Fluid handling – Diverse fluid containing pressure systems – Fluid separating traps or vents
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-29
2001-08-21
Michalsky, Gerald A. (Department: 3753)
Fluid handling
Diverse fluid containing pressure systems
Fluid separating traps or vents
C251S901000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06276390
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to air control valves for use in irrigation systems, and particularly to those valves which incorporate an air release or purge mechanism for removing air from a water pipe on start-up and during normal flow conditions, and which also provide vacuum relief when the pipe is drained.
BACKGROUND
Fluid flow valves which include air release or air purge features are well known. These valves are generally located within liquid conduits and are designed to insure the continuous release of air or other gases to avoid air locks which otherwise interfere with the flow of liquid through the conduit. So-called combination valves are also known which also function to purge air from the conduit on start-up and to provide vacuum relief upon system shut down. These valves incorporate a flexible valve seal assembly connected to a float which rises and falls within the valve body to open and close the valve in a predetermined manner to achieve the three functions stated above.
One known combination air release valve construction is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,201. Others are disclosed in commonly owned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,794,646 and 5,957,150, and in pending application Ser. No. 09/288,858, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,145,533, the latter incorporated herein by reference. While the valves disclosed in the commonly owned patents, and particularly in the '858 application have performed fairly well, a problem has been encountered in that the small and large apertures in the valve seat are separated by a “wall” or “partition” which some times results in the smaller aperture becoming clogged. This, in turn, can result in a continuously leaking valve.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention addresses the clogging problem experienced with the discrete valve aperture design, by providing an improved valve seal assembly arrangement (described further below) which eliminates the smaller aperture in the valve seat.
In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of this invention, a combination air release valve is provided which substantially overcomes the above stated plugging problem. The valve includes a valve housing or riser adapted to be coupled to a fluid conduit. The housing includes an upstanding, substantially vertical portion and at least one 90° turn or elbow at the upper end of the housing. At the elbow, there is located a valve orifice plate arranged at an angle of about 45°, extending from the inside corner of the elbow upwardly to the outside corner of the elbow. The plate has a single rectangularly shaped aperture or valve seat which is adapted to be opened and closed by a valve seal assembly connected at one end to a float and at an opposite end to the valve housing. The valve seal assembly includes a flexible diaphragm which is made rigid in an area which seals against the valve plate surrounding the aperture, and which has a flexible narrow, tongue-like portion extending away from the rigid portion and to the float. Part of the flexible portion which was previously employed to seal a second slot-like aperture in the valve plate is now provided with an elongated groove that overlaps the rigid portion of the seal assembly.
As already mentioned, the seal assembly is connected at one end to the housing, specifically to the lowermost end of the valve plate, and at its opposite end to the float that is guided for vertical movement within the housing, upstream of the valve plate. With this new arrangement, as the float descends within the housing during normal operation to release small quantities of air which have bubbled up into the top of the housing, the flexible tongue-like portion of the seal will peel away from the valve plate, with the groove communicating between the valve housing and the valve seat aperture. The repetitive peeling and sealing action of the grooved portion of the membrane during the normal continuous air relief function apparently results in the expulsion of any debris caught in the groove.
Upon shutdown, the float will drop rapidly, with the tongue-like portion peeling off the valve seat and the reinforced portion pivoting away from the valve seat, relieving the vacuum in the pipe created by the shut down. The valve remains in the wide-open position, allowing air purge on start-up, with the seal assembly closing the aperture as water fills the housing, causing the float to rise.
The float itself is similar to that disclosed in commonly owned co-pending application Ser. No. 09/288,858, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,145,533, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Accordingly, the present invention relates to an air release valve comprising a housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, a valve plate within the housing between the inlet and outlet, the valve plate having an aperture therein; a valve seal assembly including a reinforced portion engageable with the valve plate overlying the aperture and a flexible portion having an elongated groove formed therein and at least partially overlapping an edge of the aperture; one end of the valve seal assembly secured to the housing; a float located in the housing upstream of the valve plate, with the opposite end of the seal assembly connected to an upper end of the float.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description which follows.
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Michalsky Gerald A.
Nelson Irrigation Corporation
Nixon & Vanderhye P.C.
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