GB2078910A

GB2078910A - Mixing valve

Info

Publication number: GB2078910A
Application number: GB8118474A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Friedrich Grohe Armaturenfabrik GmbH and Co
Current assignee: Grohe Water Technology AG and Co KG
Priority date: 1980-06-28
Filing date: 1981-06-16
Publication date: 1982-01-13
Also published as: BR8104042A; ZA814067B; YU158681A; JPS5740176A; AU7210881A; IT1137935B; ES259179U; HU183496B; BE889393A; ES259179Y; SE8103667L; NL8102837A; NO811989L; DE3024454C2; DD159900A5; FI811596L; IT8122564A0; DK283981A; FR2487473A1; DE3024454A1

Abstract

A mixing valve for hot and cold water has a flat movable plate (3) mounted between two fixed plates (4). The fixed plates each have separate axially spaced inlet and outlet ports (6,7). The movable plate has on each face a transfer port (5) which interacts with the inlet and outlet ports on the adjacent fixed plate. The movable plate has a pin (11) which runs in guide slots (12) in a sleeve within which the movable plate is located. Axial movement of the plate results in total flow control of both hot and cold water whilst transverse pivoting of the plate about the pin results in alteration of the mixture ratio. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Mixing valve This invention relates to a mixing valve particularly for hot and cold water.

A known type of mixing valve has valve element flat plates provided with passages for hot and cold water located parallel to the centre axis whereby the rate of discharge is regulated with a movable plate by displacement parallel to the centre axis and the mixture ratio is regulated by swivelling about an axially movable pivot.

According to the present invention there is provided a mixing valve, particularly for hot and cold water, where as valve element flat plates provided with passages for hot and cold water located parallel to the centre axis whereby the rate of discharge is regulated with a movable plate by displacement parallel to the centre axis and the mixture ratio is regulated by swivelling about an axially movable pivot, wherein the movable plate has on each of its two flat faces a transfer port in which the hot water is passed along one flat face and the cold water along the other flat face whereby the movable plate is mounted between two fixed plates each provided with an inlet and an outlet opening and in each case a pair of inlet and outlet openings can communicate with one another via a transfer port.

The advantages achieved with the invention arise as a result of the diametrical positioning of the transfer ports on the two flat faces of the movable plate, since the latter can now be made very much slimmer with the same rate of flow. In addition, the positioning of an inlet opening and outlet opening in each of the two fixed plates makes it possible to control the overall rate of discharge in the region of the inlet openings and the upstream section of the transfer port by axial movement of the movable plate whilst mixture control is achieved in the region of the downstream section of the transfer port in combination with the outlet openings by swivelling the movable plate. Parallel side by side location of the two inlet openings is no longer necessary by virtue of the design according to the invention.

Alternatively the transfer ports can take the form of open hollows or recesses, or of closed water passages provided with an inlet and outlet opening in the movable plate.

According to the invention for the purpose of versatile use of the mixing valve the valve elements can be combined to form an integral unit in a sleeve or cartridge. By virtue of the arrangement of the valve elements it is possible in the case of inadvertently transposed connections of hot and cold water (hot on the right hand side and cold on the left hand side) for the normally necessary setting directions to be retained by installing offset by 1800.

Displacement of the fulcrum of the movable plate to an outer end region opposite to the handle attachment region makes it possible to adjust the mixture ratio delicately with relatively low setting force. In addition a pin can advantageously be secured in this region of the movable plate to act as pivot, the pin being located so as to permit limited sliding motion in longitudinal slots of the sleeve for adjustment of the overall rate of discharge. For slim design of the mixing valve the movable plate can to advantage be tapered along the longitudinal faces so that when swivelling about the fulcrum the edge of the movable plate making contact with the wall is approximately parallel to the sleeve.In addition the transfer ports can usefully be formed each parallel to a corresponding taper edge so that in plan view of a flat face the two transfer ports located behind one another approximately form a trapezium. In addition to approximately uniform depth of the transfer ports it is possible in view of the tapered area of the movable plate for the downstream sections to be appreciably deeper so that in this area the plate has for example a cross section approximating to an S or double U-shape. As an additional alternative the transfer ports formed on the flat faces can be positioned as a whole approximately congruently along the centre axis and the outlet openings in the fixed plates can be formed asymmetrically approximately alongside the centre axis.

To ensure intimate contact of the two fixed plates against the movable plate it is possible in the area of the inlet openings and outlet openings to employ elastomer clamping and sealing elements which are supported on suitably robustly designed areas in the mixing valve. For especially positive sealing it is possible in the area of the inlet openings for the seals to be supported directly on the valve housing so that only the function of location takes place in the openings of the sleeve. So that the sleeve or cartridge which can be used in various pipe fittings is combined with the appropriate plates to form an integral unit the clamping and sealing elements are functionally positioned in the region of the outlet openings between the contact faces in the sleeve and the fixed plates.

In order for example to achieve favourable opening and mixing characteristics the outlet openings can take the form of narrow slots parallel to the centre axis and the inlet openings can be provided relatively compactly in the fixed plates with a circular, square, triangular or similar cross section.

Finally all dynamically loaded sealing faces in the case of the mixing valve according to the invention can be made exclusively of polished, high wear resistant oxide ceramic.

The drawings show a design example of the invention, this being described in detail below. In the drawings Figure 1 shows a mixing valve in longitudinal section with partially represented valve housing; Figure 2 shows a cross section through plane 11 of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a mixing valve in accordance with Figure 1 turned through 90" in longitudinal section; Figure 4 shows a cross section through plane IV of Figure 3; Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the sleeve usable as cartridge in mixing valve housings plus appropriate components.

The valve housing 1 partially shown in Figures 1 to 4 has a cylindrical bore 101 for secure location and retention of a sleeve 2 in which the individual valve elements are located. In cylindrical bore 101 there are formed radially in the wall, opposite one another a hot water inlet 61 and a cold water inlet 62 and axially offset thereto water outlets 71. For the purpose of sealing in the cylindrical bore seal rings 102 are fitted in annular grooves the cylindrical surface of sleeve 2. To prevent undesirable rotation an interlock device 104 is provided which can be inserted in a slot 103 formed in sleeve 2; this interlock device engages with a lug 105 in a corresponding radial slot on valve housing 1.Axial retention of the sleeve is ensured by a screw on head (not shown in the drawing) with a handle for operating the valve whereby interlock device 104 is also secured in engaged position. Sleeve 2, which is essentially cylindrical in form externally, has two parallel flat contact faces 41 for fixed retention of two plates 4. Between the two plates 4 located on both sides there is a plate 3 whose flat faces rest on the flat side faces of plates 4. The combination of the three plates is forced together by elastomer clamping and sealing elements 14, 15. The three plates 3 and 4 consist at least on their contact faces of polished oxide ceramic. The centre plate 3 is movable mounted between the two fixed plates 4 of sleeve 2. On the end located in the valve housing it has a tongue 9 in which is secured a pin 11 which forms the axially sliding pivot of movable plate 3.

The end sections of pin 11 engage radially for this purpose in longitudinal slots 12 in sleeve 2 so that movable plate 3 is capable of limited axial movement and is swivel mounted about pin 11 as its pivot.

On the opposite end of movable plate 3 to tongue 9 there is a stud 13 at which the positioning variable produced with a handle (not shown in the drawing) is transmitted to plate 3.

The two identically shaped fixed plates 4 each have an inlet opening 6 and an outlet opening 7 whereby the inlet opening is of circular cross section and the outlet opening takes the form of a relatively long narrow slot parallel to centre axis 8. In movable plate 3 there is a transfer port 5 on each of the two flatfaces whereby in each case an upstream section 51 is shaped approximately congruently on the two flat faces along centre axis 8 so that in the event of axial movement of movable plate 3 the two inlet openings 6 can be connected synchronously with corresponding transfer port 5. Section 51 is dimensioned such that in the fully open position of plate 3 the cross section of inlet opening 6 is covered.The downstream sections 52 of transfer ports 5 are approximately half as wide and are positioned so that basically this passage section is formed in each case on another half of movable plate 3. These downstream sections 52 of transfer ports 5 move transversely dependent on the swivel motion in opposite directions to a greater or lesser degree into alignment with outlet openings 7. In the end positions one outlet opening 7 is completely blocked in each case.

The mixing valve described above operates in the following manner: In Figures 1 to 4 the mixing valve is shown in a fully open mixing position. The hot and cold water is passed to the two inlet openings 6 in the fixed plates 4 at diametrically opposite points at hot water inlet 61 and cold water inlet 62 formed in valve housing 1 and here passes into the upstream section 51 of transfer ports 5. The separately conducted cold water and hot water is passed from here in each case into the tapered downstream section 52 and then passes in each case into the appropriate outlet opening 7 of fixed plate 4 from whence it is passed on into water outlet 71 for mixing and is then passed for example via an outlet into a washbasin.If now the temperature of the mixed water should be altered, with the aid of stud 13 movable plate 3 can be swivelled about pin 11 so that the two passage cross sections to the two outlet openings 7 are altered in opposition and thus the mixture ratio and the mixed water temperature of the outflowing water is altered accordingly. If the overall rate of discharge is to be altered, movable plate 3 can be moved by means of stud 13 parallel to centre axis 8 whereby pin 11 is correspondingly guided in the longitudinal slots 12 of sleeve 2. From the fully open position as shown in the drawing the movable plate 3 can be withdrawn to the extent that the inlet openings 6 of sections 51 of transfer ports 5 are separated and thus discharge is completely shut off.

By means of suitable movement the valve can be changed over continuously from closed state to fully open state and vice versa.

