U.S. patent application number 09/727523 was filed with the patent office on 2001-07-12 for fluid flow control device housed in a thermostatic faucet.
This patent application is currently assigned to Watts Eurotherm S.A.. Invention is credited to Bongrand, Laurent, Jelloul, Eddy, Regnier, Frederic.
Application Number | 20010007336 09/727523 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 9552845 |
Filed Date | 2001-07-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010007336 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Jelloul, Eddy ; et
al. |
July 12, 2001 |
Fluid flow control device housed in a thermostatic faucet
Abstract
The invention relates to a device for controlling the flow of a
fluid, housed in a thermostatic faucet comprising: housed in the
body of the faucet, a device (5) for controlling the outlet
temperature of the water, comprising a thermosensitive element (3)
and a device (11) for controlling the flow of the faucet, a control
knob (12) for the temperature control device and a control element
(13) for the flow control device. This control device is
characterized in that: the flow control device (11) is disposed
downstream from the mixing chamber and controls the flow cross
section of the so-called outlet located downstream from the mixing
chamber, and the control knob and element are located on the same
side of the body of the faucet that houses the control device, and
on the opposite side from the outlet.
Inventors: |
Jelloul, Eddy; (Abbeville,
FR) ; Regnier, Frederic; (Yzengremer, FR) ;
Bongrand, Laurent; (Verneuil Sur Igneraie, FR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MILES & STOCKBRIDGE
Suite 500
1751 Pinnacle Drive
McLean
VA
22102-3833
US
|
Assignee: |
Watts Eurotherm S.A.
|
Family ID: |
9552845 |
Appl. No.: |
09/727523 |
Filed: |
March 16, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
236/12.11 ;
236/12.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G05D 23/1346
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
236/12.11 ;
236/12.1 |
International
Class: |
G05D 023/13; G05D
023/185 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 3, 1999 |
FR |
99.15247 |
Claims
1. Device for controlling the flow of a fluid, housed in a
thermostatic faucet comprising: housed in the body (4) of the
faucet: a device (5) for controlling the outlet temperature of the
water, comprising a thermosensitive element (3) which, plunged into
a so-called mixing chamber (3), adjusts the temperature of the
mixed water by modifying the cross-sections (7, 8) of flow to the
mixing chamber (6) of the hot water issuing from a hot water inlet
(9) and the cold water issuing from a cold water inlet (10) and, a
device (11) for controlling the flow of the faucet, disposed
downstream from the mixing chamber, in order to adjust the flow
cross section of the so-called outlet (14) located downstream from
the mixing chamber, a control knob (12) for the temperature control
device and a control element (13) for the flow control device,
located on the same side of the body of the faucet that houses the
control device, and on the opposite side from the outlet (14), this
device being characterized in that the means (17) for transmitting
the rotation of the control element is coaxial to the
thermosensitive element and this means (17) is a rotationally
guided jacket (19) housing the thermosensitive element (3), this
jacket (19) being rotationally coupled with the control element of
the flow control device by a first coupling means (20), and
rotationally coupled with the flow control device (11) by a second
coupling means.
2. Control device according to claim 1, characterized in that: flow
control is obtained by means of two washers (15, 16) disposed one
on top of the other, each of which has at least one hole, and one
(15) of the washers (15, 16), called the fixed washer, is
rotationally immobilized, while the other washer (16), called the
moving washer, is rotationally guided and rotationally driven, at
least indirectly, by the control element (13) of the flow control
device.
3. Control device according to claim 1, characterized in that the
jacket (19) has lateral slots (22) that allow the water issuing
from the hot water and cold water inlets (9, 10) to enter the
mixing chamber (6) via the hot water and cold water passages, whose
cross-section depends on the thermosensitive element.
4. Control device according to claim 1, characterized in that the
flow control device and the temperature control device form a
cartridge.
5. Control device according to claim 2, characterized in that the
disk-shaped ceramic washers are mounted in a sleeve (27), which
sleeve, at least indirectly, has means (28) for detachably
connecting with the jacket (19) housing the temperature control
device.
6. Control device according to claim 5, characterized in that a pin
(29) passes through the wall of the sleeve (27) housing the ceramic
disks (15, 16), and one (29A) of the ends (29A, 29B) of this pin
penetrates into a cavity (30) of the ceramic disk, while the other
(29B) projects outward from the sleeve in order to cooperate with
the body of the faucet.
7. Control device according to claim 2, characterized in that the
link between the moving disk and the jacket is produced by an
intermediate ring (32) that is coupled with the jacket (19) and
with a sleeve (27).
8. Control device according to claim 1, characterized in that, for
the driving of the moving disk (16), which is located as close as
possible to the mixing chamber (6), the disk has, in its side (16A)
that faces the mixing chamber, a recess (16B) that receives a boss
(31) presented at least indirectly by the jacket (19), which drives
it in rotation.
