FAUCET VALVE WITH NOISE REDUCTION STRUCTURE

Abstract: A fluid valve includes a sleeve (12) having inlet and outlet ports (26, 18). There is a stem (16) movable within the sleeve between open and closed positions and having an inlet port (40) and an outlet port (49). The stem inlet port is in communication with the sleeve inlet port and the stem outlet port is movable into registration or communication with the sleeve outlet port to define a path of flow through the valve. A seal (34) is carried by the sleeve and cooperates with the movable stem to close the path of flow. There are means for re­ ducing noise normally attendant to opening the valve which in­ cludes a passage (48) in the sleeve directly adjacent the sleeve outlet port. The passage is in communication with the stem outlet port as the stem outlet port initially moves to open the path of flow to divert water and reduce pressure at the communicating outlet ports.

Description: The invention relates to a rotary cylindrical plug valve as defined in the preamble of claim 1. A valve of this type is disclosed in US-A-4 395 018. The known valve comprises a rotatable stem and sleeve means, including a sleeve forming a first part and a seal support forming a second part, both having inlet and outlet port means. In the shut-off position, a seal is accomplished by the use of a seal ring which is fixed in position on the sleeve. The stem inlet port and the sleeve means inlet port are in alignment. The sleeve means outlet port includes a passage means arranged in the sleeve and forming a circumferentially extending slot for modulating water discharge. As the valve is opened, the outlet port and the movable stem will be initially only partially in communication with the slot of the outlet port on the sleeve, so that the quantity of water discharge may be adjusted sensitively by the user during the initial opening movement of the valve. Thus, the water must flow through a very small opening and must turn a very sharp corner. This causes substantial noise and water turbulence. It is an object of the present invention to reduce or to suppress the noise incident in such valve opening. This problem is solved by a valve as disclosed in claim 1. The generally axially extending passage of the present invention provides a means for reducing or suppressing noise and prevents water turbulences by diverting the water and reducing its pressure, at least during initial movement of the stem to open the valve. The fluid valve of the present invention has its primary use as a faucet either in the kitchen or lavatory, or as shower-tap control valve. Further developments of the embodiment of claim 1 are enclosed in the dependent claims. It should be noted that by the subject of claim 6 the noise may be further reduced. One embodiment of the invention is illustrated diagrammatically in the following drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a top plan view of the valve as described herein, Figure 2 is a section along plane 2-2 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a section along plane 3-3 of Figure 2. Figue 4 is a side view of the valve disclosed herein, with portions removed for illustrative purposes, and Figure 5 is a further partial side view, with portions removed for illustrative purposes. In the drawings, the valve sleeve, which is indicated generally at 10, includes a sleeve member 12 and an internally positioned seal support 14. Mounted for movement within the sleeve 10 is a stem indicated generally at 16. Sleeve member 12 is generally cylindrical in configuration and has an outlet port 18 which is oval in shape in that its circumferential length is somewhat greater than its height. The lower end of sleeve member 12 is open, as is the upper end through which stem 16 extends. The upper portion of sleeve member 12 has a stop 20 which cooperates with a handle on the stem for limiting stem rotation. There is an outwardly extending shoulder 22 on sleeve member 12 which limits the extent to which the valve can be inserted within a housing. A seal ring 24 prevents leakage along the outside of the sleeve member toward the handle end of the sleeve member. The seal support 14 is also cylindrical in configuration and fits closely within sleeve member 12. The lower end of seal support 14 defines the sleeve inlet 26 which has a gradually tapering cross section so that the passage of water from outside of the valve to the inside of the valve will be smooth and turbulence will be kept at a minimum. Note that there are no obstructions at inlet 26, as there are in the valve shown in the '018 patent. The removal of this obstruction is for the purpose of eliminating noise caused by the turbulence brought about by such obstruction. The outside of seal support 14 carries a seal ring 28 which seals the lower end of the sleeve structure formed by the combination of the seal support and the sleeve member. These two elements are connected together by means of a plurality of openings 30 in the sleeve member 12 which cooperate with flexible hooks 32 formed on the exterior of the seal support, permitting the elements to be snapped together to form a unitary structure. A valve closing seal ring is indicated at 34 and is supported at its exterior by the interior wall of sleeve member 12 and is held in place in the seal support by an annular wall 36. Stem 16 includes an inner piston 38 which has an inlet port 40 in register or in communication with sleeve inlet 26. piston 38 has a reduced area 42 at inlet 40, with the reduced area being surrounded by a seal ring 44 to prevent water at the inlet from reaching the outlet when the valve is closed. Positioned within piston 38 is a shaped lower portion 46 of the stem which defines a gradual and smooth water passage 48 from inlet 40 to piston outlet 49 which, in the position shown in Figure 2, is in register with sleeve outlet 18. Water flowing from piston inlet 40 to piston outlet 49 must undergo a 90-degree change of direction and this change is made smooth and gradual by portion 46. The area of inlet 40 is slightly larger than outlet 49 and the transition from the larger inlet to the smaller outlet and the change in direction is linear. There is a seal ring 52 which is positioned within a groove 54 in portion 46 which seals the stem to the inside of the piston preventing leakage upwardly or outwardly from the piston. Piston 38 will be staked, as at 56, to stem 16 so that movement of the stem by means of an exterior handle is effective to cause rotation of the piston. A seal ring 58 positioned within a groove 60 seals the exterior of the stem to the interior of sleeve member 12, preventing leakage up along the stem and outwardly through the handle of the valve. Stem 16 may have a handle receiving portion 62 at its outer end which will receive the conventional faucet handle. Seal support 14 has an outlet port 64 in register with sleeve member outlet port 18 and which is in communication with outlet port 49 in piston 38 when the valve is open. The seal support outlet port has a generally central portion 66 similar in size and shape to sleeve member outlet port 18 in that it is oval and has essentially the same cross sectional area. However, seal support outlet port 64 has circumferential extensions on each side thereof, indicated at 68 in Figures 3 and 5. Extensions 68 extend circumferentially toward the valve closing seal 34 and terminate at axially extending passages 70, there being one such passage associated with each extension 68 and with the passages extending axially toward the exterior of the valve. There is a passage 70 on each side of the valve, as the valve can be used on either the hot or cold water side of a lavatory or kitchen sink configuration, and thus the valve must be symmetrical. When the valve is closed, outlet port 49 of the piston will face valve closing seal 34 and no water will flow through the valve. As the valve stem is turned toward an open position, the first passage of water will take place when piston outlet port 49 first is in communication with the end of an extension 68 of seal support outlet port 64. The initial opening is small and the pressure of the water at this point is very substantial because the opening is small. It is for this reason that the diverter passages 70 have been formed at the interior of the seal support, as a portion of the water trying to flow through the partially aligned openings of the piston and the seal support will be diverted into one of the passages 70. This will reduce the pressure at the aligned ports as the valve is opened and thus reduce the turbulence and noise normally attendant to valve opening. As continued turning of stem 16 will place greater portions of piston outlet port 49 in register with seal support outlet 64 and sleeve member outlet 18, there is less of a constriction to water flow, and thus less turbulence, and, accordingly, a reduction in noise as the valve is opened. The primary concern in valve opening is that initial time when piston port 49 first comes in register with a seal support outlet port extension 68 and it is for this reason that passages 70 are placed at this location so as to divert water during the initial opening of the valve.

