Fluid flow management control, leak detection and conservation system and valve assembly

Abstract

A valve assembly for a fluid flow management control, leak detection and conservation system, the valve assembly located within a valve well, includes a cam block, a valve pocket, a valve body, a spring, a shaft, and a cover. The cam block, the valve sleeve and the valve body each comprise a plurality of protrusions, and the protrusions are matched with one another, so that the valve body can rotate while the valve sleeve is prevented from rotating. The valve body and the valve sleeve are each provided with a pair of opposite openings used for opening or closing the valve assembly. When the valve assembly is in an open state, fluid can circulate through the valve body and the opening of the valve sleeve. During closing, the side wall of the valve body and the side wall of the valve sleeve are tightly pressed to form sealing, and flowing of all fluid is cut off.

Description

The applicant, Millard M. Minton, Jr., a U.S. citizen, residing at 812 Stone Bridge Road, Wilkesboro, North Carolina (zip code 28697), requests that he be granted a patent for improvements to fluid flow management control, leak detection and saving systems and valve assemblies as described below.

[0001] Fluid flow management and control, leak detection and saving systems and valve assemblies Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure relates to fluid flow management and control, leak detection and saving systems, and particularly to valve assemblies for fluid flow management and control, leak detection and saving systems.

[0003] Overview of Prior Art and Purpose of the Invention

[0004] Fluid flow management, control, leak detection, and energy-saving systems typically include a valve assembly that controls the flow of fluid through a piping system. When fluid flow is required, the valve assembly is in the open position, allowing free flow; when no flow is required, it returns to the closed position, restricting flow. When the valve is closed, it forms a sealed system, and leaks can be detected by monitoring the pressure differential. When fluid flows through the valve assembly, the pressure on both sides is equal; when fluid is not flowing through the assembly, the pressure should remain consistent in a leak-free state. However, if a leak occurs on one side, a pressure differential can create high impact forces, potentially damaging system components. This pressure differential subjects the valve to additional forces, making it more difficult to switch the valve assembly from closed to open, and often increasing friction between the valve assembly components. This pressure differential subjects the valve assembly components to additional pressure, making the valve difficult to turn. Therefore, malfunctions are not uncommon when valves are in the open or closed state. Furthermore, because some fluids (such as water) are incompressible, a rapid valve closure can generate a shock wave that propagates throughout the system. This shock wave, commonly known as water hammer, can cause system damage if it is not absorbed by something in the system.

[0005] Fluid valve assemblies often contain components that require frequent, repetitive movement, such as the rotation of the valve itself. Many valves not only need to overcome fluid pressure but also the frictional forces generated between the valve and its body. Repeatedly overcoming these frictional forces can lead to component wear, performance degradation, and even eventual failure.

[0006] In view of the problems and defects of existing technology, the present invention has come into being. One of its objectives is to provide a valve assembly for a fluid flow control and throttling system, the assembly comprising a valve body, a valve bushing, a cam block, a spring, and a shaft that can be rotated manually or remotely by a motor assembly.

[0007] Another objective of this disclosure is to provide a valve assembly whose structural design reduces friction between components when the valve assembly switches from a closed position to an open position.

[0008] Another object of this disclosure is to provide a valve assembly comprising a valve body having an upper support structure and a lower support structure, and a shaft passing through the upper support structure and the lower support structure, such that rotation of the shaft causes the valve body to rotate within a valve bushing without causing the valve bushing to rotate.

[0009] Another object of this disclosure is to provide a valve assembly including a quarter-turn valve body whose sidewalls are capable of forming a substantially fluid seal with the sidewalls of a valve bushing when the valve assembly is in the closed position.

[0010] A further objective of this disclosure is to provide a valve assembly comprising a quarter-turn valve body that, when the valve assembly is in the open position, allows fluid to flow through the interior of the valve body while simultaneously allowing fluid to flow around the exterior of the valve body.

[0011] Another objective of this disclosure is to provide a valve assembly in which the valve body can fall into the bottom of the valve bushing when in the closed position.

[0012] A further objective of this disclosure is to provide a valve assembly in which, when in the open position, the valve body is slightly higher than the bottom of the valve bushing.

[0013] As the description below unfolds in more detail, those skilled in the art will gradually understand the various other objects and advantages of this disclosure. Invention Summary

[0014] The above and other objectives are achieved by providing a valve assembly and system for fluid control and throttling. The valve assembly is disposed within a valve well between an external inlet and an external outlet of a manifold to control the flow of fluid through a series of channels formed between the external inlet and outlet. The valve assembly preferably includes a valve body, a valve bushing, a cam block, a spring, and a shaft. The cam block is preferably located at the bottom of the valve well and forms multiple cam protrusions. These cam protrusions preferably constitute opposing low-protrusion and high-protrusion regions. The valve bushing preferably forms a truncated conical body, with its sidewalls defining at least two opposing openings. The two openings formed by the valve core sidewalls are configured (i.e., size, shape, and other characteristics) to align with the valve well inlet and outlet, allowing fluid to flow through the manifold's valve well. The valve body also preferably forms a truncated conical structure, with its sidewalls similarly defining at least two opposing openings. The valve body is configured (i.e., size, shape, and other methods) to be embedded within the valve sleeve, allowing it to rotate and vertically displace within the sleeve. The valve body preferably includes an upper support and a lower support, both extending between two openings. The shaft passes through a spring, a hole in the upper support (with the spring abutting against this hole), and a hole in the lower support of the valve body, then through a hole in the bottom of the valve bushing and a hole in the bottom of the cam block, ultimately embedding into the manifold. The spring, located above the upper support of the valve body and below the washer on the shaft, functions to push and hold the valve body towards the bottom of the valve bushing. The shaft is rotatable, such that rotation of the shaft causes the valve body to rotate within the valve bushing without causing rotation of the cam block and the valve bushing.

