JP2000002360A - Mixing valve for water combination faucet - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a mixing valve for a water combination faucet which prevents the generation of vibration and noise. SOLUTION: The pressing force of a bias spring 43 acts to the left on a valve element 33 while the pressing force of a thermosensitive spring 40 acts to the right on the valve element 33, which lies at a standstill when the two pressing forces are balanced. The bias spring 43 is advanced or retreated by turning a handle, and the setting temp. is changed over. The valve element 33 is equipped with two seal rings 73 made of fluororesin, and between them 73, an opening 80 is formed to allow the water pressure at the periphery of the valve element 33 to leak to its bore.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hot-water mixing valve, and more particularly to a thermostatic hot-water mixing valve in which a valve element is biased from both sides by a bias spring and a temperature-sensitive spring made of a shape memory material.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a thermostatic hot and cold water mixing valve,
A device using a temperature-sensitive spring made of a shape memory material such as a shape memory alloy is known. As described in JP-A-6-147333, this type of hot and cold water mixing valve has a water seat and a hot water seat provided in a cylindrical valve body, and moves forward and backward in the axial direction of the valve body. A possible valve element is configured to be able to contact and separate from the water sheet and the hot water sheet, and a temperature-sensitive spring for urging the valve element in the hot water sheet approaching direction, and a bias spring for urging the valve element in the water sheet approaching direction. And a temperature control handle for moving the temperature-sensitive spring or the bias spring forward and backward. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of this conventional hot and cold water mixing valve.

In the following description, left and right are shown in FIG.
Are referred to as left and right.

A water inlet 1 is provided on the peripheral surface of a cylindrical body 10.
2 and a hot water inlet 14 are provided, and a mixed water outlet 16 is provided at the left end. The water inlet 12 is located on the left end side of the hot water inlet 14. These inlets 1
A seat portion is provided by recessing the inner peripheral surface of the body between the two. That is, the left end surface of the recess is a water sheet 22 and the right end surface is a hot water sheet 24.

The valve body 33 has a central shaft portion 33C located on the axis of the body 10, and a cylindrical portion 33E connected to the central shaft portion 33C via a center flange 33D.
And a seal ring 73 mounted on the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion 33E and slidingly contacting the inner peripheral surface of the body 10 in a watertight manner, and a through hole 33d provided in the flange 33D.

The valve body 33 can be pressed rightward by a temperature-sensitive spring 40 made of a shape memory alloy.
3 allows pressing to the left. A rotating shaft 50 and a reciprocating shaft 52 are arranged to move the bias spring 43 forward and backward.

A handle mounting portion 50a at the right end of the rotating shaft 50
Protrudes rightward from the shaft insertion hole 60 of the body 10, and a handle (not shown) is fixed thereto. This handle mounting part 5
Since the E-ring 62 is fitted to the neck portion 0a, the rotation shaft 50 cannot move left and right. Reference numeral 64 denotes an O-ring.

[0008] The left end side of the rotary shaft 50 has a cylindrical shape, and a female screw 50b is provided on the inner periphery thereof. Male screw 52b provided on the outer periphery on the right end side of cylindrical advance / retreat shaft 52
Are engaged with the female screw 50 b, and the rotation of the rotating shaft 50 causes the reciprocating shaft 52 to move left and right.

A groove 33m (FIG. 5) is provided around the outer periphery of the valve body 33, and a seal ring 73 made of a highly slidable fluororesin is mounted in the groove 33m. The seal ring 73 is in sliding contact with the inner peripheral surface of the body 10 in a watertight manner. That is, the seal ring 73 is provided with a slit that cuts the ring obliquely, so that the seal ring 73 can be elastically deformed in the diameter increasing and contracting directions. Due to this elasticity, the outer peripheral surface of the seal ring 73 is elastically pressed against the inner peripheral surface of the body 10.

In the hot water mixing valve configured as described above, turning the temperature control handle causes the reciprocating shaft 52 to reciprocate in the direction of the axis thereof, and the biasing force of the valve body by the bias spring 43 is changed. The temperature changes.

That is, when the reciprocating shaft 52 is moved rightward,
Since the biasing force of the bias spring 43 decreases, the valve body 3
3 approaches the hot water sheet 24 and separates from the water sheet 22, and the set temperature decreases. When the reciprocating shaft 52 is advanced, the urging force of the bias spring 43 increases, and the valve body 33 separates from the hot water sheet 24 and approaches the water sheet 22 to increase the set temperature. When the mixed water temperature deviates from the set temperature due to a change in hot water supply temperature or hot water supply pressure while the mixed water of the set temperature is being discharged, the temperature-sensitive spring 40 expands or contracts, and the valve body 33 moves right or left. And the mixed water temperature automatically returns to the set temperature.

