  depicts the drive cam of the present invention in “clockwise” position 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  depicts a block diagram of the control sequence of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5   a  depicts a control panel for a system comprised of a plurality of valves of the present invention, showing all valves status as closed. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5   b  depicts a control panel for a system comprised of a plurality of valves of the present invention, showing all valves status as open. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5   c  depicts a control panel for a system comprised of a plurality of valves of the present invention, showing some valves status as open, and showing the remaining valves status as closed. 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  depicts in perspective view, the valve of the present invention in its closed position. 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  depicts in semi-transparent perspective view, the valve of the present invention in its closed position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , there is shown in perspective view, the valve  100  of the present invention. Hollow valve body  105  contains a ball element  110  (not shown) having an aperture  120  (not shown) therethrough, and situated in a seat  115  (not shown). Ball element  110  further has an actuation axle  130  (not shown) attached at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of aperture  120 . Axle  130  is connected to handle  140 . Preferably, handle  140 &#39;s long axis is aligned with the longitudinal axis of aperture  120 , so that, in operation, the position of handle  140  provides both tactile and visual indication of the state of valve  100  (with a vertical handle signifying an open valve, and a horizontal handle signifying a closed valve.) 
         [0017]    On the side of handle  140  is situated actuation cam  200  (also shown in  FIGS. 3   a ,  3   b  and  3   c .) Cam  200  is provided with first and second cam faces  210  and  220 , which are disposed with respect to each other at approximately right angles. Cam  200  is positioned in such a manner that cam faces  210  and  220  may be brought into contact with opposite edges of handle  140  as a result of rotation of cam  200 . Cam  200  is preferably driven by a central shaft  230  (not shown), which may be driven by an external source of motive power. (Of course, axle  130  may merely be extended through handle  140  as a substitute for shaft  230 .) Alternatively, cam  200  may be provided with circumferential gear teeth (not shown) which may be engaged to provide a source of motive power. As a further alternative, cam  200  may be provided with circumferential means for engaging a drive belt (not shown), which may be driven by an external source of motive power. 
         [0018]    In a preferred embodiment, shaft  230  protrudes from a gear box  300 , arranged to provide reduction gearing to match the rotational speed and torque of a motor  310  to the desired actuation speed and force necessary to operate valve  100  by rotation of handle  140  though a 90° arc. The preferred embodiment uses a small direct current motor, having a rotational speed of between 7,000 and 20,000 rpm. (For example, a Mabuchi RS-365PH or similar motor may be employed. Such motors are characterized by their high rotational velocity and low power requirements.) Reduction gears in gear box  300  reduce this rotational speed to from 1 to 3 rpm, so that handle  140  undergoes full displacement in 15 seconds or less. Of course, depending on the power required to actuate valve  100 , and the desired operational cycle time, other motors and drive arrangements may be employed, as necessary. 
         [0019]    Control circuit  400  is capable of actuating motor  310  in either rotational direction, to either open or close valve  100  by rotation of cam  200  in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. Alternately, circuit  400  may actuate a reversing element in gear box  300  in order to reverse the direction of rotation of cam  200 . As an alternative embodiment, gear box  300  may incorporate a mechanical reversing element, actuated by full rotation of cam  200  (or of shaft  230 ) from one limit of its travel to the other. 
         [0020]    Control circuit  400  is preferably embedded within cam  200  and is equipped with one or more sensors to detect the position of shaft  230 , axle  130 , handle  140  and/or ball  110 , as well as the failure of the motor  310  or gear box  300 . Further, control  400  detects the need to replace the battery of its internal power supply, and alerts the vessel operator thereto. Following a valve closure or opening, the control circuit  400  commands cam  200  to return to the “ready position” ( FIG. 3A ). 
         [0021]    In operation, control circuit  400  receives a signal to actuate valve  100  from control panel  500 . This signal may be a simple command to change state (i.e., from closed to open, or from open to closed) or it may be a command to either open or close valve  100 . In the case of a command to change state from closed to open, or simply to open valve  100 , control circuit  400  energizes motor  310  and engages gear box  300  to rotate cam face  220  of cam  200  from its “ready” position through an arc of 90° clockwise, bringing handle  140  to a vertical position, and aligning aperture  120  with valve body  105  to permit fluid to flow through the valve. Immediately upon reaching this position, control circuit  400  reverses motor  310  and gear box  300  and rotates cam  200  through 90° counterclockwise to return cam  200  to its “ready” position. By so-doing, handle  140  is left completely free for manual rotation to the closed position without interference from cam  200 , and thus, full manual operation of valve  100  is permitted without disengaging the drive elements, and without tools or special operations. 
