Bidirectional excess flow valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12449052-B1
Application number	US-202418638008-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Apr 17, 2024
Priority date	Apr 17, 2024
Publication date	Oct 21, 2025
Grant date	Oct 21, 2025

Abstract

A bidirectional excess flow valve for automatically stopping delivery of a fluid from a supply in a fluid network. The valve has a housing defining an interior forming a fluid passageway along a flow axis between a first opening and a second opening. The valve also has a valve seat in the interior, the fluid passageway extending through the valve seat, and a first and second shutoff element disposed on opposite sides of the valve seat. The shutoff elements are set apart from the valve seat assembly in an open position to allow flow through the fluid passageway. In a closed position, the first or second shutoff element is configured to move against the valve element assembly to close the fluid passageway when flow through the fluid passageway exceeds a predetermined level.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A bidirectional excess flow valve for automatically stopping delivery of a fluid from a supply in a fluid network comprising:
a housing defining an interior forming a fluid passageway along a flow axis between a first opening and a second opening;
a valve seat in the interior, the fluid passageway extending through the valve seat; and
a valve element assembly including a first shutoff element and a second shutoff element disposed on opposite sides of the valve seat, wherein the first and second shutoff elements are normally biased set apart from the valve seat assembly in an open position to allow flow through the fluid passageway,
wherein:
in a first closed position, the first shutoff element is configured to move against the valve element assembly to close the fluid passageway when flow through the fluid passageway from the first opening to the second opening exceeds a first predetermined level; and
in a second closed position, the second shutoff element is configured to move against the valve element assembly to close the fluid passageway when flow through the fluid passageway from the second opening to the first opening exceeds a second predetermined level.

2. The bidirectional excess flow valve of claim 1 , wherein:
the first shutoff element defines a first convex exterior surface;
the second shutoff element defines a second convex exterior surface; and
the valve seat defines a first concave seat surface opposing a second concave seat surface with the first convex exterior surface facing the first concave exterior surface and the second convex exterior surface facing the second concave exterior surface.

3. The bidirectional excess flow valve of claim 1 , wherein the valve element assembly includes a clasping mechanism configured to snap fit the first and second shutoff elements together.

4. The bidirectional excess flow valve of claim 3 , wherein the clasping mechanism includes:
a first pair of opposing deflectable first arms extending from the first shutoff element, each first arm having a distal hook and an intermediate boss defining a first capture hollow adjacent the first shutoff element; and
a second pair of opposing deflectable second arms extending from the second shutoff element, each second arm having a distal hook and an intermediate boss defining a second capture hollow adjacent the second shutoff element so that the distal hooks of the first pair are selectively captured in the second capture hollow and the distal hooks of the second pair are selectively captured in the first capture hollow.

5. The bidirectional excess flow valve of claim 4 , wherein the first and second pair of arms form radially outward curved surfaces that approximately form part of a circle in transverse cross-section.

6. The bidirectional excess flow valve of claim 5 , wherein: the valve seat includes a central ring defining a central opening through which the fluid passageway and the first and second pair of arms extend; and the central ring guides axial motion of the valve element assembly by the central opening being approximately a same size as the circle.

7. The bidirectional excess flow valve of claim 6 , further comprising: a first spring extending between the valve seat and the first shutoff element to bias the first shutoff element in the open position; and a second spring extending between the valve seat and the second shutoff element to bias the second shutoff element in the open position, wherein the ring serves as a stop for the first and second springs and the first and second springs bias reopen the bidirectional excess flow valve upon the flow falling below the first and second predetermined levels, respectively.

8. The bidirectional excess flow valve of claim 1 , wherein the valve seat is formed of an ethylene co-polymer-based material that expands at high temperature to close the fluid passageway.

9. An excess flow valve for automatically stopping delivery of a fluid from a supply in a fluid network comprising:
a housing defining an interior forming a fluid passageway along a flow axis;
a valve seat fixed in the interior and forming a central opening, wherein the fluid passageway extends through the central opening;
a first and second shutoff element for selectively sealing against the valve seat to block the fluid passageway, the first and second shutoff elements connected together by a clasping mechanism and retained in the central opening, the first and second shutoff elements sized and configured to guide axial motion of the valve element; and
two springs extending between the valve seat and each shutoff element for normally biasing the shutoff elements away from the valve seat in an open position to allow flow through the fluid passageway,
wherein in a closed position, the first or second shutoff element is configured to move against the valve element assembly to close the fluid passageway when flow through the fluid passageway exceeds a predetermined level.

Assignees

• Watts Regulator Co

Inventors

• Felgar Mark E
• Riggle Matthew W

Classifications

• F16K17/34

  in which the flow-energy of the flowing medium actuates the closing mechanism · CPC title

• F16K17/30

  spring-loaded · CPC title

• F16K17/26 Primary

  operating in either direction · CPC title

• F16L15/006

  with straight threads · CPC title

• Y10T137/7785

  Valve closes in response to excessive flow · CPC title