Flush valve and motor alignment bracket

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11746514-B2
Application number	US-202117334156-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 28, 2021
Priority date	May 29, 2020
Publication date	Sep 5, 2023
Grant date	Sep 5, 2023

Abstract

A flush valve assembly including a manifold including an inlet, an outlet, and a fluid passageway positioned between the inlet and the outlet, a motor coupled to the manifold and including a drive gear, a valve cartridge coupled to the manifold, and a shaft extending from the valve cartridge. The shaft includes a valve gear configured to mesh with the drive gear. Rotational motion from the motor is transferred through the drive gear, the valve gear, and the valve shaft to rotate the valve cartridge between a first position and a second position. The flush valve assembly additionally includes a bracket removably coupled to the manifold. The bracket is configured to align the drive gear and the valve gear in a predetermined position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flush valve assembly comprising:
a manifold including an inlet, an outlet, and a fluid passageway positioned between the inlet and the outlet;
a motor indirectly coupled to the manifold and including a drive gear;
a valve cartridge coupled to the manifold;
a shaft extending from the valve cartridge, the shaft including a valve gear configured to mesh with the drive gear, wherein rotational motion from the motor is transferred through the drive gear, the valve gear, and the valve shaft to rotate the valve cartridge between a first position and a second position; and
a bracket removably coupled to the manifold, wherein the bracket is configured to align the drive gear and the valve gear in a predetermined position, and wherein the bracket includes a first aperture configured to receive a portion of the motor and a second aperture configured to receive a portion of the valve cartridge.

2. The flush valve assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor positioned adjacent the drive gear, wherein the sensor is configured to receive at least a portion of drive gear.

3. The flush valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein when the valve cartridge is in the first position, the valve cartridge provides fluid communication between the inlet and the outlet through the valve cartridge and the fluid passageway, and when the valve cartridge is in the second position, the valve cartridge prevents fluid flow between the inlet and the outlet.

4. The flush valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the drive gear includes a first plurality of splines and the valve gear includes a second plurality of splines, and wherein when the drive gear and the valve gear are in the predetermined position, the first plurality of splines mesh with the second plurality of splines.

5. The flush valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first and second apertures align the drive gear and the valve gear in the predetermined position.

6. The flush valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the bracket includes a cylindrical portion configured to align with a portion of the motor.

7. The flush valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the bracket incudes a groove configured to receive a portion of the motor.

8. A flush valve assembly comprising:
a manifold assembly including an inlet, an outlet, and a fluid passageway positioned between the inlet and the outlet;
a motor indirectly coupled to the manifold and having a drive gear;
a valve cartridge coupled to the manifold;
a shaft extending from the valve cartridge and including a valve gear configured to mesh with the drive gear; and
a bracket removably coupled to the manifold, wherein the bracket includes
a first aperture configured to receive a portion of the motor,
a second aperture configured to receive the valve cartridge, wherein the first and second apertures align the drive gear and the valve gear in a predetermined position, and
a groove configured to receive a portion of the motor.

9. The flush valve assembly of claim 8 , further comprising a plurality of third apertures configured to receive fasteners to couple the bracket to the manifold.

10. The flush valve assembly of claim 8 , wherein the bracket includes a cylindrical portion configured to align with a portion of the motor.

11. The flush valve assembly of claim 10 , wherein the first aperture is concentrically positioned within a circumference of the cylindrical portion.

12. The flush valve assembly of claim 8 , wherein the bracket includes a curved flange extending from a side of the bracket.

13. The flush valve assembly of claim 8 , wherein the bracket includes a projection extending along an edge of the bracket, wherein when the bracket is coupled to the manifold, the projection is configured to cover at least a portion of the drive gear and the valve gear.

14. The flush valve assembly of claim 8 , wherein the second aperture includes a flat edge configured to receive a corresponding flat portion of the valve cartridge.

15. The flush valve assembly of claim 8 , wherein the first aperture is positioned within the groove.

16. A method of assembling a flush valve assembly, the flush valve assembly including a manifold, a motor indirectly coupled to the manifold and including a drive gear, a valve cartridge coupled to the manifold, a shaft extending from the valve cartridge, the shaft including a valve gear configured to mesh with the drive gear, the method comprising:
aligning a first aperture of a bracket with the motor of the flush valve assembly;
aligning an opening of the bracket with the valve cartridge of the flush valve assembly;
positioning the bracket onto the manifold of the flush valve assembly, wherein the motor protrudes through the first aperture of the bracket and a portion of the valve cartridge protrudes through the opening of the bracket;
securing the bracket to the manifold;
securing the drive gear to the motor;
securing the valve gear to the shaft of the valve cartridge; and
securing a sensor assembly to the motor of the flush valve assembly.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising, after securing the valve gear to the shaft of the valve cartridge, aligning the valve gear with the drive gear.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein aligning an opening of the bracket with the valve cartridge of the flush valve assembly further includes rotating the valve cartridge until flats on the valve cartridge align with corresponding edges on the opening of the bracket.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein securing the valve gear to the shaft of the valve cartridge further includes positioning protrusions of the valve gear within corresponding gaps of the valve shaft.

Assignees

• Zurn Ind Llc

Inventors

• Boucher Keith Roger
• Williams Chadwick Brice
• Kaid Alan
• Hoel Daniel Steven

Classifications

• E03D1/34 Primary

  Flushing valves for outlets; Arrangement of outlet valves · CPC title

• F16K21/16

  closing after a predetermined quantity of fluid has been delivered (F16K21/10 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16K31/047

  characterised by mechanical means between the motor and the valve, e.g. lost motion means reducing backlash, clutches, brakes or return means (F16K31/043 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16K31/042 Primary

  with electric means, e.g. for controlling the motor or a clutch between the valve and the motor · CPC title

• F16K31/535

  for rotating valves (F16K31/54 takes precedence) · CPC title