FR2959033A1 - Mixer valve apparatus for shower, has asymmetric pressure balancer integrated in mixer body and controlling hot water supply pressure of cartridge at cold water supply pressure of cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a standard ceramic cartridge (4) supplied with hot water and cold water and adjusting mixed water flow and hot water and cold water mixing ratio by action on a lever (7). An asymmetric pressure balancer is integrated in a mixer body (3), and controls cold water supply pressure of the cartridge at the hot water supply pressure of a mixer valve and simultaneously controls the hot water supply pressure of the cartridge at the cold water supply pressure of the cartridge.

Description

The invention relates to a hot and cold water mixing valve device equipped with an asymmetrical pressure balancer. The apparatus of the invention is a shower mixer that is adaptable bath and shower mixer with diverter in the same technical configuration of operation.

The hot and cold water supplies of the bathrooms are often subject to random variations in the pressures which result in more or less significant fluctuations in the temperature of the mixed water at the mixer outlet, which causes unpleasant and sometimes dangerous situations for the user. That is why it is important to ensure in operation a temperature of mixed water outlet perfectly stable on the one hand and on the other hand an anti-scald safety by not allowing a mixed water outlet temperature greater than the initial setting temperature regardless of random fluctuations in hot and cold water supply pressures. The asymmetrical device described in patents 0011154 and 0609500 allows this feature by maintaining a hot water outlet pressure at the outlet of the balancer which is always limited by the cold water outlet pressure which is generally not possible with symmetrical type devices. Indeed the devices of the symmetrical type generally allow a hot water passage without cold water passage in case of a cold water pressure much higher than a hot water pressure which brings the balancer into abutment with the immediate effect of closing the cold water circuit and leave a free passage on the hot water circuit and discharge only hot water.

It has therefore appeared necessary to integrate into a hot and cold water mixer an asymmetrical balancer incorporating the principles described in patent 0011154 which limits the cold water outlet pressure by the hot water inlet pressure and simultaneously which limits the pressure of hot water outlet by the cold water outlet pressure which results in balancing the hot and cold water outlet pressures to the smallest of the hot and cold water inlet pressures while ensuring a hot water outlet pressure which will never be greater than the cold water outlet pressure. Figure 1 is an exploded view of a device of such an invention. Figure 2 shows the diagram of the operating principle. FIG. 3 represents an isometric perspective view of the sections on its axis of the mixer body (3) equipped with the hot water (37) and cold water (39) pilot pipes, the cuts are shifted by 90 degrees for better understanding and Sketch in fine lines of the pipes (37) and (39) provided with their ends is shown offset from the body to allow visualization of the positioning of said pipes and their end pieces. Figure 4 shows a section of the mechanism of the pressure regulating cartridges. FIG. 5 is an isometric perspectival view of FIG. 4. The apparatus as shown in FIG. 1 is composed of: a cold water inlet flange (1) and an identical hot water inlet flange (8) and equipped with latching nuts for connection to the mains and an O-ring sealing during assembly in the body (3). - a cold water balancing cartridge (2) and a hot water equalization cartridge (9) - a body (3) equipped with pilot hot water (37) and cold water (39) pipelines

a standard cartridge of the "ceramic" type (4) for regulating flow and temperature which is positioned in the body (3) and which is provided with a hot water inlet, a cold water inlet, an outlet mixed water and whose sections of passage hot water and cold water allowing the mixture hot water and cold water are constant for each point of adjustment of the operating lever (7). - a nut (5) for fixing the cartridge (4) - a ball cap (6) which is screwed onto the nut (5) - a lever (7) for operation fixed to the cartridge control member ( 4) which allows a temperature adjustment by a rotational movement and a flow control by a movement of lever. The balancing cartridges hot water (9) and cold water (2) are shown in Figures 4 and 5.

