Thermostatically controlled mixing valve

A cartridge for a mixing valve comprising:

• a lower cartridge section comprising a generally hemispherical bottom portion and a generally cylindrical top portion, said bottom hemispherical portion having a hot water inlet means, cold water inlet means, and mixed water outlet means therein in communication with said cylindrical top portion;
• a first valve plate disposed in said cylindrical top portion having a first hot water inlet aperture, a first cold water inlet aperture, and a first mixed water outlet aperture therein, said first hot water inlet aperture being in communication with said hot water inlet means, said first cold water inlet aperture being in communication with said cold water inlet means, and said first mixed water outlet aperture being in communication with said mixed water outlet means;
• an upper cartridge section adapted to be coupled to said lower cartridge section comprising
• a tubular hollow sleeve having an open bottom end adapted to be coupled to said lower cartridge section;
• a cylindrical housing having a longitudinally extending cavity in the interior thereof and an open bottom and communicating with said cavity rotatably disposed in said tubular hollow sleeve;
• a second valve plate mounted on the open bottom end of said cylindrical housing having a second hot water inlet aperture, a second cold water inlet aperture, and a second mixed water outlet aperture rotatably cooperating with said first valve plate to control the volume of water flowing into the upper cartridge section;
• a generally cylindrical inner housing disposed in said longitudinally extending cavity in the interior of said cylindrical housing, said inner housing having an interior longitudinally extending mixing chamber, an open top end communicating with said mixing chamber, and a closed bottom end having a mixed water discharge outlet therein in communication at one end with said mixing chamber and at the other end with said second mixed water outlet aperture, said inner cylindrical housing further having a smaller outer diameter than the inner diameter of said cylindrical housing whereby a longitudinally extending hot water passageway and a longitudinally extending cold water passageway are defined by the outer surface of said inner cylindrical housing and the inner surface of said cylindrical housing;
• the top ends of said hot and cold water passageways in communication with said mixing chamber at the open top end of said cylindrical inner housing, and in communication with said second hot water inlet aperture and said second cold water inlet aperture, respectively, at their bottom ends;
• control valve means disposed on the top open end of said cylindrical inner housing and interposed between said hot and cold water passageways and said mixing chamber to control the amount of hot and cold water flowing into said mixing chamber;
• said control valve means comprising a cylinder fixedly mounted on the top open end of said cylindrical housing and a piston axially movably disposed in said cylinder;
• and
• a thermostat element axially movably disposed within said mixing chamber operably connected to said piston to move said piston axially within said cylinder in response to the axial movement of said thermostat element within said mixing chamber, the thermostat element being in contact with the mixed water and being arranged to move the piston within said cylinder in dependence upon the temperature of the mixed water passing through said mixing chamber and contacting said thermostat element.

A cartridge for a mixing valve comprising:

• a lower cartridge section comprising a generally hemispherical portion having two inlet ports and an outlet port;
• first valve means for controlling the volumetric flow into said cartridge including an outlet aperture which is in communication with said outlet port;
• an upper cartridge section downstream of and in communication with said first valve means comprising
• a housing having a longitudinally extending cavity and an open end,
• an inner housing disposed in said longitudinally extending cavity in the interior of said housing, said inner housing having an interior longitudinally extending mixing chamber, an open top end communicating with said mixing chamber, and a closed bottom end having a mixed water discharge outlet therein in communication with said mixing chamber, at least a portion of said inner cylindrical housing having a smaller outer diameter than the inner diameter of said housing whereby a longitudinally extending hot water passageway and a longitudinally extending cold water passageway are defined by the outer surface of said inner housing and the inner surface of said housing,
• the top ends of said hot and cold water passageways in communication with said mixing chamber at the open top end of said inner housing,
• thermostatic valve means disposed on the top open end of said inner housing and interposed between said hot and cold water passageways and said mixing chamber to control the amount of hot and cold water flowing into said mixing chamber, said thermostatic valve means comprising a cylinder mounted on the top open end of said cylindrical housing and a piston axially movably disposed in said cylinder, and a thermostatic element disposed within said mixing chamber operably engaged with said piston to move said piston axially within said cylinder in response to the temperature in said mixing chamber.