Valves and valve actuation – Electrically actuated valve – Having element dimensionally responsive to field
Patent
1991-08-23
1995-05-02
Tapolcai, William E.
Valves and valve actuation
Electrically actuated valve
Having element dimensionally responsive to field
25112911, F16K 3102
Patent
active
054112419
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a control valve for a faucet, in which the control member effects a circular or linear motion. The invention also relates to a new implementation of the so-called ultrasonic motor for the control of the valve of a faucet.
It is known to guide the valves of faucets and thermostats with electric motors and solenoids. Solenoids merely control the closing and opening action, whereas a motor enables to control the valve as desired and for instance also a mixing valve provided with a thermostat or without it.
For this purpose direct-current motors have been used, having a relatively large range of control and also providing an easy reversal; a stepping motor can also be used. Prior known motor-driven valves have the drawback of the relatively high operating speed of the motor and a poor torsional moment; for this reason a gear reducer comprising several gearwheels has to be used inbetween. The relatively great size of the motor is of course a problem.
The purpose of the present invention is to eliminate these drawbacks and to provide a motor drive for the control valve of a faucet that reduces the size and need for a reducing gear and requires a relatively small space. In order to achive this, the control valve of the invention is characterized by the fact that the motion of the control member is generated by means of an ultrasonic motor.
A special application of an ultrasonic motor to the control of a valve has been previously disclosed by the U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,416. It describes the control of the damping degree of a shock damper by means of an ultrasonic motor. The actual control valve is not described in the specification, but the control member is affected by the motor shaft. Some principles for ultrasonic motors could appropriately be explained in this connection.
The most common type of ultrasonic motors comprises an annular oscillating metal stator, the oscillation of which is produced by successive piezoelectric elements attached to the surface of the ring, to which sine-wave voltages are alternately conducted, the voltages being in a 90.degree. phase displacement to each other. When another ring or plate is pressed against the oscillating ring, the oscillating ring brings the superposed plate or ring into a rotatory motion. By means of the voltage intensity the rate of the rotatory motion can be controlled, and by means of voltage phasing the rotating direction can be controlled. In most cases, a friction layer improving the adherence is interposed between the oscillating ring and the rotating plate. We refer to the patent application GB 2 120 462.
In a slightly altered version, the ring consisting of piezoelectric elements surrounds an inner metal ring, which forms the oscillating body and inside which an element intended to be rotated has been disposed. This has also been described in the GB patent application 2 120 462.
The oscillating body can also be shaped as a longitudinal straight body, producing a linear motion instead of the rotatory motion.
In a slightly different type, the piezoelectric elements have been pressed between two cylindrical (aluminium) pieces, a slotted piece having additionally been pressed against one of these. The slotted piece brings the counter-piece bearing against it with string force into a rotatory motion. We refer for instance to the EP patent application 86 102 249.9 ((publication nr. 198 183).
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the outlet shaft of the ultrasonic motor rotates the spindle of the controlling member over the tooth gear. Thus, e.g. the motor of an ultrasonic motor can be equipped with an inner tooth rim and one or more tooth wheels mounted rotatorily on bearings in the body of the control valve can be interposed between the said tooth rim and the dented spindle of the valve member.
For instance, by means of two identical motors, the cold and hot water control valve of a mixer can be adjusted over a common control unit. Thus, the control unit most appropriately receives its adjusting instructions from
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patent: 4556193 (1985-12-01), Yoshiga
patent: 4700885 (1987-10-01), Knebel
patent: 4741416 (1988-05-01), Tanigawa
patent: 4743791 (1988-05-01), Kawal
patent: 4750706 (1988-06-01), Schlagmuller
patent: 4793689 (1988-12-01), Aoyagi et al.
patent: 5726453 (1988-02-01), Obstfelder et al.
Nilsson Pekka W.
Saarisalo Risto A.
Oras OY
Tapolcai William E.
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