Diverter valve
First Claim
1. A valve system, comprising:
- a valve body defining an internal chamber having a plurality of ports including a first port, the valve body defining a stationary first seal surface surrounding the first port;
a valve shaft structure including an internal shaft portion positioned within the internal chamber, the valve shaft structure configured for rotation about a valve axis through a range of motion;
a diverter structure actuated by the valve shaft structure for movement about the valve axis, including a rigid diverter face portion and a mounting portion configured to mount on the internal shaft portion of the valve shaft structure;
the valve shaft structure configured to apply a seal force on the mounting portion to push the rigid diverter face portion into a sealing position relative to the first port in contact with said first seal surface of the valve body, as the valve shaft structure is rotated in a first direction, to remove the seal force on the mounting portion as the valve shaft structure is rotated in a second direction and to push the rigid diverter face portion away from the first port and out of contact with said first seal surface and with internal surfaces of the valve body, and to carry the diverter structure with the valve shaft structure as the valve shaft structure is rotated in the second direction with a clearance distance between the rigid diverter face portion and inner surfaces of the valve body and without any portion of the rigid diverter face portion in contact with the inner surfaces of the valve body during said rotation to reduce binding with dirt or grit and to allow self cleaning of the valve diverter face portion by fluid flow through the valve; and
wherein the rigid diverter face portion is configured to cover the first port in said sealing position;
wherein the plurality of ports further includes a second port and a third port, the first and second ports disposed at radially separated positions relative to the shaft structure, and the third port is an inlet port disposed at an axial position relative to the shaft structure, and in axial alignment with said valve axis; and
wherein the valve body includes a housing with a bottom hub portion supported by a plurality of ribs extending radially from the hub portion to a housing wall with open regions between the ribs, and a removable top cover having an open top shaft support boss, the bottom hub portion including a lower shaft support boss, wherein the top shaft support boss and the lower shaft support boss support the shaft structure for rotation, and wherein the first port is fluidically coupled to the open regions to allow fluid flow through the open regions between the hub and the ribs, and fluid may be diverted from the first port to one of the second or third ports or to both ports in dependence on the position of the diverter structure.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An exemplary embodiment of a diverter valve system includes a valve body defining an internal chamber having at least first, second and third ports, and a first valve seat associated with the first port and a second valve seat associated with the second port. A valve shaft structure includes an internal shaft portion positioned within the internal chamber, the valve shaft structure configured for rotation about a valve axis through a range of motion. A diverter structure includes a diverter face portion configured to seat against the first valve seat when in a first rotational position and against the second valve seat when in a second position, and a mounting portion configured to mount on the internal shaft portion of the valve shaft structure.
35 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A valve system, comprising:
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a valve body defining an internal chamber having a plurality of ports including a first port, the valve body defining a stationary first seal surface surrounding the first port; a valve shaft structure including an internal shaft portion positioned within the internal chamber, the valve shaft structure configured for rotation about a valve axis through a range of motion; a diverter structure actuated by the valve shaft structure for movement about the valve axis, including a rigid diverter face portion and a mounting portion configured to mount on the internal shaft portion of the valve shaft structure; the valve shaft structure configured to apply a seal force on the mounting portion to push the rigid diverter face portion into a sealing position relative to the first port in contact with said first seal surface of the valve body, as the valve shaft structure is rotated in a first direction, to remove the seal force on the mounting portion as the valve shaft structure is rotated in a second direction and to push the rigid diverter face portion away from the first port and out of contact with said first seal surface and with internal surfaces of the valve body, and to carry the diverter structure with the valve shaft structure as the valve shaft structure is rotated in the second direction with a clearance distance between the rigid diverter face portion and inner surfaces of the valve body and without any portion of the rigid diverter face portion in contact with the inner surfaces of the valve body during said rotation to reduce binding with dirt or grit and to allow self cleaning of the valve diverter face portion by fluid flow through the valve; and wherein the rigid diverter face portion is configured to cover the first port in said sealing position; wherein the plurality of ports further includes a second port and a third port, the first and second ports disposed at radially separated positions relative to the shaft structure, and the third port is an inlet port disposed at an axial position relative to the shaft structure, and in axial alignment with said valve axis; and wherein the valve body includes a housing with a bottom hub portion supported by a plurality of ribs extending radially from the hub portion to a housing wall with open regions between the ribs, and a removable top cover having an open top shaft support boss, the bottom hub portion including a lower shaft support boss, wherein the top shaft support boss and the lower shaft support boss support the shaft structure for rotation, and wherein the first port is fluidically coupled to the open regions to allow fluid flow through the open regions between the hub and the ribs, and fluid may be diverted from the first port to one of the second or third ports or to both ports in dependence on the position of the diverter structure.
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2. A diverter valve system for a bathing installation, configured to control a water flow through the bathing installation, comprising:
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a valve body defining an internal chamber having at least first, second and third ports, and a first valve seat surrounding the first port and a second stationary valve seat surrounding the second port; a valve shaft structure including an external shaft portion extending outside the valve body and an internal shaft portion positioned within the internal chamber, the valve shaft structure configured for rotation about a valve axis through a range of motion; a diverter structure including a rigid diverter face portion configured to seat against and in contact with the first valve seat when in a first rotational position and against and in contact with the second valve seat when in a second position, and a mounting portion configured to mount on the internal shaft portion of the valve shaft structure; the valve shaft structure including a cam structure configured to push the rigid diverter face portion into a first sealing position against the first valve seat as the valve shaft structure is rotated in a first direction, and to push the rigid diverter face portion into a second sealing position against the second valve seat as the valve shaft structure is rotated in a second direction; a bias structure coupled between the mounting portion and the internal shaft portion and configured to apply a bias force tending to push the diverter face portion toward the internal shaft portion, such that the diverter face portion is out of contact with either said first or said second valve seat and with internal surfaces of the chamber when the cam structure is in a release orientation relative to the mounting portion of the diverter structure and without any portion of the rigid diverter face portion in contact with the inner surfaces of the valve body when the cam structure is in said release orientation to reduce binding with dirt or grit and to allow self cleaning of the valve diverter face portion by water flow through the valve; and wherein the rigid diverter face portion is configured to cover the first port in said first sealing position to allow water flow between the second and third ports while blocking flow through the first port and to cover the second port in said second sealing position to allow water flow between the first and third ports while blocking flow through the second port. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification