阅读说明：本技术 直通多端口球阀 (Straight-through multiport ball valve ) 是由 J·麦克默尼 于 2019-01-28 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种具有阀体的球阀组件,所述阀体具有沿着中心纵向轴线贯通的单个直通流体通道。球阀密封地设置在阀体内的阀座中。球阀包括至少两个通孔,该至少两个通孔每个具有彼此交叉的中心轴线,籍此球阀可以在完全打开位置与完全关闭位置之间转动。在一种应用中,球阀具有彼此交叉的两个孔使得球阀相邻孔开口之间的角度α小于90度,球阀其他相邻端部之间的角度β大于90度,用于将液体产品施加在播种沟中每个种子之前和之后的播种沟中,而不是施加到种子上。(A ball valve assembly has a valve body with a single straight-through fluid passage therethrough along a central longitudinal axis. The ball valve is sealingly disposed in a valve seat in the valve body. The ball valve includes at least two through holes each having a central axis that intersects each other, whereby the ball valve can be rotated between a fully open position and a fully closed position. In one application, the ball valve has two holes that intersect each other such that the angle α between adjacent hole openings of the ball valve is less than 90 degrees and the angle β between other adjacent ends of the ball valve is greater than 90 degrees for applying the liquid product in the seed trench before and after each seed in the seed trench, rather than to the seed.)

1. A ball valve assembly comprising:

a valve body having a single straight-through fluid passage therethrough between an inlet port and an outlet port, the single straight-through fluid passage having a central longitudinal axis;

a valve seat disposed within the valve body;

a ball valve sealingly located in the valve seat;

an operator stem having an axis of rotation transverse to the central longitudinal axis of the single through fluid passageway, the operator stem rotatably fixed with respect to the ball valve and rotatably journaled to the valve body such that rotation of the operator stem about the axis of rotation rotates the ball valve within the valve seat;

at least two bores extending through the ball valve, each of the at least two bores having a central axis disposed along a plane coincident with the central longitudinal axis of the single throughflow fluid passage, the central axis of a first bore intersecting the central axis of a second bore, whereby the ball valve is rotatable between a fully open position in which the central axis of one of the at least two bores is aligned with the central longitudinal axis of the single throughflow fluid passage of the valve body and a fully closed position in which the at least two bores have no portion in fluid communication with the single throughflow fluid passage of the valve body.

2. The ball valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the ball valve includes a first aperture and a second aperture, wherein a central axis of the first aperture and a central axis of the second aperture intersect each other at a 90 degree angle such that rotation 1/8 of the ball valve in either rotational direction from the fully open position moves the ball valve to the fully closed position and vice versa.

3. The ball valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the ball valve comprises a first bore having a first open end and a second bore having a third end and a fourth end, wherein a central axis of the first bore and a central axis of the second bore intersect each other such that an angle a between the first open end and the third end is less than 90 degrees and an angle β between the second open end and the third end is greater than 90 degrees.

4. The ball valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the ball valve includes three apertures, the central axis of each of the three apertures intersecting at an angle of 60 degrees, such that rotation 1/12 of the ball valve in either rotational direction from the fully open position moves the ball valve to the fully closed position and vice versa.

5. The ball valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the ball valve includes four apertures, the central axes of each of the four apertures intersecting at a 45 degree angle, such that rotation 1/16 of the ball valve in either rotational direction from the fully open position moves the ball valve to the fully closed position and vice versa.

6. The ball valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the ball valve includes five apertures, the central axes of each of the five apertures intersecting at an angle of 36 degrees, such that rotation 1/20 of the ball valve in either rotational direction from the fully open position moves the ball valve to the fully closed position and vice versa.

7. The ball valve assembly of claim 1, further comprising an actuator coupled to an upper end of the operating valve stem, the actuator being capable of rotating the ball valve in one rotational direction or in either rotational direction.

8. The ball valve assembly of claim 7, wherein the actuator is configured to only incrementally rotate the ball valve between the fully open position and the fully closed position.

9. The ball valve assembly of claim 8, further comprising:

a magnet and a hall effect sensor disposed on a valve body of the ball valve assembly and the operating valve stem for generating a signal indicative of a position of the ball valve relative to the fully open position or the fully closed position.

