초록 ▼

An air valve for controlling the supply of air to a venturi jet of a spa includes a housing, a cylindrical barrel, means for sealing between the housing and the barrel, and means for rotating the barrel. The housing has an interior chamber extending between an open, cylindrical bore at one end and a

An air valve for controlling the supply of air to a venturi jet of a spa includes a housing, a cylindrical barrel, means for sealing between the housing and the barrel, and means for rotating the barrel. The housing has an interior chamber extending between an open, cylindrical bore at one end and a pipe coupling at the other end. The housing mounts on the inside wall of the spa, with the open end of the bore facing the inside of the spa and the rest of the housing extending through the side wall and positioned outside the spa. The cylindrical barrel is insertable into and rotatably mounted within the cylindrical bore of the housing. The housing and barrel each include ports that, when overlapping, provide a path for air to flow from a point exterior of the housing, through the overlapping ports, through the interior of the barrel and housing to the pipe coupling. Rotating the barrel to a position where the ports do not overlap blocks the air flow path. The sealing means prevents air from flowing through the valve except when the housing and barrel ports overlap.

대표청구항 ▼

An air valve for controlling the supply of air to a venturi jet of a spa, wherein the spa includes an air supply pipe that fluidically connects the air valve to the venturi jet, the valve comprising: a housing adapted for mounting on a side wall of the spa, wherein the housing has an interior chambe

An air valve for controlling the supply of air to a venturi jet of a spa, wherein the spa includes an air supply pipe that fluidically connects the air valve to the venturi jet, the valve comprising: a housing adapted for mounting on a side wall of the spa, wherein the housing has an interior chamber extending between first and second ends, wherein a portion of the interior chamber adjacent the first end thereof is an open, cylindrical bore, wherein the housing includes a pipe coupling for fluidically connecting the second end of the interior chamber to the air supply pipe, and wherein the housing includes a housing port extending between the cylindrical bore and the exterior of the housing; a cylindrical barrel rotatable within the cylindrical bore of the housing, wherein the barrel is adapted for insertion into the cylindrical bore through the open end of the bore, wherein the barrel includes an interior cavity having a first end that is fluidically sealed and is positioned adjacent the open end of the cylindrical bore and a second end that is fluidically open to the interior chamber of the housing, wherein the barrel includes a barrel port extending through the wall of the barrel between the cavity and the exterior of the barrel, and wherein the barrel port is longitudinally positioned such that the barrel and housing ports can overlap; retaining means for retaining the barrel within the cylindrical bore of the housing, said retaining means including a protrusion within the interior chamber of the housing that limits the maximum insertion of the barrel into the cylindrical bore, and including a retaining ring that engages the inner wall of the cylindrical bore and retains the barrel between the retaining ring and the protrusion; sealing means for sealing between the cylindrical outer surface of the barrel and the cylindrical bore of the housing to prevent air from flowing between the exterior and interior of the housing except when the housing and barrel ports overlap; and means for rotating the barrel between an open position wherein the housing and barrel ports are aligned and a closed position wherein the housing and barrel ports do not overlap and are fluidically isolated by the sealing means.