K valve design question

[2Bobbyo]

Why is the on-off knob angled on the K valve? Just curious....

 

[tbone1004]

Why is the on-off knob angled on the K valve? Just curious....

are you talking about why it's on the side instead of the top, or is there a specific valve you're looking at that is angled funny? Post a pic of the one you're asking about

 

[tmassey]

It isn’t always. For example, none of these seem to be:

Valves, Modular Valves, and Manifolds | Dive Gear Express®

Only a couple of mine are.

I think the obvious answer is to create a little more space between the regulator and the valve handle. But it literally could be as simple as some designer thought they should make a change so their valve would be different!

Now that I think about it, that also seems to be some thing that is different between convertible valves and the older yoke only valves. In my mind, I think of that slight slant as marking it as an older valve.

Of course, I have a bunch of J valves, and the two knobs are perfectly in line on those, so that’s an even older style! maybe that’s why they added the slant: to differentiate it from the J valves?

 

[2Bobbyo]

I have an old J valve tank but this K valve is a new valve on a new tank....

 

[dead dog]

Do you mean like this?

 

[2Bobbyo]

It's not bent down, it is bent to the side just at a slight angle. Trying to get a pic of it now.

 

[boulderjohn]

The K-valve got its name in 1953, but it existed well before that. Since then, there have been many minor variations in its shape.

 

[tbone1004]

It's not bent down, it is bent to the side just at a slight angle. Trying to get a pic of it now.

Some of them are angled back away from the diver, and that is probably a clearance choice from the engineers, particularly with DIN regulators that sit closer to the plane of the valve knob.

 

[Bob DBF]

Could be a function of the air pathway in the valve, but @tbone1004 makes a good case.