[0012]

In the conventional hot and cold water mixing valve shown in FIG. 4, when the set water discharge temperature is suddenly increased while only water is being discharged, the hunting of the temperature-sensitive spring 40 (for example) is performed. (Fine vibrations that repeatedly expand and contract finely) occur, which may cause abnormal noise.

Various studies have been made on the cause of the hunting phenomenon of the temperature-sensitive spring 40. The hunting phenomenon is caused by the fact that the water pressure at the water inlet 12 is generally higher than the hot water supply pressure at the hot water inlet 14. It was found to be based on the following mechanism.

That is, as shown in FIG. 5A, when only water is discharged, the valve body 33 is in close contact with the hot water sheet 24, and the space between the valve body 33 and the water sheet 22 is wide. In this case, the seal ring 73 in the groove 33 m on the outer periphery of the valve body 33 is pressed against the right end surface (groove side wall surface) of the groove 33 m by water pressure from the water inlet 12.

When the set temperature is changed to a higher temperature by turning the handle from this state, the biasing spring 43 pushes the valve body 33 to the left as shown in FIG. 5B. In this case, the seal ring 73 is still in close contact with the right end face of the groove 33m by being pushed by the water pressure from the water inflow port 12.

By the way, when only water is discharged as shown in FIG. 5A, the temperature-sensitive spring 40 is cooled.
As shown in (b), when the hot water starts to flow, the temperature of the temperature-sensitive spring 40 increases, the pressing force of the temperature-sensitive spring 40 to the right increases, and the valve element 33 is slightly pushed back to the right (FIG. 5 ( c)). Although the pushing back amount δ is very small, the temperature-sensitive spring 40
Has a very good temperature response characteristic, and the rebound speed of the temperature-sensitive spring 40 is considerably high. For this reason, when the valve body 33 is pushed back to the right by the temperature sensing spring 40 as shown in FIG. 5C, the seal ring 73 cannot follow the shift of the valve body 33, and A suspended state that is separated from both the right end face and the left end face appears. When the seal ring 73 is in such a suspended state, the water pressure from the water inlet 12 is transmitted to the hot water inlet 14 through the outer periphery of the valve body 33 and the circumference of the seal ring 73. As described above, the water pressure is much higher than the hot water supply pressure, and the water pressure blocks the flow of the hot water into the hot water inlet 14.

As described above, when the inflow of hot water is blocked, the temperature of the mixed water drops, so that the temperature-sensitive spring 40 contracts, and the valve body 33 is pushed by the bias spring 43 to the left as shown in FIG. Shift to Then, the temperature of the mixed water rises again, so that the temperature-sensitive spring 40 expands again to reach the state shown in FIG. 5C, the hot water is blocked again, and the temperature of the mixed water drops,
The state returns to the state shown in FIG.

As described above, the state shown in FIG.
By alternately repeating the state of (c), the temperature-sensitive spring 40 vibrates finely over a long period of time, and abnormal noise is generated.

[0019] Such hunting may also occur when a water stopcock (not shown) provided upstream of the water inlet 12 is rapidly opened.

The present invention has been made in view of such technical problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a hot and cold water mixing valve in which hunting of a temperature-sensitive spring and generation of abnormal noise associated therewith are prevented.

[0021]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hot water mixing valve according to the present invention, wherein a water seat and a hot water seat are provided in a cylindrical valve body, and the valve body is movable in the axial direction of the valve body. A temperature-sensitive spring which is arranged coaxially with the valve body so as to be able to contact and separate from the water sheet and the hot water sheet, and urges the valve body in a direction of approaching the hot water sheet; A bias spring that urges the spring in the water sheet approach direction, and a water discharge temperature setting member that advances and retreats the temperature-sensitive spring or the bias spring in the axial direction of the valve body. A groove is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the valve body. In a hot water mixing valve, which is provided in a circumferential direction and a seal ring disposed in the groove is slidably in contact with an inner peripheral surface of the valve body, the valve element is disposed between the water sheet and the hot water sheet. The grooves are spaced in the axial direction of the valve body. A plurality of grooves are provided, and a seal ring is provided in each groove, and an opening for water conduction that communicates the outer peripheral side of the valve body and the inner peripheral side of the valve body between the grooves is provided in the valve body. It is characterized by the following.

