Patent ID: 6892750

Claim:
A valve, comprising: a plurality of valve ports comprising at least a first valve port and a second valve port separate from said first valve port, said first and second valve ports each being divided into at least two chambers; a flow distributor having an inlet passageway and an outlet passageway, said flow distributor being movable with respect to said plurality of valve ports between a first position in which said first valve port is in fluid communication with said inlet passageway and said second valve port is in fluid communication with said outlet passageway, and a second position in which said first valve port is in fluid communication with said outlet passageway and said second valve port is in fluid communication with said inlet passageway; each of said plurality of valve ports being in fluid communication with one of either said inlet passageway or said outlet passageway when said flow distributor is in said first position and being in fluid communication with the other of said inlet passageway or said outlet passageway when said flow distributor is in said second position; said flow distributor comprising a blocking surface which allows flow through each of said plurality of valve ports when said flow distributor is stationary, and blocks flow through a first portion of said first valve port and through a second portion of said second valve port only when said flow distributor is between said first and second positions, said flow distributor being rotatable in first and second opposite directions.