Fill valve

• US 5,964,247 A
• Filed: 11/19/1997
• Issued: 10/12/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ideal Standard Global Ltd. (Ideal Standard International Topco SCA), Johnson Family Trust
• Original Assignee: American Standard Companies Incorporated (Ideal Standard International Topco SCA)
• Inventors: Johnson, Dwight N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walton, George L.
• Application Number:
  US08/974,727
• Time in Patent Office: 692 Days
• Field of Search: 137/218, 137/414, 137/426, 251/126, 251/127, 138/42, 138/43
• US Class Current: 137/414
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/00 Cleaning hollow articles by methods or apparatus specially adapted thereto B08B6/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 1/32 Arrangement of inlet valves devices for reducing noise E03D9/14 ; noise-reducing means E03D11/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/34 acting on pilot valve controlling the cut-off apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 47/02 for preventing water-hammer or noise
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/3331 With co-acting valve in liquid flow path
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7374 Flexible diaphragm valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7413 Level adjustment or selection means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7449 External hood or deflector or annular outlet surrounding the inlet pipe

Abstract

A fill valve has a main valve with a valving surface contacted by a valve disk. A series of offset radial paths separated by a toroidal path permit free radial flow at full open and quiet tortuous flow as the valve closes. Removal of a cap permits access to the main valve for cleaning. Indicia in the valve body provide easy height adjustments. A riser base is made up of easily molded locking parts and provides a variable height adjustment structure that is shielded from view. A flexible cup performs multiple functions including serving as a pilot valve, a vacuum breaker valve and a seal. A float for operating the pilot valve is pivotally mounted without extra parts or fasteners.

Claims

1. A fill valve for use in a toilet tank comprising:

a housing including;

a body having an inlet and an outlet, and

a cap having an outer surface, which forms part of the exterior of said fill valve, and an underside, said cap being removably attached to said body, wherein at least a portion of said underside is in fluid communication with said outlet;

main valve means for controlling flow between said inlet and said outlet, said main valve means capable of allowing flow from said inlet to said cap in an open position and capable of sealing against said underside of said cap in a closed position to prevent flow from said inlet to said outlet, whereby said underside of said cap defines a valving surface;

wherein said body and said main valve means define a control chamber therebetween, and wherein said body and said main valve means are adapted to form a restricted passage between said inlet and said control chamber for pressurizing said control chamber and urging said main valve means to the closed position against said underside of said cap;

pilot valve means disposed in said body for controlling flow between said control chamber and said outlet; and

a water level responsive member responsive to water level in the tank for opening said pilot valve means to reduce pressure in said control chamber, thereby permitting inlet pressure to flex said main valve means away from said underside of said cap in the open position;

whereby said fill valve is capable of allowing flow to travel from said inlet, through said main valve means, across said underside of said cap, and out of said outlet; and

whereby said main valve means is exposed when said cap is removed.

2. The fill valve according to claim 1, said cap including an empty chamber between said underside and the exterior of said housing for attenuating valve operating noise.

3. The fill valve according to claim 1, said cap being threaded to said body.

4. The fill valve according to claim 1, said body including upper and lower body sections defining a float chamber communicating with the exterior of said housing, and said water level responsive member comprising a float in said float chamber.

5. The fill valve according to claim 4 further comprising snap attachment means joining said upper and lower body sections.

6. The fill valve according to claim 5, said float including a mounting lever having a pivot projection, and said body including a pivot nest pivotally receiving said pivot projection.

7. The fill valve according to claim 1, said valve disk comprising a central hub defining a flow passage through said hub, said flow passage communicating with said inlet.

8. The fill valve according to claim 7, said cap including strainer ribs and said hub slideably engaging said strainer ribs in response to flexing of said disk.

9. The fill valve according to claim 1, said valving surface including first and second sets of offset radial flow paths interconnected by a peripheral flow path.

10. The fill valve according to claim 1 wherein said main valve means includes a flexible hollow valve disk disposed in said housing, said valve disk being capable of allowing flow from said inlet to said cap in an open position, and said valve disk capable of being flexed toward said cap for sealing against said underside to prevent flow from said inlet to said outlet in a closed position.

11. The fill valve according to claim 10 wherein said control chamber is formed from said body and said valve disk, said body and said valve disk being adapted to form said restricted passage.

12. The fill valve according to claim 11 wherein said body defines a valve mounting head for supporting said valve disk.

13. The fill valve according to claim 12 wherein said flexible valve disk is disposed in said valve mounting head in sliding relationship with said cap.

14. The fill valve according to claim 10 wherein said flexible valve disk has a periphery captured between said cap and said body.

