System and method for manually overriding a solenoid valve of a faucet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016238152-A1
Application number	US-201615140127-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 27, 2016
Priority date	Aug 24, 2012
Publication date	Aug 18, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system for a faucet including a solenoid operated valve and a lifter. The solenoid operated valve includes a valve body including a sealing surface, a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet; a sealing element that is movable relative to the sealing surface to fluidly connect and disconnect the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet; and a solenoid configured to selectively couple and decouple the sealing element to the sealing surface to fluidly disconnect and connect the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet. The lifter manually overrides the solenoid operated valve during a power failure, the lifter includes threads that thread to the solenoid operated valve, such that a rotation of the lifter in a first direction moves the lifter through the threads relative to the valve body to decouple the sealing element from the sealing surface.

First claim

1 . (canceled)

2 . A system for a faucet, comprising:
a solenoid operated valve comprising:
a valve body including a sealing surface, a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;
a sealing element that is movable relative to the sealing surface to fluidly connect and disconnect the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet; and
a solenoid configured to selectively couple and decouple the sealing element to the sealing surface to fluidly disconnect and connect the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet; and
a lifter for manually overriding the solenoid operated valve during a power failure, the lifter comprising threads that thread to the solenoid operated valve, such that a rotation of the lifter in a first direction moves the lifter through the threads relative to the valve body to decouple the sealing element from the sealing surface.

3 . The system of claim 2 , further comprising a pin located in a recess of the lifter, wherein the pin limits a translation of the lifter relative to the valve body by contacting a first surface of the solenoid operated valve and a second surface of the lifter.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the first surface is part of a shoulder of an end of the valve body and the second surface is part of a shoulder of the lifter.

5 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the recess is adjacent to the threads of the lifter.

6 . The system of claim 2 , further comprising a cap secured to the valve body, wherein the cap limits translation of the lifter.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the threads of the lifter thread to threads in the threaded cap.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the threads of the lifter are external threads and the threads of the threaded cap are internal threads.

9 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the cap is secured to the valve body with two fasteners that thread to the valve body.

10 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the threads of the lifter directly thread to threads of the valve body, and wherein during the power failure, rotation of the lifter in a second, opposing direction moves the lifter through the threads relative to the valve body to couple the sealing element to the sealing surface.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the lifter and the valve body are coaxial about a single shared axis, and the lifter is rotated about the single shared axis.

12 . The system of claim 2 , wherein rotation of the lifter relative to the valve body in a second direction causes the lifter to retract such that the sealing element and the sealing surface are recoupled when the solenoid is not energized.

13 . A faucet, comprising:
a valve body including a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and a passageway fluidly connecting the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet; a seal disposed in the valve body, wherein the seal is moved by an electronic element between an open position, in which the fluid outlet is fluidly connected to the fluid inlet, and a closed position, in which the fluid outlet is fluidly disconnected from the fluid inlet; and a lifter for manually moving the seal in an event of a power failure to the electronic element, the lifter comprising a body disposed in the passageway, the body comprising threads that thread to the valve body, such that rotation of the lifter in a first direction moves the lifter toward the seal relative to the valve body through the threads and rotation of the lifter in a second direction moves the lifter away from the seal relative to the valve body through the threads.

14 . The faucet of claim 13 , wherein the first rotation of the lifter moves the seal to the open position, and wherein the second rotation of the lifter moves the seal to the closed position.

15 . The faucet of claim 13 , wherein the body includes a tip that moves the seal upon continued movement of the lifter in the first direction after contact between the tip and the seal.

16 . The faucet of claim 15 , wherein the body includes a groove located between the threads and the tip, wherein an O-ring is located in the groove to seal the body of the lifter and the valve body.

17 . The faucet of claim 15 , wherein the seal includes a first side and a second side that is opposite the first side, wherein the electronic element is configured to contact the first side of the seal and the tip is configured to contact the second side of the seal.

18 . A faucet, comprising:
a valve body including a passageway fluidly connecting an inlet and an outlet; a seal disposed in the passageway, wherein the seal is moved by an electronic element between an open position, in which water freely flows from the inlet to the outlet, and a closed position, in which water is prevented from flowing to the outlet from the inlet; a lifter for manually moving the seal in an event of a power failure to the electronic element, the lifter comprising a body disposed in the passageway and threads that permit the lifter to move axially in the passageway relative to the valve body upon rotation of the lifter to manually move the seal between the open and closed positions; and a valve cap coupled to the valve body to secure the body in the passageway, the valve cap having a shoulder that limits the axial movement of the lifter relative to the valve cap.

19 . The faucet of claim 18 , wherein the threads of the lifter thread to threads along an inside surface of the shoulder of the valve cap.

20 . The faucet of claim 18 , wherein a portion of the body of the lifter has a cross-shaped cross-section that define a plurality of passages along the length of the lifter.

21 . The faucet of claim 20 , wherein the portion of the body is disposed in the passageway of the valve body such that water flows in the plurality of passages of the lifter when the seal is in the open position.

Assignees

• Kohler Co

Inventors

• Esche John C

Classifications

• F16K31/05 Primary

  specially adapted for operating hand-operated valves or for combined motor and hand operation · CPC title

• E03C1/057

  touchless, i.e. using sensors · CPC title

• F16K31/40 Primary

  with electrically-actuated member in the discharge of the motor · CPC title

• E03C2001/0418

  having temperature indicating means · CPC title

• F16K31/0655

  Lift valves · CPC title