US 11,913,560 B2
Full-flow sanitary valve
Gabe Miller, Lodi, WI (US); Sunil Samuel, Missouri City, TX (US); Jose Galvan, Houston, TX (US); and Barry Plante, Shoreacres, TX (US)
Assigned to PROCESS INNOVATION—FOOD SAFETY, LLC, Lodi, WI (US); and FLOWTREND, INC., Houston, TX (US)
Filed by Flowtrend, Inc., Houston, TX (US); and Process Innovation—Food Safety, LLC, Lodi, WI (US)
Filed on May 5, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/737,456.
Application 17/737,456 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/061,931, filed on Oct. 2, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/909,881, filed on Oct. 3, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0333710 A1, Oct. 20, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. F16K 5/02 (2006.01); F16K 11/083 (2006.01); F16K 27/06 (2006.01)
CPC F16K 27/062 (2013.01) [F16K 5/0207 (2013.01); F16K 11/083 (2013.01)] 25 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sanitary valve comprising:
a body comprising at least two body openings;
a plug disposed within the body, rotatable around a vertical axis, moveable along the vertical axis within the body, and comprising a plug top surface, a lateral plug surface, and at least two plug openings in fluid communication;
a stem comprising a first stem end attached to the top plug surface and a second stem end; and
an actuator attached to the second stem end and operable to rotate the stem and the plug around the vertical axis and to move the stem and the plug along the vertical axis;
wherein the top plug surface slopes outward and downward from the first stem end to a circumference of the top plug surface to reduce trapping fluid or to facilitate a flow of fluid to a bottom of the plug; and
wherein an interior wall of the body comprises one or more drainage channels to reduce trapping fluid or to facilitate cleaning of the sanitary valve, wherein the one or more drainage channels extend above and below the plug when the plug is seated in the body.