An animal watering valve that includes a housing having an internal bore having an upstream inlet and a downstream outlet. The housing includes a downstream guard and an upstream cap. The valve is actuated by deflecting a valve stem, located in the bore and accessible by the animal, to open a valve
An animal watering valve that includes a housing having an internal bore having an upstream inlet and a downstream outlet. The housing includes a downstream guard and an upstream cap. The valve is actuated by deflecting a valve stem, located in the bore and accessible by the animal, to open a valve within the housing. The valve may be located in a valve cartridge retainable in the housing in a snap-fit manner. A bite-resistant shield cooperates with the valve stem to act as a barrier that prevents an animal from forcing materials between the valve stem and the guard and lodging the valve stem in its deflected or actuated position.
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1. An animal watering valve for supplying water to an animal housed in a cage, the animal watering valve comprising: (A) a longitudinally extending housing having an upstream-most end and a downstream-most end, the housing having a longitudinal bore formed therein, the bore having an upstream inlet
1. An animal watering valve for supplying water to an animal housed in a cage, the animal watering valve comprising: (A) a longitudinally extending housing having an upstream-most end and a downstream-most end, the housing having a longitudinal bore formed therein, the bore having an upstream inlet and having a downstream outlet, the housing further having a flared opening formed therein having an upstream-most inlet located fluidicallly downstream of the outlet of the longitudinal bore and terminating at an outlet located at the downstream-most end of the housing, wherein the flared opening progressively increases in diameter from an upstream portion thereof to a downstream portion thereof;(B) a diaphragm positioned within the longitudinal bore and configured to allow water to flow therethrough;(C) a valve seat positioned within the longitudinal bore between the diaphragm and the outlet;(D) a valve stem comprising a valve head and a lever extending downstream from the valve head and into the longitudinal bore, the valve head having an upstream surface coupled to the diaphragm and a downstream surface coupled to the valve seat, wherein the lever is selectively deflectable by an animal to move the valve head from a seated position to an unseated position relative to the valve seat to open the animal watering valve; and(E) a shield configured to prevent an animal from lodging material into the housing and lodging the lever in a deflected position thereof, wherein at least a portion of the shield is located within the flared opening downstream of the outlet of the longitudinal bore and is resistant to being torn by the animal. 2. The animal watering valve of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises an upstream cap and a downstream guard coupled to one another. 3. The animal watering valve of claim 2, wherein the cap and the guard are snap-fit together. 4. The animal watering valve of claim 1, further comprising a valve cartridge assembly retained in a cavity in the housing. 5. The animal watering valve of claim 4, wherein the valve cartridge assembly comprises a valve cartridge housing having a cavity formed therein in which the diaphragm, the valve stem, and the valve seat are retained. 6. The animal watering valve of claim 5, further comprising a cartridge valve cap disposed in the cavity in the valve cartridge upstream of the diaphragm and holding at least the diaphragm and the valve stem in the valve cartridge housing. 7. The animal watering valve of claim 1, wherein the shield comprises an elongate sheath received over a downstream end portion of the lever. 8. The animal watering valve of claim 1, wherein the shield comprises a cover having a plurality of apertures configured to allow water to flow therethrough and received over a downstream end portion of the lever. 9. The animal watering valve of claim 1, wherein the shield comprises a flexible membrane including a centrally located aperture through which a downstream end of the lever is received and configured to allow water to pass therethrough. 10. The animal watering valve of claim 1, wherein the shield comprises a rotatable ball including a bore through which the lever is received. 11. An animal watering valve comprising: a valve cartridge includinga valve cartridge housing having a first, innermost end and a second, outermost end, a bore extending longitudinally through the valve cartridge housing and comprising an upstream inlet located at the first end of the valve cartridge housing, and a downstream outlet located at the second end of the valve cartridge housing, anda valve assembly located in the bore, and including, from a downstream end to an upstream end of the valve assembly, an annular valve seat, a head of a valve stem, a diaphragm, and a retainer, wherein the annular valve seat is positioned generally adjacent the first innermost end of the valve cartridge housing and configured to receive the valve stem therethrough the valve stem positioned in the bore such that a downstream surface of the head of the valve stem rests on an upstream surface of the valve seat and such that a lever of the valve stem extends downstream of the head through the valve seat, through the bore, and out of the valve cartridge housing, thediaphragm is positioned in the bore such a downstream surface of that the diaphragm rests against an upstream surface of the head of the valve stem, andthe retainer is positioned in the bore between an upstream surface of the diaphragm