# US 9,038,988 B1 · Valve having reduced operating force and enhanced throttling capability > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,038,988 B1 - Document ID: US9038988B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 13/287,039 - Filed: 2011-11-01 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2010-11-01 - Assignees: Akron Brass Company - Applicants: David Beechy; Kevin Petit; Nelsimar Vandelli - Inventors: David Beechy; Kevin Petit; Nelsimar Vandelli - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9038988B1 ## CPC - F16K 5/0605: {with particular plug arrangements, e.g. particular shape or built-in means} - F16K 5/10: Means for additional adjustment of the rate of flow - F16K 5/20: for plugs with spherical surfaces - F16K 27/067: {with spherical plugs} - F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)} ## Abstract A flow control valve element has a generally spherical ball. An inlet is formed in the ball. An outlet is also formed in the ball, the outlet opposing the inlet. A hollowed-out portion extends between the inlet and the outlet. A pair of opposing flats are formed in the ball, the flats each having a first flat portion formed in an external portion of the ball and an opposing second flat portion formed in the hollowed-out portion of the ball. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A flow control valve element, comprising: a sphere-shaped valve ball; an inlet formed in the valve ball; an outlet formed in the valve ball, the outlet opposing the inlet, at least one of the inlet and the outlet comprising a lip, the lip comprising a flow passage edge, the flow passage edge disposed generally parallel to a fluid flow direction when the valve ball is disposed in a fully open position, the lip comprising a flow passage width which is less than a wall thickness dimension proximate one or more of the inlet and the outlet; and a hollowed-out portion extending between the inlet and the outlet, the hollowed-out portion defined by an ellipsoid segment of an ellipsoid comprising a first semi-principal axis, a second semi-principal axis, and a third semi-principal axis: the first semi-principal axis is greater than both the second semi-principal axis and the third semi-principal axis; and a path of fluid flow through the hollowed-out portion lies along the first semi-principal axis when the valve ball is disposed in a fully open position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The flow control valve element of claim 1, comprising a pair of opposing flats formed in the valve ball, the flats respectively comprising a first flat portion disposed on an external portion of the valve ball and an opposing second flat portion disposed in the hollowed-out portion, the first and second flat portions defining a valve ball wall comprising a first thickness dimension. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The flow control valve element of claim 2, the diameter of the first flat portion is greater than the diameter of the second flat portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The flow control valve element of claim 2, the diameter of the second flat portion is greater than the diameter of the first flat portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The flow control valve element of claim 2, the first and second flats are circle-shaped. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The flow control valve element of claim 2, the first flat portion comprising one of: a convex topology; and a concave topology. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The flow control valve element of claim 2, the second flat portion comprising one of: a convex topology; and a concave topology. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The flow control valve element of claim 1, at least one of the inlet lip and the outlet lip comprising a blend radius, at least a portion of which is disposed in the flow path of the fluid flow through the hollowed-out portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The flow control valve element of claim 1, at least one of the inlet lip and the outlet lip formed by a chamfer between an interior surface of the hollowed-out portion and an exterior surface of the valve ball. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The flow control valve element of claim 1, the wall thickness dimension proximate one or more of the inlet and the outlet comprising a second thickness; the second thickness dimension is less than a first thickness dimension of a valve ball wall defined by the hollowed-out portion and the exterior surface of the valve ball; and the second thickness dimension is defined by a point where the hollowed-out portion meets the exterior sphere-shaped topology of the valve ball in combination with the blend radius. ### Claim 11 A flow control valve element, comprising: a sphere-shaped valve ball, the inlet comprising an inlet lip; an outlet formed in the valve ball, the outlet opposing the inlet, and comprising an outlet lip, at least one of the inlet lip and the outlet lip comprising a blend radius flow passage edge formed between an internal surface of a hollowed out portion and external surface of the valve ball, and at least one of the inlet lip and the outlet lip comprising a flow passage edge, the flow passage edge disposed generally parallel to the fluid flow when the valve ball is disposed in a fully open position, the flow passage edge comprising a second thickness dimension that is less than a first thickness dimension of a valve ball wall proximate to the at least one of the inlet lip and the outlet lip, the first thickness dimension defined by the hollowed-out portion and the exterior surface of the valve ball; and the hollowed-out portion extending between the inlet and the outlet, the hollowed-out portion comprising an ellipsoid segment of an ellipsoid defined by rotating an ellipse about its semi-major axis: the semi-major axis is greater than the semi-minor axis of the ellipse; and the direction of flow through the valve ball lies along the semi-major axis when the valve ball is disposed in a fully open position. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The flow control valve element of claim 11, at least one of the inlet lip and the outlet lip formed by a chamfer the interior surface of the hollowed-out portion and the exterior surface of the valve ball. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The flow control valve element of claim 11, comprising a pair of opposing flats formed in the valve ball, the flats respectively comprising a first flat portion disposed on an external portion of the valve ball and an opposing second flat portion disposed in the hollowed-out portion, the first and second flat portions defining the valve ball wall comprising the first thickness dimension. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The flow control valve element of claim 11 wherein at least one of the external surface of the valve ball and the internal surface of the hollowed-out portion comprise a reduced roughness surface finish of about 120μ-inch. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The flow control valve element of claim 11 wherein at least one of the external surface of the valve ball and the internal surface of the hollowed-out portion comprise a directional surface finish oriented generally parallel to a fluid flow direction through the hollowed-out portion of the flow control valve element. ### Claim 16 A flow control valve ball, comprising: a generally spherically-shaped topology; an inlet; an outlet, the outlet opposing the inlet; a hollowed-out portion extending between the inlet and the outlet, the hollowed-out portion defined by an ellipsoid segment of an ellipsoid comprising a first semi-principal axis, a second semi-principal axis, and a third semi-principal axis: the first semi-principal axis is greater than both the second semi-principal axis and the third semi-principal axis; and a path of fluid flow through the hollowed-out portion lies along the first semi-principal axis when the valve ball is disposed in a fully open position; a pair of opposing flats, the flats respectively comprising a first flat portion formed in the external portion of the ball and an opposing second flat portion formed in the hollowed-out portion of the ball; and a wall defined by the internal and external portions of the ball, the wall having a wall thickness dimension proximate one or more of the inlet and the outlet, wherein at least one of the inlet and the outlet comprises a lip, the lip comprising a flow passage edge, the flow passage edge disposed generally parallel to a fluid flow direction when the valve ball is disposed in a fully open position, the lip comprising a flow passage width which is less than the wall thickness dimension proximate one or more of the inlet and the outlet.