Multifunctional restrictive valve

• US 7,878,417 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2007
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AM Conservation Group Incorporated (AM Conservation Holding Corp.)
• Original Assignee: ShowerStart LLC
• Inventors: Doss, Jeff, Brown, Michael, Lockhart, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali; Mohammad M
• Application Number:
  US11/788,884
• Publication Number:
  US 20070194141A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,380 Days
• Field of Search: 236/93.A, 236/93.R, 236/99.K, 236/93.B, 137/457, 137/495, 137/508, 137/269
• US Class Current: 236/93.00A
• 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 1/0408 Water installations especially for showers E03C1/06 takes precedence; shower heads B05B1/18
• 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 2001/0418 having temperature indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/123 with stationary valve member and moving sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 3/24 with cylindrical valve members
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/002 actuated by temperature variation thermo-electric F16K31/025
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/022 the sensing element being placed within a regulating fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/40 Protecting water resources
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7737 Thermal responsive

Abstract

A multifunctional restrictive valve for controlling the flow of water therethrough. The valve has a main body with a flow channel through the main body. The main body receives water upstream thereof through an inlet port and passes it out through an outlet port at the downstream end of the body. A flow control assembly is located in the flow channel and includes a temperature sensor/actuator acting on a piston to move, when the temperature sensor heats up the piston, to block water flow control ports. The flow control assembly also includes an override feature wherein the piston is located within a slide and the flow control ports are located in the slide. By moving the slide away from the piston when the piston is blocking the flow control ports, the temperature sensor and piston may be overridden and flow may resume through the main body.

Claims

1. A valve for controlling the flow of water therethrough, the valve comprising:

a main body including a channel therethrough, the channel including channel walls, the main body configured to receive water at an inlet port and pass water through an outlet port; and

a flow control assembly in operative engagement with the main body, the flow control assembly including a temperature sensor and piston, adapted to substantially block and unblock the flow of water in the channel responsive to the temperature sensor, the flow control assembly further including an override assembly movable between a first position and a second position, the second position configured to enable the temperature sensor and piston to control the flow of water through the main body, the first position configured to override the temperature sensor and piston and allow water to flow, the override assembly further configured to be securely set in the first position.

2. The valve of claim 1, wherein the override assembly includes a handle configured to release the override assembly from the second position such that it responsively moves to the first position.

3. The valve of claim 1, wherein the override assembly is configured to automatically move from the second position to the first position as a function of water pressure of flowing water therethrough.

4. The valve of claim 3, wherein the override assembly is configured to return from the first position to the second position responsive to a reduction in water pressure at the inlet port.

5. The valve of claim 1, wherein the override assembly includes a slide, movable with respect to the channel walls and with respect to the piston, the slide including slide ports therethrough, the slide ports configured to pass water between the inlet and the outlet ports, the temperature sensor adapted to move the piston to a slide port blocking position when the temperature sensor expands in response to the water temperature exceeding a predetermined temperature and the override assembly is in the second position.

6. The valve of claim 5, wherein the slide is adapted to move between the second position wherein the piston is configured to block the slide ports and the first position, wherein the piston is no longer capable of blocking the slide ports.

7. The valve of claim 6, wherein the slide includes a slide spring engaging the slide, the slide spring configured to urge the slide towards the inlet port, and the piston includes a piston spring engaging the piston and the channel walls configured to urge the piston against the temperature sensor.

8. The valve of claim 7, wherein the slide spring is adapted to allow the slide to move in response to a change in hydraulic pressure.

9. The valve of claim 1, wherein the override assembly is adapted to respond to hydraulic pressure at the inlet port, moving between the first and second positions responsive to changes thereof.

10. The valve of claim 1, the flow control assembly further including hydraulic dampening means for dampening the movement of the piston.

11. The valve of claim 10, wherein the hydraulic dampening means include walls defining a channel in the piston configured to allow a trickle of water to flow.

12. The valve of claim 5, wherein the slide and the main body includes at least two O-rings engaged therewith.

13. A water flow control system comprising:

a main body including a channel therethrough, the channel including channel walls, the main body configured to receiv water at an inlet port and pass water through an outlet port; and

flow control assembly coupled to the main body, the flow control assembly including a temperature sensor and piston configured to substantially block and unblock the flow of water in the channel responsive to the temperature sensor, the flow control assembly further including an override assembly movable between a first position and a second position, the second position configured to enable the temperature sensor and piston to control the flow of water through the main body, the first position configured to bypass the temperature sensor and piston and allow water to flow;

a temperature mixing valve assembly configured to mix water from hot and cold water conduits; and

a housing enclosing the main body, the flow control assembly and the mixing valve.

