Valve, method of manufacture of valve and valve made by such method

Claim 2

A rotary valve comprising: a. a rotary member having an outer surface forming at least a segment of a sphere, a passage through to opposite sides of the segment, and separate annular recessed surfaces in the segment abutting and surrounding each end of the passage; b. a housing comprising an internal surface mounting said rotary member which comprises at least a segment of a sphere in slidable contact with the segment of the sphere of said rotary member, the housing further comprising a passage therethrough comprising a passage portion that is alignable with said rotary member passage and has a larger perimeter adjacent to said rotary member than the inside perimeter of said annular recessed surfaces; and c. a pair of resilient annular seals rigidly affixed on opposite sides of the rotary member in beTween the housing and rotary member, the seals having an annular portion which extends inwardly with respect to the larger perimeter into the housing member passage portion, each said annular seal portion extending into abutting sealing engagement into an annular shape with the respective annular recessed surface when the rotary member passage and housing passage are aligned.

Claim 3

The valve of claim 1 wherein each of said passages, recesses and annular seals are circular in cross-section and said annular seals have an outside diameter larger than said annular recessed surfaces, the annular seals also providing an annular shaped abutting sealing engagement with the surface of said rotatable member in the segment of the sphere beyond the outer diameter of said annular recesses.

Claim 4

The valve of claim 2 wherein each of said annular seals has an inside diameter substantially equal to the diameter of said segment passage.

Claim 5

The valve of claim 1 wherein said annular recessed surfaces form a curve extending in a smooth transition from the surface of the sphere segment to the segment passage.

Claim 6

The valve of claim 1 wherein said seals are plastic.

Claim 7

The valve of claim 1 wherein said housing is plastic.

Claim 8

The valve of claim 1 wherein said rotary member is plastic.

Claim 9

The valve of claim 1 wherein the annular portion of each seal is preloaded against the corresponding annular recessed surface when the rotary member passage and housing passage are aligned.

Claim 10

The valve of claim 1 wherein said housing is a unitary molded body.

Claim 11

A rotary valve comprising: a. a rotary member having a connected stem, an outer surface forming at least a segment of a sphere around one end of the stem, a cylindrical-shaped passage passing through the segment, and separate annular recessed surface in the segment abutting and surrounding each end of the passage; b. a housing comprising an internal surface mounting said rotary member which comprises at least a segment of a sphere in slidable contact with the segment of the sphere of said rotary member, the housing further comprising a passage therethrough comprising a circular passage portion that is coaxially alignable with and has a larger diameter adjacent to said rotary member than the diameter of said segment passage; and c. a pair of resilient annular seals rigidly affixed in between the segment portion of the rotary member and the housing, one at each end of the segment passage so that when the passages are aligned, the seals are coaxial with both passages, the annular seals each having an inner annular segment which extends inwardly into the housing passage portion and is in abutting sealing engagement in an annular shape with the corresponding annular recessed surface, the inner annular segment being free on the opposite side from the segment to move back and forth in the housing passage with rotation of the rotary member.

Claim 12

A rotary valve comprising: a. a rotary member having a connected stem, an outer surface forming at least a segment of a sphere around one end of the stem, a cylindrical-shaped passage passing through the segment, and separate annular recessed surface in the segment abutting and surrounding each end of the passage; b. a housing comprising an internal surface mounting said rotary member which comprises at least a segment of a sphere in slidable contact with the segment of the sphere of said rotary member, the housing further comprising a passage therethrough comprising a circular passage portion that is coaxially alignable with and has a larger diameter adjacent to said rotary member than the diameter of said segment passage; and c. a pair of resilient annular seals rigidly affixed in between the segment portion of the rotary member and the housing, one at each end of the segment passage so that when the passages are aligned, the seals are coaxial with both passages, the annular seals each having an inner annular segment which extends inwardly into the housing passage portion and is in abutting sealing engagement in an annular shape with the corresponding annular recessed surface, the inner annular segment being free on the opposite side from the segment to move back and forth in the housing passage with rotation of the rotary member.

Claim 13

The valve of claim 10 wherein the annular portion of each seal is preloaded against the corresponding annular recessed surface when the rotary member passage and housing passage are aligned.

Claim 14

The valve of claim 10 wherein said housing is a unitary molded body.