US 5,176,173 A · Backflow valve

Abstract

A backflow valve for use in a post-mix carbonator system for preventing the backflow of carbonated fluid, thereby preventing the contamination of the fresh water supply, and indicating when such a backflow condition has occurred. In a first embodiment the valve comprises a check seat body which houses an elastomeric valve member, and a sight glass body for viewing the position of the elastomeric valve member. The elastomeric valve member allows normal the flow of fluid from the supply to the outlet and prevents the reverse flow of fluid when the pressure at the outlet exceeds the pressure at the supply. As the pressure downstream increases, the elastomeric valve member is forced in the upstream direction over a plurality of steps in the check seat body. The position of the elastomeric valve member may be observed through a sight glass body which has a line marking the normal position of the elastomeric valve member. In a second embodiment the elastomeric valve member is slidably disposed within a retaining chamber that is positioned between the upstream and downstream portions of the valve. Under normal operating conditions, the elastomeric valve member is in a normal first position allowing fluid flow therethrough; however, in a backflow condition, the elastomeric valve member slides into a second position within the retaining chamber and fluid flow is restricted, and a backflow condition is thereby indicated.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A backflow valve for use in a potable fluid delivery system, said backflow valve allowing fluid flow in a first direction and preventing fluid flow in a second direction while simultaneously providing a semipermanent indication that a backflow condition has occurred until the backflow valve is manually reset, said backflow valve comprising:

(a) a substantially cylindrical body defining an elongate interior chamber having an inlet at its upstream portion and an outlet at its downstream portion, said substantially cylindrical body having a check seat body, said check seat body having at least one annular step extending inwardly from the inner surface of said check seat body;
(b) an elastomeric valve member disposed within said check seat body adjacent said step, said elastomeric valve member providing one-way fluid flow, from the upstream portion to the downstream portion of said backflow valve, said elastomeric valve member being operable to slide from a first normal position to a second backflow position within said check seat body when a backflow condition has occurred, with the elastomeric valve member being secured in the second backflow position when a backflow condition has occurred until the elastomeric valve member is manually reset to the first normal position, thereby providing a semipermanent indication that the backflow condition has occurred until the elastomeric valve member is manually reset to the first normal position;
(c) a sight glass means for observing the position of said elastomeric valve member.

(a) an outer body defining an interior chamber having an inlet at it's upstream portion and an outlet at it's downstream portion;
(b) an elastomeric valve member slidably disposed within a retaining chamber which is positioned and secured between said upstream portion and said downstream portion of said outer body, said elastomeric valve member being operable to slide from a first normal position to a second backflow position within said retaining chamber when a backflow condition has occurred and the elastomeric valve member being secured in the second backflow position in the retaining chamber when a backflow condition has occurred until the elastomeric valve member is manually reset to the first normal position, thereby providing a semipermanent indication that the backflow condition has occurred until the elastomeric valve member is manually reset to the first normal position, and said elastomeric valve member providing one way fluid flow from the upstream portion to the downstream portion of said backflow valve in both said first normal position and said second backflow condition;
and
(c) means, mounted in said upstream portion of said outer body, for enabling the position of said elastomeric valve member to be observed when said elastomeric valve member is in said second position.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Backflow valve

Life of this patent

Backflow valve

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18