Patent Application
20050268976
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a single-controlled flow reversing valve and, more specifically, to a device to be adapted to tanks for water filtering, as well as other similar purposes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some pieces of equipment are currently known, which make use of other technologies for flow reversion, some of which are electronically or electrically controlled while others are mechanically controlled. Such equipment performs flow reversion horizontally, by means of ball valves or gate valves. In these cases, the operator must operate several stopcocks (a mechanical device to open or close flow) to complete reversion. Such practice has been proving to be disadvantageous and inconvenient, as it may induce the operator to operate incorrectly, preventing the equipment from working well, and also, some of these are very expensive.
Thus, the general object of the present innovation is to provide an improvement over known reversing valves used in tanks for water filtering and similar purposes with a specifically developed device. The present invention enables the user to operate flow variation by handling a single handle, which is external to the module, reversing the flow by means of a shaft equipped with three duly spaced and fixed cams, each one of those with a different profile, according to the flow reversion order, which cams, when radially moved by the shaft connected to the handle, start respective plungers, which open certain ways and close others, thus providing the desired reversion.
The present invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the views, and in which:
The drawings disclose the preferred embodiments of the present invention. While the configurations according to the illustrated embodiment are preferred, it is envisioned that alternate configurations of the present invention may be adopted without deviating from the invention as portrayed. The preferred embodiments are discussed hereafter.
According to the illustrations, the referred valve is basically defined by an intermediate block (1), preferably built in reinforced plastic matter, substantially parallelepipedally shaped, with four slightly radial faces (2), each one equipped with tubular projections (3), (4), (5) and (6), externally threaded. This intermediate block (1) has internal isolated divisions named chambers (7), (8) and (9), out of which small cylindrical extensions (10), (11) and (12) come, which extensions, opened or closed by respective plungers (13), (14) or (15), are the ones that determine the water flow or the like. The cylindrical extensions (10), (11) and (12) said above are the housings where the flanges (16), (17) and (18), fixed on the plungers (13), (14) or (15) ends, and provided with O-rings (19A), (19B) and (19C), are fitted in upon plungers (13), (14) or (15) driving, respectively, thus opening or closing the cylindrical extensions (10), (11) or (12), driving the flow.
The intermediate block (1) is closed, on the upper end, by a cap (20), which follows the intermediate block (1) profile. On the upper cap (20) are, externally, the shaft (22) bearings (21), equipped with three cams (23), (24) and (25), respectively aligned with corresponding plungers (13), (14) or (15), which plungers are mounted internally to tubular projections (26), (27) and (28), located on the upper cap (20) lower and internal portion, and the same plungers (13), (14) and (15) are driven downwards by the respective cams (23), (24) and (25), and upwards by means of springs (29), respectively. The intermediate block (1) is also closed on the lower portion by another cap, named lower cap (30), which also follows said intermediate block (1) profile. It has, on its central portion, a cylindrical tubular projection, externally threaded (31), where coupling with the tank is made, and this tubular projection (31) also has, internally, a housing (32), for a tube (33), which will extend up to the tank bottom, and, on the external portion of this housing (32), there are openings (34), through which the water passage or the like will be made, from up downwards, for filtration.
To make the valve operation clearer, when the handle (35) is handled, where a shaft (42) is connected, which has a corresponding conic gear (44) fixed to it, which is fixed to the shaft (22), makes it rotate, driving the cams (23), (24) and (25), obtaining the following flow configurations:
The assembly composed of handle (35), shaft (42) and conic gear (43) is movable, and, according to the place where it is required to install the valve, it may have its installation position reversed to one side (45) or to the other (46), simply fitting it into the tracks (47), and sliding it until the conic gear (43) is coupled to the corresponding conic gear (44).
Based on the above description, the valve operates as follows: The water enters the chamber (7), through the tubular projection (3), with the plunger (13) in the open position, the water passes through the cylindrical extension (10) to the chamber (9), and then, to the tank inside, through the opening (34) on the lower cap (30), goes through the filtering elements, gets to the tank bottom and goes back through the tube (33), housed on the valve lower cap (30), penetrates the chamber (8) through the opening (37) on the lower cap (30), with the plunger (15) in the open position, the water goes through the cylindrical projection (11), and gets out through the tubular projection (4), to the use line (filtered water), with the plunger (15) in the closed position, the water will come out through the tubular projection (5) to the drain, this operation is usually made after Backwash, in order to eliminate residual water. To perform Backwash, the water enters the chamber (7) through the tubular projection (3), the plunger (13) shall be closing the passage (10), then the water goes to the chamber (8) through a passage (36), which connects to the chamber (7), in this case the plunger (14) shall be in the open position, allowing the water to pass through the cylindrical projection (12), after it enters the chamber (8) the water heads to the tube (33) housed on the lower cap (30), through the opening (37), goes down to the bottom of the tank and goes back through the filtering elements in an opposite flow to the Filtering flow, passing through the opening (38), it goes into the chamber (38A) and gets out through the tubular projection (6), Backwash outlet.
When the shaft (22) is driven by the handle (35), the plungers (13) (14) and (15) are placed in the desired flow configuration, as previously explained, on the shaft (22) end there is a positioning lock (39), composed of the lock (39) itself, a ball (40), pressed by a spring (41), this positioning lock (39) is intended for ensuring the flow configuration is maintained in the desired position, and the assembly moved by the handle (35) mandatorily rotates in only one direction (clockwise), in such a way that the sequence is always Backwash, Drainage and Filtration.
Finally, over the whole valve mechanism assembly, there is a cover (47), to protect it, which is movable, adapting to the side (45) or (46), to which the handle (35) is installed, and this cover (47) has, on its front portion, indications (48) of the operating configuration.
Those skilled in the art can now appreciate from the foregoing description that the broad teachings of the present invention can be implemented in a variety of forms, therefore, while this invention has been described in connection with particular examples thereof, the true scope of the invention should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent to the skilled practitioner upon a study of the drawings, specification and following claims.
