Abstract:
An embodiment includes a valve with a filter in which the flow of water through the valve is stopped by lowering a filter within the valve. This movement of the filter allows a poppet valve to close, stopping the flow of water. Subsequent raising of the filter holds the poppet valve in the open position, allowing the flow of water through the filter for further use. Embodiments are found in drinking fountains and facilitate the maintenance of the drinking fountain by allowing a technician to shut off the water using a screwdriver without requiring the removal of the fountain cover.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    Embodiments may be found in the field of liquid valves with repair or assembling means. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98 
         [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 1,407,763 discloses a system in which two poppet valves are held open when a filter is in place. When a filter lid is lifted by a handle, the poppet valves close. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 2,945,591 discloses a filter in which a poppet valve sleeve moves, thereby closing the poppet valve when the bowl which retains the filter in place is unscrewed. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,923 discloses an assembly with an annular engaging member or ring which activates the inlet and outlet poppet valves. The filter element is contained in a bowl and an outer sleeve is rotated to close and open the valves. 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. Applic. Pub. No. 2006/0000754 discloses a water purifier in which poppet valves are closed when filters are removed and opened when filters are installed. 
         [0008]    U.S. Pat. Applic. Pub. No 2011/0024344 discloses a poppet valve which is normally closed and sealed and is displaced to an open position by a pin at the upper end of a filter. 
         [0009]    The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings. 
         [0010]    The discovered art does not disclose liquid valves with the advantages of embodiments of the present disclosure, that of a liquid valve which, when installed in a fountain, can interrupt the liquid flow without removal of the fountain body cover. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    The following embodiments and aspects thereof are described and illustrated in conjunction with systems, tools and methods which are meant to be exemplary and illustrative, not limiting in scope. In various embodiments, one or more of the above-described problems have been reduced or eliminated, while other embodiments are directed to other improvements. 
         [0012]    Embodiments include an auto stop fluid valve which comprises an inlet body having an inlet port and a valve chamber and a poppet valve located in the valve chamber. The poppet valve being capable of movement between open and closed positions. There is a filter body attached to the inlet body, the filter body having a filter chamber and a cylindrical filter located within the filter chamber. The filter having a raised and a lowered position, the filter having a first and a second end, the second end of the filter is in contact with the poppet valve and holds the poppet valve in the open position when the filter is in the raised position, the poppet valve moving to the closed position when the filter is in the lowered position or removed. The filter is secured within the filter chamber by a removable cap which seals the bottom of the filter chamber, the cap is in contact with the first end of the filter, the cap having a raised and a lowered position or may be removed, the cap moving the filter to the upper position when the cap is in the raised position, and the filter is moved to the lower position when the cap is in the lower position or removed. A fluid control chamber body having a fluid control chamber, a fluid control chamber outlet port, and a valve outlet port is attached to and in fluid communication with the filter chamber. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment drinking fountain having an auto stop fluid valve. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a partial cross-section of an embodiment auto stop fluid valve in the open position. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a partial cross-section of an embodiment auto stop fluid valve in the closed position. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged circle  4  of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged circle  5  of  FIG. 3 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0018]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment drinking fountain  10  having an auto stop fluid valve. Visible in  FIG. 1  is a drinking fountain body  11  with a basin extension  13  extending from the body. A basin  12  is at the top of the body and basin extension  13 . A bubbler  14  and a spigot  15  are visible extending above the basin  12 . A control button  16  is on the front of the basin extension  13 . The body is covered by a cover  21 . An access hole  18  is located on the underside of the basin extension  17 . Access hole  18  allows access to an auto stop fluid valve (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) without requiring removal of the cover  21 . Louvers  20  for the cooling mechanism and an electrical cord  19  also are visible in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0019]      FIG. 2  is a partial cross-section of an embodiment auto stop fluid valve  30  in the open position. Visible in  FIG. 2  is the inlet body  45  which comprises an inlet port  32 , an inlet chamber  41 , and a valve chamber  35 . The inlet port  32  connects with a fluid or, in some embodiments such as drinking fountains, water supply. A poppet valve  59  is located between the inlet body  45  and the filter body  31  and allows passage of fluid from the inlet body to the filter body when in the open position (as in  FIGS. 2 and 4 ) and blocks such passage when in the closed position (as in  FIGS. 3 and 5 ). The poppet valve  59  is comprised of a poppet  50  and a retainer seat  36 . Circle  4  is shown in greater detail in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0020]    A filter body  31  is attached to the inlet body  45 . The filter body  31  comprises a filter chamber  34  and a filter cap  60 . The filter cap  60  with a cap O-ring  65  is attached to and seals the bottom of the filter chamber  34  by cap threads  61  which interact with filter chamber threads  42 . The filter cap comprises a cap cavity  62  with a cavity bottom  63  and cavity side  64 . A slot  66  in the outside of the cap  60  interacts with and allows the rotation of the cap by a tool, such as a screwdriver or a vandal-resistant wrench. The fluid control chamber inlet port  47  provides fluid communication from the filter chamber  34  through the fluid control chamber wall  46  to the fluid control chamber  43 . 
