Valve assembly

• US 5,501,244 A
• Filed: 11/14/1994
• Issued: 03/26/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Price Pfister Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Emhart Inc.
• Inventors: Shahriar, Niakan
• Primary Examiner(s): Nilson, Robert G.
• Application Number:
  US08/338,869
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 137/98, 137/100, 137/625.41
• US Class Current: 137/98
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/0746 with two or more closure plates comprising a single lever control
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1313 without temperature sensing element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2514 Self-proportioning flow systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/5994 Diaphragm type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86823 Rotary valve

Abstract

A valve assembly 30 includes a pressure balancer 38 and a water mixing control element 150. Hot and cold water flow through pressure balancer 38 and a throttle plate 200 and into a mixing chamber 144 where selected amounts of the hot and cold water are mixed to a temperature level selected by a user. If the pressure of the cold water changes, the pressure balancer 38 responds and adjusts the amount of hot water flowing to the mixing chamber 144 to maintain the temperature of the mixed water as initially selected. If the cold water pressure fails, pressure balancer 38 responds and turns off the hot water to prevent scalding the user. Pressure balancer 38 responds in similar fashion to changes or failure in the pressure of the hot water.

Claims

1. A valve assembly having a pressure balancer, which comprises:

a housing formed with a chamber;

a poppet unit composed of a rigid material and mounted for movement within the chamber;

a diaphragm mounted on the poppet unit and separating the chamber into a first compartment and a second compartment which define a first fluid flow path and a second fluid flow path, respectively;

at least a portion of the poppet unit being located in the first compartment of the chamber;

a closure surface located in the first compartment adjacent the first fluid flow path; and

a compliant element mounted on and confined compliantly to the portion of the poppet unit for incremental movement therewith, the compliant element being aligned with and normally spaced from the closure surface and moved with the poppet unit to compliantly engage the closure surface and thereby seal the first fluid flow path upon movement of the diaphragm in a prescribed direction.

2. The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein the compliant element is a first compliant element and which further comprises:

a closure surface located in the second compartment adjacent the second fluid flow path; and

a second compliant element mounted on another portion of the poppet unit in the second compartment for movement with the poppet unit, the second compliant element being aligned with and normally spaced from the closure located in the second compartment and moved with the poppet unit to compliantly engage the closure surface in the second compartment and thereby seal the second fluid flow path upon movement of the diaphragm in a direction opposite the prescribed direction.

3. The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein the compliant element is an O-ring composed of rubber.

17. The valve assembly of claim 1, which further comprises:

a poppet formed with the poppet unit;

a well formed in the housing for receipt of the poppet which is assembled for movement relative to the well;

the well formed with an inboard end;

the poppet formed with an end in spaced interfacing relation with the inboard end of the well;

a fluid flow path formed in the housing in communication with the chamber; and

a flow passage formed internally through the poppet in communication with the fluid flow path and a space in the well defined by the inboard end of the well and the poppet end.

4. A valve assembly having a pressure balancer, which comprises:

a housing formed with a chamber and at least one fluid flow path;

a poppet unit mounted for movement within the chamber and including at least one poppet and a support plate integrally formed therewith;

the poppet unit with the poppet and the support plate all formed integrally from and as a single piece of material;

a pressure responsive element mounted on the poppet unit in supported engagement with the support plate for movement therewith;

a closure surface located adjacent the fluid flow path; and

an element mounted on the poppet for incremental movement therewith, the element being aligned with and normally spaced from the closure surface and moved with the poppet to engage the closure surface and thereby seal the fluid flow path upon movement of the pressure responsive element in a prescribed direction.

5. A valve assembly having a pressure balancer, which comprises:

a housing formed with a chamber;

a poppet unit mounted for movement within the chamber and including a first poppet at one end of the poppet unit and a second poppet at an opposite end of the poppet unit and a support plate integrally formed therewith;

the poppet unit with the first poppet, the second poppet and the support plate all formed integrally from and as a single piece of material;

a diaphragm mounted on the poppet unit between the first and second poppets and in supported engagement with the support plate and separating the chamber into a first compartment and a second compartment which define a first fluid flow path and a second fluid flow path, respectively;

the first poppet being located in the first compartment of the chamber;

the second poppet being located in the second compartment of the chamber;

a first closure surface located in the first compartment adjacent the first fluid flow path;

a second closure surface located in the first compartment adjacent the first fluid flow path;

a first element mounted on the first poppet for incremental movement therewith, the first element being aligned with and normally spaced from the first closure surface and moved with the first poppet to engage the first closure surface and thereby seal the first fluid flow path upon movement of the diaphragm in a prescribed direction; and

a second element mounted on the second poppet for incremental movement therewith, the second element being aligned with and normally spaced from the second closure surface and moved with the second poppet to engage the second closure surface and thereby seal the second fluid flow path upon movement of the diaphragm in a direction opposite the prescribed direction.

