Fluid handling – Systems – With flow control means for branched passages
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-23
2001-05-29
Fox, John (Department: 3753)
Fluid handling
Systems
With flow control means for branched passages
C251S331000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06237637
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention pertains to diaphragm-type diverter valves, and in particular to a housing for a diaphragm-type diverter valve which exhibits improved drainage.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is often necessary in fluid process piping systems to divert the flow of fluid from one stream to another. Such can be conventionally accomplished using a diaphragm-type diverter valve, i.e. a three-way valve. Valves of this type divert the flow of fluids from a single inlet port to one or the other of two outlet ports by closing a diaphragm against an edge or weir of a partition within the valve housing, thus prohibiting fluid flow to the one port and accommodating flow to the other port. An example of this type of valve is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,427,150, entitled “HOUSING FOR A DIVERTER VALVE” issued to Richard A. Skaer, on Jun. 27, 1995, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if being set forth in its entirety herein.
With reference to
FIGS. 1 and 2
, there is shown a diverter valve housing
10
according to the teachings of the '150 patent comprising a body having a flat base
12
, front and rear walls
14
and
16
respectively, and side walls
18
and
20
, all which rise from the base
12
. Front wall
14
has an inlet port
22
formed therein which opens into a chamber
24
formed within the housing
10
. The chamber
24
has a curved drainage channel
26
at the bottom, and is subdivided by a partition
28
. The rear wall
16
has a pair of outlet ports
30
and
32
formed therein which also respectively open into the chamber
24
in the housing
10
. The partition
28
includes a tapered limb with walls between the ports
30
and
32
. Consequently, the partition
28
forms the chamber
24
into a first compartment
34
, into which the port
22
opens, a second compartment
36
into which port
30
opens, and a third compartment
38
into which port
32
opens (see FIG.
2
).
Side walls
18
and
20
have openings
40
and
42
formed therein, and the partition
28
has edges
44
and
46
which bisect the openings
40
and
42
. Additionally, the edges
44
and
46
define weirs which comprise recesses
48
and
50
against which diaphragms set, or from which diaphragms remove, to prohibit or to permit fluid flow through one or the other of the ports
30
and
32
.
Referring now also to
FIG. 3
, there is illustrated the housing
10
of
FIGS. 1 and 2
cross-sectioned through the center of the openings
40
and
42
. In addition,
FIG. 3
shows the diaphragms
52
and
54
, with respective handwheel-actuated compressors
56
and
58
attached thereto. Diaphragm
52
is closed against weir or edge
44
, and diaphragm
54
is removed from weir or edge
46
. As a result, and as is conventionally understood, fluid flow from port
22
to port
30
is prohibited, and flow is accommodated from port
22
to port
32
.
To insure against the trapping of fluids in the housing
10
, when the latter is horizontally disposed, as part of a diverter valve in a piping system, the '150 invention provides a horizontal drainage plane. The lowermost portions of the ports
22
,
30
and
32
, the openings
40
and
42
, and the weirs or edges
44
and
46
are contiguous with, and fair into, the drainage channel
26
. There is offered, in the housing
10
, then, no pocket or recess in which a residual fluid can pool. In addition, the side walls
18
and
20
, as shown are inclined from the vertical, defining the front and rear walls
14
and
16
substantially triangular. It has been found that by inclining the walls
18
and
20
, with an angle there between of from forty to eighty degrees of arc, the full drainage of liquid through the housing
10
is greatly facilitated. The horizontal drainage plane of the housing
10
is represented by the flow lines
120
shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2
.
As has been discovered, when a diverter valve of this type is installed in fluid process piping systems in a vertical disposition and when fluid flow is halted, the housing
10
typically exhibits a sufficiently thorough drainage there through for many processes. However, there are piping systems which require the diverter valve exhibit an extraordinarily high amount of drainage as even a small amount of residual fluid remaining in the housing will be conducted out with a next flow of fluid, when the valve is operated again, thus contaminating the successive flow of fluid. This represents a significant problem in pharmaceutical and biotech process applications for example, where cleanliness and sterility are vital.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome this problem with a valve that exhibits this extraordinarily high amount of drainage whether it is installed in a horizontal or vertical position.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A diverter valve housing including: a body including a base and a plurality of walls cooperatively forming a chamber; a partition within the chamber dividing the chamber into a plurality of compartments; a first port in a first of the walls and accessing a first of the compartments; and, second and third ports in a second of the walls and respectively accessing second and third ones of the compartments; wherein the partition further includes a surface which partially defines the first compartment and the surface is at least partially sloped towards the second wall.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5657786 (1997-08-01), DuRoss et al.
patent: 6024123 (2000-02-01), Weissfloch et al.
Iverson Craig L.
Kovacs Richard R.
Fox John
ITT Manufacturing Enterprises Inc.
Lombardi Menotti J.
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