Patent ID: 6217003
Filing Date: 2001-04-17
Classification: F16K

Abstract:
A valve assembly comprising:a.) a valve housing having a fluid passageway extending therethrough, said fluid passageway having an inlet portion, a cross-section of which is defined by an inlet surface, an outlet portion, a cross-section of which is defined by an outlet surface, and an inner chamber portion positioned between and adjacent to said inlet and outlet portions, said inner chamber surface having a first and second end, said inner chamber portion being defined by a substantially annular inner chamber surface, an inner wall, and an outer wall, said inner wall extending inwardly from said inner chamber surface to said inlet surface, and said outer wall extending inwardly from said inner chamber surface to said outlet surface, said valve housing having a first coefficient of thermal expansion;b.) a valve member located within said inner chamber portion of said fluid passageway, said valve member being movable between a closed position wherein said fluid passageway is blocked, and an open position wherein said fluid passageway is not blocked, wherein said valve member is a ball valve having an outer surface and a substantially annular valve hole therethrough, said ball valve having an inlet lip portion surrounding said substantially annular hole at an inlet side, and an outlet lip portion surrounding said substantially annular hole at an outlet side; andc.) first and second substantially annular retainer ring assemblies located within said inner chamber portion of said fluid passageway, said first retainer ring assembly providing a first fluid seal between said valve member and said inner chamber surface at said first end of said inner chamber portion, and said second retainer ring assembly providing a second fluid seal between said valve member and said inner chamber surface at said second end of said inner chamber portion of said fluid passageway;said first and second retainer ring assemblies each having a floating retainer ring and a plurality of sealing members, said floating retainer rings being movable both laterally and perpendicularly relative to said valve member, said inner chamber surface, and said inner and outer walls, and having a lower coefficient of thermal expansion than that of said valve housing;wherein said floating retainer rings of said first and second retainer ring assemblies each comprises at least first, second, and third surfaces, said first surface being substantially aligned with and substantially complementary to respective portions of said inner chamber surface, said second surface of said retainer rings being substantially aligned with and substantially complementary to said inner and outer walls respectively, and said third surface being substantially aligned with and substantially complementary to respective portions of said outer surface of said ball valve;said plurality of sealing members each being sufficiently sized and being compressed so that said first and second fluid seals are maintained during operation of said valve assembly;wherein a first one of said plurality of sealing members of said first and second retainer ring assemblies is positioned between and cooperates with said inner chamber surface and the respective first surface of said first and second floating retainer rings, a second one of said plurality of sealing members of said first retainer ring assembly is positioned between and cooperates with said second surface of said first floating retainer ring and said inner wall, a second one of said plurality of sealing members of said second retainer ring assembly is positioned between and cooperates with said second surface of said second floating retainer ring and said outer wall, and a third one of said plurality of sealing members of said first and second retainer ring assemblies is positioned between and cooperates with said respective third surface of said first and second floating retainer rings and said respective adjacent portion of said outer surface of said ball valve.