Sanitary fitting
First Claim
1. A sanitary fitting which can be controlled to provide continuously variable water flow without physical contact which comprises in combination(A) a valve located in the path of water flow through said fitting,(B) valve moving means operatively connected to said valve so that said valve can be moved from a completely open position to a completely closed position,(C) at least one sensor operatively connected to said valve moving means so that within a given monitoring area movement will actuate said valve moving means which in turn will change the position of said valve,the improvement comprising that(1) said valve being a pilot controlled valve that includes(a) a membrane (7) and a valve seat (4) which acts in conjunction with the membrane (7), said membrane having a pilot opening (7a, 47) and moves relative to the valve seat according to the water pressure on either side of it,(b) a closing device (8) for said pilot opening (7a, 47),(c) a plunger (9) which is attached to said closing device (8) and which is adapted to move in a linear manner so as to cause said closing device (8) to either allow water flow through said pilot opening (7a, 47) or prevent water flow through said pilot opening (7a, 47), and(2) said valve moving means comprising(a) an electric motor (25, 39) having an output shaft (38) that rotates, and(b) a device (32, 33, 20) which converts the rotary movement of the output shaft (38) into a linear movement of the plunger (9).
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a sanitary fitting which is controlled without physcial contact at least one sensor is provided through which the water flow can be continuously adjusted. A pilot controlled valve is used for this which is operated by an electric motor. The rotation of the electric motor output shaft is converted into the linear movement of a plunger. This plunger in turn operates a closing device which opens or closes the pilot opening of a membrane. The membrane acts together with a valve seat to regulate the actual water flow. The design of the valve is such that in all positions between the fully open and fully closed position the membrane reliably follows the position of the closing device. Thus a continuous adjustment of the water flow is possible by using minimum power.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A sanitary fitting which can be controlled to provide continuously variable water flow without physical contact which comprises in combination
(A) a valve located in the path of water flow through said fitting, (B) valve moving means operatively connected to said valve so that said valve can be moved from a completely open position to a completely closed position, (C) at least one sensor operatively connected to said valve moving means so that within a given monitoring area movement will actuate said valve moving means which in turn will change the position of said valve, the improvement comprising that (1) said valve being a pilot controlled valve that includes (a) a membrane (7) and a valve seat (4) which acts in conjunction with the membrane (7), said membrane having a pilot opening (7a, 47) and moves relative to the valve seat according to the water pressure on either side of it, (b) a closing device (8) for said pilot opening (7a, 47), (c) a plunger (9) which is attached to said closing device (8) and which is adapted to move in a linear manner so as to cause said closing device (8) to either allow water flow through said pilot opening (7a, 47) or prevent water flow through said pilot opening (7a, 47), and (2) said valve moving means comprising (a) an electric motor (25, 39) having an output shaft (38) that rotates, and (b) a device (32, 33, 20) which converts the rotary movement of the output shaft (38) into a linear movement of the plunger (9).
Specification