GB2081843A

GB2081843A - Fluid valve means

Info

Publication number: GB2081843A
Application number: GB8041001A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Stanadyne LLC
Current assignee: Stanadyne LLC
Priority date: 1980-07-30
Filing date: 1980-12-22
Publication date: 1982-02-24
Also published as: KR830004554A; FR2487941A2; NL8100041A; DK154909C; SE8008490L; IT8147710A0; JPS5729858A; BR8102099A; FR2487941B2; DK531980A; SE438724B; ES498291A0; GB2081843B; DE3126376C2; IT1142275B; DE3126376A1; BE887376R; ES8204111A2; DK154909B

Abstract

A fluid valve includes a sleeve structure (240) having inlet and outlet ports and a stem (238) movable within the sleeve structure (240). The stem (238) has inlet and outlet port means (252 and 250) with the outlet port means (250) being movable into register with the outlet port (267) of the sleeve structure (240). A fixed seal member is positioned on the sleeve (238), out of the path of flow through the stem (238) to the sleeve structure (240), with the outlet port (250) of the stem (238) being closed by the seal member when the valve is in a closed position. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Fluid valve means The present invention relates to fluid valve means, particularly but not exclusively to a valve of the type usable in a two-handle lavatory or kitchen faucet.

An aim of the present invention is to provide simply constructed reliably operable fluid valve means.

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to fluid valve means comprising (a) sleeve means, (b) inlet and outlet port means in the sleeve means, (c) a stem movable within the sleeve means between open and closed positions and having inlet and outlet port means, the inlet port means of the stem being in communication with the inlet port means of the sleeve means, the outlet port means of the stem being movable into a position which is in register with the outlet port means of the sleeve means to thereby define a path of flow through the fluid valve means from the communicating inlet port means of the stem and the inlet port means of the sleeve means and through the outlet port means of the stem and the outlet port means of the sleeve means and (d) a fixed seal member carried by the sleeve means, the fixed seal member comprising a body portion and an annular portion integral therewith, with the annular portion being in sealing contact with the stem and being arranged about an axis which is substantially perpendicular to the axis of said stem, the fixed seal member being spaced from the outlet port means of the sleeve means and thereby out of the path of flow through the valve means, the outlet port means of the stem being in register with and closed by the annular portion ofthe fixed seal member when the stem is in a closed position.

Such fluid valve means may be constructed to provide a modulated water flow.

The fixed seal member may include a body portion attached to the exterior of the sleeve means and an annular portion extending through the sleeve means and into sealing contact with the interior stem.

An example of fluid valve means in accordance with the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an axial sectional view of a valve; and Figure 2 is a section in plane 2-2 of Figure 1.

A generally cylindrical housing 230 of the valve shown in Figures 1 and 2 has an outwardlyextending cylindrical housing discharge port 232 which defines an outlet of the valve structure. A further portion of the housing 234 is exteriorly threaded to receive a cap which is used to hold interior components of the valve structure within the housing. The lower end of the housing has a downwardly-extending passage 236 which serves as the inlet means for the valve.

Positioned within the housing 230 is a stem 238 and a sleeve structure 240. The stem 238 includes an outer section 242 which is available for attachment to suitable operating means. The stem 238 is also provided with a shoulder 244 positioned on one side of an O-ring 246 to hold the latter in place. A somewhat larger shoulder 248 is positioned on the opposite side of the O-ring 246. The stem interior is hollow and there is a stem discharge or outlet port 250 particularly shown in Figure 2. The bottom end of the stem 238 has an inlet 252.Thus, the path of water flow through the stem 238 will be from the inlet 252 into the generally hollow interior of the stem, out through the outlet port 250, and then through the housing discharge port 232 if the stem 238 has been rotated from the closed position of Figure 1 to an open position in which the outlet port 250 of the stem is in register with an outlet port 267 of the sleeve structure 240.

The sleeve structure 240 includes a generally cylindrical sleeve member 254, which is positioned within the housing, and a cap-like structure 256 which is positioned with an outwardly-extending shoulder 258 overlying an outer end of the housing 230. The sleeve member 254 and the cap-like structure 256 may be suitable held together to provide a unitary structure, for example by projections 260 on the sleeve member 254 which fit within mating notches 262 in the cap-like structure 256. In any event, what is important is to provide a unitary sleeve structure 240 which can be simply positioned and attached within the housing and which will permit rotation of the interior stem, but not reciprocation thereof.

There is a groove 264 formed on the interior of the cap-like structure 256, which groove positions the shoulder 248 of the stem 238 to thus prevent reciprocation of the stem 238 relative to the sleeve structure 240. The sleeve structure 240 has a pair of spaced exteriorly-facing grooves which contain or mount seal rings 266 and 268 to effectively create respective seals at opposite ends of the sleeve structure 240 between the latter and the interior of the housing 230. The outlet port 267 of the sleeve structure 240 is positioned in alignment with the housing discharge port 232.

A fixed seal member effects valve closure or valve shutoff. The seal includes a body portion 270 and a port seal portion 272 which extends through an opening 274 in the sleeve structure 240. The body portion 270, in plan view, is somewhat rectangular in shape, but it has a cylindrical curve to conform to the exterior of the sleeve. In fact, the body portion 270 fits within a cylindrical recess 276 formed on the exterior of the sleeve member 254, and there is an in-turned peripheral seal flange 278 which fits within a mating notch 280 to thus hold the seal member onto the exterior of the sleeve member 254. There are a plurality of beads 282 which extend about the periphery of the body portion 270 and are in contact with the interior of the housing 230.The beads define the outer boundary of a pressure chamber formed by a recess or depression 284 in the body portion 270 of the fixed seal member. When the valve is in use, water will pass into the fixed seal member from the outlet port 250 to fill the depression or recess 284 and create an inwardly-directed water pressure-created force upon the port seal portion 272 of the seal member, thus urging the port seal portion 272 into sealing contact with the stem 238.

Of principal advantage of the illustrated valve is the fact that the fixed seal member is out of the path of flow defined from the inlet of the sleeve structure 240 to the inlet 252 of the stem and then from the hollow stem interior through the stem outlet port 25Q to the sleeve outlet port 267. At no time is there any fluid or waterfiow through the centre of the fixed seal member. Water will be in contact with the seal member, but there will never be any pressure acting upon it of the type that could cause itto be removed from its fixed position. Nor is there ever any pressure acting upon the fixed seal member which could cause it to extrude outwardly from its retained position on the sleeve member 254 to the pointthatthe moving stem would cut or abrade the fixed seal member.It is particularly advantageous to utilize the water pressure itself to create a firm seal closure upon the stem 238.

The valve structure shown in Figures 1 and 2 is usable in kitchen, lavatory and shower-tub faucet combinations in which there are separate valves for controlling the flow of hot and cold water. The valve is not limited to such applications, but it has been found to be particularly suitable for such uses. The valve is simple in construction and the valve shutoff is accomplished by use of an O-ring type portion of the fixed seal member in position on the sleeve member 254, with the O-ring seal portion being an integral annular part of the fixed seal member attached to the exterior of the sleeve member 254.

A further advantage of the construction illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 is the fact that the fixed seal member does not move with the stem 238, but rather is fixed in position. Thus, the seal member is not rubbed or chafed or worn during valve operation. As previously mentioned, the seal member is not in the line or path of water flow and thus is not subject to being moved by water pressure, nor does it come into contact with foreign matter in the water supply. The seal member provides a positive closure for the valve, but does so in such a manner as to insure that the seal is not worn and has a long life.

Claims

1. Fluid valve means comprising (a) sleeve means, (b) inlet and outlet port means in the sleeve means, (c) a stem movable within the sleeve means between open and closed positions and having inlet and outlet port means, the inlet port means of the stem being in communication with the inlet port means of the sleeve means, the outlet port means of the stem being movable into a position which is in register with the outlet port means of the sleeve means to thereby define a path of flow through the fluid valve means from the communicating inlet port means of the stem and the inlet port means of the sleeve means and through the outlet port means of the stem and the outlet port means of the sleeve means, and (d) a fixed seal member carried by the sleeve means, the fixed seal member comprising a body portion and an annular portion integral therewith, with the annular portion being in sealing contact with the stem and being arranged about an axis which is substantially perpendicular to the axis of said stem, the fixed seal member being spaced from the outlet port means of the sleeve means and thereby out of the path of flow through the valve means, the outlet port means of the stem being in register with and closed by the annular portion of the fixed seal member when the stem is in a closed position.

2. Fluid valve means according to claim 1, in which the body portion of the fixed seal member is positioned upon the exterior of the sleeve means, with the annular portion of the fixed seal member extending through the sleeve means and into contact with the stem.

3. Fluid valve means according to claim 2, in which the body portion of the fixed seal member has a depression extending about the annular portion of the fixed seal member the depression functioning as a pressure chamber for providing a pressure-created force acting upon the annular portion of the fixed seal member to urge it into sealing contact with the stem.

4. Fluid valve means according to any preceding claim, in which interlock means are provided on the body portion and the sleeve means for attaching the fixed seal member to the sleeve means.

5. Fluid valve means substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawing.