Hot and cold water mixing device

• US 5,730,167 A
• Filed: 10/16/1995
• Issued: 03/24/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toto Limited
• Original Assignee: Toto Limited
• Inventors: Furuta, Satoru, Matsuo, Yuji, Tutiya, Hirosi, Nakashima, Mineo, Matsukuma, Tatsuo, Matsui, Hideyuki, Enoki, Masatoshi, Ushita, Toshihide
• Primary Examiner(s): Hepperle, Stephen M.
• Application Number:
  US08/507,482
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• Field of Search: 137/375, 137/15, 137/315, 137/597, 137/606
• US Class Current: 137/15.02
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/07 with cylindrical slides
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/0716 with fluid passages through the valve member F16K11/0704, F16K11/0708, F16K11/0712 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/0782 Single-lever operated mixing valves with closure members having flat sealing faces
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 27/045 with pivotal obturating members
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0407 Repairing or assembling hydrant [e.g., fireplug, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6014 Faucet type [e.g., domestic water use, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7036 Jacketed
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87249 Multiple inlet with multiple outlet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87684 Valve in each inlet

Abstract

A hot and cold water mixing device which comprises an inner housing (11) provided with a hot water inlet hole (17), a cold water inlet hole (18) and a mixed water delivery hole (19), and an outer housing (31) having openings (33, 34, 32) communicating with a hot supply passage (15), a cold water supply passage (16) and a mixed water supply passage (14). The inner housing (11) is inserted into the outer housing (31) to form a hot water passage (20), a cold water passage (35) and a mixed water passage (30) between the outer housing (31) and the inner housing (11). The hot water passage (20) and the mixed water passage (30) are formed by enclosing the hot water inlet hole (17) and the mixed water delivery hole (19) by the respective seal members (26, 29) which each are partly arranged so as to intersect with the circumferential line of the inner housing (11).

Claims

1. A hot and cold water mixing device which comprises:

an outer housing having openings which communicate with a hot water supply passage, a cold water supply passage and a mixed water delivery passage;

a hollow inner housing which is inserted into the outer housing with a vacant space remaining therebetween and on which two primary water holes communicating with said hot water supply passage and said cold water supply passage, respectively, and a secondary water hole communicating with said mixed water delivery passage are formed passing through the wall of said hollow inner housing from the outer surface thereof; and

insulating members for forming fluid passages within said vacant space between said outer housing and said inner housing, which enclose at least one water hole communicating with said hot water supply passage among said two primary water holes, and said secondary water hole, respectively, and which each are partly arranged in the direction of intersection with the circumferential line of the inner housing.

2. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said water holes each are enclosed by the insulating member which is non-circular in form.

3. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said insulating members are of the forms different in the dimensions at the right and left direction and in the up and down direction intersecting perpendicularly to each other.

4. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said insulating members each include at least partly a rectilinear portion.

5. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said rectilinear portion extends substantially parallel to the axial direction of the inner housing.

6. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said water holes each are formed in a noncircular shape passing through the wall.

7. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said water holes each are of the form different in the dimensions of opening at the right and left direction and in the up and down direction intersecting perpendicularly to each other.

8. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said water holes each include at least partly a rectilinear portion.

9. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said insulating members consist of seal members having elasticity.

10. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said respective insulating members are arranged so that one of the insulating members is disposed at a position displaced from a position, where it is facing with the other insulating member, in a section intersecting perpendicularly to the axis of the inner housing.

11. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said insulating members are mounted on the outer surface of the inner housing.

12. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein means for controlling the fluid which flows into and out of the inner housing through the respective water holes thereof is provided within the inner housing.

13. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said controlling means is of a cartridge type construction.

14. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the outer housing is provided with an insertion opening for inserting and disposing the inner housing from the outside.

15. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the insertion opening of the outer housing is used also as a communicating hole of an operating part for operating a fluid controlling means.

16. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer housing is made of a pipe material.

17. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer housing consists of a tubular member formed by forging.

18. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner housing is provided, as water holes, with a hot water inlet hole, a cold water inlet hole and a mixed water delivery hole.

19. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 18, wherein said insulating members each comprise a hot water insulating member arranged so as to enclose the hot water inlet hole so that it forms a hot water passage, and a mixed water insulating member arranged so as to enclose the mixed water delivery hole so that it forms a mixed water passage.

20. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 18, wherein said insulating members each comprises a hot water insulating member arranged so as to enclose the hot water inlet hole so that it forms a hot water passage, a cold water insulating member arranged so as to enclose the cold water inlet hole so that it forms a cold water passage, and a mixed water insulating member arranged so as to enclose the mixed water delivery hole so that it forms a mixed water passage.

21. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the mixed water delivery hole comprises first and second mixed water delivery holes which are provided independently from each other.

22. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 21, wherein said hot water inlet hole and said first and second mixed water delivery holes each are enclosed by the insulating member.

23. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the respective insulating members enclosing the first and second mixed water delivery holes are arranged so that one of the insulating members encloses the other insulating member.

24. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 21, wherein the second mixed water passage communicating with the second mixed water delivery hole is connected to a shower hose through a shower elbow inserted into the outer housing so as to pass through the wall thereof, the forward end of said shower elbow being removably mounted on said second mixed water passage.

25. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 24, wherein the shower elbow is provided at the forward end thereof with a radially extending projection, and the second mixed water passage is provided at the circumferential edge thereof with a circumferential flange with which said projection of the shower elbow comes into a slidable engagement and which is formed with a cut-out portion which allows said projection to pass through in the axial direction.

26. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 24, wherein the shower elbow is provided at the forward end thereof with a radially extending projection, and the second mixed water passage is provided with a bushing having a circumferential flange with which the projection of said shower elbow comes into a slidable engagement and which is formed with a cut-out portion which allows said projection to pass through in the axial direction.

27. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 24, wherein the second mixed water passage is provided between the hot water inlet hole and the cold water inlet hole.

28. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner housing is provided with the hot water inlet hole, cold water inlet hole, hot water delivery hole and cold water delivery hole.

29. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 28, wherein the insulating members comprise a hot water insulating member arranged so as to enclose the hot water inlet hole so that it forms a hot water passage, and a mixed water insulating member arranged so as to enclose the hot and cold water delivery holes together so that it forms a mixed water passage.

30. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 28, wherein the insulating members comprise a hot water insulating member arranged so as to enclose the hot water inlet hole so that it forms a hot water passage, a cold water insulating member arranged so as to enclose the cold water inlet hole so that it forms a cold water passage, and a mixed water insulating member arranged so as to enclose the hot water delivery hole and the cold water delivery hole together so that it forms a mixed water passage.

31. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the mixed water insulating member is formed at least integrally with the hot water insulating member.

32. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 19, wherein sealing members for sealing the vacant space between the inner housing and the outer housing are mounted on both ends of the inner housing.

33. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 32, wherein the sealing members are formed integrally with at least one of the hot water insulating member and the mixed water insulating member.

34. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 32, wherein the sealing members are integrally formed with the outer surface of the inner housing.

35. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the mixed water insulating member is arranged within a range smaller than half the outer circumference of the inner housing.

36. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner housing is formed of a synthetic resin material.

37. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the inner housing is integrally formed, on the outer surface thereof, with holding parts having concave grooves for mounting the insulating members.

38. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 37, wherein the holding parts for mounting the insulating members are provided so as to protrude from the outer surface of the inner housing, and one or more ribs each having an inclined portion are connected to the lateral surfaces of the holding parts parallel to the axial direction.

39. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the inner housing is formed therein with a control means-accommodating part.

48. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the mixed water insulating member is formed at least integrally with the hot water insulating member.

49. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 29, wherein the mixed water insulating member is formed at least integrally with the hot water insulating member.

50. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 30, wherein the mixed water insulating member is formed at least integrally with the hot water insulating member.

51. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 29, wherein sealing members for sealing the vacant space between the inner housing and the outer housing are mounted on both ends of the inner housing.

52. A hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 29, wherein the mixed water insulating member is arranged within a range smaller than half the outer circumference of the inner housing.

40. A method for forming fluid passages of the hot and cold water mixing device, which comprises the steps of

forming a hollow inner housing with two primary water holes communicating with a hot water supply passage and a cold water supply passage, respectively, and a secondary water hole communicating with a mixed water delivery passage, by passing through the wall from the outer surface side;

enclosing the water hole communicating least with the hot water supply passage among said two primary water holes and the secondary water hole, using insulating members which each are partly arranged in the direction of intersection with the circumferential line of the inner housing; and

inserting said inner housing into the hollow outer housing having the openings communicating with the hot water supply passage, cold water supply passage and mixed water delivery passage, respectively, thereby forming fluid passages within the vacant space between the inner housing and the outer housing.

41. A method for forming fluid passages as claimed in claim 40, characterized int that the water holes are enclosed in the form of non-circles by the insulating members to form fluid passages.

42. A method for forming fluid passages as claimed in claim 40, characterized in that the water holes are enclosed by the insulating members having rectilinear portions extending substantially parallel to the axis of the inner housing, to thereby form fluid passages.

43. A method for assembling the hot and cold water mixing device by mounting the seal members on the seal-mounting parts of the inner housing and, thereafter, inserting the inner housing into the outer housing, characterized in that the seal members mounted on the seal-mounting parts are compressed and deformed so that their outer surfaces come to be flush with or smaller than the inner circumferential surface of the outer housing, and are frozen with their deformed condition, the inner housing with the seal members being frozen is inserted into the outer housing and, thereafter, the seal members are thawed.

45. A method for assembling the hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 43, characterized that the seal members are compressed and deformed by a fastening jig and are frozen by liquid nitrogen, and the fastening jig after the seal members are frozen is removed.

46. A method for assembling the hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 45, characterized in that the fastening jig comprises jig bodies which are divided into a plurality of pieces in the circumferential direction and which are tubular in form as a whole, and fastening members for fastening said jig bodies, and a coil-like sheet metal which is increased and decreased in diameter due to radial movement of said jig bodies is interposed between the jig bodies and the seal members.

44. A method for assembling the hot and cold water mixing device by mounting the seal members on the seal-mounting parts of the inner housing and, thereafter, inserting the inner housing into the outer housing, characterized in that the seal members mounted on the seal-mounting parts are compressed and deformed so that their outer surfaces come to be flush with or smaller than the height of the outer circumferential surface of the seal-mounting parts, and are frozen with their deformed condition, the inner housing with the seal members being frozen is inserted into the outer housing and, thereafter, the seal members are thawed.

53. A method for assembling the hot and cold water mixing device as claimed in claim 44, characterized in that the seal members are compressed and deformed by a fastening jig and are frozen by liquid nitrogen, and the fastening jig after the seal members are frozen is removed.

47. A method for sealing the water passages formed by defining the space between the outer housing and inner housing constituting the hot and cold water mixing device by insulating members provided so as to project on the outer surface of the inner housing, wherein after said inner housing is inserted into said outer housing, a liquid seal material is injected at a position of communicating with a concave groove provided on the holding part of the inner housing for mounting an insulating member, into said concave groove from an injection hole for a liquid seal material drilled through the tube wall of said outer housing, and the liquid seal material is set to thereby perform the seal of said water passages.