Valve having reduced operating force and enhanced throttling capability
First Claim
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1. A flow control valve element, comprising:
- a sphere-shaped valve ball;
an inlet formed in the valve ball;
an outlet formed in the valve ball, the outlet opposing the inlet, at least one of the inlet and the outlet comprising a lip, the lip comprising a flow passage edge, the flow passage edge disposed generally parallel to a fluid flow direction when the valve ball is disposed in a fully open position, the lip comprising a flow passage width which is less than a wall thickness dimension proximate one or more of the inlet and the outlet; and
a hollowed-out portion extending between the inlet and the outlet, the hollowed-out portion defined by an ellipsoid segment of an ellipsoid comprising a first semi-principal axis, a second semi-principal axis, and a third semi-principal axis;
the first semi-principal axis is greater than both the second semi-principal axis and the third semi-principal axis; and
a path of fluid flow through the hollowed-out portion lies along the first semi-principal axis when the valve ball is disposed in a fully open position.
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Abstract
A flow control valve element has a generally spherical ball. An inlet is formed in the ball. An outlet is also formed in the ball, the outlet opposing the inlet. A hollowed-out portion extends between the inlet and the outlet. A pair of opposing flats are formed in the ball, the flats each having a first flat portion formed in an external portion of the ball and an opposing second flat portion formed in the hollowed-out portion of the ball.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A flow control valve element, comprising:
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a sphere-shaped valve ball; an inlet formed in the valve ball; an outlet formed in the valve ball, the outlet opposing the inlet, at least one of the inlet and the outlet comprising a lip, the lip comprising a flow passage edge, the flow passage edge disposed generally parallel to a fluid flow direction when the valve ball is disposed in a fully open position, the lip comprising a flow passage width which is less than a wall thickness dimension proximate one or more of the inlet and the outlet; and a hollowed-out portion extending between the inlet and the outlet, the hollowed-out portion defined by an ellipsoid segment of an ellipsoid comprising a first semi-principal axis, a second semi-principal axis, and a third semi-principal axis; the first semi-principal axis is greater than both the second semi-principal axis and the third semi-principal axis; and a path of fluid flow through the hollowed-out portion lies along the first semi-principal axis when the valve ball is disposed in a fully open position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A flow control valve element, comprising:
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a sphere-shaped valve ball, the inlet comprising an inlet lip;
an outlet formed in the valve ball, the outlet opposing the inlet, and comprising an outlet lip, at least one of the inlet lip and the outlet lip comprising a blend radius flow passage edge formed between an internal surface of a hollowed out portion and external surface of the valve ball, and at least one of the inlet lip and the outlet lip comprising a flow passage edge, the flow passage edge disposed generally parallel to the fluid flow when the valve ball is disposed in a fully open position, the flow passage edge comprising a second thickness dimension that is less than a first thickness dimension of a valve ball wall proximate to the at least one of the inlet lip and the outlet lip, the first thickness dimension defined by the hollowed-out portion and the exterior surface of the valve ball; and
the hollowed-out portionextending between the inlet and the outlet, the hollowed-out portion comprising an ellipsoid segment of an ellipsoid defined by rotating an ellipse about its semi-major axis; the semi-major axis is greater than the semi-minor axis of the ellipse; and the direction of flow through the valve ball lies along the semi-major axis when the valve ball is disposed in a fully open position. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A flow control valve ball, comprising:
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a generally spherically-shaped topology; an inlet; an outlet, the outlet opposing the inlet; a hollowed-out portion extending between the inlet and the outlet, the hollowed-out portion defined by an ellipsoid segment of an ellipsoid comprising a first semi-principal axis, a second semi-principal axis, and a third semi-principal axis;
the first semi-principal axis is greater than both the second semi-principal axis and the third semi-principal axis; and
a path of fluid flow through the hollowed-out portion lies along the first semi-principal axis when the valve ball is disposed in a fully open position;a pair of opposing flats, the flats respectively comprising a first flat portion formed in the external portion of the ball and an opposing second flat portion formed in the hollowed-out portion of the ball; and a wall defined by the internal and external portions of the ball, the wall having a wall thickness dimension proximate one or more of the inlet and the outlet, wherein at least one of the inlet and the outlet comprises a lip, the lip comprising a flow passage edge, the flow passage edge disposed generally parallel to a fluid flow direction when the valve ball is disposed in a fully open position, the lip comprising a flow passage width which is less than the wall thickness dimension proximate one or more of the inlet and the outlet.
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Specification