15. The fill valve according to claim 10 wherein said flexible valve disk further comprises a hollow central portion having a lower end in communication with said inlet and an upper end slidably received in said underside of said cap, whereby said hollow central portion is capable of allowing flow from said inlet to said cap.

16. The fill valve according to claim 15 wherein said cap includes strainer ribs and said hollow central portion slidably engages said strainer ribs in response to flexing of said disk.

17. The fill valve according to claim 11 wherein said flexible valve disk comprises a periphery captured between said cap and said body, a hollow central portion having a lower end in communication with said inlet and an upper end slidably received in said underside of said cap, whereby said hollow central portion is capable of allowing flow from said inlet to said cap, and a flexible web portion interconnecting said periphery and said hollow central portion, said flexible web portion having an upper side and a lower side, wherein said flexible web portion allows said hollow central portion to flex toward and away from said cap, and wherein said upper side of said flexible web portion is capable of contacting said underside in a closed position and of being spaced away from said underside in an open position.

18. The fill valve according to claim 17 wherein said body defines a valve mounting head for supporting said valve disk, wherein said valve mounting head and said lower side of said web portion define a control chamber therebetween, and wherein said valve mounting head and said valve disk are adapted to form a restricted passage between said inlet and said control chamber for pressurizing said control chamber and urging said valve disk to the closed position against said underside of said cap, whereby said upper side of said valve disk and said underside are exposed when said cap is removed.

19. The fill valve according to claim 18 wherein said pilot valve means comprises a flexible cup member disposed below said valve mounting head, said flexible cup member having a flexible base which includes a pilot valve flap portion, and wherein said valve mounting head is provided with a pilot orifice connecting said control chamber to said outlet, wherein said pilot valve flap portion is capable of covering said pilot orifice in response to said water lever response member.

20. The fill valve according to claim 19 wherein said body is provided with vacuum breaker ports, and wherein said flexible cup member further comprises flexible vacuum breaker panels disposed proximate said vacuum breaker ports.

21. The fill valve according to claim 10 wherein said valve disk comprises a central opening, and wherein said underside of said cap includes:

a central portion surrounding said central opening including a circular flow blocking ridge surrounding said central opening in said valve disk, a plurality of first radial flow passages in said central portion of said valving surface extending radially outward from said ridge and leading to a peripheral flow passage, and a plurality of second radial flow passages extending radially outward from said peripheral flow passage, said first and second radial flow passages being peripherally offset for inducing toroidal flow in said peripheral flow passage when said valve disk is partly closed over said peripheral flow passage;

wherein said valve disk in said open position is spaced above said first radial flow passages and said peripheral flow passage to permit radial flow from said central opening to said second radial flow passages.

22. The fill valve according to claim 21 wherein there are fewer of said first radial flow passages than said second radial flow passages.

23. The fill valve according to claim 21 wherein said first radial flow passages are relatively restricted compared to said peripheral flow passage and said second radial flow passages.

24. The fill valve according to claim 21 further comprising a plurality of projections in the path of said peripheral flow passage opposite to and aligned with said second radial flow passages for guiding flow into said second radial flow passages and supporting said valve disk in said closed position.

25. A toilet tank fill valve comprising:

a housing including a body having an inlet and an outlet and a cap having an underside;

a main valve in said housing for controlling flow between said inlet and said outlet;

said main valve including a flexible valve disk having a central portion mounted for flexing movement in the direction of the axis of said valve disk;

said underside of said cap defining a valving surface interfacing with a first side of said valve disk, a control chamber at the second side of said valve disk, and a restricted passage between said inlet and said control chamber for pressurizing said control chamber and forcing said valve disk to a closed position against said valving surface;

a pilot valve in said housing for controlling flow between said control chamber and said outlet;

a member responsive to water level in the tank for opening said pilot valve to reduce pressure in said control chamber and permit inlet pressure to flex said valve disk away from said valving surface to an open position; and

a flexible cup member having a base, said base including a segment;

wherein said housing further comprises;

an inlet tube member having an inlet tube communicating with said central portion of said valve disk and having an enlarged, disk-shaped head portion underlying said second side of said valve disk, said control chamber being defined in said head portion;

wherein said pilot valve includes a passage in said head portion which terminates in a valve seat at the underside of said head portion;

wherein said base of said flexible cup member underlies said head portion and a peripheral flange portion surrounding the rim of said head portion; and

wherein said segment of said base is engageable with said valve seat to control flow through said pilot valve.

26. The toilet tank fill valve according to claim 25 wherein said water level responsive member is engageable with said segment of said base.

