Cool water draining switch valve and combination shower head

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10047505-B2
Application number	US-201615392881-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2016
Priority date	Jun 21, 2016
Publication date	Aug 14, 2018
Grant date	Aug 14, 2018

Abstract

A cool water draining switch valve includes a valve body, a valve spool and a thermal module disposed in the valve body; the valve body has an inlet passage and a first outlet passage and a second outlet passage respectively connected to the inlet passage; the valve body is further disposed with a cool water draining passage connected to the inlet passage; the first outlet passage is connected to the cool water draining passage by a water draining hole, the second outlet passage is connected to the draining passage in unidirectional way by a check valve; a thermal port of the thermal module detects the water temperature of the draining passage, a retractable port of the thermal module opens or closes the water draining hole; when the valve spool is switched to a cool water draining mode, cool water in the inlet passage is drained to the draining passage.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cool water draining switch valve, comprising:
a valve body including an inlet passage, a first outlet passage and a second outlet passage respectively connected to the inlet passage, and a cool water draining passage connected to the inlet passage, connected to the first outlet passage by a water draining hole, and connected to the second outlet passage in unidirectional way by a check valve;
a valve spool disposed in the valve body; and
a thermal module disposed in the valve body, having a thermal port that detects water temperature of the cool water draining passage, and having a retractable port that opens and closes the water draining hole, and
a normally-open non-return valve disposed in a waterway defined between the second outlet passage and the cool water draining passage,
wherein, when the valve spool is switched to a cool water draining mode, the first outlet passage and the second outlet passage are disconnected from the inlet passage, cool water in the inlet passage is drained to the cool water draining passage,
wherein, when water passes by an outlet of the check valve, residual cool water in the second outlet passage is absorbed into the cool water draining passage along the check valve, and, at the same time, the retractable port of the thermal module is retracted, the water draining hole is opened, water drains out of the outlet of the first outlet passage through the water draining hole,
wherein, when water temperature rises to a preset value, the retractable port of the thermal module extends out to close the water draining hole, and cool water draining is finished, and
wherein, when water flows to the second outlet passage from the inlet passage, the normally-open non-return valve disconnects the connection of the second outlet passage and the cool water draining passage under action of a reverse water pressure; when water flows from the second outlet passage to the cool water draining passage, the normally-open non-return valve is not influenced by external force and maintains a normally-open state.

2. The cool water draining switch valve according to claim 1 , wherein the second outlet passage is disposed with a first outlet connected to the inlet passage and a second outlet connected to an inlet port of the check valve, and wherein the normally-open non-return valve is disposed between the first outlet and the second outlet.

3. The cool water draining switch valve according to claim 1 , wherein the retractable port of the thermal module is linked to a sealing element, and the retractable port drives the sealing element to move along a length direction of the retractable port.

4. The cool water draining switch valve according to claim 3 , wherein the thermal module further comprises a reset element, and the retractable port and the reset element are respectively disposed at two sides of the water draining hole and are coupled to clamp the sealing element.

5. The cool water draining switch valve according to claim 4 , wherein the thermal module further comprises a shaft sleeve base connected to an internal wall of the cool water draining passage in a sealing way, and the reset element and the sealing element are disposed in the shaft sleeve base.

6. The cool water draining switch valve according to claim 1 , wherein the cool water draining passage has a front end that is disposed with an accelerating passage connected to the inlet passage, wherein the accelerating passage has two end portions, a rear portion, and a central portion having a water flowing area that is smaller than that of the two end portions, and wherein the check valve has an outlet port that is connected to the rear portion of the accelerating passage.

7. A showerhead assembly, comprising;
a showerhead;
a handheld showerhead; and
the cool water draining switch valve according to claim 1 ,
wherein the handheld showerhead is connected to the outlet of the first outlet passage, and the showerhead is connected to the outlet of the second outlet passage.

8. A showerhead assembly, comprising;
a showerhead;
a handheld showerhead; and
the cool water draining switch valve according to claim 2 ,
wherein the handheld showerhead is connected to the outlet of the first outlet passage, and the showerhead is connected to the outlet of the second outlet passage.

9. A showerhead assembly, comprising;
a showerhead;
a handheld showerhead; and
the cool water draining switch valve according to claim 3 ,
wherein the handheld showerhead is connected to the outlet of the first outlet passage, and the showerhead is connected to the outlet of the second outlet passage.

10. A showerhead assembly, comprising;
a showerhead;
a handheld showerhead; and
the cool water draining switch valve according to claim 4 ,
wherein the handheld showerhead is connected to the outlet of the first outlet passage, and the showerhead is connected to the outlet of the second outlet passage.

11. A showerhead assembly, comprising;
a showerhead;
a handheld showerhead; and
the cool water draining switch valve according to claim 5 ,
wherein the handheld showerhead is connected to the outlet of the first outlet passage, and the showerhead is connected to the outlet of the second outlet passage.

12. A showerhead assembly, comprising;
a showerhead;
a handheld showerhead; and
the cool water draining switch valve according to claim 6 ,
wherein the handheld showerhead is connected to the outlet of the first outlet passage, and the showerhead is connected to the outlet of the second outlet passage.

Assignees

• Xiamen Solex High Tech Ind Co Ltd

Inventors

• Gong Hailang
• Zhang Mingfu
• Wang Tianming

Classifications

• F16K11/22 Primary

  with an actuating member for each valve, e.g. interconnected to form multiple-way valves · CPC title

• E03C1/023 Primary

  with flow distribution, e.g. diverters · CPC title

• A47K3/28

  Showers {or bathing douches} (combined with baths A47K3/20) · CPC title

• E03B1/048

  Systems for collecting not used fresh water · CPC title

• E03C1/0408

  Water installations especially for showers (E03C1/06 takes precedence; shower heads B05B1/18) · CPC title