Patent ID: 7475827
Filing Date: 2009-01-13
Classification: B01F,F16K,G05D

Abstract:
1. A fluid mixer comprising: a housing defining a mixing chamber; a cold water inlet in fluid communication with the mixing chamber and configured to supply a combined cold water stream to the mixing chamber; a hot water inlet in fluid communication with the mixing chamber and configured to supply a combined hot water stream to the mixing chamber; a mixed water outlet in fluid communication with the mixing chamber and configured to receive a combined mixed water stream from the mixing chamber; a mixing element received within the housing; at least one directing member operably coupled to the mixing element and defining a cold water pathway and a hot water pathway in spaced relation to the cold water pathway, the cold water pathway directing the combined cold water stream from the cold water inlet to the mixing element and the hot water pathway directing the combined hot water stream from the hot water inlet to the mixing clement; and wherein the mixing element is configured to separate the combined cold water stream into a plurality of spaced apart component cold water streams, to separate the combined hot water stream into a plurality of spaced apart component hot water streams, and to mix the component cold water streams and the component hot water streams into a plurality of spaced apart component mixed water streams, the mixing element being further configured to combine the plurality of component mixed water streams into a combined mixed water stream provided to the mixed water outlet.