9. A control device for controlling the flow of a fluid through a
thermostatic faucet having a body (4) with a cold fluid inlet (10)
and a hot fluid inlet (9) comprising: a temperature control device
(5) within the body (4) for controlling outlet temperature of the
fluid, said device (5) comprising a mixing chamber (3) and a
thermosensitive element (3) adapted to be plunged into the mixing
chamber (3) to adjust the temperature of mixed fluid by modifying
the cross-sections (7, 8) of flow to the mixing chamber (6) of hot
fluid issuing from the hot fluid inlet (9) and the cold fluid
issuing from a cold fluid inlet (10) and, a flow control device
(11) disposed downstream from the mixing chamber and adapted to
adjust the flow cross section of an outlet (14) downstream from the
mixing chamber for controlling the flow of the faucet, a control
knob (12) connected to the temperature control device and a control
element (13) connected to the flow control device and located on
the same side of the body of the faucet that houses the control
device, and on the opposite side from the outlet (14), a
rotationally guided jacket (17) coaxial to the thermosensitive
element for transmitting rotation of the control element (13), said
rotationally guided jacket (19) housing the thermosensitive element
(3), and first and second coupling means, said jacket (19) being
rotationally coupled with the control element of the flow control
device by a first coupling means (20), and rotationally coupled
with the flow control device (11) by a second coupling means.
10. A control device according to claim 9, further comprising: a
fixed washer (15) and a moveable washer (16) disposed within the
flow control device (11), one on top of the other, each of which
has at least one hole, and the fixed washer being rotationally
immobilized, while the moving washer (16), is rotationally guided
and rotationally driven, at least indirectly, by the control
element (13) of the flow control device so as to control flow.
11. A control device according to claim 9, characterized in that
the jacket (19) has lateral slots (22) that allow the fluid issuing
from the hot fluid and cold fluid inlets (9, 10) to enter the
mixing chamber (6) via hot fluid and cold fluid passages, whose
flow cross-section depends on the thermosensitive element (3).
12. A control device according to claim 9, characterized in that
the flow control device and the temperature control device form a
cartridge.
13. A control device according to claim 10, characterized in that
the washers are ceramic disks (15, 16) mounted in a sleeve (27),
said sleeve including, at least indirectly, means (28) for
detachably connecting the temperature control device with the
jacket (19) housing.
14. A control device according to claim 13, further comprising a
pin (29) extending through the sleeve (27), said sleeve (27)
housing the ceramic disks (15, 16), one first end (29A) of the pin
(29) penetrating into a cavity (30) of a ceramic disk, and a second
other end (29B) of the pin (29) projecting outward from the sleeve
so as to cooperate with the body (4) of the faucet.
15. A control device according to claim 10, characterized in that
an intermediate ring (32) coupled with the jacket (19) and with a
sleeve (27) provides a link between the moving washer and the
jacket.
16. A control device according to claim 9, characterized in that
the moving washer (16) has in a side (16A) that faces the mixing
chamber, a recess (16B) that receives a boss (31) presented at
least indirectly by the jacket (19), which rotatably drives the
washer of the moving washer (16) being located adjacent to the
mixing chamber (6).
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a device for controlling the flow
of a fluid, housed in a thermostatic faucet.
[0002] Particularly in shower stalls, the valve that controls the
flow of hot and cold water to the shower head or the faucet head
must handle not only the on-off function but also the mixing of the
hot water issuing from a hot water source with the cold water
issuing from a cold water source in order to obtain water mixed to
the temperature desired by the user.
[0003] There are exclusively mechanical control systems that
consist of adjusting the cross-sections of the hot water and cold
water passages.
[0004] These devices cannot correct the outlet temperature when the
flow rate and/or the temperature of one of the two hot water/cold
water conduits is accidentally modified.
[0005] There are other known devices in which the hot water/cold
water mixture is controlled by means of a temperature-sensitive
control element plunged into a so-called mixing chamber.
[0006] This control element automatically modifies the flow
cross-sections of the hot water and cold water inlets into the
mixing chamber by moving a piece that acts like a slide valve.
[0007] There are means that make it possible, by means of a control
knob, to set reference value.
[0008] Thus, if the temperature of the water in the mixing chamber
exceeds the threshold set by the reference value, the sensitive
element shuts off the flow cross-section of the hot water passage
in order to prevent burns.
[0009] A device of this type therefore controls the mixture of hot
and cold water by automatically modifying the flow cross-section of
the hot water and the cold water passages into the mixing chamber
located downstream.
[0010] It is essential, however, to be able to stop the flow of the
faucet when it is not in use.
[0011] It is therefore customary to house in the faucet both a
temperature-sensitive mixing device and a device for controlling
the opening and closing of the faucet.
[0012] There are known devices wherein the body of the faucet
houses a flow control device at one of its ends and an automatic
temperature control device at its other end, these two devices
being joined by a connecting conduit.
[0013] For purposes of control and/or adjustment, each of the
devices has a control element located on one side of the body of
the faucet for one of them, and on the other side for the
other.
[0014] This makes it necessary to position the body parallel to the
wall from which the hot water and cold water supply conduits
project.
[0015] The flow control device can be positioned upstream or
downstream from the temperature control device.
[0016] When the two conduits are combined, the opening/closing
control device is generally disposed upstream from the device for
controlling the mixture of the hot and cold water, in order to
insulate the thermosensitive element when the faucet is not in
use.
[0017] For example, the control device consists in a set of washers
pierced with holes that in the open position, positions one washer
relative to the other so that the holes of one washer line up with
the holes of the other washer.
[0018] As a general rule, the flow control device works in an
all-or-nothing way, meaning that it does not have any intermediate
position, and the principle of these faucets consists of completely
opening or closing the water inlets without the capability to
control the flow rate.
[0019] In some cases, especially for faucets installed in sinks
(EP-A-0.605.845 or EP-A-0.342.709), flow control may be provided,
but this requires being able to modify the flow cross-sections of
the hot water and cold water passages simultaneously, which
requires complex hole shapes.
[0020] This is the case with the device in the document
EP-1.022.634, wherein the set of disks is installed in such a way
that it controls both the inflow of hot and cold water and the
outflow of mixed water.
[0021] There is another known device (EP-0.566.433) wherein the
thermosensitive element drives of one of the three disks in
rotation, constituting a flow control means downstream from the
mixing chamber.
[0022] An installation of this type is not appropriate because the
mechanical stresses that are exerted on the thermosensitive element
modify the position of the slide valve that controls the
temperature.
[0023] The stresses are extremely undesirable because the amplitude
of displacement of the slide valve is on the order of one
millimeter, and even a slight modification interferes with the
adjustment of the temperature.
[0024] One of the objects of the invention is to obtain a device of
the aforementioned type that specifically eliminates the
aforementioned disadvantages.
[0025] The subject of the invention is a device for controlling the
flow of a fluid from a faucet comprising:
[0026] housed in the body of the faucet:
[0027] a device for controlling the outlet temperature of the
water, comprising a thermosensitive element which, plunged into a
so-called mixing chamber, adjusts the temperature of the mixed
water by modifying the cross-sections of flow to the mixing chamber
of the hot water issuing from a hot water inlet and the cold water
issuing from a cold water inlet, and
[0028] a device for controlling the flow of the faucet,
[0029] a control knob for the temperature control device and
[0030] a control element for the flow control device located on the
same side of the body of the faucet that houses the control device,
and on the opposite side from the outlet,
[0031] this device being characterized in that the means for
transmitting the rotation of the control element is coaxial to the
thermosensitive element and this means is a rotationally guided
jacket housing the thermosensitive element, this jacket being
rotationally coupled with the control element of the flow control
device by a first coupling means, and rotationally coupled with the
flow control device by a second coupling means.
[0032] The invention will be clearly understood with the help of
the following description given as a non-limiting example, in
reference to the attached drawing, which schematically
represents:
[0033] FIGS. 1 through 3: three partial longitudinal sections of a
control device,
[0034] FIG. 4: an exploded view of a part of the control
device.
[0035] Referring to the drawing, we see a device 1 for controlling
the flow of a fluid, housed in a thermostatic faucet 2.
[0036] This device specifically makes it possible to prevent burns
in case of a sudden drop in the cold water pressure and is
convenient to use because of the automatic adjustment of the outlet
temperature of the water.
[0037] Conventionally, such a faucet with a thermostatic control
element 3 comprises:
[0038] housed in the body 4 of the faucet:
[0039] a device 5 for controlling the outlet temperature of the
water, comprising a thermosensitive element 3 which, plunged into a
so-called mixing chamber 6, adjusts the temperature of the mixed
water by modifying the cross-sections 7, 8 of flow to the mixing
chamber 6 of the hot water issuing from a hot water inlet 9 and of
the cold water issuing from a cold water inlet 10, and
[0040] a device 11 for controlling the flow of the faucet,
[0041] a control knob 12 for the temperature control device and
[0042] a control element 13 for the flow control device.
[0043] The flow control device 11 is disposed downstream from the
mixing chamber and controls the flow cross-section of the so-called
outlet 14 located downstream from the mixing chamber.
[0044] Flow control is obtained by means of two washers 15, 16
disposed one on top of the other, each of which has at least one
hole.
[0045] One (15) of the washers 15, 16, called the fixed washer, is
rotationally immobilized, while the other washer (16), called the
moving washer, is rotationally guided and rotationally driven, at
least indirectly, by the control element 13 of the flow control
device.
