Valve ball configuration
First Claim
1. A valve ball having a generally spherical outer surface, a through passage with a passage longitudinal axis and a passage peripheral surface that defines a ball inner surface, said ball having a rotational axis that intersects and extends perpendicular to said passage longitudinal axis and a transverse axis that intersects and extends perpendicular to both said rotational axis and said passage longitudinal axis, said outer surface having opposite recessed areas intersected by said transverse axis on opposite sides of said passage longitudinal axis, said recessed areas having outer surface profiles, said inner surface having inner surface profiles that are located opposite from and substantially correspond to said outer surface profiles, said passage having opposite passage openings that intersect said generally spherical outer surface, and said recessed areas being spaced from said passage openings so that said generally spherical outer surface includes generally spherical outer surface portions that extend between said recessed areas and said passage opening.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A valve ball physically configured to minimize rotational forces imparted to the ball by fluid pressure acting thereon in flow throttling positions of the ball. In part, the physical configurations that produce the desired effect include a hollowed out ball interior and recessed areas on the ball outer surface that allow fluid flow past the ball exterior when it is partly open.
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Citations
21 Claims
- 1. A valve ball having a generally spherical outer surface, a through passage with a passage longitudinal axis and a passage peripheral surface that defines a ball inner surface, said ball having a rotational axis that intersects and extends perpendicular to said passage longitudinal axis and a transverse axis that intersects and extends perpendicular to both said rotational axis and said passage longitudinal axis, said outer surface having opposite recessed areas intersected by said transverse axis on opposite sides of said passage longitudinal axis, said recessed areas having outer surface profiles, said inner surface having inner surface profiles that are located opposite from and substantially correspond to said outer surface profiles, said passage having opposite passage openings that intersect said generally spherical outer surface, and said recessed areas being spaced from said passage openings so that said generally spherical outer surface includes generally spherical outer surface portions that extend between said recessed areas and said passage opening.
- 7. A valve ball having a generally spherical outer surface and a through passage with a passage peripheral surface that defines a ball inner surface, said outer surface having a pair of substantially flat outer surface areas with substantially circular outer peripheries on opposite sides of said passage, and said inner surface having a pair of substantially flat inner surface areas with substantially circular outer peripheries aligned with said outer surface areas.
- 11. In a valve assembly including a valve ball chamber having circular inlet and outlet ports aligned along a chamber longitudinal axis and a chamber periphery spaced radially outwardly from said ports, said chamber having end surfaces extending between said periphery and said ports, at least said end surface adjacent said outlet port having a seal thereon, a valve ball rotatably received in said chamber for rotation about a rotational axis and having a generally spherical outer surface for cooperation with said seal, said valve ball being physically configured to minimize pressure forces tending to close the ball during throttling, said valve ball having a through passage with a passage longitudinal axis and circular inlet and outlet openings, said valve ball being hollowed out between said openings to provide said passage with a passage periphery between said openings that has a larger cross-sectional area than the cross-sectional area of each of said openings, and said passage periphery having opposite substantially flat passage areas on opposite sides of said rotational axis and said passage longitudinal axis.
- 17. A valve ball having a rotational axis and a through passage with a longitudinal passage axis that intersects and extends perpendicular to said rotational axis, said valve ball having a generally spherical outer surface and said passage having a passage periphery that defines a ball inner surface, said valve ball having a ball wall between said inner and outer surfaces, said ball wall having substantially flat wall portions with substantially circular outer peripheries on opposite sides of said rotational and passage axes, said passage having opposite passage openings that intersect said generally spherical outer surface, and said substantially flat wall portions being spaced from said passage openings so that said generally spherical outer surface includes generally spherical outer surface portions that extend between said substantially flat wall portions and said passage openings.
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21. A valve ball having a generally spherical outer surface and a through passage with a passage periphery that defines a ball inner surface, said passage having a passage longitudinal axis, said ball having a rotational axis that intersects and extends perpendicular to said passage longitudinal axis and a transverse axis that intersects and extends perpendicular to both said rotational axis and said passage longitudinal axis, said outer surface having a pair of non-spherical outer recessed surface areas therein on opposite sides thereof coincidental with said transverse axis, said inner surface having inner surface areas aligned with said outer recessed surface areas that are of generally the same size and shape as said outer recessed surface areas, said rotational axis intersecting said inner and outer surfaces at ball rotational mounting areas, and said inner and outer surfaces being geometrically similar except in the vicinity of said ball rotational mounting areas.
Specification