US 12,078,264 B2
Anti-cavitation cage for valve assembly and method of manufacture
Thomas N. Gabriel, Marshalltown, IA (US); Shannon E. Jelken, Marshalltown, IA (US); Katherine N. Bartels, Ames, IA (US); Julian. A. Mann, Ames, IA (US); Lawrence Martin, Marshalltown, IA (US); and Luke A. Novak, Ames, IA (US)
Assigned to FISHER CONTROLS INTERNATIONAL LLC, Marshalltown, IA (US)
Filed by FISHER CONTROLS INTERNATIONAL LLC, Marshalltown, IA (US)
Filed on May 27, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/332,560.
Prior Publication US 2022/0381367 A1, Dec. 1, 2022
Int. Cl. F16K 47/08 (2006.01); B22F 10/28 (2021.01); F16K 3/24 (2006.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 80/00 (2015.01)
CPC F16K 47/08 (2013.01) [B22F 10/28 (2021.01); F16K 3/246 (2013.01); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 80/00 (2014.12)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An anti-cavitation cage for a valve assembly, the anti-cavitation cage comprising:
a body having a plurality of slots, a first end, a second end, and at least one slot of the plurality of slots including an inside surface having a lattice structure, the lattice structure within the inside surface of the at least one slot and one of uniform in grade through the at least one slot or a graded type varying in density from a first portion to a second portion of the at least one slot, the graded type of lattice structure of the inside surface of the at least one slot varying in density from the first portion to the second portion and is configured to manage multiple pressure drops through a flow passageway of the valve assembly;
wherein the anti-cavitation cage is a single component, and the plurality of slots includes a plurality of rows including a first row disposed near a first end, a second row disposed immediately adjacent to the first row, and a third row disposed immediately adjacent to the second row, a height of the slots in each of the first, second and third rows increases in size from the first row to the second row and to the third row, and each row of the plurality of rows overlapping at least one other row of the plurality of rows.