They are assembled monoblock, indémontables and interchangeable. A body (43) of the cartridge is injected plastic adapted to a hot water environment. A regulating valve (50) adjusts a passage section between an inlet volume (45) of hot or cold water and an outlet volume (47). The control valve (50) is guided by the ribs (44) and (51), it is assembled in two parts by screwing and / or bonding which makes it prisoner of the body (43). The regulating valve (50) is embedded in an elastic membrane (49) of elastomer of very low stiffness and of circular shape, it is fixed to said membrane by cold vulcanization, a rigid cup (48) of the same shape as the membrane is placed between the valve stem (50) and the membrane (49) which ensures good transmission and a good distribution of forces between the membrane (49) and the valve (50). Orifices (46) allow the hot water and cold water outlet to the cartridge (4) for controlling flow and temperature. Studs (42) in the form of eccentric cylinders allow the positioning of the cold water cartridges (2) and hot water (9) in the body (3). An O-ring (41) provides a seal between the body (43) of the balancing cartridge and its housing in the body (3) of the mixer. A lip (53) of the diaphragm (49) is fitted into the cartridge body (43) and into a housing (54) of the body (3) to seal tightly the volumes (47) and the arrivals ( 36) and (40) pilot pressures during mounting in the body (3). The body (3) is a machined copper alloy casting, usually brass or bronze, the distance between the hot and cold water inlets is adapted to the uses in force. Machining (29) and (35) are sized to receive respectively: - the cold water balancing cartridge (2) maintained by the sealing flange (1) - the hot water balancing cartridge (9) maintained by the sealing flange (8), the flanges (1) and (8) are screwed into the body (3). The inner channel (33) communicates the volume (47) via the orifices (46) of the hot water balancing cartridge (9) to the hot water supply port (32) of the cartridge (4) of the flow and temperature adjustment. The internal channel (30) communicates the volume (47) via the orifices (46) of the cold water balancing cartridge (2) to the cold water supply port (31) of the cartridge (4) of the flow and temperature adjustment. The cold water pilot line (39) is provided with end pieces (40) and (56) and the hot water pilot line (37) is provided with end pieces (36) and (57). The pilot lines (39) and (37) are flexible plastic pipes terminated by the ends (40) and (56) on the one hand and (36) and (57) on the other hand, the ends are made of copper alloy , usually

brass tubes having a threaded end which is screwed by self-tapping at each end of the pilot pipes cold water (39) and hot water (37), the sealing of self-tapped threads is provided by application of anaerobic type resin. A dead volume obtained in the foundry makes it possible to house the pilot pipes cold water (39) and hot water (37) in the body (3) bypassing the cartridge (4) for adjusting flow and temperature. The brass tips (56) and (40) of the cold water pilot line (39) fit into the calibrated holes of the body (3), the tip (56) is fitted into a bore (34) which communicates with the entry of hot water from the mixer. The brass tips (36) and (57) of the hot water pilot line (37) fit into the calibrated holes of the body (3), the tip (57) is fitted into a bore (55) which communicates with the volume (30) of the cold water outlet where the cold water outlet pressure of the cold water balancing cartridge (2) prevails. The brass end pieces of the cold water (39) and hot water (37) pilot lines that fit into the calibrated holes of the body (3) are fixed tightly to the body (3) by application of anaerobic type resin. The cold water pilot line (39) communicates via a bore (34) with the volume (45) of the hot water balancing cartridge (9) where the hot water mixer inlet pressure reigns and transmits the water inlet pressure hot mixing valve to the membrane (49) of the cold water balancing cartridge (2) via the nozzle (40). The hot water pilot line (37) communicates via a bore (55) with the volume (30) where the cold water outlet pressure of the cold water balancing cartridge (2) prevails and transmits said cold water outlet pressure to the membrane (49) of the hot water balancing cartridge (9) via the nozzle (36). The machining (38) is sized to receive a standard "ceramic" type cartridge (4) secured by the threaded nut (5). A threaded bore (52) is adapted to receive a shower-type pipe which allows the user to evacuate the mixed water obtained at the outlet of the standard "ceramic" type cartridge (4). The operation of such a mixer is shown schematically in Figure 2. The hot water inlet (10) schematically a flange (8). The body (11) schematizes a hot water balancing cartridge body (43) integrated into a body (3). The cold water inlet (28) schematizes a flange (1). The body (27) schematizes a cold water balancing cartridge body (43) integrated into a body (3). The pipe (17) schematizes the hot water pilot line (37) and the pipe (21) schematizes the cold water pilot line (39). The pipe (18) schematizes the internal channel (33) and the pipe (20) schematizes the internal channel (30). The standard ceramic cartridge (4) for regulating flow and temperature is shown schematically by the rectangle (19). When the appliance is running: - The hot water inlet pressure prevails in the volume (12) and the volume (22) which communicate with each other via a pilot channel (21). The pressure forces prevailing in the volume (26) acting on the effective section of the valve (25) plus the pressure forces prevailing in the volume (24) acting on the diaphragm (23) are either in equilibrium and in this case the pressure prevailing in the volume (24) is close to the pressure prevailing in the volume (22) without being greater than it, either in imbalance and full open abutment in the case where the pressure prevailing in the chamber (26) is less than the pressure in the chamber (22), in the latter case the pressure in the chamber (24) will be equal to the pressure in the chamber (26) minus the pressure drop

