Float apparatus
AssigneeFlowTech Fueling, LLC
InventorJeffrey D. Workman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A float valve apparatus is provided for regulating the level of fluid within a tank. The apparatus may include a housing having one or more inlet ports and an outlet port that are each fluidly connected via a channel disposed within the housing. A float disposed within the housing may move relative to the housing between a first position and a second position when a fluid level in the tank reaches a preset level. A shaft may extend from the float into a chamber, and as the float moves from the first position to the second position, fluid may enter a chamber and bias the float further upward. In some examples, the shaft is further configured to increasingly obstruct the flow of fluid in the channel as the float moves from the first position to the second position.
Claims18
A float valve apparatus for regulating the level of fluid within a tank, comprising:
- a housing comprising at least one inlet port and at least one outlet port, wherein the at least one inlet port and the at least one outlet port are fluidly connected via a channel disposed within the housing;
- a float disposed within the housing and configured to move relative to the housing between a first position and a second position;
- a shaft connected to the float comprising a distal end and a proximal end;
- and
- a chamber disposed within the housing fluidly connected to the channel and configured to receive the distal end of the shaft when the float is in the first position, wherein the presence of the distal end of the shaft in the chamber prevents fluid from entering the chamber from the channel when the float is in the first position, and wherein the chamber is further configured to receive fluid from the channel when the float is in the second position, wherein the chamber is configured to pressurize upon receiving fluid from the channel,
- wherein the proximal end of the shaft comprises a reduced cross-section portion located within the channel between the at least one outlet port and the at least one inlet port when the float is in the first position, thereby allowing fluid received at the one or more inlet port to exit the channel via the outlet port.
A float valve apparatus for regulating the level of fluid within a tank, comprising:
- a housing comprising a channel disposed within the housing, the channel comprising at least one inlet port and at least one outlet port;
- a float disposed within the housing and configured to move relative to the housing between a first position and a second position in response to the level of fluid within the tank;
- a shaft connected to the float comprising a distal end and a proximal end, and configured to intersect the channel and partially obstruct the flow of fluid in the channel when the float is in the first position;
- and
- a chamber disposed within the housing fluidly connected to the channel and configured to receive the distal end of the shaft in the chamber such that fluid is prevented from entering the chamber from the channel when the float is in the first position, and wherein the chamber is further configured to receive fluid from the channel when the float is in the second position;
- wherein the shaft is further configured to increasingly obstruct the flow of fluid in the channel as the float moves from the first position to the second position such that the shaft completely obstructs the flow of fluid in the channel when the float is in the second position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.