Multi-port fluid valve and method

A multi-port fluid valve comprising:

• a valve housing having an inner housing wall defining a first housing aperture in a first end having a first diameter, a second housing aperture in a second end having a second diameter smaller than the first housing aperture first diameter and an annular chase situated about said second housing aperture,
• a valve stem having an annular flange with a diameter sized to freely rotate within the first housing aperture and a valve stem shaft extending distally from the annular flange and dimensioned to fit within the diameter of the second housing aperture;
• a rotor having at least two rotor fluid receiving apertures and at least one rotor fluid delivery aperture wherein at least one of the at least two rotor fluid receiving apertures is connected to, and in fluid communication with, the rotor fluid delivery aperture via a transverse channel;
• a stator having at least one stator receiving aperture and at least one stator fluid delivery aperture wherein the stator is dimensioned to fit within the first housing aperture;
• at least two slipper seals having through apertures wherein the at least two slipper seals connect in fluid communication the at least one of the at least two rotor fluid receiving apertures to the at least one stator receiving aperture and the at least one rotor fluid delivery aperture to the at least one stator fluid delivery aperture;
• a plurality of ball bearings dimensioned to roll within the annular chase;
• and,
• a chamfered shoulder situated between the inner housing wall and the annular chase and above the annular chase.

A multi-port fluid valve comprising:

• a valve housing having an inner housing wall defining a first housing aperture in a first end having a first diameter, a second housing aperture in a second end having a second diameter smaller than the first housing aperture first diameter and an annular chase situated about said second housing aperture,
• a valve stem having an annular flange with a diameter sized to freely rotate within the first housing aperture and a valve stem shaft extending distally from the annular flange and dimensioned to fit within the diameter of the second housing aperture;
• a rotor having at least two rotor fluid receiving apertures and at least one rotor fluid delivery aperture wherein at least one of the at least two rotor fluid receiving apertures is connected to, and in fluid communication with, the rotor fluid delivery aperture via a transverse channel;
• a stator having at least one stator receiving aperture and at least one stator fluid delivery aperture wherein the stator is dimensioned to fit within the first housing aperture;
• at least two slipper seals having through apertures wherein the at least two slipper seals connect in fluid communication the at least one of the at least two rotor fluid receiving apertures to the at least one stator receiving aperture and the at least one rotor fluid delivery aperture to the at least one stator fluid delivery aperture;
• a plurality of ball bearings dimensioned to roll within the annular chase;
• a rotor annular chase formed in a top surface of the rotor;
• and,
• a second set of ball bearings dimensioned to roll within the rotor annular chase.

A multi-port fluid valve comprising:

• a valve housing having an inner housing wall defining a first housing aperture in a first end having a first diameter, a second housing aperture in a second end having a second diameter smaller than the first housing aperture first diameter and an annular chase situated about said second housing aperture,
• a valve stem having an annular flange with a diameter sized to freely rotate within the first housing aperture and a valve stem shaft extending distally from the annular flange and dimensioned to fit within the diameter of the second housing aperture;
• a rotor having at least two rotor fluid receiving apertures and at least one rotor fluid delivery aperture wherein at least one of the at least two rotor fluid receiving apertures is connected to, and in fluid communication with, the rotor fluid delivery aperture via a transverse channel;
• a stator having at least one stator receiving aperture and at least one stator fluid delivery aperture wherein the stator is dimensioned to fit within the first housing aperture;
• at least two slipper seals having slipper seal bores formed on a bottom surface of each of the at least two slipper seals and further having through apertures wherein the at least two slipper seals connect in fluid communication the at least one of the at least two rotor fluid receiving apertures to the at least one stator receiving aperture and the at least one rotor fluid delivery aperture to the at least one stator fluid delivery aperture;
• slipper seal springs dimensioned to fit within the slipper seal bores wherein the slipper seal springs bias the at least two slipper seals against a bottom surface of the stator;
• and,
• a wave spring dimensioned to fit within the housing first aperture and situated between the rotor and the valve stem flange wherein the wave spring biases the rotor away from the valve stem
• the rotor having a fluid receiving aperture counter-bore concentric with the at least one of the at least two rotor fluid receiving apertures and a fluid delivery aperture counter bore concentric with the at least one rotor fluid delivery aperture, each counter-bore dimensioned to receive one of the at least two slipper seals.

A multi-port fluid valve comprising:

• a valve housing having an inner housing wall defining a first housing aperture in a first end having a first diameter, a second housing aperture in a second end having a second diameter smaller than the first housing aperture first diameter and an annular chase situated about said second housing aperture;
• a valve stem having an annular flange with a diameter sized to freely rotate within the first housing aperture;
• a rotor having a rotor annular chase formed on a top surface of the rotor and having at least two rotor fluid receiving apertures and at least one rotor fluid delivery aperture wherein at least one of the at least two rotor fluid receiving apertures is connected to, and in fluid communication with, the rotor fluid delivery aperture via a transverse channel;
• a stator having at least one stator receiving aperture and at least one stator fluid delivery aperture wherein the stator is dimensioned to fit within the first housing aperture;
• at least two slipper seals having through apertures wherein the at least two slipper seals connect in fluid communication the at lest one of the at lest two rotor fluid receiving apertures to the al least one stator receiving aperture and the at least one rotor fluid delivery aperture to the at least one stator fluid delivery aperture;
• a plurality of ball bearings dimensioned to roll within the annular chase;
• and,
• a second plurality of ball bearings dimensioned to roll within the rotor annular chase.