Valves are used in many applications wherein control of flow of a fluid is required or desired. This includes controlling the flow of includes such as oil, fuel, water, gases, etc. Some valves operate to control fluid flow by positioning valving members to control the amount of fluid allowed to pass through the valve. Other valves operate in a switching fashion wherein fluid flow is either turned on or turned off. Such valves may be found in consumer and commercial appliances such as dishwashers, washing machines, refrigerators, beverage vending machines, boilers, etc., whereby water is allowed to flow for a predetermined period of time or until a predetermined volume has been dispensed therethrough. The control of the valve operation may typically be performed by an electronic control circuit, such as a microprocessor based controller, along with its associated drive circuitry, to open and/or close the varying member within the valve.
A problem with such switching valves is the force necessary to open the valving member against the static pressure of the process fluid acting on one side of the valving member. Depending on the application, this pressure may be quite high, particularly when compared with the low pressure on the opposite side of the valving member which, in many appliance applications, is at atmospheric pressure. In addition to the static fluid pressure acting on the valving member tending to keep it closed, many such switching valves also include a spring positioned to apply a force on the valving member. This spring force allows the valve to be closed upon the removal of a drive signal, and maintains a bias force on the valving member to keep it closed.
In such configurations, the valve actuator must overcome both the force generated by the static fluid pressure, which can be quite high and may vary from installation to installation, as well as the spring force, both of which are acting to keep the valve closed. Once these two forces have been overcome, however, the force necessary to continue to open the valve to its fully open position is substantially reduced as the pressure differential across the valving member face drops dramatically. Once this pressure has been equalized, the only remaining force against which the actuator must act is the spring force.
Many electronically controlled switching valves include an electrically actuated solenoid to directly act on a plunger connected to the valving member to move the valving member to its open position. Unfortunately, due to the high pressure differentials that exist for a closed valve and the spring force, the actuator needs to be relatively large so that it is able to reliably operate the valve under all operating conditions and installations. In many industries, such as the consumer appliance industry, strict governmental and certifying agency requirements place a heavy premium on an electric power usage. Further, the appliance industry is highly competitive and the cost of actuators, alone or in addition to the production costs of the valve, provides a significant detriment to developing new technologies and implementing same in the industry.
One example of a prior art instrument for controlling fluid flow is illustrated by
The electromagnet unit 20 drives a first valve 15 to be attached to and detached from the valve seat 13 inside the chamber 14, so that the chamber 14 and the water outlet 12 are connected to and separated from each other. The first valve 15 also partitions the inside of the chamber 14 into the upper and lower sections, such that a pressure chamber 14 is defined in the upper section.
In addition, the first valve 15 includes a diaphragm 15a and a diaphragm holder 15b. The first valve 15 also has a first water passage 17 in the peripheral portion thereof beyond the valve seat 13, and a second water passage 18 in the central portion thereof. The first water passage 17 connects the chamber 14 with a pressure chamber 16, and the second water passage 18 connects the pressure chamber 16 with the water outlet 12.
In the first and second water passages 17 and 18, the second water passage 18 is opened and closed by a second valve 23 on the lower end of a plunger 22 that is installed inside the electromagnet unit 20 under a downward elastic force from a spring 21. Here, the first water passage 17 has an inner diameter smaller than that of the second water passage 18, and controls a flow of supply water following the opening and closing of the second water passage 18.
When power is not supplied to the electromagnet unit 20, the plunger 22 is brought into close contact with the valve seat 13 under its weight and the downward elastic force of the spring 21 and, at the same time, supply water supplied from the water inlet 11 pushes the first valve 15 upward instantaneously in the initial stage. This is because the elastic force of the spring 21, which presses the plunger 22, is smaller than supply water pressure.
However, the first valve 15, which is pushed upward, is directly closed by the supply water pressure. That is, right after water pressure is applied to the underside of the first valve 15, a portion of supply water is introduced into the pressure chamber 16 through the first water passage 17 in the first valve 15. The supply water introduced in this fashion applies a certain pressing force to the upper surface of the first valve 15 to bring the first valve 15 into close contact with the valve seat 13, thereby maintaining a closed circuit state. In this fashion, it is possible to achieve the closed circuit state that stops water supply without consuming electrical power.
