EP2274544A1

EP2274544A1 - Water saving mixing valve

Info

Publication number: EP2274544A1
Application number: EP09736055A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Hans Johansson
Original assignee: Villeroy and Boch Gustavsberg AB
Current assignee: Villeroy and Boch Gustavsberg AB
Priority date: 2008-04-21
Filing date: 2009-04-21
Publication date: 2011-01-19
Also published as: WO2009131529A1; SE532300C2; SE0800916L; AU2009238689A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mixing valve (10) of one lever pin type for liquids such as warm and cold water, comprising a valve house (12), an adjustment member (17) pivotally arranged a pivot point (P). The adjustment member (17) is in working cooperation with a valve member (16) for regulating at least the flow of the liquid. The adjustment member (17) exhibits first and a second part (20, 21 ), the second part (21) intended to be arranged, directly or indirectly, to an operating lever (29) by which a user can control the adjustment member (17). The mixing valve (17) further comprises a resilient stop arrangement (30) arranged in working cooperation with a receiving surface (33) in at least a first and a second position. In the first position a limitation of the maximum flow is provided and in the second position a temporarily increase of the flow is provided, when the resilient stop arrangement (30) is forced against said receiving surface (33). The adjustment member (17) exhibits a substantially oblong form and is arranged to said pivot point (P) so that the first part is substantially opposite of the second part and the resilient stop arrangement (30) is further arranged in the first or the second part (20, 21 ) of the adjustment member. The present invention provides for a mixing valve having a relatively small volume. The relatively small volume of the mixing valve enables a mixing valve according to the present invention to be used for standardized water taps for example.

Description

WATER SAVING MIXING VALVE

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to mixing valves of the lever pin type for use in water taps for mixing hot and cold water.

BACKGROUND

An increasing awareness of the need for environmentally adapted products is spreading in the society today. The need to adapt people's consumption habits to the environment has during the last decade increased significantly. Healthy environmental considerations has been taken for a long time within certain sections of the heating, water and sanitation, and armature business products, however, some of the heating, water and sanitation, and armature business products have not yet had the impact one could whish for, from an environmental perspective. One example of such a product, which been on the market for quite some time, is partly described in the patent having the publication number EP

718 534 B1 , in the name of Gustavsberg Vargarda Armatur AB. In the document, a mixing valve of a one lever pin type for liquids which can be used in a water tap to mix incoming hot and cold water before flowing out through an outlet is described. An operating lever is coupled to an adjustment device which cooperates with a valve member. The adjustment device is cooperating with a stop member which cooperates with a stop surface for limiting the maximum out flow of liquid. The stop member comprises a screw biased by a spring, which is arranged to bias and to give a temporarily increase of the flow when it is moved towards the stop surface. The operating lever is said to be a double-armed lever, journalled about a vertical and a horizontal axis. These types of mixing valves save large amounts of water on a yearly basis.

The above mentioned solution, and also the present invention, provides for a water saving mixing valve providing e.g. real estate owners who mounts such a water tap the option of saving water. As a user opens the water tap for washing his hands, the user pulls the operating lever in the opening direction. A flow of water is initiated from the water tap in a first position. At a certain point, the stop member is preventing further movement, primarily as the biasing spring of the stop member is starting to be imparted with a load. Thereafter is the load by which a user must impart to the operating lever increased to increase the flow out of the water tap, i.e. to open the mixing valve even more. This is usually done when a user is waiting for the flowing water to become warm enough. As a user thereafter lets go of the operating lever it thereafter returns to the first position and the originally flow, a user can thereafter wash the hands with an appropriate water flow.

A similar solution is described in the patent of US 4,708,172, which solution also uses a so called double-armed lever. Common for the above mentioned documents is that they provide a mixing valve which is bulky and therefore requires more space than otherwise necessary. As a consequence of this, the water taps manufactured, and the valve houses which are used as standard couplings can not be used for these water saving mixing valves as described above. As a further consequence, the water saving mixing valves has not had the environmental impact one could wish for from an environmental perspective. A slightly different principle which suffers from the same drawbacks is described in EP 1 ,180,223 B1. Instead of using the double-armed lever principle, an adjustment member having a substantially longitudinal extension, which cooperates with a movable valve plate is used. The valve plate is in turn directly cooperating with a biased stop member. This solution is also bulky but also complex from a manufacturing point of view.

It would seem that there is a need of providing mixing valves which at least partly solves the above mentioned draw backs with the known prior art.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention is directed towards at least partly solve the above mentioned draw backs. More specifically they at least partly solved by a mixing valve of the one lever pin type for liquids such as warm and cold water, according to the present invention. The mixing valve of the one lever pin type comprises a valve house exhibiting at least a first liquid inlet and at least one liquid outlet. The mixing valve further comprises at least one adjustment member for at least adjusting the liquid flow of the liquid at the outlet. The adjustment member is pivotally arranged about a pivot point and exhibits a first and a second part. The first part of the adjustment member is arranged in working cooperation with a valve member for increasing and decreasing the outlet flow, while the second part of the adjustment member is adapted to be arranged, directly or indirectly, to an operating lever. Furthermore, the mixing valve comprises a resilient stop arrangement arranged in working cooperation with a stop surface in at least a first and a second position. In the first position, a limitation of the maximum outflow is provided, and in the second position a temporarily increase of the flow is provided when the said resilient stop arrangement is imparted with a force towards said stop surface. The mixing valve is primarily distinguished in that the adjustment member exhibit a substantially longitudinal form and is arranged to the pivot point so that the first part of the adjustment member is substantially opposing the second part of the adjustment member, and that the resilient stop arrangement is arranged in the first or the second part of the adjustment member. A mixing valve according to the present invention can be used in water taps for example, which can be arranged in bath rooms, kitchens, laundries, wash basins or the like, which in turn generally can be arranged in hospital environments, domestic environments, public domestics, workshop environments or the like. When the force is reduced, the resilient stop arrangement returns, and thereby the adjustment member, to the first position.

The present invention provides for a mixing valve having a relatively small volume. By enabling a reduced volume, the mixing valve according to the present invention can be used with standardized water taps and standardized complementing valve houses. The manufacturing costs can be significantly reduced for such units.

The first part of the adjustment member exhibits a first longitudinal centre line CL₁ and the second part of the adjustment member exhibits a second longitudinal centre line CL₂, wherein the first and the second centre line intersect at the pivot point P. The angle α between the first and the second longitudinal centre lines CL₁, CL₂ are preferably between about 140-180 degrees. The substantially longitudinal form is maintained while a good transfer of imparted load for example is maintained to e.g. a movable valve plate, and a an ergonomically good position on an operating handle can be provided, i.e. via the positioning of the adjustment member.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the resilient stop arrangement is arranged in the second part of the adjustment member. This means that the resilient stop arrangement is arranged in that part to which an operating lever is intended to be arranged. This provides for the benefit of that the resilient stop arrangement can easily be accessed by means of removing such an operating lever and thereby at least partly expose the resilient stop arrangement. At the same time a good leverage effect is provided. The resilient stop arrangement exhibits a third substantially longitudinal centre line CL₃, in practice the resilient stop arrangement has a substantially longitudinal form. The third substantially longitudinally centre line CL₃ is in one embodiment substantially perpendicular with respect to the longitudinal centre line CL₂ of the second part of the adjustment member. This provides for a good force transmission between the resilient stop arrangement and the stop surface. The force transmission is advantageously such that, between the resilient stop arrangement and the second part of the adjustment member, the transferred force during imparting of a force is in a substantially perpendicular direction with respect to the longitudinal centre line CL₂ of the second part of the adjustment member.

