Plumbing fill valve restrictor and regulator apparatus
A toilet fill valve device may function as a restrictor to reduce water flow, or as a regulator to cap water flow beneath a certain limit depending upon its orientation. If composed of a rigid material, the device functions as a restrictor to decrease water flow. If composed of a soft, flexible or compressible/expandable material, the device functions as a regulator as its walls expand to partially block fluid passageways when water pressure fills up a void within the device. The device includes a spiraled outer surface to provide a tortuous path for water to travel so as to reduce noise. The dual functionality of a regulator or restrictor may also be accomplished with the orientation of the device. Methods for manufacturing and using a toilet fill valve control device are also provided.
1 . A toilet fill valve control device, comprising:
a hollow body including a closed end and an open end, the hollow body comprising an expandable sidewall; and
a tortuous outer surface included in the hollow body, the tortuous outer surface comprising a plurality of flow paths.
2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the sidewall is composed of an elastomeric material.
3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the outer surface comprises a spiraled surface.
4 . The device of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of flow paths comprising dual a plurality of spiraled flow paths.
5 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a fill valve having a vertical conduit with an inner surface, and wherein the hollow body is configured to slidingly abut the inner surface of the vertical conduit.
6 . The device of claim 5 , wherein:
the vertical conduit defines a fluid passageway;
the hollow body disposed within the vertical conduit defines an upstream section and a downstream section of the fluid passageway; and
wherein the hollow body is configured to be disposed within the vertical conduit in either a first position where the open end faces the upstream section or a second position wherein closed end faces the upstream section.
7 . A toilet fill valve control device, comprising:
a fill valve having a vertical conduit that includes an inner surface and defines a fluid passageway;
a hollow flexible body disposed in the vertical conduit and configured to abut the inner surface of the vertical conduit so as to define an upstream section and a downstream section of the fluid passageway, the hollow body comprising a closed end, an open end and a sidewall; and
wherein the hollow flexible body is reversible such that it may be oriented in a first position where the open end faces the upstream section, and a second position wherein the closed end faces the upstream section.
8 . The device of claim 7 , wherein the sidewall comprises a plurality of flow paths.
9 . The device of claim 7 , further comprising means for providing a tortuous flow path.
10 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the means for providing a tortuous flow path comprises a spiraled outer surface formed on the hollow body.
11 . The device of claim 7 , wherein the hollow body is composed of an expandable material.
12 . The device of claim 7 , wherein the hollow body caps a flow rate of fluid in the fill valve in the first position.
13 . The device of claim 7 , wherein the hollow body is slidingly disposed in the vertical conduit.
14 . A method of manufacturing a fill valve, comprising:
providing a fill valve with a vertical conduit that defines an inner diameter;
providing a flexible hollow body having a closed end, an open end and an outer diameter that is substantially similar to the inner diameter of vertical conduit; and
disposing the hollow body in the vertical conduit in one of two possible positions.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein disposing the hollow body in the vertical conduit in one of two possible positions comprises:
dividing a passageway of the vertical conduit into an upstream section and a downstream section; and
facing the open end of the hollow body toward the upstream section.
16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein disposing the hollow body in the vertical conduit in one of two possible positions comprises:
dividing a passageway of the vertical conduit into an upstream section and a downstream section; and
facing the closed end of the hollow body toward the upstream section.
17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein providing the flexible hollow body having a closed end, an open end and an outer diameter that is substantially similar to the inner diameter of vertical conduit comprises:
forming the flexible hollow body with a spiraled outer surface.
18 . A method for controlling fluid flow in a toilet fill valve, comprising:
directing fluid through a vertical conduit of a fill valve;
disposing a flexible hollow body in the vertical conduit so as to divide the vertical conduit into an upstream section and a downstream section;
capping the flow rate of the fluid in the fill valve by orienting the flexible hollow body in a first position; and
reducing a flow rate of the fluid in the fill valve by orienting the flexible hollow body in a second position.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein disposing a flexible hollow body in the vertical conduit comprises:
disposing in the vertical conduit an expandable fluid control device having an open end and a closed end.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein reducing the flow rate of the fluid in the fill valve by orienting the flexible hollow body in the second position comprises:
facing the closed end of the hollow body toward the upstream section.
21 . The method of claim 19 , wherein capping the flow rate of the fluid in the fill valve by orienting the flexible hollow body in the first position comprises:
facing the open end of the hollow body toward the upstream section.
22 . The method of claim 23 , wherein capping the flow rate of the fluid in the fill valve by orienting the flexible hollow body in the first position comprises:
filling the hollow body with the fluid so as to expand a sidewall of the hollow body against an inner surface of the vertical conduit.