HK1109191B - Frost free valve assembly - Google Patents

Description

Frostless valve assembly

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application No.11/049218 filed on 2.2005 and this continuation-in-part application is further a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application No.10/631372 filed on 31.7.2003. The contents of each of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a valve assembly for use in residential or commercial plumbing systems, and more particularly to an 1/2-ring frost free valve assembly.

Background

Frost free faucets have been in existence for a long time. These faucets feature a shut-off valve located on the end of an elongated pipe or sleeve located in the wall or warmer interior area of the building of which the wall is a part. The shut-off valve is operated by a long rod connected to an external handle. The frost-free feature of the tap is achieved by the shut-off valve shutting off the water flow at a location in the wall or building while the remaining water in the elongated pipe flows outwardly by gravity through the conventional drain outlet of the tap. In this manner, the valve can be used in subfreezing climates without requiring seasonal drains.

However, conventional frost free faucets employ valve designs that degrade over the life of the faucet due to water contamination. The degradation of the valve allows for undesirable back flow and leakage of the frost free valve. Furthermore, these conventional valve designs require multiple rotations of the valve and are therefore cumbersome to operate.

Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a frost free faucet having an improved valve design. More specifically, it is desirable to provide a simple but advanced valve design that has a longer useful life while adequately preventing backflow. Furthermore, it is desirable to provide a valve design that allows for easy use.

Disclosure of Invention

An 1/2-turn frost-free valve includes a 1/2-turn valve cartridge assembly (valve cartridge assembly), a one-way valve, and optionally a pressure release mechanism. The 1/2-turn valve cartridge includes a rotatable valve element and a stationary valve element. The rotatable valve member is circular and is configured to have a water passage in the semicircular portion. The stationary member is disc-shaped and is configured with one or more through holes in the semi-circular portion. The open state (or position) is achieved by rotating the rotatable valve member 180 c in a first direction to align the water passage with the one or more through holes, and the closed state (or position) is achieved by rotating the rotatable member 180 c in a second direction to misalign the water passage with the one or more through holes. Each valve element of the 1/2-ring valve may be made of a ceramic material. A one-way valve is provided upstream of the 1/2-ring valve to prevent reverse water flow from the sleeve joint into the supply line. An optional pressure relief mechanism allows water trapped downstream of the valve assembly to be drained from the valve assembly.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a valve cartridge assembly including a housing having an inlet and an outlet; a valve member disposed within said valve housing and rotatably positionable through 180 ° between a closed position and an open position to selectively enable fluid communication from said inlet to said outlet, said valve member including a first valve element having a first passage formed therein and a second valve element disposed downstream and rotatably positionable about said first valve element, wherein said first passage is aligned with an axially arcuate recess formed in said second valve element when said valve member is in said open position and said second valve element blocks said first passage when said valve member is in said closed position.

In other features, the assembly further includes a one-way valve disposed within the housing between the inlet and the valve member to selectively prevent fluid communication from the outlet to the inlet. The first valve element includes a first disk fixed within the valve housing, and the second valve element includes a second disk rotatably positionable relative to the first disk within the valve housing. The first passage is formed by a semicircular hole in the first valve element. The assembly further includes a rotor engaged with the second valve element and effective to rotationally position the second valve element relative to the first valve element, and a connector secured to the rotor, the connector including a drain conduit.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a frost free faucet that includes a spigot engagement member disposed at a first end of an elongated pipe; a valve assembly disposed at the second end of the elongated conduit, the valve assembly comprising a valve member disposed within a housing, rotatably positionable through 180 deg. between a closed position and an open position to selectively enable fluid communication from the inlet to the outlet, the valve member including a first valve element having a first passage formed therein and a second valve element disposed downstream and rotatably positioned with respect to the first valve element, the first passage is aligned with a second passage formed in the second valve element when the valve member is in the open position, said second valve element blocking said first passage when said valve member is in said closed position, and the valve assembly further comprises a one-way valve disposed within the housing between the inlet of the housing and the valve member to selectively prevent fluid communication from the inlet to the valve member; a valve stem extending from the first end to the valve member to rotatably position the valve member via the valve stem; and a sliding plate disposed on said valve stem and including a collar with deformable sidewalls, said sliding plate being slidably positionable on said valve stem when said valve member is positioned between said closed position and said open position.

