Backwater valve assembly and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9560805-B2
Application number	US-201414213577-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2014
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Feb 7, 2017
Grant date	Feb 7, 2017

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a backwater valve assembly comprising a main valve body, a flapper sub-assembly, and a cap. The main valve body has an inner wall that can define a recess into which the flapper sub-assembly can be removably secured. The flapper sub-assembly includes at least one flapper element that can pivot between an open position, in which the flapper element allows fluid to flow through the backwater valve assembly, and a closed position, in which the flapper element prevents fluid from flowing in the opposite direction. The flapper sub-assembly can be removably coupled to the cap to allow the flapper sub-assembly and cap to be installed in or removed from the main valve body together as a unitary assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A backwater valve assembly, comprising:
a main valve body having an inlet, an outlet spaced from the inlet along a fluid flow direction, an inner surface, and an interior space that includes a base portion, a top portion spaced from the base portion along a first direction that is perpendicular to the fluid flow direction, and first and second guide elements spaced and separated from one another along the fluid flow direction, the inner surface of the main valve body further including a protrusion extending from the base portion along the first direction, such that the protrusion and first and second guide elements cooperate to define a recess;
a flapper sub-assembly removably securable within the recess, the flapper sub-assembly having a main body portion and at least one flapper element, wherein an interface between the main body portion and the inner surface is sealed, wherein the at least one flapper element is movable between: 1) an open position in which fluid is free to flow along the fluid flow direction from the inlet through the interior space and out of the outlet of the main valve body, and 2) a closed position in which the flapper element seals against the main body portion and prevents fluid from flowing in a direction that is opposite the fluid flow direction; and
wherein the flapper sub-assembly may be installed in or removed from the main valve body so that the flapper sub-assembly, including both the flapper element and the main body portion, can be replaced.

2. The backwater valve assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one flapper element is pivotably coupled to the main body portion using at least one pivot element.

3. The backwater valve assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one flapper element is disposed at an angle such that gravitational force holds the at least one flapper element against the main body portion when the at least one flapper element is in the closed position.

4. The backwater valve assembly of claim 3 wherein the at least one flapper element is made of a resilient material.

5. The backwater valve assembly of claim 4 wherein the at least one flapper element is made of rubber.

6. The backwater valve assembly of claim 4 wherein the at least one flapper element is a single piece disposed through a slot opening in the main body portion, wherein the at least one flapper element has a flap portion and a pivot portion that allows the flap portion to pivot between the open position and the closed position.

7. The backwater valve assembly of claim 6 wherein the flap portion of the at least one flapper element has a protrusion along an outer periphery of an inlet side of the flap portion, wherein the protrusion creates a seal between the at least one flapper element and the main body portion of the flapper sub-assembly when the at least one flapper element is in the closed position.

8. The backwater valve assembly of claim 3 wherein the main valve body further comprises a mounting surface that carries the first and second guide elements, wherein the mounting surface is a flat surface disposed at the inlet and having a mounting angle substantially similar to the angle of the flapper element.

9. The backwater valve assembly of claim 3 wherein the main body portion of the flapper sub-assembly further comprises an upper wall having a cap mount opening, wherein the cap further comprises a flapper sub-assembly mount feature extending from a cap bottom surface, and wherein the cap mount opening slides over the flapper sub-assembly mount feature to removably secure the flapper sub-assembly to the cap.

10. A backwater valve assembly, comprising:
a main valve body having an inlet, an outlet, an inner surface, and an interior space;
a flapper sub-assembly removably securable within a recess defined within the inner surface of the main valve body, the flapper sub-assembly having a main body portion and at least one flapper element, wherein the main body portion of the flapper sub-assembly is sealed against the inner surface of the main valve body, wherein the at least one flapper element is movable between an open position in which fluid is free to flow in a fluid flow path from the inlet through the interior space and out of the outlet of the main valve body and a closed position in which the flapper element seals against the main body portion and prevents fluid from flowing in a direction opposite the fluid flow path; and
a cap removably securable within a port defined within the main valve body, wherein the cap and flapper sub-assembly are removably coupled together so that the cap and flapper sub-assembly may be installed in or removed from the main valve body together as a unitary element; and
a cap gripping feature secured to the cap, the cap gripping feature having at least one opening defined therein for the receipt of a tool, the engagement and interaction of the tool and cap gripping feature being operable to remove the cap from the main valve body.

11. The backwater valve assembly of claim 10 wherein the flapper sub-assembly has a main body portion and wherein the at least one flapper element is disposed at an angle such that gravitational force holds the at least one flapper element against the main body portion when the at least one flapper element is in the closed position.

12. The backwater valve assembly of claim 11 wherein the at least one flapper element is pivotably coupled to the main body portion using at least one pivot element.

13. The backwater valve assembly of claim 11 wherein the main valve body further comprises a mounting surface and a plurality of guide elements, wherein the mounting surface is a flat surface disposed at the inlet and having a mounting angle substantially similar to the angle of the flapper element, and wherein the plurality of guide elements are coupled to the inner surface such that the recess is the interior space between the mounting surface and the plurality of guide elements.

14. The backwater valve assembly of claim 13 wherein the main body portion of the flapper sub-assembly further comprises an outer wall having a shape that substantially conforms to the inner surface of the main valve body.

15. The backwater valve assembly of claim 14 wherein the flapper sub-assembly further comprises a first sealing member coupled to the outer wall, wherein the first sealing member creates a substantially fluid tight seal between the outer wall of the flapper sub-assembly and the inner wall of the main valve body.

16. The backwater valve assembly of claim 11 wherein the main body portion of the flapper sub-assembly further comprises an upper wall having a cap mount opening, wherein the cap further comprises a flapper sub-assembly mount feature extending from a cap bottom surface, and wherein the cap mount opening slides over the flapper sub-assembly mount feature to removably secure the flapper sub-assembly to the cap.

17. A backwater valve assembly, comprising:
a main valve body having an inlet, an outlet, an inner surface, and an interior space;
a flapper sub-assembly removably securable within a recess defined within the inner surface of the main valve body, the flapper sub-assembly having a main body portion, at least one flapper element, and at least one seal element, wherein the at least one seal element creates a liquid tight seal between the main body portion of the flapper sub-assembly and the inner surface of the main valve body, wherein the at least one flapper element is movable between an open position in which fluid is free to flow in a fluid flow path from the inlet through

Assignees

• Oatey Co

Inventors

• Hull Eric
• Young Dennis R

Classifications

• Y10T137/7903

  Weight biased · CPC title

• A01D41/1271

  for measuring crop flow · CPC title

• F16K15/03

  with a hinged closure member {or with a pivoted closure member} · CPC title

• A01D43/085

  Control or measuring arrangements specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• A01D75/00 Primary

  Accessories for harvesters or mowers · CPC title