A valve is typically made up of moving parts that are often susceptible to changes in temperature leading to valve failure. There is a need for a valve system designed to be resistant to the effects of low temperatures which otherwise tend to compromise the correct operation of the moving parts of the valve system.
U.S. Publication Number 20120006829 discloses an improved refrigerator is provided with a freeze tolerant valve for the water tank assembly in the refrigerator. The valve includes a body with an internal plastic spool which minimizes the volume of water within the valve, and which provides a space in the valve to accommodate freezing water in the valve. The valve will not crack or fail in the event of a temperature control problem in the refrigerator which results in frozen water within the valve.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,370,040, which discloses a valve resistant to cold weather (see column 1, lines 40-47). The ′040 valve is a tank valve for use in conjunction with storage tanks (col. 1, lines 5-9).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,534 discloses a solar water heating system for heating water in a solar panel and storing it in a water storage tank includes a pump which circulates the water in the system, from the water storage tank through the solar panel and back to the water storage tank; a freeze protection means permits water to bleed off from a location between the solar panel and water storage tank when the pump is off to maintain a flow of water through said solar panel and connecting parts thereof which are located in an area where freezing can be encountered. The ′534 system provides an automatic freeze protection without the need for electrical power and involves the use of a thermally operated freeze valve 30 which can be set to open as the temperature at that point approaches freezing, say for example, 40° F. to open the valve 30 and permit water to flow therefrom at an outlet 38. When this happens, water from the water storage tank 2 is forced through conduit means 10 (including pump 14), solar panel 20 and a portion of conduit means 22 and outlet 38 of valve 30. However, the ′534 patent does not state that the freeze valve 30 has moving parts that are located in storage tank 2.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,311,266 describes a freeze-proof water valve for supplying secondary water under pressure in freezing ambient conditions to a snow making apparatus having primary water spray nozzles and secondary water spray nozzles. The valve housing is provided with an interior primary water chamber with a water inlet and a primary water outlet for continuous passage of primary water under pressure therethrough for delivery to primary water spray nozzles on the snow making apparatus. A valve body is mounted within this valve housing within the primary water chamber for flow of water there-around from the housing inlet to the primary outlet to prevent freeze-up of the valve body when in the off position. The valve body is movable between an on position and an off position whereby water from the primary chamber is directed to a secondary outlet when the valve is in the on position for feeding water to the secondary water spray nozzle or nozzles. Water in the primary chamber is shut off from this secondary outlet and water in this secondary outlet is directed instead to a water drain outlet for discharge when the valve is in the off position.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds