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US 9,010,363 B2Granted
Drain valve
AssigneeRectorseal Corporation
InventorKevin Huber
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A drain valve allows for drainage of fluids while preventing backflow of gases from a drainage system through the drain valve. A drain valve can have a first, sealed position in which a component of the valve seals an opening through the valve and a second, open position in which the component of the valve is separated from the opening to allow a fluid to drain through the valve. When the fluid has drained through, the component of the valve can return to the closed position. The valve can include a pressure relief conduit to help equalize pressure across the valve and permit unrestrained draining of fluid through the valve.
Claims30
A floor drain valve comprising:
- a drain valve housing configured to fit within a drain conduit, the drain valve housing including an inlet, an outlet, a circumferential valve seat, and a flow channel passing through the valve and through the valve seat;
- a flapper mounted within the housing and having a first side facing a first side of the valve and a second side facing a second side of the valve, the flapper biased toward a closed position in which a sealing portion on the first side of the flapper engages with the valve seat to thereby block at least a portion of backflow through the flow channel, wherein the flapper is configured such that a minimum pressure on the first side of the flapper moves the flapper to an open position in which fluid can flow through the flow channel;
- a pressure equalization conduit fluidly connecting a first side of the drain valve on the first side of the flapper with a second side of the drain valve on the second side of the flapper;
- and
- a valve member within the pressure equalization conduit, the valve member configured to move from a closed position that substantially blocks fluid transfer between the first and second sides of the drain valve to an open position when a pressure on the second side of the drain valve exceeds a first defined pressure, thereby allowing the pressure on the second side of the drain valve to bleed into the first side of the drain valve, the valve member being in a position that is protected from the flow of fluid passing through flow channel.
2 more elements
A floor drain valve comprising:
- a drain valve housing configured to fit within a drain conduit, the drain valve housing including an inlet, an outlet, a circumferential valve seat, and a flow channel passing through the valve and through the valve seat;
- a flapper mounted within the housing and having a first side facing a first side of the valve and a second side facing a second side of the valve, the flapper biased toward a closed position in which a sealing portion on the first side of the flapper engages with the valve seat to thereby block at least a portion of backflow through the flow channel, wherein the flapper is configured such that a minimum pressure on the first side of the flapper moves the flapper to an open position in which fluid can flow through the flow channel;
- a pressure equalization conduit fluidly connecting a first side of the drain valve on the first side of the flapper with a second side of the drain valve on the second side of the flapper;
- a valve member within the pressure equalization conduit, the valve member configured to move from a closed position that substantially blocks fluid transfer between the first and second sides of the drain valve to an open position when a pressure on the second side of the drain valve exceeds a first defined pressure, thereby allowing the pressure on the second side of the drain valve to bleed into the first side of the drain valve;
- and
- a backflow valve in fluid communication with the pressure equalization conduit, the backflow valve configured to allow backflow of fluid through the pressure equalization conduit below a second defined pressure and to automatically substantially block backflow of fluid through the pressure equalization conduit above a second defined pressure, wherein the second defined pressure is greater than the first defined pressure.
3 more elements
A floor drain valve comprising:
- a drain valve housing comprising an inlet and an outlet;
- a one way valve positioned within the drain valve housing, the one way valve configured to restrict backflow through a flow channel of the drain housing from a second side of the one way valve to a first side of the one way valve while allowing fluid to drain through the flow channel of the drain housing from the first side of the one way valve to the second side of the one way valve;
- a pressure equalization conduit fluidly connecting the first side of the one way valve to the second side of one way valve, the pressure equalization conduit positioned independent of the flow channel;
- and
- a valve member configured to move from a closed position that restricts fluid transfer through the pressure equalization conduit between the first and second sides of the one way valve to an open position when a pressure on the second side of the one way valve exceeds a first defined pressure, thereby allowing the pressure on the second side of the one way valve to bleed into the first side of the one way valve.
2 more elements
A floor drain valve comprising:
- a drain valve housing comprising an inlet and an outlet;
- a one way valve positioned within the drain valve housing, the one way valve configured to restrict backflow through a flow channel of the drain housing from a second side of the one way valve to a first side of the one way valve while allowing fluid to drain through the flow channel of the drain housing from the first side of the one way valve to the second side of the one way valve;
- a pressure equalization conduit fluidly connecting the first side of the one way valve to the second side of one way valve;
- a shield covering the pressure equalization conduit that diverts fluid away from the pressure equalization channel and towards the flow channel;
- and
- a valve member configured to move from a closed position that restricts fluid transfer through the pressure equalization conduit between the first and second sides of the one way valve to an open position when a pressure on the second side of the one way valve exceeds a first defined pressure, thereby allowing the pressure on the second side of the one way valve to bleed into the first side of the one way valve.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.