GB1590757A

GB1590757A - Remotely-controlled valve

Info

Publication number: GB1590757A
Application number: GB3915077A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: CONSERVOCON Inc
Current assignee: CONSERVOCON Inc
Priority date: 1977-09-20
Filing date: 1977-09-20
Publication date: 1981-06-10

Description

(54) REMOTELY-CONTROLLED VALVE (71) We, CoNsERvocoN, INC., a corporation organised under the laws of the State of New York, United States of America of 115, Stuyvesant Place, Staten Island, New York 10301, United States of America, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to remotely-controlled valves, and more particularly to foot-operated valves for faucets useful in homes, hospitals, laboratories and other establishments.

Foot-operated valves for use in medical and laboratory sink applications where the hands must be free while controlling faucet water flow, are known. Inexpensive remotely-controlled valves for domestic use in bathroom and kitchen sinks have not however been widely accepted primarily due to their lack of inexpensive, yet reliable valve mechanism. U.S.A. Patent 3,536,294 discloses a foot-operated control valve attachment to a faucet where the valve mechanism uses a flexible diaphragm as the controlled element in the valve to open or close a water passage.

U.S.A. Patent 2,839,264 discloses a footoperated control valve where the control valve mechanism is a spring loaded plug.

U.S.A. Patent 3,638,680 discloses a footoperated electrical control means for controlling the flow and mix proportions of hot and cold water. Electrically controlled valves control water flow in the'hot and cold supply lines.

U.S.A. Patent 3,786,995 discloses a spray device for attachment to a faucet in which a ball valve member is used to direct water from a supply line to one of two outlet ports, one of which discharges through an aerating device and the other of which discharges through spray forming passages.

U.S.A. Patent 2,608,205 discloses a safety valve in which a ball valve member for a butane tank is opened by means of water pressure created by the activation of a solenoid. If the supply were to be ruptured, the water pressure would be released thereby automatically closing the valve.

U.S.A. Patent 2,849,208 discloses the use of a valve ball as a control valve member in a garden sprayer. A manual actuator forces the valve ball from its seat to allow water to flow through the sprayer.

In overcoming the disadvantages of the prior art, the remotely-controlled valve described hereinafter has a primary advantage in that it provides an inexpensive extremely reliable control element.

A remotely-controlled valve attachable to the spout of a faucet for the control of water flowing therethrough comprises a foot-operated control member and a control valve is provided with adapting means for attaching it to a faucet. The valve has a body enclosing a first chamber for accepting water from the faucet from a water inlet passage and a second chamber having a passage for directing water from the control valve. The first and second chambers are connected by means of an aperture and the first chamber has a valve ball placed within it. This valve ball in use is urged by the force of water entering the first chamber from the faucet against the aperture thereby preventing water flow from the first chamber into the second chamber.The control valve is connected to the foot-operated control member by means of a flexible conduit, the footoperated control member, upon activation, applying fluid under pressure through the flexible conduit. There is a cylinder within the control valve having a piston slidably disposed therein. A piston guide is disposed within the cylinder and has attached thereto an inlet member to which the flexible conduit is connected. The inlet member has a passage for fluid or air under pressure from the foot-operated control member. The flexible conduit connected to the end of the inlet member transmits the fluid pressure therein to the end of the piston, thereby causing the piston to slide within the cylinder in the direction of the valve ball.An actuating rod attached to the piston thereby moves the valve ball away from the aperture and allows water to flow from said first chamber to said second chamber.

Also provided are means for manually moving the piston and its rigidly attached rod against the valve ball, thereby moving the valve ball away from the aperture and allowing water to flow from the first chamber to the second chamber. The manual moving means comprises a lamp extending about the exterior of the flexible conduit adjacent to the end of the inlet member of the piston guide for retaining the conduit on the inlet member, and an override thumb ring attached to the clamp, said piston guide undergoing linear movement with respect to said valve body by means of manual force applied to said override thumb ring, said linear movement being transmitted from said piston guide to said piston and its rigidly attached rod to said valve ball.

An assistance spring may be provided between the piston and the body of the control valve to provide a restraining force against the piston when the foot-operated member is no longer generating air or water pressure applied to force the piston and the actuating rod against the valve ball.

This restraining force allows the valve ball to close the aperture opening between the first and second chambers when water pressure in the first chamber is insufficient to force the valve ball and piston back to a closed position.

A spray head may be provided to accept water exiting through the exit passage and force it through small holes or alternatively through a direct flow outlet which may be stoppered by means of a built-in stopper.

