Back to results
US 11,231,125 B2Granted
Ball valve with stem-cap engagement
AssigneeMueller International, LLC
InventorsTheodore Chad Harbour, Stephen L. Crawford
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of assembling a valve includes inserting a stem of the valve into a valve body of the valve through an end of the valve body, the stem defining a first end engaged with the valve body; securing a fastener to a second end of the stem; and placing a cap of the valve over the second end of the stem, the fastener engaging the cap.
Claims20
A valve comprising:
- a valve body defining a first end, a second end, an interior surface, and an exterior surface, the first end defining a first opening and the second end defining a second opening, the interior surface defining a main bore extending from the first opening to the second opening, the main bore defining a fluid path from the first opening to the second opening, the valve body comprising a stem portion defining a stem bore intersecting the main bore;
- a valve sealing element positioned inside the valve body;
- a stem positioned inside the stem bore of the valve body, the stem comprising a first end and a second end, the first end of the stem engaged with the valve sealing element;
- and
- a cap fixed with respect to the stem and thereby prevented from translational or rotational movement with respect to the stem, the cap comprising a mounting end and an actuating end;
- the mounting end defining a stem engagement cavity;
- the actuating end distal from the mounting end;
- and
- a fastener blindly engaged with the second end of the stem with the stem engagement cavity, engagement of the second end of the stem with the stem engagement cavity indicated by one of a sound and a tactile feel of the fastener snapping into engagement with the stem engagement cavity.
6 more elements
A cap for a valve, the cap comprising:
- a mounting end defining a lower cavity and a stem engagement cavity therein, the stem engagement cavity defining a groove sized to receive a snap ring of a stem of the valve;
- and
- an actuating end distal from the mounting end.
A method of assembling a valve, the method comprising:
- inserting a stem of the valve into a valve body of the valve through an end of the valve body, the stem defining a first end engaged with the valve body;
- securing a fastener to a second end of the stem;
- and
- placing a cap of the valve over the second end of the stem, the fastener engaging the cap.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.