Flow blockage suction interrupt valve
US6098654A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 22, 1999 |
| Grant date | Aug 8, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 22, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T137/8275
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A flow blockage suction interrupt of the present invention reduces the dangerous possibility of bodily suction entrapment of a bather in a swimming, wading, or hydrotherapy pool. The safety valve operates to instantaneously introduce atmosphere into a suction piping system of a pool when a dangerous vacuum condition is detected. The incoming atmosphere breaks the vacuum, freeing entrapped bather. The safety valve includes a dynamic plug and dual spring-loaded actuators, one closing and one opening the valve to atmosphere. The closing actuator is dominant until the opening actuator is triggered by the dangerously high vacuum level that accompanies bodily suction entrapment. The preferred embodiment incorporates a spring-loaded telescopic actuator shaft that is spring-loaded to open fully once triggered, and is triggered by a factory-calibrated diaphragm-actuated suction sensor. Once this safety valve has been tripped, it must be manually reset by the pool operator.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.