Switch valve
AssigneeTyco Flow Control, Inc.
InventorMarvin E. Beasley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A switch valve 10 is provided with an upper body 14 having a plurality of outlet ports 20A, 20B, and 20C and a lower body housing 16 with inlet port 18. The switch valve includes a ball member 22 which is rotatable within the switch valve body 12 for selective fluid communication between the inlet port 18 and the selected one of the plurality of outlet ports. The ball 22 is rotated by a stem 28, which may be powered by an actuator unit. The upper body 14 includes a substantially dome-shaped seating surface 40 for sealing engagement with the outer surface 38 of the ball. The biasing member 48 biases the ball radially in a direction opposite the ball inlet port 24 to obtain the desired sealing engagement. The biasing member is preferably a Belleville spring 48 having a single wrap design.
Claims19
A valve for directing incoming fluid to a selected one of a plurality of outlets, the valve comprising:
- a valve body including a body inlet port and a plurality of body outlet ports, the valve body defining a valve seat thereon integral with the valve body and spaced circumferentially about each of the plurality of body outlet ports;
- a ball member moveable within the valve body for diverting fluid to a selective one of the plurality of body outlet ports, the ball member having a ball inlet continually in fluid communication with the body inlet port and a ball outlet for selected fluid communication with one or more of the plurality of body outlet ports;
- a valve stem rotatable with respect to the valve body for rotating the ball member within the valve body, the valve stem being opposite the inlet port with respect to a center of the ball member;
- and
- a biasing member adjacent the body inlet port and exerting a biasing force on the ball member for maintaining sealing engagement with the valve seat regardless of selected outlet port from the plurality of body outlet ports.
A valve for directing incoming fluid to a selected one of a plurality of outlets, the valve comprising:
- a valve body including a body inlet port and a plurality of body outlet ports, the valve body defining a valve seat thereon integral with the valve body and spaced circumferentially about each of the plurality of body outlet ports, each of the body outlet ports having a central outlet axis angled at from 125° to 155° relative to a central axis of the body inlet ports;
- a ball member moveable within the valve body for diverting fluid to a selective one of the plurality of body outlet ports, the ball member having a ball inlet continually in fluid communication with the body inlet port and a ball outlet for selected fluid communication with the body inlet port and ball outlet for selected fluid communication with one or more of the plurality of body outlet ports;
- a valve stem rotatable with respect to the valve body for rotating the ball member within the valve body, the valve stem being positioned radially opposite the ball inlet with respect to a center of the ball member;
- a Belleville spring circumferentially surrounding the body inlet port for biasing the ball member into sealing engagement with the valve seat regardless of the selected outlet port from the plurality of body outlet ports;
- and
- an annular guide member spaced between the Belleville spring and the ball member for transmitting a uniform biasing force from the biasing member to the ball member.
A method of sealing a ball member moveable within a valve body of a valve having a plurality of outlets, the valve body having a body inlet port and, a plurality of body outlet ports, the ball member moveable within the valve body for diverting fluid to a selective one of the plurality of body outlet ports, the ball member having a ball inlet continually in fluid communication with one or more of the plurality of body outlet ports, and a valve stem rotatable with respect to the valve body for rotating the ball member within the valve body, the method comprising:
- providing valve seat integral with the valve body and spaced circumferentially about each of the plurality of outlet ports;
- and
- positioning a biasing member circumferentially surrounding the body inlet port for biasing the ball member away from the body inlet port and toward each of the plurality of body outlet ports to seal the ball member with the valve seat and about each of the plurality of outlet ports regardless of the outlet port selected from the plurality of outlet ports.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.