DE3020639A1 - MIXING VALVE - Google Patents

Description

.____, _ _ M ^ it ,,, .... .. "^ ₁ ....- patent attorneys and

IEDTKE "DUHLING" ItINNE representative at the EPO

GD Dipl.-Ing. H. Tiedtke

RUPE - Γ ELLMANN DipL-Chem. G. Buehling

3 _3 Q 2 Q 6 3 9 Dipl.-Ing. R. Kinne

Dipl.-Ing. R Group Dipl.-Ing. B. Pellmann

Bavariaring 4, Postfach 202403 8000 Munich 2

Tel .: 0 89-5396 53

Telex: 5-24 845 tipat

cable: Germaniapatent Munich

May 30, 1980 DE 0457 / ICI case M 30820

IMI Santon Limited

Newport, Gwent /. Great Britain

Mixing valve

The invention relates to a mixing valve for fluids and, more particularly, to a mixing valve for mixing cold water and hot water. Since the main application of the mixing valve is the mixing of water, in the present description the terms "fluid" and "water" are used interchangeably. The mixing valve according to the invention can can be used in combination with or attached to a water heater.

Conventional mixing valves often have two separate control devices on, namely one for the flow rate and another for the temperature of the emerging mixed water. These two control devices are normally operated with separate rotatable handles or levers or other

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Deutsche Sank (Munich) KlO. 61/61 070 Dresdner Bjnk! Munich) KIo 3 ^ 39 844 Poslscherk (Munich! K! O B7C 43-H04

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provided or adjustable devices that are installed on or near the mixing valve.

The invention is based on the object of creating a mixing valve suitable for a water heater which has a single control device which can be used to control the fluid or water flow at any temperature between the inlet temperature of the fluid and a predetermined maximum temperature.
10

This object is achieved according to the invention by what is stated in the claims marked mixing valve released.

According to the invention, the mixing valve comprises a water heater for fluids, a cold fluid inlet channel which can be connected to a cold fluid supply, a first outlet channel for the cold fluid, a second outlet channel through the the cold fluid is fed to the water heater, as well as a Line through which the hot fluid from the water heater to the first outlet channel is passed so that this with the from the second outlet channel exiting cold fluid is mixed, the temperature of the mixed fluid between a low Value and a predetermined maximum value by means of an easily operated control device in the above Sense is controllable, which is movable in the housing of the mixing valve. The expression "easy to operate" is for example a single rotatable valve stem with a knob or handle or a single lever mechanism meant so that only one Control device is required to actuate the mixing valve and adjust the temperature of the mixing fluid to desired values to adjust. In particular, the expression "easily operated control device" means a control device with one-hand operation meant.

The term "water heater" refers to a heater

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heater, which in normal operation has a single inlet for Has cold fluid and a single outlet for warm fluid and only emits the warm fluid when cold fluid is supplied that displaces an equal volume of hot fluid from the heater.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the mixing valve comprises a housing with a chamber for a water heater, that between a cold fluid inlet channel and a first outlet channel for cold fluid runs, i -.- obei in the housing near the Cold fluid inlet channel, a valve seat is formed, a second outlet channel for cold fluid, which is connected to the inlet of the Flow heater can be connected and opens into the chamber between the cold fluid inlet channel and the first outlet channel, and a hot fluid line which is connected to the outlet of the water heater can be connected and is connected to the first outlet channel in such a way that the heated during operation Fluid can mix with the fluid from the first outlet channel. Furthermore, this mixing valve comprises a valve spindle, which 0 extends along the chamber and both a closing element that come into contact with the valve seat on the cold fluid inlet channel can, as well as a piston which is movable along the chamber and carries the first outlet channel and the second outlet channel can block, wherein at least one channel runs through the piston, through which into the chamber from the cold fluid inlet channel Fluid that has flowed in can flow to the first outlet channel during operation, and wherein the Ausbilduna is such that when the valve spindle is moved in such a direction that it moves the closing element away from the valve seat, the KoI-ben gradually opens the second outlet channel, so that in the Operation of an increasingly larger amount of cold fluid to the water heater can flow and thereby displace an increasingly larger amount of hot fluid through a hot fluid inlet channel, while gradually the first outlet channel is closed more and more, so that the cold fluid flow to the first outlet channel

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is reduced and thereby the temperature of the mixed fluid is increased.

The piston is preferably dimensioned and arranged in the chamber such that during the initial movement of the Valve stem the closing element is removed from the valve seat, before the piston begins to open the second outlet channel, which means that when the mixing valve is opened, initially only Cold fluid is released or supplied, as there is no displacement of water from the associated water heater. the Dimensions of the at least one channel through the piston and the dimensions of the valve seat are preferably such that it is ensured that practically the entire amount of cold fluid can flow to the first outlet channel before hot fluid from the Water heater is displaced.

The invention further comprises a water heater in combination with the mixing valve for fluid or water described above. The mixing valve is preferably directly on one Plate of the water heater attached to the water heater supports from below. The mixing valve can then be in a downwardly extending section of the housing of the instantaneous water heater be arranged so that only a suitable control button or control handle for the outside of the housing Valve spindle is visible.

There is preferably a certain gap between the piston and the inner wall of the chamber, so that a seepage path or Shunt path for cold fluid from the first inlet channel to the first outlet channel between the piston and the inner wall of the chamber is available. The piston and the chamber surrounding it are preferably cylindrical. The seepage path makes it possible it that the thermostat of the water heater on a higher The value is set as the maximum required temperature of the mixed fluid, for example to 75 ° C, if the maximum required

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saturated fluid temperature is 55 ° C, because whenever the mixing valve is open at all, cold fluid through the seepage path to the flows through the first outlet channel even if the piston has completely closed the first outlet channel. This cold fluid mixes with the warm fluid from the warm fluid inlet channel, so that a mixed fluid with a maximum temperature of 55 ° C, for example, results. The water heater with a Operating thermostats set to a higher temperature leads to higher efficiency of energy utilization, but is from a safety point of view only feasible if it is ensured that there is no possibility that fluid with a higher temperature emerges from the mixing valve without cold fluid having been mixed in in sufficient quantity. The seepage path is dimensioned in such a way that when the mixing valve is fully open, mixed fluid with a temperature of for example 55 ° C is given off. The maximum temperature of the mixed fluid can be adjusted by the user if the temperature is considered to be too high. To this The user only needs to set the thermostat of the water heater to a lower temperature value.

An embodiment of the invention is described below Reference is made to the single figure, which shows a longitudinal section through a mixing valve for a water heater for Water shows.

The mixing valve shown in the single figure comprises a housing 10, which is obtained by machining a casting made of metal or rod material made of metal. A cylindrical chamber 11 is formed in the housing 10, which extends over part of the length of the housing 10. A cold water inlet channel opens into the chamber 11 at one end 12. The inlet channel 12 has a smaller diameter than the chamber 11 and runs in the same direction as the longitudinal axis

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Chamber 11. The shoulder between the chamber 11 and the inlet channel 12 forms a valve seat 13 which is radially with respect to one another the longitudinal axis of the chamber 11 extends.

Near the end of the housing 10 is the cold water inlet duct 12 bent by 90 °. In this area the inlet channel 12 is drilled out and there forms a connection for one, for example Cold water supply line 14 designed as a pipe.

At the end of the chamber facing away from the cold water inlet channel 12. 11, the interior of the housing 10 is stepped radially outward at three different points , before the interior opens outward at the end of the housing facing away from the cold water inlet channel 12. The interior of the housing thus has three cylindrical sections 15, 16 and 17 which are all coaxial with the chamber 11. In the first coaxial section 15 following the chamber 11, a ring 18 is inserted which has a recess on its cylindrical outside which forms a water channel 19 and which is provided with a radially extending opening which forms a first outlet channel 20 which is in connection with the water channel 19 and faces a corresponding opening 21 in the wall of the housing 10. The opening 21 is drilled and forms a connection for a mixed water outlet line 40, for example designed as a pipe. The cylindrical inside of the ring 18 has a diameter which is slightly larger than that of the chamber 11 which is adjacent to the ring 18.

In the side of the housing 10 diametrically opposite the first outlet channel 20, a hot water inlet channel 22 is formed, which is in connection with the water channel 19 »The hot water inlet channel 22 has a drilled section on, which forms a connection for a hot water line 23, designed for example as a pipe, which is in a single Heater 24 shown in dashed lines extends.

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Between the cold water inlet channel 12 and the first outlet channel 20 is on that side of the housing 10 on which the hot water inlet channel 22 is formed, a second Outlet channel 25 is formed which, starting from chamber 11, extends radially outward through housing 10. In a threaded pipe 26 is screwed into the second outlet channel 25 and leads into the water heater 24 and ends in its upper area. The tube 26 is provided with a cap 27, which the incoming cold water to the lower Section of the water heater 24 conducts. The cap 27 has a small opening 18 near its upper end, which the Prevents water from being sucked back.

In the second cylindrical section 16 of the interior of the housing 10 a bushing 28 is screwed, which protrudes from the housing 10. The socket 28 has a radially extending one Flange 29, which is attached to an annular end face at the end of the housing facing away from the cold water inlet channel 12 10 ar. Is located. The third cylindrical portion 17 of the interior of the housing 10 forms an annular recess between the bushing 28 and the housing 10, which forms a sealing ring

30, which ensures a seal between the housing 10 and the flange 29 of the socket 28.

A spindle 31 extends through the socket 28 into the chamber 11 and faces the cold water inlet channel 12 on its side End of a support plate with an elastic sealing washer 32 carries. In the illustrated position of the spindle

31, the sealing washer 32 is pressed against the valve seat 13 so that the cold water inlet channel 12 is closed in which the cold water is usually pressurized.