         [0021]    A cylindrical filter  70  which has a second end  72  and a first end  71  is located in the filter chamber  34 . The second end  72  of the filter is in contact with the poppet  50 . The first end  71  of the filter is in contact with the cap cavity bottom  63 . 
         [0022]    A fluid control chamber body  40  is in fluid communication with the filter chamber  34  via fluid control chamber inlet port  47  through the fluid control chamber wall  46 . The fluid control chamber body  40  comprises fluid control chamber  43 , a fluid control chamber closure port  33 , and a fluid control chamber outlet port  48  through the fluid control chamber wall  46 . The fluid control chamber outlet port  48  is in fluid communication with the valve outlet port  49 . The valve outlet port  49  is connected to conduits for further use of the fluid, in embodiments, water. The fluid control chamber closure port  33  is normally closed by a threaded plug (not shown in  FIG. 2 ). 
         [0023]      FIG. 2  shows the auto stop fluid valve  30  in the open position in which fluid flows through the valve from the valve inlet port  32  to the valve outlet port  49 . In this open position the cap  60  is in the upper position, as is the second end  72  of the filter  70  which bears upon and moves the poppet  50  in the poppet valve assembly  59  to the upper or open position. Arrows A-F depict the flow of fluid through the auto stop fluid valve. Fluid enters the valve inlet port  32  and enters the valve inlet chamber  35  as shown by arrow A. Arrow B shows the passage of fluid through the poppet  50  and arrow C shows the entry of fluid into the interior  73  of the filter  70 . Arrow D depicts movement of the fluid through the filter  70  into the filter chamber  34 . Arrows E show movement of the fluid from the filter chamber  34  into the fluid control chamber  43 , from which the fluid flows through the fluid control chamber outlet port  48  as depicted by arrow F, to the valve outlet port  49  for further use. 
         [0024]      FIG. 3  is a partial cross-section of an embodiment auto stop fluid valve  30  in the closed position. In this position the flow of fluid (shown by Arrow A) is stopped by the closed poppet valve assembly  59  at the valve chamber  35  and does not flow through the filter  70  or out of the auto stop fluid valve. The elements of  FIG. 3  are the same as  FIG. 1  with the exception of the position of the cap  60 , filter  70  and poppet  50 . Circle  5  is shown in greater detail in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0025]    In  FIG. 3  the cap  60  is in the lower position. In this position the filter  70  is also in the lower position. When the filter  70  is in the lower position, pressure of fluid in the valve chamber  35  forces the poppet  50  into the lower position where it makes a sealing relationship with the poppet retainer seat  36  and blocks flow of fluid through the poppet valve assembly  59 . The cap  60  can be removed from the auto stop fluid valve  30  thereby allowing removal of the filter  70  for replacement or cleaning. Of course, removal of cap  60  also allows the poppet valve assembly  59  to close. 
         [0026]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged circle  4  of  FIG. 2 . Visible in  FIG. 4  is the valve inlet port  32  and valve inlet chamber  35  as well as the filter body  31 , filter chamber  34 , filter  70 , interior of filter  73  and second end  72  of filter. Details of the poppet valve assembly  59  in the open position are shown in  FIG. 4 . The poppet  50  is comprised of a poppet cylinder  52  with a conical head  51  closing one end of the poppet cylinder  52 , one or more poppet cylinder flow passages  55  give access to the interior of the poppet cylinder  52 , and a poppet cylinder exit port  57  at the bottom of the cylinder allows fluid to flow into the interior  73  of the filter. A poppet cylinder O-ring groove  53  near the conical head  51  accommodates a poppet cylinder O-ring  54 . A poppet cylinder shoulder  56  is located about the circumference of the cylinder at the poppet cylinder exit port  57 . 