The control valve may be provided with a threaded adapter to connect it to the faucet and with a swivel ball-bushing mechanism for directing the exiting water in various directions with respect to the faucet.

A mechanism may be provided for manual override of the remote control force such that the control-valve member may be locked to an open flow position.

The remote-control force may be provided by a foot-operated control member having a bellows placed between a foot pedal and a base. Depression of the foot pedal causes the bellows to force air or water under pressure via the flexible conduit to the control valve.

This invention, as well as its objects, advantages and features, will be better understood by reference to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of this invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective drawing of the remotely-controlled valve according to the invention attached to a faucet for a kitchen sink, Fig. 2 is a larger perspective drawing of the control valve, Fig. 3 is a cross section through the internal parts of the control valve, Fig. 4 shows the control valve forced in an open position by air or water pressure from a foot-operated control member, Fig. 5 shows the control valve member forced in an open position by a manual override system, Fig. 6 is a lateral cross section through the control valve illustrating the mechanical construction of the manual override feature;; Fig. 7 shows a foot-operated control member; and Fig. 8 shows a threaded cylindrical member used to secure a flexible conduit to the control valve member.

Fig. 1 shows the invention in place attached to a kitchen sink faucet. A control valve 100 is attached to the faucet. Water flow is controlled by a force generated by foot-operated control member 300 which transmits air or water under pressure to the control valve 100 via a flexible conduit 13.

The control valve 100 is connected to a faucet by means of an adapter 1 which has male threads 2a outside and female threads 2b inside so that the control valve 100 may be attached to threaded faucets of both types. The adapter 1 has a knurled flange 3 to facilitate turning the threads into place on the faucet. A filter washer 4a is nrovided to remove particles from the water supply at the entrance to the inlet passage 4.

The body 5 of the control valve 100 is connected to the adapter 1 by means of a swivel ball 50, which allows the control valve 100 to be turned with respect to the faucet to which it is attached. The swivel ball 50 is rotatable and is held by a swivel bushing 51 which can be attached to the valve body 5 by means of an ultrasonic weld 52. A swivel collar 53 retains the swivel ball 50. An "O" ring 54 prevents water from leaking from the valve 100 past the swivel ball 50.

The body 5 of the control valve 100, formed of metal or of a suitable synthetic plastics material encloses an inlet chamber 6 for incoming water and an outlet chamber 7 for delivering water. The inlet chamber 6 and the outlet chamber 7 are connected by means of an aperture 9. A valve ball 10 is situated within the inlet chamber 6 and is forced by the pressure of the water in the inlet chamber 6 against the aperture 9, thereby sealing the outlet chamber 7 from the flow of water.

The valve ball 10 is urged away from the aperture 9, allowing water to flow therethrough, by means of a rod 11 rigidly attached to a piston 12. In the remote control mode, the piston 12 moves in the direction of the valve ball when force is applied to it by means of fluid or air pres sure conducted by a flexible conduit or tube 13. A manual control mode for moving the piston is described below.

When air or water pressure is transmitted via the conduit 13 through the pressure inlet 14 of the piston guide 15, the pressure is applied to the end of the piston 12 throughout the valve open chamber 16. The pressure applied to the piston 12 urges it and its rigidly attached rod 11 against the valve ball 10 allowing water to flow from the inlet chamber 6 through the aperture 9 and into the outlet chamber 7 as shown in Fig. 4. Water is then expelled through the outlet passage 17.

A low water pressure assistance spring 18 (Fig. 3), attached between the control valve body 5 and the piston 12 assists in returning the piston 12 to a closed position when air or water pressure via passage 14 is no longer applied. The low water pressure assistance spring 18 ensures that the valve ball 10 closes, even if the water pressure in the inlet chamber 6 is not sufficient to move the valve ball 6 against the rod 11, thereby pushing the piston 12 back to its normal position.

The piston 12 slides within the cylinder bore 19 which is open to the outlet water chamber 7. The walls of the cylinder bore 19 cut in the valve body 5 are smooth, allowing the piston 12 to move easily in both directions. After the valve ball 10 opens, the cylinder bore 19 is filled with water. The pressure of this water acts on the piston 12 and assists in returning it to a normal or closed position when pressure is no longer applied via the conduit 13. A piston "0" ring 20-in the piston 12 ensures that water from the bore 19 does not pass to the other side of the pison 12.

The piston guide 15 is of annular shape to provide a guide-way for the piston 12, thereby preventing the piston 12 from rocking in the cylinder bore 19. Attached to the piston guide 15 is an inlet member 21 about which the conduit 13 is snugly attached by means of a threaded tubing clamp 22. The inlet member 21 is hollow, forming the passage 14 which enables a flow of water or air under pressure from the conduit 13 to impinge upon the piston 12. The piston guide 15 is retained within the control valve member 100 by means of a cylindrical cap 23. The cylindrical cap 23 can be sealed to the valve body 5 by means of an ultrasonic seal 24.

The threaded tubing clamp 22 is part of an override thumb ring 29 which has a thread 22a on the inside of the clamp.

When the clamp 22 is screwed over the tubing clockwise to secure the tubing to the inlet 14 of the guide 15, the clamp 22 buts and becomes secured against the piston guide 15, creating a jam nut effect.

Thus, the piston guide 15 can be rotated within a cylinder cap 23 by rotating the clamp 22 by means of the ring 29. Rotation of the guide 15 causes it to be translated linearly to and fro in the direction of the piston 12 by the clockwise-counterclock- wise rotation of the override thumb ring 29. Three rider guide pins 27, shown in Fig. 6, which is a lateral cross section through the cylinder cap 23, slide along the three separate rider slopes 26 in the cap 23 with a cam-like action. When the pins hit stops 25, which are part of the cylindrical cap 23, rotation of the guide is terminated. The override thumb ring 29 can be rotated approximately one hundred degrees clockwise, during opening of the valve. The resulting translation of the piston 12 and its rigidly attached rod opens the valve ball 10 as shown in Fig. 5.

Turning the override thumb ring 29 in a counterclockwise direction translates the piston guide 15 away from the piston 12 allowing the piston 12 to be urged by the spring 18 away from the valve ball 10. An "0" ring 30 is provided in the piston guide 15 to prevent water or air pressure leaking from valve open chamber 16.

A spray head 35 is attached to the valve body 5 for conditioning water which leaves through the exit passage 17 (Figs. 4 and 5).

The spray head 35 is a curved or arched plate through which spray holes 36 are formed. Between the spray head 35 and the body 5, a spray head pressure chamber 37 is formed. This chamber 37 will produce water pressure therein because the volume of water entering it through the exit passage 7 is greater than that passing through the holes 36. Spray head pressure behind the spray head is desirable in two respects.

Water pressure will prevent residue from collecting in holes 36 and it will assist, via the water in cylinder base 19, the piston 12 to return to the closed position when air or water pressure in the conduit 13 is released.

The spray head 35 has a direct flow outlet 38 allowing water from the pressure chamber 37 to pass directly out in a solid stream for filling bottles, irons, and so forth. A stopper 39, connected to a stopper handle 40 provides a manual means for closing off the direct flow outlet 38 as shown in Fig. 4.

A foot-operated control member 300 is shown in Fig. 7. A foot pedal base 320 is provided as a foundation for a foot pedal 330. The pedal and the base are of sufficient strength to withstand the weight typically applied by the foot of a human being. A pivot 340 is provided to allow the foot pedal 330 to arch downward upon the bellows 310. The bellows 310, when compressed between the foot pedal 330 and the bellows support 350, compresses air or water, forcing it along the flexible conduit 13 connected to the control valve 100.

When the bellows 310 is no longer being compressed, as when a user lifts his toe, a vacuum created by the reverse action of bellows 310 causes the presence of air or water pressure in the flexible conduit 13 to be terminated, thereby allowing closure of the valve ball 10 in the control valve 100.

in a preferred embodiment of foot control member 300, the foot pedal 330 and the bellows 310 are moulded in one piece from a material such as synthetic rubber or plastics material.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A remotely-controlled valve attach- able to the spout of a faucet for the control of water flowing therethrough comprising a foot-operated control member, a control valve having adapting means to attach it to a faucet, said valve having a body enclosing a first chamber for accepting water from said faucet from a water inlet passage and a second chamber having a passage for directing water from said control valve, said first and second chambers being connected by means of an aperture said first chamber having a valve ball placed within it, said valve ball being urged, in use, by the force of water entering said first chamber from said faucet, against said aperture thereby preventing water flow from said first chamber to said second chamber, said control valve being connected to said footoperated control member by means of a flexible conduit, said foot-operated control member, upon activation, applying fluid under pressure through said flexible conduit, a cylinder within said control valve, a piston slidably disposed within said cylinder, a piston guide disposed within said cylinder having attached thereto an inlet member to which said flexible conduit is connected, said inlet member having a passage for fluid or air under pressure from said foot-operated control member, the flexible conduit connected to the end of said inlet member transmitting the fluid pressure therein to the end of the piston thereby causing said piston to slide within said cylinder in the direction of said valve ball, an actuating rod attached to said piston thereby moving said valve ball away from said aperture and allowing water to flow from said first chamber to said second chamber, and means for manually moving said piston and its rigidly attached rod against said valve ball thereby moving said valve ball away from said aperture and allowing water to flow from said first chamber to said second chamber, said manual moving means comprising a clamp extending about the exterior of the flexible conduit adjacent to the end of the inlet member of the piston guide for retaining the conduit on the inlet member, and an override thumb ring attached to the clamp, said piston guide undergoing linear movement with respect to said valve body by means of manual force applied to said override thumb ring, said linear movement being transmitted from said piston guide to said piston and its rigidly attached rod to said valve ball.