In other aspects, the first valve element comprises a first disk fixed within the valve housing and the second valve element comprises a second disk rotatably positionable relative to the first disk within the valve housing. The first passage is formed by a semicircular hole in the first valve element. The second passage is formed by an arc-shaped recess formed axially in the second valve element. The frost free faucet further includes a rotor engaged with the second valve element and effective to rotationally position the second valve element relative to the first valve element, and a connector disposed on the valve stem secured to the rotor, the connector including a drain line.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a valve comprising a housing having an inlet and an outlet; a valve member disposed within the housing between the inlet and the outlet, the valve member including a first valve element and a second valve element disposed downstream of and rotatably positioned with respect to the first valve element such that a first passage formed in the first valve element may be aligned with an axial arcuate recess in the second valve element; and a one-way valve disposed between the inlet and the valve member.

In other aspects, the second valve element is rotatably positioned with respect to the first valve element by a rotor engaged with the second valve element. The valve further includes a sliding plate including an annular collar forming a deformable sidewall disposed on the rotor, the sliding plate slidably positionable on the rotor. The second valve element is rotatably positioned relative to the first valve element through 180 °.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a frost free faucet including the above valve.

Drawings

The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of an 1/4-ring frost free faucet assembly;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the 1/4-ring frost free faucet assembly shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are front views of an 1/4-ring valve cartridge assembly for use in a frost free faucet assembly;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of an 1/4-turn valve cartridge assembly for use in the frost free faucet assembly shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B;

FIGS. 5A and 5B are cross-sectional views taken along line V-V of FIG. 3B, illustrating the operation of the valve cartridge assembly at 1/4 turns;

FIGS. 6A and 6B are cross-sectional views of the 1/4-turn valve cartridge assembly taken through line VI-VI of FIG. 3A;

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of an 1/4-ring valve assembly including a valve cartridge assembly and a valve stem assembly;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the 1/4-ring valve assembly shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a U-shaped (fill) seal for an 1/4-ring valve assembly;

FIGS. 10A and 10B are cross-sectional and bottom views, respectively, of a connector for use with the 1/4-ring valve assembly;

FIG. 11 is a top view of a valve stem for use with the 1/4-ring valve assembly;

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of an 1/2-turn valve cartridge assembly according to the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a one-way valve used in an 1/2-ring frost free faucet assembly such as that shown in FIG. 16;

fig. 14 is an isometric view of the 1/2-turn rotatable valve member shown after being inverted as shown in fig. 12, in accordance with the invention;

fig. 15 is an isometric view of 1/2 circles of stationary valve members shown in fig. 12 in accordance with the invention; has already been used for

Fig. 16 is a cross-sectional view of an 1/2-ring valve according to the present invention.

Detailed Description

The invention relates to a frostless valve. Figures 1-11 show an 1/4-ring frost free valve. Fig. 12-16 show an 1/2-turn valve.

1/4 ring valve

Referring to FIG. 1, the frost free faucet 10 includes a base faucet assembly (a fill-cock) or spigot joint assembly (spigotassembly))12 connected to a sleeve assembly 14. The sleeve engagement assembly 12 is further connected to a handlebar assembly 16. The sleeve engagement assembly 12 is a hollow, unitary structure that is preferably cast from stainless steel, chromium plated brass, or any other material known to those skilled in the art that is durable and can withstand extreme weather conditions. The spigot assembly 12 includes a drain conduit 18 having a threaded portion 20 for receiving a hose or any other device that one may desire to attach to the frost free faucet assembly 10. The spigot assembly 12 also includes a flange member 22. This flange member 22 is used to secure the spigot assembly 12 to a wall or other partition to which the frost free faucet assembly 10 is attached. Moreover, the sleeve-engaging assembly 12 includes a poppet housing 24 covered by a threaded cap 26. The poppet housing 24 encloses a poppet assembly 25 and O-ring 27, which function as a vacuum block.

