Patent ID: 7896028

Claim:
A control device, comprising: a valve body defining a flow-path for a fluid; a seat ring removably attached within the valve body along the flow-path; a seating surface carried by the seat ring, the seating surface having an outer diameter and an inner diameter that is smaller than the outer diameter; an actuator coupled to the valve body and including a control member adapted for displacement between an open position and a closed position relative to the seat ring for regulating a flow of the fluid through the flow-path, the control member including a sealing disk and a disk retainer securing the sealing disk to the control member, the disk retainer including a bottom surface and a rim portion, the bottom surface disposed between the sealing disk and the seat ring, the rim portion having a diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the seating surface of the seat ring, wherein the sealing disk is adapted to sealingly engage the seating surface of the seat ring when the control member is in the closed position; and an orifice formed in the seat ring, the orifice disposed within the flow-path and having an average diameter that is smaller than the inner diameter of the seating surface such that the seat ring prevents at least a portion of the flow of the fluid from impacting the sealing disk by directing the portion of the flow of fluid into the bottom surface of the disk retainer.