[0015] When the preferred valve assembly is positioned within the valve well of the manifold, the cam block and valve bushing cannot rotate or displace in the vertical or horizontal direction. The valve body, placed within the valve bushing, can rotate and displace vertically. When the valve body rotates until the two openings defined by its sidewall, the two openings defined by the valve bushing sidewall, and the inlet and outlet ports of the valve well are aligned, fluid can flow freely through the valve assembly and the manifold. When the valve body rotates a quarter turn, the two openings on the valve body sidewall are no longer aligned with the two openings on the valve bushing sidewall or the inlet and outlet ports of the valve well. At this point, the valve body sidewall will form a wedge effect, forcing the valve body sidewall to press tightly against the valve bushing sidewall, forming a seal (preferably a fluid seal), thereby preventing fluid from freely passing through the valve assembly and the passageway. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 An exploded perspective front view of a preferred embodiment of a fluid flow control and thrift system is shown, illustrating a valve assembly for regulating the flow rate of fluid through the manifold of the fluid flow control and thrift system.

[0017] Figure 2 This shows a top-view perspective view of the manifold after it has been removed from the fluid flow control and thrift system.

[0018] Figure 3 for Figure 2 The bottom perspective view of the manifold shown.

[0019] Figure 4 An exploded perspective view of the internal components of the valve assembly is shown; these components will be installed in the valve well of the fluid control and throttling system.

[0020] Figure 5A This is a perspective view of the top of the valve body.

[0021] Figure 5B This is a perspective view of the bottom of the valve body.

[0022] Figure 5C Display along Figure 5A A cross-sectional view of the valve body taken from the CC line.

[0023] Figure 6A A perspective view of the top of the cam block is shown.

[0024] Figure 6B This is a perspective view of the bottom surface of the cam block.

[0025] Figure 7A A perspective view of the top of the valve bushing is shown.

[0026] Figure 7B This is a perspective view of the valve substrate surface.

[0027] Figure 7C Showing along Figure 7A A cross-sectional view of the valve bushing taken from the CC line.

[0028] Figure 8 This is a front view of the valve assembly (partially indicated by dashed lines), showing the valve body and liner in the closed position.

[0029] Figure 9 This is a front view of the valve assembly (partially indicated by dashed lines), showing the valve body and liner in the open position.

[0030] Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention and their working principle

[0031] Various exemplary embodiments of this disclosure will be described below. The term "exemplary" is merely illustrative or elucidating, and any reference to "this disclosure" herein is not intended to limit or restrict this disclosure to the precise features or steps of any one or more exemplary embodiments disclosed in this specification. References to terms such as "exemplary embodiment," "one embodiment," and "various embodiments" may indicate that embodiments described in this disclosure may include specific features, structures, or characteristics, but not every embodiment necessarily includes that specific feature, structure, or characteristic. Expressions such as "one embodiment" and "various embodiments" may indicate that the described embodiments include specific features, structures, or characteristics, but not all embodiments necessarily include that feature, structure, or characteristic. Furthermore, the repeated use of phrases such as "in one embodiment," "in an exemplary embodiment," or "in an alternative embodiment" does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although it may.

[0032] It should be noted that terms such as "preferred," "usually," and "typically" used herein are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure, nor do they imply that certain features are critical, necessary, or important to the structure or function of this disclosure. These terms are only intended to emphasize optional or additional features that may or may not be used in specific embodiments of this disclosure.

[0033] The present disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one or more exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. Like numbers correspond to like elements throughout the document. However, the present disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments described herein; these embodiments are intended to make the present disclosure operable, implementable, and complete. Therefore, the specific solutions disclosed are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the scope of the present disclosure or all its equivalents. Furthermore, various embodiments, such as adaptive adjustments, variations, modifications, and equivalents, will be implicitly disclosed through the solutions described herein and are all within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0034] Although specific terms are used herein, they are for general and descriptive purposes only and not for limitation. Unless expressly defined herein, such terms should be given their broad, common, and customary meanings. They are not consistent with applicable industry standards and are not limited to any specific embodiments described below. In this specification, the singular form "a" is intended to include one or more items. When referring to a single item, "unique," "single," or similar expressions will be used. When used to connect lists of items, "or" indicates that at least one item in the list is included, but does not exclude the inclusion of multiple items.

[0035] For the exemplary methods or processes of this disclosure, the order and / or arrangement of the steps described herein are for illustrative purposes only and not restrictive. Therefore, it should be understood that although the steps of various processes or methods may be shown and described in a specific order or timing, unless otherwise stated, the steps of any such process or method are not limited to being performed in a specific order or arrangement. In fact, steps in such processes or methods can often be performed in a variety of different orders and arrangements, and still fall within the scope of this disclosure.

[0036] Furthermore, any advantages, benefits, unintended consequences, or operability mentioned in this disclosure should not be construed as an indication that the disclosure has been actually implemented or tested. Similarly, unless otherwise stated, the use of past tenses (present perfect or past tense) in verbs should not be construed as indicating or implying that the disclosure has been actually implemented or tested.

[0037] To facilitate understanding of the contents of this disclosure and its working principle, the following description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings: Figures 1 to 9 The various views of valve assembly 11 and the corresponding components of the fluid flow control and saving system (collectively referred to as 10) are shown respectively. Figure 1 An exploded view of a preferred embodiment of the valve assembly 11, which is part of the fluid flow control and throttling system 10, is shown. Figure 4 As shown, the valve assembly 11 mainly includes a cam block 20, a valve sleeve 30, a valve body 40, a spring 13, a shaft 12, an O-ring 160, and a valve cover 70. The fluid flow control and conservation system 10 is primarily responsible for controlling the flow of fluid (typically water, not shown) into a building (such as a residence). Its design principle is to allow fluid to flow in only when the building requires it, thereby achieving fluid conservation. Figure 1 The preferred system shown includes a piping assembly 124 equipped with a valve assembly 11 and a flow meter 148. The valve assembly 11 is disposed in a valve well 133 and a flow meter well 138 formed on the manifold 124, respectively. The valve assembly 11 restricts the flow of fluid in the system 10 (i.e., when the valve body 40 is in...). Figure 8 The flow of fluid is managed by restricting the flow of fluid through valve well 133 when the valve is in the closed position shown, and its structural design (i.e., size, shape, and other characteristics) is optimized for this function. The position and configuration of flow meter 148 for measuring and detecting various parameters of the fluid flowing through system 10, flow meter 148 is preferably located downstream of valve assembly 11 and includes O-ring 160, flow meter cap 149, and Hall sensor (not shown).

[0038] Figure 2A perspective rear view of the top of manifold 124 in the fluid control and conservation system 10 is shown, without displaying valve assemblies 11 and flow meters 148 installed in their respective wells. The manifold 124 preferably includes a valve well 133 for housing the valve assembly 11 and a flow meter well 138 for housing the flow meter 148. The manifold 124 is typically box-shaped, including a front wall 125, a rear wall 126, a left wall 127, a right wall 128, a top surface 129, and a bottom surface 130. The left wall 127 of the manifold 124 forms an external inlet port 131 designed for connection to the building's main fluid supply line (typically a water supply line, not shown). In one or more alternative embodiments (not shown), the external inlet port 131 may be configured to facilitate fluid connections with other hardware, such as fluid filtration modules or relay modules for connecting to the main fluid supply line. The right wall 128 of manifold 124 defines an external outlet port 142, configured to connect to a fluid supply line (not shown) of the building or hardware that performs this function. External inlet port 131 and external outlet port 142 are connected via a series of pipes 134, 137, and 141. Fluid valve well 133 and flow meter well 138 are located between external inlet port 131 and external outlet port 142, connected via pipe groups 134, 137, and 141. Although not shown in the figures, embodiments of one or more manifolds 124 may preferably include additional connectors, adapters, and other components to provide broad connectivity via inlet port 131 and / or outlet port 142 as needed by the user. In a preferred embodiment, manifold 124 may include gaskets, fasteners, and connector bodies, most preferably in the style of a Presta or Schrader valve.

[0039] Figure 3 A perspective view of the bottom of manifold 124 in the fluid control and conservation system 10 is shown. Valve assemblies 11 and flow meters 148 installed in their respective valve wells 133 and flow meter wells 138 are not shown. A preferred valve well 133 has an open top 133a (e.g., Figure 2As shown, the diameter of the closed bottom end 133b of the valve well 133 is smaller than that of its open top end 133a, forming a truncated cone-shaped well cavity with inclined sidewalls 113. The valve assembly 11 (described in detail below) is formed into a matching truncated cone shape (by specific dimensions, shape, and other functions) for positioning and embedding in the valve well 133. The bottom end 133b of the valve well 133 preferably includes one or more downwardly extending protrusions 132 for receiving valve assembly components partially placed within the valve well 133. As understood, the protrusions 132, 168 are formed by openings 138 on the inner bottom of the respective well bodies 133, 138, such that the internal openings of one or more downwardly projecting protrusions can be configured (in size, shape, and other aspects) to receive, support, or integrally fix the shaft 12 of the valve assembly 11, the threaded fasteners 18 and inserts 19 for fixing the cam block 20, or the protrusions 29 for providing anti-rotational stability to the cam block 20. A preferred flow meter well 138 is located downstream of valve well 133 and is used to house an impeller or flow meter 148. Flow meter well 138 has an open top 138a (e.g., Figure 2 (as shown) and closed bottom 138b (as shown) Figure 3 (As shown). The closed bottom end 138b of the flow meter well 138 preferably includes one or more downwardly extending protrusions 168 for supporting part of the structure of the flow meter 148, ensuring that the flow meter 148 can rotate freely within the flow meter well 138.

[0040] A fluid (typically water) flows through system 10, preferably entering through external inlet port 131 and exiting through external outlet port 142. When the fluid (not shown) enters from a fluid supply line (not shown) through external inlet port 131, it flows through pipe 134 (e.g., Figure 2 and Figure 3 The fluid flows downstream (as shown) until it reaches valve well 133. Valve well 133 further defines valve well inlet 135 and valve well outlet 136, which are arranged opposite each other. The fluid will continue to flow downstream through valve well inlet 135. If valve assembly 11 is in the open position, the fluid enters pipe 137 through valve well outlet 136, thereby establishing a fluid passage between valve well 133 and flow meter well 138. In an alternative embodiment, valve well 133 may be provided with multiple valve well inlets 135 or multiple valve well outlets 136 (not shown). Flow meter well 138 is provided with flow meter well inlet port 139 and flow meter well outlet port 140 arranged opposite each other. The fluid will continue to flow downstream along pipe 137, through flow meter well inlet port 139 and flow meter 148, and finally out through flow meter well outlet port 140 into connecting pipe 141. This pipe is used to establish a fluid passage between flow meter well 138 and external outlet port 142 of collector 124. This path may be referred to as a flow channel. In an alternative embodiment, the flow meter well 138 may be provided with a plurality of flow meter inlet ports 139 or a plurality of flow meter outlet ports 140.

[0041] In a preferred embodiment, the pressure tank 150 can be connected to the conduit 137 to facilitate fluid communication between the valve well 133 and the flow meter well 138. The pressure tank 150 can be detachably attached to the bottom surface 130 of the manifold 124 via a threaded connection, quick coupling, bayonet coupling, waterproof friction connection, or other similar known connection methods in the industry. The pressure tank 150 communicates with the conduit 137 through the pressure tank port 151, maintaining fluid communication between the valve well 133 and the flow meter well 138, thereby enabling fluid communication when the valve assembly 11 is in... Figure 9 The opening position shown or Figure 8 When the valve is in the closed position, sufficient fluid pressure is maintained within system 10. When the valve switches from the closed position to the open position, the pressure storage tank 150 can instantly provide full flow without reducing the inlet pressure. This storage tank also functions as a water hammer absorber, effectively absorbing the pressure wave (i.e., water hammer effect) generated when the valve assembly rapidly switches from the open position to the closed position.