The sleeve assembly 14 is a hollow conduit having an upstream portion 28 and a downstream portion 30. The downstream portion 30 is in fluid communication with the spigot assembly 12 and is secured to the spigot assembly 12 by welding, soldering, brazing or the like. The upstream portion 28 includes a threaded portion 32 so that the frost free faucet assembly can be connected to the water supply 8 through an inlet conduit (not shown) located within a structure such as a building. Alternatively, other conventional means may be used to couple the upstream portion 28 to the input conduit in suitable fluid communication.

The sleeve assembly 14 is preferably 4 to 14 inches in length. It should be understood, however, that the sleeve assembly may be of any length so long as the valve cartridge assembly 42 (shown in FIG. 2) located within the upstream portion 28 of the sleeve assembly 14 is disposed within a wall or bulkhead of the housing so that the valve cartridge assembly 42 can withstand warmer temperatures so as not to freeze ice.

The handlebar assembly 16 may be any type of handlebar known in the art. It may be made of metal, plastic, or any other material that is durable and has suitable strength to allow for a long service life in use of the frost free faucet assembly 10. As best seen in fig. 2, the handle assembly 16 is connected to a valve stem assembly 40. A fastener 36, such as a screw, rivet or the like, is used to secure the tag 37 and handle 17 to the compression nut 34. The compression nut 34 secures the valve cartridge assembly 42 and valve stem assembly 40 within the socket joint assembly 12 and socket 14 and prevents water from leaking from the handle assembly 16 by a (packing) seal 35 made of rubber, plastic or other suitable sealing material. The compression nut 34 is a cylindrical member and is hollow so as to receive the actuating (or drive) portion 38 of the valve stem 40.

The valve stem 40 is disposed within the frost free faucet assembly 10, and more specifically, within the sleeve assembly 14 and the sleeve engagement assembly 12. Because the handle assembly 16 is connected to the valve stem 40, when the handle 17 is rotated to the "on" or "off" position, the actuating portion 38 of the valve stem 40, and thus the entire valve stem 40, also rotates within the sleeve assembly 14, actuating the valve cartridge assembly 42. In addition to the actuating portion 38, the valve stem 40 further includes a valve attachment portion 44 by which the valve stem 40 is attached to the valve cartridge assembly 42. The valve cartridge assembly 42 is secured to the valve connecting portion 44 of the valve stem 40 by a slide plate 57, U-shaped (fill) seal 59 and a fastener 46, such as a screw, rivet or the like. The valve stem 40 and valve assembly 42 fit within the sleeve assembly 14.

Referring now to fig. 3A, 3B and 4, the valve cartridge assembly 42 will be described. As can be seen most clearly in fig. 3A and 3B, the valve cartridge assembly 42 includes a housing 48 that includes a valve shell 50 and a valve seat 52. The valve housing 50 is a cylindrical hollow member that includes a radial outlet 54. Preferably, the valve housing 50 is constructed of brass or any other material that will not degrade over the life of the frost free faucet assembly 10. Preferably, the valve housing 50 is made of a material that will not chemically react with any components that may be present in the water or fluid being transported by the valve. The outlet 54 allows water or any other fluid for which the valve is intended to exit the valve housing 48 and flow downstream toward the spigot assembly 12. Also included in the housing 48 is a rotor 56 which is fitted within the valve housing 50 and is rotatably supported within the valve housing 50. The rotor 56 is essentially an extension of the valve stem 40 that extends into the cartridge 48. The rotor 56 is preferably made of brass and includes a bore 58 for receiving a fastener 46, such as a screw, rivet or the like, for securing the valve assembly 42 to the valve connecting portion 44 of the valve stem 40.

The valve seat 52 is engaged with the valve housing 50, and the valve seat 52 is a hollow cylindrical member. The valve seat 52 is also preferably made of brass. As with the valve housing 50, the valve seat 52 is also preferably made of any other material that will not degrade or chemically react with components of the water or fluid over the life of the frost free faucet assembly 10. The valve seat 52 includes a threaded portion 60 (see FIG. 4) for releasably securing the valve seat 52 to the valve shell 50. The valve seat 52 also preferably includes a pair of O-rings 62. Although two O-rings 62 are shown in fig. 3A and 3b, it should be understood that two O-rings 62 are not required to practice the present invention. An O-ring 62 may be provided to further prevent any leakage in the frost free faucet assembly 10.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the valve cartridge assembly 42 contained within the valve housing and valve seats 50 and 52 will now be described. In addition to the valve housing 50, valve seat 52 and rotor 56, the valve cartridge assembly 42 includes a valve member 64 and a check valve 66. The valve member 64 is disposed upstream and engages the rotor 56 within the valve housing 50. Another pair of O-rings 68 provide a seal between the rotor 56 and the valve housing 50. Although two O-rings 68 are shown, a single O-ring 68 is sufficient to provide an effective seal between the rotor 56 and the valve housing 50.

