Flow-rate adjustable valve and method of manufacturing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10767765-B2
Application number	US-201715490480-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 18, 2017
Priority date	May 6, 2016
Publication date	Sep 8, 2020
Grant date	Sep 8, 2020

Abstract

The present invention is a flow-rate adjustable valve for adjusting a flow rate of liquid flowing through a flow path. The flow-rate adjustable valve includes: a rotatable member; a lifter linearly movable by a rotation of the rotatable member; a valve body linearly movable by a linear movement of the lifter; a stopper configured to restrict a movable range of the lifter in a fixed state of the stopper in which a position of the stopper is not able to be changed; and a stopper-holding member configured to hold the stopper selectively in the fixed state or in a provisional fixed state in which the position of the stopper is able to be changed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flow-rate adjustable valve for adjusting a flow rate of liquid flowing through a flow path, the flow-rate adjustable valve comprising:
a rotatable member configured to be rotated by an electric motor;
a lifter linearly movable by a rotation of the rotatable member;
a pilot valve body supported by the lifter via an elastic member and linearly movable by a linear movement of the lifter;
a stopper configured to restrict a movable range of the lifter in a fixed state of the stopper in which a position of the stopper is not able to be changed; and
a stopper-holding member configured to hold the stopper selectively in the fixed state or in a provisional fixed state in which the position of the stopper is able to be changed,
wherein the movable range in each of the fixed state and the provisional state includes a closed-valve position,
wherein a limit of the movable range in each of the states on a closing side is configured to be a position obtained by adding a predetermined margin toward a closed-valve direction to the closed-valve position, and
wherein the limit of the movable range in the fixed state on the closing side is configured to determine a deformation amount of the elastic member when the pilot valve body is closed.

2. The flow-rate adjustable valve according to claim 1 , wherein
at least a part of the stopper is exposed outside when the stopper-holding member holds the stopper in the provisional fixed state.

3. The flow-rate adjustable valve according to claim 1 , wherein
a scale associated with the provisional fixed state of the stopper is viewable from outside when the stopper-holding member holds the stopper in the provisional fixed state.

4. The flow-rate adjustable valve according to claim 1 , wherein
the lifter is configured to rotate by the rotation of the rotatable member,
the lifter is provided with a protrusion,
a guiding slope is provided, which is configured to abut on the protrusion of the lifter and to guide the protrusion of the lifter in a rotational axis direction by a rotation of the lifter so as to move the lifter in the rotational axis direction, and
the stopper is configured to restrict the movable range of the lifter to a range less than 360 degrees.

5. A combination faucet for hot and cold water comprising two flow-rate adjustable valves according to claim 1 ,
one of the two flow-rate adjustable valves is connected to a cold water supply, and
the other of the two flow-rate adjustable valves is connected to a hot water supply.

6. A method of manufacturing the flow-rate adjustable valve according to claim 1 , the method comprising
a provisionally fixing step of holding the stopper by the stopper-holding member in the provisional fixed state in which the position of the stopper is able to be changed,
an adjusting step of adjusting the limit of the movable range by carrying out one or more water-passing and water-stop trials while changing the position of the stopper, under the condition in which the stopper is held in the provisional fixed state, and
a fixing step of holding the stopper by the stopper-holding member in the fixed state in which the position of the stopper is not able to be changed, after the adjusting step.

7. A flow-rate adjustable valve for adjusting a flow rate of liquid flowing through a flow path, the flow-rate adjustable valve comprising:
a rotatable member;
a lifter linearly movable by a rotation of the rotatable member;
a valve body linearly movable by a linear movement of the lifter;
a stopper configured to restrict a movable range of the lifter in a fixed state of the stopper in which a position of the stopper is not able to be changed; and
a stopper-holding member configured to hold the stopper selectively in the fixed state or in a provisional fixed state in which the position of the stopper is able to be changed,
wherein the movable range in each of the fixed state and the provisional state includes a closed-valve position,
wherein a limit of the movable range in each of the states on a closing side is configured to be a position obtained by adding a predetermined margin toward a closed-valve direction to the closed-valve position,
wherein the rotatable member has a coupling member configured to engage with the lifter in a rotational direction thereof and to transmit the rotation thereof to the lifter,
wherein the coupling member has a stopper-restricting part that projects outward, and
wherein the stopper has a pillar-like shape which has a substantially C-shaped section, encloses at least a part of an outer periphery of the coupling member, and restricts a movable range of the stopper-restricting part of the coupling member so as to restrict the movable range of the lifter.

8. The flow-rate adjustable valve according to claim 7 , wherein
the stopper is switched to the fixed state when both ends in an axial direction of the stopper are compressed and the substantially C-shaped section of the stopper is enlarged.

9. The flow-rate adjustable valve according to claim 8 , wherein
the rotatable member is a rotational shaft of a motor,
the stopper is configured to be compressed by a casing member arranged on an outer-periphery side of the lifter and a cover member fixed to a housing of the motor, and
a fastening member for fastening the casing member and the cover member is further provided.

10. The flow-rate adjustable valve according to claim 9 , wherein
the rotatable member is a rotational shaft of a stepping motor.

11. The flow-rate adjustable valve according to claim 9 , wherein
the fastening member includes one or more screw members, and
a rotational axis of each screw member is offset from an axis of the stopper.

12. The flow-rate adjustable valve according to claim 7 , wherein
at least one of both ends in an axial direction of the stopper is provided with inclination in which a length in the axial direction thereof is greater at an outer portion.

13. The flow-rate adjustable valve according to claim 7 , wherein
a surface of a member configured to compress one end in an axial direction of the stopper is provided with inclination in which a length in the axial direction thereof is smaller at an outer portion.

14. A method of manufacturing the flow-rate adjustable valve according to claim 7 , the method comprising
a provisionally fixing step of holding the stopper by the stopper-holding member in the provisional fixed state in which the position of the stopper is able to be changed,
an adjusting step of adjusting the limit of the movable range by carrying out one or more water-passing and water-stop trials while changing the position of the stopper together with the coupling member, under the condition in which the stopper is held in the provisional fixed state, and
a fixing step of holding the stopper by the stopper-holding member in the fixed state in which the position of the stopper is not able to be changed, after the adjusting step.

15. A flow-rate adjustable valve for adjusting a flow rate of liquid flowing through a flow path, the flow-rate adjustable valve comprising:
a rotatable member;
a lifter linearly movable by a rotation of the rotatable member;
a valve body linearly movable by a linear movement of the lifter;
a stopper configured to restrict a movable range of the lifter in a fixed state of the stopper in which a position of the stopper is not able to be changed; and
a stopper-holding member configured to hold the stopper selectively in the fixed state or in a provisional fixed state in which the position of the stopper is able to be changed,
a cas

Assignees

• Toto Ltd

Inventors

• Hashimoto Kenichi
• Matsui Hideyuki
• Hatakeyama Makoto
• Kawana Kohei
• Kamiyoshi Tetsuro
• Kanashiro Masanobu

Classifications

• F16K31/52491

  comprising a diaphragm cut-off apparatus · CPC title

• F16K31/404

  the discharge being effected through the diaphragm and being blockable by an electrically-actuated member making contact with the diaphragm · CPC title

• F16K31/3855

  the discharge being effected through the diaphragm and being blockable by a mechanically-actuated member making contact with the diaphragm · CPC title

• F16K31/52408

  comprising a lift valve · CPC title

• F16K31/04

  using a motor · CPC title