AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Invention title: Advanced Mixer Tap Retrofit Arrangement Applicant: Ratna Pullela This invention is described in the following statement IP Australia 10 DEC 2!9j pgosivED~ 2 Advanced Mixer Tap Retrofit Arrangement Field of Invention The invention relates to use of existing spout fitting and downstream pipe fittings to 5 install a mixer tap to a standard two spindle tap fitting. In another aspect, the present invention also deals with installation of this arrangement. Background to the Invention The use of mixer taps in domestic and commercial applications is now commonplace. 10 The mixer tap contains a hot water inlet and a cold water inlet which enters the mixer valve when the single tap handle is actuated, the mixed water then leaves through the tap outlet. The mixer tap handle can adjust the flow of water on or off and also the water 15 temperature by adjusting the tap handle to increase or decrease the relative proportion of hot and cold water entering the mixer valve. Conventional tap arrangements typically comprise two taps, a hot water tap and a cold water tap and which are connected to a single outlet. Each tap comprises a 20 valve that sits on a valve seat. Valve handles positioned external to the wall are used to manipulate the flow of hot and cold water. The cold water tap extends from the cold water line and the hot water tap from the hot water line. The water is mixed when the hot and cold water taps are turned on, 25 the temperature of the water reaching the outlet is determined by the relative flow of water from each line. The conventional tap design has the hot water and cold water lines and the outlet line (which is downstream from the hot and cold water taps) inside the wall making it 30 difficult to retrofit without breaking the wall panels. There have been many proposals to retrofit conventional two tap arrangements to a mixer tap, but these all either require the external fitment of rigid or flexible hose to communicate water from the mixer tap downstream to the mixer outlet. These 35 configurations make the pipes inside the wall which traditionally communicated water to the outlets such as shower heads or bath spouts redundant. More extensive retrofitting arrangements whereby wall panels are broken to expose existing internal pipes and new piping configurations installed are even more costly and time consuming and increase the risk of pipe leakage. 40 These disadvantages are overcome by this present invention, which provides an advanced valve which uses the existing spindle housing to divert the hot or cold water to the mixer tap inlet and once the mixer tap is activated the mixed water is communicated downstream using the existing pipes fitted. 45 This invention is an effective modification to the mixer tap arrangement to provide water and energy savings without damage to existing walls whilst not replicating the internal wall pipe fittings.
Brief Description of the Invention The present invention provides installation of a mixer tap utilising existing spindle housings and downstream pipe fittings to a conventional two tap configuration. The 5 invention is suited to a conventional two tap configuration where there is a separate hot water line and a cold water line connected to a hot water tap and a cold water tap respectively. Downstream of the taps is a single mixed water outlet. The invention differentiates itself from other proposals through the application of 10 partition valve which diverts the inlet cold water and inlet hot water (which would have previously flowed to the respective outlets when the tap spindles are activated) to the cold water and hot water inlets of the mixer tap. Once the mixer tap is activated the mixed water flows to positions immediately downstream of the fitted portion of the cold water tap and the hot water tap via the cold water partition valve and the hot 15 water partition valve which flows downstream to the single mixed water outlet. Throughout the specification the term "First pipe" should be taken to be the pipe for providing fluid communication for cold water to the cold water inlet on the mixer tap. Throughout the specification the term "Second pipe" should be taken to be the pipe 20 for providing fluid communication for hot water to the hot water inlet on the mixer tap. The first component comprises a partition valve that screws into the existing spindle housing (connected to the cold water line) once the cold water tap spindle is removed. The First pipe connects the existing spindle housing (which is connected to 25 the cold water line) to the cold water inlet on the mixer tap. The partition valve prevents water from the cold water line entering the outlet line (downstream line) and instead redirects it through the First pipe to the cold water inlet on the mixer tap. The First pipe that diverts water from the cold water line is a fitted threaded pipe. The 30 First pipe is located external to the wall. The second component comprises a partition valve that screws into the existing spindle housing (connected to the hot water line) once the hot water tap spindle is removed. The Second pipe connects the existing spindle housing (which is 35 connected to the hot water line) to the hot water inlet on the mixer tap. The partition valve prevents water from the hot water line entering the outlet line (downstream line) and instead redirects it through the Second pipe to the hot water inlet on the mixer tap. 40 The Second pipe that diverts