Mixing valve with limit stop and pre-set

Details Mixing valve with limit stop and pre-set Mixing valve with limit stop and pre-set

2000-04-14

2001-09-04

Lee, Kevin (Department: 3754)

Valves and valve actuation

Limit stop

Rotary valve

C251S285000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06283447

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a mixing valve for mixing water from hot and cold water sources to control the temperature of the mixed-water output and, more particularly, to a mixing valve having a limit stop that limits the proportion of hot water to control the maximum temperature of the mixed-water output.
Mixing valves are well known and commonly used in showers to permit the user to mix water from the hot and cold-water sources to produce a combined or resultant water output at a temperature desired by the user. Mixing valves are available in many different forms. For example, such valves can include combined or separate on-off valves along with hot and cold mixing valves. Mixing valves can also be constructed for proportionally increasing both the cold-water supply and the hot-water supply to obtain the desired temperature or for maintaining the cold-water supply at a fixed supply rate and then increasing the proportion of the hot water to obtain the desired temperature.
Many shower valves are now thermostatically controlled. Such a valve contains a thermostatic element responsive to temperature change that operates to actuate a plunger or similar device to restrict the hot water when the mixed output exceeds a predetermined temperature. The thermostat can be adjusted to select the maximum temperature of the output.
Regardless of the type of mixing valve, all mixing valves have a maximum proportional contribution from the hot-water supply, which defines the maximum temperature of the output. The maximum temperature obtainable from the mixing valve is a function of the hot- and cold-water flow rates and the temperature differential between the hot and cold water. At the maximum hot-water flow rate, it is not uncommon for the resultant output flow to exceed a temperature that is comfortable for the user. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a stop that prevents the setting of the valve at a temperature greater than that comfortable to the user. Also, it is desirable to provide pre-sets that position the valve at a location in which the resultant mixed outflow will have a desired and user-specified temperature.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a shower valve assembly for controlling the proportional mixing of water from cold and hot sources thereof to obtain mixed output water at a user-controllable temperature, the shower valve assembly comprises a mixing valve having a hot-water inlet for connection to a hot-water source, a cold-water inlet for connection to a cold-water source, a mixed-water outlet fluidly connected with the inlets, and a valve stem for controlling the proportional mixing of hot and cold water entering the valve through the inlets. The valve stem is rotatable between a cold position wherein the proportion of hot water to cold water is at a minimum and a hot position wherein the proportion of hot water to cold water is at a maximum.
A handle is mounted to and extends away from the valve stem for rotating the valve stem through a rotational range defined by the cold and hot positions.
A stop is operably connected between the handle and the valve to interfere with a portion of the handle as the handle is rotated to limit the rotational range of the handle and thereby limit the rotation of the valve stem between the hot and cold positions to control the proportional mixing of the cold and hot water, thereby controlling the temperature of water exiting the mixed-water outlet.
The rotational position of the stop is preferably adjustable within the rotational range of the valve stem, and the assembly preferably includes a second stop connected to the handle to interfere with a portion of the handle as the handle is rotated to limit the rotational range of the handle at a rotatable position different from the rotational position of the first-mentioned stop, one of the stops being a limit stop used to set the maximum range of rotation of the valve stem thereby setting the maximum temperature of the mixed output and the other of the stops being a preset used to limit the rotation of the valve stem to a position corresponding to a user-preferred temperature for the mixed output.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the ensuing description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3964514 (1976-06-01), Manoogian et al.
patent: 4089347 (1978-05-01), Christo
patent: 5467967 (1995-11-01), Gillooly

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