Patent EA-001847-B1 (EA)
Title: Valve actuator
Inventor: VAN DER BLOM NICOLAAS
IPC: F16L37/12
Filed: 1998-11-19
Abstract: 1. Valve actuator for operating with valves having a spring-force operated valve core, comprising  - a housing (100,104,120,121,132,149) to be connected to a pressure medium source; - within the housing - a coupling section (110,103,130,147) for receiving the valve to be actuated, - a cylinder (70,99,136,142) surrounded by a cylinder wail of a predetermined cylinder wall diameter and having a first cylinder end (92) and a second cylinder end which is farther away from the coupling section than the first cylinder end, - a piston (77,84,129) which is movably located in the cylinder and fixedly coupled to an activating pin (78,143) for engaging with the spring-force operated valve core of the valve received in the coupling section, and - a conducting channel (71,72,73,74,(107);80,81;133,134,135) for conducting pressure media from the cylinder (70,99,136,142) to the coupling section (110,103,130,147) when the piston (77,84,129) is moved into a first piston position in which the piston is at a first predetermined distance from the first cylinder end, the conduction of the pressure media between the cylinder and the coupling section being inhibited when the piston is moved into a second piston position in which the piston is at a second predermined distance from the first cylinder end which second distance being larger than said first distance, characterized by the feet that  - the conducting channel (71, 72, 73, 74, (107) , 80, 81; 133, 134,135) is arranged in the cylinder wall and opens into the cylinder (70,99,136,142) at a cylinder wall portion (111,109,138,144) having the predetermined cylinder wall diameter, and - the piston (77,84,129) comprises a piston ring (108,115,139) with a sealing edge which sealingly fits with said cylinder wall portion (111,109,138,144) thereby inhibiting the conduction of the pressure medium into the channel in the second position of the piston and opening the channel in the first position of the piston. 2. Valve actuator according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that said first predetermined distance is greater than zero. 3. Valve actuator according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that said first predetermined distance is approximately zero. 4. Valve actuator according to claim 3, characterized by the fact that a comprises a stopper (92,95) to limit the movement of the piston (77,84) in the first piston position. 5. Valve actuator according to claim 3, characterized by the fact that it comprises a tapered portion (87) at the first end of the cylinder (99) and a conical portion of the piston (84) to coincide with said tapered portion when the piston is in the first piston position. 6. Valve actuator according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the conducting channel is formed by an enlargement (71,72;98,80;2) of the cylinder wall diameter which is arranged to be radially around the piston when being in its first piston position so that the pressure medium can freely flow around the edge of the piston ring (108, 115) when the piston is in its first piston position. 7. Valve actuator according to claim 8, characterized by the fact that the enlargement of the cylinder diameter is formed at one or several sections of the circumference of the cylinder wall. 8. Valve actuator according claim 6 or 7, characterized by the fact that the wall of the enlargement comprises a cylindrical enlargement wall portion (75b) and an inclined enlargement wall portion (75a,112) forming an angle (() with the cylinder axis (79) which is larger than 0 degree  and smaller than 20 degree  wherein the inclined enlargement wall portion is situated between the cylindrical enlargement wall portion and the cylinder wall portion (111,109,144) having the predetermied cylinder wall diameter. 9. Valve actuator according to claim 8, characterized by the fact that a channel portion of the conducting channel between the cylindrical enlargement wall portion (75b) and the coupling section (110) is designed as a tapered channel portion (73) shaped as a groove or is designed as a hole (107) which is parallel to the center axis (79) of the cylinder. 10. Valve actuator according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the coupling section (130) is connected by the conducting channel (133, 134,135) to an orifice (137) in the cylinder wall portion (138), said orifice (137) being situated at a distance from the first cylinder end so that the orifice (137) is situated between the piston (129) and the second end of the cylinder (99) when the piston (129) is in the first piston position. 11. Valve actuator according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that the piston is further movable within the cylinder (142) to a third position and a fourth position, corresponding to a third predetermined distance and a fourth predetermined distance from the first end of the cylinder (142), respectively, where said third predetermined distance is larger than said second predetermined distance and said fourth predetermined distance is larger than said third predetermined distance; and - the cylinder (142) comprises a second channel (1) for allowing the conduction of gaseous and/or liquid media between the cylinder and the coupling section (147) when the piston is in said third position and - inhibiting the conduction of gaseous and/or liquid media between the cylinder and the coupling section when the piston is in said fourth position. 12. Valve actuator according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that it comprises within the coupling section (103,147) sealing means (105,140,141) for sealing the valve actuator onto valves of different types and/or sizes, and the sealing means (105, 140, 141) comprise a first annular sealing portion (82, 141) and a second annular portion (83,140) situated coaxially with the centre axis (86,146) of the coupling section (130,147)and being displaced in the direction of the centre axis (86,146) of the coupling section (103,147), said first annular portion (82,141) is closer to the opening (102,148) of the coupling section (103,147) than said second annular portion (83,140), and the diameter of said first annular portion (82, 141) is larger than the diameter of said second annular portion (83,140). 13. Valve actuator as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that it comprises within the coupling section a securing thread (76,93) for securing the valve actuator onto the inflation valve. 14. Valve actuator as claimed in claim 13, characterized by the fact that said securing thread is a temporary securing thread (76, 93). 15. Valve actuator according to claim 8, characterized by the fact that the cylinder wall is formed as a cylinder sleeve (96), fastened and sealed in the housing (104) and formed with said inclined enlargement wall portion (112), the cylinder sleeve having distant from the first cylinder end a wall portion an angle (ξ) so that the piston ring (115) is not sealing there. 16. Valve actuator according to claim 15, characterized by the fact that said cylinder sleeve (96) is fastened and sealed by a snap-lock (97) in the wall of the housing (104). 17. Valve actuator according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that it comprises within the coupling section (110) a sealing means (75) for sealing the valve actuator onto a valve with a spring-force operated valve core. 18. A valve connector, coupled to a handpump, a foot pump, a car pump, a pressure vessel or a compressor, for inflating vehicle tires, comprising a valve actuator of any of claims 1 to 16. 19. A pressure vessel or a hand pump for inflating a vehicle tire, characterized by an integrated valve actuator according to claim 1. 20. Use of a valve actuator of claim 1 in a stationary construction, such as a chemical plant.