The valve member 64 is an 1/4-ring valve member having two valve members 70 and 80. A rotatable member 70 is preferably a butterfly disk defined by two flanges 72 having recesses 74 formed therein. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the shape of the rotatable member 70 may be varied, such as by having the member be shaped similarly to the stationary plate 80, or be otherwise shaped. The rotatable member or disc 70 further includes an inlet 76 disposed adjacent the flange 72. The recesses 74 of the rotatable member 70 engage a pair of prongs 78 of the rotor 56. The second valve member 80 of the valve member 64 is a stationary disk 80 having two through holes 82. The stationary plate 80 includes a pair of bars 84 that extend outwardly from the periphery of the stationary plate 80 and engage recesses (not shown) located on the inner surface of the shell member 50. The rod 84 engages the valve housing 50 to prevent rotation therein. When the valve stem 40, rotor 56, and thus rotatable disk 70 are rotated 90 deg.C relative to the stationary disk 80, the through-holes 82 of the stationary disk 80 are coordinated with the inlet 76 of the rotatable disk 70. The rotatable disk 70 is prevented from rotating more than 90 c by a stop 86 (see fig. 5A and 5B) formed on the inner surface of the valve housing 50. More specifically, the stop 86 prevents the rotor yoke 78 from rotating more than 90 ℃ within the valve housing 50.

The disks 70, 80 of the valve member 64 are preferably made of a ceramic material. The use of ceramic materials is advantageous in that they are relatively inert and strong materials. In this way, the discs 70 and 80 will not degrade over time due to components that may be contained in the water or fluid being transported through the valve assembly 42. Furthermore, the ceramic material is scratch resistant, preventing these disks from being damaged throughout the life of the frost free faucet 10. While the use of ceramic materials is preferred in the present invention, it is to be understood that the present invention contemplates the use of other materials. For example, the disk may be made of a high strength polymer, brass, stainless steel, or any other suitable material.

The valve cartridge assembly 42 includes a one-way valve 66, for example, made of a polymeric material or plastic such as polypropylene, polystyrene, or polyethylene, and is disposed upstream of the valve member 64 (i.e., between the water source 8 and the valve member 64) within the valve seat 52 of the valve cartridge assembly 42. Alternatively, the check valve 66 may be disposed within a check valve seat 49 disposed between the valve shell 50 and the valve seat 52 (see FIG. 7). In this alternative embodiment, the one-way valve seat 49 is another cylindrical member that is made of the same material (e.g., brass) as the valve shell 50 and the valve seat 52. To attach the check valve seat 49 to the valve shell 50 and valve seat 52, the check valve seat 49 preferably includes a pair of threaded portions 53 and 55 that engage the threaded portions of the valve shell 50 and valve seat 52. Otherwise, the one-way valve seat 49 may be attached to the valve seat 52 by welding, brazing, or the like. It will be appreciated that when a one-way valve seat 49 is employed, it may be desirable to include a spring 51 in the valve seat 52. This spring 51 supports the check valve 66 in the check valve seat 49 and prevents the check valve 66 from moving into the valve seat 52 when reverse pressure occurs within the frost free faucet 10.

Check valve 66 includes a cylindrical member 88 (see fig. 6A) and is separated from valve member 64 by a spacer 90, preferably made of silicone or rubber. The check valve 66 further includes a spring 92 and a plunger 94 (shown in fig. 6A and 6B) that are actuated by the flow of water. An O-ring 95 surrounds the plunger 94 to prevent leakage when the plunger 94 and frost free faucet 10 are in a closed position. A check valve 66 is used to prevent siphoning and release of backpressure. In preventing siphoning, the one-way valve 66 prevents water from flowing back through the valve cartridge assembly 42 and re-entering the water supply of the inlet conduit located within the building when a negative pressure differential exists across the plunger 94. It is therefore advantageous to locate the check valve 66 upstream of the valve member 64.

