Rinse fluid valve for a vacuum toilet

• US 6,732,386 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2002
• Issued: 05/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Evac International Oy
• Original Assignee: Evac International Oy
• Inventors: Pondelick, Mark A., Anderson, William B., Tinkler, Ian, Wallace, Douglas M., McGowan, Arthur J. Jr., Hancock, Michael B., Stradinger, Jay D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tuan N.
• Application Number:
  US10/059,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20030177569A1
• Time in Patent Office: 833 Days
• Field of Search: 430/0, 431/6, 437/8, 442/0, 443/1-4-5, 445/8, 137/192, 137/205, 137/553, 137/554, 137/588, 137/595, 137/625.31, 137/625.32, 137/614.2, 251/16, 251/25
• US Class Current: 4/431
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 3/02 Self-closing flushing valves self-closing valves in general F16K21/04
• CPC Class Codes: E03F 1/006 Pneumatic sewage disposal systems; accessories specially adapted therefore
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 5/0605 with particular plug arrangements, e.g. particular shape or built-in means

Abstract

A rinse fluid valve for use in a vacuum toilet system is disclosed. The vacuum toilet system includes a waste receptacle with a rinse fluid dispenser associated therewith and a source of rinse fluid. The rinse fluid valve has a housing with an inlet in fluid communication with the rinse fluid source and an outlet in fluid communication with the rinse fluid dispenser. A flow path extends from the inlet to the outlet. A moveable rinse fluid valve member is disposed in the flow path and movable between open and closed positions. A fuse valve is also disposed in the flow path and has a normally open position to allow fluid flow therethrough. The fuse valve is actuatable to a closed position after a desired volume of fluid has passed therethrough, thereby to cease rinse fluid flow through the flow path.

Claims

1. A rinse fluid valve for use in a vacuum toilet system having a waste receptacle with a rinse fluid dispenser associated therewith and a source of rinse fluid, the rinse fluid valve comprising:

a housing having an inlet in fluid communication with the rinse fluid source and an outlet in fluid communication with the rinse fluid dispenser;

a flow path extending from the inlet to the outlet;

a moveable rinse fluid valve member disposed in the flow path and moveable between open and closed positions; and

a second valve member disposed in the flow path and having a normally open position to allow fluid flow therethrough, the second valve member automatically actuating to a closed position after a desired volume of fluid has passed therethrough thereby to cease rinse fluid flow through the flow path.

2. The rinse fluid valve of claim 1, in which the second valve member comprises a pressure sensitive diaphragm disposed between a pilot chamber and a flow chamber formed in the flow path and moveable between an open position and a closed position, and a poppet valve attached to the diaphragm.

3. The rinse fluid valve of claim 2, in which the poppet valve comprises a pilot port in fluid communication with the pilot chamber and a flow port in fluid communication with the flow chamber.

4. The rinse fluid valve of claim 3, in which the flow port is sized to generate a pressure drop greater than that through the pilot port, so that the diaphragm is urged away from the pilot port to the closed position, thereby obstructing the flow path.

5. The rinse fluid valve of claim 2, in which the rinse fluid valve member is disposed in the flow path upstream of the second valve member.

6. The rinse fluid valve of claim 2, in which the rinse fluid valve member is disposed in the flow path downstream of the second valve member.

7. The rinse fluid valve of claim 6, further comprising a reset valve for returning the diaphragm from the closed position to the open position.

8. The rinse fluid valve of claim 7, further comprising a bypass line having a first end in fluid communication with the inlet and a second end in fluid communication with the flow chamber, wherein the reset valve is disposed between the first and second bypass line ends.

9. The rinse fluid valve of claim 8, in which the reset valve comprises a reset passage formed in the moveable rinse fluid valve member, the reset passage moving with the rinse fluid valve member between an open position, in which the reset passage communicates with the bypass line, and a closed position, in which the reset passage does not communicate with the bypass line.

10. The rinse fluid valve of claim 9, in which the reset passage is located so that the reset passage is in the closed position when the rinse fluid valve member is in the open position, and so that the reset passage is in the open position when the rinse fluid valve member is in the closed position.

11. The rinse fluid valve of claim 1, in which the second valve member comprises a fuse valve.

12. A rinse fluid valve for use in a vacuum toilet system having a waste receptacle with a rinse fluid dispenser associated therewith and a source of rinse fluid, the rinse fluid valve comprising:

a housing having an inlet in fluid communication with the rinse fluid source and an outlet in fluid communication with the rinse fluid dispenser;

a flow path extending from the inlet to the outlet;

a moveable rinse fluid valve member disposed in the flow path and moveable between open and closed positions; and

a second valve disposed in the flow path, the second valve including a second valve member moveable between an open position allowing fluid flow therethrough and an automatically closed position after a desired volume of fluid has passed therethrough to thereby prohibit fluid flow therethrough;

and a position sensor for detecting a position of the second valve member and generating a position signal.

13. The rinse fluid valve of claim 12, in which the second valve member comprises a pressure sensitive diaphragm disposed between a pilot chamber and a flow chamber formed in the flow path and moveable between an open position and a closed position, and a poppet valve attached to the diaphragm.

14. The rinse fluid valve of claim 13, in which the poppet valve comprises a pilot port in fluid communication with the pilot chamber and a flow port in fluid communication with the flow chamber.

15. The rinse fluid valve of claim 14, in which the flow port is sized to generate a pressure drop greater than that through the pilot port, so that the diaphragm is urged away from the pilot port to the closed position, thereby obstructing the flow path.

16. The rinse fluid valve of claim 13, in which the rinse fluid valve member is disposed in the flow path upstream of the second valve.

17. The rinse fluid valve of claim 13, in which the rinse fluid valve member is disposed in the flow path downstream of the second valve.

18. The rinse fluid valve of claim 17, further comprising a reset valve for returning the diaphragm from the closed position to the open position.

19. The rinse fluid valve of claim 12, in which a magnet is attached to the poppet valve and the position sensor comprises a hall effect switch.

20. The rinse fluid valve of claim 12, in which the second valve comprises a fuse valve.