Recirculation valve

Abstract

A recirculation valve according to the present invention comprises: a warm-water housing communicating with a warm-water supply tube for supplying warm water generated by heating raw water, thereby forming a warm-water channel provided such that warm water flows through the inside thereof; a direct-water housing communicating with a direct-water supply tube through which direct water (raw water) is supplied, thereby forming a direct-water channel provided such that direct water flows through the inside thereof; a recirculation housing through which the warm-water channel and the direct-water channel communicate with each other, thereby forming a recirculation channel provided such that warm water in the warm-water channel flows to the direct-water channel; and a water-pressure opening/closing body provided inside the direct-water housing to be able to move according to a reference direction in order to close or open the recirculation channel. The water-pressure opening/closing body comprises an upstream pressurizing unit and assuming that the direction in which direct water flows into the direct-water channel from the direct-water supply tube is a reference direction, a downstream pressurizing unit positioned in the reference direction from the upstream pressurizing unit. The inner surface of the direct-water housing, which defines the direct-water channel, comprises an upstream inner surface positioned on the outside of the upstream pressurizing unit when the water-pressure opening/closing body is positioned to open the recirculation channel, and a downstream inner surface positioned in the reference direction from the upstream inner surface. A stepped portion is formed between the upstream inner surface and the downstream inner surface so as to correspond to a stepped portion formed between the upstream pressurizing unit and the downstream pressurizing unit.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.