Abstract:
The present invention describes a ball valve that opens when suction is applied at the top of the ball and closes once the suction is removed. The activation force is created by suction and the deactivation force is gravity. Advantageously, the ball slides on a guide post that ensures that the ball falls into the proper orientation in the valve seat. The top of the guide post has a limit stopper that prevents the ball from opening too far.

Description:
[0001]     This non-provisional utility patent application claims filing priority of provisional application No. 60/653,635 filed Feb. 17, 2005. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION  
       [0002]     The subject of this invention relates to valve technology. More specifically, the disclosed invention describes a ball valve that is operated by suction and is suitable for applications such as cleaning of large particulates from ponds, pools, aquariums and the like. Unlike prior art valves, the disclosed invention requires no springs or hinges. Upon the removal of suction from the top of the ball, gravity causes the ball to return to the seat thereby closing the valve.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Ball valves have been in use for many years. Applications include toilet stoppers, high pressure water jets, and push operated float valves. Each of these works well in its given application. However, when large particulates are to be scavenged from the bottom of a vessel, for example, a fountain or pool, each of the prior art valve mechanisms suffer from one or more limitations. For example, a float valve would work to open when placed in the pool, but would not close before particulates that had been removed fall out.  
         [0004]     A hinged valve such as a toilet stopper would suffer from the same problem to a lesser degree. Nonetheless, some of the particulates that entered under the influence of a suction force, for example, from a hose or pump, would fall out as the valve pivoted on its hinge. This is so because the valve will have a comparatively wide opening on one side and a comparatively small opening on the other due to the pivot point provided by the hinge.  
         [0005]     Spring loaded valves suffer from a number of problems as well. For example, the simple suction force provided by a hose or pump is unlikely to overcome the closure force applied by the spring. While solenoid operated valves could be used, they would require a power source and added complexity increasing cost and reducing reliability.  
         [0006]     What would be desirable would be a valve that opened under the influence of a comparatively small suction force, remained open until the suction force was removed, and then close of its own volition. Further, it would be desirable that the valve have a uniform opening around its perimeter sufficiently large to allow particulates to enter yet small enough to prevent trapped particulates from escaping once the suction force was removed. The present invention provides these and other advantages as discussed in detail below.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The present invention describes a ball valve that opens when suction is applied at the top of the ball and closes once the suction is removed. The activation force is created by suction and the deactivation force is gravity. Advantageously, the ball slides on a guide post that ensures that the ball falls into the proper orientation in the valve seat. The top of the guide post has a limit stopper that prevents the ball from opening too far.  
         [0008]     The valve of the present invention is comprised of a seat, a guide post and a ball. The seat is cylindrical and may be threaded on the outer surface to allow easy mounting to a chamber such as that used to trap particulates in a pool cleaner. The guide post consists of a shaft which is threaded on the lower end and has a limit stop on the upper end. The ball is dimensioned to fit accurately on the inner surface of the seat. The ball has a hole through the center that allows the shaft of the guide post to easily slide through. When assembled, the guide post passes through the ball and threads into the base of the seat.  
         [0009]     In operation, the valve assembly is immersed in a vessel containing particulates that need to be removed. Since the ball is fabricated from a material that does not float, gravity keeps the ball sealed in the seat. When a suction force is applied to the top of the ball, for example, by a hose or pump, the ball rides up the guide post allowing any particulates proximate to the suction flow to be swept into a chamber and trapped. Once the suction force is removed gravity causes the ball to return to its initial location in the seat before any suspended particulates may escape.  
         [0010]     The valve mechanism of the present invention offers several advantages over the prior art. Among these are multiple uses, ease of operation and economical construction. As well as these advantages, the present invention has other advantages discussed in detail below in conjunction with the drawings and figures attached. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]      FIG. 1 : is an exploded view of one embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 2A : provides a cross sectional view of the details of one embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 2B : provides a top view of the seat details of one embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 3 : shows one embodiment of the present invention in the closed state.  
         [0015]      FIG. 4 : shows one embodiment of the present invention in the open state. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0016]     As described briefly above, the valve of the present invention is comprised of three parts: a seat, a guide post and a ball.  FIG. 1  shows an exploded view of one embodiment  100  of the present invention. The guide post  110  has a shaft  114  and a limit stop  112 . Threads  116  at the bottom of the guide post  110  are used to attach the guide post  110  the seat  130 .  
