Patent ID: 8636262

Claim:
A coupling apparatus for use with an electric actuator, comprising: a coupling assembly to operatively couple a fluid flow control member of a fluid valve and a drive system of the electric actuator, wherein the coupling assembly comprises: a drive member to be threadably coupled to a threaded output shaft of the drive system of the electric actuator to convert rotational motion of the output shaft into rectilinear motion of the coupling assembly, the drive member having a flange adjacent a first end of the drive member a housing having an opening to slidably receive the drive member, the housing includes a stepped surface adjacent a first end of the housing and the flange of the drive member; a biasing element positioned in the opening of the housing, the biasing element to be deflected to provide a seat load to the fluid flow control member to prevent fluid leakage through the fluid valve when the fluid flow control member is in sealing engagement with a valve seat of the fluid valve and electric power to the electric actuator is removed, the biasing element being deflected when the flow control member is in sealing engagement with the valve seat and the flange of the drive member moves away from the stepped surface of the housing.