         [0027]    The poppet  50  is held in place by a donut-shaped retainer seat  36  attached at the top of the filter chamber  34 . The retainer seat  36  has a retainer seat sealing surface  38 . The retainer seat  36  has a retainer seat O-ring groove  37  about its circumference which accommodates a retainer seat O-ring  39 . Retaining ring  80  secures the poppet valve assembly  59  in place, in the upper end of the filter chamber  34 . 
         [0028]    The flow of fluid through the poppet  50  and the filter  70  is shown by arrows A-D. Arrow A shows the flow of fluid through the valve inlet chamber  35 , arrow B shows the flow through poppet cylinder flow passages  55  in the poppet cylinder  52 . Arrow C shows emergence of fluid from the poppet cylinder exit port  57  into the interior  73  of the filter  70 . Arrow D shows flow of fluid through the filter  70 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged circle  5  of  FIG. 3 . In this position the flow of fluid (shown by Arrow A) is stopped at the valve inlet chamber  35  and does not flow through poppet valve assembly  59  or the filter  70 . The elements of  FIG. 5  are the same as  FIG. 4  with the exception of the position of the poppet  50 . In  FIG. 5  the poppet  50  has been moved by fluid pressure in the valve inlet chamber  35  from the open position shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4  to the closed position shown in  FIGS. 3 and 5 . In the closed position the poppet cylinder flow passages  55  are closed or blocked by contact with the retainer seat  36 . The poppet  50  is further sealed by contact of the poppet cylinder O-ring  54  with the retainer seat sealing surface or shoulder  38  of the retainer seat  36 . The closing motion of the poppet is made possible by the movement of the second end  72  of the filter to the lower position, which in turn is made possible by the movement of the cap  60  (not shown in  FIG. 5 ) to the lower position. 
         [0030]    In embodiments, the inlet body, poppet valve, filter body, and fluid control chamber body are manufactured of suitable strong, non-corrosive impervious material, for example, iron, stainless steel, copper, bronze, brass, aluminum, or plastic. 
         [0031]    In embodiments, the filter is woven or manufactured of a suitable strong insoluble, corrosion-resistant, material such as a ceramic, iron, stainless steel, copper, bronze, brass, aluminum, or plastic. 
         [0032]    In embodiments, the retaining ring is manufactured of suitable strong, insoluble, corrosion-resistant material, such as stainless steel, copper, bronze, brass or aluminum. 
         [0033]    Although embodiments described in this disclosure have emphasized water as a fluid, other fluids such as air, other gasses, organic compounds, and solvents are specifically contemplated. Although this disclosure describes embodiments in which to the flow of fluid is from the valve inlet port through the filter to the fluid control chamber and then to the valve outlet port, embodiments in which the flow of fluid is in the opposite direction, as, for example, in back flushing a filter, are specifically contemplated. 
         [0034]    Embodiments of auto stop fluid valves have a number of advantages. For example, maintenance of a water fountain generally begins with the step of turning off the supply of water. This is accomplished in fountains equipped with an auto stop valve by using a screwdriver or a vandal-resistant tool to move the cap from the upper to the lower position, thereby stopping the flow of water into the fountain. Similarly, when a fountain is turned off for any reason, one with a auto stop valve may easily be turned on by moving the cap to the upper position. This is accomplished without the necessity of removing any part of the fountain cover, thereby saving a substantial, often the major, amount of time required for the repair or maintenance of the water fountain. Once the water supply is turned off, the filter and or the fluid control cartridge can be removed and repaired or replaced without further removal of fountain elements. 
         [0035]    While a number of exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those of skill in the art will recognize certain modifications, permutations, additions and sub combinations thereof. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims and claims hereafter introduced are interpreted to include all such modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations as are within their true spirit and scope. The applicant or applicants have attempted to disclose all the embodiments of the invention that could be reasonably foreseen. There may be unforeseeable insubstantial modifications that remain as equivalents.