COMBINATION FLOW CONTROL VALVE AND REVERSE FLOW CHECK VALVE
First Claim
1. A combination flow control valve and reverse flow check valve comprising:
- a housing defining a central, fluid conveying channel therethrough;
a shiftable valve element positioned within the housing for controlling the flow of liquid through the channel; and
a check element positioned within the housing in an upstream position relative to the shiftable valve element in regard to the desired direction of flow for inhibiting backflow of liquid through the channel.
13 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A combination flow control and reverse flow check valve provides a compact valve unit for controlling the flow of fluid in a downstream direction and limiting undesired backflow of liquid into a source such as a reservoir. The flow control and reverse flow check valve may be provided as a unitary member having a housing with an upstream end configured for mounting to the liquid source, a fluid conveying channel within the housing, and a check element positioned in the channel between the flow control valve, such as a ball valve, and a seat which is complementally configured with the check element to normally seal against backflow. A blocking element may be provided to prevent interference of the check element with the operation of the flow control valve while permitting liquid to flow in an intended downstream direction. Because the occurrence of a backflow event is an undesired and infrequent event which may necessitate investigation, the check element may be sized and made of a material which will move past the seat during pressurized flow, thereby providing an indicator that a backflow event has occurred when the check element is found within the source.
-
Citations
34 Claims
-
1. A combination flow control valve and reverse flow check valve comprising:
-
a housing defining a central, fluid conveying channel therethrough; a shiftable valve element positioned within the housing for controlling the flow of liquid through the channel; and a check element positioned within the housing in an upstream position relative to the shiftable valve element in regard to the desired direction of flow for inhibiting backflow of liquid through the channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. An addition for mounting to a flow control valve having a housing adapted for conveying fluid therethrough and mounting a shiftable valve element for controlling the flow of fluid through the valve, said addition comprising:
-
a tubular body having a fluid conveying channel of a first diameter, a pair of diametrically opposed and aligned holes in said tubular body adjacent a normally downstream end of the tubular body, and a seat axially spaced from the holes at a normally upstream end of the body, said seat having a second diameter which is substantially less than said first diameter; a substantially spherical check element received in said tubular body for shiftable movement along said channel, said check element having a third diameter which is less than said first diameter and greater than said second diameter; and a blocking element received in said holes and extending diametrically across said channel, said blocking element being sized complemental to said channel of said tubular body for preventing downstream movement of said check element past said blocking element. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. In a reservoir for holding fluids having a tubulation extending therefrom adapted to discharge fluid therefrom, the improvement comprising a combination flow control valve and reverse flow check valve mounted to said tubulation, said combination flow control and reverse flow check valve including:
-
a housing having an axially extending fluid conveying channel therein, said housing having a first desired upstream end fluidically coupled to said tubulation and a second desired downstream end; a shiftable valve element positioned within the housing for controlling the flow of liquid through the channel; and a check element positioned within the housing in an upstream position relative to the shiftable valve element in regard to the desired direction of flow for inhibiting backflow of liquid through the channel from the desired downstream end toward and into the tubulation. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
-
-
34. A method of detecting the occurrence of a backflow event into a reservoir comprising the steps of:
-
providing a reservoir including a quantity of liquid, the reservoir having a check valve mounted thereto, the check valve including a housing fluidically connected to said reservoir and a substantially circular seat having a first diameter, and a substantially spherical check element having a second diameter greater than said seat, said check element having a specific gravity less than 1 and being normally positioned with said seat being between said check element and the liquid in the reservoir; causing the check element to move past the seat and into the liquid within the reservoir upon the occurrence of a backflow event, whereby the check element may be observed floating at the surface of the liquid within the reservoir.
-
Specification