| 摘要 |
<p>A flow control valve assembly is provided for timing and regulating fluid flow from a valve inlet to primary and secondary fluid flow outlets. The valve assembly comprises a regulator valve which, upon initiation of fluid flow to the valve assembly, is spring-biased to open the primary and secondary outlets and to modulate the primary outlet flow in a manner maintaining the secondary outlet flow at a predetermined minimum fluid pressure. Upon elapse of a predetermined time interval, a timer assembly responsive to the secondary outlet flow triggers an alteration in the spring bias acting on the regulator valve to permit fluid pressure at the valve inlet to shift the regulator valve to a position closing the secondary outlet and fully opening the primary outlet for the remaining time of a fluid flow cycle. When fluid flow through the valve assembly is halted, a return spring resets the regulator valve to its initial state. In a preferred operating environment, the valve inlet is coupled to the discharge side of a swimming pool circulation pump which draws pool water through a filter unit. The primary outlet of the valve assembly is coupled to a return conduit for recycling filtered water to the swimming pool, and the secondary outlet is coupled to a water-powered in-the-pool cleaning device. During a normal filtration cycle, the valve assembly initially supplies water to the cleaning device at a predetermined minimum pressure for a selected time interval and then automatically switches state to halt operation of the cleaning device and to recirculate filtered water to the pool through the return conduit.</p> |
