Automatic temperature and humidity regulation – Mixing fluid of dissimilar temperature – Mixing valve with temperature motive means
Reexamination Certificate
2002-09-05
2004-01-13
Tapolcai, William E. (Department: 3744)
Automatic temperature and humidity regulation
Mixing fluid of dissimilar temperature
Mixing valve with temperature motive means
C004S676000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06676024
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to thermostatic valves, and more particularly to thermostatic valves that are electronically controlled.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Currently used thermostatic valves control inlet temperatures of streams that are eventually output through a faucet, showerhead, or other outlet device. The thermostatic valve may, for example, adjust the amount of hot and cold water flowing to an outlet stream to compensate for changes in the inlet stream pressure and/or temperature, ensuring that the outlet stream temperature remains steady. Known high flow capacity valves can maintain an equilibrium temperature if pressure and/or temperature changes (e.g., those caused by a toilet flushing) occur at the inlet when carrying flow amounts near the upper capacity of the valve. However, the same high flow capacity valves have trouble maintaining an equilibrium outlet temperature when carrying flow amounts below the valve's capacity, such as in applications using only one showerhead, when pressure and/or temperature changes occur at the inlet.
Further, some thermostatic valves designed for high flow (e.g., more than 10 gallons per minute) applications tend to be unstable if used in low flow applications (e.g., less than 2.5 gallons per minute), causing the output temperature to oscillate by as much as 10-15° F. if sudden pressure reductions occur. Currently available thermostatic valves are designed to operate either in high outlet flow or low outlet flow environments, but there are no known thermostatic valves that can operate in different flow environments without a decrease in performance.
There is a desire for a thermostatic valve system that can maintain an equilibrium temperature during sudden pressure changes and that can perform acceptably in both low flow and high flow applications.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a system having an electronically-controlled thermostatic valve. An electronic control module (ECM) is connected to a motor that controls a thermostatic valve. The ECM sends an electric signal corresponding to a desired outlet stream temperature to the motor, which turns the thermostatic valve to a location approximately corresponding to the desired temperature. A temperature sensor disposed in the outlet stream may send a feedback signal to the ECM so that the ECM can adjust the motor, and therefore the thermostatic valves, to reach the desired temperature exactly.
In one embodiment, the system also includes inlet motors that control valves on the inlet supplies. If the ECM detects that the outlet flow demands of the system are lower than the thermostatic valve's capacity, the ECM can lower the valve capacity by restricting the valves on the inlet supplies via the inlet motors. By controlling the inlet flow, the system can vary the thermostatic valve capacity according to outlet flow demands to ensure that the valve can maintain an equilibrium temperature in the outlet stream even if there are sudden pressure changes within the system.
Electronically controlling a mechanically-operated thermostatic valve and incorporating inlet restrictions creates a variable-capacity thermostatic valve that operates acceptably in both low flow and high flow environments. Further, using an ECM-controlled thermostatic valve instead of more complicated electronic controllers keeps the system design simple and easy to service.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3721386 (1973-03-01), Brick et al.
patent: 4458839 (1984-07-01), MacDonald
patent: 4528709 (1985-07-01), Getz et al.
patent: 4640457 (1987-02-01), MacDonald
patent: 4699172 (1987-10-01), MacDonald
patent: 4700885 (1987-10-01), Knebel
patent: 4711392 (1987-12-01), Kidouchi et al.
patent: 4738393 (1988-04-01), Bergmann et al.
patent: 4760953 (1988-08-01), Trubert
patent: 4767052 (1988-08-01), Kostorz et al.
patent: 4819867 (1989-04-01), Delpla et al.
patent: 4863097 (1989-09-01), Avelov
patent: 4875623 (1989-10-01), Garris
patent: 4901750 (1990-02-01), Nicklas et al.
patent: 4905732 (1990-03-01), Bright et al.
patent: 4915295 (1990-04-01), Pullen et al.
patent: 4976460 (1990-12-01), Newcombe et al.