caused by flow through the valve orifice (25). - The outlet pressure of the cold water prevails in the volumes (24) and (20) which communicate with each other and in the volume (16) which communicates with the volume (20) by a pilot channel (17). The pressure prevailing in the chambers (24) and (16) can not be greater than the pressure prevailing in the chamber (12) according to the preceding analysis, it follows that the pressure forces exerted on the membrane ( 15) will always be in equilibrium, which is maintained by the position of the opening of the valve (13). The pressure in the chamber (14) will be equal to the pressure in the chamber (16) minus the pressure drop caused by the flow through the passage opening of the valve (13). Such a device is a double pressure control which automatically tends to reduce the difference between the outlet pressure of the cold water and a reference pressure which is the inlet pressure of the hot water and simultaneously which tends automatically. to reduce the difference between the outlet pressure of the hot water and a reference pressure which is the outlet pressure of the cold water, each of the outlet pressures not being greater than its reference pressure. As a result, the pressures prevailing in the volumes (18) and (20) are limited by the smallest of the hot water inlet pressures prevailing in the volume (10) and the cold water inlet entering the volume (28). ) on the one hand and on the other hand that the hot water outlet pressure prevailing in the volume (18) is limited by the cold water outlet pressure prevailing in the volume (20). In operation the adjustment of the mixer by the lever (7) acts on the passage sections of the hot water and cold water of the standard cartridge type "ceramic" (4) flow control and temperature. The ceramic cartridge technology allows, at constant adjustment, to have constant passage sections and independent of pressure and temperature conditions and to discharge the hot and cold water mixture to a threaded bore (52) adapted to receive a pipe shower.

The simultaneous action of the servo-control of the cold water supply pressure of the cartridge (4) to the hot water supply pressure of the mixer and the servocontrol of the hot water supply pressure of said cartridge (4) at the cold water supply pressure of the same cartridge has the effect of having hot water and cold water supply pressures of the cartridge (4) substantially equal to the smallest of the hot and cold water supply pressures of the mixing valve without the hot water supply pressure of the cartridge (4) can take a value greater than the cold water supply pressure of said cartridge (4). For a given adjustment position of the lever (7), the ratio of hot water to cold water is substantially constant whatever the random variations of the supply pressures while ensuring a hot water / cold water mixing ratio that can never be greater than the ratio of the effective passage sections hot water / cold water of the cartridge (4). With hot water and cold water conditions at constant temperature, this mixer ensures the stability of the mixing temperature regardless of the random fluctuations of the hot and cold water supply pressures and the safety anti-scalding in case of extreme imbalance of supply pressures.