water from the hot water line is a fitted threaded pipe. The Second pipe is located external to the wall. It will be appreciated that a number of other arrangements may be used to communicate cold water from the cold water spindle housing to the cold water inlet 45 on the mixer tap or communicate hot water from the hot water spindle housing to the hot water inlet on the mixer tap. The third component comprises partitions in the First pipe and Second pipe. The partitions in the First pipe and Second pipe allow separate communication of cold 50 water and hot water to the mixer tap, from the flow of mixed water from the mixer tap. Once the mixer tap is actuated, water from the cold water inlet and the hot water inlet enter the mixer valve via the First pipe and the Second pipe. The mixed water flows through the First pipe and the Second pipe via the partition valves in the cold water 4 spindle housing and the hot water spindle housing to positions immediately downstream to the outlet lines. The pipe fittings which are external to the wall will comprise a housing that supports 5 the mixer tap, the First pipe and the Second pipe. No additional fitment is required for the outlet since this will remain unchanged and utilise existing and standard fittings installed inside or external to the wall. 10 The present invention provides an improvement over previous inventions principally in relation to the partition valves used in the cold water spindle housing and the hot water spindle housing. The first aspect of the partition valve is that once screwed into the cold water spindle 15 housing or the hot water spindle housing, the cold water or the hot water is sealed off, thus diverting the cold water or the hot water to the respective inlets on the mixer tap. The second aspect of the partition valve is that it contains a secondary chamber that 20 allows mixed water from the First pipe and the Second pipe to flow to positions immediately downstream to the outlet lines. The present invention can be used with most two tap configurations which are connected to an outlet. The invention requires the removal of the hot water and cold 25 water tap spindles from the spindle housing prior to installation. This configuration is typically seen in a shower recess or bathtub. Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 shows a front view schematic representation of the present invention, 30 Conversion of a conventional two tap arrangement to a single mixer tap utilising existing cold water spindle housing (M) and hot water spindle housing (N) and downstream pipe fittings; Figure 2 shows a cross section of a conventional tap spindle housing and spindle with either cold water or hot water inlet lines (A) and cold water or hot water outlet 35 lines (D); Figure 3 shows a cross section with the Partition valve (C) unscrewed and screwed into the conventional spindle housing. Figure 4 shows a front view and top view of the external fitted pipe arrangements and location of Partition valves. 40 Figure 5 shows the flow of hot or cold water which is separated from mixed water in the First pipe (G) and Second Pipe (H) by a partition. Figure 6 shows Back view of Mixer and flow of cold and hot water into mixer and mixed water from mixer. Figure 7 shows schematic representation of retrofitted mixer with water flows. 45 Figure 8 shows perspective representation of retrofitted mixer with water flows. Figure 9 Conventional tap arrangement with horizontal alignment which is installed with the retrofit Mixer tap arrangement. Figure 10 Conventional tap arrangement with vertical alignment which is installed with the retrofit Mixer tap arrangement.
0 Detailed Description of the Drawings It will be understood that the drawings are provided to illustrate the embodiments of the present invention. Thus it will be understood that the present invention should not be considered to limit solely the features shown in the drawings. 5 Figure 1 shows a conventional configuration of a hot water and coldwater tap and mixed water outlet line to the outlet. Once activated by turning the tap spindle the mixing of water will occur in the line downstream of the cold water inlet and hot water inlet (or mixed water outlet line) to the outlet. A shower fitted with the innovative mixer retrofit configuration uses the existing hot 10 water spindle housing and the cold water spindle housings to communicate hot water and cold water to the mixer tap. Once the mixer tap is activated the mixed water flows from the mixer tap through the existing spindle housing to the mixed water outlet line (Point L and Point 0) to the outlet (Point P). This present invention encompasses a partition valve fitted into the existing hot water spindle housing and 15 the cold water spindle housing in a conventional two tap arrangement. The mixer tap (F) and external pipes allow the communication of hot water, cold water and mixed water in conjunction with the wall pipe fittings without breaking the wall panels. Figure 2 shows a cross sectional view of a conventional hot water tap or cold water tap spindle housing and spindle. Hot water or cold water flows into the chamber of 20 the spindle housing (Point B) from the hot water or cold water inlet line (A). When the tap spindle is activated the hot water or cold water flows into the chamber containing the spindle (Point C) and through to the outlet line (Point D). This invention will not alter the spindle housing or inlet or outlet chambers but through the application of a partition valve, alter the flow of hot water and cold water 25 from the inlet lines and mixed water to the existing outlet or downstream lines in a conventional tap arrangement. Figure 3 depicts the partition valve (Point C) which is fitted to the hot water spindle housing and the cold water spindle housing which under an existing configuration is connected to the hot water inlet line or the cold water inlet line (Point A). 