US 4,227,548 AGranted

Multiple control valve for mixing fluids

OwnerIrlin H. Botnickinventor

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Abstract

A mixing valve particularly suited for use as a water faucet includes separate finger-operated lever controls for selectively delivering an unmixed flow of cold water, an unmixed flow of hot water, and one or more mixed flows of intermediate temperature water. An intermediate temperature flow is obtained by combining and mixing separate flows of cold and hot water in a mixing chamber. A temperature selection lever is provided for positioning a flow restriction element to control the relative proportion of the flows of cold and hot water delivered to the mixing chamber so that any desired intermediate temperature can be selected for the mixed flow delivered from the mixing chamber. Constant temperature of a mixed flow is maintained throughout the available range of flow rates in part by coordinating the admittance of cold and hot flows to the mixing chamber with respect to the discharge of mixed fluid from the mixing chamber so that suitable back pressure is maintained in the mixing chamber. A stacked array of layer elements defines the valve's housing and provides an inexpensive cartridge which can be replaced as a unit in the event service is needed.

Claims32

Dependent claims

A valving arrangement for controlling flows of first and second fluids to a mixed flow path to provide a mixed flow along the mixed flow path at a rate varied in response to the setting of a single valve control, the proportion of the first and second fluids in the mixed flow being substantially constant at all delivery rates, comprising:

(a) a controlled first fluid port and a controlled second fluid port respectively opening to a mixed flow path;
(b) a valve control movable between valve closed and valve full open positions;
(c) primary valving means movable relative to the first and second ports between a position closing the ports and a position simultaneously opening the ports, the primary valving means simultaneously opening and increasing the opening of the ports in response to movement of the valve control from its valve closed to its valve full open positions, and the primary valving means simultaneously diminishing the opening of and closing the ports in response to movement of the valve control toward and to its valve closed position;
and,
(d) flow control means located downstream from the first and second ports along the mixed flow path and controlled by the valve control for:
(i) reducing the flow area of the mixed flow path and thereby diminishing the flow of mixed fluid along the mixed flow path as the valve control moves the primary valving means toward a position closing the first and second ports;
(ii) closing off flow along the mixed flow path prior to the time when the primary valving means closes the first and second ports, and maintaining closure of the mixed flow path during the time when the primary valving means moves to and remains in a position closing the first and second ports;
(iii) maintaining closure of the mixed flow path during initial movement of the valve control from its closed position and until after a time when the primary valving means has opened the first and second ports;
and,
(iv) increasing the flow area of the mixed flow path as the valve control moves the primary valving means to increase the opening of the ports.

7 more elements

In a mixing valve of the type having a single settable control for regulating not only the flows of first and second fluids to a mixing chamber but also the flow of mixed fluid from the mixing chamber, the improvement of a system for maintaining substantially constant the relative proportion of the first and second fluids in the mixed flow, comprising:

(a) structure defining a mixing chamber;
(b) a first port for admitting a first fluid to the mixing chamber;
(c) a second port for admitting a second fluid to the mixing chamber;
(d) a mixed flow port for discharging mixed fluid from the mixing chamber;
(e) a valve control movable between valve closed and valve full open positions;
(f) primary valving means movable relative to the first and second ports between a position closing the ports and a position simultaneously opening the ports, the primary valving means simultaneously opening and increasing the opening of the ports in response to movement of the valve control from its valve closed to its valve full open positions, and the primary valving means simultaneously diminishing the opening of and closing the ports in response to movement of the valve control toward and to its valve closed position;
and,
(g) secondary valving means being movable in response to movement of the valve control to:
(i) progressively diminish the opening of the mixed flow port as the valve control moves the primary valving means toward a position closing the first and second ports;
(ii) close the mixed flow port prior to the time when the primary valving means closes the first and second ports, and maintain closure of the mixed flow port during the time when the primary valving means moves to and remains in a position closing the first and second ports;
(iii) maintain closure of the mixed flow port during initial movement of the valve control from its closed position and until after a time when the primary valving means has opened the first and second ports;
and,
(iv) progressively increase the opening of the mixed flow port as the valve control moves the primary valving means to increase the opening of the first and second ports.

