Plumbing fixture with integrated mixing valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9376792-B2
Application number	US-201313839932-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2013
Priority date	Jun 22, 2012
Publication date	Jun 28, 2016
Grant date	Jun 28, 2016

Abstract

A plumbing fixture includes a body and a mixing valve provided within the body. The mixing valve includes a first inlet for receiving a first fluid, a second inlet for receiving a second fluid, and a mixing chamber having a fluid outlet for outputting the first fluid or the second fluid or a mixture thereof. The mixing valve includes a first flow control valve for controlling the flow of the first fluid into the mixing chamber and a second flow control valve, separate from the first flow control valve, for controlling the flow of the second fluid into the mixing chamber, wherein at least one of the first or second flow control valve includes at least two separate outlets into the mixing chamber.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A plumbing fixture comprising:
a mixing valve provided within a body of the plumbing fixture and comprising;
a cold water inlet;
a hot water inlet;
a mixing chamber;
a water outlet configured to output cold water or hot water or a mixture thereof from the mixing valve;
a first flow control valve for controlling the flow of cold water from the cold water inlet to the mixing chamber; and
a second flow control valve for controlling the flow of hot water from the hot water inlet to the mixing chamber;

wherein each of the first and second flow control valves includes a first valve outlet and a second valve outlet communicating with the mixing chamber and a valve member assembly to control the flow of water through the first and second valve outlets;
wherein each valve member assembly includes a first valve member configured to engage with a first valve seat associated with the first valve outlet in a closed position of the flow control valve and a second valve member configured to engage with a second, separate, valve seat associated with the second valve outlet in the closed position of the flow control valve;
wherein the first and second flow control valves are arranged side by side in parallel and on opposite sides of the mixing chamber; and wherein the mixing chamber is located between the first and second flow control valves and between the four outlets thereof.

2. The plumbing fixture of claim 1 , wherein the plumbing fixture is a faucet and the mixing valve is located within a spout of the faucet.

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

4. The plumbing fixture of claim 1 , wherein the plumbing fixture is a faucet and the mixing valve is located above a surface to which the faucet is mounted.

5. The plumbing fixture of claim 1 , wherein the plumbing fixture is a shower head.

6. The plumbing fixture of claim 1 , wherein the valve inlet of each flow control valve is located between the first valve member and the second valve member of the valve member assembly.

7. The plumbing fixture of claim 1 , wherein each flow control valve includes an inlet chamber and the valve inlet of each flow control valve opens into the inlet chamber, and wherein the first and second valve outlets of each flow control valve are arranged at opposite ends of the inlet chamber.

8. The plumbing fixture of claim 1 , wherein the includes a mixing chamber is in fluid communication with the water outlet.

9. The plumbing fixture of claim 1 , wherein the first valve member is configured to be urged closed by water entering through the valve inlet and the second valve member is configured to be urged open by water entering through the valve inlet such that, when in use, water flowing through the first flow control valve exerts substantially no net force on the valve member assembly of the first flow control valve and water flowing through the second flow control valve exerts substantially no net force on the valve member assembly of the second flow control valve.

10. The plumbing fixture of claim 1 , wherein the first valve outlet of each of the first and second flow control valves opens into a first side of the mixing chamber, and the second valve outlet of each of the first and second flow control valves opens into a second side of the mixing chamber, the second side of the mixing chamber being located between the water outlet and the first side of the mixing chamber, and the second side of the mixing chamber is fluidly connected to the first side of the mixing chamber by a central portion of the mixing chamber that is located between the first and second flow control valves.

11. The plumbing fixture of claim 1 , wherein the first and second valve members of each valve member assembly are connected to a spool that is coupled to an actuator, which controls the position of the valve members relative to their respective valve seats, wherein the actuator is an electrically powered stepper motor and is also provided within the plumbing fixture, wherein the spools of the first and second flow control valves are arranged side by side in parallel and on opposite sides of the mixing chamber, and wherein a portion of the mixing chamber that is located between the spools extends parallel to the spools.

12. The plumbing fixture of claim 11 , wherein the mixing valve includes a housing made of metal or alloy and includes an electrically powered heating device for thermally disinfecting the mixing valve.

13. A plumbing fixture comprising:
a body; and
a mixing valve provided within the body, the mixing valve comprising:
a first inlet for receiving a first fluid;
a second inlet for receiving a second fluid; and
a mixing chamber having a fluid outlet for outputting the first fluid or the second fluid or a mixture thereof;
a first flow control valve for controlling the flow of the first fluid into the mixing chamber; and
a second flow control valve, separate from the first flow control valve, for controlling the flow of the second fluid into the mixing chamber;

wherein each flow control valve includes at least two separate outlets into the mixing chamber comprising at least a first outlet and a second outlet;
wherein the mixing chamber comprises:
a first region that extends between the first outlet of the first control valve and the first outlet of the second flow control valve;
a second region that extends between the second outlet of the first control valve and the second outlet of the second flow control valve; and
a third region extending between the first and second regions and between the first and second flow control valves; and wherein the first and second flow control valves are arranged side by side in parallel and on opposite sides of the third region of the mixing chamber.

14. The plumbing fixture of claim 13 , wherein the plumbing fixture is a faucet and the mixing valve is located within a spout of the faucet.

15. The plumbing fixture of claim 13 , wherein the plumbing fixture is a faucet and the mixing valve is located above a surface to which the faucet is mounted.

16. The plumbing fixture of claim 13 , wherein the plumbing fixture is a shower head.

17. The plumbing fixture of claim 13 , wherein the plumbing fixture is a hand shower and the mixing valve is located within a handle of the hand shower.

18. The plumbing fixture of claim 13 , wherein each flow control valve extends through the first and second regions of the mixing chamber and the associated inlet.

19. The plumbing fixture of claim 13 , wherein the mixing valve includes a housing that houses the first and second flow control valves and includes apertures that form the first fluid inlet, the second fluid inlet, and the fluid outlet, and wherein the housing is made of metal or an alloy and includes an electrically powered heating device configured to thermally disinfect the mixing valve.

20. The plumbing fixture of claim 13 , wherein each flow control valve comprises an elongated valve inlet chamber having a valve inlet and two separate valve outlets formed at substantially opposite ends of the valve inlet chamber, wherein the valve inlet is located between the valve outlets.

21. The plumbing fixture of claim 20 , wherein the first valve member is received in the valve inlet chamber in an open position of the flow control valve and the second valve member is received in the second region of the mixing chamber in the open po

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

• Y10T137/0424

  Liquid cleaning or flushing · CPC title

• G05D23/1393

  characterised by the use of electric means · CPC title

• E03B7/006

  Arrangements or methods for cleaning or refurbishing water conduits · CPC title