AU656156B2

AU656156B2 - An improved one way valve

Info

Publication number: AU656156B2
Application number: AU88972/91A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Geoffrey Francis Herlihy
Original assignee: BWANOLAR Pty Ltd
Current assignee: BWANOLAR Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1990-12-17
Filing date: 1991-12-11
Publication date: 1995-01-27
Anticipated expiration: 2011-12-11
Also published as: GB2262972A; GB2262972B; GB9211003D0; AU8897291A

Description

P/O0O1 28/&(91 AUSTALIARegulation 3.2 Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: AN IMPROVED ONE WAY VALVE I 'Ilie following statement is a full description of this invention, i ncluding the best -riithod of performing it known to me:- Th n.v.e.n.ti.Qn r.el.a.te.s taa.Qne way oxr. nan return valve d~ n b..t pey.ents...flow in th~e rev~ese irec.ion.. a.P. P.1J, in P.ar t.i.cular... to th.ose c.amp.ris.ing... epoy..fr..tex... .d.ml the..f u above m~emn tinad pen... t e f uA parigs... .r.e f 1. rea.si-oms t o x.he. a ntage..ox.s ga 2 for the valve member resulting in blockages and restriction of fluid flow. Accordingly it is the object of the present invention to provide a valve of the above type which does not suffer from blockages or restriction of fluid flow and which is immune from the problems associated with hinges and springs.

In one form the invention resides in a non return valve comprising a relatively short tubular body having a fluid inlet opening at one end of the body and a fluid outlet opening at the other end of the body, an internal flow passage extending through the body from said inlet opening to said outlet opening, said inlet opening being substantially in a form of a major segment of a circle, a seat being formed across said flow passage and downstream of the inlet opening and directed downstream, a flat valve member of circular configuration comprising a rigid part and a flexible part, the rigid part supported within the valve body by said flexible part such that said rigid part abuts said seat to close the flow passage, where said rigid part is hingeable about said flexible part to uncover said seat and open said flow passage, the diameter of said circular valve member and the width of said flow passage C are proportioned to each other such that said rigid part of said valve member abuts the periphery of the flow passage at a position a few degrees before 90 degrees of inwardly hinged movement.

Said valve member being constructed from a suitable elastomeric compound such as rubber and having embedded within the rigid part a reinforcing element made from steel or other suitable material in order to prevent distortion of the valve member when in engagement with the landing or seat and under the influence of fluid back pressure. Said reinforcing element being of similar configuration to the opening but of larger dimensions such that the valve member may overlie the opening. Said valve member being provided

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3 with an area of reduced thickness or groove across the downstream side at the junction of the rigid part and the flexible part such that said groove becomes resiliently distorted as the rigid part of the valve member is collapsed inwardly under the influence of increasing upstream fluid pressure thereby providing a biasing force to bias the rigid part of the valve member sealingly into engagement with the landing or seat under conditions of still fluid flow.

In a further embodiment of the invention the flexible part of the valve member is constructed angularly disposed from the rigid part such that a degree of resilient distortion is caused to the grooved section of the valve member upon mounting of the valve member within the body thereby improving sealing engagement between the valve member and .e landing or seat under conditions of low fluid back pressure.

"In another form the invention resides in a non return valve comprising a relatively short tubular body having a fluid inlet opening substantially in the form of a major segment of a circle at one end thereof and a fluid outlet opening at the other end thereof, an internal flow passage extending through the body from said inlet opening to said outlet opening, a valve seat being formed from a shoulder in said flow passage around an inner end of the inlet cc opening perpendicular to the direction of fluid flow and t it- said flow passage being tapered from said inlet opening towards said shoulder and being of circular cross section from said shoulder to said outlet opening, and a flat circular elastomeric valve member comprising a rigid part which is a major segment of said circular member incorporating a totally enclosed internal reinforcing element and a flexible part which is a minor segment of said circular member, said valve member being supported within the valve body by said flexible part releasably

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44 3a clamped to said shoulder by a retaining plate such that said rigid part is located over said seat and normally covers said inlet opening, and said rigid part being hingeable inwardly about said flexible part along a groove across the downstream face of the valve member over the junction of said rigid part and said flexible part to uncover said inlet opening, the diameter of said circular valve member and the width of said flow passage being proportioned to each other such that upon inward hinged movement, said rigid part of said valve member abuts the periphery of said flow passage a few degrees before degrees of inwardly hinged movement of said valve member thereby preventing further inwardly hinged movement thereof.

S.In another form the invention resides in a non return valve 6* comprising a relatively short tubular body having a fluid inlet opening at one end of the body and a fluid outlet opening at the other end of the body, an internal flow S"passag extending through the body from said inlet opening to said outlet opening, said inlet opening being substantially in a form of a major segment of a circle, a seat being formed in said flow passage around an inner end r of the inlet opening and perpendicular to the direction of fluid flow, and a flat valve member of circular configuration comprising a rigid part which forms a major L1 segment of the valve member and a flexible part and supported within the valve body by said flexible part such that said rigid part is located overt said seat and normally covers said inlet opening, a hinge being formed in said flexible part at a junction thereof with the rigid part and at a location spaced radially from the inner periphery of the flow passage downstream of the seat, so that said rigid part is hingeable inwardly about the hinge to uncover said inlet opening; a diameter of said rigid part being greater than a chordal width of the inner peripheral wall surface of the flow passage at a location fir -o*c9 1 y. U L 1 3b corresponding radially to and downstream of the location of the hinge such that said rigid part of said valve member abuts the periphery of said flow passage a few degrees before 90 degrees of inwardly hinged movement of said valve member thereby preventing further inwardly hinged movement thereof, In another form the invention resides in a non return valve comprising a relatively short tubular body having a fluid inlet opening substantially in the form of a major segment of a circle at one end thereof and a fluid outlet opening at the other end thereof, an internal ilow passage extending through the body from said inlet opening to said outlet opening, a valve seat being formed from a shoulder in said flow passage around an inner end of the inlet opening perpendicular to the direction of fluid flow and fsaid flow passage being of constant circular cross section co© v* from said shoulder to said outlet opening, and a flat circular elastomeric valve member comprising a rigid part c which is a major segment of said circular member c incorporating a totally enclosed internal reinforcing element and a flexible part which is a minor segment of CCI said circular member, said valve member being supported c *L within the valve body by said flexible part releasably CI clamped to said shoulder by a retaining plate such that said rigid part is located over said seat and normally S* covers said inlet opening in engagement with said valve seat, a groove formed across the downstream face of the valve member over the junction of said rigid part and said flexible part and at a location spaced radially from the inner periphery of the flow passage downstream of the seat, so that said rigid part is hingeable inwardly about the flexible part along the groove to uncover said inlet opening; a diameter of said rigid part being greater that a chordal width of the inner peripheral wall surface of the flow passage at a location corresponding radially to and downstream of the location of the groove such that upon (zz~a 1: Y Lir-_ll i .1 3c hingeing inwardly, said rigid part of said valve member abuts the periphery of said flow passage a few degrees before 90 degrees of inwardly hinged movement of said valve member thereby preventing further inwardly hinged movement thereof.

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C C C C C *I U C V-§ii Vi ij J[ LJ [J -i il i 4 The invention will be better understood by reference to the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a sectional view of the valve in the closed position.

Figure 2 is a view of the valve looking from the upstream end when in the closed position.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the valve in the open position.

o 10 Figure 4 is a view of the valve looking from the downstream end when in the open position.

Figure 5 is a view of the upstream side of the .valve member.

.o Figure 6 is a view of the downstream side of the valve member.

Figure 7 is a side view of the valve member.

Figure 8 is a side view of a further embodiment C "of the valve member.

c t As shown in the drawings the valve comprises a substan- 20 ially short tubular body 1 adapted to be supported between the flanges of a pipe 2 and provided at one end with a fluid opening 3 substantially in the form of a segmented circle wherein the infilling segmental sec'tion t occupies a minority portion of the opening 3; said opening providing within the body 1 a landing 6o seat 5 of similar configuration to the opening 3, a valve member 6 K of flat circular configuration comprising a rigid part 6 A r f and a flexible part 6 B being supported within the body 1 b'y the flexible part 6 B by screws 7 and retaining plate 8 to the infilling segmental section 4 such that the rigid part 6 A of the valve member covers the opening 3 and wherein the rigid part 6 A may hinge inwardly about the flexible part 6 B.

Said valve member 6 being constructed from a suitable elastomeric compouNosuch as rubber and having embedded within the rigid part 6 A a reinforcing element Q9:,made 0 from steel or other suitable material in order to prevent t C to distortion of the valve member 6 when in engagement with the landing or seat 5 and under the influence of back t pressure. Said reinforcing element being of similar configuration to the opening 3 but of larger dimensions such that the valve member 6 may overlie the opening 3.

Said valve member 6 being provided with an area of re- LU duced thickness or groove 10 across the downstream side c and at the junction of the rigid part 6 A and the flexible part 6 B such that sa,4 groove 10 becomes resiliently i 20 distorted as the rigid part 6 A is collapsed inwardly S under the influence of increasing upstream fluid pressure j thereby providing a biasing force to bias the rigid part

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of the valve member 6 A sealingly into engagement with said landing or seat 5 under conditions of still fluid flow.

The outer periphery of the valve member 6 and the inner periphery of the tubular body 11 are proportioned to each II i_ I ~LIIII~-C-LI~I prP-z~s~a 6 other such that the valve member 6 abutts the inner periphery of the body 11 a few degrees before 90 degrees of inwardly hinged movement of the rigid part 6 A thereby preventing excessive movement of said rigid part 6 A and providing assistance to the return action the moment fluid flow tends to reverse.

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t A A S 2 In a further embodiment of the invention the flexible part 6 B of the valve member 6 is constructed anguarly disposed from the rigid part 6 A such that a degree of resilient disto:rtion is caused to the grooved section upon mounting of the valve member 6 within the body 1 thereby improving sealing engagement between said valve member 6 and said landing or seat 5 under conditions of low fluid back pressure.

In this invention it is intended that the valve be installed in a pipe by nipping the body between two flanges of a piping system with the opening facing upstream in the fluid flow. In operation increasing upstream fluid pressure causes the elastomeric valve member to be swung inwardly thereby exposing the opening and allowing fluid flow to occur. Should fluid attempt to flow in the reverse direction the valve element swings inwardly landing across the opening thereby effectively preventing flow reversal.

7 The resilient distortion of the elastomeric valve element provides a positive return action without the need for hinges and springs and the composite rigid construction of that part of the valve element which covers the opening alows a large opening to be used thereby avoiding blocking of the opening by foreign matter present in the fluid.

