Fill valve assembly
First Claim
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1. A fill valve assembly comprising:
- a valve body extending along a longitudinal axis and defining a fluid inlet, a valve seat and at least one fluid outlet;
an axially slidable valve element arranged for axially slidable movement along said longitudinal axis, into and out of sealing engagement with said valve seat, said axially slidable valve element defining a first sloped surface sloping generally outward towards said valve body and having a first surface area, and a second sloped surface, sloping generally inward towards a center of the fill valve assembly and disposed downstream with respect to said first surface, said second surface having a second surface area greater than said first surface area; and
a fill sensor, operatively associated with said valve element below a predetermined fill threshold, so as to prevent said axially slidable valve element from establishing sealing engagement with said valve seat;
said valve seat having a contact surface for contacting said second sloped surface;
wherein said first surface and said second surface are configured so as to allow, in an open position, a passage of a fluid past said surfaces, and wherein said valve body and said valve element are configured such that when said passage of said fluid is substantially at a maximum flow rate and a fluid level is below said predetermined fill threshold, a minor portion of said second surface area extends below a top of said contact surface of said valve seat, so as to produce a dynamic lifting force on said axially slidable valve element along said longitudinal axis to maintain said valve element in said open position until said predetermined fill threshold is attained.
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Abstract
A fill valve assembly comprises a valve body extending along a longitudinal axis and defining a fluid inlet, a valve seat and at least one fluid outlet, an axially slidable valve element arranged for axially slidable movement along the longitudinal axis, into and out of sealing engagement with the valve seat, the axially slidable valve element defining a first upstream conical surface having a first surface area and a second downstream conical surface having a second surface area, greater than the first surface area, and a fill sensor operative below a predetermined fill threshold to prevent the axially slidable valve element from establishing sealing engagement with the valve seat.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A fill valve assembly comprising:
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a valve body extending along a longitudinal axis and defining a fluid inlet, a valve seat and at least one fluid outlet;
an axially slidable valve element arranged for axially slidable movement along said longitudinal axis, into and out of sealing engagement with said valve seat, said axially slidable valve element defining a first sloped surface sloping generally outward towards said valve body and having a first surface area, and a second sloped surface, sloping generally inward towards a center of the fill valve assembly and disposed downstream with respect to said first surface, said second surface having a second surface area greater than said first surface area; and
a fill sensor, operatively associated with said valve element below a predetermined fill threshold, so as to prevent said axially slidable valve element from establishing sealing engagement with said valve seat;
said valve seat having a contact surface for contacting said second sloped surface;
wherein said first surface and said second surface are configured so as to allow, in an open position, a passage of a fluid past said surfaces, and wherein said valve body and said valve element are configured such that when said passage of said fluid is substantially at a maximum flow rate and a fluid level is below said predetermined fill threshold, a minor portion of said second surface area extends below a top of said contact surface of said valve seat, so as to produce a dynamic lifting force on said axially slidable valve element along said longitudinal axis to maintain said valve element in said open position until said predetermined fill threshold is attained. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A fill valve assembly comprising:
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a valve body extending along a longitudinal axis and defining a fluid inlet, a valve seat and at least one fluid outlet;
an axially slidable valve element arranged for axially slidable movement along said longitudinal axis, into and out of sealing engagement with said valve seat, said axially slidable valve element defining a first sloped surface sloping generally outward towards said valve body and having a first surface area, and a second sloped surface, sloping generally inward towards a center of the fill valve assembly and disposed downstream with respect to said first surface, said second surface having a lifting surface area disposed above said valve seat; and
a fill sensor, operatively associated with said valve element below a predetermined fill threshold, so as to prevent said axially slidable valve element from establishing sealing engagement with said valve seat, wherein said first surface and said second surface are configured so as to allow, in an open position, a passage of a fluid past said surfaces, and wherein said valve body and said valve element are configured such that when said passage of said fluid is substantially at a maximum flow rate and a fluid level is below said predetermined fill threshold, said lifting surface area exceeds said first surface area, so as to produce a dynamic lifting force on said axially slidable valve element along said longitudinal axis to maintain said valve element in said open position until said predetermined fill threshold is attained. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification