GB2481844A

GB2481844A - Fluid control valve

Info

Publication number: GB2481844A
Application number: GB1011547.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Darren Webb
Original assignee: Polypipe Terrain Ltd
Current assignee: Polypipe Terrain Ltd
Priority date: 2010-07-08
Filing date: 2010-07-08
Publication date: 2012-01-11
Anticipated expiration: 2030-07-08
Also published as: GB201011547D0; GB2481844B; WO2012004575A1; GB201111773D0; GB2481921A; GB2481921B

Abstract

A one-way fluid control valve 10 comprises a housing 20 having an inlet 22 and an outlet 24 and an internal volume 26 therebetween; a valve member 30 having an inlet end, a contact portion 34 and an outlet end. The valve member 30 extends at least partially within the housing 20, from a contact region 28 in the internal volume 26 of the housing 20 towards the inlet 22 of the housing 20. The contact portion 34 of the valve member 30 is biased into contact with the contact region 28 to form a seal therebetween. The valve member 30 forms a blind recess 36 extending towards the inlet 22 of the housing 20 from the outlet end of the valve member 30.

Description

FLUID CONTROL VALVE

The present invention relates to a fluid control valve, more particularly, but not limited to, a valve for allowing for gravitational flow of water and preventing back flow of air.

Fluid control valves are known where a U-bend is formed in a pipe, which is filled with water. When water flows from an inlet the fluid level is raised over an outlet lip and fluid flows out of the outlet. However, when a back flow of air or other gases comes from the outlet, it cannot pass through the water filled U-bend. However, if the back pressure is high enough the fluid level at the outlet side of the U-bend can be reduced until air can pass under the U-bend and pass out of the inlet of the valve. Such an occurrence is accompanied by a characteristic "glug" as the, generally malodorous, gas escapes from the inlet of the U-bend. Further, where such a trap dries out the valve is effectively removed, allowing undesired back flow of gas.

The present invention seeks to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the

disadvantages associated with the prior art.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a fluid control valve which allows liquid flow from an inlet to an outlet, but substantially prevents back flow of gases from the outlet to the inlet. In an embodiment, a housing, having an inlet and an outlet, is provided and a valve member, which may be resiliently deformable, is provided at least partly therein. A portion of the valve member is biased to form a seal with a contact region, which may be formed from the housing. As water flows from the inlet to the outlet, it forces open the seal between the valve member and the housing so allowing the water to flow to the outlet. The valve member is formed with a blind recess extending towards the inlet of the housing from the outlet end, and, in embodiments, from the seal or contact portion of the housing member, which contacts a contact region in an internal volume of the housing, and which may be formed on the inner surface of the housing as well as on a separate member. When water flows from the inlet of the valve to the outlet, it separates the contact portion of the valve member from the contact region of the housing and the water flows therebetween. When, on the other hand, gas attempts to flow from the outlet to the inlet, it flows into the recess of the valve member, which forces the contact portion of the valve member into stronger contact with the contact region of the housing, so preventing the flow of gas between the contact portion of the valve member and the contact region of the housing and thus preventing gas flow from the outlet of the valve to the inlet. The separation of the contact portion of the valve and contact region in the housing may be radial deformation, or may be translation of the valve member relative to the housing. This may be along a longitudinal direction of the housing, extending between the inlet and the outlet.

The valve member may taper away from the sides of the housing as it extends away from the contact portion towards the inlet of the housing. At or adjacent to the inlet end of the valve member there may be one or more barbs which extends laterally to engage with the end of the housing to retain the valve member in position in the housing. In this case, the valve member may extend passed the outlet of the housing.

The valve member may also extend, in the region outside the housing, laterally beyond the housing, so that the contact portion of the valve member is formed at the outlet of the housing. Instead of laterally extending barbs, mounting means may be formed which attach the valve member to the region of the inlet of the housing.

The valve member may be substantially conical or bell shaped, tapering towards an apex towards the inlet end of the housing, the cone or bell being substantially hollow to form the blind recess in the valve member.

The valve member may be formed from cured rubber or another deformable resilient material. The housing may be formed from a rigid plastics material. The housing may be cylindrical and the housing, at least at the contact region, together with the contact portion of the valve member, may be substantially circular in cross-section.

According to one aspect of the invention, a fluid control valve is provided, comprising a housing, comprising an inlet and an outlet and an internal volume therebetween, and a resiliently deformable valve member, having an inlet and a contact portion, the valve member extending at least partially within the housing, from a contact region on an inner surface of the internal volume of the housing towards the inlet of the housing, wherein a contact portion of the valve member is biased into contact with the contact region of the housing, the valve member forming a blind recess extending towards the inlet of the housing from the contact portion of the valve member.

Detailed embodiments of the invention will now be described, purely by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a fluid control valve according to a first aspect of the invention; Figure 2 shows a perspective cut-through of the fluid control valve of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a cross-section through A-A of Figure 1; Figure 4 shows a fluid control valve according to a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 5 shows a perspective cut-through of the fluid control valve of Figure 4; and Figure 6 shows a cross-section through A-A of Figure 4.

The figures show a fluid control valve 10, 100 comprising a housing 20, 120 comprising an inlet 22, 122 and an outlet 24, 124, with an internal volume 26, 126 therebetween.

A valve member 30, 130 is provided, which in the present embodiment is resiliently deformable, having an inlet end 32, 132, a contact portion 34, 134 and an outlet end, which in embodiments coincides with the contact portion 34. The valve member 30, extends at least partially within the housing 20, 120 from a contact region 28, 128 in the internal volume of the housing 20, 120 towards the inlet 22, 122 of the housing 20, 120. In the present embodiment, the contact region is formed on an inner surface of the housing. The contact portion 34, 134 of the valve member 30, 130 is biased into contact with the contact region 28, 120 to form a seal. The valve member 30, 130 forms a blind recess 36, 136 extending towards the inlet 22, 122 of the housing 20, 120 from the outlet end of the valve member 30, 130. The valve is arranged to allow fluid flow from the inlet 22, 122 to the outlet 24, 124, but substantially prevent fluid flow from the outlet 24, 124 to the inlet 22, 122.

Figures 1 to 3 show a first embodiment of the invention. In the first embodiment, the valve member 30 is retained within the housing 20 which is cylindrical. The valve member 30 is substantially conical. In particular, in the present invention, the valve member 30 is formed of rubber material and is annular in cross-section, the radius of the annulus decreasing from a value substantially equal to the internal diameter of the housing 20 at the contact portion 34 to a value substantially less than the internal diameter of the housing 20 as the valve member 30 extends from the contact region 28 of the housing 20 towards the inlet 22. In the region of the inlet 22 the valve member 30 is formed as a solid cylinder, the annulus being filled in. In this, mounting means, in the present embodiment in the form of a PVC ring 40, is provided to mount the valve member 30 to the housing 20. The PVC ring 40 is tapered and sized to grip the solid end of the valve member 30. The PVC ring 40 has a number of arms, in the present embodiment three, which extend to an outer ring 42, also of PVC, which is mounted to the internal surface of the housing 20, by way of a shoulder, which prevents the outer ring 42 from moving further into the housing 20, and an annular washer or the like, which is placed on the inlet side of the outer ring 42 to wedge the outer ring 42 between the shoulder and the washer and prevent relative movement thereof.

In use, fluid enters the assembly from the inlet 22 and flows between the outer surface of the valve member 30 and the inner surface of the housing 20 until it arrives where the contact portion 34 of the valve member abuts the contact region 28 of the housing 20. As the valve member 30 is resiliently deformable, the water deforms the valve member radially inwardly at least around some of the contact portion 34 and the water can pass from the inlet side of the valve member 30 to the outlet side of the valve member 30 and out through the outlet 24. When the inlet is not receiving water, the contact portion 34 of the valve member 30 is biased into a sealing contact with the contact region 28 of the housing 20. If gas flows into the outlet 24, the pressure in the blind recess 36 of the valve member 30, increases and increases the seal between the contact portion 34 and the contact region 28. In this way, back flow of gas from the outlet 24 towards the inlet 22 is prevented. In the present embodiment, the contact portion 34 of the valve member 30 is at the end of the valve member closest to the outlet of the housing and the valve member 30 closest to the housing 20. n the present invention, the housing is substantially cylindrical and the contact portion of the valve member is substantially circular in cross-section.

Due to the tapering of the valve member 30 from the mounting portion, which is mounted to the PVC ring 40 towards the contact portion 34, the cross-sectional area of the space between the valve member 30 and housing 20 gradually decreases from the inlet end to the outlet end of the valve. In this way, the water flowing into the inlet is channelled to the contact portion 34. Further, as the relative angle between the outer surface of the valve member 30 and the inner surface of the housing 20 decreases towards the contact portion 34, as water is channelled towards the contact portion 34, the contact portion 34 deforms radially inwardly to form a gap between the valve member 30 and the housing 20 to allow the water to pass therethrough. Once the water has finished passing therethrough, the resilient nature of the valve member 30 causes the contact portion 34 to come back into contact region 28 of the housing 20.

Figures 4 to 6 show a second embodiment of the invention. The second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment and so only differences between the two embodiments will be described herein. The valve member 130, as shown in Figure 4 extends longitudinally beyond the outlet 124 of the housing 120. Further, the end of valve member 130 extends radially beyond the inner diameter of the housing, which securely biases the contact portion 134 of the valve member 130 against the contact region 128 of the housing 120. The operation of the valve of the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment with the exception that the water flowing passed a gap formed between the contact portion 134 and contact region 128 exits the housing 120 at that point. Similarly to the first embodiment, as the water stops, the resilient nature of the valve member 130 (the contact portion or the barbs, or both) causes the contact portion 134 to reseal with the contact region 128.

The second embodiment also differs from the first embodiment in that the inlet end of the valve member 130 is formed with two barbs 150 as can be most clearly seen in Figures 5 and 6. These barbs extend laterally from the tapered end of the valve member 130 beyond the internal diameter of the housing 120 and abut on a shoulder 152 on a longitudinal end of the housing 120. In this way, the valve member 130 is retained within the housing. Further, deformation of the barbs 150 allows the valve member 130 to move in a longitudinal outlet direction under pressure of water flowing from the inlet to the outlet. In this way, the water flow can, as well as, or instead of, deforming the valve member 130 radially inwardly to allow the water to pass between the contact portion 134 and contact region 128, cause the whole valve member 130 to move longitudinally by flexing of the barbs 150 to form a gap between the contact portion 134 and contact region 128. Once the water flow stops, the resiliently deformable barbs return to their normal position, so sealing the gap between the contact portion 134 and the contact region 128. Similarly to the first embodiment, back gas flow increases the pressure in the blind recess 136, which pushes the contact portion 134 into firm contact with the contact region 128, closing the valve and presenting back flow of the gas. In a further alternative embodiment, the blind recess may not be formed; the valve member may instead be solid.

The present invention has been described above purely by way of example and many modifications, additions and/or emissions will present themselves to one skilled in the art, the invention also extending to any such modifications, additions, and/or emissions, which fall within the scope and spirit of the invention. For example, the barbs described in the second embodiment may also be utilised in the first embodiment described above.

In the present application, the terms "comprises", comprising" and the like are intended to be used in an inclusive sense, that is "including, but not limited to" unless the contacts clearly requires otherwise.