Vacuum breaker with water leak containment device
View Patent ↗A vacuum breaker having a floating piston that is movable in response to the communication of negative pressure to an inlet port of the vacuum breaker for permitting venting of fluid to the outside atmosphere through a vent opening. The vacuum breaker includes a liquid capture and containment device, which in conjunction with an outer hood, is effective for capturing and containing liquid in a fluid flow stream discharging from the vent opening and redirecting the captured liquid back into the vacuum breaker in order to prevent water leakage.
1. A vacuum breaker comprising:
a housing having an inlet port for connection to a liquid supply line and an outlet port for connection to a liquid discharge line,
said housing having an air vent opening for communication with the outside atmosphere,
a piston movable within an interior said housing between a first position closing said air vent opening and a second position closing said inlet port,
said piston being responsive to fluid pressure at said inlet port for moving to said first position,
said piston being responsive to a drop in fluid pressure at said inlet port for movement to said second position,
a deflector hood supported on said housing outwardly of said vent,
a liquid capture and containment device defining a chamber disposed beneath said hood for capturing and containing liquid particles in a fluid stream discharging from said air vent opening, and said chamber being in fluid communication with the interior of said housing when said piston is moved to said second position for draining liquid captured and contained in said chamber to the interior of said housing.
2. The vacuum breaker of claim 1 in which said liquid capture and containment device Is located adjacent said vent opening.
3. The vacuum breaker of claim 1 in which said liquid capture and containment device is located in surrounding relation to said vent opening.
4. The vacuum breaker of claim 1 in which said liquid capture and containment device includes a base with an upstanding sidewall which define a chamber for receiving and collecting liquid separated from a fluid stream discharging from said vent opening.
5. The vacuum breaker of claim 4 in which said base has an aperture aligned with a vent opening through which a fluid stream discharging through said vent opening passes.
6. The vacuum breaker of claim 4 in which said hood has a downwardly opening cup-shape with an outer sidewall extending around and over the sidewall of said liquid capture and containment device.
7. The vacuum breaker of claim 6 in which said hood has a sidewall that extends in an axial direction downwardly a distance “w,” and said liquid capture and containment device sidewall extends upwardly beyond a lower perimeter of said hood sidewall a distance at least one-half “w”.
8. The vacuum breaker of claim 4 in which said liquid capture and containment device includes a second upstanding sidewall in surrounding relation to said vent opening in inwardly disposed relation to said first sidewall for directing a fluid stream discharging from said vent opening in an axial direction for impingement with an underside of said hood.
9. The vacuum breaker of claim 8 in which said hood has a downwardly directed sidewall for reversing the direction of fluid directed against the underside of the hood by mid liquid capture and containment device second sidewall.
10. The vacuum breaker of claim 8 in which said second sidewall includes a plurality of axial openings which define alternative fluid passageways for fluid discharging from said vent opening.
11. The vacuum breaker of claim 8 in which said first and second sidewalls define a fist annular chamber for receiving liquid particles separated from a fluid stream discharging from said vent opening and said second sidewall and an upper side of said piston define a second chamber for receiving liquid particles separated from a fluid stream discharging from said vent opening when said piston is in said first position, and said second sidewall being formed with openings for permitting draining of liquid contained within said first chamber into said vacuum breaker housing when said piston is moved to said second position.
12. The vacuum breaker of claim 8 in which said second annular sidewall has opposed upstanding ribs upon which said hood is mounted such that the underside of the hood and the axial end of said second sidewall define a plurality of radially fluid passageways for directing a fluid stream discharging from said vent opening in an outward radial direction.
13. The vacuum breaker of claim 1 in which said liquid capture and containment device includes a first annular upstanding sidewall about a perimeter thereof and a second annular upstanding sidewall disposed radially inwardly of said first sidewall, said first and second sidewalls defining a first liquid containment chamber, said second sidewall and an upper side of said piston defining a second liquid containment chamber when said piston is in said first position, and said chambers both being in fluid communication with the interior of said housing when said piston is in said second position for draining liquid from said first and second chambers to the interior of said housing when said piston is moved to said second position.
14. The vacuum breaker of claim 13 in which said second annular sidewall extends upwardly a distance greater than said first annular sidewall.
15. The vacuum breaker of claim 13 in which said hood has a downwardly directed annular sidewall with a lower perimeter disposed at a radial location between said first and second sidewalls of said liquid capture and containment device.
16. The vacuum breaker of claim 13 in which said hood has a downwardly directed annular sidewall with a lower perimeter disposed at a radial location outwardly of said first and second sidewall of said liquid capture and containment device.
17. The vacuum breaker of claim 13 in which said second annular sidewall has an opening communicating between said first and second chambers, and said second chamber communicates directly with the interior of said housing when said piston is in said second position.