[0042] System 10 may include one or more sensors (not shown) for monitoring and measuring fluid parameters at various locations along the fluid path. These sensors may monitor parameters such as pressure, flow rate, temperature, liquid level, and the position of valve assembly 11 (i.e., whether the assembly is open or closed). The sensors may be located internally within system 10, or in some embodiments within a structure (not shown) requiring fluid flow. These sensors typically detect various parameters and transmit the information to a control unit (not shown) mounted on system 10. One or more sensors may establish an electrical connection with a power source (not shown) on system 10, thereby enabling communication with the control unit. Figure 1 In the preferred embodiment shown, an optical sensor 67 is mounted near the valve assembly 11 to measure and detect the orientation of the valve body 40 within the valve assembly 11. This preferred optical sensor 67 is a transmission sensor, configured to detect a sensing element 68 fixed at a specific location within the valve assembly 11. In a preferred embodiment, the sensing element 68 is fixed to the shaft 12 of the valve assembly 11 and can rotate with the shaft 12 and the valve body 40, allowing the optical sensor 67 to detect the rotational state and thus determine the position of the valve body 40 within the valve assembly 11. In a preferred embodiment, the flow meter 148 also includes a sensor for measuring and detecting the fluid velocity. In a preferred embodiment, and as those skilled in the art will understand, the flow meter 148 employs a Hall sensor (not shown). While a Hall sensor is preferred, other sensors can also be used to detect and measure the fluid velocity in the flow channel, such as, but not limited to, ultrasonic flow meters, vortex flow meters, orifice plate flow meters, etc.

[0043] Valve assembly 11 can be manually operated (i.e., opened and closed) via a handle 66 fixed near the top of shaft 12. Alternatively, in an alternative embodiment, valve assembly 11 may also include a motor assembly 64, enabling remote actuation (i.e., opening and closing) of valve assembly 11 via a gear assembly (not shown). This gear assembly is configured to drive shaft 12 to rotate, thereby rotating valve body 40 and sensing element 68, while keeping valve bushing 30 and cam block 20 stationary. Motor assembly 64 typically includes (not shown) the following components: a motor, a motor housing, the gear assembly, and a control unit electrically connected to the motor, which sends drive commands to the gear assembly. Motor assembly 64 is capable of driving shaft 12 of valve assembly 11 to rotate. When shaft 12 rotates, it causes valve body 40 to rotate within valve bushing 30, thereby placing valve body 40 in the open position (…). Figure 9 ) and closing position ( Figure 8 Move between ).

[0044] like Figure 4 As shown, the preferred valve assembly 11 includes a cam block 20, a valve bushing 30, a valve body 40, a spring 13, a shaft 12, an O-ring 160, and a valve cover 70 (see [reference]). Figure 1 In a preferred embodiment, the sidewall 113 of the valve well 133 is configured with a matching angular shape to the sidewall 21 of the cam block 20, the sidewall 31 of the valve bushing 30, and the sidewall 41 of the valve body 40, allowing the valve assembly 11 to be embedded in the valve well 133. In a preferred embodiment, the cam block 20 is secured to the bottom of the valve well 133 by inserts 19 and fasteners 18. Figure 6AThen, the valve bushing 30 is placed above the cam block 20, so that the low bushing recess 37 is embedded in the low cam protrusion 25 (see description below). The cam block 20 and the valve core bushing 30 are specially configured and arranged to ensure that after the valve assembly 11 is fully assembled, neither can rotate within the valve well 133, nor can they be vertically or horizontally displaced within the valve well 133. After the valve core bushing 30 is placed above the cam block 20, the valve body 40 is preferably placed inside the valve bushing 30, so that the low protrusion area 52 of the valve body is nested inside the low protrusion area 77 of the valve bushing 30. The valve body 40 can rotate within the valve bushing 30, and is preferably made of the same material as the valve bushing 30 to reduce wear on the valve bushing 30 during rotation. The spring 13 is preferably located below the shaft 12, around the gasket 14, and is fixed by the top fixing clip 80. When shaft 12 is inserted into valve body 40, spring 13 is positioned at the top of upper hole 46, pushing valve body 40 towards the bottom of valve bushing 30. Top retaining clip 80 is preferably located between two gaskets 14 to prevent accidental displacement of spring 13. Top retaining clip 80 prevents shaft 12 from being pulled out when valve assembly 11 is actuated and forms a fluid seal to prevent fluid leakage. Shaft 12 preferably has two sets of hexagonal stops 15, 16, which are respectively engaged in frictional fit with the upper hole 46 and lower hole 47 of valve body 40 to achieve rotation, thereby forming a seal between shaft 12 and valve body 40, preventing any external force from displacing valve body 40 from shaft 12. In a preferred embodiment, as... Figure 4 As shown, the bottom hexagonal stop 16 forms a slot, the size, shape, and structure of which are adapted to accommodate the bottom fixing clip 81. The ideal position of the bottom fixing clip 81 is near the bottom of the valve stem 12, between the valve sleeve 30 and the valve body 40, so that it can be engaged with the bottom 82 of the valve body 40 (e.g., Figure 5B (As shown) Engagement assists in the movement of valve body 40 from the closed state. By lifting valve body 40, the valve body is transitioned from the closed state to the open state, thereby effectively reducing the friction between one or more inclined surfaces 61 and 75 of valve bushing 30. Reducing the friction between inclined surfaces 61 and 75 reduces wear on components and makes valve body 40 easier to rotate when transitioning from closed to open. The retaining clips 80 and 81 can promote the rotation of shaft 12 while inhibiting axial movement of components of assembly 11, preventing excessive displacement of assembly 11. Another function is to limit loosening of assembly 11 caused by rapid rotational motion. Clips 80 and 81 are preferably three-jaw stamped parts, commonly referred to as retaining rings, E-type clips, or C-type clips. In a preferred embodiment, at least one clip 80 or 81 is expanded around shaft 12 and then compressed to fit tightly into a groove designed for it on shaft 12. This will be further explained below and as shown in the figure. Figure 8 , 9As shown, the valve body 40 can not only rotate within the valve sleeve 30, but also achieve vertical displacement through the valve body protrusion 49. When the valve assembly 11 is in the open position, the valve body 40 is slightly higher than the valve sleeve 30. When the valve assembly 11 is in the closed position, the valve body 40 is located at the bottom of the valve sleeve 30, in the lowest possible position.