10. A method of applying a liquid product during a planting operation using the ball valve assembly of claim 3, wherein the liquid product is intermittently transferred into a seed trench via a liquid transfer tube before and after each seated seed in the seed trench without being applied to the seated seed in the seed trench, the method comprising:

communicating liquid product from a source of liquid product to an inlet port of a valve body of the ball valve assembly disposed along the liquid delivery tube with the liquid applicator continuously advanced in an advancement direction and an outlet port of the liquid delivery tube aligned with the seed trench, wherein the ball valve is rotated at a rotational speed corresponding to an advancement speed and a seed overall rate of the planter via an actuator coupled to the operating valve stem of the ball valve assembly;

(a) timing alignment of the first open end of the first bore with the outlet port of the valve body of the ball valve assembly to deliver liquid product to a seed trench behind the seated seed relative to the direction of advancement;

(b) interrupting the flow of liquid product from the liquid delivery tube before it reaches the seated seed relative to the advancement direction when the ball valve is rotated through an angle α 1 to a closed position;

(c) delivering the liquid product to a seed trench ahead of the seated seed relative to the advancement direction when the third end of the second bore is rotated into alignment with an outlet port of the valve body of the ball valve assembly;

(d) interrupting the flow of liquid product from the liquid delivery tube when the ball valve is rotated through an angle β 1 to a closed position;

(e) delivering the liquid product to a seed trench behind a next seated seed relative to the advancement direction when the second open end of the first bore is moved into alignment with an outlet port of a valve body of the ball valve assembly;

(f) interrupting the flow of liquid product from the liquid delivery tube before the flow of liquid product reaches the next seated seed relative to the forward direction when the ball valve is rotated through an angle α 2 to a closed position;

(g) delivering the liquid product to a seed trench forward of the next seated seed relative to the direction of advancement when the fourth end of the second bore is rotated into alignment with an outlet port of a valve body of the ball valve assembly;

(h) interrupting the flow of liquid product from the liquid delivery tube when the ball valve is rotated through an angle β 2 to a closed position;

(i) repeating steps (b) - (h) with respect to each positioned seed in the sowing trench as the seeder travels in the forward direction.

Background

Ball and plug valves are well known in the art. A straight through two port ball valve such as that disclosed in U.S. patent No. 5,183,073 generally includes a valve body defining a straight flow path between a fluid inlet port and a fluid outlet port. A rotatable ball or spherical plug is sealingly located within the valve body, the ball or spherical plug having a single bore through its center. The lower end of a valve stem extending through the valve body is attached to the ball. A handle is typically attached to the other end of the valve stem. To open the ball valve to allow fluid to flow through the fluid passageway of the valve body, the handle is rotated to align the single aperture through the ball with the fluid passageway of the valve body. To close the ball valve so as not to allow fluid flow through the passageway, the handle is turned in the opposite direction so that the single bore through the ball is at a right angle or 90 degrees to the fluid passageway of the valve body. Such ball valves are commonly referred to as "quarter-turn" ball valves because the handle or ball must be turned 90 degrees to fully open or fully close the ball valve.

Ball valves having two or more bores therethrough are also known in the prior art, but such ball valves are used in conjunction with 4-way/4-port valves as shown in fig. 1A and 1B and disclosed in CN203948711 and DE 19740392. Therefore, there is a need for a straight through two port ball valve that can be opened and closed fully at 1/8 turns.

Drawings

Fig. 1A and 1B are schematic views of a prior art 4-way/4-port valve with an 1/8 rotary ball valve in open and closed positions, respectively.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of one embodiment of a through two port 1/8 rotary ball valve.

FIG. 3 is an axial partial cut-away view of the ball valve of FIG. 2 showing the ball seated in the ball seat in the valve body.

FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view of the ball valve of FIG. 2, as seen along line 4-4 of FIG. 2, showing the valve in an open position.

FIG. 4B is another cross-sectional view of the ball valve of FIG. 2, as seen along line 4-4 of FIG. 2, showing the valve in a closed position.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a ball valve.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the intermittent application of liquid product to each side of a seed using the ball valve of FIG. 5.