The operation of the frost free faucet assembly 10 according to the present invention will now be described. To open the frost free faucet valve assembly 10, the handle 17 is rotated in a first direction (see fig. 2). Because valve member 64 is an 1/4-ring valve, handle 17 can be rotated to rotate valve member 64 to an open position by only rotating it 90 deg.C. The handle 17 actuates the valve stem 40 and the rotor 56 to rotate the rotatable disk 70 of the valve member 64 1/4 turns or 90 degrees c. This 1/4-turn action of the valve member 64 is illustrated in fig. 5A and 5B. When the rotatable disk 70 is rotated 90 deg.C, the inlet 76 of the rotatable disk 70 aligns with the through-hole 82 of the stationary disk 80 so that water can flow through.

When the inlet 76 of the rotatable disk 70 is aligned with the through-hole 82, there is a positive pressure differential across the plunger 94. This positive pressure differential compresses the spring toward the cylindrical member 88 and actuates the plunger 94 to an open position (see fig. 6A). When the plunger 94 is in the open position, high pressure water from the water source 8, such as an inlet pipe located within a building, is allowed to flow toward the check valve 66 and through the check valve 66. For use in residential or commercial applications, the check valve is preferably designed to accommodate water pressures of 120psi or less. It should be understood, however, that the valve design of the present invention can be modified to accommodate higher water pressures. More specifically, the components of the cartridge 48, the valve member 64, and the check valve 66 may be enlarged or strengthened to accommodate the higher pressures.

High pressure water flows through open check valve 66 toward valve member 64 at 1/4. The water flows through the aligned through-holes 82 and the inlet 76 of the disc 70 and into the housing member 50 of the cartridge 48. The water then flows out of the shell 50 of the cartridge 48 through the outlet 54 and into the sleeve assembly 14. The water then flows around the valve stem 40 and through the sleeve member 14 downstream toward the spigot assembly 12 and out the drain conduit 20.

To close the valve assembly 42 and turn the frost free faucet 10 off, the handle 17 is rotated one 1/4 turns in a second, opposite direction. The handle 17 again actuates the valve stem 40 and the rotor 56 to rotate the rotatable disk 70 90 c to a closed position. Fig. 6A shows a closed position of the valve 10 at 1/4 circles, and fig. 6B shows an open position. Referring to fig. 6B, it can be seen that the inlet 76 of the rotatable disk 70 and the through-hole 82 of the stationary disk 80 become misaligned and prevent water from flowing through the 1/4-turn valve 64. Thus, there will be a back pressure or negative pressure differential between the valve assembly 42 and the water supply 8 (see FIG. 1). This negative pressure differential allows the spring 91 to decompress, causing the plunger 94 of the check valve 66 to "go" into a closed position and prevent water still downstream of the valve cartridge 48 from siphoning back into the conduit.

In the present invention shown in fig. 7-11, the valve stem 40 is in the form of a hollow tube with a connector 41 formed in its valve connecting portion 44. The connector 41 is made of the same material as the valve stem 40 (e.g., brass), and is cylindrical in shape. Upstream of the connector 41 is a slide plate 57 which includes a U-shaped (fill) seal 59. A slide plate 57 is slidably supported on the rotor 56 for axial movement in order to seal off the water passage formed by the connector 41, as will be described below. The slide plate 57 is preferably made of plastic or rubber. As shown in fig. 9, the U-shaped seal member 59 is a tapered or crown-shaped collar having a single side wall 61 that is sloped or extends diagonally outward in the downstream direction. Preferably, the U-shaped seal 59 is made of rubber, or it is polymeric. The U-shaped seal 59 preferably has a smaller diameter than the diameter of the tube of the sleeve assembly 14 so that a small gap exists between the edge 63 of the sidewall 61 and the inner diameter of the tube.