In the hot water mixing valve of the present invention, since the outer peripheral portion of the valve body between the seal rings and the peripheral side of the valve body communicate with each other through the opening, as shown in FIG. Water pressure that is about to propagate from the water inlet side to the hot water inlet side along the outer periphery leaks to the valve body peripheral side through the opening, so that the inflow of hot water into the hot water inlet is not blocked. .

Therefore, hunting of the temperature-sensitive spring is prevented, and generation of abnormal noise is also prevented.

A hot water mixing valve according to a second aspect of the present invention is provided with a water seat and a hot water seat in a cylindrical valve body, and is capable of moving back and forth in the axial direction of the valve body.
A cylindrical valve body that can be brought into contact with and separated from the water sheet and the hot water sheet is disposed coaxially with the valve body, and a temperature-sensitive spring that urges the valve body in the direction of approaching the hot water sheet; A bias spring that urges in the approach direction, and a water discharge temperature setting member that advances and retreats the temperature-sensitive spring or the bias spring in the axial direction of the valve body are provided, and a groove is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the valve body. A water mixing valve in which a seal ring disposed in the groove is slidably in contact with an inner peripheral surface of the valve body, wherein a water valve element and a water valve element are provided as the valve element; The water sheet and the hot water sheet are disposed between the water valve and the hot water valve body, the grooves are provided on the outer periphery of the water valve body and the hot water valve body, respectively, and a seal ring is provided in the groove. It is assumed that.

In such a hot water mixing valve, the water from the water inlet flows into the wide valve body through the narrow water passage between the water sheet and the water valve body. The water pressure during the passage is considerably lower than the original pressure of the water. That is, the water pressure is not high enough to prevent the inflow of hot water from the hot water inlet. Therefore, no matter how the water valve body and the hot water valve body move forward and backward, the inflow of hot water is not hindered by water pressure, and hunting of the temperature-sensitive spring 40 does not occur.

In a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the hot water mixing valve according to the second aspect, wherein a water conduit is provided for communicating a portion of the outer circumference of the hot water valve body downstream of the seal ring with an inner circumference side of the hot water valve body. It is characterized by having.

In the hot water mixing valve, the expansion of the temperature sensing spring, which may be caused by the hot water leaking between the outer circumference of the hot water valve body and the inner circumference of the valve body, is prevented.

[0028] In a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the hot water mixing valve according to any one of the first to third aspects, the seal ring is made of a highly slidable synthetic resin.

[0029]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a hot-water mixing valve according to a first embodiment, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a hot-water mixing valve of a second embodiment, and FIG. It is sectional drawing. In the following description of the embodiments,
The left and right refer to the left and right in FIGS.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, two grooves 33m are provided on the outer periphery of the valve body 33 at intervals in the axial direction of the valve body 10, and each groove 33m is made of a fluororesin seal. A ring 73 is mounted.

The opening between the grooves 33m, 33m is provided with a water guide opening 80 communicating the outer peripheral side and the inner peripheral side of the valve body 33.
Is provided.

The other structure is the same as that of FIG. 4, and the same reference numerals indicate the same parts.

The function of adjusting the water discharge temperature of the hot water mixing valve of FIG. 1 is exactly the same as that of FIG.

In the hot water mixing valve of FIG. 1, hunting of the temperature sensing spring 40 is prevented as follows.

That is, in the hot and cold water mixing valve of FIG. 1, since the outer peripheral portion of the valve body 33 between the seal rings 73 and the inner peripheral side of the valve body communicate with each other through the opening 80, as shown in FIG. The hot water inlet 1 from the water inlet 12 side along the outer periphery of the valve body
The water pressure to be propagated to the fourth side leaks to the inner peripheral side of the valve body 33 through the opening 80, so that the inflow of the hot water into the hot water inlet 14 is not blocked. Therefore, hunting of the temperature-sensitive spring 40 is prevented, and generation of abnormal noise is also prevented.

Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

The water inlet 1 is provided on the peripheral surface of the cylindrical body 10.
2 and a hot water inlet 14 are provided, and a mixed water outlet 16 is provided at the left end. The hot water inlet 14 is located on the left end side of the water inlet 12. These inlets 1
A projection 20 is provided by projecting an inner peripheral surface of the body between the two and 14 inward. The right end face of the projection 20 is a water sheet 22, and the left end face is a hot water sheet 24.
It has become.

