FLUID CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 3,821,967 A
• Filed: 12/30/1971
• Issued: 07/02/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Benjamin Grill, Oded E. Sturman, Yigal Froman
• Original Assignee: Benjamin Grill, Oded E. Sturman, Yigal Froman
• Inventors: Sturman, Oded E., Grill, Benjamin, Froman, Yigal
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohan, Alan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Michalsky, Gerald A.
• Application Number:
  US05/213,997
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 137/624.13,624.15,624.11 251/30,65
• US Class Current: 137/624.15
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 25/162 Sequential operation
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/402 acting on a diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86421 Variable

Abstract

A battery operated fluid control system, which may be used in a sprinkler system having a master valve unit with a battery operated electronic clock therein for periodically opening the valve for a preset duration in response to the clock turn-on pulse, and being operable with one or more slave valve units connected in series to sequentially open the slave valves for their corresponding preset time duration. The clock is comprised of an oscillator having a plurality of countdown flip-flops, with the clock turn-on pulse being selectable from the outputs of a group of the lower flip-flops to give a selection of valve turnon intervals. A battery operated solenoid valve of the latching type and associated circuitry is located in the master valve unit and each of the slave valve units, with the circuitry being adapted to receive a pulse, either from the clock or from the turn-off signal of the previous valve unit, and to provide a turn-on pulse to the solenoid. The circuitry is also comprised of an adjustable time delay circuit to measure the desired duration from the turn-on pulse and to provide a subsequent turn-off pulse to the solenoid. One embodiment is adapted to replace the valve mechanism in a prior art anti-syphon valve assembly. Another embodiment incorporates a unique anti-syphon valve which does not obstruct the primary flow path and further has a moisture collecting container on the side thereof, cooperatively disposed with the anti-syphon valve and having electrical probes therein connected to the circuitry. When the valve turns on, the initial leakage of the anti-syphon valve fills the container, which will remain filled in rainy or very humid weather, thereby preventing subsequent opening of the valve until the moisture has evaporated. The valve and time delay circuit is also adaptable for use in manually initiated systems, such as toilets and the like, and a unique toilet bowl and water valve component arrangement is disclosed to achieve the anti-syphon function.

Claims

1. A solenoid operated valve for use with a valve body of the type having an annular valve seat and first and second ports communicating with opposite sides of the flow passage through said valve seat comprising:

a valve member linearly moveable, when mounted on a valve body of the type stated, between an open position whereby fluid may flow from said first port through said valve body to said second port, to a closed position whereby said valve member rests on said valve seat in opposition to the pressure of the fluid communicated from said first port to prevent fluid flow from said first port to said second port through said valve body;

a pneumatic means coupled to said valve member and responsive to a fluid pressure on a first side thereof to force said valve member to said closed position and responsive to a fluid pressure on a second side thereof to force said valve member to said open position, said first side of said pneumatic means being in communication through a first passage with fluid being received under pressure from said first port, said second side of said pneumatic means being in communication through a passage with fluid deliverable through said second port;

second valve means interposed in a fluid passageway communicating with said first and second sides of said pneumatic means, said second valve means including a second valve member moveable between a closed position preventing fluid flow and an open position allowing fluid flow;

a solenoid having a moving member coupled to said valve means, said solenoid being responsive to a first current pulse in a forward direction through the solenoid coil to magnetize a permanent magnet in said solenoid to a first level of magnetization and move and retain said valve means to one of said open and closed positions, and responsive to a second current in the reverse direction through the solenoid coil to change the level of magnetizatIon to a second level to allow the movement of said valve means to the other of said open and closed positions;

a first switch means mechanically coupled to said moving member for actuation thereby, said switch means having first, second, and third terminals, said solenoid coil having first and second leads, said first terminal being coupled to said first lead of said solenoid coil, said switch means being a means for coupling said first terminal to said second terminal when said valve means is in said closed position and for coupling said first terminal to said third terminal when said valve means is in said open position;

electrical power source means coupled between said second and third terminals;

electronic time delay means coupled to said first and second terminals for providing a time delay output signal a predetermined length of time after a voltage appears between said first and second terminals;

a second switch means coupled between said second solenoid lead and said third terminal; and

a third switch means coupled between said second solenoid lead and said second terminal and responsive to said time delay output signal.

