Demountable Fill Valve Assembly with Quick Connector
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fill valves require complex disassembly and specialized tools for maintenance, making it difficult to access and clean the valve and mating sealing surfaces, especially when mounted below the water level, and often necessitate disconnecting the water supply.
Innovation Solution
A fill valve assembly with a demountable valve body, pressure-responsive member, and biasing means that can be easily separated from the adaptor as a unit using a quick connector, such as a hose-type connector or bayonet joint, allowing for tool-free maintenance and access to the sealing surfaces without disconnecting the water supply.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the fill valve is mounted with a protruding connector through the reservoir wall and held with a sealing gasket and screw fitting, then the valve is securely mounted, but it requires disconnecting the water supply and draining the reservoir for removal and cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The fill valve is divided into two main segments: a base portion that remains mounted in the reservoir wall with the sealing gasket, and a valve body portion that can be easily detached. This segmentation allows the valve to maintain secure mounting while enabling simple removal and cleaning of the valve body without disconnecting water supply or draining the reservoir.
2Ease of operation
If the fill valve is removed for cleaning the valve seal and mating surface, then access to sealing surfaces is improved, but the base must be removed and components may be lost
Solution Approach 1:
The valve body is pre-configured with integrated mounting features and component retention mechanisms that prevent loss of parts during removal. The float, arm, and pilot valve are pre-assembled with the valve body as a unit, so when the valve is detached from the base, all components remain attached and can be easily reinstalled without risk of loss.
3Ease of operation
If the valve body, pressure-responsive member and biasing means are made demountable from the adaptor as a unit, then tool-free maintenance is enabled, but the connector design becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The connector employs a dynamic bayonet joint mechanism that allows rapid attachment and detachment through simple rotational movement without requiring tools. The dynamic design incorporates spring-loaded locking features and aligned positioning elements that automatically engage during the twisting motion, providing secure connection while enabling tool-free maintenance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Facilitates easy mounting and demounting of the fill valve, providing ready access for cleaning and maintenance without losing parts or requiring complex reassembly, while maintaining continuous water supply.
Implementation Method 1
the pressure-responsive member being movable in response to variations in a control pressure in a control chamber on a first side of the pressure responsive member with which the liquid inlet passage communicates opposite a second side of the pressure responsive member also in communication with the liquid inlet passage
Implementation Method 2
biasing means acting on the pressure-responsive member such that liquid pressure acting on the first side of the pressure-responsive member acts together with the biasing means to force the valve surface toward the valve seating face of the adaptor
Data Source
AI summary
A fill valve assembly for controlling liquid flow into a reservoir includes a mounting adapter defining a liquid inlet passage for connection to a riser for supplying water to the valve and which renders the fill valve readily mountable and demountable for installation and maintenance. A valve body has liquid inlet and outlet openings and a pressure-responsive member is disposed within the valve body and defines a control chamber with which the liquid inlet passage communicates opposite a second side of the pressure responsive member also in communication with the liquid inlet for selectively opening and closing the inlet opening to liquid flow in response to liquid pressure in the control chamber. A biasing means acts on the pressure-responsive member together with pressure in the control chamber, against the inlet pressure acting on the opposite side of the pressure-responsive member, to hold a valve surface fixed to the pressure-responsive member against a valve seating face ion the adaptor so as to close the inlet opening to liquid flow. The valve body, pressure-responsive member and biasing means are arranged to be demountable from the adaptor as a unit in a manner so as to provide ready access to the mating valve surface and valve seating face e.g. for cleaning.