Patent Application
20110214769
This present disclosure generally pertains to valve assemblies that comprise a housing and a selection member for selectively allowing fluid communication between a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a valve assembly for a liquid dispenser. The valve assemblies, exhibiting maximum efficiency of the liquid dispenser, allow fluid communication between a single fluid pathway and any one of multiple fluid pathways.
An aspect or embodiment of the disclosure pertains to an improved valve assembly that comprises a housing and a selection member. The disclosure includes a housing with a single fluid inlet and corresponding multiple fluid outlets, or a single fluid outlet and corresponding multiple fluid inlets. For example, the housing can have a single water inlet and multiple water outlets for cold, hot and room temperature water. Conversely, the housing can have multiple fluid inlets corresponding to different flavors of liquid and a single fluid outlet for dispensing the flavored liquid, for example.
In accordance with another aspect or embodiment, the selection member is a joystick having a portion seated within the housing. The joystick is movable between the multiple fluid pathways. The joystick operation allows for easy manipulation of the selection member, thus simplifying operation and minimizing wear and user strain for example.
In still another aspect or embodiment, the multiple fluid pathways are arranged in the housing in a specific pattern. The type of pattern used allows for design flexibility in working with the number of multiple fluid pathways and the end use of the valve assembly. For example, the housing can have one inlet and three outlets arranged in a T pattern or a Y pattern. Each end point of the T or Y pattern can enable a outlet to be in fluid communication with the inlet, and the center point of the T or Y pattern can prevent any fluid communication with the inlet, for example.
In yet another aspect or embodiment, any one of the inlet or outlet pathways can be throttled. Throttling allows for a range of fluid communication through the specific pathway. For example, a specific outlet pathway can be throttled to allow for specific settings of ¼, ½, ¾ and full fluid flow. Each fluid pathway can have the same throttling characteristics, or each fluid pathway can have different throttling characteristics, for example.
In another aspect or embodiment, the valve assembly can also include a locking member. The locking member prevents fluid communication with specific fluid pathways. For example, a water faucet can have a valve assembly having a cold water outlet, a hot water outlet and a locking ring, where engaging the locking ring prevents the hot water outlet from working.
It is the intention of at least one embodiment of the disclosure to provide a valve assembly including: a housing having a seating cavity, at least one selection cavity, and at least one first and second fluid pathway, a selection member having a seating portion and an engagement portion, and wherein at least a portion of the seating portion is contained within a portion of the seating cavity.
In an aspect of the disclosure, multiple selection cavities form a first pattern. In another aspect of the disclosure, the first pattern is one of a Y pattern, a T pattern or a linear pattern. In yet another aspect of the disclosure, the first and second fluid pathways form a second pattern. In another aspect of the disclosure, the second pattern is one of a Y pattern, a T pattern or a linear pattern.
In a further aspect of the disclosure, the selection member is operated as a joystick. In another aspect of the disclosure, the joystick is movable within the pattern of selection cavities. In a further aspect of the disclosure, the joystick must be moved through a first position when the joystick is moved between the selection cavities.
Yet another aspect of the disclosure further includes that the seating portion is sized and shaped to block fluid communication between a first fluid pathway and a second fluid pathway when the seating portion is in a first position. Another aspect of the disclosure includes that the seating portion is sized and shaped to block fluid communication between a first fluid pathway and a second fluid pathway when the seating portion is in a second position. In another aspect of the disclosure, the seating portion is sized and shaped such that the rate of fluid communication between a first fluid pathway and a second fluid pathway changes as the seating portion is moved from a first position to a second position. In a further aspect of the disclosure, the valve assembly is receivably engaged by a locking member. In a further aspect of the disclosure, the locking member is a rotatable ring.
In another aspect of the disclosure, the seating portion and the seating cavity form a ball and socket arrangement. In yet another aspect of the disclosure, fluid communication between the first and second fluid pathways is volume controlled by one of a gate in at least one of the first and second fluid pathways, a filter in at least one of the first and second fluid pathways, and the size and shape of the seating portion. In a further aspect of the disclosure, the valve assembly further includes a detent.
It is the intention of at least one embodiment of the disclosure to provide a valve assembly including: a housing having a seating cavity, at least one selection cavity, at least one fluid inlet and at least on fluid outlet, a selection member having a seating portion and an engagement portion, and wherein at least a portion of the seating portion is contained within a portion of the seating cavity.
In another aspect of the disclosure, the housing has one fluid inlet and one of two fluid outlets and three fluid outlets. In yet another aspect of the disclosure, the housing has one fluid outlet and one of two fluid inlets and three fluid inlets.
It is the intention of at least one embodiment of the disclosure to provide a fluid dispenser assembly including: a dispenser housing having at least one fluid inlet and at least one fluid outlet, an actuating member, and a valve assembly, the valve assembly including a housing having a seating cavity, at least one selection cavity, and at least one first and second fluid pathway, a selection member having a seating portion and an engagement portion, and wherein at least a portion of the seating portion is contained within a portion of the seating cavity.
As required, detailed embodiments of the present disclosure are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the disclosure, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present disclosure in virtually any appropriate manner.
