Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
  • G05D—SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
  • G05D23/00—Control of temperature
  • G05D23/01—Control of temperature without auxiliary power
  • G05D23/02—Control of temperature without auxiliary power with sensing element expanding and contracting in response to changes of temperature
  • G05D23/021—Control of temperature without auxiliary power with sensing element expanding and contracting in response to changes of temperature the sensing element being a non-metallic solid, e.g. elastomer, paste
  • G05D23/023—Control of temperature without auxiliary power with sensing element expanding and contracting in response to changes of temperature the sensing element being a non-metallic solid, e.g. elastomer, paste the sensing element being placed outside a regulating fluid flow

Definitions

• the present invention relates to thermostats e.g. for radiators and convectors, and more particularly to a thermostat with a locking structure which prevents changing of a selected set-value for a desired temperature.
• Thermostats of the above mentioned kind can be applied for controlling thermal conditions in an environment both in combination with refrigeration and air conditioning systems where the thermal installation is adapted to cool down the environment and in combination with heating systems where the thermal installation is adapted to heat up the environment.
• the thermostat in question controls a valve and thus a thermal condition of an environment, and it may be applied both in combination with a heating and a refrigerating system.
• the set-value indicates a desired temperature
• the thermo sensitive element adjusts the position of a shoulder based on a sensed temperature.
• the associated valve typically has a spindle which is slidingly received in a valve house.
• the spindle controls the position of a valve member relative to a valve seat and thus a flow through the valve.
• the shoulder abuts the spindle, and the spindle therefore moves when the shoulder is moved towards the spindle, and the flow through the valve is therefore changed depending on the movement of the shoulder.
• Safety elements for thermostats e.g. for radiators, convectors, and/or floor heating systems, have been produced in order to secure such thermostats against unintended changing of the temperature set-value.
• Common thermostats comprise a rotary knob which serves for adjustment of the desired temperature value, and common safety elements have been developed which prevent access to the knob.
• the disclosed thermostatic regulating valve comprises a safety device surrounding a skirt of the rotary adjustment knob and a connecting unit and can be clamped thereto to prevent rotation of the knob relative to the connecting unit, thereby preventing rotation of the knob in order to conserve energy and in order to prevent theft of the thermostat.
• EP 0 702 764 B1 discloses a safety device in which it is possible to lock the rotary knob within a selectable range of values.
• the invention provides a thermostat with a locking structure which is controllable by movement of the handle relative to the base to shift between a locked configuration in which change of a selected temperature set-value is disabled and an unlocked configuration in which change of a selected temperature set-value is enabled. Since the locking structure is controllable by movement of the handle which is also used for selecting the set-value, the thermostat becomes very simple to manufacture and to use, and the design may be much simpler and more appealing than that of thermostats with a locking device which covers the thermostat and thus changes its appearance. In addition, any impact an externally attached locking device may have on the ability of the thermostat to correctly sense a room temperature, may be avoided.
• the base may form a flange or cavity with a structure which facilitates connection of the thermostat to a matching structure of a valve.
• the base therefore serves to hold the thermostat in a fixed, or at least a releasably fixed, connection with the valve.
• the base may even form part of the valve so that the thermostat forms part of the valve.
• the handle and the base may form a shell structure which encapsulates the thermo sensitive element, a structure by which the handle sets the set- value, the locking structure, and/or other parts of the thermostat.
• the handle may be allowed to rotate around an axis, e.g. an axis which extends through the shoulder.
• the rotation axis may be parallel or coaxial with an axis along which the spindle of the valve slides towards and away from the thermostat during movement of the shoulder.
• thermo sensitive element could be of the kind known from existing thermostats, e.g. where a substance changes volume based on its temperature, and where a rod is pushed towards the associated valve by the increasing volume of the substance.
• the locking structure may be controllable by a translatory forward or rearward movement of the handle, e.g. along an axis around which the handle is rotational relative to the base.
• the locking structure may e.g. provide selective disabling and enabling of rotation of the handle relative to the base.
• the rotation can be disabled and enabled by providing a first surface pattern on the base and a second surface pattern on the handle so that the surface patterns can engage each other and prevent rotation of the handle relative to the base in one axial position of the handle relative to the base.
• the first and second surface patterns could be provided so that they engage each other during the mentioned forward or rearward sliding of the handle relative to the base.
• the surface patterns may therefore comprise cooperating depressions and protrusions, knops, grooves and tongue etc, and primarily of the kind extending along a line in the direction in which the handle slides relative to the base.
