Abstract:
The present invention relates to an instantaneous multistage and water-saving valve wherein a swinging rod is used to trigger the pushing element and the value, and the number of the sloping teeth on the engaging hook block can provide multiple stage of water flow rate so as to provide a rapid and convenient operation in supplying water. When the swinging rod is triggered so as to turn off water supply, the upper half of the pushing rod is urged and this will urge the pushing element to become slanting, and the end terminal edge will urge the blocking section of the cavity chamber. Thus, the valve is moved forward to achieve the turning on and turning off action in a multiple stage of operation.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Technical Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to a water-saving valve which allows the turning on and turning off in a multiple stage.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0004]    In order to improve the convenience and hygienic of faucet operation, electronic sensor faucet is developed. However, due to its high production cost and its complicated structure, it is not commonly found and installed to the faucets. Besides, the moisture and the humid environment around the faucet will damage the complicated components of the structure. In another type of conventional faucet, this conventional faucet controlled by swinging can only provide ON and OFF operation, i.e., either entire open or entire close of faucet and it cannot provide the exact required water flowrate. Thus, it is not convenient in operation and it is a waste of water if the right amount of water cannot be obtained.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an instantaneous, multistage water-saving valve, wherein a swinging rod is used to trigger the pushing element and the value, and the number of the sloping teeth on the engaging hook block can provide multiple stage of water flowrate so as to provide a rapid and convenient operation in supplying water.  
           [0006]    Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide an instantaneous, multistage water-saving valve, wherein the end terminal edge of the pushing rod urges the blocking section of the cavity chamber and the valve is pushed upward so that the turning on and turning off of water supply can be controlled via the method of multiple operations.  
           [0007]    Other object and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing the implementation of the multistage, water-saving valve of the present invention.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the instantaneous, multistage, water-saving valve of the present invention.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the present invention.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 4 is a schematic view, illustrating low flow rate operation of the present invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 5 is a schematic view, illustrating high flow rate operation of the present invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 6 is a schematic view, illustrating the state of high flow rate in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 7 is a schematic view, illustrating the turning off operation in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 8 is a schematic view, illustrating the turning off operation in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 9 is a sectional view at one angle in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 10 is a partial sectional view in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIGS. 11 and 12 are schematic view of another preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0019]    Referring to FIG. 1 there is shown an instantaneous, multistage water-saving valve mounted at the water outlet of a faucet  200 .  
         [0020]    Referring to FIG. 2, the instantaneous, multistage water-saving valve comprises a valve seat  1 , a valve  2 , an engaging seat  3 , and a pushing element  5 , wherein the valve seat  1  having an external edge at the upper end opening is mounted with a plurality of engaging hooks  11 . The upper end opening is provided with a sloping edge  12 . The lower end opening is mounted externally with blocking edge  13 , and the top of the blocking edge  13  is a plurality of engaging hooks  16  and the lower section is mounted with external threads, and the interior of the valve seat  1  is provided with a recess  17 . The lower section of the blocking edge  13  is provided with external threads  18 .  
         [0021]    The valve  2  has one end being a valve head  21 , and the top ring of the valve head  21  is a recess  211 . The external edge of the tube body  22  is a sloping conic section  221  and the lower end thereof is a support plate  23 . The support plate  23  and the center of the tube body  22  is provided with a cavity chamber  24  having a sloping conic section  241  at the interior thereof. The cavity chamber  24  is step-like structure. The lower section of the sloping conic section  241  is a bending region  242 , and the support plate  23  is provided with a plurality of holes  231 . The side edge of the support plate  23  has a plurality of positioning blocks  232 , and the valve head  21  is provided with an engaging rod  25  with elasticity. The top end of the engaging rod  25  is connected to an engaging hook disc  251 .  
         [0022]    The engaging seat  3  has a hollow tube body with the top ring of the tube body being provided with a plurality of hooking holes  31 , and the interior of the upper end is a pair of sloping teeth-shaped engaging blocks  32 .  
         [0023]    The pushing element  5  has a conic section  511  at the middle section of the push rod  51  of the upper section thereof such that the upper half of the push rod  51  is a smaller cylindrical body. The bottom of the push rod  51  is a pushing plate  52  having a plurality of holes  521 .  
