Low-Torque Valve and Assemblies Including Said Valve

Abstract

A low-torque valve for regulating fluid flow between a valve inlet and a valve outlet is disclosed. The low-torque valve has a stationary valve element and a rotatable valve element. The stationary valve element and the rotatable valve element each may have a respective axially-facing mating surface in contact with each other. At least one opening in the rotatable valve element is rotationally positionable with respect to at least one opening in the stationary valve element between an open position and a closed position in order to regulate fluid flow from the valve inlet to the valve outlet based on an alignment of the openings of the stationary valve element and the rotatable valve element. In some forms, a torque threshold that is required to rotate the rotatable valve element into the open position from the closed position is less than 10 ounce-inches.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A low-torque valve for regulating fluid flow between a valve inlet and a valve outlet, the low-torque valve comprising:
 a stationary valve element;   a rotatable valve element, the stationary valve element and the rotatable valve element each having a respective axially-facing mating surface in contact with each other and further each having at least one opening in which the stationary valve element and the rotatable valve element are rotationally positionable relative to one another between an open position and a closed position that regulate fluid flow from the valve inlet to the valve outlet based on an alignment of the openings of the stationary valve element and the rotatable valve element;   wherein a torque threshold required to rotate the rotatable valve element into the open position from the closed position is less than 10 ounce-inches.   
     
     
         2 . The low-torque valve of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a valve housing having an internal chamber that receives the stationary valve element and the rotatable valve element, the internal chamber having at least one opening in a peripheral wall providing the valve outlet; 
 an O-ring seal dimensioned to be received around the valve housing configured to form a seal between the valve housing and a structure into which the valve housing is adapted for reception. 
 
     
     
         3 . The low-torque valve of  claim 2  wherein the at least one opening in the peripheral wall of the valve housing extends in a radial direction to accommodate fluid flow in a U-shaped manner up through the valve elements of the low-torque valve, radially out the at least one opening in the peripheral wall to bend the flow, and down between an outer radial wall of the valve housing and a structure into which the valve housing is adapted for reception. 
     
     
         4 . The low-torque valve of  claim 1  further comprising:
 the respective axially-facing mating surfaces of the stationary valve element and the rotatable valve element contact each other to form a dynamic seal therebetween. 
 
     
     
         5 . The low-torque valve of  claim 1  wherein a total torque threshold required to complete a valve cycle is less than 12 ounce-inches in which the valve cycle includes the rotatable valve element being moved from the closed position to the open position and then back to another, different closed position in a single direction of rotation of the rotatable valve element. 
     
     
         6 . The low-torque valve of  claim 1 :
 wherein the at least one opening in the stationary valve includes an inlet opening and an outlet opening in which the inlet opening is in constant fluid communication with the valve inlet and the outlet opening is in constant fluid communication with the valve outlet;   wherein the rotatable valve element has a patterned recess on the axially-facing mating surface for selectively placing the inlet opening and the outlet opening in fluid communication with one another based on a rotational position of the rotatable valve element relative to the stationary valve element;   wherein in the open position, the inlet opening and the outlet opening are placed in fluid communication with one another by the patterned recess such that the valve inlet to the valve outlet are placed in fluid communication with one another.   
     
     
         7 . The low-torque valve of  claim 6  wherein patterned recess includes a plurality of channels outwardly extending from a centrally-connected location with the plurality of channels being in fluid communication with one another at the centrally-connected location. 
     
     
         8 . The low-torque valve of  claim 7  wherein the patterned recess is rotationally symmetrical about a central axis of the rotatable valve element. 
     
     
         9 . The low-torque valve of  claim 6  wherein the inlet openings and the outlet openings are selectively aligned at 60 degree incremented positions of the rotatable valve element. 
     
     
         10 . The low-torque valve of  claim 6  wherein the inlet openings and the outlet openings are selectively aligned at 45 degree incremented positions of the rotatable valve element. 
     
