Mixing valve apparatus

• US 4,711,392 A
• Filed: 12/10/1985
• Issued: 12/08/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yonekubo, Hiroaki, Kidouchi, Yasuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Wayner, William E.
• Application Number:
  US06/807,525
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 236/12.12, 137/332, 137/625.33
• US Class Current: 236/12.12
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/20 operated by separate actuating members with one plug turning in another F16K11/12
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1393 characterised by the use of electric means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6307 Turbine on valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86759 Reciprocating

Abstract

A mixing valve apparatus provides a pressure balancing valve which has fins on their valve members and is forced to rotate by hot- and cold-water flows, two valve means for controlling flows of hot and cold water, a temperature sensor and a flow rate sensor. The valve means are shifted by respective electric driving means which are driven by a controller based on detected data of the temperature sensor and the flow rate sensor.

Claims

1. A mixing valve apparatus for mixing hot and cold water supplied from hot and cold water lines, comprising:

pressure balancing valve means, comprising a cylinder formed with a plurality of apertures therein, spool means having a piston mounted on a center portion thereof for isolating a hot water passageway and a cold water passageway from each other, and two valve members having twisted fins thereon which are displaced by water flow, for equalizing respective pressures of hot and cold water, said two valve members being mounted to said spool means;

first valve means for controlling an amount of flow of hot water from said pressure balancing valve means;

second valve means for controlling an amount of flow of cold water from said pressure balancing valve means;

first motorized drifting means for moving said first valve means;

second motorized driving means for moving said second valve means;

mixing conduit means for mixing hot and cold water supplied from said first valve means and said second valve means;

temperature sensor means for detecting a temperature of mixed water mixed in said mixing conduit means;

setting means for setting a desired temperature of said mixed water; and

control means for controlling said first and said second motorized driving means in accordance with said temperature detected by said temperature detected by said sensor means and said desired temperature set by said setting means.

2. A mixing valve apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a rod on which said first valve means and second valve means are disposed, said first and second valve means being moved by one single motorized driving means.

3. A mixing valve apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein

said control means and said electric driving means are contained in a housing and said setting part is disposed on a surface of said housing.

4. A mixing valve apparatus coupled to sources of hot and cold water, comprising:

pressure balancing valve means comprising a cylinder formed with a plurality of apertures therein, spool means having a piston mounted on a center portion thereof for isolating a hot water passageway and a cold water passageway from each other, and two valve members having twisted fins thereon which are rotated by water flow, for equalizing respective pressures of hot and cold water, said two valve members being mounted to said spool means;

first valve means for controlling a flow of hot water from said pressure balancing valve means;

second valve means for controlling a flow of cold water from said pressure balancing valve means;

first electric driving means for shifting a position of said first valve means;

second electric driving means for shifting a position of said second valve means;

mixing conduit means for mixing hot and cold water from said first valve means;

temperature sensor means for detecting a temperature of mixed water;

flow rate sensor means for detecting an amount of flow of mixed water mixed by said conduit means;

setting means for setting data including a desired temperature, a desired amount of flow of mixed water, and a sum of a hot- and cold-water discharge water mixture; and

control means for driving said first electric driving means and second electric driving means in accordance with a temperature detected by said temperature sensor means and with data set by said setting means.

5. A mixing valve apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein

said control means and said electric driving means are contained in a housing and said setting part is disposed on a surface of said housing.

6. A valve apparatus for mixing hot and cold water, comprising:

pressure balancing valve means comprising a cylinder formed with a plurality of apertures therein, spool means having a piston mounted on a center portion thereof for isolating a hot water passageway and a cold water passageway from each other, and two valve members having twisted fins thereon which are rotated by water flow therepast for equalizing pressures of hot and cold water, respectively, said two valve members being mounted to said spool means;

first valve means for controlling a flow of hot water, comprising a valve seat with at least one aperture and a valve member with an aperture;

second valve means for controlling a flow of cold water comprising a valve seat with at least one aperture and a valve member with at least one aperture, arranged coaxial with one another;

first electric driving means for moving said first valve means;

mixing conduit means for mixing hot and cold water from said first valve means and said second valve means, respectively to produce mixed water;

second electric driving means for moving said second valve means;

temperature sensor means for detecting a temperature of said mixed water;

flow rate sensor means for detecting a flow rate of said discharge water mixture;

setting means for setting data including a desired temperature, desired flow, and a sum of discharge water mixture; and

control means for driving said first electric driving means and second electric driving means in accordance with a temperature and flow detected by said temperature sensor means and said flow rate sensor means, respectively, and said data set by said setting means.

7. A mixing valve apparatus in accordance with claim 6, wherein

said control means and said electric driving means are contained in a housing and said setting part is disposed on a surface of said housing.