The resilient stop arrangement can be arranged in a plurality of ways. The most important property is however the resilient effect, i.e. it should be able to return to its initial form after being subjected to a force and in conjunction with the force, exert a counter pressure to the adjustment member. Such a resilient stop arrangement can consist of a resilient material such a natural rubber for example. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the resilient stop arrangement comprises a resilient element and a striking part, wherein the striking part exhibits a striking surface intended to at least, when the resilient stop arrangement is the second position, contact a receiving surface. The receiving surface is then preferably substantially parallel with the longitudinal centre line CL₂ of the second part of the adjustment member. Furthermore, a rotateable adjustment screw can be arranged to the striking part by which the position of the striking surface can be adjusted. The rotateable adjustment screw can be arranged directly to the striking part alternatively it can be arranged indirectly to the striking part by e.g. an adjustment cylinder, such as will be described below. An adjustment cylinder provides for the advantage of that it enables a larger adjustment interval than what would be enabled if the adjustment screw was arranged directly to the striking part. The advantage of arranging the adjustment screw directly to the striking part is that it requires fewer amounts of components, thereby lower component costs but also providing fewer manufacturing steps.

As mentioned above the resilient stop arrangement is arranged in the first or the second part of the adjustment member. The resilient stop member can be arranged in a void for example. The void is preferably adapted for the resilient stop arrangement. It is advantageous if the resilient stop arrangement is arranged in a direction substantially perpendicular with respect to the longitudinal direction CL₂ of the second part of the adjustment member. In an embodiment the second part of the adjustment member exhibits a substantially longitudinal direction CL₂ and a substantially transverse direction CL₂T wherein the resilient stop arrangement is arranged in a void which extends in the transverse direction CL₂T through the second part of the adjustment member.

To simplify the access to the resilient stop arrangement, the resilient stop arrangement is advantageously placed in the proximity of the side end of the valve house. In that sense the valve house exhibits a first and a second end and a valve house wall extending therebetween, such a valve house preferably exhibit a substantially cylindrical form, were the valve house wall is the envelope wall of the cylindrical form. The second part of the adjustment member extends out from the valve house, i.e. past the first end. The resilient stop arrangement is additionally arranged in conjunction with the first end of the valve house. The resilient stop arrangement can further be arranged on a specified distance from the pivot point to provide an appropriate leverage effect and accessability. At least a part of the resilient stop arrangement can be arranged outside of the valve house for example.

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The present invention will be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying figures in which;

Figure 1. shows a water tap with a view towards the front side, in which a mixing valve according to the present invention can be used; Figure 2. shows a water tap with a view towards the side and partly as a cross section, and a mixing valve according to the present invention; Figure 3. shows a cross section of the mixing valve from figure 2; Figure 4. shows an enlargement of the mixing valve and the resilient stop arrangement as shown in figure 2;

Figures 5a-5b. shows the mixing valve from figure 2 in perspective with a view from two different angles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Figure 1 shows, with a view towards the front side, a water tap 1 of the one lever pin type through which warm and cold water can be mixed to be released with a selected temperature so that a user can wash his hands or the like. The water tap 1 exhibits an operating lever 2 through which a user can regulate both the flow and the temperature of the water by turning the operating handle 2; up, down and side ways (indicated by arrows in figure 1 and 2). The water tap 1 exhibits a sleeve like casing 3 and an attachment device 4 through which the water tap 1 can be attached for example to a wash basin, a sink unit, or the like. An outlet 5 is arranged in the middle of the sleeve like casing 3.

Figure 2 shows the water tap 1 partly as a cross section with a view from the side. A mixing valve 10 of a one lever pin type, according to an embodiment of the present invention, is arranged to operating lever 2 and at one end of the sleeve like casing 3. The mixing valve comprises a first and a second liquid inlet (not shown) for mixing incoming warm and cold water and a liquid outlet 11 in fluid communication with the outlet 5 of the sleeve like casing 3. The mixing valve 10, according to an embodiment of the present invention, will be described in greater detail with reference to figure 3.

