Paddle valve and housing therefor

A paddle valve assembly comprising:

• a valve body having an elliptical passage, the elliptical passage extending along a longitudinal axis;
• a paddle member having a circular shape and rotatably disposed in the elliptical passage of the valve body, wherein the paddle member has a circular or an elliptical shape;
• a seal disposed about an entire circumference of the paddle member;
• a drive shaft rotatably connecting the paddle member to the valve body;
• and
• an actuating member operatively connected to the drive shaft, wherein the paddle member is rotatable via the actuating member within the elliptical passage about a rotation axis between an open position in which the paddle member allows flow through the elliptical passage and a closed position in which the paddle member blocks flow through the elliptical passage and the seal forms a sealing engagement with the elliptical passage in the closed position of the paddle member,
• wherein the rotation axis of the paddle member is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the valve body, and
• wherein, in the closed position, the paddle member is inclined relative to the elliptical passage at a non-perpendicular angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the valve body.

A paddle valve assembly, comprising:

• a valve body having an elliptical passage, the elliptical passage extending along a longitudinal axis;
• an elliptical paddle member rotatably disposed in the elliptical passage of the valve body, the elliptical paddle member comprising a seal having a non-circular cross-sectional shape and disposed about an entire circumference thereof, a first shaft pocket, and a second shaft pocket;
• and
• a drive shaft and an idler shaft disposed in the valve body on opposite sides of the elliptical passage, the drive shaft and the idler shaft rotatably connecting the elliptical paddle member to the valve body, the drive shaft being received in the first shaft pocket of the elliptical paddle member and the idler shaft being received in the second shaft pocket of the elliptical paddle member,
• wherein the elliptical paddle member is rotatable within the elliptical passage about a rotation axis between an open position in which the elliptical paddle member allows flow through the elliptical passage and a closed position in which the elliptical paddle member blocks flow through the elliptical passage and the seal forms a sealing engagement with the elliptical passage of the valve body, the rotation axis of the elliptical paddle member being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the valve body,
• wherein the drive shaft and the idler shaft are disposed in the valve body in line with each other and extend along the rotation axis of the elliptical paddle member,
• wherein the first shaft pocket and the second shaft pocket of the elliptical paddle member are offset with respect to the paddle member, and
• wherein the elliptical paddle member defines a normal that extends at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the elliptical passage when the elliptical paddle member is in the closed position, and
• wherein the first shaft pocket and the second shaft pocket are defined in the elliptical paddle member such that the seal extending about the entire circumference of the elliptical paddle member is uninterrupted and the sealing engagement between the seal and the elliptical passage of the valve body is continuous about the entire circumference of the elliptical