Patent ID: 7839719

Claim:
A rotary valve mechanism for use in fluid environments, the rotary valve mechanism comprising: a shaft; a stator having a body with at least one fluid opening axially therethrough and a bore at least partially axially therethrough rotatably receiving the shaft; a rotor having a body with at least one fluid opening axially therethrough, the body being fixedly mounted on the shaft for rotation therewith and axially spaced from the stator; a gap formed by axial spacing of the stator member and the rotor, the gap in fluid communication with the shaft and the fluid openings of the rotor and stator; and a shaft protection washer comprising a central aperture receiving the shaft, wherein the washer is seated in a portion of the gap without contacting the rotor such that fluid can flow through the portion of the gap disposed between the washer and the rotor and such that the width of the portion of the gap occupied by the washer is reduced thereby impeding fluid from reaching the shaft when flowing through the rotor or stator fluid opening and into the portion of the gap not occupied by the washer.