Figure 3 shows an embodiment of a mixing valve according to the present invention. The mixing valve 10 comprises a valve house 12 exhibiting a first and a second end 13, 14 and a cylinder formed wall 15. A valve plate 16 is arranged movable in the vertical plane in the valve house 12 for regulating the flow out from the liquid outlet 11. The position of the valve plate 16 in the vertical plane is changed by an adjustment member 17 which is pivotally arranged about a pivot point P. The adjustment member 17 is further arranged in a rotation casing 18 which permits that the adjustment member 17 is rotated (see the arrow in figure 1 for example), and thereby adjustment of the mixing valve 10, to desired mix of warm and cold water. The adjustment member 17 is in the pivot point P pivotally attached to the rotational casing 18 via an axle extending in the horizontal plane. The adjustment member can thereby be pivoted for regulating the flow, see arrow in figure 2. The rotational casing 18 is rotateable attached to an attachment sleeve 19 and an attachment flange 18a extending around the periphery of the rotational casing 18, to the valve house 12. The attachment sleeve 19 should however be considered as a part of the valve house.

The adjustment member 17 exhibits a substantially longitudinal form, however somewhat angled at the pivot point P, wherein the adjustment member 17 exhibits a first and a second part 20, 21 substantially opposite each other about the pivot point P. The first part 20 is arranged between the pivot point P and the valve plate 16, which is movable in the vertical plane, so that when imparted with a force by the second part 21 of the adjustment member 17, the first part 20 affects the position of the valve plate 16 movable in the vertical plane. The second part 21 of the adjustment member 17 is adapted for connection with the operating lever 2, as shown in figure 2. A user can thereby adjust an appropriate flow and temperature on the water by turning the operating lever 2.

5 The adjustment member 17 exhibits a substantially longitudinal form with a first and a second part 20, 21 each exhibiting a longitudinal centre line CL₁ and CL₂ respectively. The second part 21 of the adjustment member 17 exhibit a transverse direction CL₂T, which is perpendicular to the centre line CL₂ of the second part 21 of the adjustment member 17. In the shown embodiment, the centre line CL₂Of the second part 21 of the

10 adjustment member 17 merges with the centre line of the valve house. The angle α between the centre line CL₁ of the first part and the centre line CL₂ of the second part is in the shown embodiment about 165 degrees. The angle α is preferably between 140-180 degrees. The somewhat angled first part 20 provides for a good transmission when opening and closing the valve, i.e. when moving the valve plate 16 which is movable in

15 the vertical plane.

The adjustment member 17 also exhibit a resilient stop arrangement 30 arranged in the second part 21 of the adjustment member. After assembly of the operating lever 2 with the second part 21 of the adjustment member, the resilient stop arrangement 30 is

20 arranged between the pivot point P and the operating lever 2. A special advantage of the above described embodiment is that it requires a small space. As can be seen in figure 3m the resilient stop arrangement 30 exhibits a longitudinal centre line CL₃ which is substantially perpendicular with respect to the second part 21 of the adjustment member 17 and its centre line CL₂.

25

Figure 4 shows an enlargement of the resilient stop arrangement 30, as shown in figure 2. More specifically, figure 4 shows parts of the adjustment member 17, primarily the second part 21 , parts of the attachment to the operating lever 2 (illustrated with the same reference as the operating lever), the pivot point P about which the adjustment member

30 17 is pivotally arranged, parts of the attachment sleeve 19 and the rotational casing 18. Furthermore, the centre line CL₂Of the second part 21 of the adjustment member 17, and the centre line CL₃ of the resilient member 30 are also shown. The resilient stop arrangement 30 comprises a striking part 31 comprising a striking surface 32 which is contacting a receiving surface 33. In the shown embodiment of the present invention, the

35 receiving surface 33 is formed by a surface on the inside of the rotational sleeve 18. The receiving surface 33 are supported in its structure by the surrounding attachment sleeve 19; this enables the rotational sleeve 18 to be manufactured in a softer material than otherwise possible in practice. The position of the resilient arrangement 30 along the centre line CL₂ of the second part 21 of the adjustment member 17 with respect to the pivot point P, determines where the striking surface 32 will contact the receiving surface 33. If the resilient stop arrangement 30 is positioned somewhat further away from the pivot point P, the receiving surface will also be moved. For example, it is within the boundaries of the present invention that the distance between the point K, at which the centre line CL₃ of the resilient stop arrangement 30 and the centre line CL₂ of the adjustment member 17 intersect, to the pivot point P is about 3-70 mm, preferably 5-50 mm. According to other embodiments of the present invention the receiving surface 33 can be on the inside of the attachment sleeve 19, a part of the sleeve like casing 3 or the like, for example. It is however important that the receiving surface 33 is of such a nature that it does not break due to the force that the resilient stop arrangement 30 imparts when opening and closing repeatedly.