         [0022]    Similarly, in the case of a command to change state from open to closed, or simply to close valve  100 , control circuit  400  energizes motor  310  and engages gear box  300  to rotate cam face  210  of cam  200  from its “ready” position through an arc of 90° counterclockwise, bringing handle  140  to a horizontal position, and aligning aperture  120  at right angle to valve body  105  to inhibit fluid to flow through the valve. Immediately upon reaching this position, control circuit  400  reverses motor  310  and gear box  300  rotates cam  200  through 90° clockwise to return cam  200  to its “ready” position. By so-doing, handle  140  is left completely free for manual rotation back to the open position without interference from cam  200 , and thus, full manual operation of valve  100  is permitted without disengaging the drive elements, and without tools or special operations. 
         [0023]    Optionally, an auxiliary power source, such as a 9VDC battery, may be incorporated into gear box  300 , along with a means for sensing the unavailability of externally-supplied power. Thus in cases of power failure, there would then exist the ability to control valve  100  (preferably in order to electrically close it in an emergency situation.) In addition, a control switch or switches (not shown) may be provided local to valve  100  (such as on the gear box housing, motor housing, or in a similar location) to allow actuation of control circuit  400 . 
         [0024]    Also optionally, control circuit  400  may contain, or may be interconnected with a transceiver  450  (not shown) (e.g., a system interoperable with NMEA2000, CANbus, Electronic Vessel Control (EVC-Volvo Penta) or SmartCraft standards) to allow remote monitoring of valve state and remote operation of valve  100 . A remote panel  500 , such as shown in  FIG. 5 , may be employed to provide status indication and valve control at the helm of the vessel. In its preferred embodiment, panel  500  visually indicates valve status (open, closed, in transit from closed to open, in transit from open to closed, and power failure) and provides a means to initiate operation of valve  100  by transmitting a signal to transceiver  450 . Of course, transmission of the signals to and from valve  100  may be wired or wireless, transmitted over any common media and protocol. 
         [0025]    As a further option, control circuit  400  may be employed without gear box  300  solely for the purpose of indicating valve status (open or closed). 
         [0026]      FIG. 1  shows gear box  300  situated so that motor  310  is on the right side of valve  100 . In order to facilitate installation of the valve/gearbox assembly into a confined area, such as against bulkheads or engine stringers, as an additional installation option of the present invention, gearbox  300  may be rotated 180-degrees on the axis of output shaft  230 , thus locating gearbox  300  on the left side of valve  100 . Control circuit  400  provides a selective means for reversing the position sensing and operation circuitry so that handle  140  rotates 90-degrees clockwise (rather than counterclockwise) to the closed position from the open position, but control  500  continues to function as described earlier. 
         [0027]    When more than one valve of the present invention is installed, each valve is uniquely identified and may be individually addressed.  FIG. 5   c  illustrates control panel  500 , depicting a multiple seacock system in which Port Engine, Starboard Engine, Air Conditioner-1 and Reverse Osmosis system seacocks are open, while Gen-1, Gen-2, Refrigeration and Air Conditioner-2 seacocks are closed, as indicated by the illuminated portion of the handle  140  of each valve  100 . Red illumination on control panel  500  is used to signify a closed (horizontal) handle  140 ; green illumination on control panel  500  is used to signify an open (vertical) handle  140 ; yellow illumination on control panel  500  is used to identify a valve (or a group of valves) that is selected for a command. Similarly, solid red and blinking green illumination on any one valve shown on control panel  500  is used to indicate in-transit status from closed to open, and solid green and blinking red on any one valve shown on control panel  500  is used to indicate in-transit status from open to closed. In addition, groups of valves may be defined and addressed with a single command (e.g., open all AIR CONDITIONING valves) and all valves as a group may be commanded, as well (e.g., close ALL valves.) Yellow illumination silhouettes each valve on control panel  500  for the purpose of identifying an individual valve or a group of valves selected to be controlled. In addition, integration with other vessel systems may be accomplished, such that, for example, when a “vessel unattended” status is present, a predetermined set of valves are actuated to close. Also similarly, failsafe commands may be incorporated for safety purposes, tied to logic routines that attempt to provide additional safety margins in the operation of a vessel. (E.g., if the engine is not running and the engine bilge is flooded, then close all engine valves.) 
         [0028]    While the invention has been described in its preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the words which have been used are words of description rather than of limitation and that changes may be made within the purview of the appended claims without departing from the true scope and spirit of the invention in its broader aspects. Rather, various modifications may be made in the details within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims and without departing from the spirit of the invention. The inventor further requires that the scope accorded the claims to be filed be in accordance with the broadest possible construction available under the law as it exists on the date of filing thereof and that no narrowing of the scope of the appended claims be allowed due to subsequent changes in the law, as such a narrowing would constitute an ex post facto adjudication, and a taking without due process or just compensation.