US 12,215,800 B2
Module for detecting the angular position of the drive shaft of a valve, valve and actuator provided with such module, and method of detecting the opening of a valve
Gianpietro Tanfoglio, Passirano (IT); Simone Copeta, Passirano (IT); and Francesca Camplani, Passirano (IT)
Assigned to OMAL USA Corporation, Erlanger, KY (US)
Appl. No. 18/029,387
Filed by OMAL USA Corporation, Erlanger, KY (US)
PCT Filed Oct. 7, 2020, PCT No. PCT/IB2020/059409
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 30, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/074433, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 14, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0375106 A1, Nov. 23, 2023
Int. Cl. F16K 37/00 (2006.01); F15B 15/28 (2006.01); F16K 31/05 (2006.01); F16K 31/163 (2006.01); G08B 13/189 (2006.01)
CPC F16K 37/0033 (2013.01) [F15B 15/2861 (2013.01); F16K 31/055 (2013.01); F16K 31/163 (2013.01); G08B 13/1895 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An actuator of a valve, comprising a box-like body, a motor shaft, and a thrust mechanism which are housed in the box-like body, wherein the motor shaft protrudes outwardly from the box-like body and can be connected to a drive shaft of a valve to be actuated, and wherein the motor shaft is rotatable on its longitudinal axis in response to the stresses imparted by the thrust mechanism and comprises magnets inserted flush in corresponding seats of the motor shaft, circumferentially arranged in the motor shaft, wherein the actuator further comprises a detection module for detecting the angular position of the motor shaft, the detection module comprising
at least one printed circuit which can be positioned in the proximity of the motor shaft,
one or more magnetic sensors supported on the printed circuit, wherein said magnetic sensors include at least one triaxial magnetic sensor and at least one latch magnetic sensor,
a wireless communication interface,
wherein the magnetic sensors generate an electrical signal indicative of the position of said magnets, and the communication interface remotely transmits a corresponding signal, or reading,
wherein the detection module is free of wired connections with the outside and is self-powered by at least one battery, and wherein the detection module is positioned at the height of the magnets, in a pocket of the box-like body, and is insulated from the motor shaft and the thrust mechanism.