AU2005202388B1

AU2005202388B1 - Fluid flow regulator

Info

Publication number: AU2005202388B1
Application number: AU2005202388A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Brian Anthony Robinson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-05-27
Filing date: 2005-06-02
Publication date: 2005-10-20
Anticipated expiration: 2025-06-02

Description

Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT

APPLICANT:

Invention Title: BRIAN ANTHONY ROBINSON FLUID FLOW REGULATOR The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: "FLUID FLOW REGULATOR" a Technical field SThis invention relates to a fluid flow regulator.

(Ni The invention has particular but not exclusive application to a fluid flow regulator for regulating the quantity of fluid flowing from a tap, valve or the like. The invention also has 00 particular application to a tap, valve or the like incorporating a flow regulator according to 00 the invention. The invention has particular application for use with domestic water taps.

C-i Background of Invention For a given fluid pipeline pressure, the flow from a tap is simply a function of the extent to which the tap or valve is opened. As many regions in the world increasingly face water shortage, it is desirable to ensure that flow rates from water reticulation systems are regulated.

US patents 6571831 and 4000857 and German patent applications DE 40 41 116 Al and DE-OS 21 31 117 illustrate flow regulators in which the fluid flowing from a tap or faucet is regulated by varying the total cross-sectional area of the fluid flow path, the area decreasing as supply line pressure increases. In the above patent documents this is achieved by using an elasticised flow restrictor which expands under increasing pressure to restrict flow passages.

Summary of Invention The present invention aims to provide an alternative to known fluid flow regulators.

This invention in one aspect resides broadly in a method of regulating the fluid flow in a tap or valve including:causing fluid to flow in a fluid flow path through a housing member having a substantially cylindrical inner wall and housing a flow restrictor member having a substantially cylindrical outer wall and being axially moveable within the housing member and dimensioned to provide a substantially annular control passage between the outer wall of the flow restrictor member and the inner wall of the housing member; 0 sealing the control passage between the housing member and the flow restrictor (member by a seal slidingly engageable to prevent fluid flow in the control passage past a the seal, and V. biasing the flow restrictor member against the force exerted thereon by the pressure of fluid flowing thereagainst whereby the cross-sectional area of the fluid flow path varies in accordance with the axial position of the flow restrictor member within the oO housing member.

00oO Mc, In another aspect this invention resides broadly in a fluid flow regulator for a tap or valve, the regulator having a fluid flow path therethrough, and including:a housing member through which fluid flows having a substantially cylindrical inner wall; a flow restrictor member having a substantially cylindrical outer wall and being axially moveable within the housing member and dimensioned to provide a substantially annular control passage between the outer wall of the flow restrictor member and the inner wall of the housing member; sealing means between the housing member and the flow restrictor member and being slidingly engageable to prevent fluid flow in the control passage past the sealing means, and biasing means which bias the flow restrictor member against the force exerted thereon by the pressure of fluid flowing thereagainst; the cross-sectional area of the fluid flow path varying in accordance with the axial position of the flow restrictor member within the housing member.

It is preferred that the flow restrictor member has at least one axially extending passage therethrough and at least one substantially radial passage through the wall thereof, and that the tap or valve flow is through the at least one axially extending passage alone, or through said passage and the at least one radial passage, depending on the axial position of the flow restrictor member within the housing member.

It is also preferred that the housing member and the flow restrictor member are cylindrical.

The at least one substantially radial passage can extend axially whereby the effective cross sectional area through which fluid flows to enter the axially extending passage varies in accordance with the position of the flow restrictor member within the cylindrical housing, the sealing means variably sealing off the control passage in accordance with the position. However it is preferred that the flow restrictor member has a plurality of axially spaced substantially radial 4 passages through the wall thereof.

rIt is also preferred that the housing member is a substantially hollow cylinder _open at the inlet end and substantially closed at the outlet end, the substantially closed outlet end having an outlet passage therethrough.

00 It is also preferred that the flow restrictor member is a cylinder substantially 00 M closed at the inlet end, the substantially closed inlet end having the at least one axially extending passage therethrough.

It is also preferred that the sealing means is a seal seated in a first annular recess in the inner surface of the housing member.

NIt is also preferred that the biasing means is a compression spring bearing against the substantially closed outlet end of the housing member and the substantially closed inlet end of the flow restrictor member. The biasing means could comprise more than a single compression spring.

It is also preferred that the compression spring is seated in annular recesses in the substantially closed outlet end of the housing member and in the flow restrictor member.

