Plumbing fixture with mixing valve and controller

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9340959-B2
Application number	US-201313835623-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2013
Priority date	Jun 22, 2012
Publication date	May 17, 2016
Grant date	May 17, 2016

Abstract

A plumbing fixture includes a body and a mixing valve within the body. The mixing valve includes a first linear actuator for controlling a first flow control valve within the mixing valve and a second linear actuator for controlling a second flow control valve within the mixing valve. A controller is located within the body and is configured to send control signals to control actuation of the linear actuators.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A plumbing fixture comprising:
a body;
a mixing valve within the body, the mixing valve comprising a first linear actuator for controlling a first flow control valve within the mixing valve and a second linear actuator for controlling a second flow control valve within the mixing valve; and
a controller within the body and configured to send control signals to control actuation of the linear actuators;
wherein the plumbing fixture is a faucet and the mixing valve and controller are located within a spout of the faucet;
wherein each of the first flow control valve and the second flow control valve comprises an inlet and a valve member assembly to control the fluid flow through the respective flow control valve; and
wherein the valve member assembly and the inlet of each of the first flow control valve and the second flow control valve is configured such that, when in use, fluid flowing through the first flow control valve exerts substantially no net force on the valve member assembly of the first flow control valve and fluid flowing through the second flow control valve exerts substantially no net force on the valve member assembly of the second flow control valve.

2. The plumbing fixture of claim 1 , wherein the spout of the faucet is configured to pivot relative to a base of the faucet.

3. The plumbing fixture of claim 1 , wherein mixing valve and controller are located above an escutcheon of the faucet.

4. The plumbing fixture of claim 1 , wherein the faucet is for use with one of a bath tap, a sink tap, and a basin tap.

5. The plumbing fixture of claim 1 , wherein the linear actuators are stepper motors.

6. The plumbing fixture of claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises a user interface accessible by a user outside the body of the plumbing fixture.

7. The plumbing fixture of claim 1 , further comprising a user interface located on a base of the faucet, wherein the base is configured to be secured to a support surface and support the spout of the faucet.

8. The plumbing fixture of claim 1 , wherein the controller includes a microprocessor mounted on a control panel.

9. The plumbing fixture of claim 8 , wherein the control panel is a printed circuit board.

10. The plumbing fixture of claim 1 , wherein the controller is programmable.

11. The plumbing fixture of claim 10 , wherein the controller comprises a memory for storing different settings relating to at least one of temperature or flow rate for the plumbing fixture.

12. The plumbing fixture of claim 1 , wherein the mixing valve comprises an electric heating element and the controller is configured to allow selection of a disinfection cycle in which the electric heating element is activated to heat the mixing valve.

13. The plumbing fixture of claim 12 , wherein the controller comprises a memory and the memory is configured to record at least one of the time when the disinfection cycle is carried out, the temperature of outlet water, or the duration of the disinfection cycle.

14. A plumbing fixture comprising:
a body;
a mixing valve within the body, the mixing valve comprising a first linear actuator for controlling a first flow control valve within the mixing valve, a second linear actuator for controlling a second flow control valve within the mixing valve, and a mixing chamber, wherein each of the flow control valves comprises two valve outlets in communication with the mixing valve for controlling flow of fluids from the first and second flow control valves to the mixing chamber; wherein the two outlets of each of the flow control valves are substantially the same size; and
a controller within the body and configured to send control signals to control actuation of the linear actuators;
wherein the plumbing fixture is a faucet and the mixing valve and controller are located within a spout of the faucet.

15. The plumbing fixture of claim 14 , wherein each of the first and second flow control valves comprise an inlet and a valve member assembly to control the fluid flow through the respective flow control valve, the valve member assembly and the inlet of each of the first and second flow control valves configured such that, when in use, fluid flowing through the first flow control valve exerts substantially no net force on the valve member assembly of the first flow control valve and fluid flowing through the second flow control valve exerts substantially no net force on the valve member assembly of the second flow control valve.

16. The plumbing fixture of claim 14 , wherein each flow control valve includes a valve member assembly including a first valve member adapted to engage with a first valve seat associated with a first of the two valve outlets in a closed position of the flow control valve and a second valve member adapted to engage with a second, separate, valve seat associated with a second of the two valve outlets in the closed position of the flow control valve.

17. A plumbing fixture comprising:
a body comprising a base portion, which is configured to mount to a support surface, and a stem portion supported by the base portion, the stem portion configured to discharge fluid;
a mixing valve located within the stem portion of the body, wherein the mixing valve is coupled to a first fluid delivery line providing a first fluid and to a second fluid delivery line providing the second fluid, the mixing valve further comprising a first stepper motor for controlling a first flow control valve within the mixing valve and a second stepper motor for controlling a second flow control valve within the mixing valve; and
a controller located within the stem portion, wherein the controller is configured to control operation of the first and second stepper motors;
wherein each of the first control valve and the second flow control valve comprises an inlet and a valve member assembly to control the fluid flow through the respective flow control valve; and
wherein the valve member assembly and the inlet of each of the first flow control valve and the second flow control valve is configured such that, when in use, fluid flowing through the first flow control valve exerts substantially no net force on the valve member assembly of the first flow control valve and fluid flowing through the second flow control valve exerts substantially no net force on the valve member assembly of the second flow control valve.

18. The plumbing fixture of claim 17 , wherein the plumbing fixture is a faucet and the stem portion is configured to pivot relative to the base portion.

19. The plumbing fixture of claim 17 , wherein the plumbing fixture is a faucet and the mixing valve and controller are located above an escutcheon of the faucet.

20. The plumbing fixture of claim 17 , wherein the plumbing fixture is a faucet and the mixing valve and controller are located above a surface to which the faucet is mounted.

21. The plumbing fixture of claim 17 , wherein the plumbing fixture is a shower head that extends from a wall and the mixing valve and controller are provided on the same side of the wall as the shower head.

22. The plumbing fixture of claim 17 , wherein the plumbing fixture is selected from the group consisting of a bath tap, a sink tap, and a basin tap.

23. The plumbing fixture of claim 17 , wherein the controller comprises a user interface accessible by a user outside the body of the plumbing fixture.

24. The plumbing fixture of claim 17 , wherein the plumbing fixture

Assignees

• Kohler Mira Ltd

Inventors

• Peel Kevin T

Classifications

• F16K49/002

  Electric heating means · CPC title

• F16K11/20

  operated by separate actuating members (with one plug turning in another F16K11/12) · CPC title

• G05D7/0617

  specially adapted for fluid materials · CPC title

• F17D1/00

  Pipe-line systems (conveying articles or materials through a pipe- line by means of a fluid carrier B65G51/00, B65G53/00; liquids B67D; special devices for transferring liquids from bulk storage containers into vehicles or boats or vice versa, e.g. loading or unloading vehicles or portable containers B67D7/00; conveying material which has been excavated by a dredger or soil shifter through a pipe-line E02F7/10; sewer pipe-line systems E03F3/00; thermal insulation of pipe-lines F16L59/00; central heating systems F24D) · CPC title

• A61L2/04

  Heat (radiation A61L2/08) · CPC title