Patent ID: 8360092

Claim:
Ball valve, comprising: a housing consisting essentially of synthetic material and a support structure which is encased by the synthetic material; a valve ball having a through-opening is mounted in said housing so as to be able to rotate between an open position and a closed position; wherein the support structure includes two opposite support rings that receive the valve ball and a sleeve-shaped connection element that connects said support rings, wherein the support structure separates the valve ball from the synthetic material of the housing; wherein the support structure is injection molded around by the synthetic material of the housing, first bearing surfaces are disposed on the connection element and second bearing surfaces are disposed on the support rings such that with the support rings being connected by the connection element, the support rings are at a preselected spaced interval with respect to each other, so that a gap remains between the valve ball and the support rings, the support rings being inserted into the sleeve-shaped connection element and are each held in an inserted position by a holding part and the contact region between the support rings and the connection element is sealed or adhered.