Claims

1. Mixing valve, particularly for hot and cold water, where as valve element flat plates provided with passages for hot and cold water located parallel to the centre axis whereby the rate of discharge is regulated with a movable plate by displacement parallel to the centre axis and the mixture ratio is regulated by swivelling about an axially movable pivot, wherein the movable plate has on each of its two flat faces a transfer port in which the hot water is passed along one flat face and the cold water along the other flat face whereby the movable plate is mounted between two fixed plates each provided with an inlet and an outlet opening and in each case a pair of inlet and outlet openings can communicate with one another via a transfer port.

2. Mixing valve in accordance with claim 1 wherein the rate of discharge is determined essentially by the synchronously movable position of the two upstream sections of transfer ports in relation t6 inlet openings and the mixture ratio of hot and cold.

water is determined essentially by the position of the downstream sections oftransfer ports in relation toS the outlet openings.

3. Mixing valve in accordance with claim 1 or 2 wherein the plates are mounted vertically in an approximately cylindrical sleeve or cartridge symmetrical to the centre axis.

4. Mixing valve in accordance with claims 1,2 or 3 wherein the transfer ports are formed in the movable plate in each case as hollows or recesses open towards the contact face.

5. Mixing valve in accordance with claims 1,2 or 3 wherein the transfer ports in the plate take the form of closed passages which are provided upstream and downstream with an opening corresponding approximately to the cross section of the inlet and outlet openings of the fixed plates.

6. Mixing valve in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the upstream section of the transfer ports is formed along the centre axis approximately congruently on the two flat faces of the movable plate and is in each case transformed into a tapered downstream section in such a way that in each case a downstream passage section is in the main located on another half of the movable plate.

7. Mixing valve in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the transfer ports in the upstream section have a depth which is less than half of the total plate thickness and in the downstream section have a depth which is more than half of the total plate thickness.

8. Mixing valve in accordance with claim 7 wherein the movable plate is of approximately S-shaped or double U-shaped cross section in the area of the outlet openings whereby in each case in this area a transfer port is determined by a U-shaped and in each case the base surface formed constitutes the closing surface for the outlet opening of the other transfer port.

9. Mixing valve in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the inlet openings and the outlet openings are in each case formed vertically above one another or axially offset along the centre axis in the two identically shaped fixed plates.

10. Mixing valve in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the transfer ports are formed approximately congruently along the centre axis and the outlet openings in the fixed plates are located asymmetrically approximately alongside the centre axis.

11. Mixing valve in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein the movable plate has on the upstream end a tongue in which is located the pivot and on the opposite end means are provided for transmission of the positioning movement produced with a handle.

12. Mixing valve in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein the movable plate is tapered longitudinally so that in the positions of maximum swivel movement and edges located in the vicinity of the wall of sleeve are approximately parallel to it

13. Mixing valve in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 12 wherein the outer side wall of each transfer port is parallel to the adjacent longitudinal edge of the movable plate.

14. Mixing valve in accordance with claim 11 when dependent on claim 3 wherein a pin is fixed radially in the tongue in relation to sleeve and this pin is guided in longitudinal slots in sleeve parallel to centre axis so as to permit limited movement.

15. Mixing valve in accordance with claim 11 or 14 wherein on the movable plate on the end opposite to the tongue there is a stud for attachment of a handle.

16. Mixing valve in accordance with claim 3 wherein the fixed plates are secured in the region of the parallel contact faces of the sleeve and are pressed against the movable plate by means of elastomer clamping and sealing elements.

17. Mixing valve in accordance with claim 3 or 16 wherein in the region of the outlet openings clamping and sealing elements are located between sleeve and the fixed plates and in the region of the outlet openings clamping and sealing elements are located in apertures in sleeve between the wall of the mixing valve housing and the fixed plates.

18. Mixing valve in accordance with any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 16 or 17 wherein in each fixed plate the outlet openings take the form of a relatively long narrow slot parallel to centre axis and the inlet openings are of relatively compact form having a circular, square, triangular or similar cross section in the fixed plates.

19. Mixing valve in accordance with claim 18 wherein the clamping and sealing element has in the region of inlet opening a greater clear opening than the inlet opening itself so that the prevailing liquid pressure additionally forces the fixed plate against the movable plate.

20. Mixing valve in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein the parts of the movable plate and the fixed plates in contact with one another are of polished oxide ceramic.

21. Mixing valve in accordance with claim 3 or any one of claims 6 to 20 when dependent on claim 3 wherein the valve elements are of a design such that if the hot and cold water connections have been inadvertently transposed the normal setting directions of the mixing valve are retained by fitting the sleeve or cartridge offset by 1800.

22. Mixing valve in accordance with claim 3 or any one of claims 6 to 21 when dependent on claim 3 wherein mixing of hot and cold water takes place outside the sleeve.

23. Mixing valve substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.