The flow restrictor member can be substantially open at the outlet end, although in the preferred embodiment illustrated, the flow restrictor member is substantially closed at the outlet end, the substantially closed outlet end having the at least one axially extending passage therethrough and having an axially extending annular recess for housing and seating the compression spring.

There may be only one substantially radial passage at each axially spaced position, although it is preferred that there is a plurality of axially spaced substantially radial passages at at least one of a plurality of axially spaced positions.

The plurality of axially spaced substantially radial passages through the wall of the flow restrictor member could be inclined to the axis and pass from the wall to the substantially closed outlet end thereof, although in the preferred embodiment illustrated, the axially spaced substantially radial passages connect with the axially extending annular recess.

It is preferred that the fluid flow regulator includes stop means to limit movement of the flow restrictor member away from the substantially closed outlet end of the 4 housing member.

)The stop means could take various forms. It could for example be a threaded _washer attached to the open inlet end of the housing member. However it is preferred that the stop means is a circlip seated in a second annular recess in the inner surface 00 of the housing member.

00 M It is preferred that the fluid flow regulator includes fixing means for fixing the regulator relative to the tap or valve.

It is preferred that the fixing means is a screw thread at the open inlet end of the housing member for attaching the regulator to the tap or valve outlet.

Alternatively, the fixing means can be a stepped shoulder on the outer surface of the housing member for seating the regulator within the tap or valve.

In another aspect this invention resides broadly in a tap or valve including a fluid flow regulator as defined above.

Description of Drawings In order that this invention may be more easily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein:- FIG 1 is a cross sectional elevation of a housing member; FIG 2 is a cross sectional elevation of a flow restrictor member; FIG 3 is an cross sectional elevation of the fluid flow regulator showing the flow restrictor member positioned within the housing member; FIG 4 is a schematic cross sectional elevation of the fluid flow regulator showing the flow restrictor member positioned in the housing member under conditions of relatively low fluid pressure to produce a maximum fluid flow passage; FIG 5 is a schematic cross sectional elevation of the fluid flow regulator showing the flow restrictor member positioned in the housing member under conditions of medium fluid pressure to produce a medium fluid flow passage, and FIG 6 is a schematic cross sectional elevation of the fluid flow regulator showing the flow restrictor member positioned in the housing member under conditions of relatively high fluid pressure to produce a minimal size fluid flow passage.

SDescription of Preferred Embodiment of Invention a Turning to FIGS 1, 2 and 3 which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the C/ present invention, the fluid flow regulator 30 (see FIG 3) for a tap or valve is seen to N have a cylindrical housing member 10 through which fluid flows and a cylindrical flow restrictor member 21 which is axially moveable within housing member 10 as seen in 00oO FIG 3.

00oO M' Housing member 10 is a substantially hollow cylinder 11 made from brass or other suitable material open at the inlet end 12 and substantially closed at the outlet Send 13 which has an outlet passage 14 therethrough.

SFlow restrictor member 21 is a cylinder made from brass or other suitable Smaterial and is substantially closed at the inlet end 23 which has an axially extending passage 25 therethrough. In the preferred embodiment illustrated flow restrictor member 21 is substantially closed at the outlet end 24 through which axially extending passage 25 passes. Outlet end 24 also has an axially extending annular recess 28 for housing and seating a compression spring 33 (as seen in dotted outline in FIGS 3-6) and which acts as biasing means to bias the flow restrictor member 21 against the force exerted thereon by the pressure of fluid flowing thereagainst.

In arrangements not shown, there may of course be more than two sets of radial passages. There need not be more than one radial passage at each axial position, or as indicated previously, there need not be more than one axially spaced radial passage rather, a single axially extending radial passage can be utilised. There could also be one or more arrays of radial passages in a spiral pattern.

Flow restrictor member 21 is dimensioned to provide a control passage 29 between the outer wall 22 of flow restrictor member 21 and the inner wall 17 of housing member 10. In the illustrated embodiment, flow restrictor member 21 has an axially extending passage 25 therethrough, and two sets of substantially radial passages 26a, 26n and 27a, 27n at two axially spaced locations 26 and 27.

An annular recess 15 is formed in the inner surface 17 of housing member and holds sealing means in the form of an O-ring seal 31 which effects a seal between housing member 10 and flow restrictor member 21 to prevent fluid flow in control passage 29 past seal 31.