In addition, when power is applied to the electromagnet unit 20, the plunger 22 of the electromagnet unit 20 is pushed upward, thereby opening the second water passage 18 of the first valve 15, which was closed by the second valve 23. At this time, the water in the pressure chamber 16 is caused to flow instantaneously toward the water outlet 12 under the atmospheric pressure through the second water passage 18, thereby dropping the pressure inside the pressure chamber 16 to the same as the atmospheric pressure. The force acting on the first valve 15 is released, so that the pressure of water supplied from the water inlet 11 causes the first valve 15 to drop to the upper surface of the valve seat 10. At the same time, a supply water passage passing through the water inlet 11, the chamber 14, and the water outlet 12 of the valve body 10 is maintained in the open circuit state, thereby achieving the intended water supply state.
In order to remove impurities from supply water, which passes through the power-saving electromagnetic water supply valve as described above, a filter 24 is necessarily provided adjacent to the water inlet 11. While the filter 24 prevents the first water passage 17 and the second water passage 18 from being clogged by the cohesion of impurities, these small particles becoming trapped in filter 24 significantly reduce the flow rate compared to an amount of introduced water. In addition, impurities accumulated in the filter increase resistance and thus water is not properly supplied.
Thus, valves such as valve 15 must be carefully engineered and sized to allow proper fluid flow from the inlet into the pressure chamber 16 in order to maintain the valve in a closed condition without requiring power input. This demands careful milling and/or injection molding and construction of the valve and the water passage 17. Moreover, any pollutants in the water source entering the inlet and passing the filter may clog water passage 17. This requires one to either clean or replace the valve in order to provide for keeping the valve in the closed state as blocking water passage 17 prevents equilibrium from establishing between the inlet and pressure chamber 16, instead forcing valve 15 open and causing a leak or further damaging the valve. Moreover, low water pressure could also impact the valve as the ambient pressure may be insufficient to either flow through water passage 17 or insufficient to move valve 15 once the plunger 22 is moved.
Valve construction is further complicated because not only does the static or atmospheric pressure of water systems vary across locations, as well as within a particular location, but pollutant levels also contribute to clogging and/or blocking valving mechanisms, thereby inhibiting their function and requiring frequent service calls to either unblock or replace units that no longer function. This problem is especially prevalent in areas that couple low fluid pressures, such as municipality provided water systems, with high pollutant content of the provided fluid.
What is needed in the art are environmentally friendly, low cost methods for allowing valving mechanisms to function in low pressure situations, especially in low pressure situations where the fluid being controlled contains pollutants.
Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention. It is intended that the invention include modifications and variations to the system and method embodiments described herein.
The present invention provides a fluid control mechanism that functions in low pressure fluid wherein the fluid may contain pollutants or detritus that would impede the function of previously known fluid control mechanisms or valves. In a particular embodiment, a fluid flow regulating mechanism is disclosed that includes an inlet and an outlet. The mechanism includes a divergence that divides an incoming fluid flow through the inlet into at least a control pathway and a flow pathway. A positionable member is located in the control pathway for selectively allowing fluid flow through the control pathway. A valve is positioned such that fluid flow through the control pathway prevents fluid from the flow pathway from exiting through the outlet until fluid pressure through the flow pathway exceeds fluid pressure through the control pathway. In a further embodiment, the divergence causes the control pathway to diverge at an angle from the flow pathway. In a still further embodiment, the divergence causes the control pathway to diverge at an angle between 0 and 90 degrees with respect to the flow pathway. In a still yet further embodiment, the divergence positions the control pathway and flow pathways generally parallel to one another. In another embodiment, cessation of fluid flow along the control pathway allows the flow pathway to displace the valve. In a yet further embodiment, no filtering mechanism is present in the inlet. The positionable member, in yet another embodiment, blocks either an inlet bore in the control pathway or outlet bore leading to the outlet. In a still further embodiment, a decrease in fluid pressure in the control pathway allows the flow pathway to open the valve. A further embodiment provides that an actuator causes the positionable member to move within the control pathway. In a still further embodiment, the actuator is a solenoid. An additional embodiment provides that the valve has a single opening while a still further embodiment discloses that the single opening is the outlet bore.
In another embodiment, a fluid flow regulating mechanism is disclosed that comprises an inlet and an outlet. A divergence divides an incoming fluid flow through the inlet into at least a control pathway and a flow pathway. A positionable member located in the control pathway influences pressure within the control pathway. A valve is positioned such that pressure in the control pathway prevents fluid from the flow pathway from exiting through the outlet until pressure is reduced in the control pathway.