When the valve cartridge assembly 42 is in the open position (see fig. 6B), water flows out of the radial outlet 54 of the valve shell 50 and downstream toward the spigot 12. As the water flows downstream, the water contacts the U-shaped seal 59 (see fig. 8) and displaces the U-shaped seal 59 and the slide plate 57 toward the connector 41. Once the slide plate 57 abuts the connector 41, the momentum of the water deflects the side walls 61 of the U-shaped seal 59 radially inward (see FIG. 9) causing the water to flow toward the valve stem 40 (see FIG. 8). This allows water to continue downstream around the U-shaped seal 59 towards the spigot 12. However, due to the presence of the U-shaped seal 59, the flow of water around the U-shaped seal 59 is somewhat restricted and therefore becomes more gradual, thereby reducing the noise emitted by the frost free faucet 10 in its open position. In this regard, it should be understood that the U-shaped seal 59 need not be disposed on the sliding plate 57, but may be disposed anywhere downstream of the outlet 54 in the radial direction of the valve housing 50. More specifically, a U-shaped seal 59 may be formed on a portion of the valve housing 50, the armature 56, or the valve stem 40, which still performs the function of smoothing the flow of water to reduce noise generated during operation of the frost free faucet 10.

The use of the slide plate 57 and U-shaped seal 59 also helps to relieve pressure downstream of the valve assembly 42. More specifically, during use of the frost free faucet 10, a user typically connects a hose with a spout to the spigot 12 to control the flow of water through the hose. Thus, when the valve assembly 42 and nozzle are both in the closed position, a pressure (i.e., back pressure) is created downstream of the valve assembly 42 that can stress the valve assembly 42 and the components of the frost free faucet 10. While the components of frost free faucet 10 are designed to withstand typical levels of such back pressure, problems can occur when the hose is crimped, stepped on, over-driven, etc. Specifically, this may result in excessive back pressure developing into components that may damage the valve assembly 42 and frost free faucet 10.

Thus, the function of the slide plate 57 is to provide a pressure relief function. Specifically, when the back pressure is sufficiently great, the U-shaped seal 59 and the slide plate 57 slide back upstream toward the rotor 56. This relative sliding movement moves a seal 75 carried by the slider plate 57 to expose a channel 65 formed through the connector 41. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the U-shaped seal 59 does not seal the passage 65 in the valve stem assembly 40 such that when the valve stem assembly is in the open position

The water between the slide plate 57 and the valve assembly may flow when the slide plate 57 moves upstream.

Referring to fig. 10A and 10B, it can be seen that the connector 41 includes a conduit 65 which is in fluid communication with the hollow valve stem 40. When the slide plate 57 is displaced upstream, the conduit 65 is exposed and a drain path from the downstream location 30 of the sleeve assembly 14 through the connector 41 is established through the conduit 65 and through the hollow valve stem 40. The water can either exit through a conduit 65 of the valve stem 40 located in the handle 17 or continue downstream through the valve stem 40 and exit through an opening in the handle 17 where a fastener (or fastening device) 36 connects the handle 17 to the valve stem 40. In this regard, because the actuating portion 38 of the valve stem 40 connected to the handle 17 has a non-circular square (or star 73) (see FIG. 11), water can flow out through the handle 17. However, due to the non-circular shape 73 of the actuating portion 38 of the valve stem 40, water may flow around the fastener 36 through the boss 69 and out of the handle 17. Thus, leakage of water through the handle 17 may relieve back pressure that may occur in the frost free faucet 10.

A spring 71 may be provided between the sliding plate 57 and the valve housing 50. Thus, in the event that the force generated by the pressure acting on the slider plate 57 and the U-shaped seal 59 is greater than the biasing force of the spring 71, the slider plate 57 will only be able to move upstream by the reverse pressure of the water. In this regard, the spring constant of spring 71 is preferably in the range of 0.025 to 0.075N/mm, and most preferably about 0.05N/mm. However, one skilled in the art will recognize that: the spring constant may vary with the geometry of the slide plate 57. By providing a spring 71 between the slide plate 57 and the armature 56, the conduit 65 in the connector 41 will only be exposed in the event of extreme back pressure that could damage the frost free faucet 10.

