Recirculation Valve and Hot Water Recirculation System Using the Same
First Claim
1. A recirculation valve comprising:
- a housing including;
a hot water fluid passage communicating with a hot water supply pipe, which is used to supply hot water produced by heating source water to a demand place, to allow the hot water to flow through an inner portion of the hot water fluid passage;
a cold water fluid passage communicating with a cold water supply pipe to supply cold water serving as the source water to the demand place to allow the cold water to flow through an inner portion of the cold water fluid passage; and
a recirculation fluid passage communicating with the hot water fluid passage and the cold water fluid passage to allow the hot water in the hot water fluid passage to flow into the cold water fluid passage;
a water pressure plate provided to close or open the recirculation fluid passage, to close the recirculation fluid passage when the cold water or the hot water is used, and to open the recirculation fluid passage when the cold water and the hot water are not used; and
a bimetal plate provided to adjust a flow rate of hot water flowing through the recirculation fluid passage and to be deformed depending on a water temperature of the hot water such that a flow rate of hot water, which is able to flow through the recirculation fluid passage when a water temperature of the hot water is less than a reference temperature, is greater than a flow rate of hot water, which is able to flow through the recirculation fluid passage when the water temperature of the hot water is equal to or greater than the reference temperature,wherein the flow rate of the hot water, which is able to flow through the recirculation fluid passage, is greater than zero when the water temperature of the hot water is equal to or greater than the reference temperature.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A recirculation valve includes a housing including a hot water fluid passage which is used to allow the hot water to flow through, a cold water fluid passage to allow the cold water to flow through, and a recirculation fluid passage to allow the hot water in the hot water fluid passage to flow into the cold water fluid passage, a water pressure plate provided to close the recirculation fluid passage when the cold water or the hot water is used, and to open the recirculation fluid passage when the cold and hot waters are not used, and a bimetal plate configured to open the recirculation fluid passage as the bimetal plate is spaced apart from a recirculation opening and to close the recirculation fluid passage by making contact with the recirculation opening, and positioned downstream of the recirculation opening in a direction in which the hot water flows.
0 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A recirculation valve comprising:
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a housing including;
a hot water fluid passage communicating with a hot water supply pipe, which is used to supply hot water produced by heating source water to a demand place, to allow the hot water to flow through an inner portion of the hot water fluid passage;
a cold water fluid passage communicating with a cold water supply pipe to supply cold water serving as the source water to the demand place to allow the cold water to flow through an inner portion of the cold water fluid passage; and
a recirculation fluid passage communicating with the hot water fluid passage and the cold water fluid passage to allow the hot water in the hot water fluid passage to flow into the cold water fluid passage;a water pressure plate provided to close or open the recirculation fluid passage, to close the recirculation fluid passage when the cold water or the hot water is used, and to open the recirculation fluid passage when the cold water and the hot water are not used; and a bimetal plate provided to adjust a flow rate of hot water flowing through the recirculation fluid passage and to be deformed depending on a water temperature of the hot water such that a flow rate of hot water, which is able to flow through the recirculation fluid passage when a water temperature of the hot water is less than a reference temperature, is greater than a flow rate of hot water, which is able to flow through the recirculation fluid passage when the water temperature of the hot water is equal to or greater than the reference temperature, wherein the flow rate of the hot water, which is able to flow through the recirculation fluid passage, is greater than zero when the water temperature of the hot water is equal to or greater than the reference temperature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A hot water recirculation system comprising:
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a heat source to produce hot water by heating cold water or returning water which serve as introduced source water; a hot water supply pipe connected with the heat source to supply the hot water to a demand place; a cold water supply pipe connected with a cold water source to supply the cold water to the demand place; a recirculation valve connected with the hot water supply pipe and the cold water supply pipe and including a recirculation fluid passage to form the returning water by transferring the hot water, which is received from the hot water supply pipe, to the cold water supply pipe; and a recirculation pipe connecting with the cold water source and the heat source, and including a pump connected with the cold water supply pipe to forcibly transfer the cold water from the cold water source to the heat source or to forcibly transfer returning water, which is received in the cold water supply pipe through the recirculation fluid passage, to the heat source, wherein the recirculation valve includes; a housing including;
a hot water fluid passage connected with the hot water supply pipe to allow the hot water to flow;
a cold water fluid passage connected with the cold water supply pipe to allow the cold water to flow; and
a recirculation fluid passage communicating with the hot water fluid passage and the cold water fluid passage to allow the hot water flowing along the hot water fluid passage to flow into the cold water fluid passage;a water pressure plate provided in the cold water fluid passage to close the recirculation fluid passage when the cold water or the hot water is used, and to open the recirculation fluid passage when the cold water are the hot water are not used; and a bimetal plate provided in the recirculation fluid passage, and deformed depending on the water temperature of the hot water flowing through the hot water fluid passage to adjust a flow rate of the hot water flowing along the recirculation fluid passage, and wherein the bimetal plate completely does not close the recirculation fluid passage.
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12. A recirculation valve comprising:
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a housing including;
a hot water fluid passage communicating with a hot water supply pipe, which is used to supply hot water produced by heating source water, to allow the hot water to flow through an inner portion of the hot water fluid passage;
a cold water fluid passage communicating with a cold water supply pipe, which is used to supply cold water serving as the source water to allow the cold water to flow through an inner portion of the cold water fluid passage; and
a recirculation fluid passage communicating with the hot water fluid passage and the cold water fluid passage to allow the hot water in the hot water fluid passage to flow into the cold water fluid passage;a water pressure plate provided to close or open the recirculation fluid passage, to close the recirculation fluid passage when the cold water or the hot water is used, and to open the recirculation fluid passage when the cold water and the hot water are not used; and a bimetal plate configured to open the recirculation fluid passage as the bimetal plate is spaced apart from a recirculation opening, which is a section of the recirculation fluid passage, when a water temperature of the hot water is less than the reference temperature and to close the recirculation fluid passage by making contact with the recirculation opening when the water temperature of the hot temperature is equal to or greater than the reference temperature, and positioned downstream of the recirculation opening in a direction in which the hot water flows along the recirculation fluid passage. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification