WO2009035319A1

WO2009035319A1 - Kitchen faucet with external control.

Info

Publication number: WO2009035319A1
Application number: PCT/NL2008/000198
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jurgen Verwoert
Original assignee: Jurgen Verwoert
Priority date: 2007-09-11
Filing date: 2008-09-02
Publication date: 2009-03-19
Also published as: NL1034373C2

Abstract

The invention comprises of an electrically operated kitchen faucet which is activated via a control panel. The faucet is configured to produce not only tap water but also specially treated water such as filtered water with reverse osmosis, cooled or boiling water. The tap water is supplied through the hot and cold water lines and is brought up to temperature with the hand operated valves. In order to prevent the specially treated water being mixed with the tap water, the water which remains in the faucet housing after the water supply is closed, is drained.

Description

Kitchen faucet with external control

The invention concerns an electrically operated kitchen faucet which is activated via a control panel. The faucet is configured to produce out of a single outlet not only tap water but also specially treated water such as filtered water with reverse osmosis, cooled or boiling water. The tap water is supplied through the hot and cold water lines and is brought up to temperature with the hand operated valves. In order to prevent the specially treated water being mixed with the tap water, the water which remains in the faucet housing after the water supply is closed, is drained. In order to prevent the possibility of burn wounds, the faucet housing is insulated internally. The supply of specially treated water is controlled by electrically operated valves. The setting is such that undesired mixing of water is prevented. The kitchen faucet is additionally equipped with flow sensors and a safety valve.

The invention will be clarified with the aid of the drawing. Fig. l is a diagram of the faucet

The kitchen faucet (1) is fixed on to the work surface (2). Pipe (3) is the cold water supply. Pipe (4) is the warm water supply. Pipe (5) is the supply for specially treated water. Pipe (6) is for the drainage of water out of the faucet housing (7). At (8) is the mixing valve for cold tap water and at (9) is the mixing valve for warm tap water. At (10) is a flow sensor for the cold water supply, at (11) is a flow sensor for the warm water supply. A normally open electrical valve (13) is placed in the cold water supply, a normally open electrical valve (14) is placed in the warm water supply, a normally closed electrical valve (15) is placed in the special water supply, a normally closed electrical valve (16) is placed in the drainage pipe. A normally closed safety valve (17) is placed in between valves (15) and (16) and the faucet (1). The invention additionally encompasses the possibility of the introduction of multiple supplies of specially treated water, in place of a valve (15).

At (18) is the control unit shown and at (19) the control panel. The control panel (19) includes a keypad (not shown) for mixed warm, cold and special water. The intention is that the cold and warm water supply is controlled in a conventional manner by means of manual mixing valves

(8) and (9). After the closing of the mixing valves a signal is sent from the flow sensors (10) and (11) to the valve (16) of the drainage pipe (6), which is opened for a programmed amount of time, in order to allow the tap housing to drain. The safety valve (17) is simultaneously opened and the valves (13) and (14) are blocked. When cold and/or warm water are used, the flow sensor (10) and flow sensor (11) are activated and the valves (15), (16) and (17) are blocked. With used of specially treated water the supply valve (15) for the pipe (5) is activated, the safety valve (17) is opened and valves (13), (14) and (16) are blocked. Specially treated water then flows from the supply line (5) into the faucet housing (7) via the valves (15) and (17) and pipe (6). After the closing of the mixing valve (15), the valves (16) and (17) are opened for a programmed amount of time, in order to allow the tap housing to drain. The valves (13) and (14) are then blocked.

The flow sensors (10) and (11) block with water flow, the safety valve (17) in order to prevent undesired mixing and also to signal the end of a waste water flow, to facilitate the drainage of the faucet housing by means of the valves (17) and (16) for a programmed amount of time. The regulating valves (8) and (9) can be combined to work as a mixing valve with one handle, with which the output flow temperature can be adjusted by hand. Instead of a single supply line for specially treated water (5) additional supply lines with valves can be installed for supplementary specially treated water flows.

Claims

1. Kitchen faucet (1) with a faucet housing (7), a cold water supply line (3) inside of which is a cold water electrical supply valve (13), a warm water supply line (4) inside of which is a

5 warm water electrical supply valve (14), equipped by means of (8, 9) for the hand operated programming of the water temperature and a third supply line (5) for the supply of specially treated water, within which is an electrical supply valve (15) for specially treated water, a drainage pipe (6) for the drainage of the water from out of the faucet housing (7) inside of which are drainage valves (16, 17), a control unit (18) for the

10 electrical valves (13-17) with the key feature that the kitchen faucet is equipped, after the use of warm and cold tap water or specially treated water, to drain the faucet housing (7) via the drainage pipe (6) by the activating of the drainage valves (16, 17) for a programmed amount of time, whereby the valves (13-15) are blocked.

15

2. Kitchen faucet as per conclusion 1 with the key feature that the faucet is equipped with one or more valves (15) for specially treated water which during use of the inlet valve for hot (13) and cold (14) water and the drainage valve (16) are blocked and with which firstly the faucet housing is drained by means of valves (16) and (17), after the closing of

20 the valve for specially treated water (15), the drainage valve (16) and the safety valve

(17) are opened for a programmed amount of time.

3. Kitchen faucet as per conclusion 1 and 2 with the key feature that it is equipped with a control panel (19) with buttons for tap water and specially treated water in addition to

25 indication of temperature and flow.

4. Kitchen faucet as per conclusion 1, 2 and 3 with the key feature that if the flow sensors in the cold (10) and hot water pipes (11) indicate a water flow, the valves for specially treated water (15) and drainage (16) are blocked.

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5. Kitchen faucet as per conclusion 1, 2, 3 and 4 with the key feature that the faucet is equipped with a safety valve (17).

6. Kitchen faucet as per conclusion 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 with the key feature that the hand 35 operated programmable water flow and specially treated water flow are feed to the drain via the faucet housing (7).