Fluid handling – Systems – Multi-way valve unit
Patent
1994-06-28
1995-07-25
Rivell, John
Fluid handling
Systems
Multi-way valve unit
1376254, 251368, F16K 1106, F16K 5100
Patent
active
054353483
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a valve assembly for use in a tap water faucet, a faucet for a mixture of hot and cold water or a flow path changeover cock for a cleaner for flushing a toilet bowl with warm water. Such a valve assembly is used to stop the water flow and adjust the flow rate by displacing a valve body with respect to a valve seat.
BACKGROUND ART
With reference to FIGS. 1-4, we shall explain a valve assembly for mixing warm and cold tap water. It has a valve housing 1 having a discharge passage 2 and a recess 5. In the recess 5 are mounted, from below, a valve seat 6, a valve body 7 and a seal ring 8 one upon another. A lever holder 9 is rotatably fitted in the top part of the valve housing 1. It carries a lever 10 for actuating the valve body 7.
The valve seat 6 is fixedly mounted on a base 12 by engagement with protrusions 11 on the base 12 and is formed with a pair of elongated inlet passages 13, 14 in an opposed arrangement (FIG. 2). The passages 13, 14 can be brought into communication with circular inlet passages 3, 4 formed through the base 12.
The valve body 7 is disk-shaped and has a diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the valve housing recess 5. It is slidable relative to the valve seat 6 and the seal ring 8. Between the valve body 7 and the valve seat 6 are provided flow passages 15 formed by two cutouts so as to communicate with the discharge passage 2.
Between the valve seat 6 and the base 12 is mounted a rubber packing. 16. Also, a rubber O-ring 19 is fitted on the top surface of the seal ring 8. By the elasticity of the packing 16 and the O-ring 19, a liquid-tight seal is provided between the base 12 and the valve seat 6, between the valve seat 6 and the valve body 7 and between the valve body 7 and the seal ring 8.
The valve body 7 and the lever 10 are operatively coupled together through a link rod 17 supported on the lever holder 9 by means of a pin 18. By moving up and down and turning the lever 10, the valve body 7 can be moved to a desired position to open the faucet to obtain selectively hot water, cold water or a mixture thereof and to close the faucet.
In the state shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the valve body 7 is moved to the rightmost end, so that flow passages 15 communicates with neither of the inlet passages 13, 14. In the state of FIG. 3, the valve body 7 is in such a position that the flow passages 15 communicate with one of the inlet passages 13, i.e. the position in which only hot water or cold water is discharged. FIG. 4 shows a position of the valve body 7 in which the flow passages 15 communicate with both of the inlet passages 13, 14, so that a mixture of hot water and cold water is discharged.
In Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication 63-36765, it is disclosed to form one of the valve body 7 and the valve seat 6 of a ceramic material and the other from a resin having self-lubricity such as a fluororesin or a high-molecular weight polyethylene, or a resin containing a filler such as molybdenum disulfide or carbon to improve its lubricity.
But the conventional valve body made of a self-lubricating resin is low in creep resistance. Even if a fibrous filler is added to the material of such a valve body, it cannot sufficiently reinforce the valve body because the wettability between the filler and the resin is low. Such a valve body can withstand only a low water pressure. If it is desired to improve the lubricity of a valve body made of a non-self-lubricating resin that exhibits high reinforcing effect, a large amount of self-lubricating filler has to be added thereto. Addition of such a large amount of filler will lead to marked reduction in shock strength and creep resistance. Such a valve body tends to develop cracks or can have poor water tightness.
Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication 2-190677 discloses a resin composition that shows somewhat improved creep resistance and lubricity. It comprises 25-80% by weight of a polyphenylene sulfide resin and 20-75% by weight of carbon fiber having an average fiber diameter of 8 .mu.m with inorga
REFERENCES:
patent: 5256326 (1993-10-01), Kawato et al.
Nakamura Kazuyoshi
Nakamura Mitsuyo
NTN Corporation
Rivell John
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