Fluid valve port optimized for robustness with standard O-ring seal

An optimized fluid valve port has the following features: 1) the seal is preferably a standard O-ring seated in a rectilinear seal channel of one of a first or second valve body, 2) the unsupported span of the O-ring during valve port crossing is limited to a length of less than approximately three O-ring diameters, the support being provided by a web disposed between port openings; and 3), within the area of the O-ring, the fluid flow area of the fluid valve port is maximized.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to fluid valve ports and more particularly the seals utilized therewith. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to fluid valve ports configured for optimized use of standard O-rings.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Fluid valve mechanisms utilize one or more fluid valve ports for the purpose of controlling flow of a fluid. The fluid valve mechanism includes a first valve body having a first port opening fluidically communicating with a first fluid transfer line (providing for either delivery or removal of the fluid), and further includes a second valve body having a second port opening fluidically communicating with a second fluid transfer line (providing the other of either delivery or removal of the fluid). A motive device (i.e., a motor or actuator) is provided to selectively move the first valve body with respect to the second valve body so as to thereby selectively align the first and second port openings and thereby regulate the fluidic communication therethrough, wherein the selectivity of the alignment ranges typically from a nonaligned state, wherein fluid flow through the first and second port openings is prevented, to a fully aligned state, wherein fluid flow through the first and second port openings is maximally unimpeded.

In order to prevent fluid leakage between the first and second valve bodies, a seal is provided, usually carried by the valve body connected to the fluid delivery line, wherein the seal circumscribes the valve opening thereat. Most commonly, a rubber O-ring is utilized for the seal, wherein the O-ring is seated in a seal channel formed in the valve body carrying the O-ring. Because the O-ring is compressed between a floor of the seal channel and the sidewall of the opposing valve body, a slidable seal is provided by the O-ring which prevents fluid leakage.

Referring now toFIG. 17, shown schematically is a fluid valve mechanism10having a conventional, prior art fluid valve port12. A movable valve body, or “core”,14, has formed therein a seal channel16into which is seated an O-ring18, wherein the O-ring circumscribes a core port opening20. A stationary valve body, or “manifold”,22, has a manifold port opening24. Now, referring additionally toFIG. 18, where the O-ring18spans the manifold port opening24, the unsupported span18′ of the O-ring tends to pop out from the seal channel16, which tendency is exacerbated by stretching and compression forces being applied to the O-ring dynamically as the core rotates with respect to the manifold. This tendency of the O-ring to pop out of its seal channel can result in premature wear, cutting, jamming or otherwise a failure of the seal it provides. In general, for unsupported spans of the O-ring, problems of seating of the O-ring in its seal channel arise for unsupported span lengths exceeding about 3 diameters of the O-ring. A technique known in the prior art to prevent the O-ring from popping out via under cut walls of the seal channel. As seen by way of example inFIG. 19, the core14′ has a seal channel26with undercut walls28, whereby even though an unsupported span18′″ of the O-ring18″ exists, the O-ring is nonetheless trapped in the seal channel.

While undercut walls prevent the O-ring from popping out of its seal channel, the under cuts require expensive machining and are ordinarily fitted with custom O-rings, which are also expensive as compared with off-the-shelf, standard O-rings. Further, the problem of O-ring pop out from its seal channel is exacerbated by high frequency of opening/closing cycles, long term exposure to wide temperature fluctuations, and age related reduction in O-ring elasticity.

Accordingly, what remains needed in the art is to somehow provide a fluid valve port configured so as to allow a standard O-ring to be retained operably in its seal channel, with minimal wear and without cutting or jamming, wherein the seal channel is of a simple rectilinear shape.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is an optimized fluid valve port configured so as to allow a standard O-ring to be retained operably in its seal channel, with minimal wear and without cutting or jamming, wherein the seal channel is of a simple, easily manufactured rectilinear shape.

The optimized fluid valve port according to the present invention has the following features: 1) the seal is preferably a standard O-ring seated in a preferably simple rectilinear shape (i.e., U-shaped) seal channel disposed at one of the first or second valve bodies (i.e., the core or manifold), 2) the unsupported span of the O-ring during valve port crossing is limited to a length of less than approximately three O-ring diameters; and 3), with feature 2) in mind, within the area of the O-ring, the fluid flow area of the fluid valve port is maximized.

