Floor trap primer valve
AssigneeJL Industries, Inc.
InventorsJack S Vilendre, M Kevin Hardwick
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved trap primer valve may include a valve body having a central tube having a proximal end coupled to an outlet orifice and an open distal end extending into a longitudinal bore of the valve, such that fluid exiting the outlet orifice passes through the central tube. A plug, including a head portion and a rod extending from the head portion into the central tube, may be configured to selectively seat against the distal end of the central tube. An annular cartridge surrounding the central tube may have one or more apertures leading to a partially water-filled inner chamber, and may be configured to unseat the plug in automatic response to a fluctuation in system water pressure, thereby opening the valve and charging a downstream trap.
Claims20
A trap primer valve comprising:
- a valve body having a longitudinal bore in fluid communication with an inlet orifice and an outlet orifice;
- a central tube having a proximal end coupled to the outlet orifice and an open distal end extending into the longitudinal bore, such that fluid exiting the outlet orifice passes through the central tube;
- a piston including a head portion and a rod extending from the head portion into the central tube, such that the rod is in sliding engagement with the central tube and the head portion of the piston is configured to selectively seat against the distal end of the central tube;
- and
- an annular cartridge including a body portion in sliding engagement with the longitudinal bore and surrounding the central tube, the annular cartridge further including a base having one or more apertures leading to an inner chamber;
- wherein the annular cartridge is shorter than the central tube.
A trap primer valve assembly comprising:
- a valve body having a longitudinal bore in fluid communication with an upper inlet orifice and a lower outlet orifice, a hollow central tube having a proximal end coupled to the outlet orifice and an open distal end extending upward into the longitudinal bore, such that water exiting the outlet orifice passes through the central tube;
- a water source coupled to the inlet orifice of the valve body, the water source having a variable water pressure;
- a plug movably disposed within the longitudinal bore and configured to be selectively seated against the distal end of the central tube, the water pressure biasing the plug toward a seated position;
- and
- an annular cartridge independent of the plug and movably disposed between the central tube and an inner wall of the longitudinal bore, the annular cartridge having a single inner chamber partially filled with water, such that the cartridge is configured to rise when the water pressure is reduced, unseating the plug from the distal end of the central tube, and sink when the water pressure is increased, allowing the plug to reseat against the distal end of the central tube.
A method for priming a sewer trap, the method comprising:
- selectively releasing an amount of water to a sewer trap using a trap primer valve coupled to a water supply line having a variable water pressure, the trap primer valve comprising a longitudinal bore in fluid communication with an upper inlet orifice and a lower outlet orifice, a central tube having a proximal end coupled to the outlet orifice and an open distal end extending upward into the longitudinal bore, such that water exiting the outlet orifice passes through the central tube;
- wherein selectively releasing the amount of water includes:
- in response to a temporary reduction of water pressure in the water supply line, permitting a flow of water from the water supply line through the trap primer valve by unseating a plug from the distal end of the central tube using a separate annular cartridge disposed between the central tube and an inner wall of the longitudinal bore, the annular cartridge having only a single inner chamber partially filled with water, such that the annular cartridge automatically rises within the trap primer valve and unseats the plug when the water pressure is reduced;
- and
- in response to a subsequent increase of the water pressure in the water supply line, preventing the flow of water from the water supply line through the trap primer valve by automatically sinking the annular cartridge and allowing the plug to be seated on the distal end of the central tube.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.