In another embodiment, a method of regulating fluid flow is provided. An inlet and an outlet are provided. A divergence is established that divides the fluid stream into at least a control pathway and a flow pathway. A positionable member is placed in the control pathway to influence the fluid flow through the control pathway. A valve is positioned wherein the fluid flow entering the control pathway prevents the fluid flow from the flow pathway from exiting through the outlet until fluid flow has ceased entering the control pathway. In another embodiment, the divergence forms an angle between the control pathway and the flow pathway. In a still further embodiment, the divergence causes the control pathway to diverge at an angle between 15 and 75 degrees with respect to the flow pathway. In a further embodiment, cessation of fluid flow along the control pathway allows the flow pathway to displace the valve. Yet another embodiment provides that a decrease in fluid pressure in the control pathway allows the flow pathway to open the valve. An actuator, in another embodiment, causes the positionable member to move within the control pathway. A still further embodiment provides that the valve has a single opening. In a still further embodiment, no filtering mechanism is present in the inlet.
In a further embodiment, a water valve is disclosed. The valve includes a chamber defining an inlet and an outlet. An anchor may be disposed in the chamber and a pull element may be engaged with the anchor. A sealing cylinder is provided in the chamber that comprises a flow bypass channel, defined on an interior surface of the sealing cylinder. The sealing cylinder also defines an adjunct valve seat outlet, defined in an exterior surface of the sealing cylinder. A membrane is also included in the chamber and comprises a proximal surface toward the inlet and a distal surface facing away from the inlet. The membrane may also define a central cavity that engages an exterior portion of the sealing cylinder. In an anchor first position, the sealing cylinder may close a main valve seat defined in the chamber and water flows through the flow bypass channel to engage the distal surface of the membrane. In an anchor second position, displacement of the anchor moves the pull element distally away from the inlet to obstruct the flow bypass channel and opens the adjunct valve seat to allow water to flow through the adjunct valve seat and out the outlet. The anchor second position may lower water pressure on the distal membrane surface such that the membrane and sealing cylinder move distally away from the inlet to open the main valve seat such that water may exit the valve through the main valve seat and out the outlet. In another embodiment, the membrane may reposition by flexing distally from the inlet. Still further, the anchor may be displaced by an electromagnet. In another embodiment, the sealing cylinder includes a filter positioned substantially at a proximal end of the sealing cylinder. Still further, in the anchor second position, water flowing through the inlet out the main valve seat may engage the filter and remove debris from the filter. In another embodiment, the anchor engages a spring.
In another embodiment, a water control device is provided. The device comprises a chamber defining an inlet, an outlet, and a control cavity. An anchor may be disposed in the control cavity and a pull element may be engaged with the anchor. A sealing cylinder may be present and may comprise a flow bypass channel, defined on an interior surface of the sealing cylinder. The sealing cylinder may also define an adjunct valve seat outlet, defined in an proximal exterior surface of the sealing cylinder. A membrane may also be present in the chamber comprising a proximal surface facing toward the inlet and a distal surface facing away from the inlet. The membrane may define a centralized opening that may circumferentially engage an exterior portion of the sealing cylinder. In an anchor first position the sealing cylinder may close a main valve seat defined in the chamber and water flows through the flow bypass channel into the control cavity to engage the distal surface of the membrane. In an anchor second position, displacement of the anchor moves the pull element distally, away from the inlet, to obstruct the flow bypass channel, ceasing flow into the control cavity, and opens the adjunct valve seat outlet to allow water to flow from the control cavity through the adjunct valve seat outlet and out the outlet. The anchor second position lowers water pressure on the distal membrane surface such that the membrane and sealing cylinder move distally away from the inlet to open the main valve seat such that water may exit the valve through the main valve seat and out the outlet.
In a further embodiment, the membrane may reposition by flexing distally away from the inlet. Still further, the anchor may be displaced by an electromagnet. In a further embodiment, the sealing cylinder includes a filter positioned substantially at a proximal end of the sealing cylinder. Still further, in the anchor second position, water flowing through the inlet out the main valve seat engages the filter and removes debris from the filter. Even further, the anchor may engage a spring.
