Flow and temperature separation control valve

• US 7,174,916 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2004
• Issued: 02/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Globe Union Industrial Corporation
• Original Assignee: Globe Union Industrial Corporation
• Inventors: Chang, Weichi
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, KEVIN L
• Application Number:
  US10/926,025
• Publication Number:
  US 20060042705A1
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 137/637.3, 137/637.5, 137/636.2, 137/625.41, 137/801
• US Class Current: 137/637.3
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/0743 with both the supply and the discharge passages being on one side of the closure plates
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/18 with separate operating movements for separate closure members
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 27/045 with pivotal obturating members
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86823 Rotary valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87129 Rotary

Abstract

A flow and temperature separation control valve includes a valve housing for connecting to a water faucet, a temperature control module received in the valve housing for controlling the temperature of the outputted water flow, and a flow control module received in the valve housing for controlling the outputted flow. The valve housing includes an upper housing and a lower housing. The temperature control module includes a rotation shaft having a straight post non-interferentially extending from the upper portion of the upper housing, a water division seat mounted on the lower housing. The water division seat connects the lower housing and the upper housing together. The flow control module includes a rotation cover covering the upper portion of the upper housing, a flow control plate pivotally disposed betwee the water division seat and the lower housing. Thereby separately controlling water temperature and water flow for convenient use.

Claims

1. A flow and temperature separation control valve, comprising:

a valve housing for connecting to a water faucet, comprising an upper housing and a lower housing;

a temperature control module received in the valve housing for controlling the temperature of the outputted water flow, comprising;

a rotation shaft having a straight post non-interferentially extending from the upper portion of the upper housing;

an upper ceramic plate mounted on the bottom of the rotation shaft and rotatable with the rotation shaft;

a lower ceramic plate disposed below the upper ceramic plate and closely jointing to the upper ceramic plate; and

a water division seat mounted on the lower housing, the water division seat connecting the lower housing and the upper housing together, the water division seat supporting the lower ceramic plate thereon; and

a flow control module received in the valve housing for controlling the outputted flow, comprising;

a rotation cover covering the upper portion of the upper housing, a through hole being defined in the center of the rotation cover for non-interferential extension of the straight post of the rotation shaft;

a driven member received in the upper housing, the driven member receiving the rotation shaft, the upper ceramic plate, the lower ceramic plate and the water division seat therein and being rotatable with the rotation cover; and

a flow control plate pivotally disposed between the water division seat and the lower housing, the driven member being drivable to rotate the flow control plate.

2. The flow and temperature separation control valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the valve housing comprises:

the lower housing with a hot water inlet, a cold water inlet and a mixed water outlet being defined therein, a pivot shaft extending from the center portion of the lower housing, two symmetrical upper tabs upwardly extending from the upper periphery of the lower housing, an engaging hole being defined in each of the upper tabs; and

the upper housing generally close at the upper portion thereof, hollow at the middle portion thereof and open at the lower poriton thereof, a shaft through hole being defined in the center of the upper portion of the upper housing for non-interferential extension of the straight post of the rotation shaft, two symmetrical arcuate rotation guidance grooves being defined in the upper periphery of the upper housing, two receiving cutouts being defined in the lower periphery of the upper housing for respectively providing access to the upper tabs of the lower housing, two symmetrical lower tabs downwardly extending from the lower periphery of the upper housing, an engaging hole being defined in each of the lower tabs.

3. The flow and temperature separation control valve as claimed in claim 2, wherein two symmetrical driving plates downwardly extend from the lower periphery of the rotation cover for respectively extending into the rotation guidance grooves of the upper housing.

4. The flow and temperature separation control valve as claimed in claim 3, wherein two symmetrical position restriction plates upwardly extend from the upper periphery of the driven member, a mating cutout is defined in each of the position restriction plates for insertion of the driving plate of the rotation cover, and a driven plate downwardly extends from the lower periphery of the driven member.

