Patent ID: 7174915

Claim:
A valve for use in a water recirculation system comprising a unitary body member including (a) an upstream end and an upstream portion disposed adjacent to the upstream end; (b) a downstream end and a downstream portion disposed adjacent to the downstream end; (c) a middle portion disposed between the upstream portion and the downstream portion; (d) a radially outwardly facing outer wall; (e) a radially inwardly facing inner wall defining an axially extending passageway extending between the upstream end and the downstream end, and through the upstream portion, middle portion and downstream portion of the body member, the axially extending passageway including a corresponding upstream end, downstream end, upstream portion, middle portion and downstream portion; (f) a controller port; and (g) a flow limiter port in fluid communication with the axially extending passageway a flow limiter valve disposed in the flow limiter port, the flow limiter valve extending into the axially extending passageway to cause fluid flowing through the axially extending passageway to flow through the flow limiter valve, the flow limiter valve including (a) a housing defining an exterior and an interior, the housing including at least one aperture to permit fluid to flow from the axially extending passageway into the interior of the passageway; (b) an outflow aperture to permit fluid in the interior to flow back into the axially extending passageway, and (c) a closure member movable in relation to the outflow aperture, and wherein fluid pressure passing through the housing interior exerts force on the closure member to move the closure member toward the outflow aperture to reduce the effective area of the outflow aperture to thereby control the amount of fluid that can flow back into the axially extending passageway.