2. The solenoid operated valve of claim 1 wherein said second switch means is a pushbutton switch.

3. The solenoid operated valve of claim 1 wherein said second switch means is an electronic switch means responsive to a pulse switching signal.

4. The solenoid operated valve of claim 3 further comprised of an electronic clock coupled to said second switch means for providing a pulse to actuate said second switch means at predetermined intervals.

5. The solenoid actuated valve of claim 4 wherein said electronic clock is comprised of an electronic oscillator coupled to a plurality of flip flop circuits, said electronic clock being selectively coupleable to said second switch means through any of a plurality of said plurality of flip flop circuits so as to provide a means for selection of any of a plurality of predetermined intervals.

6. The solenoid operated valve of claim 3 further comprised of means for receiving and coupling an external actuating signal to said second switch means.

7. The solenoid operated valve of claim 1 further comprised of means for coupling said time delay signal to another valve.

8. The solenoid operated valve of claim 1 further comprised of a valve body of the type described.

9. A solenoid operated valve for use with a valve body of the type having an annular valve seat and first and second ports communicating with opposite sides of the flow passage through said valve seat comprising:

a valve member linearly moveable, when mounted on a valve body of the type stated, between an open position whereby fluid may flow from said first port through said valve body to said second port, to a closed position whereby said valve member rests on said valve seat in opposition to the pressure of the fluid communicated from said first port to prevent fluid flow from said first port to said second port through said valve body;

a pneumatic means coupled to said valve member and responsive to a fluid pressure on a first side thereof to force said valve member to said closed position and responsive to a fluid pressure on a second side thereof to force said valve member to said open position, said first side of said pneumatic means being in communication with fluid being received under pressure from said first port, said second side of said pneumatic means being in communication with fluid deliverable through said second port;

second valve means interposed in a fluid passageway communicating with said first and second sides of said pneumatic means, said second valve means including a second valve member moveable between a closed position preventing fluid flow and an open position allowing fluid flow;

a solenoid having at least one solenoid coil and having a stationary member and moving member at least in part defining a magnetic circuit, said moving member being cOupled to said valve means and moveable with respect to said stationary member between a first position having a minimum nonmagnetic gap in said magnetic circuit to a second position having a substantial nonmagnetic gap, said solenoid being responsive to a first current pulse in a solenoid coil to magnetize said magnetic circuit in said solenoid and move and retain said valve means to one of said open and closed positions, and responsive to a second current pulse in a solenoid coil to change the level of magnetization to a second level to allow the movement of said valve means to the other of said open and closed positions;

a first switch means mechanically coupled to said moving member for actuation thereby, said switch means having first and second terminals;

electronic power source means;

electronic time delay means for creating a time delay signal, said first terminal of said first switch means being coupled to one terminal of said electronic power source means, said electronic time delay means being coupled between said second terminal of said first switch means and a second terminal of said electronic power source, said electronic time delay means being a means for providing a time delay output signal a predetermined length of time after actuation of said first switch means;

a second switch means, said second switch means being an electronic switch coupled to said electrical power source and in series with a solenoid coil and responsive to an actuation signal, said second switch means being a means for coupling a solenoid coil to said electrical power source upon receipt of a first electrical signal, to provide said first current pulse thereto;

a third switch means, said third switch means being an electronic switch coupled to said electrical power source and in series with a solenoid coil and responsive to a said time delay signal from said electronic time delay means, said second switch means being a means for coupling a solenoid coil to said electrical power source upon receipt of a second electrical signal from said time delay means to provide said second current pulse thereto.

10. The solenoid operated valve of claim 9 further comprised of an electronic clock coupled to said second switch means for providing a pulse to actuate said second switch means at predetermined intervals.

11. The solenoid actuated valve of claim 10 wherein said electronic clock is comprised of an electronic oscillator coupled to a plurality of flip flop circuits, said electronic clock being selectively coupleable to said second switch means through any of a plurality of said plurality of flip flop circuits so as to provide a means for selection of any of a plurality of predetermined intervals.

12. The solenoid operated valve of claim 11 further comprised of means for coupling said time delay signal to another valve.

13. The solenoid operated valve of claim 11 further comprised of a valve body of the type described.

14. The solenoid operated valve of claim 9 further comprised of means for receiving and coupling an external actuating signal to said second switch means.

15. The solenoid operated valve of claim 9 further comprised of means for coupling said time delay signal to another valve.