Multi-port fluid valve and method
AssigneeBeswick Engineering, Inc.
InventorsPaul R. Beswick, Gary A. Treadwell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multi-port valve is disclosed having a ball bearing support system for a stator/rotor/valve stem assembly within a valve housing. Slipper seals or alternatively, poppet seals, connect a plurality of apertures situated in the rotor and a plurality of apertures situated in the adjoining stator so that a common central fluid receiving channel of the stator can be connected to a peripheral fluid delivery channel of the stator via a transfer channel in the rotor. The valve assembly provides a durable, virtually leak-proof system for delivery of a variety of fluids through the same delivery channel.
Claims9
A multi-port valve comprising:
- a valve housing having a first housing aperture, second housing aperture, an annular housing chase situated about said second housing aperture;
- a valve stem having an annular flange sized to matingly engage said first housing aperture and a main valve stem body sized to matingly engage said second housing aperture such that said valve stem rotates freely within said housing;
- a rotor having at least one rotor fluid receiving aperture and at least one rotor fluid delivery aperture wherein said rotor fluid receiving aperture is in fluid communication with said rotor fluid delivery aperture via a transverse channel;
- a stator having at least one stator receiving aperture and at least one stator fluid delivery aperture wherein said stator is sized to matingly engage said first aperture of said housing;
- and,
- at least two slipper seals having through apertures to connect, in fluid communication, said at least one rotor fluid receiving aperture to said at least one stator fluid receiving aperture and said at least one rotor fluid delivery channel to said at least one stator fluid delivery channel.
A method for selectively delivery a fluid including the steps of:
- providing a multi-port valve comprising a housing, a valve stem, a rotor having at least one rotor fluid receiving aperture and at least one rotor fluid delivery aperture, a stator having at least one stator fluid receiving aperture and at least one stator fluid receiving aperture and at least two slipper seals having through apertures;
- rotating said rotor within said housing such that said at least two slipper seals connect, in fluid communication, said at least one rotor fluid receiving aperture to said at least one stator fluid receiving aperture and said at least one rotor fluid delivery channel to said at least one stator fluid delivery channel;
- and,
- delivering a selected fluid through said at least one stator fluid receiving aperture to one of said at least two slipper seals to said at least one rotor fluid receiving aperture to a transverse channel provided in said rotor to said at least one rotor fluid delivery channel to a second of said at least two slipper seals to said at least one stator fluid delivery channel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.