1. A communication system for controlling an appliance using a mobile device, the system comprising:
an appliance, including a screen, for transmitting audio signals and for displaying a selected video image on a portion of the screen; and
a mobile device for outputting audible signals corresponding to the audio signals, for selecting a video image, and for controlling the appliance to display the selected video image on the screen of the appliance.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the appliance transmits an audio signal corresponding to the selected video image to the mobile device.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile device selects at least one audio signal including different audio contents.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein the mobile device selects a first video image, controls the appliance to display the first video image on a first portion of the screen, selects a second video image and controls the appliance to display the second video image on a second portion of the screen,
wherein, the first video signal comprises a first audio signal corresponding to the first video signal and the second video signal comprises a second audio signal corresponding to the second video signal.
5. The system of claim 4, wherein the mobile device selects one of the first audio signal and the second audio signal including different audio contents.
6. The system of claim 4, wherein the appliance detects whether at least one mobile device is present within a vicinity of the appliance, and registers the at least one mobile device with the appliance to control the appliance, when the at least one mobile device is detected.
7. A method for controlling an appliance using a mobile device, the method comprising:
transmitting, by an appliance, audio signals to a mobile device;
outputting, by the mobile device, audible signals corresponding to the audio signals;
selecting, by the mobile device, a video image;
controlling, by the mobile device, the appliance to display the selected video image on a screen of the appliance; and
displaying, by the appliance, the selected video image on the screen.
8. The method of claim 7, further comprising transmitting, by the appliance, an audio signal corresponding to the selected video image to the mobile device.
9. The method of claim 7, further comprising selecting, by the mobile device, at least one audio signal including different audio contents.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:
selecting, by the mobile device, a first video image, and controlling, by the mobile device, the appliance to display the first video image on a first portion of the screen; and
selecting, by the mobile device, a second video image and controlling, by the mobile device, the appliance to display the second video image on a second portion of the screen,
wherein, the first video signal comprises a first audio signal corresponding to the first video signal and the second video signal comprises a second audio signal corresponding to the second video signal.
11. The method of claim 10, further comprising selecting by the mobile device, one of the first audio signal and the second audio signal including different audio contents.
12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:
detecting, by the appliance, whether at least one mobile device is present in a vicinity of the appliance; and
registering the at least one mobile device with the appliance to control the appliance by the mobile device, when the at least one mobile device is detected.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A ball valve for controlling fluid flow, comprising:
a housing configured to define
an inlet port,
an outlet port,
a throughbore linking the inlet port to the outlet port, and
a chamber having a spherical inner profile positioned in the throughbore;
a cam element positioned on a floor of the chamber;
a ball positioned in the chamber, and configured to be rotatable in the chamber from a fully open condition to a closed condition sealing off fluid flow through the throughbore, the ball having a left arm and a right arm and a slot between each arm, wherein a terminal portion of each arm is positioned adjacent the cam element so that the cam element is positioned in the slot;
wherein the cam element is shaped so that, when the ball is rotated from the open condition to the closed condition, the cam element forces the arms through three distances of separation from each other,
a first distance of separation in which the arms are spaced a first distance from each other, when the ball has undergone no rotation from the fully open condition;
a second distance of separation in which the arms are spaced a second distance from each other, when the ball has undergone some rotation from the fully open condition towards the closed condition but has not reached the closed condition;
a third distance of separation in which the arms are spaced a third distance from each other, and in which the ball has undergone rotation to the closed condition;
wherein, the third distance is greater than the first distance, and the second distance is greater than the third distance.
2. The ball valve of claim 1, wherein the cam element includes an oval shape with a hollow portion that introduces flexibility to the oval shape.
3. The ball valve of claim 1, wherein the cam element has a shape that is symmetrical about a line which is offset from an axis linking the inlet port with the outlet port.
4. The ball valve of claim 3, wherein the offset is an angle of between about 15 and 30 degrees.
5. The ball valve of claim 1, wherein the difference between the second distance and the third distance is not less than about 15% of the difference between the second distance and the first distance.
6. The ball valve of claim 1, wherein the second distance reaches a maximum extent when the ball is rotated to a range of between about 10 degrees and 20 degrees from the closed condition.
7. A ball valve for controlling fluid flow, comprising:
a housing configured to define
an inlet port,
an outlet port,
a throughbore linking the inlet port to the outlet port, and
a chamber having a spherical inner profile positioned in the throughbore;
a cam element positioned on a floor of the chamber;
a ball positioned in the chamber, and configured to be rotatable in the chamber from a fully open condition to a closed condition sealing off fluid flow through the throughbore, the ball having a left arm and a right arm and a slot between each arm, wherein a terminal portion of each arm is positioned adjacent the cam element so that the cam element is positioned in the slot;
wherein, the cam element is shaped so that, when the ball is rotated from the open condition to the closed condition, the cam element forces the arms apart to seal the throughbore, the cam element being further shaped to include hollowed out portion with a cantilevered section that is in contact with the arms as the ball rotates.
8. The ball valve of claim 7, wherein the cantilevered section has an aspect ratio of more than three.
9. The ball valve of claim 7, wherein the cantilevered section has a length of more than three millimeters.
10. The ball valve of claim 7, wherein the cantilevered section has at least one discontinuity along the perimeter of the cam element.
11. The ball valve of claim 10, wherein the at least one discontinuity is eight discontinuities in number.
12. A ball valve for controlling fluid flow, comprising:
a housing configured to define
an inlet port,
an outlet port,
a throughbore linking the inlet port to the outlet port, and
a chamber having a spherical inner profile positioned in the throughbore;
a cam element positioned on a floor of the chamber;
a ball positioned in the chamber, and configured to be rotatable in the chamber from a fully open condition to a closed condition sealing off fluid flow through the throughbore, the ball having a left arm and a right arm and a slot between each arm, wherein a terminal portion of each arm is positioned adjacent the cam element so that the cam element is positioned in the slot;
wherein the cam element is shaped so that, when the ball is rotated from the open condition to the closed condition, the cam element forces the arms through three distances of separation from each other,
a first distance of separation in which the arms are spaced a first distance from each other, when the ball has undergone no rotation from the fully open condition;
a second distance of separation in which the arms are spaced a second distance from each other, when the ball has undergone some rotation from the fully open condition towards the closed condition but has not reached the closed condition;
a third distance of separation in which the arms are spaced a third distance from each other, and in which the ball has undergone rotation to the closed condition;
wherein, the third distance is greater than the first distance, and the second distance is greater than the third distance; and
further wherein the cam element is further shaped to include a cantilevered section which is in contact with the arms as the ball rotates.
13. The ball valve of claim 12, wherein the cantilevered section includes an oval shaped perimeter wall that is flexible to accommodate sediment thereon and not jam, yet rigid enough to support the ball to fully seal off fluid flow from the inlet port.
14. The ball valve of claim 12, wherein the cam element has a shape that is symmetrical about a line which is offset from an axis linking the inlet port with the outlet port.
15. The ball valve of claim 14, wherein the offset is an angle of between about 15 and 30 degrees.
16. The ball valve of claim 12, wherein the difference between the second distance and the third distance is not less than about 15% of the difference between the second distance and the first distance.
17. The ball valve of claim 12, wherein the second distance reaches a maximum extent when the ball is rotated to a range of between about 10 and 20 degrees from the closed condition.
18. The ball valve of claim 12, wherein the cantilevered section has an aspect ratio of more than three.
19. The ball valve of claim 12, wherein the cantilevered section has a length of more than about three millimeters.
20. The ball valve of claim 12, wherein the cantilevered section includes at least one discontinuity along the perimeter of the cam element.