Backflow prevention apparatus
First Claim
1. A backflow prevention apparatus, comprising:
- a) a housing having i) a front end;
ii) a back end;
iii) a bore extending therethrough along a longitudinal axis;
iv) an opening extending laterally through the housing between the front end and the back end providing access to the bore, wherein the opening has a length along the longitudinal axis;
v) a first segment at the front end of the housing and a second segment at the back end of the housing;
vi) wherein the first segment has an inlet and an outlet; and
vii) wherein the second segment has an inlet and an outlet;
b) a first valve body having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlet of the first valve body may be slidably sealed with the outlet of the first segment;
c) a second valve body having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlet of the second valve body may be slidably sealed with the outlet of the first valve body and wherein the outlet of the second valve body may be slidably sealed with the inlet of the second segment;
d) wherein the first valve body and the second valve body are slidably positioned relative to one another within the opening such that;
1) in an elongated position, the combined length along the longitudinal axis between the first valve body inlet and the second valve body outlet is greater than the longitudinal length of the opening, thereby securing with a watertight seal the valve bodies within the opening and 2) in a collapsed position, the combined length is less than the longitudinal length of the opening, thereby making the valve bodies removable from within the opening.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A backflow prevention apparatus has a housing with an opening having a predetermined length. A first valve body, and a second valve body may be slidably sealed with one another, and compressed such that their combined length is less then the length of the opening. In the compressed state the valve bodies may be inserted within the opening of the housing and then elongated such that the ends of valve bodies engage and sliding seal with segments of the housing. A spacer may be placed between the first valve body and the second valve body to secure them within the opening. An intermediate valve body may be introduced between the first valve body and the second valve body.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A backflow prevention apparatus, comprising:
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a) a housing having i) a front end;
ii) a back end;
iii) a bore extending therethrough along a longitudinal axis;
iv) an opening extending laterally through the housing between the front end and the back end providing access to the bore, wherein the opening has a length along the longitudinal axis;
v) a first segment at the front end of the housing and a second segment at the back end of the housing;
vi) wherein the first segment has an inlet and an outlet; and
vii) wherein the second segment has an inlet and an outlet;
b) a first valve body having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlet of the first valve body may be slidably sealed with the outlet of the first segment;
c) a second valve body having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlet of the second valve body may be slidably sealed with the outlet of the first valve body and wherein the outlet of the second valve body may be slidably sealed with the inlet of the second segment;
d) wherein the first valve body and the second valve body are slidably positioned relative to one another within the opening such that;
1) in an elongated position, the combined length along the longitudinal axis between the first valve body inlet and the second valve body outlet is greater than the longitudinal length of the opening, thereby securing with a watertight seal the valve bodies within the opening and 2) in a collapsed position, the combined length is less than the longitudinal length of the opening, thereby making the valve bodies removable from within the opening. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 30)
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16. A backflow prevention apparatus, comprising:
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a) a housing having i) a front end;
ii) a back end;
iii) a bore extending therethrough along a longitudinal axis;
iv) an opening extending laterally through the housing between the front end and the back end providing access to the bore, wherein the opening has a length along the longitudinal axis;
v) a first segment at the front end of the housing and a second segment at the back end of the housing;
vi) wherein the first segment has an inlet and an outlet; and
vii) wherein the second segment has an inlet and an outlet;
b) a first valve body having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlet of the first valve body may be slidably sealed with the outlet of the first segment;
c) an intermediate valve body having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlet of the intermediate body may be slidably sealed with outlet of the first valve body;
d) a second valve body having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlet of the second valve body may be slidably sealed with the outlet of the intermediate body and wherein the outlet of the second valve body may be slidably sealed with the inlet of the second segment; and
e) wherein the first valve body, the intermediate valve body and the second valve body are slidably positioned relative to one another within the opening such that 1) in an elongated position, the combined length along the longitudinal axis between the first valve body inlet and the second valve body outlet is greater than the longitudinal length of the opening, thereby securing the first valve body, the intermediate valve body and the second valve body with a watertight seal within the opening and 2) in a collapsed position, the combined length along the longitudinal axis between the first valve body inlet and the second valve body outlet is less than the longitudinal length of the opening, thereby making the first valve body, the intermediate valve body and the second valve body removable from within the opening.
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27. A method for assembling a backflow prevention apparatus, wherein the apparatus has
a) a housing having i) a front end; -
ii) a back end;
iii) a bore extending therethrough along a longitudinal axis;
iv) an opening extending laterally through the housing between the front end and the back end providing access to the bore, wherein the opening has a length along the longitudinal axis;
v) a first segment at the front end of the housing and a second segment at the back end of the opening;
vi) wherein the first segment has an inlet and an outlet; and
vii) wherein the second segment has an inlet and an outlet;
b) a first valve body having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlet of the first valve body may be slidably sealed with the outlet of the first segment;
c) a second valve body having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlet of the second valve body may be slidably sealed with the outlet of the first valve body and wherein the outlet of the second valve body may be slidably sealed with the inlet of the second segment, wherein the method comprises the steps of;
A) sliding the first valve body and the second valve body together until their combined length is less than the length of the opening thereby defining a collapsed unit;
B) positioning the collapsed unit within the housing through the opening of the housing; and
C) elongating the collapsed unit until the inlet of the first valve body engages and is slidingly sealed with the outlet side of the first segment and until the outlet of the second valve body engages and is slidingly sealed with the inlet of the second segment, thereby defining an elongated unit having a watertight sealed bore extending through the first segment, the first valve body, the second valve body and the second segment.
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29. A method for assembling a backflow prevention apparatus, wherein the apparatus has
a) a housing having i) a front end; -
ii) a back end;
iii) a bore extending therethrough along a longitudinal axis;
iv) an opening extending laterally through the housing between the front end and the back end providing access to the bore, wherein the opening has a length along the longitudinal axis;
v) a first segment at the front end of the housing and a second segment at the back end of the opening;
vi) wherein the first segment has an inlet and an outlet; and
vii) wherein the second segment has an inlet and an outlet;
b) a first valve body having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlet of the first valve body is slidably sealed with the outlet of the first segment;
c) an intermediate valve body having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlet of the intermediate body is slidably sealed with the outlet of the first valve body; and
d) a second valve body having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlet of the second valve body is slidably sealed with the outlet of the intermediate body and wherein the outlet of the second valve body is slidably sealed with the inlet of the second segment;
wherein the method comprises the steps of;
A) sliding the first valve body, the intermediate valve body and the second valve body together until their combined length is less than the length of the opening thereby defining a collapsed unit;
B) positioning the collapsed unit within the housing through the opening of the housing; and
C) elongating the collapsed unit until the inlet of the first valve body engages and is slidingly sealed with the outlet side of the first segment and until the outlet of the second valve body engages and is slidingly sealed with the inlet of the second segment, thereby defining an elongated unit having a watertight sealed bore extending through the first segment, the first valve body, the intermediate valve body, the second valve body and the second segment.
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Specification