Flush valve bypass and filter

• US 5,887,848 A
• Filed: 09/18/1997
• Issued: 03/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sloan Valve Company
• Original Assignee: Sloan Valve Company
• Inventors: Wilson, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walton, George L.
• Application Number:
  US08/932,656
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 92/98 R, 92/102, 137/414, 137/544, 137/549, 137/550, 138/40, 138/41, 210/429, 210/431, 210/432, 251/38, 251/40, 251/45, 251/46, 251/118, 251/120, 251/121
• US Class Current: 251/40
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 3/06 with diaphragm valve and pressure chamber for retarding the valve-closing movement
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/3855 the discharge being effected through the diaphragm and being blockable by a mechanically-actuated member making contact with the diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8122 Planar strainer normal to flow path

Abstract

A diaphragm type of flush valve for use with toilet devices such as urinals and water closets includes a body with an inlet and an outlet and there is a valve seat therebetween and a valve member movable to a closing position on the valve seat. The valve member includes a diaphragm which is peripherally attached to the body. There is a pressure chamber above the diaphragm for holding the valve member on its valve seat and there is a filter and a bypass orifice connecting the inlet and the pressure chamber. The filter includes a filter ring positioned beneath the diaphragm and adjacent the outer periphery thereof. The filter ring and the diaphragm are held in a fixed position relative to each other. The filter ring has a plurality of outwardly directed circumferentially spaced filter grooves. There is a seal ring between the filter ring and the body and facing the grooves. A peripheral chamber is bounded by the seal ring, the filter ring and the body, with water reaching the peripheral chamber by passing through the filter ring grooves. There is an orifice connecting the peripheral chamber and the pressure chamber.

Claims

1. A diaphragm type of flush valve for use with toilet devices such as urinals and water closets including a body having an inlet and an outlet, a valve seat between said inlet and outlet and a valve member movable to a closing position on said valve seat to control water flow between said inlet and outlet, said valve member including a diaphragm peripherally attached to said body, a pressure chamber above said diaphragm with water therein holding said valve member on said valve seat, and a filter and bypass orifice connecting said inlet with said pressure chamber, to provide water therefor to move said diaphragm to said closing position,

said filter including a filter ring positioned beneath said diaphragm adjacent the outer periphery thereof, means holding said filter ring and diaphragm in fixed position relative to each other, said filter ring having a plurality of outwardly directed circumferentially spaced filter grooves, a seal ring retained between said ring and said body and facing said grooves, a peripheral chamber bounded by said seal ring, filter ring and body, with water reaching said peripheral chamber by passing through said grooves, and an orifice in said diaphragm connecting said peripheral chamber and said pressure chamber.

2. The flush valve of claim 1 further including a seal ring support located above said seal ring and extending outwardly from said filter ring.

3. The flush valve of claim 2 wherein said seal ring support above said seal ring includes a plurality of projections integral with and extending outwardly from said filter ring.

4. The flush valve of claim 2 further including a plurality of lower seal ring supports positioned beneath said seal ring and extending outwardly from said filter ring.

5. The flush valve of claim 1 including a cover forming the upper portion of said pressure chamber, with said diaphragm being held between the periphery of said cover and a peripheral portion of said flush valve body.

6. The flush valve of claim 1 wherein the means holding said filter ring and diaphragm in fixed position relative to each other includes a plurality of retaining members extending downwardly from the top of said diaphragm.

7. The flush valve of claim 6 wherein the lower end of at least one of said retaining members has an outward extension to compress the diaphragm between portions of said filter ring.

8. The flush valve of claim 7 wherein said diaphragm had a plurality of projections, with at least one of said projections receiving one of said retaining members with said outward extension.

9. The flush valve of claim 6 wherein said orifice is located in one of said retaining members.

10. The flush valve of claim 9 wherein the orifice in one of said retaining members includes an axial passage.

11. The flush valve of claim 8 wherein each of said diaphragm projections includes a retaining member with an outward extension.

12. The flush valve of claim 11 wherein one of said diaphragm projections includes a bore in communication with said filter chamber, said orifice being located in the retaining member in said bore.

17. The flush valve of claim 1 wherein the retaining means holding said filter ring and diaphragm in fixed position relative to each other includes a plurality of retaining members extending downwardly from the top of said diaphragm.

18. The flush valve of claim 17 wherein the lower end of at least one of said retaining members has an outward extension to compress the diaphragm between portions of said filter ring.

19. The flush valve of claim 18 wherein said diaphragm had a plurality of projections, with each of said projections receiving a retaining member with an outward extension.

20. The flush valve of claim 19 wherein said orifice is located in one of said retaining members.

13. A valve member assembly for use in a toilet device flush valve having a valve body and an inlet and an outlet therefor, said flush valve having a seat to close communication between said inlet and outlet and said valve member assembly being formed and adapted to close upon said seat, said valve member assembly including a diaphragm, a filter and bypass orifice formed in the valve member assembly for use in connecting the flush valve inlet and a flush valve pressure chamber above the valve member assembly to cause movement thereof to a valve closing position, said filter including a filter ring positioned beneath said diaphragm adjacent the outer periphery thereof, retaining means holding said filter ring and diaphragm in fixed position relative to each other, said filter ring having a plurality of outwardly-directed circumferentially spaced filter grooves, a seal ring extending about said filter ring and facing said grooves, a peripheral chamber bounded by said seal ring and filter ring, with water from the flush valve inlet reaching said peripheral and said pressure chamber.

14. The flush valve of claim 13 further including a seal ring support located above said seal ring and extending outwardly from said filter ring.

15. The flush valve of claim 14 wherein said seal ring support above said seal ring includes a plurality of projections integral with and extending outwardly from said filter ring.

16. The flush valve of claim 14 further including a plurality of lower seal ring supports positioned beneath said seal ring and extending outwardly from said filter ring.