Method of controlling mixing valve

• US 9,366,015 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kohler MIRA Limited (Kohler Company)
• Original Assignee: Kohler MIRA Limited (Kohler Company)
• Inventors: Peel, Kevin T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fristoe, Jr., John K
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sanchez-Medina, Reinaldo
• Application Number:
  US13/835,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20130340835A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,187 Days
• Field of Search: 137/605, 137/606, 137/625.28, 137/625.33, 137/625.34
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/18 Roses; Shower heads with means for adding soap or the like E03C1/046; jet regulators E03C1/08
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/24 incorporating means for heating the liquid or other fluent material, e.g. electrically
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 1/24 Applying particulate materials
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/006 Arrangements or methods for cleaning or refurbishing water conduits
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/074 Arrangement of water treatment devices
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/075 Arrangement of devices for control of pressure or flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/078 Combined units with different devices; Arrangement of different devices with respect to each other
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/02 Plumbing installations for fresh water
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/04 Water-basin installations specially adapted to wash-basins or baths valves, faucets, mixing valves, taps F16K
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/0404 Constructional or functional features of the spout
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/0409 Shower handles
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/044 having a heating or cooling apparatus in the supply line water heaters, e.g. with continuous flow, F24H
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/055 Electrical control devices, e.g. with push buttons, control panels or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/44 Details of seats or valve members of double-seat valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/22 with an actuating member for each valve, e.g. interconnected to form multiple-way valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/24 with an electromagnetically-operated valve, e.g. for washing machines
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 19/00 Arrangements of valves and flow lines specially adapted for mixing fluids multiple-way valves F16K11/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 19/006 Specially adapted for faucets
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 27/0263 multiple way valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/04 using a motor
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 49/002 : Electric heating means
• CPC Class Codes: F17D 1/00 : Pipe-line systems conveying articles or materials through a pipe- line by means of a fluid carrier B65G51/00, B65G53/00; liquids B67D; special devices for transferring liquids from bulk storage containers into vehicles or boats or vice versa, e.g. loading or unloading vehicles or portable containers B67D7/00; conveying material which has been excavated by a dredger or soil shifter through a pipe-line E02F7/10; sewer pipe-line systems E03F3/00; thermal insulation of pipe-lines F16L59/00; central heating systems F24D
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 11/13 : characterised by the use of electric means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 11/16 : Controlling mixing ratio of fluids having different temperatures, e.g. by sensing the temperature of a mixture of fluids having different viscosities
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1393 : characterised by the use of electric means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1858 : by varying the mixing ratio of fluids having different temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/19 : characterised by the use of electric means G05D23/1393 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 : using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0617 : specially adapted for fluid materials
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/99 : dummy group
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 : Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0329 : Mixing of plural fluids of diverse characteristics or conditions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0391 : Affecting flow by the addition of material or energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0424 : Liquid cleaning or flushing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6606 : With electric heating element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7759 : Responsive to change in rate of fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8376 : Combined
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8593 : Systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86389 : Programmer or timer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87668 : Single actuator operates plural flow control means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87684 : Valve in each inlet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87692 : With common valve operator

Abstract

A method of controlling at least one of the flow rate or temperature of outlet water from a mixing valve having a first control valve configured to receive water at a first temperature and a second control valve configured to receive water at a second temperature higher than the first temperature includes moving at least one of the first or second flow control valves to output a flow of water from the mixing valve having at least one of a desired flow rate or temperature, wherein the force required to actuate the flow control valves is substantially independent of water flow.

Claims

1. A method of controlling at least one of the flow rate or temperature of outlet water from a mixing valve having a housing, a first control valve configured to control the flow of water at a first temperature from a first inlet of the housing to a mixing chamber, and a second control valve configured to control the flow of water at a second temperature higher than the first temperature from a second inlet of the housing to the mixing chamber, the method comprising:

moving at least one of the first or second flow control valves to output a flow of water from the mixing valve having at least one of a desired flow rate or temperature, wherein each of the first and second control valves can be moved independently of the other flow control valve, and wherein a force required to actuate the flow control valves when in an open position is substantially independent of water flow.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second flow control valves each include a valve member assembly configured such that, when in use, fluid flowing through the valve exerts substantially no net force on the valve member assembly.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second flow control valves each include a valve inlet chamber to receive water through the associated inlet of the housing and having first and second outlets opening to the mixing chamber.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first and second outlets are arranged at opposite ends of the inlet chamber and are axially aligned and provide first and second valve seats for co-operating with first and second valve members connected to a common spool coupled to an actuator for adjusting the first and second valve members relative to the first and second valve seats for controlling flow of water from the inlet chamber to the mixing chamber.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein, in use, fluid flowing through each flow control valve exerts a force on each valve member wherein the force on the first valve member is substantially equal to and in the opposite direction to the force exerted on the second valve member.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the actuator is a stepper motor that is provided within a body of a faucet or a shower head.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the flow of water output from the mixing valve is supplied to an outlet of a water delivery device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the water delivery device is a shower head.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the water delivery device is a faucet.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the faucet is selected from a bath tap, a sink tap and a basin tap.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the mixing valve is located in a spout of a faucet or in a body of a shower head.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of moving at least one of the first or second flow control valves comprises moving both of the first and second control valves to change the temperature of the output water independent of flow rate.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of moving at least one of the first or second flow control valves comprises moving one of the first and second control valves to change the temperature of the output water and the flow rate.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of moving at least one of the first or second flow control valves comprises moving both of the first and second control valves to change the flow rate of the output water independent of temperature.

15. A method of controlling at least one of a flow rate or a temperature of outlet water from a mixer valve, the method comprising:

providing a housing of the mixer valve comprising a cold water inlet, a hot water inlet, and a mixing chamber having a water outlet, wherein the housing fluidly connects each of the cold water inlet and the hot water inlet with the mixing chamber through a first valve outlet and a second valve outlet;

providing a first flow control valve in the housing for controlling flow of cold water from the cold water inlet to the mixing chamber through the associated first valve outlet and the second valve outlet and a second flow control valve in the housing for controlling flow of hot water from the hot water inlet to the mixing chamber through the associated first valve outlet and the second valve outlet, wherein each of the first flow control valve and the second flow control valve comprises a first valve member, which is configured to seat against the associated first valve outlet when the flow control valve is in a closed position, and a second valve member, which is configured to seat against the associated second valve outlet when the flow control valve is in the closed position; and

controlling each of the first flow control valve and the second flow control valve independently using a first stepper motor associated with the first flow control valve and a second stepper motor associated with the second flow control valve to output a flow of cold water or hot water or a blend of the cold and hot water having a desired flow rate and temperature.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

measuring the flow rate of water leaving the water outlet using a sensor located in the housing;

sending a signal indicative of the flow rate of water leaving the water outlet from the sensor to a controller;

using the controller to compare the measured flow rate with an input flow rate set by a user using a user interface; and

when the measured flow rate is different than the input flow rate, controlling at least one of the first flow control valve and the second flow control valve using at least one of the first stepper motor and the second stepper motor to adjust the flow rate of water leaving the water outlet toward the input flow rate.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the controller is coupled directly to the housing.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the first valve member and the second valve member of each flow control valve are connected to a common spool, each spool includes a connector portion that is coupled directly to the associated stepper motor for simultaneously adjusting the associated first valve member and the associated second valve member relative to the associated first valve seat and the associated second valve seat, respectively, for controlling flow of water from the associated water inlet to the mixing chamber.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein a portion of each stepper motor is coupled directly to the housing.