The optimized fluid port valve in accordance with the present invention is a component of a fluid valve mechanism having a first valve body and a second valve body which are movable with respect to each other, as for example by an electric motor or an actuator. For each optimized fluid port valve, one of the first and second valve bodies has formed therein a seal channel. An O-ring is seated therein and an first port opening is formed therethrough which is disposed concentrically within the area defined by the O-ring. The other of the first and second valve bodies has a plurality of second port openings formed therethrough which are mutually disposed such that the plurality of second port openings are alignable with the first port opening in response to the movement of the first valve body with respect to the second valve body. The distribution of the second port openings is such that they are mutually separated by a web. In this regard, the web provides support for the O-ring where otherwise the O-ring has an unsupported span during crossing of the first opening with respect to the plurality of second port openings in response to the movement of the first and second valve bodies. Accordingly, the O-ring is critically supported by the web, whereby the unsupported length of the O-ring is not more than about three times the O-ring diameter. Additionally, the optimized fluid port valve in accordance with the present invention is configured to smooth and maximize fluid flow while simultaneously providing support for, and minimizing abrasion of, the O-ring.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an optimized fluid valve port configured so as to allow a standard O-ring to be retained operably in its seal channel, with minimal wear and without jamming, wherein the seal channel is of a simple rectilinear shape.

This and additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become clearer from the following specification of a preferred embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the Drawing,FIGS. 1 through 16depict various aspects of an optimized fluid valve port100according to the present invention.

Turning attention firstly toFIG. 1, an exploded view of a fluid valve mechanism102is depicted, having a first valve body, in this example being a rotatable “core”,104, a second valve body, in this example being a nonrotatable “manifold”,106, and an electric motor108for rotating the core with respect to the manifold. An inlet110is connected to the core104, wherein an inlet conduit (not shown, but may be for example a hose) is connectable to an inlet nipple112such that fluid from the inlet conduit passes through the inlet nipple to the interior104′ of the core. Merely be way of exemplification, three outlets114are provided, each being an optimized fluid valve port100in accordance with the present invention.

Each optimized fluid valve port100includes a core port120at the sidewall104″ of the core104, and further includes a manifold port122at the sidewall106′ of the manifold106.

As best seen atFIGS. 2 and 3, the core port120is characterized by a core opening124, a seal channel126disposed concentrically adjacent the core opening, and an O-ring128which is seated in the seal channel. The core opening124is preferably oval with longest elongation axis130parallel to rotational tangent132of the core104. The O-ring128is preferably a standard “off the shelf” O-ring of circular or oval cross-section, defined by an O-ring cross-sectional width134, and the seal channel126is preferably of rectilinear cross-section, i.e., U-shaped, defined by a channel floor126′ and channel sidewalls126″ oriented perpendicular in relation to the channel floor.

Referring now additionally toFIGS. 4 and 5, the manifold port122is characterized by a pair of elongated manifold openings140which are separated from each other by a web142. The elongation axis144of the manifold openings140is parallel to the rotational tangent132, wherein the web142extends parallel to the elongation axis. Preferably, the ends146of the manifold openings140are rounded, that is, concavely shaped with respect to the opening.

The longitudinal length148of the manifold openings140along the elongation axis is approximate the length of the opening of the core opening124along its longest elongation axis130. The transverse width150of the manifold openings140is preferably less than about three times the cross-sectional width134of the O-ring128. The width152of the web142is predetermined to provide adequate support for the O-ring128, as will be discussed hereinbelow.

An outlet nipple154is attached, in sealing relation, to the sidewall106′ of the manifold106in circumscribing relation to the manifold openings140. Preferably the outlet nipple154is tapered, becoming narrowed with increasing distance from the sidewall106′ of the manifold106, so as to encourage laminar fluid flow therethrough. An outlet conduit (not shown, but for example a hose) is connected to the outlet nipple154such that fluid can flow from the interior104′ of the core104to the outlet conduit. For the purpose of encouraging laminar flow of the fluid, a fin156is preferably formed at the web142, having a taper such that the width of the fin is smaller with increasing distance from the web.

By way of example, and not limitation, if the core opening124has a 20 mm round diameter, then the manifold openings140may each have a transverse width148of 8 mm and a longitudinal length of 20 mm, and the web142may have a width of 2 mm. The fin156may have a height above the web142of about 4 mm. The outlet nipple154may have a taper from 19 mm at the sidewall106′ of the manifold106down to 16 mm at its end.

Referring now additionally toFIGS. 6 through 13, operation of the optimized fluid valve port100will be detailed, wherein control of fluid flow is provided by the fluid valve mechanism102via rotation of the core104with respect to the stationary manifold106.