In another embodiment, a method of regulating fluid flow is disclosed. A chamber is provided that comprises an inlet and an outlet for a fluid stream. A first flow channel is established for the fluid stream through the inlet and into a control cavity. A positionable member may be placed in the control cavity to influence the fluid stream flow in the control cavity. A membrane and a sealing cylinder may be positioned in the chamber, wherein the membrane and sealing cylinder may be engaged with one another. The positional member may be positioned in a first position wherein the first flow channel entering the control cavity exerts pressure on the membrane and contributes to preventing the fluid stream from exiting through the outlet. The positional member may be positioned in a second position wherein the first flow channel has ceased to flow into the control chamber and the fluid stream exits as a second flow channel through the outlet via an exit outlet defined in an exterior of the sealing cylinder. When the anchor is in the positional member second position, the membrane may move distally from the inlet, such that the sealing chamber moves to block the second flow channel and opens a main valve seat to allow the fluid stream to exit from the inlet to the outlet as a third flow channel.
In a further embodiment, a filter may be positioned at the proximal end of the sealing chamber such that when the third flow channel is flowing, the third flow channel removes debris from the filter. In a still further embodiment, the membrane may reposition by flexing distally away from the inlet. Still further, the positional member may move from the first position to second position by being displaced by an electromagnet. Even further, the anchor may engage a spring.
Additional aspects of particular embodiments of the invention will be discussed below with reference to the appended figures.
A full and enabling disclosure, including the best mode thereof, to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth more particularly in the remainder of the specification, including reference to the accompanying Figures, in which:
Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter, one or more examples of which are set forth below. Each embodiment is provided by way of explanation, not limitation, of the subject matter. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations may be made to the present disclosure without departing from the scope or spirit of the disclosure. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment, may be used in another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present disclosure cover such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
In general, the present disclosure is directed to a fluid control mechanism, such as an in-line fluid valve, for allowing greater efficiencies at low pressure volumes while not requiring the presence of a filter to screen pollutants from the incoming fluid.
In one embodiment, the present invention discloses a fluid control mechanism that functions in low pressure fluid wherein the fluid may contain pollutants or detritus that would impede the function of previously known fluid control mechanisms or valves. In a particular embodiment, a fluid flow regulating mechanism is disclosed that includes an inlet and an outlet. The fluid flow regulating mechanism may be formed from materials known to those of skill in the art such as plastics, polymers, metals, ceramics, etc., as well as combinations of the above.
The fluid flow regulating mechanism includes a divergence. The divergence may comprise a divider placed in the fluid flow to provide at least a control pathway and a flow pathway. The divergence may also comprise a passage or opening leading away from the fluid flow. The pathway may have a minimum diameter sufficient, as known to those of skill in the art, to accommodate a filter within the pathway. In a preferred embodiment, the divergence comprises an opening branching off or leading away from the incoming fluid flow. The divergence may be placed in the inlet or may be placed distal to the inlet with respect to fluid flow. In one embodiment, the divergence is placed upstream from the valve. In a further embodiment, the divergence is located near or adjacent to the proximal portion of the control pathway and is located at the proximal portion of the flow pathway. In a further embodiment, the divergence defines the proximal portion of the control pathway. In one embodiment, an inlet bore of the fluid flow regulating mechanism is smaller than the outlet bore of the fluid flow regulating mechanism.
In a preferred embodiment, the divergence causes the control pathway to diverge at an angle from the flow pathway. In a still further embodiment, the divergence causes the control pathway to diverge at an angle between 0 and 90 degrees. In another embodiment 15 and 75 degrees with respect to the flow pathway. In another embodiment, the angle of divergence is between 20 and 65 degrees. In a still further embodiment, the angle of divergence is between 30 and 55 degrees. In a preferred embodiment, the angle may be between 15 and 55 degrees. Importantly, the ranges of the present disclosure are provided for illustrative and informative purposes but should not be considered limited to the specified ranges as they may include combinations of the values specified for the above ranges, as well as values falling within these ranges such as, for purposes of example only, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 55, 57, 60 and 72 degrees, etc.
A positionable member is located in the control pathway for influencing fluid flow through the control pathway. The positionable member may be a one-piece solid construct or formed from two or more pieces conjoined. The positionable member may be generally columnar in shape but may possess any shape known to those of skill in the fluid flow arts. In a preferred embodiment, the positionable member is positioned within a sleeve or tube and is movable between at least a first and second position. Movement may be effected by means as known to those of skill in the art including solenoids or other actuators used to encourage movement. The positionable member, in yet another embodiment, may block either an inlet bore in the control pathway or outlet bore leading to the outlet, depending on the position of the positionable member with respect to each bore.
A valve may be positioned in the fluid regulating member. Fluid flow through the control pathway prevents fluid from the flow pathway from exiting through the valve and then through the outlet until fluid has either ceased flowing through the control pathway or the flow has been reduced sufficient to allow the flow pathway to displace the valve. The valve may be formed from materials known to those of skill in the art and the valve may have multiple openings extending throughout its surface. These openings may be of various circumferences and shapes.
The pressure within the fluid regulating mechanism may influence the open and closed positions of the valve. In one embodiment, cessation of fluid flow along the control pathway allows the flow pathway to displace the valve. In other embodiments, reducing the pressure in the control pathway allows the valve to be displaced by the flow pathway.
In a preferred embodiment, no filtering mechanism is present in the inlet. However, filtering mechanisms may be placed throughout the device including in the control path or the flow path of the mechanism. Suitable filtering mechanisms include metallic or polymer meshes, nets, cups, seines, etc.
The current disclosure also includes methods and systems for regulating fluid flow.
Referring to
Fluid passes from inlet 202 into flow tube 208 as well as into control fluid tube 210. Control fluid tube 210 is angled with respect to flow tube 208. This angle may vary as disclosed herein. Control fluid tube 210 may also include a small screen insert 212 that may serve to filter the fluid entering via inlet 202.
One benefit to the current disclosure is that when a filter 212, such as a small screen insert or other suitable filter as known to those of skill in the art, is employed, only a very small portion of the inlet water supply is filtered rather than filtering the entirety of the inlet water supply as with prior art designs. In one embodiment, filter 212 may be place at the entrance to control fluid tube 210 or within the body of control fluid tube 210. Suitable filters are commercially available and known to those of skill in the art.
In-line valve mechanism may also optionally include a terminal 220 in order to supply power to the in-line valve mechanism 200.
In-line valve mechanism 200 may also include a moveable anchor 222. The anchor 222 may be movably enclosed by a sleeve 224 and engage a spring 226, or other tensioning means as known to those of skill in the art. O-rings 227 and 229, or other suitable means as known to those of skill in the art, may be used to seal and/or sit anchor 222 within in-line valve mechanism 200. Anchor 222 may be positioned within sleeve 224 such that in a first position anchor 222 is distanced from an inlet bore 230 of control inlet 228 and an opposing end of anchor 222 engages and closes outlet bore 234 of control outlet 236. Anchor 222 may be movably fixed within sleeve 224 such that anchor 222 may slidably, or otherwise, as known to those of skill in the art, reposition within sleeve 224, such as for purposes of example only, through the interaction of a solenoid 232 and spring 226, and arrive at a second position wherein anchor 222 engages and closes inlet bore 230 of control inlet 228 and is distanced from outlet bore 234 of control outlet 236, thereby allowing fluid to pass through control passage 238.
As anchor 222 moves from the first to the second position, valve carrier 244 displaces with respect to seat 240 and moves from a closed position, when anchor 222 is engaging and closing outlet bore 234 of control outlet 236, to an open position when anchor 222 is engaging and closing inlet bore 230 of control inlet 228. This is due to the control inlet 228 being closed and the pressure differential exerted by the fluid passing through control passage 238 reducing to ambient pressure due to closing control inlet 228. Valve carrier 244 moves from a closed position to an open position due to fluid in flow tube 208 flowing from the flow tube 208 through flow outlet 242 into valve carrier area 246 and displacing valve carrier 244 from valve seat 240 due to the pressure differential now existing between the flow portion and control portion of in-line valve mechanism 200. Membrane 248 engages valve carrier 244. This may occur, such as for purposes of example only, by membrane 248 possessing an opening, not shown, that engages a perimeter of valve carrier 244. Alternatively, membrane 248 and valve carrier 244 may be of unitary configuration with the two, formerly described as separate, comprising a single structure. With valve carrier 244 moving in response to the fluid flow from flow outlet 242 flowing into valve carrier area 246, membrane 248, positioned between the valve carrier 244 and valve seat 240 moves from engaging valve seat 240 to being distanced therefrom. Thus, allowing fluid introduced by flow tube 208 into flow outlet 242 into valve carrier area 246 to exit the in-line valve mechanism 200 via outlet 250. Valve carrier area 246 may include a single opening from flow outlet 242 or may be designed such that flow from flow outlet 242 enters the valve carrier area 246 via more than one opening, such as two, three, four, six, or ten openings, although the disclosure should not be considered so limited and more or less openings may be used to encourage fluid flow from flow outlet 242 into valve carrier area 246.
