Mixing valve

• US 9,822,513 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• 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): Sanchez-Medina, Reinaldo
• Application Number:
  US13/841,086
• Publication Number:
  US 20130340869A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,712 Days
• Field of Search: 137605, 137606, 13762528, 13762533, 13762534
• 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 mixing valve includes a mixing chamber, a first flow control valve having a first flow control opening, and a second flow control valve having a second flow control opening. The first and second flow control openings each have a diameter of approximately six millimeters and the mixing valve has a flow coefficient of approximately 2.5 when both flow control valves are in a mid-open position.

Claims

1. A mixing valve comprising:

a mixing chamber;

a first flow control valve having a first flow control opening; and

a second flow control valve having a second flow control opening;

wherein the first and second flow control openings each have a diameter of approximately six millimeters and the mixing valve has a flow coefficient of approximately 2.5 when both flow control valves are in a mid-open position.

2. The mixing valve of claim 1, wherein the mixing valve has a flow rate of approximately 25 liters per minute at 1 bar when both flow control valves are in the mid-open position.

3. The mixing valve of claim 1, wherein the mixing valve has a housing with a length dimension, a width dimension, and a thickness dimension, and wherein the largest of these dimensions is no more than approximately 65 millimeters.

4. The mixing valve of claim 1, wherein each flow control valve comprises 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.

5. The mixing valve of claim 1, wherein each flow control valve is substantially force balanced with respect to the force of fluid flowing through the flow control valve.

6. The mixing valve of claim 1, wherein each flow control valve comprises a valve member assembly including two valve members spaced apart by a spool that is controlled by a linear actuator, wherein each valve member is configured to engage a separate valve seat in a closed position for the associated flow control valve.

7. The mixing valve of claim 6, wherein each flow control valve comprises two openings into the mixing chamber and each valve member is associated with one of the two openings into the mixer chamber.

8. The mixing valve of claim 6, wherein one opening of the first flow control valve is located between the two valve members of the first flow control valve when in the mid-open position.

9. The mixing valve of claim 8, wherein the first of the two valve members of the first flow control valve is configured to be urged closed by fluid entering the first flow control opening and the second of the two valve members of the first flow control valve is configured to be urged open by the fluid entering the first valve flow control opening.

10. The mixing valve of claim 1, wherein the mixing valve has a housing made of a metallic material.

11. The mixing valve of claim 1, wherein the mixing valve has a size that allows it to be located within a spout of a faucet.

12. A mixing valve comprising:

a mixing chamber;

a first flow control valve having a first flow control opening; and

a second flow control valve having a second flow control opening;

wherein the first and second flow control openings each have a diameter of approximately six millimeters and the mixing valve has a flow rate of up to approximately 25 liters per minute at approximately 1 bar when both flow control valves are in a mid-open position.

13. The mixing valve of claim 12, wherein the mixing valve has a flow coefficient of up to approximately 2.5 when both flow control valves are in the mid-open position.

14. The mixing valve of claim 12, wherein the mixing valve has a housing with a length dimension, a width dimension, and a thickness dimension, and wherein the largest of these dimensions is no more than approximately 65 millimeters.

15. The mixing valve of claim 12, wherein each flow control valve comprises 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.

16. The mixing valve of claim 12, wherein each flow control valve is substantially force balanced with respect to the force of fluid flowing through the flow control valves.

17. The mixing valve of claim 12, wherein each of the flow control valve comprises a valve member assembly including two valve members spaced apart by a spool that is controlled by a linear actuator, wherein each of the two valve members are configured to engage a separate valve seat in a closed position for the associated flow control valve.

18. The mixing valve of claim 16, wherein each flow control valve comprises two openings into the mixing chamber and the two valve members of the valve member assemblies are each associated with one of the two openings into the mixer chamber.

19. The mixing valve of claim 16, wherein one opening of the flow control valve is located between the two valve members of the first flow control valve when in the mid-open position.

20. The mixing valve of claim 18, wherein the first of the two valve members of the first flow control valve is configured to be urged closed by fluid entering the first flow control opening and the second of the two valve members of the first flow control valve is configured to be urged open by the fluid entering the first valve flow control opening.

21. The mixing valve of claim 12, wherein the mixing valve has a housing made of a metallic material.