As mentioned, one of the functions of the resilient stop arrangement 30 is to cooperate with the receiving surface 33. They are specifically arranged to cooperate in a first and a second position, wherein in the first position a limitation of the flow of the mentioned liquid from the outlet is provided. In the second position a temporarily increase of the flow is provided when the resilient stop arrangement 30 is forced onto the receiving surface 33. When the force ceases, the resilient stop arrangement returns to the first position by means of the resilient function. The resilient stop arrangement 30 is forced onto the receiving surface 33 by moving the adjustment member 17 by means of moving the second part 21 of the adjustment member 17 and the operating lever 2 arranged thereto, in a direction for increasing the flow (indicated with an opening and closing arrow in figure 2). The resilient arrangement 30 will then temporarily provide a resilient force on the adjustment member 17, via the receiving surface 33. The resilient force is thereby effectuating a force to return the adjustment member 17 to the position at which the resilient member 17 no longer imparts a force to the receiving surface 33. The flow from the liquid outlet 11 (shown in figure 3) returns to the initial flow before imparted force. Dependent on the setting of the resilient arrangement 30, the flow at the first position can be 0 dm³, 5 dm³, 10 dm³ or 15 dm³ per minute, for example, dependent on the step less setting of the resilient arrangement 30, while the flow at the second position can be from 0 dm³, 5 dm³, 10 dm³ or 15 dm³ per minute, up to the maximum flow, for example up to 20 dm³, 25 dm³ or 30 dm³ per minute, dependent of how the resilient arrangement is set.

As is further shown in figure 4, the resilient arrangement comprises an adjustment screw 34, rotateable arranged to an adjustment sleeve 35, which in turn is arranged to the striking part 31. A spring 36 imparts a force towards the striking part 31 , the force that the spring 36 imparts towards the striking part 31 can thereby be adjusted by rotating the adjustment screw 34 which enables the adjustment sleeve 35 to move along the longitudinal centre line CL₃ of the resilient arrangement 30, dependent on in which direction the adjustment screw 34 is rotated.

The resilient arrangement 30 as shown in figure 2, 3 and 4 is arranged in a void 40 in the second part 21 of the adjustment member 17. The void 40 exhibits a first and a second opening 41 , 42. The first opening 41 of the void 40, with respect to its diameter, slightly larger than the diameter of the resilient stop arrangement 30, enabling the resilient stop arrangement to be positioned in the void 40. In the shown embodiment the largest diameter of the resilient stop arrangement 30 is constituted by the striking part 31 while the shown spring 36 exhibits a slightly smaller diameter. The void 40 is in this case adapted for the largest diameter. The adjustment screw 34 extends through the second opening 42 of the void 40, which exhibits a somewhat smaller diameter than the mentioned first opening 41. The head of the adjustment screw can thereby act as a natural stop and as counter force to the force imparted by the spring 36. The adjustment sleeve 35 extends inside the space formed by the helical spring 36. It is however within the boundaries of the present invention that the adjustment screw is arranged directly on the striking part 31.

Figures 5a and 5b show two different views from different sides of the mixing valve 10 in perspective. Figures 5a and 5b thereby show the second part 21 of the adjustment member 17, the valve house 12 and the attachment sleeve 19 arranged thereto. Figure 5 also show the striking part 31 and the corresponding side of the second part of the adjustment member 17, which is shown in figure 5b, the head of the adjustment screw 34, which is arranged on the outside of the second part 21 of the adjustment member 17. A first and a second support flange 37, 38 is arranged to the outside of the second part 21 of the adjustment member 17 and are intended to support the attachment of the operating lever 2 to the adjustment member 17. The operating lever 2 can be attached directly to the adjustment member 17 as shown in figures 2 and 4, as an alternative, it can be attached indirectly with one or more intermediate layers.

Claims

1. A Mixing valve (10) of a one lever pin type for liquids, such as warm and cold water comprising; a valve house (12) exhibiting at least a first liquid inlet and at least one liquid outlet (11 ); an adjustment lever (17) for regulating at least the flow of said liquid at said liquid outlet (1 1 ), said adjustment member (17) is pivotally arranged at a pivot point (P) and exhibits a first and a second part (20, 21 ), wherein said first part (20) of the adjustment member (17) is arranged in working cooperation with a valve member (16) for increasing and decreasing said flow from said liquid outlet (11 ), and said second part (21) is adapted to be arranged, directly or indirectly, to an operating lever (2); the mixing valve (10) additionally comprising a resilient stop arrangement (30), wherein said resilient stop arrangement (30) is arranged in working cooperation with a receiving surface (33) in at least a first and a second position, wherein; in said first position a limitation of the maximum flow of said liquid from said liquid outlet (11 ) is provided, and; in said second position a temporarily increase of the flow is provided when said resilient stop arrangement (30) is forced towards said receiving surface (33), characterized in that said adjustment member (17) exhibits a substantially longitudinal form and is arranged to said pivot point (P) so that said first part (20) is substantially opposite said second part (21 ) and that said resilient stop arrangement (30) is arranged in said first or second part (20, 21 ) of said adjustment member (17).

2. The mixing valve according to claim 1 , characterized in that said first part (20) of said adjustment member (17) comprises a first longitudinal centre line (CL₁), and that said second part (21) of said adjustment member (17) comprises a second longitudinal centre line (CL₂), wherein said first and second centre line intersects at said pivot point (P).

3. The mixing valve according to claim 2, characterized in that the angle (α) between said first longitudinal centre line (CL₁) and said second longitudinal centre line (CL₂) is between about 140-180 degrees.

4. The mixing valve according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said resilient stop arrangement (30) is arranged in said second part (21 ) of said adjustment member (17).

5. The mixing according to claim 4, characterized in that said adjustment member (30) exhibits a third substantially longitudinal centre line (CL₃), said third substantially longitudinal centre line (CL₃) extends substantially transverse with respect to said second longitudinal centre line (CL₂) of said second part (21 ) of said adjustment member (17).

6. The mixing according to claim 5, characterized in that said resilient stop arrangement (30) comprises; a resilient element (36) and a striking part (31 ), wherein said striking part (31) exhibits a striking surface (32) adapted to, at least when said resilient stop arrangement (30) is in said second position, contact said receiving surface (33), wherein said striking surface (32) is substantially parallel with said longitudinal centre line (CL₂) of said second part (21) of said adjustment member (17).

7. The mixing valve according to any of the claims 5-6, characterized in that a rotateable screw (34) is arranged, directly or indirectly, to said striking part (31 ) by which the position of said striking surface (32) can be adjusted.

8. The mixing valve according to any of the claims 5-7, characterized in that said second part (21 ) of said adjustment member (17) exhibits a substantially longitudinal direction (CL₂) and a substantially transverse direction (CL₂T) and that said resilient stop arrangement (30) is arranged in a void (40) which extends in said transverse direction (CL₂T) of said second part (21) of said adjustment member (17).

9. The mixing valve according to any preceding claims, characterized in that said valve house (12) comprises a first and a second end (13, 14) and a valve house wall extending therebetween (15), wherein said second part (21) of said adjustment member (17) extends out from said valve house (12) and past said first end (13), wherein said resilient stop arrangement (30) is arranged in the proximity of said first end (13).

10. The mixing valve according to claim 9, characterized in that at least a part of said resilient stop arrangement (30) is arranged outside said valve house (12).

11. The mixing valve according to any preceding claims, characterized in that said valve house (12) comprises a first and a second liquid inlet adapted to receive a flow of warm and cold water.