The outlet 250 of in-line valve mechanism 200 may be sealed with an outlet sealing member 252. The outlet sealing member may constitute an o-ring, fluid seal, or other means as known to those of skill in the art.
In-line valve mechanism 200 may also include a solenoid 232, as known to those of skill in the art, that may include bobbin 214, which may be wrapped with a wire such as copper wire, or other suitable wrapping as known to those of skill in the art, to form coil 216 in association with a frame 218, wherein the frame may be steel, stainless steel, or another suitable material as known to those of skill in the art. Solenoid 232, or other actuating means as known to those of skill in the art, may be used to displace anchor 222 with respect to spring 226 in order to effectuate movement of anchor 222.
In order to cease flow from flow tube 208, the force used to effectuate anchor 222 may simply be removed. Once removed, anchor 222 will reengage against outlet bore 234, as shown in
Membrane 248 may serve various purposes in the fluid regulating member. For instance, it acts as a movable seal between the control and flow pathways. Thus, the membrane may function as a separator between the two hydraulic lines in the in-line valve. In one embodiment, when the flow of the control pathway is reduced, which may be as a result of moving the anchor away from the valve carrier, the pressure in the control pathway falls to near atmospheric levels. Meanwhile, the pressure exerted by the flow pathway increases. The force generated by the increased pressure in the flow pathway then lifts the membrane 248 to move valve carrier 244 away from valve seat 240 and engaging surface 241 to open a fluid pathway to outlet 250. The relative pressures exerted by pathways, via fluid or other means, serve to keep membrane 248 either open or closed, depending on which pathway exerts more pressure on membrane 248. Further, the membrane serves to create separate pressure chambers that may or may not have differing pressures depending on the action of the pathways in conjunction with the membrane. Additionally, membrane 248 serves to close off the valve seat 240 when engaged therewith.
Membrane 248 may come in various shapes. For instance,
The material used to form membrane 248 should be sufficiently rigid in order to keep the valve closed but must be flexible enough to allow for repeated opening and closing of the valve as the pressure differential within the valve changes. Membrane 248 may be formed from various materials including rubber, synthetic resins, and polymers as known to those of skill in the art.
Membrane 248 may have an outer ring 402 as well as inner opening 404, see
This arrangement creates a generally absolute pressure differential versus the essentially relative pressure of prior art devices that possess open passages throughout, see
In a further embodiment, the in-line valve mechanisms of the present disclosure may employ a holding nut 700 attached to or forming inlet 202 or 602.
Sealing pull element 824 may also be shaped to have a specific engagement geometry with anchor 826, such as male/female engagement, tongue in groove, twist engagement, or other specific geometries as known to those of skill in the art. An anchor 826 may be positioned distally from housing inlet 802. Anchor 826 may be actuated by means such as activator 808, this includes hydraulic activation, pneumatic, piezoelectric, electromagnetic, etc., or other means known to those of skill in the art, which in a preferred embodiment may be an electromagnet. Anchor 826 is preferably corrosion resistant and formed from magnetic steel. It slides within sleeve 834 and may have specific geometries on the surface that engages with sealing pull element 940, for instance, a round mating geometry may be formed, or other shapes as known to those of skill in the art. Anchor 826 may also include a flat surface for water bypass. A spring 828 may be placed circumferentially around anchor 826. A bobbin 830 may surround and enclose spring 828 and anchor 826. A coil 832 may circumferentially, or otherwise as known to those of skill in the art, engage bobbin 830 surrounding at least a portion of bobbin 830. Cylinder valve 800 may also include a sleeve 834. This sleeve may be of metal, plastic or other materials as known to those of skill in the art. Cylinder valve 800 may also include a membrane 836.
As
While the anchor is described by the term “position” with respect to various of the FIGURES, those of skill in the art will recognize that a multitude, or range, of positions are possible as described herein based on the disclosure pertaining to a respective figure of a particular anchor “position.” The disclosure should not be considered or limited to anchor as disposed statically or rigidly or in a particular fixed position via the positions illustrated in the figures, unless so indicated in the description. Variations and various placements of the anchor may accomplish the results described in each of the figures and multiple such positions are not only possible but are herein fully supported and disclosed as would be recognized by those of skill in the art.
While the subject matter has been described in detail with respect to the specific embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated that those skilled in the art, upon attaining an understanding of the foregoing, may readily conceive of alterations to, variations of, and equivalents to these embodiments. Accordingly, the scope of the present disclosure should be assessed as that of the appended claims and any equivalents thereto.