Referring further to
Housing 30 includes at least one selection cavity 34 according to an exemplary embodiment. According to the exemplary embodiment shown in
Housing 30 also includes multiple fluid pathways 35 having at least one first fluid pathway 36 and at least one second fluid pathway 38 according to an exemplary embodiment. The fluid pathways extend through the housing 30 and provide paths for fluid to travel from a fluid inlet to a fluid outlet. Housing 30 in the illustrated embodiment includes one first fluid pathway 36 and three second fluid pathways 38, as can be seen in
Alternatively, the fluid inlet and outlets can be switched such that there can be multiple fluid inlets and one fluid outlet. In this case, first fluid pathway 36 is a fluid outlet and second fluid pathways 38 are fluid inlets. For example, each fluid inlet 38 could provide a different flavored liquid, each of which is discharged through the fluid outlet 36, such as in a soda fountain dispenser, for example.
Selection cavities 34 can be arranged within housing 30 in any number of patterns, for example in a first pattern 50, as shown in
Alternatively, second pattern 55 can be arranged in a pattern other than a T-shaped pattern. In another exemplary embodiment as shown in
Seating portion 42 can be sized and/or shaped to affect the fluid flow as the selection member 40 (e.g. joystick) is transitioned between a first pathway and a second pathway. For example, fluid communication between first and second fluid pathways 36,38 can be either fully blocked or fully open depending upon the position of the selection member 40. Alternatively, seating portion 42 can be sized and/or shaped so that fluid communication between first and second fluid pathways 36,38 is increased gradually or in stepped increments from fully blocked to fully open, providing for volume control or throttling, for example. For example, stepped increments of ¼, ½, ¾ and full fluid flow can be used as throttling settings. Volume control or throttling can be accomplished alternatively, such as by a gate or filter in at least one of first and second fluid pathways 36,38 for example. Each fluid pathway 36,38 can have any desired throttling characteristics such that each fluid pathway 36,38 has different throttling characteristics, all fluid pathways 36,38 have the same throttling characteristics, at least one fluid pathway 36,38 has no throttling, or any combination as desired.
Housing 30 can be made of any industry standard material such as metal or plastic, for example. Housing 30 in the illustrated embodiment of
Valve assembly 20 can also be sized and shaped to receive a locking member 60 that can operate to prevent fluid flow from a specific fluid inlet 38 or fluid outlet 36 as desired. As seen in
Locking member 60 or seating cavity 32 may include an adjustment member 62 for the off position, for example. The adjustment member 62 can provide feedback (e.g., tactile and/or visual) that the stem is in the off position and/or prevent the handle from drifting away from the off position, for example. Adjustment member 62 can be a tab, a detent, or a spring for example. In the exemplary embodiment as shown in
It will be understood that there are numerous modifications of the illustrated embodiments described above which will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art, such as variations and modifications of the valve assembly and/or its components, including combinations of features disclosed herein that are individually disclosed or claimed herein, explicitly including additional combinations of such features, or alternatively other types of valve assemblies. For example, valve assemblies can have more than one first fluid pathway or more than one selection member or housing. Also, there are many possible variations in the materials and configurations. These modifications and/or combinations fall within the art to which this disclosure relates and are intended to be within the scope of the claims, which follow.
As utilized herein, the terms “approximately,” “about,” “substantially,” and similar terms are intended to have a broad meaning in harmony with the common and accepted usage by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the subject matter of this disclosure pertains. It should be understood by those of skill in the art who review this disclosure that these terms are intended to allow a description of certain features described and claimed without restricting the scope of these features to the precise numerical ranges provided. Accordingly, these terms should be interpreted as indicating that insubstantial or inconsequential modifications or alterations of the subject matter described and claimed are considered to be within the scope of the invention as recited in the appended claims.
It should be noted that the term “exemplary” as used herein to describe various embodiments is intended to indicate that such embodiments are possible examples, representations, and/or illustrations of possible embodiments (and such term is not intended to connote that such embodiments are necessarily extraordinary or superlative examples).
The terms “coupled,” “connected,” and the like as used herein mean the joining of two members directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary (e.g., permanent) or moveable (e.g., removable or releasable). Such joining may be achieved with the two members or the two members and any additional intermediate members being integrally formed as a single unitary body with one another or with the two members or the two members and any additional intermediate members being attached to one another.
It should be noted that the orientation of various elements may differ according to other exemplary embodiments, and that such variations are intended to be encompassed by the present disclosure.
It is also important to note that the construction and arrangement of the valve assembly as shown in the various exemplary embodiments is illustrative only. Although only a few embodiments have been described in detail in this disclosure, those skilled in the art who review this disclosure will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter disclosed herein. For example, elements shown as integrally formed may be constructed of multiple parts or elements, the position of elements may be reversed or otherwise varied, and the nature or number of discrete elements or positions may be altered or varied. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims. The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be varied or re-sequenced according to alternative embodiments. Other substitutions, modifications, changes and omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions and arrangement of the various exemplary embodiments without departing from the scope of the present inventions.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61267701 | Dec 2009 | US |
