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US 2003/0192596 A1Published application
Electrically operable valve assembly having an integral pressure regulator
AssigneeNone recorded
InventorMichael Brent Ford
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AssigneeNone recorded
InventorMichael Brent Ford
Estimating the term…
An electrically operable valve assembly having an integral pressure regulator provides ease of installation and compact packaging for a water supply control system. The valve assembly is particularly useful for systems that control household water supplies to prevent flooding, but is also useful in other applications such as agricultural and industrial systems where water pressure determined water flow volume must be predicted accurately. The valve may also incorporate a flow meter having a positive flow characteristic permitting determination of very low flow rate flow and the valve may incorporate a manual control. All of the controls and features are integrable within a compact package that occupies essentially the same volume and piping space as a conventional electrically operable valve.
An electrically operable valve assembly for controlling a household water supply, said valve assembly comprising:
An electrically operable valve assembly for controlling a household water supply, said valve assembly comprising:
An electrically operable valve assembly, comprising:
An electrically operable valve assembly for controlling a household water supply, said valve assembly comprising:
The electrically operable valve assembly of claim 21, further comprising a venturi within a region of said water supply outlet coupled to said second channel for withdrawing water from said side of said diaphram.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
Backward citations are indexed for grants only.
Details of, or accessories for, apparatus of groups G01F1/00 - G01F13/00 insofar as such details or appliances are not adapted to particular…
By variable-area meters , e.g. rotameters: with magnetic or electric coupling to the indicating device
By variable-area meters , e.g. rotameters: of the valve type
Measuring a proportion of the volume flow
Term end not estimated
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to liquid control valves, and more specifically, to an electrically operable valve assembly for controlling a water supply.
2. Background of the Invention
FIG. 1 is a mechanical drawing depicting a cross-section of an electrically operable valve in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a mechanical drawing depicting a top view of an electrically operable valve in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 3 is a mechanical drawing depicting a cross-section of an electrically operable valve in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the invention.
1. Electrically Operable Valve
Referring now to the figures and in particular to FIG. 1, an electrically operable valve assembly 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is depicted. A water supply inlet 11 provides a connection to a water supply system such as a city water main connection. A household water supply outlet 12 provides connection to a household water supply system. In the depicted embodiment, electrically operable valve assembly 10 includes a backflow preventor, which prevents any backflow of water to the water supply. The backflow preventor comprises a piston 30 and spring 31 that prevent the flow of water when back water pressure moves piston 30 to compress spring 31. Alternatively, as shown in balloon 40, a ball 30B may be used in place of piston 30, with the ball mounted above a spring 31A. The backflow preventor device is closely coupled to the operation of an integral flow meter, which will be described in further detail below.
Control of electrically operable valve assembly 10 is provided by a piston-mounted gasket assembly 20 that shuts off the main water channel from water supply inlet 11 to household water supply outlet 12. Gasket assembly 20 is slidably mounted on an outer piston 23 that surrounds an inner piston 22. Outer piston 23 is mechanically coupled to a lower diaphram 16. Electrically operable valve assembly is closed by water pressure on the lower side of lower diaphram 16 causing outer piston 23 to move gasket assembly 20 to force the gasket against seat 21. The water pressure on the lower side of lower diaphram 16 is supplied by a channel 15 that receives flow when a piston 14 coupled to electrical solenoid 13 is in the raised position. Referring momentarily to FIG. 2, channel 15 receives flow from central aperture 51 which in turn receives flow from peripheral aperture 55 when piston 14 is raised (an o-ring or washer is provided at the end of piston 14 to provide a seal). Peripheral aperture 55 is coupled to water supply inlet 11 and thus provides a source of pressure higher than household water supply outlet 12.