1/2 ring valve

In fig. 12-16 there is shown an 1/2-turn frost free valve assembly, the assembly being generally designated by the reference numeral 100. The half-turn valve assembly 100 is similar in virtually all respects to the 1/4-turn frost-free valve assembly 10 shown in fig. 1-11, except for the configuration of the valve element employed in the valve cartridge assembly. Fig. 12 shows an exploded perspective view of a valve cartridge assembly, generally designated 102, for an 1/2-turn valve in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 16 shows the valve cartridge assembly 102 fully assembled. The balance of the valve components is as shown and discussed in detail above in connection with the 1/4-ring valve assembly. As will be discussed in more detail below, the principles of the present invention may be applied to virtually any valve that can be rotated up to 180 ℃, the only difference being the configuration of the through-bores and water passages in the stationary valve member and the rotatable valve member in the valve cartridge assembly 102.

Referring to fig. 12, the valve cartridge assembly 102 includes a stationary valve element 104 and a rotatable valve element 106. The rotatable valve member 106 is shown in greater detail in fig. 14, while the stationary valve member 104 is shown in greater detail in fig. 15. As shown in fig. 12, 14 and 15, the rotatable valve element 106 is disposed at the top and is rotatable relative to the stationary valve element 104 to either allow water to flow through the valve elements 104 and 106 or to block the passage of water.

As shown in fig. 12 and 15, the stationary valve member 104 includes one or more through holes 107 formed in the semi-circular portion of the stationary valve member 104. Fig. 14 shows the rotatable valve element 106 in a reversed view. As shown, the rotatable valve element 106 is formed as a generally circular or cylindrical member with an arcuate recess or ramp portion 110 that defines a water passageway. A water passage 110 is similarly formed in a semi-circular portion of the rotatable valve element 106. Thus, when the rotatable valve member 106 is rotated 180 deg.C in a first direction, the water passage 110 will align with the one or more through holes 108, thereby creating an open position for the valve and allowing water to flow through both valve members 104, 106. Conversely, rotating the rotatable valve element 106 in the opposite direction will cause the water passage 110 to be closed by the solid portion 112 of the stationary valve element 104, thereby preventing water flow through the valve elements 104, 106.

It should be understood that other embodiments between a quarter-turn valve and a half-turn valve are contemplated. In these other embodiments, the stationary valve member 104 is configured with a through-hole that is smaller than the semi-circular portion of the stationary valve member 104, and the water passage is similarly formed in a portion that is smaller than the semi-circular portion of the valve member 106. For example, for an 1/3-turn valve or other valve, the stationary valve element 104 may be configured with a through-hole that covers one-third or 120℃ of the disc-shaped stationary valve element 104. The rotatable valve member is similarly configured such that its water passage in a first direction is aligned with the through hole in the stationary valve member and is blocked in a closing direction, wherein the difference between the open and closed positions is, for example, one-third of a turn. In fact, an unlimited number of embodiments may be achieved by varying the configuration of the stationary valve element 104 and the rotatable valve element 106.

Referring to fig. 12, the rotatable valve element 106 and the stationary valve element 104 form part of the valve cartridge assembly 102. In particular, the rotatable valve element 106 is disposed on top of the stationary valve element 104, and the rotatable valve element 106 is configured to rotate. The rotatable valve member 106 further includes a slot 114 for receiving an elongated tongue 116 of a valve stem 118. As discussed above, valve stem 118 is attached to a handle (not shown). Thus, when the handle is turned, the valve stem 118 and the rotatable valve element 106 will rotate together.

The rotatable valve element 106 and the stationary valve element 104, as well as the valve stem 118, are housed by a housing formed by an upper housing 120 and a lower housing 122. The upper housing 120 is formed with a through bore 124 for receiving an elongated shaft 126 of the valve stem 118. The upper housing 120 also includes a radially disposed water passage 126 similar to that shown and described above for the 1/4-turn valve cartridge. As shown in fig. 16, the interior 121 of the upper housing 120 is threaded so that it can be secured to a threaded portion 130 of the lower housing 122. A rubber gasket 143 is used to seal the lower housing 122 with respect to the upper housing. A plurality of O-rings 123, 127 and 129 seal the valve stem 118 with respect to the upper housing 120. A clip 141 secures the valve stem 118 to the upper housing 120.

The lower housing 122 also forms a valve seat for the check valve 130. As best shown in fig. 16, the lower housing 122 also includes a threaded portion 137 that is adapted to be secured to a threaded portion 133 of a cartridge seat 135 (see fig. 12). A one-way valve assembly 131 and a spring 136 are clamped within the lower housing 122 and the cartridge seat 135. An O-ring is used to seal the lower housing component 122 to the cartridge seat 135.

