Fluid supply failure protection valve
AssigneeConbraco Industries, Inc.
InventorsGareth Peter Taylor, Jason Daniel Scharf
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A water supply failure protection valve is connected to hot and cold water supplies. The failure protection valve is responsive to the loss of cold water supply pressure to shut off all water flow. The failure protection valve is responsive to the loss of hot water supply pressure to permit cold water flow through both a cold water flow path and a hot water flow path so as to ensure a substantial flow of water to a downstream fixture. The supply failure protection valve may be integrated with a thermal mixing valve to provide water at a preselected temperature.
Claims15
A fluid supply failure protection valve, comprising:
- a housing defining a first fluid inlet in fluid communication with a spaced-apart first fluid port, and a second fluid inlet in fluid communication with a spaced-apart second fluid port;
- first valve means for permitting flow communication between said first fluid inlet and said first fluid port in the presence of fluid pressure in said second fluid inlet, and for preventing communication between said first fluid inlet and said first fluid port in response to an absence of fluid pressure in said second fluid inlet;
- and
- second valve means for preventing the flow of fluid from said second fluid inlet to said first fluid port in the presence of fluid pressure in said first fluid inlet, and for permitting flow communication from said second fluid inlet to both of said first and second fluid ports in response to the absence of supply pressure in said first fluid inlet.
A fluid supply failure protection valve, comprising:
- a housing having a bore with upper and lower portions formed therein;
- a cold fluid inlet for receiving a fluid at a first temperature;
- a hot fluid inlet for receiving a fluid at a second temperature greater than said first temperature, said hot fluid inlet having a hot fluid check valve disposed therein which allows flow from said hot fluid inlet to said bore but prevents flow in the opposite direction;
- a hot fluid port spaced-apart from said hot fluid inlet and connected in flow communication with said hot fluid inlet;
- a cold fluid port spaced-apart from said cold fluid inlet and connected in flow communication with said cold fluid inlet;
- a hollow sleeve disposed in said bore, said sleeve having open upper and lower ends, and a plurality of side ports formed through the lateral surfaces thereof, said side ports forming a transverse flow path through said sleeve, said sleeve movable between a first position which permits flow communication between said hot fluid inlet and said hot fluid port, and a second position in which flow communication between said hot fluid inlet and said hot fluid port is blocked;
- an upper biasing means disposed in said bore above said sleeve, so as to urge said sleeve towards said first position;
- a piston disposed in said sleeve, said piston movable between a closed position in which the flow of fluid from said cold fluid inlet to said hot fluid port is blocked and an open position in which flow communication is permitted from said cold fluid inlet to both of said hot and cold fluid ports;
- a lower biasing means disposed in said sleeve between said lower end of said sleeve and said lower face of said piston, said lower biasing means urging said piston towards said open position;
- wherein:
- said sleeve moves to said first position in the presence of fluid pressure in said cold fluid inlet, and moves to said second position in absence of fluid pressure in said cold fluid inlet;
- and
- said piston moves to said closed position in the presence of fluid pressure in said hot fluid inlet, and moves to said open position in response to the absence of fluid pressure in said hot fluid inlet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.