Debris arrestor for valve bleed hole
AssigneeThe Toro Company
InventorsGerald E. Peterson, Gregory B. Holcomb, James W. Zimmerman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fluid flow control valve has a diaphragm for sealing against a valve seat. The diaphragm includes a bleed hole for passing fluid from one side of the diaphragm to the other. A debris arrestor comprising a one-piece flexible tag is inserted into the bleed hole by deforming the tag to pass therethrough. The tag after insertion expands to retain itself in the bleed hole.
Claims17
An improved fluid flow control valve of the type having a bleed hole for passing fluid through the bleed hole from a first side to a second side of a valve component, wherein the improvement comprises debris arrestor means received in the bleed hole for helping keep the bleed hole open and free of debris but not completely closing the bleed hole, wherein the debris arrestor means is at least partially flexible allowing the debris arrestor means to be bent for insertion into the bleed hole, wherein the debris arrestor means comprises:
- (a) a shank extending through the bleed hole;
- and
- (b) laterally extending head means on either end of the shank for preventing the shank from being pulled out of the bleedhole, wherein at least one of the head means is flexible on the shank to allow the head means and shank to be inserted through the bleed hole, the flexible head means after insertion returning to its lateral orientation on the shank to retain the debris arrestor in the bleed hole, and wherein the head located adjacent the first side of the valve component includes means engaging the first side of the valve component for preventing the bleed hole from closing under the force of fluid flowing through the bleed hole from the first side to the second side of the valve component.
An improved diaphragm valve, which comprises:
- (a) a flexible diaphragm having a first side and a second side with a bleed hole formed therein;
- and
- (b) a debris arrestor inserted in the bleed hole for helping keep the bleed hole open and free of debris, wherein the debris arrestor is deformable to allow insertion of the debris arrestor into the bleed hole, the debris arrestor after insertion expanding into a shape sufficient to retain the debris arrestor in the bleed hole, wherein the debris arrestor comprises a tag having a shank passing through the bleed hole and means on either end of the shank for retaining the shank in the bleed hole, and wherein the debris arrestor includes means engaging the first side of the diaphragm for preventing the retaining means from closing the bleed hole when fluid flows through the bleed hole from the first side to the second side of the diaphragm.
An improved valve for controlling the flow of a liquid of the type having a flow path for liquid flowing between an inlet and an outlet, a valve seat located in the flow path, a flexible diaphragm which is deflectable from a closed orientation in which the diaphragm engages the valve seat to an open orientation in which the diaphragm is lifted off the valve seat to open the valve, wherein a first side of the diaphragm is exposed to fluid pressure at the inlet and a second side of the diaphragm forms a portion of a pressure chamber for receiving fluid pressure from the inlet, and a bleed hole in the diaphragm for bleeding fluid from the first side to the second side thereof to fill the pressure chamber, wherein the improvement relates to a debris arrestor retained in the bleed hole which comprises:
- (a) a shank extending through the bleed hole in a clearance fit;
- (b) a T-shaped stem at one end of the shank located adjacent the second side of the diaphragm, wherein the T-shaped stem is flexible to allow the T-shaped stem to be deformed and inserted through the bleed hole with the T-shaped stem returning to its original shape after such insertion, whereby the debris arrestor is inserted into the bleed hole by deformation of the T-shaped stem;
- and
- (c) a V-shaped stem at the other end of the shank located adjacent the first side of the diaphragm, wherein the V-shaped stem includes angled flukes which point towards and engages the first side of the diaphragm to prevent the bleed hole from being closed off by the force of fluid flowing from the first to the second side of the diaphragm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.