27. The toilet tank fill valve according to claim 25 further comprising:

a vacuum breaker vent port in said body adjacent and normally spaced from the underside of said base, and an outlet flow path extending through said enlarged head from the top to the underside thereof, flow through said outlet flow path forcing said base over said vacuum breaker vent port.

28. A toilet tank fill valve comprising:

a housing including a cap and a body having a pivot nest, an inlet and an outlet, said body defining a float chamber in communication with the exterior of said housing;

a main valve in said for controlling flow between said inlet and said outlet;

said main valve including a valve disk having a central portion mounted for flexing movement in the direction of the axis of said valve disk;

a valving surface on said cap interfacing with a first side of said valve disk, a control chamber at the second side of said valve disk, and a restricted passage between said inlet and said control chamber for pressurizing said control chamber and forcing said valve disk to a closed position against said valving surface;

a pilot valve in said body for controlling flow between said control chamber and said outlet;

a member responsive to water level in the tank for opening said pilot valve to

reduce pressure in said control chamber and permit inlet pressure to flex said valve disk away from said valving surface to an open position; and

a float member including a float in said chamber and a mounting lever extending to the region of said pilot valve, said mounting lever having

a pivot projection;

wherein said pivot nest receives said pivot projection and supports said float member for pivotal movement within said housing.

29. The toilet tank fill valve according to claim 28 wherein said body includes a lower body portion and a cover portion assembled to said lower portion, said pivot nest being defined in said cover portion, and said lower portion blocking removal of said pivot projection from said pivot nest when assembled to said cover portion.

30. A fill valve for use in a toilet tank comprising:

a housing including;

a body having an inlet and an outlet, and

a cap removably attached to said body;

a flexible hollow valve disk disposed in said housing, said valve disk being capable of allowing flow from said inlet to said cap in an open position, and said valve disk capable of being flexed toward said cap for sealing against said underside to prevent flow from said inlet to said outlet in a closed position (whereby said valve disk and said housing define a main valve for controlling flow between said inlet and said outlet;

wherein said body and said valve disk define a control chamber therebetween, and wherein said body and said valve disk are adapted to form a restricted passage between said inlet and said control chamber for pressurizing said control chamber and urging said valve disk to the closed position against said cap;

pilot valve means disposed in said body for controlling flow between said control chamber and said outlet; and

a water level responsive member responsive to water level in the tank for opening said pilot valve means to reduce pressure in said control chamber, thereby permitting inlet pressure to flex said main valve means away from said underside of said cap in the open position;

whereby said fill valve is capable of allowing flow to travel from said inlet, through said valve disk, past said cap, and out of said outlet; and

whereby said valve disk is exposed when said cap is removed.

31. The fill valve according to claim 30 wherein said flexible valve disk has a periphery captured between said cap and said body.

32. The fill valve according to claim 30 wherein said flexible valve disk comprises a hollow central portion having a lower end in communication with said inlet and an upper end slidably received in said cap, whereby said hollow central portion is capable of allowing flow from said inlet to said cap.

33. The fill valve according to claim 32 wherein said cap includes strainer ribs and said hollow central portion slidably engages said strainer ribs in response to flexing of said disk.

34. A fill valve for use in a toilet tank comprising:

a housing including;

a body having a pilot orifice, an inlet and an outlet, and

a cap removably attached to said body;

main valve means for controlling flow between said inlet and said outlet, said main valve means capable of allowing flow from said inlet to said cap in an open position and capable of sealing against said underside of said cap in a closed position to prevent flow from said inlet to said outlet, whereby said underside of said cap defines a valving surface;

wherein said body and said main valve means define a control chamber therebetween, wherein said body and said main valve means are adapted to form a restricted passage between said inlet and said control chamber for pressurizing said control chamber and urging said main valve means to the closed position against said underside of said cap, and wherein said pilot orifice connects said control chamber to said outlet;

pilot valve means disposed in said body for controlling flow between said control chamber and said outlet, said pilot valve means including a flexible cup member having a flexible base which includes a pilot valve flap portion which is capable of covering said pilot orifice in response to said water lever response member; and

a water level responsive member responsive to water level in the tank for allowing said pilot valve flap portion to uncover said pilot orifice, thereby opening said pilot valve means to reduce pressure in said control chamber, thereby permitting inlet pressure to flex said main valve means away from said underside of said cap in the open position;

whereby said fill valve is capable of allowing flow to travel from said inlet, through said valve disk, past said cap, and out of said outlet; and

whereby said valve disk is exposed when said cap is removed.

35. The fill valve according to claim 34 wherein said body is provided with vacuum breaker ports, and wherein said flexible cup member further comprises flexible vacuum breaker panels disposed proximate said vacuum breaker ports.