An annular water valve body 32 facing the water sheet 22 and an annular water valve body 34 facing the hot water sheet 24 are fitted into the cross-shaped portion 30 a of the main shaft 30. The cross-shaped portion 30a has a cross-shaped cross section perpendicular to the axis of the main shaft 30.

The main shaft 30 can be pressed rightward by a temperature-sensitive spring 40 made of a shape memory alloy.
3 allows pressing to the left. This spindle 30
The rotary shaft 50 and the reciprocating shaft 52 are arranged so as to surround the main shaft 30 in order to advance and retreat in the left-right direction.

The handle mounting portion 50a at the right end of the rotating shaft 50
Protrudes rightward from the shaft insertion hole 60 of the body 10, and a handle (not shown) is fixed thereto. This handle mounting part 5
Since the E-ring 62 is fitted to the neck portion 0a, the rotation shaft 50 cannot move left and right. Reference numeral 64 denotes an O-ring.

The left end side of the rotary shaft 50 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and a female screw 50b is provided on an inner periphery thereof. Male screw 52b provided on the outer periphery on the right end side of cylindrical advance / retreat shaft 52
Are engaged with the female screw 50 b, and the rotation of the rotating shaft 50 causes the reciprocating shaft 52 to move left and right.

Grooves are provided around the outer periphery of the water valve body 32 and the hot water valve body 34, and seal rings 72 and 74 made of a highly slidable fluororesin are mounted in each groove. These seal rings 72 and 74 are in sliding contact with the inner peripheral surface of the body 10 in a watertight manner.

Next, the operation of the thus-configured mixing valve will be described.

The pressing force of the spring 43 acts leftward with respect to the main shaft 30 via the water valve body 32, the pressing force of the temperature-sensitive spring 40 acts rightward with respect to the main shaft 30, and the pressing forces of the two balance. However, the main shaft 30 and the valve bodies 32 and 34 are stopped.

In this medium temperature water discharge state, if the temperature of the mixed water falls below the set temperature due to fluctuations in the hot water supply temperature or hot water supply pressure, the temperature sensing spring 40 contracts, the main shaft 30 moves to the left, and the water sheet 22 The water flow gap between the water valve body 32 and the hot water flow gap between the hot water sheet 24 and the hot water valve body 34 widens, and the mixed water temperature recovers (rises) to the set temperature.
I do. Conversely, when the temperature of the mixed water becomes higher than the set temperature, the temperature sensing spring 40 extends, the water valve body 32 and the hot water valve body 34 are located to the right together with the main shaft 30, and the water flow gap widens. The hot water flow gap narrows, and the mixed water temperature recovers (reduces) to the set temperature.

When the handle is rotated in the forward direction in order to increase the water discharge set temperature, the reciprocating shaft 52 moves to the left with the rotation of the rotating shaft 50 in the forward direction. As a result, the spring 4
3, the pressing force to the left becomes stronger, and together with the main shaft 30, the valve body 3
2, 34 shift to the left, the hot water flow gap widens and the water flow gap narrows, and the mixed water temperature rises. After the shift of the valve bodies 32 and 34, the rightward pressing force of the temperature-sensitive spring 40 and the leftward pressing force of the spring 43 are balanced. When the temperature of the mixed water deviates from the set temperature, the temperature-sensitive spring 40 expands and contracts to restore the temperature of the mixed water to the set temperature.

When the handle is rotated in the opposite direction to lower the set water discharge temperature within the middle temperature range, the reciprocating shaft 52 moves rightward with the rotation of the rotating shaft 50 in the opposite direction. As a result, the pressing force of the spring 43 to the left is reduced, and the valve bodies 32 and 34 are shifted rightward together with the main shaft 30,
As the hot water flow gap narrows, the water flow gap widens, and the temperature of the mixed water drops. After the shift of the valve bodies 32 and 34, the pressing force of the temperature-sensitive spring 40 to the right and the pressing force of the springs 42 and 44 to the left are balanced. When the temperature of the mixed water deviates from the set temperature, the temperature-sensitive spring 40 expands and contracts to restore the temperature of the mixed water to the set temperature.

In this embodiment, the water inlet 12
Water flows into the wide body 10 through the narrow water passage between the water sheet 22 and the valve body 32, so that the water pressure after passing through the water passage is considerably larger than the original pressure of the water. Is falling. That is, the water pressure is not high enough to block the flow of hot water from the hot water inlet. Therefore, the valve element 32,
The inflow of hot water is not blocked by water pressure no matter how the 34 moves forward or backward, and hunting of the temperature-sensitive spring 40 does not occur.