Detailed Description

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers correspond to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, FIG. 2 is an isometric view of one embodiment of a through two port 1/8 ball-swivel valve assembly 10. FIG. 3 is an axial side partial cross-sectional view of the ball valve assembly 10 of FIG. 2. As best seen in fig. 3, the ball valve assembly 10 includes a valve body 12 having a longitudinal axis 14 and a transverse axis 16. A fluid passageway 18 extends through the valve body 12, coaxial with the longitudinal axis 14, such that two ports (i.e., an inlet port 20 and an outlet port 22) are straight through. The operating valve stem 24 is rotatably journaled (journaled) in the valve body 12 coaxially with the transverse axis 16. The operating valve stem 24 is fixedly connected at a lower end to a substantially spherical ball valve 30 located in a valve seat 32 in the valve body 12. In this embodiment, the bores 34, 36 are shown extending through the ball valve 30, intersecting each other at an angle of about 90 degrees along a plane coincident with the longitudinal axis 14. An annular sealing ring 38 fluidly seals the ball valve 30 within the valve seat 32. An actuator 40 may be coupled to the upper end of the operator valve stem 24 to rotate the operator valve stem in either direction (i.e., clockwise or counterclockwise) as indicated by arrow 42. Rotation of the valve stem 24 rotates the ball valve 30, which is fixed thereto, within the valve seat 32.

Fig. 4A shows the valve 10 in an open position with the aperture 34 aligned with the fluid passage 18 of the valve body 12, thereby allowing fluid flow through the valve. Fig. 4B shows the valve 10 in the closed position, wherein the ball valve 30 has been rotated 1/8 turns or approximately 45 degrees so that the two apertures 34, 36 are no longer aligned with the fluid passage 18, thereby preventing fluid flow through the valve. It should be appreciated that the two apertures 34, 36, which are positioned at a 90 degree angle to each other, allow the ball valve 30 to be fully opened or fully closed by rotating 1/8 turns or an angle of about 45 degrees in either direction. It should also be appreciated that incremental rotation 1/8 of the valve stem 24 and ball valve 30 in a single direction (i.e., continuous clockwise or continuous counterclockwise rotation) may be made to open and close the valve. Alternatively, instead of rotating in a single direction, the valve stem 24 and ball valve 30 may be rotated 1/8 turns in one direction (e.g., clockwise) and then 1/8 turns in the opposite direction (e.g., counterclockwise) to open and close the valve.

In operation, the actuator 40 will preferably be configured to limit the rotation 1/8 of the valve stem 24 and ball valve 30 to about 45 degrees or so on each actuation to ensure that the valve is in a fully open or fully closed state. In one embodiment, a magnet 45 may be provided on the valve stem 24 or valve body 12 and a hall effect sensor 47 may be provided on the valve body 12 or valve stem 24 opposite the magnet 45. When the magnet 45 and hall effect sensor are aligned (indicating that one of the apertures 34, 36 is aligned with the passage 18), this may indicate a zero position of the ball valve 30 and actuator 40 that drives the rotation of the valve stem 24 for calibrating the percent rotation. A ball valve configured in this manner will be able to open and close the valve more quickly under operating conditions, enabling more precise timing and control of the fluid flowing through the valve. One exemplary use of such a ball valve is in the application of pesticides to a field. By enabling faster opening and closing of the valve, the operator is better able to control the application of pesticide to minimize the possibility of over-spraying and under-spraying.

