DIVERTER VALVE

• US 20100126613A1
• Filed: 11/21/2008
• Published: 05/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Balboa Water Group LLC (Helios Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Balboa Water Group Incorporated
• Inventors: Fuentes, Luis E., Campbell, Graham J., Hillyard, Jason W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,479,771 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/625.460
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/076 with sealing faces shaped as surfaces of solids of revolution
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/0853 having all the connecting conduits situated in a single plane perpendicular to the axis of the plug
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86493 Multi-way valve unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86863 Rotary valve unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86871 Plug

Abstract

An exemplary embodiment of a diverter valve system includes a valve body defining an internal chamber having at least first, second and third ports, and a first valve seat associated with the first port and a second valve seat associated with the second port. A valve shaft structure includes an internal shaft portion positioned within the internal chamber, the valve shaft structure configured for rotation about a valve axis through a range of motion. A diverter structure includes a diverter face portion configured to seat against the first valve seat when in a first rotational position and against the second valve seat when in a second position, and a mounting portion configured to mount on the internal shaft portion of the valve shaft structure

Claims

1. A valve system, comprising:

a valve body defining an internal chamber having a plurality of ports including a first port;

a valve shaft structure including an internal shaft portion positioned within the internal chamber, the valve shaft structure configured for rotation about a valve axis through a range of motion;

a diverter structure actuated by the valve shaft structure for movement about the valve axis, including a diverter face portion and a mounting portion configured to mount on the internal shaft portion of the valve shaft structure;

the valve shaft structure configured to apply a seal force on the mounting portion to push the diverter face portion into a sealing position relative to the first port in contact with seal surfaces of the valve body, as the valve shaft structure is rotated in a first direction, to remove the seal force on the mounting portion as the valve shaft structure is rotated in a second direction and to push the diverter face portion away from the first port and out of contact with internal surfaces of the valve body, and to carry the diverter structure with the valve shaft structure as the valve shaft structure is rotated in the second direction with a clearance distance between the diverter face portion and inner surfaces of the valve body.

2. The valve system of claim 1, further comprising:

a bias structure coupled between the mounting portion and the internal shaft portion and configured to apply a bias force tending to push the diverter face portion toward the internal shaft portion, such that the diverter face portion is pushed toward the internal shaft portion and out of contact with said internal surfaces of the valve body when the shaft structure is in a release orientation relative to the mounting portion of the diverter structure.

3. The valve system of claim 1, further comprising a coupling on the shaft structure for connection to an actuating system to apply a rotational force to the shaft.

4. The valve system of claim 3, wherein the actuating system includes an electric motor.

5. The valve system of claim 3, wherein the actuating system is a manually operable handle.

6. The valve system of claim 1, wherein the valve body includes a threaded pipe coupling for each of the plurality of ports.

7. The valve system of claim 6, wherein the valve body further includes a pipe slip coupling for each of the plurality of ports.

8. The valve system of claim 7, wherein each pipe slip coupling includes a glue cup disposed at an interior end of the pipe slip coupling.

9. The valve system of claim 1, wherein the valve body includes a stop surface in the internal chamber adjacent the first port and configured to contact the valve face portion as the shaft structure rotates in the first direction to stop rotation movement of the valve face portion at a radial position of the sealing position.

10. The valve system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of ports further includes a second port and a third port, and wherein the first, second and third ports are disposed at radially separated positions relative to the shaft structure.

11. The valve system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of ports further includes a second port and a third port, and wherein the second and third ports are disposed at radially separated positions relative to the shaft structure, and the first port is an inlet port disposed at an axial position relative to the shaft structure.

12. The valve system of claim 11, wherein the valve body includes a housing with a bottom hub portion supported by a plurality of ribs extending radially from the hub portion to a housing wall with open regions between the ribs, and a removable top cover having an open top shaft support boss, the bottom hub portion including a lower shaft support boss, wherein the top shaft support boss and the lower shaft support boss support the shaft structure for rotation, and wherein the first port is fluidically coupled to the open regions to allow fluid flow through the open regions between the hub and the ribs, and fluid may be diverted from the first port to one of the second or third ports or to both ports in dependence on the position of the diverter structure.

13. A diverter valve system, comprising:

a valve body defining an internal chamber having at least first, second and third ports, and a first valve seat associated with the first port and a second valve seat associated with the second port;

a valve shaft structure including an external shaft portion extending outside the valve body and an internal shaft portion positioned within the internal chamber, the valve shaft structure configured for rotation about a valve axis through a range of motion;

a diverter structure including a diverter face portion configured to seat against the first valve seat when in a first rotational position and against the second valve seat when in a second position, and a mounting portion configured to mount on the internal shaft portion of the valve shaft structure;

the valve shaft structure including a cam structure configured to push the diverter face portion into a sealing position against the first valve seat as the valve shaft structure is rotated in a first direction, and to push the diverter face portion into a sealing position against the second valve seat as the valve shaft structure is rotated in a second direction;

a bias structure coupled between the mounting portion and the internal shaft portion and configured to apply a bias force tending to push the diverter face portion toward the internal shaft portion, such that the diverter face portion is out of contact with either said first or said second valve seat when the cam structure is in a release orientation relative to the mounting portion of the diverter structure.

14. The valve system of claim 13, further comprising a coupling on the shaft structure for connection to an actuating system to apply a rotational force to the shaft.

15. The valve system of claim 14, wherein the actuating system includes an electric motor.

16. The valve system of claim 14, wherein the actuating system is a manually operable handle.

17. The valve system of claim 13, wherein the valve body includes a threaded pipe coupling for each of the plurality of ports.

18. The valve system of claim 13, wherein the first, second and third ports are disposed at radially separated positions relative to the shaft structure.

19. The valve system of claim 13, wherein the second and third ports are disposed at radially separated positions relative to the shaft structure, and the first port is an inlet port disposed at an axial position relative to the shaft structure.

20. The valve system of claim 13, wherein the valve body includes a housing with a bottom hub portion and a removable top cover having an open top shaft support boss, the bottom hub portion including a lower shaft support boss, and wherein the top shaft support boss and the lower shaft support boss support the shaft structure for rotation.

21. The valve system of claim 13, wherein said first port is an inlet port, and the diverter structure may be positioned to selectively close said second port while leaving said third port open, to close said third port while leaving said first port open, and to leave both ports open for water flow.

22. A water flow system for a bathing installation, including a pump, a recirculating water flow path, and a diverter valve system according to claim 13.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the valve body includes a threaded pipe coupling for each of the plurality of ports, and the plurality of ports are connected to pipes comprising the water flow path by a plurality of union connections to permit removal and replacement of the diverter valve system in the water flow system.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising a union connection for connecting an inlet port of the pump to the water flow path, and a plurality of shutoff valves in the water path, wherein the shutoff valves are positioned so that the pump and diverter valve system may be removed and replaced when the shutoff valves are closed without draining the bathing installation.