     
         11 . The low-torque valve of  claim 6  wherein, in the open position, there are two points of communication at the axially-facing mating surfaces between the patterned recess in the rotatable valve element and one of the at least one openings in the stationary valve element. 
     
     
         12 . The low-torque valve of  claim 1 , wherein a total torque threshold required to complete a valve cycle is less than 19 ounce-inches. 
     
     
         13 . The low-torque valve of  claim 1 , wherein, a total torque per a valve cycle threshold is less than 9 ounce-inches. 
     
     
         14 . The low-torque valve of  claim 1 , wherein an outer diameter of the stationary valve element and the rotatable valve element is less than 0.5 inches. 
     
     
         15 . The low-torque valve of  claim 1 , wherein the rotatable valve element and the stationary valve element comprise a ceramic material. 
     
     
         16 . A flush valve assembly comprising:
 a fluid passageway between an assembly inlet and an assembly outlet;   a chamber positioned along the fluid passageway;   a diaphragm assembly positioned in the chamber and bifurcating the chamber into an upper chamber and a lower chamber in which the diaphragm assembly has a diaphragm having a bypass opening that places the upper chamber and the lower chamber in fluid communication with one another, the diaphragm assembly selectively being received at a diaphragm seat to regulate flow between the assembly inlet and the assembly outlet during a flush cycle by controlling fluid communication between the lower chamber and an outlet chamber that connects the lower chamber to the assembly outlet;   the low-torque valve of  claim 1 , in which low-torque valve is operable as a pilot valve to control a flush cycle by placing the upper chamber and the outlet chamber in selective fluid communication with one another so that, when the low-torque valve is in the open position, a fluid pressure from the upper chamber is released through the low-torque valve to unseat the diaphragm assembly from the diaphragm seat to initiate the flush cycle and, when the low-torque valve in the closed position, the diaphragm assembly re-seats on the diaphragm seat due to an increased fluid pressure on the diaphragm assembly from the upper chamber to end the flush cycle.   
     
     
         17 . The flush valve assembly of  claim 16  wherein the low-torque valve is axially offset from an axis of the assembly outlet. 
     
     
         18 . The flush valve assembly of  claim 16  wherein a rotational axis of the low-torque valve is oriented transverse to the assembly outlet. 
     
     
         19 . The flush valve assembly of  claim 16  wherein the valve changes the direction of fluid flow within the valve itself. 
     
     
         20 . The flush valve assembly of  claim 16  further comprising:
 a power source connected to a motor, the motor providing rotational control to the rotatable valve element to selectively rotate the rotatable valve element into an open position in which the at least one opening in the rotatable valve element aligns with the at least one opening in the stationary valve element thereby providing fluid communication therebetween. 
 
     
     
         21 . A low-torque ceramic valve for regulating fluid flow between a valve inlet and a valve outlet, the low-torque valve comprising:
 a stationary disc valve element;   a rotatable disc valve element, the stationary disc valve element and the rotatable disc valve element positioned along a valve axis and each having a respective axially-facing mating surface in contact with each other, the respective axially-facing mating surfaces of the stationary disc valve element and the rotatable disc valve element contact each other to form a dynamic seal therebetween that prevents fluid communication external a flow path through the valve, further the stationary disc valve element and the rotatable disc valve element each having at least one opening in which the stationary disc valve element and the rotatable disc valve element are rotationally positionable relative to one another between an open position and a closed position that regulate fluid flow;   a valve housing having an internal chamber that receives the stationary valve element and the rotatable valve element, the internal chamber having at least one opening in a peripheral wall, the at least one opening in the peripheral wall of the internal chamber provides fluid communication between the rotatable valve element and the valve outlet;   an O-ring seal dimensioned to be received around the valve housing and dimensioned to prevent fluid communication external to a flow path through the valve;   wherein a torque threshold required to rotate the rotatable valve element into the open position is less than 10 ounce-inches.