2. A remotely-controlled valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein said manual force applicable to said piston guide causing it to undergo a linear movement with respect to said valve body is a rotational manual force applied to said override thumb ring.

3. A remotely-controlled valve as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 which further comprises an assistance spring connected between said piston and said body, said assistance spring providing a mechanical force against said piston in a direction away from said valve ball when said foot-operated member is not actuated, thereby insuring that the said actuating rod will not obstruct the valve ball from closing said aperture between said first and second chambers under the condition of low water pressure in said first chamber.

4. A remotely-controlled valve as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 and further comprising means for withdrawing said rod from contact with said valve ball when said foot-operated member is de-actuated, thereby insuring that said valve ball closes said aperture between said first and second chambers under the condition of low water pressure in said first chamber, said withdrawing means including an assistance spring connected between said piston and said body, said assistance spring providing a mechanical force against said piston in a direction away from said ball when said foot-operated member is not actuated, and a pressure differential across said piston created by high water pressure in said second chamber and the absence of fluid pressure on the end of said cylinder when said foot-operated member is deactivated.

5. A remotely-controlled valve as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 wherein one end of said cylinder is open to said second chamber, the flexible conduit being connected to the other end of said cylinder,

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. pivot 340 is provided to allow the foot pedal 330 to arch downward upon the bellows 310. The bellows 310, when compressed between the foot pedal 330 and the bellows support 350, compresses air or water, forcing it along the flexible conduit 13 connected to the control valve 100. When the bellows 310 is no longer being compressed, as when a user lifts his toe, a vacuum created by the reverse action of bellows 310 causes the presence of air or water pressure in the flexible conduit 13 to be terminated, thereby allowing closure of the valve ball 10 in the control valve 100. in a preferred embodiment of foot control member 300, the foot pedal 330 and the bellows 310 are moulded in one piece from a material such as synthetic rubber or plastics material. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A remotely-controlled valve attach- able to the spout of a faucet for the control of water flowing therethrough comprising a foot-operated control member, a control valve having adapting means to attach it to a faucet, said valve having a body enclosing a first chamber for accepting water from said faucet from a water inlet passage and a second chamber having a passage for directing water from said control valve, said first and second chambers being connected by means of an aperture said first chamber having a valve ball placed within it, said valve ball being urged, in use, by the force of water entering said first chamber from said faucet, against said aperture thereby preventing water flow from said first chamber to said second chamber, said control valve being connected to said footoperated control member by means of a flexible conduit, said foot-operated control member, upon activation, applying fluid under pressure through said flexible conduit, a cylinder within said control valve, a piston slidably disposed within said cylinder, a piston guide disposed within said cylinder having attached thereto an inlet member to which said flexible conduit is connected, said inlet member having a passage for fluid or air under pressure from said foot-operated control member, the flexible conduit connected to the end of said inlet member transmitting the fluid pressure therein to the end of the piston thereby causing said piston to slide within said cylinder in the direction of said valve ball, an actuating rod attached to said piston thereby moving said valve ball away from said aperture and allowing water to flow from said first chamber to said second chamber, and means for manually moving said piston and its rigidly attached rod against said valve ball thereby moving said valve ball away from said aperture and allowing water to flow from said first chamber to said second chamber, said manual moving means comprising a clamp extending about the exterior of the flexible conduit adjacent to the end of the inlet member of the piston guide for retaining the conduit on the inlet member, and an override thumb ring attached to the clamp, said piston guide undergoing linear movement with respect to said valve body by means of manual force applied to said override thumb ring, said linear movement being transmitted from said piston guide to said piston and its rigidly attached rod to said valve ball.

and sealing means between said piston and said cylinder for isolating the fluid in said flexible conduit from the water flowing through said valve.

6. A remotely-controlled valve attachable to the spout of a faucet for the control of water flowing therethrough substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.