Automatic shutoff valve for a water filter assembly
AssigneeHaier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
InventorGregory Sergeevich Chernov
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A water filter assembly for a domestic appliance includes a filter housing defining a filter chamber, a feed water inlet, and a treated water outlet; a filter element received within the filter chamber defining a feed water chamber and a treated water chamber; a valve plug positioned within the filter housing; and an actuator in operable contact with the valve plug, the actuator being a shape-memory material configured to adjust from a first shape to a second shape in response to a stimulus.
Claims20
A water filter assembly for a domestic appliance, the water filter assembly defining an axial direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction, the water filter assembly comprising:
- a filter housing defining a filter chamber, a feed water inlet, and a treated water outlet;
- a filter element received within the filter chamber defining a feed water chamber and a treated water chamber;
- a valve plug positioned within the filter housing, the valve plug being movable from an unplugged position to a plugged position;
- and
- an actuator assembly in operable contact with the valve plug, wherein the actuator assembly comprises a shape-memory material configured to adjust from a first shape to a second shape in response to an electrical stimulus, and wherein the valve plug is in the unplugged position when the shape-memory material is in the first shape and the valve plug moves to the plugged position when the shape-memory material is transformed into the second shape.
A domestic appliance comprising:
- a cabinet forming a receiving space;
- a water supply inlet provided on the cabinet and through which water is supplied to the receiving space from an external water supply;
- and
- a water filter assembly defining an axial direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction, the water filter assembly being in fluid communication with the external water supply, the water filter assembly comprising:
- a filter housing defining a filter chamber, a feed water inlet, and a treated water outlet;
- a filter element received within the filter chamber defining a feed water chamber and a treated water chamber;
- a valve plug positioned within the filter housing;
- an actuator assembly in operable contact with the valve plug, wherein the actuator assembly comprises a shape-memory material configured to adjust from a first shape to a second shape in response to a stimulus;
- an electric power supply in operable communication with the actuator assembly;
- and
- a controller operably connected to the electric power supply, the controller being configured to perform an operation, the operation comprising:
- receiving an input signal relating to the water filter assembly;
- determining that the water filter assembly is compromised after receiving the input signal relating to the water filter assembly;
- and
- directing the electric power supply according to a predetermined level to produce the stimulus in response to determining that the water filter assembly is compromised, wherein the valve plug is moved from an open position to a closed position when the actuator assembly adjusts from the first shape to the second shape in response to the stimulus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.