14. The water flow control system of claim 13, wherein the override assembly is configured to be securely set in the first position.

15. The water flow control system of claim 13, further including a wall member configured to substantially isolate the hot and cold water conduits and the temperature mixing valve assembly from the user.

16. The water flow control system of claim 13, wherein the temperature mixing valve assembly further includes at least one handle.

17. The water flow control system of claim 13, further including a diverter valve for diverting water downstream from the flow control assembly to at least a first or second location.

18. The water flow control system of claim 17, wherein the first location includes a shower head and the second location includes a tub faucet.

19. The water flow control system of claim 13, further including a showerhead.

20. The water flow control system of claim 19, wherein the main body and the flow control assembly are substantially enclosed within the showerhead.

21. The water flow control system of claim 19, wherein the main body and the flow control assembly are located between the temperature mixing valve assembly and the showerhead.

22. A flow control system comprising:

a valve comprising;

a body with at least an inlet port and an outlet port, the body including walls defining a channel therein, the channel between the inlet and outlet ports;

a temperature sensor engaged with the body;

a slide with ports therein and a slide spring , the slide spring engaged with the body, the slide adapted to move with respect to the body between a second position and a first position;

a piston, including a piston spring, the piston engaged with the slide and the piston spring engaged with the body, the piston further engaged with the temperature sensor and configured to respond to the temperature sensor so as to block the flow of water through the ports of the slide when the slide is in the second position; and

a resettable slide control assembly capable of unlockably setting the slide in the second position, wherein the first position of the slide allows water to flow through the body regardless of the temperature of the water.

23. A flow control system comprising:

a main body;

a temperature flow control means including means responsive to temperature and configured to control the flow of water through the main body;

override means movable between a first position and a second position and configured to override the means responsive to temperature when in a first position; and

means to releasably lock the override means in the second position.

24. The flow control system of claim 23, wherein the override means is responsive to water pressure in the body when in an unlocked position.

25. A valve comprising:

a main body having an inlet port defining an upstream opening and an outlet port defining a downstream opening;

a temperature sensor; and

a flow control assembly including walls defining a flow control port configured to variably restrict water flow between the inlet port and the outlet port, wherein the temperature sensor is configured upstream of the flow control assembly.

26. A valve comprising:

a main body having walls and an inlet opening and an outlet opening;

a flow control assembly including a temperature sensor coupled to the main body, a piston, and walls defining a flow control port, the flow control port configured to control water flow between the inlet opening and the outlet opening;

wherein the temperature sensor is located substantially upstream of the piston and is engaged with the piston to move the piston, upon increasing temperature of the temperature sensor moves the piston, in the direction of the flow of water.

27. The valve of claim 26, wherein the flow control assembly includes a spring configured to engage the main body and the piston to urge the piston against the temperature sensor.

28. A valve comprising:

a main body having an inlet opening and an outlet opening; and

a flow control assembly including a flow control port and a temperature sensor configured to control the flow of the water from the inlet opening to the outlet opening the flow control assembly configured to substantially block the flow of water through the flow control port when the water temperature is greater than a predetermined temperature, the flow control assembly including a secondary channel configured to allow a trickle of water to flow from the inlet opening to the outlet opening when the flow control port is substantially blocked.

29. A flow control system comprising:

a main body having an inlet opening and an outlet opening and walls defining a channel therethrough;

a flow control assembly in operative engagement with the main body, the flow control assembly including a temperature sensor and piston assembly, the temperature sensor and piston assembly including a temperature sensor and a piston, the temperature sensor engaged with the channel walls of the main body, the temperature sensor and piston assembly adapted to substantially block and unblock the flow of water in the channel responsive to the temperature sensor, the flow control assembly further including a slide moveable with respect to the channel walls and with respect to the piston, the slide including slide ports therethrough, the slide port for passing water between the inlet port and the outlet port, the temperature sensor and piston assembly adapted to move the piston to a slide port blocking position when the temperature sensor expands in response to the water exceeding the predetermined temperature, the flow control assembly further including a plurality of O-rings for engaging a portion of the slide and a portion of the walls of the channel of the main body to help maintain those portions substantially free of scale.