Liquid distribution operable by solenoid valves

• US 5,605,173 A
• Filed: 11/23/1994
• Issued: 02/25/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ranco Incorporated of Delaware (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Arnaud, Gerard
• Primary Examiner(s): Hepperle, Stephen M.
• Application Number:
  US08/344,436
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: 137/882, 137/883, 137/597, 137/119, 137/7, 251/129.02, 251/30.04
• US Class Current: 137/7
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/24 with an electromagnetically-operated valve, e.g. for washing machines
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 39/024 using an auxiliary valve on the main valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0352 Controlled by pressure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87249 Multiple inlet with multiple outlet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87869 Biased open
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87877 Single inlet with multiple distinctly valved outlets

Abstract

Water enters a common manifold at one or more individually line valved inlet ports, and is routed selectively by direct acting type solenoid operated valves to plural exit ports from the manifold.

One exit port solenoid valve is normally open and the solenoid valves for each of the other exit ports are normally closed. For instance valve 5a controls all three ports 3a-3c.

The line valves are closed thus lowering the pressure within manifold 1, whenever any one or more of exit valves is to be actuated--i.e., closing the normally open or opening the normally closed valves which are low force directing acting.

If desired, the normally open (N.O.) exit valve may have a small central hole in the moveable valve poppet for allowing a pilot flow for lowering of pressure, when this normally open valve is in the closed position and is to be allowed to open without requirement for a very strong return spring 21. The N.O. valve solenoid armature has a head portion received in a cavity in the poppet; and the had portion is operative for limited lost motion with respect to the poppet for opening the pilot passage which lowers the manifold pressure permitting the return spring to re-open the N.O. valve. The manifold may have an automatic pressure release device 9 and there may be flow regulators and/or filters 16 associated with the inlet valves 15, 18.

Claims

1. A distributor assembly for controlling fluid flow in an appliance comprising:

(a) a manifold having an inlet with a line valve controlling flow to a valving chamber having a plurality of outlets;

(b) an outlet valve disposed to control flow to one of said outlets and having a valve member moveable between an open and closed condition and including means biasing said member to the open condition, said biasing means including a member having limited lost motion with respect to said valve member and operable to open a pilot passage through said valve member in the closed condition for reducing pressure in said valving chamber and permitting said biasing means to open said valve; and

, a normally closed outlet valve disposed controlling to individually control flow, to each of the other of said plurality of outlets.

2. The assembly defined in claim 1, wherein said outlet valves are electrically operated.

3. The assembly defined in claim 1, wherein said outlet valves are solenoid operated.

4. The assembly defined in claim 1, wherein said means operable to open a pilot passage includes a solenoid armature having an end portion received in a hollow formed in said valve member.

5. The assembly defined in claim 1, wherein said normally open outlet valve member is formed of elastomeric material.

6. The assembly defined in claim 1, wherein said manifold has a plurality of inlets with a line valve disposed for controlling flow individually to each of said inlets.

7. A method of distributing liquid from a supply to an appliance comprising:

(a) providing a manifold having an inlet with an electrically operated line valve and a valving chamber communicating with a plurality of discharge outlets;

(b) valving each of said plurality of outlets individually with an electrically operated direct acting valve capable of opening against manifold pressures not greater than a predetermined level;

(c) opening said line valve and pressurizing said chamber at supply pressure and;

(i) where supply pressure is less than said predetermined level, selectively opening said outlet valves for flow to the desired outlets,

(ii) where supply pressure is greater than said predetermined level, closing said line valve and bleeding chamber pressure through a pilot passage in one of said valves until chamber pressure drops to said predetermined level and opening desired ones of said outlet valves and re-opening said line valve.

8. A distributor assembly for controlling fluid flow in an appliance comprising:

(a) a manifold having at least one inlet having an electrically operated line valve communicating with a main chamber which commuinicates with a plurality of separate outlet chambers, with each outlet chamber having at least one discharge outlet communicating therewith;

(b) an electrically actuated outlet valve disposed to control flow from the main chamber to each of said outlet chambers, wherein one of said outlet valves is normally open and is pilot operated with the others of said outlet valves being normally closed, said normally closed outlet valves being of the direct acting type, wherein said at least one normally open valve has a solenoid operator with a moveable armature urged to the valve open position by a spring having a valve member or poppet moveable therewith for valving flow to the respective outlet chamber, the valve member having a restricted pilot flow passage therethrough and said armature has a head portion operable upon limited lost motion movement with respect to said valve member to open said pilot passage thereby permitting flow therethrough, said spring operative to effect said lost motion movement in the event of excessive pressure in said main chamber when said normally open valve is closed.