The third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. This embodiment is different from the hot water mixing valve shown in FIG. 2 in that the water introduction opening 9 for communicating the outer peripheral side and the inner peripheral side of the hot water valve body 34 downstream of the seal ring 74 of the hot water valve body 34.
0, and other configurations and operations are the same as those in FIG.

In the hot water mixing valve shown in FIG. 3, hot water that may leak through the outer periphery of the hot water valve body 34 does not directly hit the temperature sensing spring 40. (In the case of FIG. 2, the hot water valve 3
If high-temperature hot water leaks along the outer periphery of 4, the high-temperature hot water may directly contact the temperature-sensitive spring 40, and the temperature-sensitive spring 40 may expand. Therefore, in the hot water mixing valve of FIG. 3, the temperature sensing spring 40 always expands and contracts in response to the temperature of the mixed water, and the temperature of the mixed water is appropriately controlled.

[0051]

As described above, according to the present invention, even when the set water discharge temperature is suddenly increased or the water stopcock is suddenly opened, there is no hunting of the temperature sensing spring, and the generation of abnormal noise is prevented. You.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a hot water mixing valve according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a hot and cold water mixing valve according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a hot and cold water mixing valve according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a hot water mixing valve according to a conventional example.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a seal ring portion of a conventional hot / water mixing valve.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 valve body 12 water inlet 14 hot water inlet 22 water seat 24 hot water seat 30 main shaft 32 water valve body 33 valve body 33m groove 34 hot water valve body 43 bias spring 50 rotation shaft 50a handle mounting portion 50b female screw 50c flange 52 Reciprocating shaft 52b Male screw 72, 73, 74 Seal ring 80, 90 Opening

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Mamoru Hashimoto 5-1-1 Koiehonmachi, Tokoname-shi, Aichi F-term in Inax Co., Ltd. (Reference) 3H057 AA12 BB43 BB45 CC12 DD13 EE03 FA04 FC04 FD03 FD19 HH03 HH14 3H067 AA20 CC60 DD03 DD35 ED20 FF02 GG13

Claims (4)

[Claims] A water valve and a hot water sheet are provided in a cylindrical valve body, and are movable in the axial direction of the valve body, and are capable of coming and going to and from the water sheet and the hot water sheet. A valve body disposed coaxially with the valve body, a temperature-sensitive spring for biasing the valve body in the direction of approaching the hot water sheet, a bias spring for biasing the valve body in the direction of approaching the water sheet, and the temperature-sensitive spring Alternatively, a water discharge temperature setting member for moving the bias spring forward and backward in the axial direction of the valve body is provided, a groove is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the valve body, and a seal ring disposed in the groove is provided for the valve body. In a hot and cold water mixing valve slidably in contact with an inner peripheral surface, the valve body is disposed between a water sheet and a hot water sheet, and the grooves are spaced apart in the axial direction of the valve body. With a seal ring in each groove. It is, hot and cold water mixing valve, characterized in that the opening for water guiding communicating the valve body outer peripheral side and the valve body periphery between the grooves to each other are provided in the valve body. 2. A water valve and a hot water sheet are provided in a cylindrical valve body, and are movable in the axial direction of the valve body, and are capable of coming in contact with and separating from the water sheet and the hot water sheet. A valve body disposed coaxially with the valve body, a temperature-sensitive spring for biasing the valve body in the direction of approaching the hot water sheet, a bias spring for biasing the valve body in the direction of approaching the water sheet, and the temperature-sensitive spring Alternatively, a water discharge temperature setting member for moving the bias spring forward and backward in the axial direction of the valve body is provided, a groove is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the valve body, and a seal ring disposed in the groove is provided for the valve body. A hot water mixing valve slidably in contact with an inner peripheral surface, wherein a hot water valve element and a water valve element are provided as the valve element; and the water sheet and the hot water sheet are provided between the water valve element and the hot water valve element. Are arranged on the outer periphery of the water valve body and the hot water valve body, respectively. A hot / water mixing valve, wherein a seal ring is provided in the groove. 3. A water conduit according to claim 2, wherein a water passage is provided which communicates a portion of the outer periphery of the hot water valve body downstream of the seal ring with an inner circumferential side of the hot water valve body. Hot water mixing valve. 4. The hot and cold water mixing valve according to claim 1, wherein the seal ring is made of a highly slidable synthetic resin.