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Claims

2. A non return valve as claimed at claim 1 wherein said flow passage is of circular cross section from said seat to aa :said outlet opening. :e
3. A non return valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein said flat valve member is resiliently biased towards said seat.
4. A non return valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein said valve member is made from an elastomer and said rigid part of said valve member incorporates an internal reinforcing element totally enclosed within the elastomer. 4 Ai :a~dlI Drawing number recommended to accompany the abstract (Signatu-) (Date) 9 -9- A non return valve as claimed in claim 3 wherein said flexible part of said flat valve member is, in the relaxed state, angularly disposed in relation to said rigid part.
6. A non return valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein said valve menmber is provided with a groove across its downstream face over the junction of said rigid part and said flexible part.
7. A non return valve comprising a relatively short tubular body having a fluid inlet opening substantially in the form of a major segment of a circle at one end thereof and a fluid outlet opening at the other end thereof, an internal flow passage extending through the body from said inlet opening to said outlet opening, a valve seat being formed from a shoulder in said flow passage downstream of the inlet opening said seat being transverse to the direction of fluid flow and directed downstream, said flow passage being tapered from said inlet opening towards said C shoulder and being of circular cross section from said seat to -aid outlet opening, a flat circular elastomeric valve rrtr r, member comprising a rigid part which is a major segment of said circular member incorporating a totally enclosed internal reinforcing element and a flexible part which is a minor segment of said circular member, said valve member being supported within the valve body by said flexible part w ioreleasably clamped to said shoulder by a retaining plate such that said rigid part is located over said seat and normally closes said flow passage, and said rigid part being hingeable inwardly about said flexible part along a groove across the downstream face of the valve member over the junction of said rigid part and said flexible part to open said flow passage, the diameter of said circular valve member and the width of said flow passage being proportioned to each other such that upon inward hinged ;t: I! 10 movement, said rigid part of said valve member abuts the periphery of the flow passageway a few degrees before degrees of inwardly hinged movement of said valve member thereby preventing further inwardly hinged movement thereof.
8. A non return valve comprising a relatively short tubular body having a fluid inlet opening at one end of the body and a fluid outlet opening at the other end of the body, an internal flow passage extending through the body from said inlet opening to said outlet opening, said inlet opening being substantially in a form of a major segment of a circle, a seat being formed in said flow passage S. downstream of the inlet opening transverse to the direction of fluid flow and directed downstream, a flat valve member of circular configuration comprising a rigid part which forms a major segment of the valve member and a flexible part, the valve member supported within the valve body by said flexible part such that said rigid part is located over said seat and normally closes said flow passage, a hinge being formed in said flexible part at a junction *thereof with the rigid part and at a location spaced radially from the inner periphery of the flow passage downstream of the seat, so that said rigid part is hingeable about the hinge to open said flow passage; a diameter of said rigid part being greater than a chordal width of the inner peripheral wall surface of the flow passage at a location corresponding radially to and downstream of the location of the hinge such that said rigid part of said valve member abuts the periphery of the flow passageway a few degrees before 90 degrees of inwardly hinged movement of said valve member thereby preventing further inward movement thereof.
9. A non return valve comprising a relatively short tubular body having a fluid inlet opening substantially in 11 the form of a major segment of a circle at one end thereof and a fluid outlet opening at the other end thereof, an internal flow passage extending through the body from said inlet opening to said outlet opening, a valve seat being formed from a shoulder in said flow passage downstream of the inlet opening transverse to the direction of fluid flow and directed downstream, said flow passage being of constant circular cross section from said seat to said outlet opening, and a flat circular elastomeric valve member comprising a rigid part which is a major segment of said circular member incorporating a totally enclosed internal reinforcing element and a flexible part which is a minor segment of said circular member, said valve member being supported within the valve body by said flexible part releasably clamped to said shoulder by a retaining plate such that said rigid part is located over said seat and normally closes said flow passage on engagement with said valve seat, a groove formed across the downstream face of the valve member over the junction of said rigid part and said flexible part and at a location spaced radially from the inner periphery of the flow passage downstream of the COS. seat, so that said rigid part is hingeable about the flexible part along the groove to open said flow passage; .a diameter of said rigid part being greater that a chordal width of the periphery of the flow passage downstream of the location of the groove and corresponding radially to the position of the groove such that upon hinged movement away from the valve seat said rigid part of said valve member abuts the periphery of said flow passage a few degrees before 90 of inwardly hinged movement of said valve member thereby preventing further inwardly hinged movement thereof. A non return valve as claimed in claim 9 wherein said flow passage is tapered from said inlet opening toward said shoulder. Azt n ;nri m c*;i I 6 ~;~ir 12
11. A non return valve substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this EIGHTH day of SEPTEMBER 1994 GEOFFREY FRANCIS HERLIHY Applicant. WRAY ASSOCIATES, Perth, Western Australia, Patent Attorneys for the Applicant. C.. t t t I K ABSTRACT A device for allowing the flow of a fluid in a pipe in one direction only is disclosed. The device consists of a short tubular body adapted to be supported between the flanges of a pipe and provided at one end with an opening(3. An elastomeric sealing element is supported within the body such that it covers the opening and may hinge inwardly. By using this device in a pipe the elastomeric sealing element hinges inwardly as fluid pressure upstream increases allowing flow to occur but hinges back across the opening the moment fluid flow attempts to reverse. S ct 4 c I t k SLI c r t IC i 4 (t C: i