Fluid handling – Systems – Multi-way valve unit
Patent
1997-07-11
1998-09-29
Fox, John
Fluid handling
Systems
Multi-way valve unit
13762516, F16K 2708
Patent
active
058134352
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending United States Application PCT/US92/10739 filed on Dec. 11, 1992 entitled A Mixer Valve Having A Ball Valve Element Housed In A Cartridge.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The field of this invention relates to a faucet mixing valve and more particularly to a mixing valve ball valve cartridge.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
Single handle faucets, commonly referred to as mixing valves, that control the flow of both hot and cold water have seen vast consumer acceptance. The faucets are commonly constructed such that a handle or knob is movable in two distinct directions to adjust the mix of hot and cold water and to adjust the volume rate, i.e. flow.
The two basic types of mixer valves that have seen widest commercial acceptance are plate valves and ball valves. Ball valves offer a reliable compact construction that is durable. Plate valves offer a drive mechanism that can be easily packaged into a cartridge form.
Known plate valve cartridges have housed the movable and fixed valve plates. The cartridge can easily be removed and replaced with another in order to effect an easy repair to the faucet. After the water supply is turned off, the faucet is merely opened and the cartridge is easily replaced. This type of repair can be accomplished without the need to call in skilled labor.
While plate valves have long been incorporated into a cartridge format, ball valves have not previously been amenable to a cartridge construction. The difficulties in the development of a commercially successful cartridge for a ball valve are several fold. Firstly, the floating nature of the traditional ball valve demanded that any cartridge completely surround and capture the ball valve, otherwise the ball valve simply falls out of the bottom of the cartridge. Secondly, the compact nature of the ball valve construction in the faucet body leaves little room for the inclusion of a cartridge. The introduction of traditional cartridges that house and capture the ball into the faucet housing demands that the housing be made taller to incorporate the added height needed for the inclusion of the cartridge.
Furthermore, traditional cartridges inhibit repair to worn elastomeric seals. The cartridge houses both the moving valve element and the fixed valve ports which often include the elastomeric port seals. Most of the wear and resulting leakage in a faucet is the result of the repetitive motion of the moving valve element on the elastomeric port seals. Because the seals are encased in the cartridge, the entire cartridge is replaced including the replacement of many yet good cartridge components that still have long useful life. The desire to eliminate waste however is offset by the need to simplify the repair operation. Furthermore, many cartridges are permanently assembled and do not permit dismantling.
Even for cartridges that can be dismantled, the advantages of a cartridge is lost if the cartridge dismantled into all of its component parts. The movable valve element falls out and is often not replaced in its correct orientation. This mis-installation can easily occur for symmetrical plate valves and ball valves which are inherently symmetrical. It takes a knowledgeable and skilled person to avoid mounting certain ball valves in a cartridge in its incorrect orientation.
Recently, ball valves have been devised that allow the handle to be operated in the same fashion as the commercially accepted plate type mixer valve. Some of these ball type mixer valves require the introduction of another moving part in the form of a rotatable plate mounted above the ball valve element. One such ball valve is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,449,551 issued to Lorch on May 22, 1984.
Another ball construction which mimics the desirable handle motion of commercially popular plate valves is disclosed in my PCT publication WO 92/22765 published on Dec. 23, 1992 which incorporates a horizontal pin extending through the ball valve to position the ball in the housing. This construction virtually eliminates the floating o
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patent: 3417783 (1968-12-01), Manoogian et al.
patent: 4043359 (1977-08-01), Christo
patent: 4200123 (1980-04-01), Brandelli
patent: 4932433 (1990-06-01), Knapp
patent: 5469889 (1995-11-01), Tang
Fox John
Masco Corporation
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