[0045] Figure 5A A perspective view of the top of the valve body 40 is shown. Figure 5B A perspective view of the bottom of the valve body 40 is shown. Figure 5C along Figure 5A A cross-sectional view of the preferred valve body 40 taken from the CC line. (See figure) Figure 5A As shown, the preferred valve body 40 typically includes a top end 40a and a bottom end 40b, with a sidewall 41 extending between the two ends (e.g., ...). Figure 4 (As shown in the side view). The corner configuration of the preferred valve body sidewall 41 matches the sidewall 31 of the valve sleeve 30, and the corner configuration of the valve sleeve sidewall 31 matches the sidewall 113 of the valve seat 133. The sidewall 41 of the valve body 40 preferably forms two opposing openings 42, 42', the size, shape and functional design of which can be aligned with the valve well inlet 135 and valve well outlet 136 of the manifold 124 in the open position. In an alternative embodiment, the valve body 40 may have more than two openings, such as three openings (not shown). The valve body 40 includes an upper support 44 and a lower support 45, which span the two openings 42, 42' to form a channel 43, allowing fluid to flow. When the openings 42, 42' formed on the sidewall 41 are aligned with the openings 32, 32' of the valve sleeve 30, fluid can flow through the valve body 40. In an alternative embodiment, when the valve body 40 defines three openings, the valve sleeve 30 also defines three openings (not shown). Figure 5C As shown, the upper support 44 and the lower support 45 preferably define upper holes 46 and 47 respectively, which pass through the centers of the upper support 44 and the lower support 45. The upper hole 46 and the lower hole 47 are preferably configured to align with the shaft hole 27 of the cam block 20, the hole 35 at the bottom end 30b of the valve bushing 30, and at least one protrusion 132 extending below the valve well 133—preferably sized and shaped to accommodate the central protrusion 132b at the bottom end 12b of the shaft 12. In a preferred embodiment, the upper hole 46 and the lower hole 47 together form a hexagonal profile, but in other embodiments, they may also form other polygonal structures. The upper support 44 and the lower support 45 are also preferably provided with a plurality of holes 48, so that the fluid flowing through the valve body well 133 when the valve body 40 is in the open state ( Figure 9The upper support 44 and lower support 45 can completely surround the entire valve body 40. This structure has significant advantages: it allows fluid to flow through the channel 43 formed by the upper support 44 and lower support 45, and also allows flow around the outside of the valve body 40 sidewall 41, thereby preventing mineral deposition in the fluid. One or more valve body protrusions 49 may be provided at the bottom 40b of the valve body, which may be blade-shaped, ramp-shaped, or toothed, designed to cooperate with the protruding bushing protrusion 74 formed on the top surface 87 of the bottom 30b of the valve bushing 30. The latter consists of a low protrusion area 77 and a high protrusion area 78. Figure 5B As shown, the protrusion 49 of the valve body 40 typically has a bevel 50 and a nearly vertical surface 51 (e.g., ±5 degrees). In a preferred embodiment, the valve body protrusion 49 includes two low protrusion regions 52 and two high protrusion regions 53. In this preferred embodiment, the low protrusion regions 52 and high protrusion regions 53 are alternately opposite each other around the valve body 40, such that the two low protrusion regions 52 are symmetrical to each other, and the high protrusion regions 53 formed therebetween are also arranged in an opposite layout. Figure 5A , 5B As shown in Figure 5C, there are cavities or gaps between the top end 40a of the valve body and the upper support 44, and between the bottom end 40b of the valve body and the lower support 45, so that fluid can flow through the holes 48, thereby helping to stabilize the pressure in the system 10 during the opening and closing of the valve assembly 11.

[0046] Figure 6A and 6B The perspective views of the top and bottom surfaces of the cam block 20 are shown respectively. The cam block 20 forms a circular body with a top end 20a and a bottom end 20b, and a side wall 21 extends from the two ends (as shown in the image). Figure 4(Side view shown). The cam block 20 is specially designed (i.e., size, shape, and functional configuration) to be positioned at the bottom 133b of the valve well 133 and to resist horizontal, vertical, and rotational displacement. One or more raised cam protrusions 22 may be provided on the top end 20a to transmit the force or torque of the valve core bushing 30 to the cam block 20 and to prevent rotation of the valve core bushing 30. The raised cam protrusions 22 are formed at the outermost edge of the top end 20a and can take various forms (such as cam profiles, bevels, or toothed structures) to engage with the groove 36 formed at the bottom 30b of the valve core bushing 30. The raised cam protrusions 22 typically have a beveled structure designed to engage with the groove 36 formed at the bottom 30b of the valve core bushing 30. The raised cam protrusions 22 typically have a bevel 23 and a near-vertical surface 24 (e.g., ±5 degrees). In a preferred embodiment, the cam protrusion 22 of the cam block 20 includes two low cam protrusion regions 25 and two high cam protrusion regions 26. In this preferred embodiment, the low cam protrusion regions 25 and the high cam protrusion regions 26 are alternately opposed around the cam block 20, such that the two low cam protrusion regions 25 are opposite each other, and the high cam protrusion regions 26 formed therebetween are also opposite each other. The cam block 20 preferably defines a central plane segment 20c, which has two through holes—a shaft hole 27 and a fastener hole 28. In a preferred embodiment, the shaft hole 27 is a circular hole penetrating the center of the cam block 20 for inserting a shaft; the fastener hole 28 is a countersunk hole off-center for installing threaded fasteners to prevent the cam block 20 from rotating within the valve well 133. The cam block 20 can be fixed to the bottom 18 of the valve well 133 by any mechanical fastener, but preferably a stainless steel screw 18 with an insert 19 is used to form a stable base for the screw 18. Figure 6B As shown in the bottom view, the preferred cam block 20 includes a downwardly extending protrusion 29 offset from the center of the bottom end face 20b, designed to further prevent the cam block 20 from (preferably) interfering with the protrusion 132c (see bottom view) within the valve well 133. Figure 3 Rotation occurs during the mating process.

[0047] Figure 7A and 7B Perspective views of the top and bottom surfaces of valve bushing 30 are shown respectively. Figure 7C This shows a cross-sectional view of the valve bushing 30. The valve bushing 30 is preferably disposed within the valve well 133 and above the cam block 20. The valve bushing 30 includes a closed bottom 30b and an open top 30a, with a sidewall 31 extending between them (e.g., ...). Figure 4(Side view shown). In a preferred embodiment, the valve bushing 30 has two openings 32 and 32' on its sidewall 31, located on opposite sides of the valve bushing 30. These two openings 32 and 32' are specially designed (i.e., size, shape, and functional configuration) to precisely align with the valve well inlet 135 and valve well outlet 136 when assembled into the valve well 133. In a preferred embodiment, the valve core bushing 30 includes an annular flange 33 extending vertically outward from the top edge of the opening 30a on the sidewall 31, and the flange has a plurality of fastening holes 33a. When the valve core bushing 30 is inserted into the valve well 133, the flange ring 33 will remain outside the valve well 133 and be embedded within the manifold top surface 129. The collar 33 124 has a plurality of fastening holes 33a configured to align with an equal number of fastening holes 233 on the manifold top surface 129 surrounding the valve well 133. In a preferred embodiment, a collar 33 extending from the top edge of the valve bushing 30 and the top surface 129 of the manifold 124 respectively form eight fastening holes 33a and 233 for accommodating mechanical fasteners 103. Figure 1 This restricts the vertical, horizontal, and rotational movement of the valve bushing 30 within the valve well 133. A through hole 35 may also be provided at the center of the bottom end face 30b of the valve core bushing 30 for the valve stem 12 to pass through. During assembly, this through hole 35 must be aligned with the valve stem hole 27 of the cam block 20 and accommodate a portion of the valve stem 12.

[0048] like Figure 7B As shown, the bottom end 30b of the valve bushing 30 forms a central planar segment 30c, around which one or more bushing grooves 36 are provided. These grooves are designed (i.e., in terms of size, shape, and other adaptability) to overlap and engage with the cam protrusion 22 formed at the top end 20a of the cam block 20 and the central planar segment 20c, respectively. In a preferred embodiment, the bushing recess 36 at the bottom end 30b of the valve bushing 30 includes two low bushing recess areas 37 and two high bushing recess areas 38, arranged in an opposing configuration. In this preferred embodiment, the low bushing recess areas 37 and the high bushing recess areas 38 are arranged alternately, such that the two low bushing recess areas 37 are opposite each other, and the high bushing recess areas 38 formed therebetween are also in an opposing bushing relationship. The grooves 36 simultaneously define a ramp 61 and a near-vertical surface 62 (e.g., ±5 degrees), which overlap and engage with the cam protrusion 22, thereby preventing the rotational movement of the valve bushing 30. The low bushing recessed area 37 is configured to overlap and engage with the low cam protrusion area 25 to limit the rotational movement of the valve bushing 30 and ensure that any unbalanced pressure generated by fluid flow does not cause vertical or horizontal displacement of the valve bushing 30. The outer bottom surface 88 of the bottom end 30b of the valve bushing 30 ( Figure 7C The bushing recess 36 on the bottom end 30b of the valve bushing 30 is located on the inner top surface 87. Figure 7CThe valve core bushing 30 has corresponding bushing protrusions 74 of equal amplitude. In a preferred embodiment, the bushing protrusions 74 on the inner top surface 87 of the bottom end 30b of the valve core bushing 30 include two low protrusion regions 77 and two high protrusion regions 78. These bushing protrusions 74 are disposed on the inner top surface 87 of the bottom end 30b and are designed to match and engage with the valve body protrusions 49 formed on the bottom end 40b of the valve body 40.

[0049] Figure 7C It shows along Figure 7A A cross-sectional view of valve bushing 30 taken from the CC line. (See figure) Figure 7C As shown, the inner top surface 87 of the bottom end 30b of the valve bushing 30 may include a plurality of bushing protrusions 74 (whose size, shape, and other adaptability) that match and engage with a plurality of valve body protrusions 49 of the valve body 40. The bushing protrusions 74 may include a pair of oppositely arranged lower bushing protrusion regions 77 and higher bushing protrusion regions 78, each having one or more ramps 75 and one or more vertical surfaces 76. In some embodiments, the bushing protrusions 74 and bushing recesses 36 may have different dimensions, but in a preferred embodiment, the configuration (i.e., size, shape, orientation, and positioning) of the plurality of bushing protrusions 74 ensures that the plurality of valve body protrusions 49 are precisely aligned and engaged. The annular structure 33 near the top end 30a may include a sealing ridge 39, which further seals the top region of the valve assembly 11 when the valve cover 70 is secured to the manifold 124 by fasteners 103. In a preferred embodiment, the shaft hole 35 forms a circular opening at the center of the bottom end 30b.

[0050] Figure 8 A front view of valve assembly 11 in the closed position is shown, partially indicated by dashed lines. When valve assembly 11 is closed, fluid flow ceases through system 10, i.e., valve well 133. When valve assembly 11 is positioned within valve well 133, the configuration and arrangement of cam block 20 and valve bushing 30 prevent it from moving vertically, horizontally, or rotating. In a preferred embodiment, when valve assembly 11 is in the open and closed positions, the two openings 32, 32' formed by the sidewall 31 of valve bushing 30 can be aligned with valve well inlet 135 and valve well outlet 136. When valve assembly 11 is in the open position via a quarter rotation of shaft 12 (… Figure 9 ) and closing position ( Figure 8When the valve assembly 11 moves between the valve and the valve well, the valve body 40 rotates and moves vertically (i.e., sinks). Specifically, as the valve body 40 rotates, the inclined surface 75 of the bushing protrusion 74 preferably comes into frictional contact with the inclined surface 50 of the valve body protrusion 49 and slides along it until the high bushing protrusion area 78 and the high valve body protrusion area 53 overlap and engage, causing the valve body 40 to sink (i.e., move vertically) to the lowest point of the valve bushing 30. When the valve assembly 11 is in the closed position, the two solid parts of the side wall 31 of the valve body 40 abut against the two openings 32, 32' of the valve bushing 30, forming a sealing structure 60 (preferably a fluid seal), thereby restricting the fluid flow between the valve well inlet 135 and the valve well outlet. 136 Because the sidewall 41 of the valve body 40 and the sidewall 31 of the valve bushing 30 have a matching angular structure, when the valve body 40 falls into the valve bushing 30, the sidewall 41 of the valve body will form a wedge effect, forcing the sidewall 41 of the valve body 40 to press tightly against the sidewall 31 of the valve bushing 30, thereby forming a tight (ideally fluid-sealed) sealing structure 60, closing the two openings 32, 32' on the sidewall 31 of the valve bushing. After the sidewall 41 of the valve body 40 presses against the sidewall 31 of the valve bushing 30, it effectively blocks the openings 32, 32' of the valve bushing 30, preventing fluid from flowing through the inlet 135 of the valve well 133. Figure 8 As shown, in the closed position, the low bushing protrusion 77 overlaps and meshes with the low valve body protrusion 52, and the high bushing protrusion 78 overlaps and meshes with the high valve body protrusion 53.