10 more elements

A mixing valve for mixing first and second flows of fluids to deliver a mixed flow wherein the proportion of the first and second fluids in the mixed flow is maintained substantially constant at all mixed flow delivery rates, comprising:

(a) a base structure;
(b) housing means mountable on the base structure and defining:
(i) a mixing chamber;
(ii) first and second passages opening into the mixing chamber for directing flows of first and second fluids, respectively, into the mixing chamber;
(iii) a mixed flow passage communicating with the mixing chamber for delivering a mixed flow of the first and second fluids from the mixing chamber;
(c) primary valving means carried by the housing means for movement between a closed position closing off flow through the first and second passages, and a full open position simultaneously permitting substantially unrestricted flow of the first and second fluids through the first and second passages, the primary valving means being operable to simultaneously permit increased flow through the first and second passages as the primary valving means moves from its closed position to its full open position;
(d) secondary valving means carried by the housing means for movement between a closed position closing off flow through the mixed flow passage and a restricted open position permitting a somewhat restricted flow of mixed fluid through the mixed flow passage, the secondary valving means being operable to permit increased flow through the mixed flow passage as the secondary valving means moves from its closed position to its restricted open position;
and,
(e) control means operably connected to the primary and to the secondary valving means for:
(i) moving the primary valving means to initiate flow in the first and second passages prior to moving the secondary valving means to initiate flow in the mixed flow passage whereby mixed fluid pressure corresponding to the pressures in the first and second passages is established within the mixing chamber prior to the establishment of flow through the mixed flow passage;
(ii) moving the primary and secondary valving means in concert after flows have been established in the first, second and mixed flow passages, the primary and secondary valving means being positioned during such movement to provide a somewhat more restricted flow of mixed fluid out of the mixing chamber than is encountered by the combined flows of the first and second fluids into the mixing chamber, whereby fluid pressure within the mixing chamber continues to correspond with the pressures in the first and second passages;
and,
(iii) moving the secondary valving means to close off flow through the mixed fluid passage prior to moving the primary valving means to simultaneously close off flow in the first and second passages.

10 more elements

A valve for delivering cold water, hot water, or water at an intermediate temperature, comprising:

(a) base means unto which separate flows of hot water and cold water are supplied, the base means being operable to direct the cold water along a first flow path and the hot water along a second flow path;
(b) housing means secured to the base means, the housing means defining a cold water chamber in communication with the first flow path, a hot water chamber in communication with the second flow path and a mixing chamber in communication with both the first and second flow paths;
(c) the housing means additionally defining an outlet chamber in communication with the cold and hot water chambers, and a mixed flow port defining a mixed flow path communicating the mixing chamber and the outlet chamber;
(d) flow restriction means disposed upstream of the mixing chamber in one of the first and second flow paths to proportion the relative flow rates of cold and hot water admitted to the mixing chamber;
(e) a plurality of valve elements disposed in the first, second and mixed flow paths, the valve elements being individually movable from a closed position where no waterflow can occur to an open position where waterflow is permitted, comprising:
(i) a cold water valve element controlling the flow of cold water along the first flow path to the cold water chamber;
(ii) a hot water valve element controlling the flow of hot water along the second flow path to the hot water chamber;
(iii) a mixing chamber inlet valve element controlling flows of cold and hot water along the respective first and second flow paths to the mixing chamber;
and,
(iv) a mixing chamber outlet valve element controlling flow along the mixed flow path from the mixing chamber to the outlet chamber.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 06/015,813Filed 27 Feb 1979
Granted: 14 Oct 1980
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

F16K 11/20
With two or more closure members not moving as a unit: operated by separate actuating members
F16K 11/22
Operated by separate actuating members: with an actuating member for each valve, e.g. interconnected to form multiple-way valves
F16K 19/006
Arrangements of valves and flow lines specially adapted for mixing fluids: specially adapted for faucets
Y10T 137/86928
Systems: sequentially progressive opening or closing of plural valves