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US 6,604,687 B2Granted
Thermal fluid control valve
AssigneeMarks Controls Corporation
InventorsZoltan Goncze, Jim Graves
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A thermal control valve provides more accurate control of the valve outlet temperature for a high flow rate valve in a low flow rate environment. The valve utilizes a thermal motor to close the valve during high temperature operation and includes flow-directing element that restricts the flow of water through the valve at low pressures and directs the flow of water toward the thermal motor. The flow-directing encircles the thermal motor and is formed from a flexible material so that it expands under pressure of water flowing through the valve.
Claims20
A thermostatically controlled valve assembly, comprising:
- a valve body having a hot water inlet and a cold water inlet for receiving hot and cold water from respective hot and cold water supplies connected to said valve body, the valve body further including an outlet for discharge of water therefrom;
- a flow passage extending through said valve body and defining a passage for water to pass between said hot and cold water inlets and said outlet, the flow passage including a valve seat;
- a thermally responsive member disposed in said flow passage that moves in proportion to temperature of said water in said flow passage;
- a valve plug operatively connected to the thermally responsive member to move with said thermally responsive member;
- and,
- a restrictor element interposed in said flow passage between said valve body hot and cold water inlets and said valve body outlet, the restrictor element having inlet and outlet openings formed at opposite ends thereof, and an annular flow-directing surface extending therebetween, said restrictor element being disposed in said flow passage such that said restrictor element outlet surrounds said thermally responsive member and said flow-directing surface extends toward said thermally responsive member, whereby water passing through said flow passage is directed onto said thermally responsive member, said restrictor element outlet opening being expandable from a first diameter to a second diameter in response to pressure of water flowing through said flow passage.
3 more elements
A valve for use in a water supply system and having improved thermal sensing capabilities, the valve comprising:
- a valve body including a hot water inlet and a cold water inlet for connecting said valve to respective supplies of hot and cold water supplies, the valve body further including an outlet for water entering said valve body to exit and a flow passage extending between said hot water inlet, cold water inlet and outlet;
- a poppet assembly moveable along an axis of said valve body for opening and closing said hot water and cold water inlets;
- a thermal motor that moves along the valve axis in response to temperature of water flowing through said flow passage;
- and,
- a variable restrictor element disposed in said flow passage between said hot water inlet and said outlet and at least partially surrounding a portion of said valve motor so as to direct the water flowing through said valve into contact with said valve motor, the restrictor element having an inlet and an outlet, the restrictor element outlet having an opening that is variable in size under water flow conditions through said valve body between a first-sized opening and a second-sized opening, said restrictor element being formed from a flexible material that expands at said outlet opening from said first-sized opening to said second-sized opening under pressure of said water flowing through said valve.
2 more elements
A valve for use in a water supply system and having improved thermal sensing capabilities, the valve comprising:
- a valve body including a hot water inlet and a cold water inlet for connecting said valve to respective supplies of hot and cold water supplies, the valve body further including an outlet for water entering said valve body to exit and a flow passage extending between said hot water inlet, cold water inlet and outlet;
- a poppet assembly moveable along an axis of said valve body for opening and closing said hot water and cold water inlets;
- a thermal motor that moves along the valve axis in response to temperature of water flowing through said flow passage, the thermal motor having a preselected configuration;
- and,
- a variable restrictor element disposed in said flow passage between said hot water inlet and said outlet and at least partially surrounding a portion of said valve motor so as to direct the water flowing through said valve into contact with said valve motor, the restrictor element having an inlet and an outlet, the restrictor element outlet having an opening with a configuration that is complementary to the configuration of said thermal motor, said restrictor element outlet opening being expandable from a first size to a second size under pressure of said water flowing through said valve, said restrictor element including includes means for engaging said valve body and a conical, corrugated body section that extends between said restrictor element inlet and outlet.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.