IP Library Granted Patent US 9,963,861
Granted Patent B2
US 9,963,861 · App. 15/356,123 · Granted May 8, 2018

Vacuum breaker

Inventors: Cesar J. Leon-Quintero (Chapel Hill, NC); Brandon Ancona (Sanford, NC); Michael A. Funari (Apex, NC)
Assignee: Zurn Industries, LLC
E03C1/102E03C1/104E03D3/00Y10T137/3294
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,963,861
App. No.
15/356,123
Filed
Nov 18, 2016
Granted
May 8, 2018
Kind
B2
Art Unit
3753
USPC
137/217
Abstract

A vacuum breaker having a supporting rib and a skirted section is disclosed. The supporting rib is configured to be axially aligned with air slots in an outlet tube and provide a more robust vacuum breaker sleeve under extreme operating conditions. The skirted section can prevent leakage through air slots during high back pressure operating conditions.

Claims (34)

1. A vacuum breaker assembly comprising:

a vacuum breaker sleeve including:

a vacuum sleeve body having a first end and a second end, the second end having a skirted section extending from the vacuum sleeve body, the vacuum sleeve body having a first body section and a second body section, the second body section including one or more wall sections circumferentially arranged within the second body section and one or more lip seal sections each having a slit arranged between adjacent wall sections;

a sleeve flange extending radially from the vacuum sleeve body on the first end of the vacuum sleeve body and defining a flange recess in which the first body section is arranged between the sleeve flange and the second body section; and

a supporting rib protruding from an inner surface of the first body section wherein the supporting rib includes a first arcuate surface, a second arcuate surface, and a rib peak;

a flow insert received within the flange recess and including a plurality of flow aperture.

2. The vacuum breaker assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first arcuate surface and the second arcuate surface define a substantially concave shape.

3. The vacuum breaker assembly of claim 1 , wherein a rib thickness ratio of a rib thickness of the supporting rib to a wall thickness of the first body section is greater than 1.4.

4. The vacuum breaker assembly of claim 1 , wherein a rib thickness ratio of a rib thickness of the supporting rib to a wall thickness of the first body section is greater than 1.6.

5. The vacuum breaker assembly of claim 1 , wherein a rib thickness ratio of a rib thickness of the supporting rib to a wall thickness of the first body section is between 1.3 and 1.7.

6. The vacuum breaker assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first body section defines a first body thickness which is greater than a second body thickness defined by the second body section.

7. A vacuum breaker assembly comprising:

a vacuum breaker sleeve including:

a vacuum sleeve body having a first end and a second end, the second end having a skirted section extending from the vacuum sleeve body, the vacuum sleeve body having a first body section and a second body section, the second body section including one or more wall sections circumferentially arranged within the second body section and one or more lip seal sections each having a slit arranged between adjacent wall sections, wherein the skirted section includes a first skirted portion arranged between the lip seal sections and a second skirted portion;

a sleeve flange extending radially from the vacuum sleeve body on the first end of the vacuum sleeve body and defining a flange recess in which the first body section is arranged between the sleeve flange and the second body section; and

a supporting rib protruding from an inner surface of the first body section;

a flow insert received within the flange recess and including a plurality of flow apertures.

8. The vacuum breaker assembly of claim 7 , wherein the first skirted portion defines a first skirted thickness which is greater than a second skirted thickness defined by the second skirted portion.

9. The vacuum breaker assembly of claim 8 , wherein the skirted section defines a step change in thickness from the first skirted thickness to the second skirted thickness.

10. A vacuum breaker assembly configured to be installed in an outlet tube having a plurality of circumferentially arranged air slots, the vacuum breaker assembly comprising:

a vacuum breaker sleeve including:

a vacuum sleeve body having a first end and a second end, the second end having a skirted section extending from the vacuum sleeve body;

a sleeve flange extending radially from the vacuum sleeve body on the first end of the vacuum sleeve body and defining a flange recess; and

a supporting rib protruding from an inner surface of the vacuum sleeve body and axially aligned with the air slots;

a flow insert received within the flange recess and including a plurality of flow apertures.

11. The vacuum breaker assembly of claim 10 , wherein the vacuum sleeve body includes one or more wall sections circumferentially arranged within the vacuum sleeve body and one or more lip seal sections each having a slit arranged between adjacent wall sections.

12. The vacuum breaker assembly of claim 10 , wherein the supporting rib includes a first arcuate surface, a second arcuate surface, and a rib peak.

13. The vacuum breaker assembly of claim 12 , wherein the first arcuate surface and the second arcuate surface define a substantially concave shape.

14. The vacuum breaker assembly of claim 12 , wherein a rib thickness ratio of a rib thickness of the supporting rib to an adjacent wall thickness is greater than 1.4.

15. The vacuum breaker assembly of claim 12 , wherein a rib thickness ratio of a rib thickness of the supporting rib to an adjacent wall thickness is greater than 1.6.

16. The vacuum breaker assembly of claim 12 , wherein a rib thickness ratio of a rib thickness of the supporting rib to an adjacent wall thickness is between 1.3 and 1.7.

17. The vacuum breaker assembly of claim 10 , wherein the skirted section includes a first skirted portion arranged between the lip seal sections and a second skirted portion.

18. The vacuum breaker assembly of claim 17 , wherein the first skirted portion defines a first skirted thickness which is greater than a second skirted thickness defined by the second skirted portion.

19. The vacuum breaker assembly of claim 18 , wherein the skirted section defines a step change in thickness from the first skirted thickness to the second skirted thickness.

Assignments (8)
NOTICE OF SUCCESSION OF AGENCY OF REEL/FRAME 057893/0121 Recorded Feb 20, 2026
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS PRIOR AGENT (F/K/A CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH)
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS SUCCESSOR AGENT
Reel/Frame 074945/0935 →
NOTICE OF SUCCESSION OF AGENCY OF REEL/FRAME 066293/0879 Recorded Feb 20, 2026
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS PRIOR AGENT (F/K/A CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH)
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS SUCCESSOR AGENT
Reel/Frame 074947/0479 →
CONVERSION Recorded Jan 16, 2024
From: ZURN INDUSTRIES, LLC
To: ZURN INDUSTRIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 066336/0603 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 16, 2024
From: ZURN INDUSTRIES, LLC
To: ZURN WATER, LLC
Reel/Frame 066337/0918 →
RELEASE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS AT REEL 057893, FRAME 0121 Recorded Dec 19, 2023
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND COLLATERAL AGENT
To: ZURN INDUSTRIES, LLC (F/K/A ZURN INDUSTRIES, INC.)
Reel/Frame 066067/0937 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 18, 2023
From: ZURN WATER, LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 066293/0879 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 8, 2021
From: AMERICAN DRYER LLC; GREEN TURTLE AMERICAS LTD.; WORLD DRYER CORPORATION; ZURN PEX, INC.; ZURN INDUSTRIES, LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 057893/0121 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 18, 2016
From: LEON-QUINTERO, CESAR J.; ANCONA, BRANDON; FUNARI, MICHAEL A.
To: ZURN INDUSTRIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 040371/0993 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62258117 · Nov 20, 2015
Related Publication 20170145672A1 · May 25, 2017