30 The partition valve (Point C) is screwed into the spindle housing once the tap spindle has been removed. The fitment is such that the when the partition valve (Point C) is in place there is a seal over the opening between chamber B and E in Figure 3. This allows water from the inlet Point A in Figure 3 to be diverted to the external pipe communicating water to the mixer tap via chamber C. The partition valve prevents 35 water from the inlet (Point A) entering the chamber (Point E) and then to the existing outlet or downstream line (Point D) as depicted in Figure 3. The fitment of the partition valve is such that when the valve is in place there is a seal over the opening between chambers B and E in Figure 3. This allows water from the inlet line A in Figure 3 to be diverted through the partition valve chamber C directly to 40 the pipe connected to the mixer tap and then to the inlet on the mixer tap housing. Once the mixer tap is activated the mixed water will flow from the mixer tap housing outlet line through to chamber E, which is separated from the inlet line water of the mixer tap from Chamber C in Figure 3 by the partition valve. The mixed water flows from chamber E to the outlet or downstream line via the spindle housing outlet D. 45 Figure 4 shows a front view and top view of the external fitted pipe arrangements of the First Pipe (G) and the Second Pipe (H) and mixer tap (F) communicating the flow of cold water and hot water from the cold water inlet (1) and hot water inlet (K) through respective partition valves to the mixer tap and separately by partitioning in the First and Second Pipe communicating mixed water from the mixer tap through 50 the spindle housings and partition valve to the downstream outlet.
U Figure 5 shows the flow of hot water or cold water which is separated from mixed water in the First pipe (G) and Second Pipe (H) by a partition. The First Pipe and Second Pipe are fitted to the existing hot water and cold water spindle housings and connect to the inlet and outlet of the mixer tap housing. 5 Figure 6 shows a Back View of the Mixer. Cold water from the First pipe (G) enters through outer ring of cold water inlet on the mixer tap (F) and hot water from the Second Pipe (H) enters through the outer ring of hot water inlet on the mixer tap (F). Once mixer tap (F) is activated, the mixed water leaves the mixer tap through the central ring of the cold water inlet and hot water inlet and flows into the First Pipe (G) 10 and the Second Pipe (H). The Cold water and the hot water inlets on the mixer tap are concentric openings, which serve the purpose of ingress for cold and hot water and also egress of mixed water to the First Pipe and the Second Pipe. Figure 7 shows schematic representation of water flow of cold water and hot water 15 from the cold water inlet (1) and hot water inlet (K) through respective partition valves (fitted in the spindle housings), via external fitted pipe arrangements of the First Pipe (G) and the Second Pipe (H) to the mixer tap (F) and separately by partitioning in the First Pipe (G) and the Second Pipe (H) communicating mixed water from the mixer tap (F) through respective the partition valves to the downstream outlet (P). 20 Figure 8 depicts the perspective view with the fitment of the partition valve and the First and Second Pipe and mixer tap. The cold water inlet line (Point 1) and the hot water inlet line (Point K) will be diverted to the Mixer tap (Point F). Once activated the mixed water will flow from the mixer tap (Point F) through the spindle housings (Point M & N) to the mixed water outlet line (Point L and Point 0). 25 Figure 9 shows the mixer tap arrangement retrofitted to the conventional tap spindle housing in a horizontal configuration and the existing outlet or downstream line is maintained in-situ. Figure 10 shows the mixer tap arrangement retrofitted to the conventional tap spindle housing in a vertical configuration and the existing outlet or downstream line is 30 maintained in-situ. The present invention is an innovative step to use a partition valve as a design modification to the existing mixer tap retrofit arrangements. The principal feature of this invention is the application of the partition valve which separates inlet water (unmixed) from the existing inlet line to the mixer inlet, from mixed water flowing from 35 the mixer outlet downstream to the outlet, usually a shower head. The partition valve enables the use of an existing outlet downstream of the mixer tap and housing and the installation of a mixer tap to a conventional two tap and single outlet configuration. The present invention may be used in bathrooms, showers, kitchen sinks, laundry 40 tubs and hob/wall basins. It is accepted that licensed plumbers, other qualified tradesman or those skilled in the art may recognise that there are other variations or configurations to this design that may be adopted. It is considered that these are within the spirit and scope of this invention. 45 This invention is submitted on the 23 May 2010 by Ratna Pullela for inventors Ratna Pullela and Michael Berry.