1 The tap or valve flow is thus seen to be controlled by flow restrictor member 21 Sso as to be either through axially extending passage 25 alone, or through passage a and the set of radial passages 26a, 26n at axial location 26, or through d) VI)passage 25 and the both sets of radial passages 26a, 26n and 27a, C 27n at both axial location 26 and 27. Which of these alternatives constitute the tap or valve flow path pattern is determined by the axial position of flow restrictor member 21 00oO within housing member oO 00This is turn depends (as will be described subsequently) on the pressure of the fluid flowing against the inlet end 23 of flow restrictor member 21 which exerts a force thereon which acts against an opposing force on flow restrictor member 21 exerted by Scompression spring 33 which bears against the substantially closed outlet end 13 of Shousing member 10 where it is seated in annular recess 18, and the substantially closed inlet end 23 of flow restrictor member 21 where it seats and is housed in axially extending annular recess 28.

Flow restrictor member 21 is prevented from travelling to the full extent of expansion of compression spring 33 by stop means in the form of a circlip 32 seated in a second annular recess 16 in inner surface 17 of housing member 10 located towards the inlet. Circlip 32 limits movement of flow restrictor member 21 away from the outlet end 13 of housing member Flow regulator 30 can be attached to the outlet spout of a tap by fixing means in the form of screw thread (not shown) at position 19 at the open end 12 of housing member 10. Alternatively, flow regulator 30 can be seated within the tap or valve by fixing means in the form of stepped shoulder 20 in the outer surface of housing member 10 which engages with a complementary seat in the tap or valve (not shown).

In order to attach an aerator or the like, a screw thread (not shown) may be provided at position 34 at the outlet end 13 of housing member Turning now to FIG 4, when the inlet end of flow restrictor member 21 is acted on by a low fluid pressure acting in one direction against the bias of compression spring 33 acting in the opposite direction, flow restrictor member 21 adopts the position shown. This is referred to as the static position of the flow restrictor member. As seen by the block arrows, with flow restrictor member 21 in this position, fluid can flow through the open end of housing member 10, through the central passage in flow restrictor member 21 and out of the flow regulator though the central passage in the O outlet end of housing member 10. Fluid can also flow through the open inlet end of housing member 10, through the control passage 29 between the housing member $4and the flow restrictor member 21, through both sets of axially spaced radial passages C/ in flow restrictor member 21, through the annular recess in flow restrictor member 21 which also houses the compression spring and out of the flow regulator though the central passage in the outlet end of housing member 00 When the inlet end of flow restrictor member 21 is acted on by a medium or 00 Mc, intermediate fluid pressure acting in one direction against the bias of compression spring 33 acting in the opposite direction, flow restrictor member 21 moves against the Sspring and adopts the position seen in FIG 5. This is referred to as an intermediate position of the flow restrictor member. Again as seen by the block arrows, with flow c restrictor member 21 in this position, fluid can flow through the inlet end of housing member 10, through the central passage in flow restrictor member 21 and out of the flow regulator though the central passage in the outlet end of housing member Fluid can also flow through the inlet end of housing member 10, through the control passage 29 between the housing member 10 and the flow restrictor member 21, but through only the uppermost of the sets of axially spaced radial passages in flow restrictor member 21, through the annular recess in flow restrictor member 21 which also houses the compression spring and out of the flow regulator though the central passage in the outlet end of housing member 10. In this position, the lowermost of the sets of axially spaced radial passages is blocked off by O ring 31, thus controlling the volume of fluid that flows through the flow regulator by restricting the total crosssectional area of the fluid flow passage.

Finally with reference to FIG 6, it can be seen that when the inlet end of flow restrictor member 21 is acted on by a high fluid pressure acting in one direction against the bias of compression spring 33 acting in the opposite direction, flow restrictor member 21 moves even further against the spring and adopts the final position seen in FIG 6. This is referred to as the stop position of the flow restrictor member. Again as seen by the block arrows, with flow restrictor member 21 in this position, fluid can only flow through the inlet end of housing member 10, through the central passage in flow restrictor member 21 and out of the flow regulator though the central passage in the outlet end of housing member 10. Fluid can flow through the inlet end of housing member 10 and into but not through the control passage 29 between the housing member 10 and the flow restrictor member 21, because 0 ring 31 prevents any fluid Sflowing through either set of axially spaced radial passages in flow restrictor member $421, thus further restricting the total cross-sectional area of the fluid flow passage to V. control the volume of fluid flowing through the flow regulator.

C_ It will be appreciated that for a given tap or valve setting, the flow will increase as water pressure increases. For a given tap or valve setting this effect can be offset 0O by decreasing the size of the flow passage. The extent to which this increase in flow 0O 00, can be offset can be varied by varying the strength of the compression spring. For a given water pressure, the adjusted flow will be greater if the spring is stronger and vice N versa.

SThe flow regulator of the present invention is thus seen to restrict the maximum rate of flow from a tap or valve and can ensure that the flow rate is kept within specified limits over a set range of fluid pressures in the supply line at the tap.

It will of course be realised that whilst the above has been given by way of an illustrative example of this invention, all such and other modifications and variations hereto, as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art, are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as is herein set forth.

BRIAN ANTHONY ROBINSON by PIZZEYS PATENT AND TRADE MARK ATTORNEYS

Claims

2. A fluid flow regulator for a tap or valve, the regulator having a fluid flow path therethrough, and including:- a housing member through which fluid flows having a substantially cylindrical inner wall; a flow restrictor member having a substantially cylindrical outer wall and being axially moveable within the housing member and dimensioned to provide a substantially annular control passage between the outer wall of the flow restrictor member and the inner wall of the housing member; sealing means between the housing member and the flow restrictor member and being slidingly engageable to prevent fluid flow in the control passage past the sealing means, and biasing means which bias the flow restrictor member against the force exerted thereon by the pressure of fluid flowing thereagainst; the cross-sectional area of the fluid flow path varying in accordance with the axial position of the flow restrictor member within the housing member.
3. A fluid flow regulator as claimed in claim 2, wherein the flow restrictor member includes at least one axially extending passage therethrough and at least one O substantially radial passage through the wall thereof, and the tap or valve flow is Sthrough the at least one axially extending passage alone, or through said passage and a the at least one radial passage, depending on the axial position of the flow restrictor d) V. member within the housing member.
4. A fluid flow regulator as claimed in claim 3, wherein the housing member and oO the flow restrictor member are cylindrical. 00oO A fluid flow regulator as claimed in claim 3, wherein the flow restrictor member has a plurality of axially spaced substantially radial passages through the wall thereof.
6. A fluid flow regulator as claimed in claim 3, wherein the housing member is a substantially hollow cylinder open at the inlet end and substantially closed at the outlet end, the substantially closed outlet end having an outlet passage therethrough.
7. A fluid flow regulator as claimed in claim 3, wherein the flow restrictor member is a cylinder substantially closed at the inlet end, the substantially closed inlet end having the at least one axially extending passage therethrough.
8. A fluid flow regulator as claimed in claim 7, wherein the sealing means is a seal seated in a first annular recess in the inner surface of the housing member.
9. A fluid flow regulator as claimed in claim 7, wherein the biasing means is a compression spring bearing against the substantially closed outlet end of the housing member and the substantially closed inlet end of the flow restrictor member. A fluid flow regulator as claimed in claim 9, wherein the compression spring is seated in annular recesses in the substantially closed outlet end of the housing member and in the flow restrictor member.
11. A fluid flow regulator as claimed in claim 9, wherein the flow restrictor member is substantially closed at the outlet end, the substantially closed outlet end having the at least one axially extending passage therethrough and having an axially extending annular recess for housing and seating the compression spring.
12. A fluid flow regulator as claimed in claim 3, wherein there is a plurality of _substantially radial passages at a plurality of axially spaced positions. 0 13. A fluid flow regulator as claimed in claim 11, wherein the substantially radial 00 M passages connect with the axially extending annular recess.
14. A fluid flow regulator as claimed in claim 6, and including stop means to limit movement of the flow restrictor member away from the substantially closed outlet end of the housing member. A fluid flow regulator as claimed in claim 14, wherein the stop means is a circlip seated in a second annular recess in the inner surface of the housing member.
16. A fluid flow regulator as claimed in claim 3, and including fixing means for fixing the regulator relative to the tap or valve.
17. A fluid flow regulator as claimed in claim 16, wherein the fixing means is a screw thread at the open inlet end of the housing member for attaching the regulator to the tap or valve outlet.
18. A fluid flow regulator as claimed in claim 16, wherein the fixing means is a stepped shoulder in the outer surface of the housing member for seating the regulator within the tap or valve.
19. A fluid flow regulator substantially as described with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings. A tap or valve including a fluid flow regulator as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.
21. A method of regulating the fluid flow in a tap or valve substantially as Sdescribed with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings. (N 00 00 (N)