Claims (8)

Claims1- Mixing valve for a shower mixer supplied with hot and cold water at variable and random pressures which is equipped with a standard "ceramic" type cartridge (4) fed with hot and cold water, said cartridge (4) ) makes it possible to adjust by means of a lever (7) a mixed water flow rate and its hot water and cold water mixing ratio, characterized in that it is equipped with an asymmetric pressure balancer integrated into the body (3) of the mixer that controls the cold water supply pressure of the standard "ceramic" type cartridge (4) to the hot water supply pressure of the mixer tap and at the same time controls the hot water supply pressure of the standard "ceramic" type cartridge (4) at the cold water supply pressure of said cartridge (4) 2- apparatus tap mixer for shower according to claim 1 characterized in that the asymmetric pressure balancer integrated in the body (3) is constituted by a cold water balancing module (2) which limits the cold water supply pressure from the standard cartridge (4) to the hot water supply pressure of the mixer tap and a hot water balancing module (9) which limits the hot water supply pressure of the standard cartridge (4) to the pressure supplying cold water to said cartridge (4) 3- Mixing valve for shower device according to claim 2 equipped with a cold water inlet flange (1) and an identical hot water inlet flange (8) equipped with connection nuts to the network and an O-ring sealing during assembly in the body (3). - a balancing cartridge, cold water (2) and a hot water balancing cartridge (9) - a body (3) equipped with pilot piping hot water (37) and cold water (39) - d a standard "ceramic" type cartridge (4) for adjusting the flow rate and temperature which is positioned in the body (3) - a nut (5) for fixing the cartridge (4) - a hinged lid (6) which is screwed on the nut (5) - an operating lever (7) fixed to the control member of the cartridge (4) which allows a temperature adjustment by a rotational movement and a setting flow rate by a lever movement characterized in that the balancing cartridges cold water (2) and hot water (9) are identical and monobloc and consist of: - a body (43) injected plastic adapted to an environment domestic hot water - a regulating valve (50) which adjusts a passage section between a volume (45) of the hot water inlet body (43) or cold water and a volume (47) of the outlet body (43), the regulating valve (50) is guided by the ribs (44) and (51) of the balancing cartridge body (43), the valve regulator (50) is assembled in two parts by screwing and / or gluing - an elastic membrane (49) of very low elastomer stiffness in which the regulating valve (50) is embedded and fixed to said membrane by cold vulcanization, a rigid cup (48) placed between the valve stem (50) and the diaphragm (49) - orifices (46) which allow the hot water and cold water outlet to a cartridge (4) for regulating flow and temperature - studs (42) in the form of eccentric cylinders which allow positioning of the cold water (2) and hot water (9) cartridges in the body (3) - an O-ring (41) which seals between a volume (45) and a volume (47) during mounting in the body (3) 4 - A mixing valve apparatus hot water and cold water equipped with an asymmetric pressure balancer 5 according to claim 3 characterized in that the elastic membrane (49) has a lip (53) which is fitted in the body of balancing cartridge ( 43) and in a housing (54) of the body (3) for sealing between a volume (47) and the arrivals (36) and (40) pilot pressures 5 - An apparatus mixing valve hot water and cold water equipped with an asymmetric pressure balancer according to one of claims 3 and 4 characterized in that the balancing cartridge body (43) has orifices (46) which allow the hot water and cold water outlet to the cartridge (4) for controlling flow and temperature 6 - Apparatus tap mixer hot and cold water equipped with an asymmetric pressure balancer according to one of claims 3 to 5 characterized in that the body (3) is equipped with 15 hot water pilot pipes (37) and cold water (39) such that: - the hot water pilot piping (37) communicates the pressure prevailing in the internal cold water supply channel (30) of the cartridge (4) for regulating flow and temperature and the pressure prevailing on the external face of the elastic membrane (49) of the hot water balancing cartridge (9) 20 - the cold water piloting pipe (39) communicates the hot water supply pressure of the mixer and the pressure on the face external of the elastic membrane (49) of the cold water balancing cartridge (2) 7 - Apparatus tap mixer hot and cold water equipped with an asymmetric pressure balancer according to claim 6 characterized in that the pilot piping hot water (37) and 25 cold water (39) are flexible plastic pipes terminated by two end caps in cuprous alloy, usually brass tubes having a threaded end which is screwed by self-tapping at each end of the pilot piping cold water (39) and hot water (37) and whose sealing of self-tapped threads is ensured by application of anaerobic type resin 8 - mixing valve apparatus hot water and cold water equipped with an asymmetric pressure balancer 30 according to claim 7 characterized in that the tips of the pilot piping hot water (37) and cold water (39) fit into calibrated holes of the body (3) and are fixed tight on the body (3) by application of anaerobic type resin