In an alternative embodiment as shown in fig. 5, instead of the holes 34, 36 crossing each other at an angle of 90 degrees so that the hole opening spacing is equal, it is also possible that the hole opening spacing is not equal. The benefit of this configuration is the ability to achieve a smaller rotational angle (and thus a shorter period of time) between the alignment of the orifice opening with the outlet port 22 of the ball valve body 12 and a greater rotational angle (and thus a longer period of time) between the alignment of the other orifice opening with the outlet port 22 of the ball valve body 12. One practical application with this configuration is to time the rotation of the ball valve 30 so that liquid is sprayed on each side of the seed disposed within the planting trench during the planting operation and not onto the seed, as shown in fig. 6. Thus, referring to FIG. 5, first bore 34 has a first open end 34-1 and a second open end 34-2, and second bore 36 has a third open end 36-1 and a fourth open end 36-2, wherein first open end 34-1 has a small angle α 1 with third open end 36-1, second open end 34-2 has a small angle α 2 with fourth open end 36-2, third open end 36-1 has a larger angle β 1 with second open end 34-2, and fourth open end 36-2 has a larger angle β 2 with first open end 34-1. Referring to fig. 5 and 6 concurrently, it is assumed that the liquid product is applied within the sowing trench as the sowing machine positions seeds in the sowing trench as the sowing machine travels in the forward direction indicated by arrow 50 in fig. 6. Although not shown in fig. 6, it should be appreciated that the liquid delivery tube is aligned with the seed trench and the ball valve is disposed along the liquid delivery tube. The liquid delivery tube is in fluid communication with a liquid product source that delivers liquid product to the inlet port 22 of the ball valve assembly 10. As the planter travels in the forward direction 50, the actuator 40 rotates the ball valve 30 at a rotational speed corresponding to the speed of the planter and the overall rate of planting seeds. For purposes of this example, it is assumed that the ball valve 30 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction as shown in FIG. 5, although it will be appreciated that the rotation may be in a clockwise direction or the actuator 40 may be reciprocally rotated between clockwise and counterclockwise directions. The first open end 34-1 of the first bore 34 is timed to align with the outlet port 22 and the passageway 18 of the ball valve body to deliver the liquid product to the sowing trench (represented by bar "a" in fig. 6) behind the seated seed 60-1. The flow of liquid product from the liquid delivery tube is interrupted before reaching the seated seed 60-1 because the ball valve has rotated through angle α 1 to the closed position. As the planter continues to travel in the forward direction, the actuator 40 continues to rotate the ball valve 30 at the rotational speed. When the third end 36-1 of the second bore 36 is rotated into alignment with the outlet port 22 and the passageway 18 of the ball valve body 12, the liquid product is again delivered to the seed trench (represented by bar "B" in FIG. 6) in front of the seated seed 60-1. When the actuator 40 rotates the ball valve 30 through the angle β 1 to the closed position, the flow of liquid product from the transfer tube is once again interrupted. As the planter continues to travel in the forward direction, liquid product is again delivered into the seed trench (represented by bar "C" in FIG. 6) behind the next seated seed 60-2 as the second open end 34-2 of the first bore 34 moves into alignment with the outlet port 22 and the passageway 18 of the ball valve body 30. When the ball valve 30 is rotated through the angle α 2 to the closed position, the flow of liquid product is interrupted before reaching the next seated seed 60-2. The liquid product is again delivered to the sowing trench (represented by bar "D" in fig. 6) when the fourth end 36-2 of the second bore 36 is rotated into alignment with the outlet port 22 and the channel 18 of the ball valve body 12. The liquid product from the liquid delivery tube is again interrupted when the ball valve 30 is rotated through the angle β 2 to the closed position. This process is repeated for each positioned seed in the sowing trench as the seeder travels in the forward direction.

Although the ball valve assembly 10 depicted in these figures has inlet and outlet ports 20, 22 with flanges 44 for bolting to fluid pipes or conduits (not shown) with mating flanges, it will be appreciated that these flanges may be omitted, the outlet and outlet ports 20, 22 may have internal or external threads for threadably connecting to pipes, tubes or conduits, or the inlet and outlet ports 20, 22 may include pressure fittings or any other suitable connection means, or be adapted for connection to a pipeline using pressure fittings or any other suitable connection means, depending on the application.

Further, while the valve body 12 is depicted in the figures as being made from a single piece of welded and/or fastened together, it should be appreciated that the valve body 12 may be unitary and may be cast or molded from any suitable material (including but not limited to metal or plastic) depending on the application.

Further, instead of the actuator 40 rotating the operating valve stem 24 for opening and closing the valve, a rod or handwheel may be connected to the valve stem for manual rotation by hand. In such embodiments, a marking (not shown) may be placed on the valve body 12 to align with the stem to indicate the alignment of the bores 34, 36 with the fluid passage 18, thereby indicating whether the valve is in a fully open or fully closed state.

Also, although two holes 34, 36 are shown, the ball valve 30 may be made with three holes where the central axis of each of the three holes intersects at an angle of 60 degrees such that rotation of the ball valve in either rotational direction 1/12 from the fully open position moves the ball valve to the fully closed position and vice versa. Alternatively, the ball valve 30 may be made with four holes each with their central axes intersecting at an angle of 45 degrees, such that rotation of the ball valve from the fully open position in either rotational direction 1/16 causes the ball valve to move to the fully closed position, and vice versa. Alternatively, the ball valve 30 may be made with five holes, the central axes of each of which intersect at an angle of 36 degrees, such that rotation of the ball valve in either rotational direction 1/20 from the fully open position moves the ball valve to the fully closed position, and vice versa. It should be appreciated that the ball valve 30 may include more apertures, up to any number that may be provided through the ball valve 30.

The present invention is not limited to the devices, systems, and methods described herein and shown in the drawings, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the disclosure and the following claims.