Valve sealing means

• US 6,880,804 B1
• Filed: 10/13/2000
• Issued: 04/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Biggers Investments Pty., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Biggers Investments Pty Limited ACN
• Inventors: Biggers, John Caleb Wells
• Primary Examiner(s): Look, Edward K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fristoe, Jr., John K.
• Application Number:
  US10/110,501
• Time in Patent Office: 1,649 Days
• Field of Search: 251/264, 251/277, 251/278, 251/313, 137/625.4, 137/636.3, 137/901, 137/607, 137/269, 137/329.01
• US Class Current: 251/278
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/14 with ball-shaped valve member check valves F16K15/04
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/18 with separate operating movements for separate closure members
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/528 with pin and slot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6164 Valve heads and/or seats
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8708 Rotation of actuator arm about its pivot and its axis

Abstract

A retrofit valve for primarily for use in conventional domestic, agricultural and commercial water taps. The valve has a seat (10) located in a passageway between a water inlet (11) and a water outlet (12). A spherical sealing member (13) is arranged to seal against the fluid inlet side of the seat, and a plunger (12) is provided for moving the sealing member off the seat.

Claims

1. A valve comprising:

a seat located in a passageway between a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;

a spherical sealing member adapted to seal against the fluid inlet side of the seat; and

a plunger for moving the sealing member off the seat, said plunger being reciprocally moveable by rotation such that between about one quarter and one half a turn is required to fully unseat the spherical sealing member and thereby enable full fluid flow through the valve;

wherein the plunger is adapted to project through the seat from the outlet side of the seat and includes a cylindrical configuration with a tapered end portion which can project through the seat when the plunger is rotated about its axis; and

wherein the plunger is arranged for longitudinal movement within a housing, said plunger including a detent which slots into a groove formed in the wall of the housing to regulate the longitudinal movement of the plunger when it is rotated.

2. A valve comprising:

a housing;

a seat located in a passageway between a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;

a sealing member adapted to seal against a fluid inlet side of the seat;

a plunger for moving the sealing member off the seat, the plunger being arranged for reciprocal movement within the housing;

wherein the valve further includes a projection that engages with a groove whereby rotation of a tap handle causes movement of the projection in the groove to thereby longitudinally move the plunger whereby between about one-quarter and one-half of a turn is required to fully unseat the sealing member and thereby enable full fluid flow through the valve.

3. A valve as claimed in claim 2 wherein the groove is formed in a wall of the housing and the projection is formed on the plunger such that rotation of the tap handle causes rotation of the plunger and the projection moves in the groove to cause longitudinal movement of the plunger.

4. A valve as claimed in claim 3 wherein the groove is a helical groove.

5. A valve as claim in claim 2 wherein the sealing member is biased against the seat by mechanical biasing means as well as by pressure of fluid at the fluid inlet.

6. A valve as claimed in claim 5 wherein the mechanical biasing means is a spring located on the fluid inlet side of the seat.

7. A valve as claimed in claim 2 wherein the sealing member is a spherical sealing member.

8. A valve as claimed in claim 2 wherein the plunger is adapted to project through the seat from the outlet side of the seat.

9. A valve as claimed in claim 8 wherein the plunger has a cylindrical configuration with a tapered end portion which can project through the seat.

10. A valve for retrofitting to a tap body, the tap body including an inlet, an outlet, a tap body valve seat located in a tap body flow passageway extending between the inlet and the outlet and an opening for receiving a prior fitted valve in which a valve seal member forms a seal with the tap body valve seat to halt fluid flow through the tap body, the valve comprising:

a valve housing connectable to the tap body in a fluid tight manner, the valve housing having a fluid passageway between a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;

a valve housing seat formed in the fluid passageway;

a sealing member adapted to seal against a fluid inlet side of the valve housing seat and an actuating mechanism to move the sealing member off the valve housing seat; and

wherein fluid flow is controlled by operating the actuating mechanism to move the sealing member away from the valve housing seat to allow fluid to flow and operating the actuating member to cause the sealing member to seal against the fluid inlet side of the valve housing seat;

whereby when the valve is connected to the tap body in a fluid tight manner, fluid flows into the inlet of the tap body and then through the fluid inlet and then through the fluid outlet and then exits the outlet of the tap body when fluid is flowing through the valve; and

wherein the actuating mechanism includes a plunger for moving the sealing member off the valve housing seat, the plunger being arranged for reciprocal movement within the housing, the valve further including a projection that engages with a groove whereby rotation of a tap handle causes movement of the projection in the groove to thereby longitudinally move the plunger, whereby between about one-quarter and one-half of a turn is required to fully unseat the sealing member and thereby enable full fluid flow through the valve.

11. A valve as claimed in claim 10 wherein the groove is formed in a wall of the wall housing and the projection is formed on the plunger such that rotation of the tap handle causes rotation of the plunger and the projection moves in the groove to cause longitudinal movement of the plunger.

12. A valve as claimed in claim 11 wherein the groove is a helical groove.

13. A valve as claimed in claim 11 wherein the plunger is adopted to project through the seat from the fluid outlet side of the seat.

14. A valve as claimed in claim 13 wherein the plunger has a cylindrical configuration with a tapered portion which can project through the seat.

15. A valve as claimed in claim 10 wherein the sealing member is biased against the valve housing seat by a mechanical biasing means as well as pressure of the fluid at the fluid inlet.

16. A valve as claimed in claim 15 wherein the mechanical biasing means is a spring located on the fluid inlet side of the seat.

17. A valve as claimed in claim 10 wherein the sealing member is a spherical seating member.