Universal valve body

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9334971-B2
Application number	US-201313802163-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 13, 2013
Priority date	Mar 13, 2013
Publication date	May 10, 2016
Grant date	May 10, 2016

Abstract

A universal valve body includes a front face having a circular opening for receiving a valve cartridge, a rear face, a frustoconical side wall connecting the front face to the rear face, and a first inlet port and a first outlet port obliquely disposed in the frustoconical side wall. A cap for the valve body includes a base and a structure extending from the base. The structure extending from the base may block at least one of the inlet port or outlet port in the valve body. A service valve for a valve body includes a base rotatable between an open orientation and a closed orientation relative to the valve body and a tab extending from the base. When the base is in the open orientation, the tab prevents removal of a cover from the valve body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aspirator for a valve assembly, the aspirator comprising:
a surface configured to direct fluid to a first outlet port of a valve body; and
a fluid channel configured to direct fluid to a second outlet port of the valve body;
wherein the aspirator is configured to releasably couple to the valve cartridge in a first orientation and a second orientation, wherein the aspirator is rotated 180 degrees relative to the valve cartridge between the first orientation and the second orientation;
wherein the aspirator is configured to be removable from the valve cartridge in the first orientation and re-insertable into the valve cartridge in the second orientation, thereby allowing the valve cartridge to be rotated 180 degrees relative to the valve body while maintaining the aspirator in an unchanging orientation relative to the valve body.

2. The aspirator of claim 1 , wherein the aspirator is configured to receive fluid in a direction transverse to the surface and wherein the surface is parallel to the fluid channel.

3. The aspirator of claim 1 , wherein when the aspirator is coupled to the valve cartridge in the first orientation, the aspirator receives fluid from a first half of the valve cartridge, and when the aspirator is coupled to the valve cartridge in the second orientation, the aspirator receives fluid from a second half of the valve cartridge.

4. The aspirator of claim 1 , further comprising a fastener configured to releasably couple the aspirator to a valve cartridge.

5. The aspirator of claim 4 , wherein the fastener is a peg or a slot.

6. A valve assembly comprising:
a housing having a first inlet port, a second inlet port, a first outlet port, and a second outlet port;
a fluid control cartridge disposed in the housing, the fluid control cartridge oriented in a first position if hot water is provided to the first inlet port, and the fluid control cartridge oriented in a second position if hot water is provided to the second inlet port; and
an aspirator including a first channel configured to direct fluid from the fluid control cartridge to the first outlet port and including a second channel configured to guide fluid to the second outlet port;
wherein the aspirator is coupled to the fluid control cartridge in a first orientation when the fluid control cartridge is in the first position and wherein the aspirator is coupled to the fluid control cartridge in the second orientation when the fluid control cartridge is in the second position
wherein the aspirator is configured to be removable from the fluid control cartridge in the first orientation and re-insertable into the fluid control cartridge in the second orientation, thereby allowing the fluid control cartridge to be rotated 180 degrees relative to the housing while maintaining the aspirator in an unchanging orientation relative to the housing.

7. The aspirator of claim 1 , further comprising a peg configured to be received in a recess of the valve cartridge and to constrain the aspirator from longitudinal or axial movement relative to the valve cartridge.

8. The aspirator of claim 7 , wherein the peg prevents the aspirator from dislodging from the valve cartridge as a result of fluid pressure exerted on the aspirator.

9. The aspirator of claim 1 , further comprising a slot configured to receive a ridge of the valve cartridge and to constrain the aspirator from rotational movement relative to the valve cartridge.

10. The aspirator of claim 1 , wherein an end of the aspirator is substantially flush to an outer surface of the valve cartridge when the aspirator is in a fully installed position.

11. The aspirator of claim 1 , wherein an end of the aspirator protrudes from an outer surface of the valve cartridge when the aspirator is not in a fully installed position such that installing the valve cartridge into a valve body will push the aspirator into a fully installed position.

12. The aspirator of claim 1 , wherein the aspirator is injection molded from a polymer.

13. The aspirator of claim 1 , wherein the aspirator is manufactured separately from the valve cartridge and subsequently inserted into an operating position.

14. The valve assembly of claim 6 , wherein the aspirator comprises a peg configured to be received in a recess of the fluid control cartridge and to constrain the aspirator from longitudinal or axial movement relative to the fluid control cartridge.

15. The valve assembly of claim 14 , wherein the peg prevents the aspirator from dislodging from the fluid control cartridge as a result of fluid pressure exerted on the aspirator.

16. The valve assembly of claim 6 , wherein the aspirator comprises a slot configured to receive a ridge of the fluid control cartridge and to constrain the aspirator from rotational movement relative to the fluid control cartridge.

17. The valve assembly of claim 6 , wherein an end of the aspirator is substantially flush to an outer surface of the fluid control cartridge when the aspirator is in a fully installed position.

18. The valve assembly of claim 6 , wherein an end of the aspirator protrudes from an outer surface of the fluid control cartridge when the aspirator is not in a fully installed position such that installing the fluid control cartridge into a valve body will push the aspirator into a fully installed position.

19. The valve assembly of claim 6 , wherein the aspirator is injection molded from a polymer.

20. The valve assembly of claim 6 , wherein the aspirator is manufactured separately from the fluid control cartridge and subsequently inserted into an operating position.

Assignees

• Kohler Co

Inventors

• Brouwer Douglas J
• Smith Michael W
• Niver Michael A
• Cochart Chad J

Classifications

• Y10T137/86493

  Multi-way valve unit · CPC title

• E03C1/0408

  Water installations especially for showers (E03C1/06 takes precedence; shower heads B05B1/18) · CPC title

• F16K11/0445

  Bath/shower selectors · CPC title

• F16K39/024

  using an auxiliary valve on the main valve · CPC title

• F16K1/2014

  Shaping of the valve member · CPC title