The one-way valve assembly 131 is shown in detail in fig. 13. As shown, the check valve assembly 131 includes a plunger 137 and a biasing spring 139. The direction of water flow from the water source is shown by arrow 150. With the valve open, water pressure from the water source pushes the plunger 137 away from its seat, allowing water to flow, compressing the spring 139. When the valve is rotated to a closed position, the pressure on both ends of the plunger 137 is equalized, so that the compressed biasing spring 139 biases the plunger 137 to a closed or seated position as shown in FIG. 13. In this way, the check valve 131 prevents the water supply source from being contaminated from an external source.

The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims (15)

1. A valve cartridge assembly comprising:

a housing having an inlet and an outlet;

a valve member disposed within said valve housing and rotatably positionable through 180 ° between a closed position and an open position to selectively enable fluid communication from said inlet to said outlet, said valve member including a first valve element having a first passage formed therein and a second valve element disposed downstream and rotatably positionable about said first valve element, wherein said first passage is aligned with an axially arcuate recess formed in said second valve element when said valve member is in said open position and said second valve element blocks said first passage when said valve member is in said closed position.

2. A frost free faucet comprising:

a spigot joint disposed at a first end of the elongate conduit;

a valve assembly disposed at the second end of the elongated conduit, the valve assembly comprising a valve member disposed within a housing, rotatably positionable through 180 deg. between a closed position and an open position to selectively enable fluid communication from the inlet to the outlet, the valve member including a first valve element having a first passage formed therein and a second valve element disposed downstream and rotatably positioned with respect to the first valve element, the first passage is aligned with a second passage formed in the second valve element when the valve member is in the open position, said second valve element blocking said first passage when said valve member is in said closed position, and the valve assembly further comprises a one-way valve disposed within the housing between the inlet of the housing and the valve member to selectively prevent fluid communication from the inlet to the valve member;

a valve stem extending from the first end to the valve member to rotatably position the valve member via the valve stem; and

a sliding plate disposed on said valve stem and including a collar with deformable sidewalls, said sliding plate being slidably positionable on said valve stem when said valve member is positioned between said closed position and said open position.

3. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a one-way valve disposed within said housing between said inlet and said valve member to selectively prevent fluid communication from said outlet to said inlet.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the first valve element comprises a first disk fixed within the valve housing and the second valve element comprises a second disk rotatably positionable relative to the first disk within the valve housing.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said first passage is formed by a semi-circular aperture in said first valve element.

6. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a rotor engaged with and effective to rotationally position said second valve member relative to said first valve member and a connector secured to said rotor, said connector comprising a drain conduit.

7. The frost-free faucet of claim 2, wherein the first valve element comprises a first disk fixed within the valve housing, and the second valve element comprises a second disk rotatably positionable relative to the first disk within the valve housing.

8. The frost-free faucet of claim 2, wherein the first channel is formed by a semi-circular aperture in the first valve element.

9. The frost-free faucet of claim 2, wherein the second channel is formed by an arcuate recess formed axially in the second valve member.

10. The frost-free faucet of claim 2, further comprising a rotor engaged with the second valve member and effective to rotationally position the second valve member relative to the first valve member, and a connector disposed on the valve stem secured to the rotor, the connector including a drain conduit.

11. A valve, comprising:

a housing having an inlet and an outlet;

a valve member disposed within the housing between the inlet and the outlet, the valve member including a first valve element and a second valve element disposed downstream of and rotatably positioned with respect to the first valve element such that a first passage formed in the first valve element may be aligned with an axial arcuate recess in the second valve element; and

a one-way valve disposed between the inlet and the valve member.

12. The valve of claim 11 wherein said second valve element is rotatably positionable relative to said first valve element by a rotor engaged with said second valve element.

13. The valve of claim 12, further comprising a slide plate including an annular collar forming a deformable sidewall disposed on said rotor, said slide plate slidably positioned on said rotor.

14. The valve of claim 11 wherein said second valve member is rotatably positionable through 180 ° relative to said first valve member.

15. A frost free faucet comprising the valve of claim 11.