patent: 4978059 (1990-12-01), Nicklas et al.
patent: 4981156 (1991-01-01), Nicklas et al.
patent: 5050062 (1991-09-01), Hass
patent: 5067513 (1991-11-01), Nicklas et al.
patent: 5102039 (1992-04-01), Yothers
patent: 5110045 (1992-05-01), Glasson et al.
patent: 5129576 (1992-07-01), Pullen et al.
patent: 5148976 (1992-09-01), Reid
patent: 5161737 (1992-11-01), Olmsted et al.
patent: 5205483 (1993-04-01), Kostorz
patent: 5230465 (1993-07-01), Kostorz et al.
patent: 5242108 (1993-09-01), Heimann et al.
patent: 5251811 (1993-10-01), Frankholz
patent: 5320137 (1994-06-01), Huang
patent: 5323960 (1994-06-01), Kline
patent: 5340018 (1994-08-01), MacDonald
patent: 5341987 (1994-08-01), Ackroyd
patent: 5344067 (1994-09-01), Axelsson et al.
patent: 5350112 (1994-09-01), Stein
patent: 5356074 (1994-10-01), Limet et al.
patent: 5370305 (1994-12-01), Schneider
patent: 5375624 (1994-12-01), Knapp
patent: 5379936 (1995-01-01), Kline
patent: 5400961 (1995-03-01), Tsutsui et al.
patent: 5425394 (1995-06-01), Clare
patent: 5427312 (1995-06-01), Simonov et al.
patent: 5433378 (1995-07-01), Orlandi
patent: 5452740 (1995-09-01), Bowman
patent: 5467799 (1995-11-01), Buccicone et al.
patent: 5505225 (1996-04-01), Niakan
patent: 5511723 (1996-04-01), Toshio et al.
patent: 5524666 (1996-06-01), Linn
patent: 5535943 (1996-07-01), Kahle et al.
patent: 5546983 (1996-08-01), Clare
patent: 5647531 (1997-07-01), Kline et al.
patent: 5709339 (1998-01-01), Bergmann
patent: 5779139 (1998-07-01), Ueno
patent: 5904291 (1999-05-01), Knapp
patent: 5927597 (1999-07-01), Bolgar et al.
patent: 5931181 (1999-08-01), Cook et al.
patent: 5931374 (1999-08-01), Knapp
patent: 5934552 (1999-08-01), Kalbacher et al.
patent: 5960828 (1999-10-01), Grohe et al.
patent: 5971285 (1999-10-01), Knapp
patent: 5979777 (1999-11-01), Ems
patent: 6021952 (2000-02-01), Antoniello et al.
patent: 6046666 (2000-04-01), Ingvarsson et al.
patent: 6050285 (2000-04-01), Goncze et al.
patent: 6059193 (2000-05-01), Braathen
patent: 6065682 (2000-05-01), Frunzetti
patent: 6079625 (2000-06-01), Lebkuchner
patent: 6085984 (2000-07-01), Chamot et al.
patent: 6089462 (2000-07-01), Osvaldo
patent: 6119948 (2000-09-01), Spiegel et al.
patent: 6250558 (2001-06-01), Dogre Cuevas
patent: 3425 892 (1985-02-01), None
patent: 195 32 584 (1996-03-01), None
patent: 0 973 083 (2000-01-01), None
patent: 2 207 964 (1989-02-01), None
patent: 2 268 249 (1994-01-01), None
patent: WO 98/26339 (1998-06-01), None
patent: WO 00/14615 (2000-03-01), None
patent: WO 0052545 (2000-09-01), None
patent: WO 0122185 (2001-03-01), None
patent: WO 01/68754 (2001-09-01), None
Marty Garry R.
McNerney Gerald Joseph
Carlson & Gaskey & Olds
Masco Corporation
Tapolcai William E.
LandOfFree
Thermostatic valve with electronic control does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Thermostatic valve with electronic control, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Thermostatic valve with electronic control will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3222016