         [0024]    In accordance with the above-mentioned structure of the present invention, a spring  4  is mounted into the valve  2 , and the valve head  21  of the valve  2  passes through the valve seat  1  from the bottom thereof. The top end of the spring  4  is mounted within the circular slot  14 , and the valve head  21  is protruded out from the valve seat  1  so that the sealing ring  8  is mounted onto the recess  211  of the valve head  21 . At this instance, as the valve head  21  is mounted with the sealing ring  8 , and the sealing ring  8  urges the sloping edge  12  of the valve seat  1 , the valve head  21  will not be dislocated, but will seal water from leakage. When the valve  2  passes through the valve seat  1 , the positioning protruded block  232  at the side edge of the support plate  23  of the valve  2  is aligned with the positioning sliding slot  15  of the valve seat  1 , and the size of the positioning protruded block  232  and that of the individual sliding slot  15  are different, the alignment has to be accurate so as to position the valve  2 , and it can only move up and down but will not rotate, and the engaging hook disc  251  will not eccentrically rotate. The sealing ring  9  is mounted at the recess  17  of the valve seat  1 , and the engaging seat  3  uses the hooking hole  31  at the tube body in association with the engaging hook  11  at the upper end opening of the valve seat  1 , such that the engaging seat  3  is mounted onto the valve seat  1  and the two engaging hook blocks  32  at the upper end of the engaging seat  3  is in aligned with the two ends of the engaging hook disc  251  of the valve  2 . When the valve  2  is pushed by the swinging rod  6  and the pushing element  5 , the two ends of the engaging hook disc  251  can hook at the sloping teeth of the engaging hook block  32 .  
         [0025]    In operation, the push rod  51  of the pushing element  5  passes through the cavity chamber  24  within the tube body  22  of the valve  2 . The swinging rod  6  is located at the bottom, and finally, a screw nut  7  is used to urge the pushing element  5  and the swinging rod  6  to screw onto the valve seat  1 . The inner threads  71  of the screw nut  7  is associated with the external threads  18  at the bottom of the valve seat  1 , and the blocking edge  72  of the screw nut  7  urges the pushing element  5  and the swinging rod  6 , and mounted with the valve seat  1 . The valve head  21  is mounted with a sealing ring  8  and in association with the sloping edge  12  of the valve seat  1 , the elastic force of the spring  4  and the water pressure provide water leakage sealing.  
         [0026]    The screw connection head  100  is mounted on the valve seat  1  and the hooking hole  101  of the screw connection head  100  is in alignment with the engaging hook  16  of the valve seat blocking edge  13  such that the valve seat  1  is mounted at the screw connection head  100 . The upper end opening of the screw connection head  100  is provided with internal threads  102  so as to mount at the water outlet of a faucet  200  (as shown in FIG. 2).  
         [0027]    Referring to FIGS.  3  to  8  with respect to the operation procedures, when the swinging rod  6  is triggered, the support plate  61  on the swinging rod  6  will slide upward to urge the pushing plate  52  of the pushing element  5 . When the pushing element  5  is urged upward, the pushing element  5  will push upward the valve  2  and the valve  2  moves upward. The sealing ring  8  moves away from the sloping edge  12 , which allows water flowing via the gap formed between the tube body  22  of the valve  2  and the sloping edge  12  so as to provide low water flowrate. If the swinging rod  6  is released, the valve  2  will rapidly retract and the sealing ring  8  blocks the sloping edge  12  and water flow will stop immediately. If the swinging rod  6  continuously move due to the elasticity of the engaging hook rod  25  of the valve  2 , and when the valve  2  moves upward to the engaging hook disc  251  to touch the engaging hook block  32  within the engaging seat  3 , the sloping face of the engaging hook disc  251  will move along the bottom sloping face  321  of the engaging hook block  32  such that the two ends of the engaging hook disc  251  are in engagement with the sloping teeth of the engaging hook block  32 , and the valve  2  is there suspended. When the sealing ring  8  of the valve head  21  and the sloping edge  12  of the valve seat  1  are dislocated, a gap is formed between the sloping conic section  221  at the outer edge of the tube body  22  and the sloping edge  12  of the valve seat  1  (as shown in FIG. 4). At this instance, the gap is comparatively small, and the water flow rate is low and it is suitable for low volume water usage.  
