Pressure Washer Pressure Valve Assembly
AssigneeGenerac Power Systems, Inc.
InventorsMir Khan, Peter Nushart
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pressure washer unloader valve assembly having a movable operator that manipulates an orientation of a valve body to manipulate the flow pressure is communicated downstream of the valve assembly. A cam and follower interface is formed between the operator and the valve body such that the movable operator is movable within less than 360 radial degrees to effectuate manipulation the valve assembly between a fully open and a fully closed configuration. Preferably, the valve assembly is configured to achieve the fully open or fully closed orientations of the valve assembly during a single wrist rotation of a user during interaction with the movable operator either remotely or at a pump.
Claims20
A pressure washer unloader valve assembly comprising:
- a housing that defines an inlet and an outlet associated with a high pressure flow;
- a valve body disposed in the housing and movable relative to the housing to define a variable shape passage between the inlet and the outlet;
- an operator engaged with the valve body and configured to be manipulated by a user to alter a position of the valve body relative to the housing;
- and
- a cam and follower interface between the operator and the valve body, the cam and follower interface configured to allow translation of the valve body relative to the housing in response to movement of the operator to manipulate a spring pressure that regulates an output pressure associated with the high pressure flow.
A pressure washer comprising:
- a pump having an inlet that is configured to be connected to a water source and an outlet;
- and
- a valve assembly disposed between the outlet of the pump and a wand, the valve assembly comprising:
- a housing manifold that defines a working fluid path that extends between the outlet of the pump and a wand and a bypass fluid path that is fluidly connectable to the working fluid path;
- a handle that is movable relative to the housing;
- a valve body that cooperates with the handle and is movable relative to the housing to define a fluid connection between the outlet of the pump and the wand;
- and
- a cam and follower interface formed between the handle and the valve body such that movement of the handle alters adjustments in the unloader valve assembly that changes a high pressure output.
A method of manipulating an output pressure of a pressure washer, the method comprising:
- providing a valve assembly that is configured to receive a pressurized flow from a pump and bifurcate the pressurized flow into a working flow stream and a bypass flow stream;
- and
- connecting a movable control to the valve assembly, the movable control being movable between a first position and a second position that are within 180 radial degrees relative to one another to manipulate a valve between a fully open orientation and a closed orientation that regulates communication of working flow stream to an outlet valve assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.