Fully drainable weir valve
AssigneeEntegris, Inc.
InventorsJeffrey J. McKenzie, Michael W. Johnson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fully draining valve including an upper valve portion and a lower valve portion. The lower valve body has an integral weir, which in conjunction with a resilient diaphragm, defines a fluid passage. The weir axis is sloped from a horizontal plane. A first duct axis is sloped downwardly away from the weir and sloped from the horizontal plane. A second duct axis is sloped downwardly away from the weir and sloped from the horizontal plane. A third duct axis is oriented downwardly away from the weir and substantially parallel to a vertical axis such that substantially all liquid from within the fluid passage drains from the valve by gravity.
Claims24
A plastic diaphragm valve comprising:
- a plastic upper valve body,
- a resilient diaphragm and an actuator in the upper valve;
- a substantially plastic lower valve body configured to mate with the upper valve body,
- the lower valve body having an interior defining a fluid passage, the lower valve body comprising an integral weir, a first flow duct, a second flow duct and a third flow duct, the weir configured to sealingly interact with the diaphragm, the weir, the first flow duct, the second flow duct and the third flow duct each having an axis;
- the weir axis being sloped from a horizontal plane X degrees where 0<X<90;
- the first duct axis being sloped downwardly away from the weir and sloped from the horizontal plane Y degrees where 0<Y<90;
- the second duct axis being sloped downwardly away from the weir and sloped from the horizontal plane Z degrees where 0<Z<90;
- the third duct axis being oriented downwardly away from the weir and substantially parallel to a vertical axis such that substantially all liquid from within the fluid passage drains from the valve by gravity.
A method for draining liquid from a plastic diaphragm valve, the valve comprising a plastic upper valve body, a resilient diaphragm and an actuator in the upper valve;
- a substantially plastic lower valve body configured to mate with the upper valve body, the lower valve body having an interior defining a fluid passage, the lower valve body comprising an integral weir, a first flow duct, a second flow duct and a third flow duct, the weir configured to sealingly interact with the diaphragm, the weir, the first flow duct, the second flow duct and the third flow duct each having an axis;
- the method comprising:
- sloping the weir axis from a horizontal plane X degrees where 0<X<90;
- sloping the first duct axis downwardly away from the weir and from the horizontal plane Y degrees where 0<Y<90;
- sloping the second duct axis downwardly away from the weir and from the horizontal plane Z degrees where 0<Z<90;
- orienting the third duct axis downwardly away from the weir and substantially parallel to a vertical axis such that substantially all liquid from within the fluid passage drains from the valve by gravity.
A plastic diaphragm valve comprising:
- a plastic upper valve body, a resilient diaphragm and an actuator in the upper valve;
- a substantially plastic lower valve body configured to mate with the upper valve body, the lower valve body having an interior defining a fluid passage,
- the lower valve body comprising an integral weir, a first flow duct, a second flow duct and a third flow duct, the weir configured to sealingly interact with the diaphragm, the weir, the first flow duct, the second flow duct and the third flow duct each having an axis;
- the weir axis being sloped from a horizontal plane;
- the first duct axis being sloped downwardly away from the weir;
- the second duct axis being sloped downwardly away from the weir;
- the third duct axis being oriented downwardly away from the weir and substantially parallel to a vertical axis such that substantially all liquid from within the fluid passage drains from the valve by gravity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.