Dribble flow valve
OwnerCary M. Austininventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A water system uses a pressure reservoir of extremely small size. A valve device is placed between a water pump and the pressure reservoir. The valve device has a constant outlet pressure function to limit the flow from the pump at high pressures. The pump is turned on and off responsive to a pressure on/off switch located down stream of the valve device. The valve device maintains the pressure to the reservoir below the off switch pressure except for a dribble flow. The dribble flow fills the reservoir when there is little or no water usage from the reservoir. The dribble flow is achieved by a notch or groove in the valve surfaces of the valve device. Each time the valve opens any debris in the notch or groove is washed from the notch or groove thereby keeping the notch or groove free of debris.
Claims16
A combination of a motor, a pump, a diaphragm valve and a pressure switch comprising:
- a motor drivingly connected to a pump, the pump connected by a pipe to a diaphragm valve, the diaphragm valve connected by a reservoir pipe to a reservoir, the reservoir connected by a distribution pipe to the distribution system, and a switch connected to the reservoir pipe and to the motor;
- i) the diaphragm valve having:
- a) a housing having an inlet, and outlet, and a passageway circumscribed by a valve seat having a seat sealing surface for the flow of fluid from the inlet to the outlet;
- b) and a valve member including a diaphragm within said housing and displaceable towards or away from said valve seat to control the flow therethrough;
- c) said diaphragm including an outer peripheral section secured over an opening in the housing in alignment with said valve seat, a valve-closure section having a perimeter and center area, the valve-closure section displaceable with respect to the valve seat for controlling the flow therethrough, and an intermediate flexible section permitting the displacement of said valve-closure section,
- d) said valve-closure section including a valve seating surface surrounding the center area which contacts the valve seat when the valve member is fully closed;
- e) said housing further including a cover defining a control chamber between the cover and the diaphragm;
- and
- f) a spring between the cover and the diaphragm;
- ii) a supplement control valve;
- iii) a tube fluidly connecting the supplemental control valve to the control chamber;
- iv) said tube and said spring being elements of means for fully closing the sealing surface against the valve seat;
- and
- v) a notch in said valve-closure section, said notch extending from the perimeter of the valve-closure section across the sealing surface and into the center area.
A liquid system comprising:
- a diaphragm valve for controlling the flow of liquid from a motor driven pump to a distribution system,
- said diaphragm valve having:
- a) a housing having an inlet, and outlet, and a passageway circumscribed by a valve seat having a seat sealing surface for the flow of fluid from the inlet to the outlet;
- b) and a valve member including a diaphragm within said housing and displaceable towards or away from said valve seat to control the flow therethrough;
- c) said diaphragm including an outer peripheral section secured over an opening in the housing in alignment with said valve seat, a valve-closure section having a perimeter and center area, the valve-closure section displaceable with respect to the valve seat for controlling the flow therethrough, and an intermediate flexible section permitting the displacement of said valve-closure section,
- d) said valve-closure section including a valve seating surface surrounding the center area which contacts the valve seat when the valve member is fully closed;
- e) said housing further including a cover defining a control chamber between the cover and the diaphragm;
- and
- f) a spring between the cover and the diaphragm;
- said liquid system including:
- g) a motor drivingly connected to,
- h) a liquid pump,
- i) the diaphragm valve is connected downstream of the pump,
- j) a reservoir connected downstream of the diaphragm valve,
- k) a switch means for starting the motor at a first preset condition and for stopping the motor at a second preset condition, said switch means connected downstream of the diaphragm valve,
- l) said pump having a flow capacity at said second preset condition
- m) a distribution system connected to the reservoir downstream thereof;
- and
- n) a notch in one of the sealing surfaces,
- o) said notch forms a liquid passage across the sealing surfaces when the valve is fully closed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.