The spindle 31 also carries a piston 33, which in the longitudinal direction of the chamber 11 is a certain distance from the support plate and the sealing washer 32 has. The piston 33 is cylindrical

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Shape and is arranged coaxially in the chamber 11. He is like that dimensioned so that there is a gap between the wall of the chamber 11 and the cylindrical outside of the piston 33. This gap forms a bypass or seepage path for cold water from that section of the chamber 11, which is located near the valve seat 13, to the first outlet channel 20. The piston 33 has one or more channels on, which are shown in dashed lines and extend in the axial direction through the piston, so that cold water from the cold water inlet channel can flow to the first outlet channel 20 when the piston 33 is displaced to the left from the position shown is.

The axial length of the piston 33 and its location on the spindle 31 are such that when the sealing washer 32 against the Valve seat 13 is pressed, the piston 33 is the connection between the outlet channel 25 and leading to the water heater the chamber 11 blocked (with the exception of the seepage path) and leaves the first outlet channel 20 completely open.

The spindle 31 is rotatably mounted in the cylindrical inner wall of the bushing 28. A sealing ring 34 provides a seal between the spindle 31 and the bushing 28. A relatively steeply threaded portion of the spindle 31 is in engagement with a corresponding thread in the cylindrical inner wall of the socket 28, so that a rotation of Spindle 31 counterclockwise, for example by means of a handle or button, not shown, a movement of the Spindle 31 caused along the longitudinal axis of the chamber 11 in the direction away from the cold water inlet channel 12. This movement causes that progressively increasing amounts of cold water under pressure from the cold water inlet channel 12 in the chamber 11 flow. Initially, the cold water flows directly through the piston 33 (and the seepage path) to the first outlet channel 20, since the piston 33 due to a certain overlap of the

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second outlet channel 25 still largely prevents cold water flows into the water heater 24. The Elements des-Mischvßntils- are dimensioned in such a way that with a first Position of the SOindel allows practically the entire amount of cold water to flow out again through the mixing valve before Water / from the water heater 24 is displaced. If the spindle is then moved in the same direction, controls the piston 33 gradually opens the second outlet channel 25 while at the same time gradually heading towards the first outlet channel 20. As a result, an increasingly larger proportion of the cold water flows from the cold water inlet channel 12 into the water heater 24, so that increasingly larger amounts of hot water through the hot water inlet channel 22 and the annular water channel 19 that are displaced by the cold water the first outlet channel 20 mix. Thus, depending on the position of the spindle, warmer or colder mixed water can be obtained will.

When the piston 33 is displaced in this way by rotating the spindle 31 has been that the second outlet channel 25 from the piston 33 is practically fully opened, is the first exhaust port 20 completely blocked by the piston 33, so that all of the cold water entering the chamber 11 except for of the water flowing through the seepage path between the piston 33 and the wall of the chamber 11 into the water heater 24 flows. With this setting the mixing valve has the mixed water maximum temperature. The seepage path enables the water heater to work at a higher temperature, i.e. is set to a higher thermostat temperature than the maximum required water temperature of the mixed water in the mixed water outlet line 40. The overlap of the second Outlet channel 25 through the piston 33 also ensures that then, when the mixing valve is opened, not at the beginning Hot water flows out at the maximum temperature 1

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Claims (5)

Patent claims ρ. Mixing valve for a water heater for fluids, in particular Water, with a housing, a cold fluid inlet channel, which can be connected to a cold fluid supply, and an outlet channel that can be connected to the water heater is, marked through a second outlet channel (20) through the cold fluid is discharged, a line (19) coming from the water heater (24) displaced warm fluid leads to the second outlet channel, so that this warm fluid with the cold fluid from the second outlet channel is mixed, and an easily operable valve mechanism (31, 32, 33) in the housing (10) is movable and adjustable between a position in which cold fluid is supplied and a position, in which mixed fluid is supplied at a given maximum temperature. 2. Mixing valve according to claim 1 with a chamber formed in the housing which runs between the cold fluid inlet channel and the second outlet channel,
characterized , 030050/0855 ORIGINAL INSPECTED - 2 - DE 0457 that the housing (10) on the cold fluid inlet channel (12) a Valve seat (13) has that to the water heater (24) leading, first outlet channel (25) into the chamber (11) between the cold fluid inlet channel (12) and the second outlet channel (20) for cold fluid opens and that the simple actuatable valve mechanism (31, 32, 33) a spindle (31), which extends along the chamber and carries both a closing element (32 \ which can sit on the valve seat (13) and a piston (33) which can be moved along the chamber and carries the outlet channel ( 25) and the second outlet channel (24) can lock for cold fluid. 3. Mixing valve according to claim 2, characterized in that the piston (33) is arranged in the chamber (11) in this way is that during the initial movement of the spindle (31) the closing element (32) is moved away from the valve seat (13), before the piston (33) begins, the water heater (24) leading outlet channel (25) open. 4. Mixing valve according to claim 3, characterized in that the piston (33) has at least one passage channel for 5 having cold fluid and that the dimensions of the cold fluid inlet channel (12) and the through channel are such that practically all of the cold fluid flow to the second outlet channel (20) for cold fluid flows before warm fluid flows out of the Water heater (24) is displaced. 5. Mixing valve according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized through a seepage path between the piston (33) and the inner wall of the chamber (11). 030050/0855