         [0017]     The ball  120  has a hole  122  passing through the center of the sphere. The hole  122  is small enough so that the shaft  114  easily passes but not so large that the ball  120  wobbles. The purpose of the hole  122  is to allow the ball  120  to move upward and downward along the shaft  114  without binding. When, as described in detail below, a suction force is applied, the ball  120  is free to move upward in response. Shaft  114  prevents the ball  120  from traveling too far upward as well as preventing any lateral displacement as a result of the turbulence caused by the suction force.  
         [0018]     Referring to  FIG. 2A , the embodiment  100  of  FIG. 1  is shown assembled in cross section. The ball  120  is resting in the seat  130  thus the valve is in the closed, or deactivated position. The shaft of the guide post  110  ensures that the ball  120  locates properly in the seat  130 . Also shown in  FIG. 2A  is housing  200 . For this embodiment seat  130  threads into the bottom of housing  200  however, it will be recognized that this is not the only configuration that can make use of the ball valve of the present invention thus this should not be read as a limitation on the scope of the invention.  
         [0019]      FIG. 2B  presents a top view of the seat  130 . As shown, the seat  130  is further comprised of a ball seal  132 , a threaded receiving hole  136  and two openings  134 . The receiving hole  136  is attached to the body of the seat  130  by means of two spokes. This allows the open areas  134  to pass particulates under the influence of a suction force. The size of the seat  130  and the openings  134  can be varied to allow for larger or smaller particulates, thus the particular ratio of opening to seat area in  FIG. 2B  should not be read as a limitation on the scope of the invention.  
         [0020]      FIGS. 3 and 4  together describe the operation of the ball valve of the present invention. Beginning with  FIG. 3 , the valve assembly  500  is shown in the closed or deactivated position. For this embodiment the seat  130  has been threaded into a housing  200 . Not shown, but part of the housing is a particulate trap mechanism. Also not shown is a wand and suction generating mechanism used to create the suction force necessary to operate the valve of the present invention. Since these mechanisms do not contribute to the operation of the present invention they are not shown for clarity.  
         [0021]     In  FIG. 3  the ball  120  has been guided to rest in the seal of the seat  130  by the guide post  110 . This occurs due to gravity as a user submerges the housing  200  in a vessel to be cleaned. Since the ball  120  is made of a material that sinks in water, for example PVC [polyvinyl chloride,] as a user orients the wand downward to immerse the ball valve housing  200 , the ball  120  drops down the shaft ( 114  of  FIG. 1 ) to the seal  132 . Proper location of the ball  120  on the seal  132  is ensured by guide post  110 . At this time any particulates trapped in the housing  200  are unable to escape due to the ball valve closure.  
         [0022]     Turning now to  FIG. 4 , the valve assembly  500  of the present invention is shown in the activated or open state. A suction force has been applied at the top of the housing  200  causing inward flows A and B from the bottom. There is a resultant force combined of the upward flows A and B and the suction force which causes the ball  120  to rise along the shaft  114  of the guide post. If left unchecked the ball would continue to rise but the guide shaft has a limit stop  112  that prevents this from happening.  
         [0023]     With the ball disposed upwards, the inward flows A and B move past the ball  120 , as shown by resultant flows A′ and B′. Any particulate that is in close proximity to the opening of the seat  130  will be swept upward with the flow, entering the housing  200  and becoming trapped when the suction force is removed. This occurs because, as the suction force is removed, the ball  120  slides downward along the shaft  114  of the guide post  110  and reseats in the seal  132 .  
         [0024]     One advantage of the present invention is that the ball always seats properly on the seal. Since this is accomplished using gravity, no springs or hinges are required making the present invention simple and therefore economical.  
         [0025]     A second advantage of the present invention is that it may be used in a plurality of applications. Any application that can make use of a valve that opens under suction and closes by gravity may make use of the invention. Of course the size, material and required suction may differ from application to application, however the principle of the invention remains the same.  
         [0026]     A third advantage of the present invention is that it is economical to construct. A preferred embodiment makes use of ABS plastics, but the valve could be constructed out of a number of materials in toto or in any combination.  
         [0027]     A fourth advantage of the present invention is its simplicity. The entire valve has only three parts. This simplicity makes the valve of the present invention easy to fabricate and repair, adding to its economic advantage.