5. The flow and temperature separation control valve as claimed in claim 4, wherein a pivot shaft hole is defined in the center of the flow control plate for extension of the pivot shaft of the lower housing, a mating cutout is defined in the periphery of the flow control plate for receiving the driven plate of the driven member, and a hot water through hole, a cold water through hole, and a mixed water through hole are respectively defined in the flow control plate.

6. The flow and temperature separation control valve as claimed in claim 5, wherein an arcuate receiving groove is defined in the water division seat adjacent to the periphery thereof for rotatably receiving the driven plate of the driven member, and a plurality of engaging protrusions extends from the peripheral surface of the water division seat for respectively engaging with the upper tabs of the lower housing and the lower tabs of the upper housing.

7. The flow and temperature separation control valve as claimed in claim 6, wherein a leakproof gasket is disposed between the lower ceramic plate and the water division seat, and three through holes are defined in the leakproof gasket.

8. The flow and temperature separation control valve as claimed in claim 7, wherein a leakproof gasket is disposed between the water division seat and the flow control plate, and three through holes are defined in the leakproof gasket.

9. The flow and temperature separation control valve as claimed in claim 8, wherein a leakproof gasket is disposed between the flow control plate and the lower housing, and three through holes are defined in the leakproof gasket.

10. The flow and temperature separation control valve as claimed in claim 9, wherein a leakproof gasket is disposed at the lower portion of the lower housing, and three through holes are defined in the leakproof gasket.

11. The flow and temperature separation control valve as claimed in claim 10, wherein each leakproof gasket is made of plastic.

12. The flow and temperature separation control valve as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cross section of the straight post of the rotation shaft is square, triangular or the like.

13. The flow and temperature separation control valve as claimed in claim 11, wherein an engaging recess is defined in the upper portion of the upper housing, a strengthening block is received in the engaging recess, and a through hole is defined in the center of the strengthening block for non-interferential extension of the straight post of the rotation shaft.

14. The flow and temperature separation control valve as claimed in claim 13, wherein the strengthening block is made of metal.

15. The flow and temperature separation control valve as claimed in claim 14, wherein a fan-shaped protruding restriction block extends from the upper portion of the upper housing, and a temperature restriction unit is connected to the straight post of the rotation shaft and is rotatable with the rotation shaft.

16. The flow and temperature separation control valve as claimed in claim 15, wherein the temperature restriction unit comprises a right restriction block and a left restriction block, wherein

a tube receiving hole is defined in the center of the right restriction block, a wing-shaped right block outwardly and downwardly extends from the periphery of the right restriction block for abutting against the restriction block of the upper housing when rotating, a plurality of successional aligning teeth is formed at the inner side surface of the right block and at the peripheral surface of the right restriction block;

the left restriction block has a tube projecting from the center thereof for extending into the tube receiving hole of the right restriction block, a shaft receiving hole is defined along an axis of the left restriction block and has a cross section consistent to that of the straight post of the rotation shaft for extension of the straight post of the rotation shaft thereby rotating with the rotation shaft, a wing-shaped left block outwardly and upwardly extends from the periphry of the left restriction block for abutting against the restriction block of the upper housing when rotating, a plurality of successional engaging teeth is formed at the inner side surface of the left block and at the peripheral surface of the left restriction block for mating with the aligning teeth of the right restriction block and the right block.

17. The flow and temperature separation control valve as claimed in claim 15, wherein the temperature restriction unit comprises a right restriction block and a left restriction block, wherein

a plurality of successional aligning teeth is formed at the right restriction block, a wing-shaped right block outwardly and downwardly extends from the periphery of the right restriction block for abutting against the restriction block of the upper housing when rotating;

and

a plurality of successional engaging teeth is formed at the left restriction block for mating with the aligning teeth of the right restriction block, a shaft receiving hole is defined along an axis of the left restriction block and has a cross section consistent to that of the straight post of the rotation shaft for extension of the straight post of the rotation shaft thereby rotating with the rotation shaft, a wing-shaped left block outwardly and upwardly extends from the periphry of the left restriction block for abutting against the restriction block of the upper housing when rotating.