Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SPECIFICATION
FLUSH VALVE DIAPHRAGM FILTER
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001 ) The present invention relates to a flush valve diaphragm filter, and
particularly to a flush valve diaphragm filter used in sanitation equipment,
like urinals and water closets, for filtering water thereby preventing
particulates from clogging water passageways.
2. RELATED ART
[0002) Flush valve diaphragms are often mounted on sanitation
equipment like urinals and water closets. As shown in Fig. l, the flush valve
8 has a diaphragm 80 sealing off a central passageway 810 of a barrel
section 81. The barrel section 81 defines a bypass 801 serving as fluid
communication between an inlet 82 and the barrel section 81. Water flows
from the inlet 82 and the bypass 801, into the barrel section 81. Fluid
pressure forces the diaphragm 80 in place to close the central passageway
810. In the closed position, water is stored in the barrel section 81 and is
prohibited to flow out of an outlet 86. When a handle 84 of the flush valve 8
moves to drive a stem 85, a water pressure difference is produced in the
barrel section 81. Water stored in the barrel section 81 flows through the
outlet 86 for flushing.
[0003) Fluid often brings particulates, such as dust, rust, sundries and etc.,
to the barrel section 81, clogging the bypass 801 and therefore affecting the
performance of the diaphragm 80. U.S. Patent Application Serial No.
10/615,614 discloses a bypass orifice filter insert for use in a flush valve
diaphragm. Refernng to Fig. 2, the bypass orifice filter insert 9
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longitudinally defines a slit 90 therethrough. The slit 90 has a first portion
with a relatively large diameter and extending into a barrel section, and a
second portion with a relatively small diameter. The bypass orifice filter
insert 9 can filter water through the slit 90, solving the problem of clogging
the water passage.
[0004] However, the bypass orifice filter insert 9 in Fig. 2 does not
effectively overcome this defect. Further referring to Figs. 3 and 4, the slit
90 is separate. The first portion 901 and the second portion 902 share a
common center line, and are arranged in the same direction as the water
l0 flows. So dust, rust, grain sundries, fibre and lichens may directly clog
the
second portion 902 with a relatively small diameter, and correspondingly,
water cannot flow into the first portion 901 with a relatively large diameter
and cannot flush a water bowl.
SUMM ARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a
flush valve diaphragm filter effectively preventing particulates from
clogging the fluid passageway.
[0006] The flush valve diaphragm filter comprises a filter body forming a
recess section. The filter body defines a main passageway longitudinally
therethrough and a plurality of branch passageways transversely
therethrough. The branch passageways communicate with the main
passageway, and have diameters smaller than the diameter of the main
passageway.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] Fig. I is a partial sectional view of a prior art flush valve with a
conventional diaphragm assembly.
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[0008] Fig. 2 is a plan view of a flush valve diaphragm assembly of U.S.
patent Application Serial No. 10/615,614.
[0009] Figs. 3 and 4 schematically show that water is filtered by
conventional diaphragm assembly in Fig. 2.
[0010] Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a flush valve diaphragm filter in
accordance with the present invention.
[001 I ] Fig. 6 is a partial sectional view of the flush valve diaphragm
filter of Fig. 5.
[0012] Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the flush valve diaphragm filter being
l0 assembled on a bypass of a diaphragm filter.
[0013] Figs. 8 and 9 schematically show water being filtered by the flush
valve diaphragm filter of Fig. 7.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0014] With reference to Figs. 5 and 6, a flush valve diaphragm f lter 1 in
accordance with the present invention comprises a filter body 10 defining an
annular recess section 11 for corresponding to a bypass 20 of a diaphragm 2
(shown in Fig. 7). In one embodiment, the diaphragm 2 is a cylinder. The
recess section I 1 forms a first flange 12 on a top thereof and a second
flange
13 on a bottom thereof. T'he first flange 12 defines a cross-like groove 121
on a top surface thereof for guiding fluid. The filter body 10 defines a main
passageway 14 longitudinally therethrough and generally in the center
thereof. Eight branch passageways 15 are transversely formed below the
second flange 13 and have smaller diameters compared to the main
passageway 14. The branch passageways 15 respectively communicate with
the main passageway 14 and are arranged in two layers symmetrical to each
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other. The branch passageways 15 on each layer are spaced the same
distance 90° from each other. In one embodiment, the branch passageways
15 are bilaterally symmetrical and are arranged in a parallel or an unparallel
manner. In another embodiment, the branch passageways 15 are bilaterally
unsymmetrical and are arranged in a parallel or an unparallel manner. With
continued reference to Fig. 7, when the flush valve diaphragm filter 1 is
assembled on the bypass 20 of the diaphragm 2, the bypass 20 is tilted and
slightly expands to enclose the recess section 11 due to the flexibility of
the
diaphragm 2.
l0 [0015] With reference to Figs. 8 and 9, each branch passageway 15 has a
filtering function. Water flows through and is filtered by multiple branch
passageways 15. Sundries in water have to block all the branch passageways
to block water entirely; otherwise unclogged branch passageways 15 may
allow water to flow therethrough and into the main passageway 14. For
15 example, even if particulates 60 in water block two branch passageways 15,
other branch passageways 15 can provide fluid passage communicating to
the main passageway 14 (shown in Fig. 8). Similarly, the branch
passageways 15 may guide small strip-like fibre and lichens to exterior
owing to the transverse arrangement thereof, thereby avoiding the main
passageway 14 stuffing. Even if large strip-like fibre and lichens block two
branch passageways 15, other branch passageways 15 may still Iead the
fluid to the main passageway 14. The branch passageways 15 effectively
decrease the ratio of fluid passages being fully clogged, and therefore
enhance the water filtering capability.
[0016] It is understood that the invention may be embodied in other
forms without departing from the spirit thereof. Thus, the present examples
and embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not
restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given
herein.
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