6. A valve assembly having a pressure balancer, which comprises:

a housing formed with a chamber;

a poppet unit having a longitudinal axis mounted for movement within the chamber;

a fluid flow path formed in the housing and in communication with the chamber;

the fluid flow path formed with an opening of a prescribed size;

the poppet unit being of a size smaller than the prescribed size;

the poppet unit being formed with a surface which is normally positioned adjacent the opening and which is configured such that as successive portions of the surface are moved into the opening at least partial closure of the opening is successively attained;

an element mounted on the poppet unit with the surface being located normally between the opening and the element;

the element extending radially outward from the axis of the poppet unit a distance sufficient to form a combined poppet unit and element structure having a size greater than the prescribed size which precludes entry of the element in the opening of the fluid flow path; and

a pressure responsive device for moving the poppet unit in response to changes in pressure of fluid in the chamber so that the surface is moved into the opening to initiate closure of the opening and the element is eventually positioned to finally close the opening.

7. The valve assembly of claim 6, which further comprises the poppet unit being formed from a single piece of material.

8. A valve assembly having a pressure balancer, which comprises:

a housing formed with a chamber;

a poppet unit mounted for movement within the chamber;

the poppet unit formed with a hub of a first diameter, a poppet spaced axially from the hub and of a second diameter greater than the first diameter and a transition surface extending between the hub and the poppet;

a fluid flow path formed in the housing and in communication with the chamber;

the fluid flow path formed with an opening of a diameter greater than the first diameter;

at least portions of the hub being located normally in the opening;

the transition surface being normally adjacent and spaced from the opening;

an element mounted on the poppet adjacent a juncture of the transition surface and the poppet; and

a pressure responsive device for moving the poppet unit in response to changes in pressure of fluid in the chamber so that the transition surface is moved into the opening to initiate closure of the opening and the element, if required, is eventually positioned to finally close the opening.

9. The valve assembly of claim 8 wherein the element is a compliant element which compresses about the opening to seal the opening.

10. The valve assembly of claim 9 which further comprises the opening being formed with a poppet-assembly side and sealing side wherein a rim of the opening on the poppet-assembly side is rounded to facilitate passage of the compliant element during assembly of the poppet unit with the housing and a rim of the opening on the sealing side is sharp cornered to preclude passage of the compliant element through the opening when the compliant element is moved to seal the opening.

11. The valve assembly of claim 8 wherein the transition surface is a linear bevelled surface extending between the small diameter of the hub and the larger diameter of the poppet.

12. The valve assembly of claim 8 wherein the transition surface and the poppet are a first transition surface and a first poppet extending from one end of the hub, the fluid flow path is a first fluid flow path, the opening is a first opening and the element is a first element, which further comprises:

a second poppet of the second diameter and a second transition surface extending from an end of the hub opposite the one end;

a second fluid flow path formed in the housing in communication with the chamber and formed with a second opening of a diameter greater than the first diameter;

a second element mounted on the second poppet adjacent a juncture of the second transition and the second poppet; and

the pressure responsive device for moving the poppet unit in response to changes in pressure of fluid in the chamber so that the second transition surface is moved into the opening to initiate closure of the opening and the second element, if required, is eventually positioned to finally close the opening.

13. The valve assembly of claim 8 wherein the opening of the fluid flow path is formed so that all oppositely facing wall portions thereof have a dimension greater than the second diameter.

14. A valve assembly having a pressure balancer, which comprises:

a housing formed with a chamber;

a poppet unit mounted for movement within the chamber;

a poppet formed with the poppet unit;

a well formed in the housing with an inboard end for receipt of a first portion of the poppet which is assembled for movement within and relative to the well;

the first portion of the poppet formed with an end in spaced interfacing relation with the inboard end of the well;

a compliant element mounted on a second portion of the poppet unit externally of the well and movable therewith in a direction toward the inboard end of the well;

a stop formed in the housing in the path of the element; and

the distance between the inboard end of the well and the stop being greater than the distance between the end of the first portion of the poppet unit and the element.

15. A valve assembly having a pressure balancer, which comprises:

a housing formed with a chamber;

a poppet unit mounted for movement within the chamber;

a first poppet formed at one end of the poppet unit and a second poppet formed at an end of the poppet unit opposite the one end;

the first poppet formed with an end coincidental with one end of the poppet unit and the second poppet formed with an end coincidental with another end of the poppet unit opposite the one end;

a first well formed in the housing for receipt of a first portion of the first poppet for relative movement therein and having an inboard end;

a second well formed in the housing for receipt of a first portion of the second poppet for relative movement therein and having an inboard end;

a first compliant element mounted on a second portion of the first poppet externally of the first well for movement therewith and positioned for engagement with a first stop surface formed by the housing;

a second compliant element mounted on a second portion of the second poppet externally of the second well for movement therewith and positioned for engagement with a second stop surface formed by the housing; and

the distance between the inboard end of the first well and the second stop surface being greater than the distance between the end of the first poppet and the second element whereby the second element engages the second stop surface to preclude engagement of the end of the first poppet with the inboard end of the first well.

