Bypass valve

• US 4,972,877 A
• Filed: 10/23/1989
• Issued: 11/27/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kinetico, Inc. (BJA Croonen BV)
• Original Assignee: Kinetico, Inc. (BJA Croonen BV)
• Inventors: Crozier, David W., Ellis, George S. III, Halemba, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenthal, Arnold
• Application Number:
  US07/426,491
• Time in Patent Office: 400 Days
• Field of Search: 137/625.43, 137/625.29, 137/270
• US Class Current: 137/625.29
• 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 137/5196 Unit orientable in a single location between plural positions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86726 Valve with bypass connections
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86839 Four port reversing valves

Abstract

A bypass/diverter valve for controlling the flow of fluid from a source to a fluid treatment device such as a water softener. The valve includes a valve housing defining a circular chamber having a cylindrical wall into which three spaced ports open into. Two of the ports form inlet/outlet ports communicating with connecting conduits. The third port forms an intermediate port that communicates with the input to the water softener. The valve housing also defines a second intermediate port communicating with the output of the water softener and which communicates with the valve chamber through a passage arrangement. A plug-like valving member is rotatable within the chamber and includes a recess which together with the chamber wall defines a passage for selectively communicating one of said inlet/outlet ports with said first intermediate port while concurrently communicating said other inlet/outlet port with the second intermediate port or alternately for communicating said first inlet/outlet port with said second intermediate port while concurrently communicating the second inlet/outlet port with said first intermediate port. The valving member is also positionable to block flow out of either of said inlet/outlet ports. The plug member includes a recess for communicating fluid from the passage to one of the inlet/outlet ports when the valving member is rotated to a predetermined position. A movement control disc delimits the extremes of movement in the valving member and is positionable in two different positions to change the extremes of movement.

Claims

1. A control valve, comprising:

(a) a housing defining a valve chamber having a substantially uniform cylindrical wall;

(b) a valving member disposed within said chamber and mounted for rotational movement between predetermined positions;

(c) a pair of spaced apart, inlet/outlet ports opening into said chamber through said cylindrical wall and at least one intermediate port opening into said chamber;

(d) means communicating a second intermediate port with said chamber;

(e) said valving member defining a passage portion, said passage portion being in fluid communication with at least a portion of said cylindrical wall;

(f) seal means around said passage portion and sealing engaging said cylindrical wall whereby a passage is formed having a predetermined extent and which is fluidly isolated from said valve chamber;

(g) said predetermined extent of said passage and said inlet/outlet port spacing being arranged such that in one position the passage extends between and fluidly cross communicates said pair of inlet/outlet ports, in another position it communicates one of said inlet/outlet ports with said first intermediate port and in third and fourth positions said passage portion formed in said valve member overlies one of said inlet/outlet ports to fluidly isolate said inlet/outlet port whereby flow out of said inlet/outlet port into said valve chamber is blocked;

(h) movement control means for limiting movement in said valving member between predetermined positions.

2. The control valve of claim 1 wherein said means for communicating said second intermediate port comprises an auxiliary passage that communicates with said valve chamber and said valving member includes a relieved portion for exposing one of said inlet/outlet ports in order to fluidly communicate said passage with said exposed port.

3. The control valve of claim 1 wherein said movement control means comprises a control disc located outside of said housing and operatively connected with a stem member forming part of said valving member.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said valving member includes a plug-like portion.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for communicating said second intermediate port comprises a clearance gap defined between a valve housing cap means and said valving member.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said means for communicating further comprises an opening formed in a wall segment that partially defines said valve chamber.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said opening is located at a location that is spaced axially with respect to the position of said passage portion defined by said valving member when said valving member is located in its operative position in said valve chamber.

8. A by-pass/diverter valve for controlling the communication of a fluid supply to and from a fluid treatment device, comprising:

(a) a valve housing including a pair of inlet/outlet connection means for connecting said valve to a fluid source and to an outlet for receiving treated fluid;

(b) structure defining a control chamber having a cylindrical wall portion and spaced apart, inlet/outlet ports associated with said pair of inlet/outlet connection means, said inlet/outlet ports extending into said control chamber through said cylindrical wall portion;

(c) structure defining a fluid treatment device input port and a fluid treatment device output port, said fluid device input port extending through said cylindrical wall portion into said control chamber;

(d) rotatable valve means for fluid communicating either one of said inlet/outlet ports with said fluid treatment device input port while concurrently communicating the other of said inlet/outlet ports with said fluid treatment device output port, said valve means defining a passage portion surrounded by a peripheral seal means sealing engageable with said cylindrical wall portion when said valve means is disposed in said control chamber, said passage portion together with a section of said cylindrical wall portion bounded by said seal means defining an isolated passage;

(e) said passage having a predetermined extent and said inlet/outlet ports and said fluid treatment device input port having a spacing selected such that in a first rotated position of said valve means, said passage extends between and fluidly communicates said inlet/outlet ports, in a second position said passage extends between and fluidly communicates one of said inlet/outlet ports and said fluid treatment device input port and in third position said passage portion of said valve means overlies one of said inlet/outlet ports and blocks flow out of said one inlet/outlet port.

9. The bypass valve of claim 8 wherein said valve means for communicating includes a plug-like valving member rotatable within said control chamber forming part of said valve housing.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said valving member is installable in said valve housing in either of two positions and said apparatus further comprises a movement control means for delimiting the extremes of movement of said valving member after said valving member is installed in one of said two positions.

11. The valve of claim 10 wherein said movement control means is positionable in one of two positions, the position of said movement control means establishing a mode of operation for said bypass/diverter valve.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said movement control means comprises a disk installable on a valving member portion and cooperating with structure formed on said valve housing to delimit a range of rotation of said valving member.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said movement controlled disk includes at least two control surfaces each including structure engageable by a stop means formed on said valve housing.

14. A control valve, comprising:

(a) a valve housing defining a circular chamber having a cylindrical wall having a predetermined axial extent;

(b) at least three, spaced apart fluid ports opening into said chamber through said cylindrical wall;

(c) a valving member including a plug portion sized to fit within said chamber and rotatable therein;

(d) said plug portion defining a recess located in a confronting relation to said cylindrical wall when said valve member is installed in said chamber;

(e) seal means extending around a periphery of said recess and sealingly engaging said cylindrical wall such that said recess and a section of said cylindrical wall bounded by said seal means forms an isolated flow passage that extends across a portion of said valving chamber said fluid ports having a selected spacing and said flow passage having an extent such that first and second adjacent ports of said three ports are cross-communicated at one predetermined position of said valving member and the second and third ports are cross-communicated at another predetermined position of said valving member;

(f) structure defining a fourth port communicating with a region of said valving chamber through a passage means;

(g) said plug portion including means for communicating said passage means with selected ports when said valving member is moved to selected positions; and

,

(h) adjustable movement control means for delimiting movement in said valving member to a first range that includes said first predetermined position but not said second predetermined position or a second range that includes said second predetermined position but not said first predetermined position.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said three ports are spaced substantially 120°

apart.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said ports are transversely aligned with respect to a rotational axis of said valving member.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said adjustable movement control means forms part of a handle assembly that cooperates with structure formed on said housing.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said handle assembly comprises a handle and a movement control disc mounted to a stem attached to said valving member, said movement control disc positionable on said stem in one of two positions such that in one position, movement in said valve member is delimited to said first range and in the second position, movement in said valve member is delimited to said second range.

19. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein two of said three spaced apart fluid ports form inlet/outlet ports, one of said inlet/outlet ports communicating with a fluid source, the other of said inlet/outlet ports communicating with a fluid receiving means.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said means for communicating said passage means comprises a relieved section formed in said plug portion which is arranged to selectively communicate one of said inlet/outlet ports with said fourth port when said valving member is moved to another selected position.