Cold/hot water balance valve with burn-proof functions

• US 9,016,302 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2011
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Paijo Co., Ltd., Ping-Jung Tung
• Original Assignee: Paijo Co., Ltd., Ping-Jung Tung
• Inventors: Tung, Ping-Jung
• Primary Examiner(s): MCCALISTER, WILLIAM M
• Application Number:
  US13/269,813
• Publication Number:
  US 20130087231A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,296 Days
• Field of Search: 137/98, 137/99, 137/100, 137/625.17, 137/625.41, 137/625.46, 137/625.48, 137/625.49, 137/625.5
• US Class Current: 137/100
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/048 with valve seats positioned between movable valve members
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/0716 with fluid passages through the valve member F16K11/0704, F16K11/0708, F16K11/0712 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2521 Flow comparison or differential response
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86879 Reciprocating valve unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87684 Valve in each inlet

Abstract

A cold/hot water balance valve prevents burning or scalding of the users. The valve is accommodated in the holding space preset into a dual-temperature ceramic valve. The balance valve mainly includes a hot water stop flange, protruded from a first lateral end wall, and meshed with a first end of a moveable spool to block a hot water stream when the first end shifts towards the first lateral end wall. A minimum cold water retaining portion is protruded from the second lateral end wall. When the second end of the moveable spool shifts towards the second lateral end wall, the minimum cold water retaining portion will be abutted onto the second end of the moveable spool, such that a minimum flow gap is reserved between the second end and the second lateral end wall, allowing for constant flow of water stream through the cold water slot of the moveable spool.

Claims

1. A burning-proof cold/hot water balance valve apparatus comprising:

a dual-temperature ceramic valve having a cold water inlet and a hot water inlet arranged in spaced relation at a bottom thereof, said holding space having a cold water outlet and a hot water outlet in spaced relation at a top thereof, said holding space having a first lateral end wall and a second lateral end wall at opposite ends thereof;

a fixed valve pipe having a transverse hollow pipe, said fixed valve pipe having a first port opposite said first lateral end wall and a second port opposite said second lateral end wall, said fixed valve pipe having a cold water opening connected to said cold water inlet and a hot water opening connected to said hot water inlet, said first port connected to said hot water outlet, said second port connected to said cold water outlet;

a movable spool transversely assembled into said fixed valve pipe and transversely movable therein, said movable spool having a first end and a second end, said first end recessed so as to form a hot water slot, said second end recessed so as to form a cold water slot, said hot water slot separated by a partition from said cold water slot, said hot water slot having a hot water punch hole connected to said hot water opening of said fixed valve pipe, said cold water slot having a cold water punch hole connected to said cold water opening of said fixed valve pipe;

a hot water stop flange protruding from said first lateral end wall of said holding space, said hot water stop flange meshed with said first end of said movable spool so as to block a stream of hot water when said first end of said movable spool shifts toward said first lateral end wall; and

a cold water retaining portion protruding from said second lateral end wall of said holding space, said cold water retaining portion abutting said second end of said movable spool when said second end of said movable spool shifts toward said second lateral end wall such that a minimal flow gap is formed between said second end of said movable spool and said second lateral end wall so as to allow a constant flow of the stream of water through said cold water slot of said movable spool, said ceramic valve being switchable to a full hot water mode such that said movable spool and said hot water stop flange cooperate so as to block the stream of hot water in order to prevent scalding, said ceramic valve switchable to a full cold water mode so as to enable a continuous flow of cold water.

2. The water valve apparatus of claim 1, said ceramic valve having a pedestal at a bottom thereof, said pedestal having an inlet pipe groove formed at a bottom thereof, said inlet pipe groove receiving and positioning a combined inlet pipe assembly, said combined inlet pipe assembly having a cold water pipe and a hot water pipe, said pedestal having a pair of protruding footstands positioned laterally at a bottom thereof, each of said cold water pipe and said hot water pipe having a lower nozzle that is mated with respective upper nozzles of said inlet pipe groove and an open abutting side, said hot water pipe and said cold water pipe having sides defining a portion of said holding space.

3. The water valve apparatus of claim 2, said inlet pipe groove being shaped by a convex ringed frame, said convex ringed frame having an embedded groove formed partially thereon, the upper nozzles having an embedded flange set laterally thereon.

4. The water valve apparatus of claim 1, said hot water stop flange being a protruding ringed body.

5. The water valve apparatus of claim 1, said cold water retaining port having at least one bulge positioned on said second lateral end wall of said holding space.