Fluidic valve mechanism

A fluid flow sensitive valve mechanism adapted to be operationally positioned, in a valve chamber having first and second end walls and a side wall and first and second inlet-outlet ports respectively opening into the valve chamber through the first and second end walls and a third inlet-outlet port opening into the valve chamber through the side wall through a valve seat, between the valve chamber first and second inlet-outlet ports, said valve mechanism comprising:

• a valve member adapted to control the opening and closing of the valve chamber third inlet-outlet port by being movable from a third port-opened position where it is disengaged from the valve seat to a third port-closed position where it is engaged with the valve seat in response to flow of fluid into the valve chamber from the first port which will impinge on first surface means of said valve mechanism and being movable from the third port-closed position to the third port-opened position in response to flow of fluid into the valve chamber toward the first port which will impinge on second surface means of said valve mechanism;
• said valve member having a substantially planar body section defined by upper and lower sides and an outer edge surface joining said upper and lower sides, said planar body section having first and second ends;
• said valve member also having a valve body section extending outwardly from said planar body section upper side intermediate said first and second ends of said planar body section, said valve body section including a surface portion selectively engageable in seated relation with the valve seat and disengageable from the valve seat in unseated relation therewith and another portion extending into said third port about which fluid may flow into and out of the third port when the valve seat is not closed by said valve member main valve body section surface portion;
• said valve member having contact points adapted to selectively engage the valve chamber side wall while the valve member is in operational position in relation to the valve chamber and the valve chamber inlet-outlet ports, said contact points being only at the juncture of said valve member substantially planar body section outer edge surface with at least one of said valve member substantially planar body section upper and lower sides;
• said valve member substantially planar body section first end having other contact points adapted to engage the valve member second end wall through which the second inlet-outlet port opens, said other contact points being only at the juncture of said valve member substantially planar body section outer edge surface with at least one of said valve member substantially planar body section upper and lower sides and on a part of said valve member substantially planar body section lower side which is immediately adjacent the part of said outer edge surface forming the extreme edge of said first end;
• said contact points and said other contact points being the only points on said valve member contacting the end walls or side wall of the valve chamber while said valve member is operationally positioned in the valve chamber other than any contact point on said valve member valve body section;
• said valve mechanism further having valve mechanism positioning means on said valve member, said valve mechanism positioning means being adapted to be engageable only with the valve chamber side wall while fluid flow is passing through the valve chamber to position said valve member relative to the third port and to position said first and second surface means of said valve mechanism for fluid flow impingement thereon.

A fluid flow sensitive valve assembly comprising:

• a housing having a valve chamber formed therein and first and second and third inlet-outlet ports communicating with said chamber, said first and second ports being generally axially aligned and at opposite ends of said chamber, said third port having a valve seat at said chamber, said chamber having a circular cross-section and an axially extending side wall surface through which said third port opens, said chamber also having first and second end walls through which said first and second ports open, said first end wall having an annular conically beveled surface portion formed about said first port;
• a movable valve mechanism in said valve chamber, said valve mechanism having a valve member and a valve mechanism positive positioning device;
• said valve member comprising a longitudinally extending valve member planar section having upper and lower sides and first and second ends with valve chamber wall-engaging points on said first end and laterally spaced apart on a defined portion of said planar body section defined as that part of said planar body section from and including said planar body section second end to that intermediate part of said planar body section intersected by a lateral plane extending at a right angle from said planar body section and touching the part of said valve body furthermost from said planar body section second end,
• and a valve body engageable with said valve seat in opening and closing relation and a guide pin on said valve body extending through said valve seat and into said third port, said valve body extending from said upper side of said planar section intermediate said planar section first and second ends,
• said planar section also having a first opening formed through said planar section and extending through a part of said valve body and defining with said valve body a valve body inner wall, and a second opening formed through said planar section and extending transversely of said planar section between said valve body and said second planar section end, said valve body having a pivot edge formed thereon adjacent said second opening;
• said valve mechanism positive positioning device comprising a sheet member which is generally J-shaped in cross section, said device having a first section and a second section operatively connected with said first section by a transverse bend;
• said device further having a transverse pivot line formed on said second section adjacent to but spaced from said transverse bend, said first section being a first fluid flow impingement section and having an upper side and a lower side and also being of a lateral width less than the lateral width of the narrower of said first and second openings, said upper side and said lower side of said first section being respectively angularly disposed relative to said first and third ports, said second section being a second fluid flow impingement section and having an upper side and a lower side with said lower side facing away from said first section and toward said third port, said second section having its major length being of greater width than either of said first and second openings and defining shoulders adjacent to but spaced from said transverse bend, said second section transverse pivot line being on said upper surface adjacent to but spaced from said shoulders in a direction away from said transverse bend, said second section further having a rounded outer end of lesser diameter than the diameter of said valve chamber circular cross-section;
• said device second section extending first through said second opening so that said shoulders of said second section rest on the upper side of said planar section on either side of said second opening, said second section then extending under said valve body to said transverse bend and said first section being extendable into said first opening, said pivot line on said second section being engageable with said valve body pivot edge and said device first section is pivotally movable about said pivot line;
• whereby fluid flowing into said chamber from said first port impinges on said device first section lower side, engaging said device second section shoulders with said planar body section upper side, said fluid also impinging on the lower side of said valve member planar section, the impingement of said fluid flow acting on said valve mechanism to move said valve body into engagement with said valve seat and close said third port, said positioning device second section rounded outer end engaging said chamber wall in point contact, the fluid flowing from said first port flowing out through said second port;
• and fluid flowing into said chamber from said second port impinges on said device second section lower side tending to hold said second section outer end into engagement with said chamber wall and flows around and under said second section and impinges on said first impingement section upper side, causing said positioning device to pivot at said pivot line on said valve member and then cause said valve member and said positioning device to be moved pivotally about said second section outer end to move said valve body away from said valve seat and allow fluid in said valve chamber to flow back to said reservoir through said third port;
• said valve mechanism moving upon cessation of fluid flow in said valve chamber to return to its rest position with said planar body section first end engaging said conically beveled surface of said chamber first end wall at one of said planar section first end wall-engaging points and said planar section laterally spaced wall-engaging points engaging said chamber side wall said wall-engaged wall-engaging points supporting said valve mechanism with said valve body open relative to said valve seat.