Granted Patent B2

US 12,331,496 · App. 18/137,894 · Granted Jun 17, 2025

Inventors: Hsiao Chang Li (Edison, NJ); Walter Pitsch (Washington, NJ)

Assignee: AS America, Inc.

E03C1/021F16K27/045E03C1/042E03C2201/50

Abstract

Claims (31)

1. A valve manifold configured to be removably positioned in a universal rough-in valve chamber and to receive a fluid mixing valve, comprising

a first manifold inlet, a second manifold inlet, a first manifold outlet, and a second manifold outlet; and

an outlet passageway comprising the first manifold outlet and the second manifold outlet, the outlet passageway including a central portion having a smaller cross-sectional diameter than the first manifold outlet and the second manifold outlet,

wherein

the first manifold outlet and the second manifold outlet comprise a circular cross-section and the central portion comprises a rectangular cross-section,

the first manifold outlet and the second manifold outlet are co-axial, and

the outlet passageway including the central portion having the smaller cross-sectional diameter than at least one of the first manifold outlet and the second manifold outlet is configured to receive a venturi.

2. The valve manifold of claim 1 , wherein

the outlet passageway comprises a venturi,

the venturi comprises a first portion having a first cross-sectional area, and a second portion having a second cross-sectional area,

the venturi first portion comprises a frustoconical shape and the venturi second portion comprises a rectangular cross-section,

the second cross-sectional area is smaller than the first cross-sectional area, and

the venturi first portion is configured to be positioned in the first manifold outlet.

3. The valve manifold of claim 1 , comprising a cavity configured to receive the fluid mixing valve, a first transition fluidly connecting the cavity and the first manifold inlet, and a second transition fluidly connecting the cavity and the second manifold inlet.

4. The valve manifold of claim 3 , comprising the fluid mixing valve positioned in the cavity, the fluid mixing valve comprising a pressure balance valve or a thermostatic valve.

5. The valve manifold of claim 4 , wherein the valve manifold is positioned at least partially between the fluid mixing valve and the rough-in valve chamber.

6. The valve manifold of claim 1 , comprising a notch configured to receive a protrusion on the fluid mixing valve to couple the valve manifold to the fluid mixing valve.

7. The valve manifold of claim 1 , wherein the first manifold inlet is configured to be co-axial with a rough-in valve first inlet configured to provide a pathway for fluid from a first supply line to the rough-in valve chamber.

8. The valve manifold of claim 1 , wherein the second manifold inlet is configured to be co-axial with a rough-in valve second inlet configured to provide a pathway for fluid from a second supply line to the rough-in valve chamber.

9. The valve manifold of claim 1 , wherein the first manifold outlet is configured to be co-axial with a rough-in valve first outlet configured to provide a pathway for fluid from the rough-in valve chamber to a first outlet line.

10. The valve manifold of claim 1 , comprising a groove configured to receive a gasket, the gasket configured to form a seal with an internal wall of the rough-in valve chamber.

11. The valve manifold of claim 10 , wherein the gasket comprises a plurality of rings connected by a strut.

12. The valve manifold of claim 2 , wherein the venturi is configured to extend from the first manifold outlet toward or to the second manifold outlet.

13. The valve manifold of claim 12 , wherein the manifold is symmetrical about a plane bisecting the first manifold inlet and the second manifold inlet, and/or about a plane bisecting the first manifold outlet and the second manifold outlet.

14. The valve manifold of claim 3 , wherein the first transition is transverse to the first manifold inlet.

15. The valve manifold of claim 3 , wherein the second transition is transverse to the second manifold inlet.

16. The valve manifold of claim 3 , comprising a first channel fluidly connecting the cavity and the first manifold outlet, wherein the first transition is positioned closer to a center of the valve manifold than is the first channel.

17. The valve manifold of claim 3 , comprising a sidewall defining the cavity, wherein the first transition and the second transition are at least partially formed within the sidewall.

18. The valve manifold of claim 17 , wherein the first transition is fluidly connected to the cavity at a first entry, the second transition is fluidly connected to the cavity at a second entry, and the first entry is positioned below the second entry.

19. The valve manifold of claim 17 , wherein the first transition extends through an exterior of the sidewall such that a portion of the first transition is defined by the sidewall and the rough-in valve chamber.

20. The valve manifold of claim 17 , comprising a first channel fluidly connecting the cavity and the first manifold outlet, wherein the first channel is positioned closer to a center of the valve manifold than is the first transition.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (4)

References Cited (9)