[0051] Figure 9A partial dashed front view of valve assembly 11 in the open position is shown. When the valve assembly is open, fluid flows through system 10 into the structure. When valve assembly 11 is located within valve well 133, the structural configuration of cam block 20 and valve bushing 30 prevents it from moving vertically, horizontally, or rotating. In a preferred embodiment, two openings 32, 32' formed on the sidewall 31 of valve core bushing 30 are accessible to valve well inlet 135 and valve well. When valve assembly 11 is in both open and closed positions, sidewall 41 of valve body 40 separates from sidewall 31 of valve bushing 30, breaking seal 60 and allowing fluid to flow between valve well inlet 135 and valve well outlet 136. During switching between open and closed positions, the separation of sidewall 31 and sidewall 41 reduces frictional wear between valve body 40 and valve bushing 30. As valve assembly 11 moves between open and closed positions via a quarter turn of shaft 12, valve body 40 rotates and displaces vertically (i.e., rises). Specifically, when the preferred valve body 40 rotates from the closed position to the open position, the inclined surface 75 of the bushing protrusion 74 preferably engages with the inclined surface 50 of the valve body protrusion 49 through friction until the high bushing protrusion area 78 and the low valve body protrusion area 52 overlap and engage, causing the valve body 40 to rise (i.e., move vertically) above the bottom surface 88 of the bottom end face 30b of the valve bushing 30. When the valve assembly 11 is in the open position, the orientation of the valve body 40 aligns the two openings 42, 42' formed on the valve body sidewall 41 with the two openings 32, 32' on the valve bushing 30. Figure 9 As shown, in the open position, the high-protrusion area 53 falls into the low-protrusion area 77, causing the low-protrusion area 52 to be suspended above the high-protrusion area 78 (i.e., in a raised state). This structure keeps the valve body 40 always positioned a certain distance above the valve bushing 30 and bottom surface 88 (i.e., in a floating state). As mentioned earlier, the raised position of the valve body 40 in the open state facilitates fluid flow through the channel 43 formed inside the valve body 40, and also allows the fluid to flow around the outside of the valve body 40 side wall 41 via the orifice 48, thereby preventing mineral deposition. This anti-deposition mechanism significantly improves the reliability of the valve assembly 11.

[0052] When assembling system 10 (particularly valve assembly 11 within manifold 124), it is understood that insert 19 ( Figure 6AThe valve body 18 is placed in the protrusion 132a at the bottom 133b of the valve well 133. Then, the cam block 20 is inserted into the valve well 133, aligning the corresponding fastener hole 28 with the insert 19 to accommodate the fastener 18. Next, the valve core bushing 30 is placed in the valve seat well 133, aligning and engaging the bushing groove 36 with the cam protrusion 22, thereby fixing the openings 32, 32' with the valve inlet port 135 and outlet port 136, while the hole 33a aligns with the hole 233 of the manifold 124. The valve body 40 is then positioned within the valve sleeve 30, aligning and tightly fitting the valve body protrusion 49 with the valve sleeve protrusion 74. Specifically, the high protrusion region 53 of the valve body 40 engages with the high protrusion region 78 of the valve sleeve 30, and the low protrusion region 52 of the valve body 40 engages with the low protrusion region 77 of the valve sleeve 30, forming a... Figure 8 The closed state is shown. In this closed state, openings 42, 42' are not aligned with openings 32, 32' of valve sleeve 30, and fluid cannot pass through due to the sidewall 41 blocking the corresponding openings 32, 32'. 32' forms a seal 60. The top retaining clip 80 for fixing the gasket 14 and the spring 13 are then mounted on the shaft 12, which passes through the upper hole 46 and the lower hole 47, so that the hexagonal stops 15, 16 form a friction fit with the upper hole 46 and the lower hole 47 of the valve body 40, respectively. As understood, when the valve body 40 rotates to the open position, the spring 13 is compressed between the gasket 14 and the upper hole 46 during the rotation of the shaft 12; when the valve body 40 rotates back to the closed position, the spring 13 releases the compression force, causing the valve body 40 to seal tightly within the valve sleeve 30. Then, the bottom end 12b of shaft 12 is passed through the hole 35 of valve sleeve 30 and the shaft hole 27 of cam block 20, and embedded in the protrusion 132b of the bottom surface 133b of valve well 133. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the valve cover 70 is mounted via fastener 103, and the motor assembly 64, along with the corresponding photoelectric sensor 67, sensing element 68, and handle 66, are further mounted. Although not shown, the complete assembly system 10 may include other components, covers, or accessories. The valve assembly 11 is operated manually or electrically by a quarter-turn rotation, thereby closing or opening the flow path of fluid in the pipes and openings within the system 10 (e.g., ...). Figure 8 and Figure 9 (As shown and described herein), to achieve an enhanced fluid-saving system. Figure 9 As shown, in the open state, openings 42 and 42' are aligned with the corresponding openings 32 and 32' of the valve core sleeve 30. Although not shown in the figure, openings 42 and 42' are also aligned with the valve well inlet 135 and valve well outlet 136 of the valve well 133, thereby allowing fluid to flow through the system 10.