16. A valve assembly having a pressure balancer, which comprises:

a housing formed with a chamber;

a poppet unit mounted for movement within the chamber;

a first poppet formed at one end of the poppet unit and a second poppet formed at an end of the poppet unit opposite the one end;

the first poppet formed with an end coincidental with one end of the poppet unit and the second poppet formed with an end coincidental with another end of the poppet unit opposite the one end;

a first well formed in the housing for receipt of the first poppet for relative movement therein and having an inboard end;

a second well formed in the housing for receipt of the second poppet for relative movement therein and having an inboard end;

a first compliant element mounted on the first poppet for movement therewith and positioned for engagement with a first stop surface formed by the housing;

a second compliant element mounted on the second poppet for movement therewith and positioned for engagement with a second stop surface formed by the housing;

the distance between the inboard end of the first well and the second stop surface being greater than the distance between the end of the first poppet and the second element whereby the second element engages the second stop surface to preclude engagement of the end of the first poppet with the inboard end of the first well; and

wherein the first and second stop surfaces are formed by surfaces of the housing adjacent fluid passage openings in the housing which are sealed by the compliant elements as the elements engage the stop surfaces.

18. A valve assembly having a pressure balancer, which comprises:

a housing formed with a chamber;

a poppet unit mounted for movement within the chamber;

a diaphragm mounted on the poppet unit and separating the chamber into a first compartment and a second compartment which define a first fluid flow path and a second fluid flow path, respectively;

at least a portion of the poppet unit being located in the first compartment of the chamber;

a closure surface located in the first compartment adjacent the first fluid flow path;

a compliant element mounted on the first portion of the poppet unit for movement therewith, the compliant element being aligned with and normally spaced from the closure surface and moved with the poppet unit to compliantly engage the closure surface and thereby seal the first fluid flow path upon movement of the diaphragm in a prescribed direction;

a mixing chamber formed in the housing for receiving fluid from the first and second fluid flow paths;

a base interposed between the fluid flow paths and the mixing chamber;

a plate for assembly with the base;

at least one tab formed on the plate;

at least one receptacle formed on the base for receipt of the tab of the plate; and

the receptacle being formed with resilient structure for biasingly holding the tab and to allow relaxation of the biased holding of the tab to permit extraction of the tab from the receptacle.

19. The valve assembly of claim 18 wherein the receptacle includes a pair of spaced arms which are separated by a space sufficient to allow the arms to be urged normally toward each other without touching.

20. The valve assembly of claim 18 wherein the receptacle includes:

a first "L" shaped arm formed on and extending from the base;

a second "L" shaped arm formed on and extending from the base;

the first and second "L" shaped arms having a first leg extending generally perpendicular from the base and spaced from each other;

the first and second "L" shaped arms having a second leg extending perpendicularly from an outboard end of its first leg with each of the second legs facing toward each other but with a space being formed between spaced free ends thereof; and

the first and second "L" shaped arms forming the receptacle for receipt of the tab therein.

21. The valve assembly of claim 20 wherein the enclosure is formed with side walls which are tapered.

22. The valve assembly of claim 21 wherein the tab is formed with tapered side edges which are received by the tapered side walls of the receptacle.

23. The valve assembly of claim 22 wherein the tab is formed with at least one edge which engages the adjacent side wall of the receptacle to provide facility for retaining the tab within the receptacle.

24. A valve assembly having a pressure balancer, which comprises:

a housing formed with a chamber;

a poppet unit mounted for movement within the chamber;

a diaphragm mounted on the poppet unit and separating the chamber into a first compartment and a second compartment which define a first fluid flow path and a second fluid flow path, respectively;

at least a portion of the poppet unit being located in the first compartment of the chamber;

a closure surface located in the first compartment adjacent the first fluid flow path;

a compliant element mounted on the first portion of the poppet unit for movement therewith, the compliant element being aligned with and normally spaced from the closure surface and moved with the poppet unit to compliantly engage the closure surface and thereby seal the first fluid flow path upon movement of the diaphragm in a prescribed direction;

a mixing chamber formed in the housing and in communication with the first and second fluid flow paths for directing fluids from the fluid flow paths to the mixing chamber;

a control element for controlling the volume of fluid allowed to enter the mixing chamber;

at least a pair of grooves formed on the control element; and

a rib formed transversely in one of the grooves.