As shown atFIGS. 6though9, the alignment of the core port120with the manifold port122allows a maximal flow of fluid entering the core from the inlet nipple112and out the outlet nipple154. In this regard, the O-ring128is compressed between the channel floor126′ and the sidewall106′ of the manifold106, whereby the fluid flow from the core through the outlet nipple is prevented from leaking. The fluid flow freely passes through the manifold openings140and the core opening124and is kept laminar by action of the fin156, as well as the taper of the outlet nipple.

As shown atFIGS. 10though13, the core104has rotated with respect to the manifold106, so that now the core port120is only partly aligned with the manifold port122, whereby fluid flow is somewhat restricted as flow of fluid enters the core from the inlet nipple112and out the outlet nipple154. Again in this regard, the O-ring128is compressed between the channel floor126′ and the sidewall106′ of the manifold106, whereby the fluid flow from the core through the outlet nipple is prevented from leaking. However, now a pair of unsupported spans170of the O-ring exist. As shown best atFIGS. 10 and 13, the web142abuts the O-ring such that the length of each unsupported span170is not longer than about three times the cross-section (diameter) of the O-ring. The fluid flow freely passes through the manifold openings140, albeit now of a reduced diameter, and is kept laminar by action of the fin156, as well as the taper of the outlet nipple. As such, provided is an optimized fluid valve port configured so as to allow a standard O-ring to be retained operably in its seal channel, with minimal wear and without jamming, wherein the seal channel is of a simple rectilinear shape.

AtFIG. 14a fluid valve mechanism100′ is depicted in which the core and manifold port configurations are reversed with respect to the fluid valve mechanism100. The core port122′ is characterized by a pair of core openings140′ formed in the sidewall of the core104″, elongated in the manner as depicted atFIG. 7. A web142′ is disposed between the core openings140′. The manifold port120′ is characterized by a manifold opening124′. A tapering outlet nipple154′ is connected, in sealing relation, to the sidewall of the manifold106″.

AtFIG. 15, the manifold200of a fluid valve mechanism has a manifold port202characterized by plurality of manifold openings204in the form of four circular openings204′. An outlet nipple (not shown, but similar to that shown atFIG. 14) is connected to the sidewall200′ of the manifold200. The manifold openings204have a generally elongated arrangement parallel to the rotational tangent206of the core (not shown), wherein the space separating the openings204′ forms a web208which provides abutment to the O-ring (not shown, but similar that that shown inFIG. 3) at the otherwise unsupported span thereof. Again, the unsupported span length is less than about three times the cross-section (diameter) of the O-ring.

As the core rotates, all the openings204′ can pass fluid, some of the openings can pass fluid, only one opening can pass fluid, a portion of one opening can pass fluid, or the or no openings can pass therethrough fluid. Advantages of the arrangement of manifold openings204over the manifold openings140include: easier assembly, simpler manufacture by drilling, as opposed to milling (end mill plunge and traverse) of the manifold openings140, greater precision of flow control due to the relatively smaller openings204′; however, disadvantages include lower flow area of the manifold openings204as compared to the manifold openings140, the embodiment ofFIG. 15has more edge wear than the embodiments ofFIGS. 1 through 14, and the embodiment ofFIG. 15has an absence of a fin. By way of example, teach opening204′ may have a cross-section of 6.5 mm, and the web208about 2 mm wide.

AtFIG. 16, the manifold300of a fluid valve mechanism has a manifold port302characterized by plurality of manifold openings304in the form of a central saddle shaped opening304′ and on either side a smaller circular opening304″. An outlet nipple (not shown, but similar to that shown atFIG. 14) is connected to the sidewall300′ of the manifold300. The saddled shaped opening304′ is elongated parallel to the rotational tangent306of the core (not shown), wherein the space separating the openings304′,304″ forms a web308which provides abutment to the O-ring (not shown, but similar that that shown inFIG. 3) at the otherwise unsupported span thereof. Again, the unsupported span length is less than about three times the cross-section (diameter) of the O-ring.

As the core rotates, all the openings304′,304″ can pass fluid, some of the openings can pass fluid, only one opening304″ can pass fluid, a portion of one opening can pass fluid, or the or no openings can pass therethrough fluid. Advantages of the arrangement of manifold openings304over the manifold openings140include: higher fluid flow capability; however, disadvantages include more difficult to assemble, more difficult to manufacture, has more edge wear than the embodiments ofFIGS. 1 through 14, and the embodiment ofFIG. 16has an absence of a fin.

To those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, the above described preferred embodiment may be subject to change or modification. Such change or modification can be carried out without departing from the scope of the invention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.