US 12,085,209 B2
Valve device with ball locks
David Meyer, Thousand Oaks, CA (US); Mario Padilla, Los Angeles, CA (US); and Gary Grenon, Camarillo, CA (US)
Assigned to AEROJET ROCKETDYNE, INC., Sacramento, CA (US)
Appl. No. 17/920,456
Filed by AEROJET ROCKETDYNE, INC., Sacramento, CT (US)
PCT Filed Apr. 24, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/029762
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 21, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/216085, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 28, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0265955 A1, Aug. 24, 2023
Int. Cl. F16K 15/03 (2006.01); F16K 27/02 (2006.01); F16L 37/14 (2006.01)
CPC F16L 37/148 (2013.01) [F16K 15/033 (2013.01); F16K 27/0227 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A valve device comprising:
male and female housings having, respectively, exterior and interior annular channels, the male housing receivable into the female housing such that the exterior and interior annular channels together define a toroidal tube, and the male and female housings together define a fluid through-passage;
first and second valve elements disposed, respectively, in the male and female housings;
ball locks receivable into the toroidal tube, the ball locks forming a continuous line of ball-to-ball contact, the ball locks axially locking the male and female housings together; and
a lock engageable when the first and second valve elements are in functional alignment and which when engaged rotationally locks the male and female housings.