[0053] As described above, the inclined surfaces 23, 61, 75, and 50 described herein are preferably formed at the same angle, regardless of the height of the protrusion / recess, to assist the nesting ability of the components (i.e., cam block 20, valve sleeve 30, and valve body 40) and further assist the rotational force of the valve body 40. During the opening and closing of the valve assembly 11, when the inclined surface 50 moves along the inclined surface 75, its motion state within the valve sleeve 30 is as follows: Figure 8 The closed state is shown. The angular alignment of the components also forms a seal 60—preventing fluid from continuing to flow in the closed state when the valve body 40 and valve sleeve 30 are tightly fitted. Although other angles or high / low protrusion / recess positioning methods are conceivable, such solutions are not preferred given the forces exerted on the valve assembly 11 during operation and the need to reduce fluid control and conserve system pressure during opening and closing.

[0054] The illustrative illustrations and examples provided herein are for purposes of explanation only and are not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A fluid flow management control, leak detection, and saving system (10), comprising: A manifold (124) defines an external inlet port (131), an external outlet port (142), multiple pipes (134, 137, 141) to facilitate fluid communication between the external inlet port (131) and the external outlet port (142), and a valve well (133) located between the external inlet port (131) and the external outlet port (142) and connected to the multiple pipes (134, 137, 141), the valve well (133) facilitating fluid flow between the external inlet port (131) and the external outlet port (142); A valve assembly (11) is placed within a valve well (133). The valve assembly (11) includes a cam block (20), a valve bushing (30), a valve body (40), a shaft (12), a spring (13), and a valve cover (70); and The cam block (20) and valve sleeve (30) are placed in the valve well (133) and do not rotate with the valve well (133). The shaft (12) can rotate and drive the valve body (40) to rotate between the open and closed positions within the valve sleeve (30).

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the cam block (20) includes one or more raised cam protrusions (22) that define an inclined surface (23) and a substantially vertical surface (24).

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the one or more raised cam protrusions (22) define at least one low cam protrusion region (25) and at least one high cam protrusion region (26).

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the bottom surface (88) of the valve bushing (30) includes one or more bushing recesses (36) that define a ramp (61) and a substantially vertical surface (62).

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the one or more bushing recesses (36) define at least one low bushing recess region (37) and at least one high bushing recess region (38).

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the valve body (40) includes an upper support (44) and a lower support (45), and a channel (43) is formed between openings (42, 42') formed on the side wall (41) of the valve body (40).

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the opening (42, 42') formed by the sidewall (41) of the valve body (40) aligns the valve well inlet (135) with the valve well outlet (136) and allows fluid to pass through is defined as the open position.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the closed position is defined when the sidewall (41) of the valve body (40) is aligned with the valve well inlet (135), and the sidewall (41) of the valve body (40) abuts against the sidewall (31) of the valve bushing (30), the sidewall (41) of the valve body (40) is aligned with the valve well outlet (136), and the sidewall (41) of the valve body (40) presses against the sidewall (31) of the valve bushing (30) to form a seal (60) that prevents fluid from flowing through the valve well (133).

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the spring (13) is located above the valve body (40) and pushes the valve body (40) into the valve bushing (30).

10. A valve assembly (11) disposed in a valve well (133) of a fluid management control, leak detection and saving system (10), the valve assembly (11) comprising: A cam block (20) has multiple cam protrusions (22) formed on its top end (20a); The valve bushing (30) forms a plurality of bushing grooves (36) on the bottom surface (88) of its bottom end (30b), the grooves being configured to engage and overlap with a plurality of cam protrusions (22), the plurality of bushing grooves (36) forming a plurality of equal-amplitude bushing protrusions (74) on the top surface (87) of the bottom end (30b) of the valve bushing (30); The valve body (40) is provided with multiple valve body protrusions (49) for engaging and aligning with the bushing protrusions (74); A shaft (12) runs through the valve body (40), valve core (30) and cam block (20) and can rotate. The rotation of the shaft (12) causes the valve body (40) to rotate between the open position and the closed position. A spring (13) is mounted on the shaft (12) and positioned above the valve body (40) to push the valve body (40) downward; and The valve cover (70) is positioned above the valve well (133) and fixed in place.

11. The valve assembly according to claim 10, wherein the opening position is determined by the alignment of the opening (42, 42') formed on the side wall (41) of the valve body (40) and the opening (32, 32') formed on the side wall (31) of the valve bushing (30).

12. The valve assembly of claim 10, wherein the closed position is defined by the sidewall (41) of the valve body (40) pressing against the sidewall (31) of the valve bushing (30), the sidewall (41) of the valve body (40) and the sidewall (31) of the valve bushing (30) forming a seal (60) to restrict the flow of fluid through the valve well (133).

13. The valve assembly of claim 10, wherein the plurality of cam protrusions (22) further define a low cam protrusion region (25) and a high cam protrusion region (26).

14. The valve assembly of claim 10, wherein the plurality of bushing protrusions (74) further define a low bushing protrusion region (77) and a high bushing protrusion region (78).

15. The valve assembly of claim 10, wherein the valve body protrusion (49) further defines a low valve body protrusion region (52) and a high valve body protrusion region (53).

16. The valve assembly of claim 10, wherein the valve body (40) includes an upper support (44) and a lower support (45), an opening (44) defined on the side wall (41) of the valve body (40) and the lower support (45) form a channel (43) between the opening (42, 42') defined on the side wall (41) of the valve body (40).

17. The valve assembly of claim 16, wherein the upper support (44) forms an upper hole (46), the lower support (45) defines a lower hole (47), and the upper support (44) and the lower support (45) each define a plurality of holes (48) so that when the valve body (40) is in the open position, fluid can flow through the channel (43) and around the valve body (40).

18. The valve assembly of claim 10, wherein the valve well (133) includes a well sidewall (113) and the valve well (133) is defined as a truncated conical structure such that the diameter of the bottom (133b) of the valve well is smaller than the diameter of the top (133a) of the valve well.

19. The valve assembly of claim 18, wherein the sidewall (31) of the valve bushing (30) matches the truncated tapered profile of the sidewall (41) of the valve body (40) and the well sidewall (113).

20. The valve assembly of claim 10, wherein the valve assembly (11) further includes an optical sensor (67) and a sensing element (68) fixed on the shaft (12), the optical sensor (67) determining the orientation of the valve body (40) within the valve bushing (30) by detecting the position of the sensing element (68).

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