Multi-port rotary valve

A valve comprising:

• a valve housing including
• a sidewall having an open first end and an open second end that is opposite the first end,
• a detachable lid that closes the first end of the sidewall,
• a base that is disposed at the second end of the sidewall and is perpendicular to the sidewall, the base, the lid and the sidewall cooperating to define a chamber,
• chamber walls that segregate the chamber into subchambers that each provide a portion of one or more fluid paths through the valve housing, and
• valve ports, where each valve port
• communicates with a subchamber, and
• is provided in the base such that each valve port is an axially-extending through hole that resides in a plane that is common to all valve ports:
• a diverter, assembly disposed in the chamber, the diverter assembly configured to control fluid flow through the valve housing, the diverter assembly including a shaft that protrudes from the valve housing, the shaft being rotatable about a rotational axis that is parallel to the sidewall;
• and
• a seal assembly disposed in the chamber so as to be aligned along the rotational axis with the diverter assembly,
• wherein the subchambers comprise
• a cylindrical first subchamber that is centered on the rotational axis and receives the diverter assembly and the seal assembly therein, and
• a second subchamber that is disposed radially outward with respect to the first subchamber,
• and wherein the valve ports include
• a first valve port that communicates with the first subchamber, and
• a second valve port that communicates with the second subchamber.

A valve comprising:

• a valve housing including
• a sidewall having an open first end and an open second end that is opposite the first end,
• a detachable lid that closes the first end of the sidewall,
• a base that is disposed at the second end of the sidewall and is perpendicular to the sidewall, the base, the lid and the sidewall cooperating to define a chamber,
• chamber walls that segregate the chamber into subchambers that each provide a portion of one or more fluid paths through the valve housing, and
• valve ports, where each valve port
• communicates with a subchamber, and
• is provided in the base such that each valve port is an axially-extending through hole that resides in a plane that is common to all valve ports;
• a diverter assembly disposed in the chamber, the diverter assembly configured to control fluid flow through the valve housing, the diverter assembly including a shaft that protrudes from the valve housing, the shaft being rotatable about a rotational axis that is parallel to the sidewall;
• and
• a seal assembly disposed in the chamber so as to be aligned along the rotational axis with the diverter assembly,
• wherein
• the subchambers comprise first subchamber that receives the diverter assembly and the seal assembly therein, and
• when in a predetermined rotational orientation with respect to the valve housing, the diverter assembly and the seal assembly subdivide the first subchamber into segregated fluid passageways, and each of the segregated fluid passageways communicates with a unique valve port.

A valve comprising:

• a valve housing including
• a sidewall having an open first end and an open second end that is opposite the first end,
• a detachable lid that closes the first end of the sidewall,
• a base that is disposed at the second end of the sidewall and is perpendicular to the sidewall, the base, the lid and the sidewall cooperating to define a chamber,
• chamber walls that segregate the chamber into subchambers that each provide a portion of one or more fluid paths through the valve housing, and
• valve ports, where each valve port
• communicates with a subchamber, and
• is provided in the base such that each valve port is an axially-extending through hole that resides in a plane that is common to all valve ports:
• a diverter assembly disposed in the chamber, the diverter assembly configured to control fluid flow through the valve housing, the diverter assembly including a shaft that protrudes from the valve housing, the shaft being rotatable about a rotational axis that is parallel to the sidewall;
• and
• a seal assembly disposed in the chamber so as to be aligned along the rotational axis with the diverter assembly,
• wherein the subchambers comprise
• a first subchamber that is centered on the rotational axis and receives the diverter assembly and the seal assembly therein, and
• a second subchamber, a third subchamber, a fourth subchamber and a fifth subchamber that are each disposed radially outward with respect to the first subchamber, the second subchamber, the third subchamber, the fourth subchamber and the fifth subchamber being disposed along a circumference of a wall that encircles the first subchamber.

A valve comprising:

• a valve housing including
• a sidewall an open first end and an open second end that is opposite the first end,
• a detachable lid that closes the first end of the sidewall,
• a base that is disposed at the second end of the sidewall and is perpendicular to the sidewall, the base, the lid and the sidewall cooperating to define a chamber,
• chamber walls that segregate the chamber into subchambers that each provide a portion of one or more fluid paths through the valve housing, and
• valve ports, where each valve port
• communicates with a subchamber, and
• is provided in the base such that each valve port is an axially-extending through hole that resides in a plane that is common to all valve ports;
• a diverter assembly disposed in the chamber, the diverter assembly configured to control fluid flow through the valve housing, the diverter assembly including a shaft that protrudes from the valve housing, the shaft being rotatable about a rotational axis that is parallel to the sidewall;
• and
• a seal assembly disposed in the chamber so as to be aligned along the rotational axis with the diverter assembly,
• wherein
• the valve ports comprise a first valve port, a second valve port, a third valve port, a fourth valve port, a fifth valve port, a sixth valve port, a seventh valve port and an eighth valve port,
• the chamber walls comprise an inner chamber wall that defines a first subchamber that includes the rotational axis,
• the first valve port, the second valve port, the third valve port and the fourth valve port are each disposed in the first subchamber,
• the fifth valve port is disposed in a second subchamber that is disposed radially outward with respect to the first subchamber,
• the sixth valve port is disposed in a third subchamber that is disposed radially outward with respect to the first subchamber,
• the seventh valve port is disposed in a fourth subchamber that is disposed radially outward with respect to the first subchamber,
• the eighth valve port is disposed in a fifth subchamber that is disposed radially outward with respect to the first subchamber, and
• the inner chamber wall segregates the first subchamber from each of the second subchamber, the third subchamber, the fourth subchamber and the fifth subchamber.

A fluid delivery system, the fluid delivery system comprising a fluid pump and a multi-port rotary valve connected to the fluid pump via a fluid line, the rotary valve including:

• a valve housing, the valve housing having
• a sidewall having an open first end and an open second end that is opposite the first end,
• a detachable lid that closes the first end of the sidewall,
• a base that is disposed at the second end of the sidewall and is perpendicular to the sidewall, the base, the lid and the sidewall cooperating to define a chamber,
• chamber walls that segregate the chamber into subchambers that each provide a portion of one or more fluid paths through the valve housing, and
• valve ports, where each valve port
• communicates with a subchamber, and
• is provided in the base such that each valve port is an axially-extending through hole that resides in a plane that is common to all valve ports;
• a diverter assembly disposed in the chamber, the diverter assembly configured to control fluid flow through the valve housing, the diverter including a shaft that protrudes from the valve housing, the shaft being rotatable about a rotational axis that is parallel to the sidewall;
• and
• a seal assembly disposed in the chamber so as to be aligned along the rotational axis with the diverter assembly.