• the thermostat may comprise a set-value structure which cooperates with the handle to move the thermo sensitive element upon rotation of the handle.
• the set-value structure may comprise a third surface pattern adapted for cooperation with the second surface pattern.
• the third surface pattern may correspond to the first and second surface patterns, and the second and third surface patterns could be provided so the aforementioned forward or rearward sliding of the handle relative to the base is enabled without causing disengaging of the second and third surface patterns.
• At least one of the mentioned surface patterns may comprise a toothed surface portion.
• the handle comprises an internally toothed surface.
• the base and/or the set-value structure may each have a matching toothed surface, in particular with straight teeth extending in the axial direction so that the handle can be moved in this direction while teeth engaging each other can slide against each other in the direction of movement.
• one or both of the base and set-value structure may comprise a protrusion which engages between two of the teeth of the toothed surface portion provided on the handle.
• the thermostat may comprise a biasing structure which biases the handle toward the position in which the locking means is in the locked configuration.
• biasing means may e.g. comprise springs such as helical springs or disk springs, or it may comprise a gas which is compressed when the handle is moved to the position in which the locking means is in the unlocked configuration.
• the thermostat may further comprise a dial which is indicative of the selected temperature set-value. If the handle is slidable relative to the base, the dial may be covered by the handle or the base when the locking structure is in the locked configuration, and wherein movement of the handle relative to the base may uncover the dial.
• Fig. 1 illustrates a thermostat according to the invention
• Figs. 2, 3 illustrate movement of the handle between a locked and an unlocked position
• Figs. 4, 5 illustrate enlarged cross-sectional views of the locking structure
• Fig. 6 illustrates an exploded view of the thermostat.
• the thermostat 1 comprises a thermo sensitive element which moves a shoulder whereby it becomes adapted to adjust a flow through a valve which is attached in the forward opening 2.
• the thermo sensitive element and shoulder are contained in the cavity 3, but they are not shown in Fig. 1.
• the thermostat further comprises a valve base 4, a handle 5, and a locking structure which will be explained in further details with reference to the following figures.
• Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate that the handle 5 is slideable by a translatory movement of the handle relative to the base between a locked and an unlocked position.
• the thermostat comprises a set-value structure 6 which comprises an internal threading 7 adapted to move the thermo sensitive element and shoulder in the forward direction towards the valve - the forward direction is indicated by the arrow 8 and an opposite rearward direction is indicated by the arrow 9.
• the locking means is in a locked configuration and the base 4 and handle 5 form a closed shell with an opening 2 in which the valve is receivable.
• the position of the handle 5 shown in Fig. 2, i.e. the foremost position of the handle 5 relative to the base 4, will be referred to as the locked position.
• Fig. 3 the translatory movement of the handle 5 along an axis, symbolized by the dotted line 10, has changed the locking means to the unlocked configuration in which the handle 5 is rotational relative to the base 4 around the axis 10.
• the rearmost position of the handle 5 relative to the base 4 will be referred to as the unlocked position of the handle.
• Fig. 4 illustrates an enlarged cross-sectional view of the locking structure.
• the locking structure comprises a first surface pattern 11 provided on the base 4 and arranged to engage a second surface pattern 12 provided on the handle 5, when the handle 5 is in the foremost position.
• the first surface pattern is constituted by an externally toothed surface formed on an outward inner flange 13 of the base 4 and the second surface pattern is constituted by an internally toothed surface provided on the flange 14 of the handle 5.
• the surface patterns are better seen in Fig. 6 showing an exploded view of the thermostat.
• the first and second surface patterns engage each other and thereby disable rotation of the handle relative to the base and thus disable changing of the set-value.
• Fig. 5 illustrates the view of the thermostat corresponding to Fig. 4, but with the handle in the locked position.
• the set-value structure 6 is best seen in Fig. 6.
• the third surface pattern 15 is constituted by a toothed surface 15 on an outer surface.
• the third surface pattern 15 is also engaged by the second surface pattern 12, and when the handle 5 is in the unlocked position, rotation of the handle 5 can be transferred to the set-value structure 6 which, via the internal threading 7 transfers the rotation to a translatory movement of the thermo sensitive element and shoulder in a direction towards or away from the valve.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
• Temperature-Responsive Valves (AREA)
• Preventing Unauthorised Actuation Of Valves (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

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ID=40039701

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• 2008
  • 2008-08-26 RU RU2010110674/28A patent/RU2010110674A/ru unknown
  • 2008-08-26 CN CN2008801049501A patent/CN101939715A/zh active Pending
  • 2008-08-26 WO PCT/DK2008/000305 patent/WO2009026922A2/en active Application Filing
  • 2008-08-26 EP EP08784428A patent/EP2195717A2/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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