Claims: A rotary cylindrical plug valve including sleeve means (10), having a first part (14) positioned within a second part (12), inlet port means (26) in said sleeve means (10) and generally aligned and similarly sized outlet openings (18,64) in said first and second parts (12,14) of said sleeve means (10), a stem (16) movable within said first part (14) of said sleeve means (10) between opened and closed positions and having inlet and outlet ports (40,49), said stem inlet port (40) being in communication with said sleeve means inlet port means (26), said stem outlet port (49) being movable into register with said sleeve means outlet port means (18, 64) to thereby define a path of flow through said valve from said communicating stem inlet port (40) and sleeve means inlet port means (26) through said stem outlet port (49) and said sleeve means outlet port means (18,64), seal means (34) carried by said sleeve means (10) and cooperating with said movable stem (16) to close said path flow, and a passage means formed in said first part (14) directly adjacent and communicating with the outlet (64) of said seal support (14) said passage means communicating with said stem outlet port (49) as said stem outlet port (49) initially moves to open said path of flow characterized in that said passage means comprises a circumferentially extending area (68) of reduced cross-section, and a fluid diverting passage (70) being adjacent and in communication with an end of said area (68) of reduced cross-section, and extending generally axially for providing a means for reducing noise attendant to opening said fluid valve by diverting fluid away from said sleeve means outlet means (18,64), whereby pressure at said communicating sleeve means outlet port means (18,64) and stem outlet port (49) is reduced by water flow into said passage (70). The fluid valve of claim 1, characterized in that said seal means (10) includes a fixed seal member (34) which is at least in part annular, with the annulus being arranged about an axis perpendicular to the axis of said stem (16), said seal member (34) being spaced from said sleeve means outlet port means (18,64) with said path of flow through said valve never being through said seal member (34) at any position of said stem (16). The fluid valve means of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said said first part of said sleeve means (10) is a seal support (14) and said second part is a sleeve (12). The fluid valve of one of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a second group consisting of a further fluid diverting passage (70) a further area (68)of reduced cross-section is provided diametrically opposite of the first passage and area. The fluid valve of one of the claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said sleeve means inlet port means (26) is unobstructed. The fluid valve of one of the claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said stem inlet port (40) faces in a direction approximately at right angles to the direction of said stem outlet port (49), with the path of flow within said stem (16) between its inlet and outlet ports (40,49) gradually changing in direction to reduce noise and turbulence of water flowing therebetween. The fluid valve of one of the claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said stem inlet port (40) is slightly larger in area than said stem outlet port (49) with the path of flow therebetween gradually changing in size.

Inventors: IQBAL, MUHAMMAD
Applicants: MOEN INCORPORATED
Application year: 1987
Main classification: F16K5
IPC codes: F16K47, F16K5