18. The vacuum breaker of claim 1 in which said liquid inlet port and said vent openings are in axial alignment in said housing, and said liquid discharge port communicates at a right angle to the axis of said liquid inlet port and vent opening.
19. A vacuum breaker comprising:
a housing having an inlet port for connection to a liquid supply line and an outlet port for connection to a liquid discharge line,
said housing having an air vent opening for communication with the outside atmosphere,
a piston movable within said housing between a first position closing said air vent opening and a second position closing said inlet port,
said piston being responsive to fluid pressure at said inlet port for moving to said first position,
said piston being responsive to a drop in fluid pressure at said inlet port for movement to said second position,
a deflector hood supported on said housing outwardly of said vent,
a liquid capture and containment device disposed about said vent opening in underlying relation to said hood for directing a fluid stream from said vent opening against an underside of said hood and for collecting and containing liquid separated from the fluid stream prior to discharge to atmosphere,
said liquid capture and containment device including first and second upstanding annular sidewalls in radially spaced relation to each other,
said hood having a downwardly directed annular sidewall with a lower perimeter disposed at a radial location between said first and second sidewalls of said liquid capture and containing device, and
said hood having a second downwardly directed annular sidewall with a lower perimeter disposed at a radial location outwardly of said first and second sidewalls of said liquid capture and containment device.
20. The vacuum breaker of claim 19 in which said liquid capture and containment device includes a base, said first upstanding annular sidewall being supported by said base in surrounding relation to said vent opening for channeling a fluid flow stream discharging from said vent opening in an axial direction into impingement with a central underside location of said hood.
21. The vacuum breaker of claim 20 in which at least a portion of an axial end of said first annular sidewall and hood define at least one radial passage for redirecting a discharging fluid stream from said vent opening in an outward radial direction.
22. The vacuum breaker of claim 21 in which said first annular sidewall is formed with a plurality of radially spaced openings for defining alternative fluid flow passageways for fluid discharging from said vent opening.
23. The vacuum breaker of claim 20 in which said first annular sidewall extends in an upward axial direction a greater distance than said second annular sidewall.
24. The vacuum breaker of claim 19 in which said first and second sidewalls of said liquid capture and containment device define a first liquid containment chamber, and said second sidewall of said liquid capture and containment device and an upper side of said piston define a second liquid containment chamber when said piston is in said first position.
25. A laundry machine comprising a housing within which items are contained for laundering, a liquid supply piping system including a vacuum breaker having a water inlet port and a water outlet port, a liquid supply line connected to said inlet port for supplying water to said vacuum breaker, a discharge line connected to said outlet port for directing water from said vacuum breaker to said laundry machine housing for use during a working cycle,
said vacuum breaker housing having an air vent opening for communication with the outside atmosphere,
a piston movable within an interior or said vacuum breaker housing between a first position closing said air vent opening and a second position closing said inlet port,
said piston being responsive to fluid pressure at said inlet port for moving to said first position,
said piston being responsive to a drop in fluid pressure at said inlet port for movement to second position,
a deflector hood supported on said housing outwardly of said vent, and
a liquid capture and containment device disposed beneath said hood defining a chamber for capturing and containing liquid particles in a fluid stream discharging from said air vent opening, said chamber being in fluid communication with the interior of said vacuum breaker housing when said piston is moved to said second position for draining liquid captured and contained in said chamber to the interior of said vacuum breaker housing.
26. A laundry machine comprising a housing within which items are contained for laundering, a liquid supply piping system including a vacuum breaker having a water inlet port and a water outlet port, a liquid supply line connected to said inlet port for supplying water to said vacuum breaker, a discharge line connected to said outlet port for directing water from said vacuum breaker to said laundry machine housing for use during a working cycle,
said vacuum breaker housing having an air vent opening for communication with the outside atmosphere,
a piston movable within an interior of said vacuum breaker housing between a first position closing said air vent opening and a second position closing said inlet port,
said piston being responsive to fluid pressure at said inlet port for moving to said first position,
said piston being responsive to a drop in fluid pressure at said inlet port for movement to said second position,
a deflector hood supported on said housing outwardly of said vent, and
a liquid capture and containment device disposed beneath said hood defining a chamber for capturing and containing liquid particles in a fluid stream discharging from said air vent opening,
said liquid capture and containment device including a first annular upstanding sidewall about a perimeter thereof and a second annular upstanding sidewall disposed radially inwardly of said first sidewall, said first and second sidewalls defining a first liquid containment chamber, said second sidewall and an upper side of maid piston defining a second liquid containment chamber when said piston is in said first position, and said chambers both being in fluid communication with the interior of said vacuum breaker housing when said piston is in said second position for draining liquid from said first and second chambers to the interior of said vacuum breaker housing when said piston is moved to said second position.