         [0028]    If the swinging rod  6  is triggered to a maximum, the sloping swinging angle is larger, and the sloping angle of the support plate  61  is larger, and the pushing element  5  and the valve  2  are pushed higher, such that the engaging hook disc  251  is hook on one sloping tooth of the engaging hook block  32  (as shown in FIG. 5). This is the largest swing of the swinging rod  6 , and the engaging hook disc  251  of the valve  2  can only hook at the uppermost sloping tooth of the engaging hook block  32  and cannot go beyond the engaging hook block  32 . At this instance, the gap between the sloping conic section  221  at the external edge of the tube body  22  and the sloping edge  12  of the valve seat  1  will become larger and the water flowrate will become larger. Based on the volume of the water flowrate, if the swinging rod  6  is released, the pushing element  5  will be lowered, and the engaging hook disc  251  hooks onto the sloping teeth of the engaging hook block  32  and is suspended (as shown in FIG. 6). If the faucet is to be turned off, the swinging rod  6  is triggered and the support plate  61  moves upward to urge the pushing plate  52 . At this instance, the cavity chamber  24  has a sloping conic face  241  and is step-like with a bending region  242 , and the middle section of the pushing rod  51  is provided with a conic section  511  such that the upper half of the push rod  51  has a cylindrical body with smaller diameter, and the sloping of the support plate  61  will support one side of the pushing plate  52  and the pushing element  5  is biased. The end terminal edge  512  urges the bending region  242  (as shown in FIG. 7) and the valve moves upward, and the valve  2  is pushed to the maximum point and the engaging hook disc  251  dislocates from the sloping teeth shaped engaging hook block  32  (as shown in FIG. 8), due to the elasticity of the engaging hook rod  25  the engaging hook disc  251  will become upright. When the swinging rod  6  is released, the pushing element  5  will retract, and the valve  2  will push downward by the spring force of the spring  4 , and the engaging hook disc  251  will move along the sloping face  322  of the engaging hook block  32  to the other side, in this restoration of the engaging hook disc  251 , the elastic force of the spring  4  is positioned together with the water pressure, and the valve  2  will rapidly restore to the bottom, and the sealing ring  8  of the valve head  21  will return to block the sloping edge  12  within the valve seat  1  so that water flow is sealed.  
         [0029]    In accordance with the present invention, the cavity chamber  24  and the pushing rod  51  will not allow a continuous turning on to the end. This is due to the restriction of the swinging rod  6  by the screw nut  7 , and the engaging hook disc  251  of the valve  2  is pushed to a maximum at the engaging hook block  32  at the uppermost sloping teeth, such that the switching off action has to be done by multi-operations. The end terminal edge  512  can only be pushed to the sloping conic face  241  of the cavity chamber by multiple operation, the upper push of the valve  2  will cause the engaging hook disc  251  to go beyond the engaging hook block  32  and returns to the sloping edge  12 .  
         [0030]    When triggering the swinging rod  6 , the valve  2  is pushed upward, water from top section of the engaging seat  3  flows through the gap between the sloping conic section  221  and the sloping edge  12 , and via the holes  231  and the holes  521  of the pushing plate  52 , and flows out via the holes  62  at the support plate  61  of the swinging rod  6 .  
         [0031]    The volume of water from the faucet  200  is controlled by the size of the gap between the edge of the valve  1  and the sealing ring  8  of the valve head  21 . The number of sloping teeth on the engaging hook block  32  can be increased so as to allow more multiple stages of water flowrate operation to comply with the need at various requirements.  
         [0032]    Referring to FIG. 11, there is shown another preferred embodiment of the present invention. The top end external edge of the screw connection head  110  is provided with external threads  111  to allow the mounting with the inner thread of the faucet.  
         [0033]    Referring to FIG. 12, there is shown another preferred embodiment of the present invention. The valve seat can be mounted to a rapid connector  120  by means of the engaging hook  16 , and the lower section of the rapid connector  120  is provided with hooking holes  121  corresponding to the engaging hook  16  at the top section of the block edge  13  of the valve  1  so that it can be mounted at the water outlet of other faucet or other end terminal outlet of the water pipe.  
         [0034]    While the invention has been described with respect to preferred embodiments, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that modifications and improvements may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited by the specific illustrative embodiment, but only by the scope of the appended claims.