Fluid handling – Systems – Multi-way valve unit
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-18
2001-10-02
Rivell, John (Department: 3753)
Fluid handling
Systems
Multi-way valve unit
C137S625400
Reexamination Certificate
active
06296017
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1 Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a valve unit used in a two-liquid mixing tap unit or mixing faucet for mixing two different liquids, such as hot water and cold water, and a synthetic resin valve seat used with the valve unit.
2. Description of Related Art
In general, a hot and cold water mixing plug unit (two-liquid mixing tap unit) installed in a household lavatory includes a valve unit constructed to be able to mix hot water and cold water to provide warm water.
In such a valve unit used with the hot and cold water mixing plug unit, a fixed valving element equipped with an inflow hot water valve aperture, an inflow cold water valve aperture, and an outflow mixed water valve aperture is secured in a valve case. Furthermore, a movable valving element that is movably operated by an operating means, such as a handle, is accommodated in the valve case so that it comes in slidable contact with the fixed valving element. The valve unit is constructed such that, when the movable valving element is moved to a valve opening position by the operating mean, at least either the hot water valve aperture or the cold water valve aperture becomes in communication with the mixed water valve aperture through a communication aperture in the movable valving element. When the movable valving element is moved to a valve closing position by the operating means, the movable valving element closes the hot water valve aperture and the cold water valve aperture.
A conventionally known valve unit disclosed, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-200526 or Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-14422, a ceramic valve seat is disposed on each slide contact surface of the fixed valving element and the movable valving element, respectively, thereby to improve the durability of the slide contact portions of the fixed valving element and the movable valving element so as to eventually improve the durability of a valve unit itself.
Regarding the ceramic valve seat used with the valve unit, however, the profile irregularity of the slide contact surface thereof directly influences water-tightness. For this reason, after a sintering and forming process, the slide contact surface is polished with high accuracy and provided with plating. Hence, the ceramic valve seats require extra processing steps, making them more expensive than other components of a valve unit. In particular, the ceramic valve seat disposed on the fixed valving element has a hot water valve aperture, a cold water valve aperture, and a mixed water valve aperture, so that the configuration thereof is complicated, making it more expensive than the ceramic valve seat disposed in the movable valving element.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive synthetic resin valve seat featuring high durability and water-tightness by forming the valve seat using synthetic resin and by employing an ingenious configuration, and a valve unit equipped with the synthetic resin valve seat.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a valve unit including a valve case that accommodates a fixed valve seat secured therein and a movable valve seat movably installed therein such that these valve seats slidably contact each other. Further, the fixed valve seat have first and second valve aperture for inflow, and a third valve aperture for outflow. The movable valve seat is provided with a communication aperture that causes at least either the first valve aperture or the second valve aperture to be in communication with the third valve aperture when a valve is opened, while causing itself to be in communication only with the third valve aperture when the valve is closed. Further, the movable valve seat is moved to a valve opening position or a valve closing position by opening and closing means. In this configuration, at least the fixed valve seat out of the fixed valve seat and the movable valve seat is formed of a synthetic resin. Further, a protuberance that surrounds the first valve aperture and the second valve aperture is formed on at least the opening edges of the first valve aperture and the second valve aperture on a surface of the fixed valve seat that opposes the movable valve seat.
In a preferred form of the valve unit according to the present invention, a supporting protuberance that slidably support, in cooperation with the protuberance s the movable valve seat is formed on the surface of the fixed valve seat that opposes the movable valve seat.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a synthetic resin valve seat equipped with a first valve aperture and a second valve aperture for inflow and a third valve aperture for outflow, at least either the first valve aperture or the second valve aperture being placed in communication with the third valve aperture by a movable valving element, or the first and second valve apertures being closed by the movable valving element. Further, a protuberance that slidably contacts the movable valving element is formed on opening edges of at least the first valve aperture and the second valve aperture, on a surface that opposes the movable valving element such that the protuberance surround the first valve aperture and the second valve aperture.
In a preferred form of the synthetic resin valve seat according to the present invention, a supporting protuberance that slidably contacts the movable valving element together with the protuberance is formed on the surface that opposes the movable valving element.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4921016 (1990-05-01), Gnauert et al.
patent: 4986306 (1991-01-01), Ferrari
patent: 5080134 (1992-01-01), Orlandi
patent: 5435348 (1995-07-01), Nakamura et al.
patent: 5887620 (1999-03-01), Niwa et al.
patent: 5893386 (1999-04-01), Caria et al.
patent: 6019132 (2000-02-01), Knapp
Bachman & LaPointe P.C.
Enplas Corporation
Rivell John
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