and an innermost end of the valve cartridge and holds the diaphragm, the valve stem, and the valve seat in the valve cartridge housing; anda valve housing in which the valve cartridge is retained, the valve housing including a guard and a cap coupled together to define a cavity having a continuous inner wall that engages an outer wall of the valve cartridge with the valve cartridge retained within the cavity, the valve housing having an inlet formed in the cap in communication with the inlet of the valve cartridge housing, and an outlet formed in the guard in communication with the outlet of the valve cartridge, wherein the outlet in the guard comprises a flared opening that is located downstream of the outlet of the valve cartridge, the flared opening having an upstream portion thereof in fluid communication with the outlet of the bore in the valve cartridge and a downstream portion opening into an outlet of the animal watering valve, wherein the flared opening progressively increases in diameter from the upstream portion thereof to the downstream portion thereof. 12. The animal watering valve of claim 11, further comprising a screen between the cap and the valve cartridge to provide a seal therebetween and to filter and control the flow of water flowing therethrough. 13. The animal watering valve of claim 11, wherein the guard and the cap are snap-fit together. 14. The animal watering valve of claim 11, further comprising a shield configured to prevent an animal from lodging material into the housing and lodging the lever in a deflected position thereof, wherein at least a portion of the shield is located within the flared opening downstream of the outlet of the housing and is resistant to being torn by an animal. 15. The animal watering valve of claim 11, wherein the valve cartridge is made of one of a plastic and a metal. 16. A method of constructing an animal watering valve, the method comprising the steps of; providing a valve cartridge including a valve cartridge housing having a longitudinal bore extending between a first, innermost end of the valve cartridge housing and a second, outermost end of the valve cartridge housing, the bore comprising an upstream inlet located at the first end of the valve cartridge housing, and a downstream outlet located at the second end of the valve cartridge housing, a valve assembly located in the bore and including, from a downstream end to an upstream end of the valve assembly, an annular valve seat, a head of a valve stem, a diaphragm, and a retainer, wherein thean annular valve seat is located in the bore and positioned generally adjacent the first, innermost end of the valve cartridge housing, wherein the valve seat is configured to receive the valve stem therein, the valve stem positioned in the bore such that a downstream surface of the head of the valve stem rests on an upstream surface of the valve seat and such that a lever of the valve stem extends downstream of the head through the bore and out of the valve cartridge housing,the diaphragm is positioned in the bore such that a downstream surface of the diaphragm rests against an upstream surface of the head of the valve stem, and wherein the retainer is positioned in the bore between an upstream surface of the diaphragm and an innermost end of the valve cartridge and holds the diaphragm, the valve stem, and the valve seat in the valve cartridge housing;and thencoupling a guard and a cap of a valve housing together to define a cavity having a continuous inner wall that engages an outer wall of the valve cartridge with the valve cartridge retained within the cavity, the valve housing having an inlet formed in the cap in communication with the inlet of the valve cartridge housing and an outlet formed in the guard in communication with the outlet of the valve cartridge, wherein the outlet formed in the guard comprises a flared opening located downstream of the outlet of the valve cartridge, and wherein the flared opening progressively increases in diameter from an upstream portion thereof to a downstream portion thereof. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the coupling step comprises snap-fitting the cap to the guard. 18. The method of claim 16, further comprising assembling the valve cartridge assembly prior to the coupling step, the assembling operation including inserting the valve seat in the bore;inserting the valve stem in the bore such that the downstream surface of the head of the valve stem rests on the valve seat such that the lever of the valve stem extends downstream of the head through the bore and out of the valve cartridge housing,inserting the diaphragm in the bore such that the diaphragm rests against the upstream surface of the head of the valve stem, andinserting a retainer in the bore to retain at least the diaphragm, the valve stem, and the valve seat in the valve cartridge housing. 19. The method of claim 16, further comprising providing a shield, the shield configured to prevent an animal from lodging material into the housing and lodging the lever in a deflected position thereof wherein at least a portion of the shield is located within the flared opening downstream of the outlet of the housing and is resistant to being torn by an animal.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (13)
Atchley Frank W. (Napa CA) Vorbeck Donald W. (Napa CA) Wurz Ronald L. (Napa CA), Animal bite valve.
Edstrom William E. (Waterford WI) Froehlich Edward T. (Greenfield WI) Grkavac George J. (Milwaukee WI), Animal watering system and watering valve usable therewith.
Rovira Badia Antonio (Vilafranca del Peneds ESX) Franco Tarazaga Jose (Vilafranca del Peneds ESX), Valve for drinkers and automatic drinker provided therewith.
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