[0046] These washers 15, 16 are preferably ceramic.
[0047] As may be seen in FIG. 4, each washer is pierced with two
holes, which essentially allow the outflow.
[0048] It is not equipped with a hole for introducing water into
the mixing chamber.
[0049] Advantageously, the control knob and element are located on
the same side of the body of the faucet that houses the control
device, on the opposite side from the outlet 14 so that the means
17, 18 for transmitting the rotation of the control knob and
element are coaxial.
[0050] They can also be coaxial to the sensitive element 3.
[0051] According to one characteristic of the invention, the
temperature control device is housed in a rotationally guided
jacket 19 inside the body of the faucet, and this jacket 19, which
is rotationally coupled with the control element of the flow
control device by a first coupling means 20 and rotationally
coupled with the moving washer 16 by a second coupling means 21, at
least partially constitutes the means 17 for transmitting the
rotation of the moving washer.
[0052] The flow control device is disposed immediately at the
outlet of the temperature control device, without a connecting
conduit, which allows for a reduction in the overall
dimensions.
[0053] This jacket 19 has two lateral slots 22 that allow the water
issuing from the hot water and cold water inlets 9, 10 to enter the
mixing chamber 6 via the hot water and cold water passages, whose
cross-sections depend on the thermosensitive element.
[0054] The slots extend along nearly the entire circumference.
[0055] Advantageously, nonreturn valves 23, 24 in the form of rings
with a substantially V-shaped cross-section prevent the return of
the fluid to the hot and cold water inlets.
[0056] Facing these slots are annular chambers 25, 26 delimited by
the outer surface of the jacket, the inner surface of the housing
of the faucet receiving the flow control device, and gaskets 100,
101, 102.
[0057] Advantageously, the disk-shaped ceramic washers are mounted
in a sleeve 27, which sleeve, at least indirectly, has means 28 for
detachably connecting with the jacket 19 housing the temperature
control device.
[0058] The rotational driving and/or rotational locking of one
piece relative to another piece is achieved, for example, by means
of cooperating shapes.
[0059] In the example shown, a pin 29 passes through the wall of
the sleeve 27 housing the ceramic disks 15, 16 and one (29A) of the
ends (29A, 29B) of this pin penetrates into a cavity 30 of the
ceramic disk, while the other (29B) projects outward from the
sleeve so as to cooperate with the body of the faucet, for example
a notch in the body, thus rotationally locking the fixed disk
inside the body of this faucet.
[0060] Quite clearly, the rotational locking of the fixed disk to
the sleeve, and that of the sleeve to the body of the faucet, can
be obtained with two separate pins, but the preceding solution is
advantageous.
[0061] For the driving of the moving disk 16, which is located as
close as possible to the mixing chamber 6, the disk has, for
example in its side 16A that faces the mixing chamber, a recess 16B
that receives a boss 31 presented at least indirectly by the jacket
19, which drives it in rotation.
[0062] Advantageously, the link between the moving disk and the
jacket is produced by an intermediate ring 32 that is coupled with
both the jacket 19 and the sleeve 27.
[0063] The temperature control device and the disks can therefore
be replaced without requiring the replacement of the entire
assembly.
[0064] Furthermore, the presence of the jacket makes it possible to
produce a cartridge, i.e. a pre-assembled piece comprising the
temperature control device and the flow control device disposed one
behind the other, which need only be slid into the body of the
faucet and is therefore easily replaceable.
[0065] The diameter of the intermediate ring and the sleeve are
quite clearly no larger than the diameter of the jacket.
[0066] Another advantage results from a possible enlargement of the
mixing chamber, which allows a much better mixture of the hot and
cold water because it prevents the formation of hot or cold
streams, and hence a better control of the temperature.
[0067] The hot water and cold water inlets are embodied by channels
that pass radially through the housing of the faucet.
[0068] In reality, many faucet manufacturers produce only the body
of the faucet, in which they install flow control devices and/or
temperature control devices that they purchase on the market.
[0069] They must therefore allow for the specific technical and
dimensional characteristics of the existing devices.
[0070] Thus, they use a cartridge that may be equipped with the
flow control device.
[0071] In order limit production costs, one need only provide for
the bodies of the faucets to have a bore that is long enough to
house both devices, even if only one device is installed in it.
[0072] FIG. 3 shows that the temperature control device 5 is placed
at the end of a bore, resting against a supporting surface 110.
[0073] The slide valve 5A controls the inflow of hot and cold
water.
[0074] Positioned in front of this temperature control device is
the ring 32 that locks the temperature control device, to which the
flow control device can be adapted.
[0075] The jacket 19 is extended on the other side of the part
housing the intermediate ring by a jacket 19A housing the stem for
controlling the temperature setting.
[0076] The flow control element is attached to this jacket.
[0077] The system is easy to produce.
* * * * *