Configurable modular sleeve valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9493932-B2
Application number	US-201414506772-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 6, 2014
Priority date	Oct 6, 2014
Publication date	Nov 15, 2016
Grant date	Nov 15, 2016

Abstract

A modular sleeve valve apparatus can include a valve body including a first port and a second port on a first and second sidewall of the valve body. The apparatus can include a first and second valve core sleeved within the valve body. The first valve core can be a cylinder including a first aperture in a cylindrical sidewall and a second aperture in a top base-wall. The second valve core can be a cylinder including a third aperture in a cylindrical sidewall and a fourth aperture in a bottom base-wall. The first and second valve cores can be removable from the valve body and radially rotatable within the valve body. The second valve core can be positioned stacked upon the first valve core to align the second aperture and the fourth aperture.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A modular sleeve valve apparatus comprising:
a valve body including a first port on a first sidewall of the valve body and a second port on a second sidewall of the valve body;
a first valve core sleeved within the valve body, the first valve core a cylinder including a first aperture in a cylindrical sidewall of the first valve core and a second aperture in a top base-wall of the first valve core, the cylindrical sidewall defining a first space within the first valve core, the first valve core removable from the valve body and radially rotatable within the valve body; and
a second valve core sleeved within the valve body, the second valve core a cylinder including a third aperture in a cylindrical sidewall of the second valve core and a fourth aperture in a bottom base-wall of the second valve core, the cylindrical sidewall of the second valve core defining a second space within the second valve core, the second valve core removable from the valve body and radially rotatable within the valve body, the second valve core positioned stacked upon the first valve core to align the second aperture and the fourth aperture to create a combined space from the first and second spaces;
wherein the first port and second port each include an exterior opening and an interior opening, the exterior opening positioned on the first and second sidewall, and the interior opening positioned within the valve body, adjacent to the first and second valve cores, the interior opening widened, relative to the exterior opening, to align with the first aperture and third aperture.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the valve body is a cylinder and the first port and second port are positioned on a cylindrical sidewall of the valve body.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the valve body further includes:
a cap base-wall, removable from the valve body, the cap base-wall securing the first and second valve cores in the valve body when attached to the valve body and allowing removal of the first and second valve cores when removed from the valve body.

4. A modular sleeve valve apparatus comprising:
a valve body including a first port on a first sidewall of the valve body and a second port on a second sidewall of the valve body;
a first valve core sleeved within the valve body, the first valve core a cylinder including a first aperture in a cylindrical sidewall of the first valve core and a second aperture in a top base-wall of the first valve core, the cylindrical sidewall defining a first space within the first valve core, the first valve core removable from the valve body and radially rotatable within the valve body; and
a second valve core sleeved within the valve body, the second valve core a cylinder including a third aperture in a cylindrical sidewall of the second valve core and a fourth aperture in a bottom base-wall of the second valve core, the cylindrical sidewall of the second valve core defining a second space within the second valve core, the second valve core removable from the valve body and radially rotatable within the valve body, the second valve core positioned stacked upon the first valve core to align the second aperture and the fourth aperture to create a combined space from the first and second spaces;
wherein the first valve core includes:
a first handle and a stem, the stem having a first end connected to a bottom base-wall of the first valve core and a second end extended through the combined space to at least a top base-wall of the second valve core, the first handle connected to the second end, the first handle configured to radially rotate the first valve core in the valve body.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein:
the second valve core includes a second handle positioned on the top base-wall of the second valve core, the handle configured to radially rotate the second valve core in the valve body.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein:
the first valve core includes:
a first visual indicator on the first handle, the first visual indictor aligned with the first aperture to indicate a radial position of the first aperture in the valve body; and
the second valve core includes
a second visual indicator positioned on the second handle, the second visual indicator aligned with the third aperture to indicate the radial position of the third aperture in the valve body.

7. A modular sleeve valve apparatus comprising:
a valve body including a first port on a first sidewall of the valve body and a second port on a second sidewall of the valve body;
a first valve core sleeved within the valve body, the first valve core a cylinder including a first aperture in a cylindrical sidewall of the first valve core and a second aperture in a top base-wall of the first valve core, the cylindrical sidewall defining a first space within the first valve core, the first valve core removable from the valve body and radially rotatable within the valve body; and
a second valve core sleeved within the valve body, the second valve core a cylinder including a third aperture in a cylindrical sidewall of the second valve core and a fourth aperture in a bottom base-wall of the second valve core, the cylindrical sidewall of the second valve core defining a second space within the second valve core, the second valve core removable from the valve body and radially rotatable within the valve body, the second valve core positioned stacked upon the first valve core to align the second aperture and the fourth aperture to create a combined space from the first and second spaces;
wherein the first valve core and the second valve core are independently radially rotatable between at least a first position and a second position;
wherein when the first valve core is in the first position, the first aperture is aligned with the first port allowing access from the first port to the combined space, and when the first valve core is in the second position the first aperture is aligned with the second port allowing access from the second port to the combined space; and

wherein, when the second valve core is in the first position, the third aperture is aligned with the first port, allowing access from the first port to the combined space, and, when the second valve core is in the second position, the third aperture is aligned with the second port, allowing access from the second port to the combined space.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein:
the valve body further includes:
a third port on a third sidewall of the valve body and a fourth port on a fourth sidewall of the valve body; and

wherein the first valve core and the second valve core are further radially rotatable between a third position and a fourth position, wherein, when the first valve core is in the third position, the first aperture is aligned with the third port, allowing access from the third port to the combined space, and, when the first valve core is in the fourth position, the first aperture is aligned with the fourth port, allowing access from the fourth port to the combined space; and
wherein when the second valve core is in the third position, the third aperture is aligned with the third port, allowing access from the third port to the combined space, and, when the second valve core is in the fourth position, the third aperture is aligned with the fourth port allowing access from the fourth port to the combined space.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Eckberg Eric A
• Eidem Jessica R
• Gerken James D
• Gerken Laurie M
• Leckband Glenn S

Classifications

• F16K37/0058

  Optical means, e.g. light transmission, observation ports (F16K37/0075 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E03B7/04

  Domestic or like local pipe systems (domestic plumbing E03C1/02) · CPC title

• F16K11/02

  with all movable sealing faces moving as one unit · CPC title

• E03B7/075 Primary

  Arrangement of devices for control of pressure or flow rate · CPC title

• F16K3/26 Primary

  with fluid passages in the valve member · CPC title