Switch valve having leakproof function

A switch valve includes a valve seat, a valve body, a ceramic plate unit, a control shaft, and a control handle. Thus, the ceramic plate unit is rotatable in the valve body to open or close the water flow so that the valve body will not rub the valve seat constantly to prevent the valve body and the valve seat from being worn out due to the friction, thereby enhancing the lifetime of the switch valve. In addition, the ceramic plate unit has a wear resisting function to prevent a gap from being formed between the ceramic plate unit and the valve body during a long-term utilization, so that the ceramic plate unit has a leakproof function, thereby enhancing the working efficiency of the switch valve.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a switch valve and, more particularly, to a switch valve mounted between a water inlet pipe and a water output equipment to open or close connection between the water inlet pipe and the water output equipment.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional switch valve in accordance with the prior art shown inFIG. 5comprises a valve seat10having an inside formed with a valve chamber11which has a water inlet conduit12and a water outlet conduit13, a valve body20rotatably mounted in the valve chamber11of the valve seat10and having a water inlet hole23connected to the water inlet conduit12of the valve seat10and a water outlet hole24that is connected to the water inlet hole23and is movable to connect the water outlet conduit13of the valve seat10, and a control handle30secured on the valve body20to rotate the valve body20. The valve body20has a first end formed with a rotation portion21rotatable in the valve chamber11of the valve seat10and a second end formed with a mounting stud22protruded from the valve chamber11of the valve seat10. The control handle30is secured on the mounting stud22of the valve body20to rotate the valve body20. The valve chamber11of the valve seat10has an end portion formed with a passage to allow passage of the mounting stud22of the valve body20.

In operation, when the control handle30is rotated, the valve body20is rotatable in the valve seat10. Thus, when the valve body20is rotatable in the valve seat10to a first position, the water outlet hole24of the valve body20is separated from the water outlet conduit13of the valve seat10by a peripheral wall of the valve body20to interrupt the connection between the water outlet hole24of the valve body20and the water outlet conduit13of the valve seat10so as to stop the water flow from the water inlet conduit12of the valve seat10into the water inlet hole23of the valve body20. On the contrary, when the valve body20is rotatable in the valve seat10to a second position, the water outlet hole24of the valve body20is connected to the water outlet conduit13of the valve seat10so that the water flow from the water inlet conduit12of the valve seat10can in turn flow through the water inlet hole23of the valve body20and the water outlet hole24of the valve body20into the water outlet conduit13of the valve seat10for use with a user.

However, when the valve body20is rotatable in the valve seat10, the rotation portion21of the valve body20rubs the valve chamber11of the valve seat10constantly, so that a gap is easily formed between the rotation portion21of the valve body20and the valve chamber11of the valve seat10, thereby easily incurring a water leak, and thereby decreasing the lifetime of the switch valve.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a switch valve, comprising a valve seat having an inside formed with a valve chamber which has a water inlet conduit and a water outlet conduit, a valve body partially mounted in the valve chamber of the valve seat and having a water inlet hole connected to the water inlet conduit of the valve seat and a water outlet hole connected to the water outlet conduit of the valve seat, a ceramic plate unit rotatably mounted in the valve body to connect the water inlet hole to the water outlet hole of the valve body or to interrupt a connection between the water inlet hole and the water outlet hole of the valve body, and a control shaft rotatably mounted on the valve body and having a first end secured on the ceramic plate unit to rotate the ceramic plate unit and a second end protruded outwardly from the valve body.

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a switch valve having a leakproof function.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a switch valve, wherein the ceramic plate unit is rotatable in the valve body to open or close the water flow so that the valve body will not rub the valve seat constantly to prevent the valve body and the valve seat from being worn out due to the friction, thereby enhancing the lifetime of the switch valve.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a switch valve, wherein the ceramic plate unit has a wear resisting function to prevent a gap from being formed between the ceramic plate unit and the valve body during a long-term utilization, so that the ceramic plate unit has a leakproof function, thereby enhancing the working efficiency of the switch valve.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a switch valve, wherein the valve chamber of the valve seat has a peripheral wall formed with the inner thread so that the water outlet conduit formed on a side the valve chamber of the valve seat has a larger diameter to facilitate passage of the water flow.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and initially toFIGS. 1-3, a switch valve in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a valve seat40having an inside formed with a valve chamber41which has a water inlet conduit43and a water outlet conduit44, a valve body50partially mounted in the valve chamber41of the valve seat40and having a water inlet hole51connected to the water inlet conduit43of the valve seat40and a water outlet hole52connected to the water outlet conduit44of the valve seat40, a ceramic plate unit53rotatably mounted in the valve body50to connect the water inlet hole51to the water outlet hole52of the valve body50or to interrupt a connection between the water inlet hole51and the water outlet hole52of the valve body50, a control shaft54rotatably mounted on the valve body50and having a first end secured on the ceramic plate unit53to rotate the ceramic plate unit53and a second end protruded outwardly from the valve body50, a control handle70secured on the second end of the control shaft54to rotate the control shaft54, and a locking cap60mounted on the valve body50and rested on the valve seat40to cover the valve body50.

The valve chamber41of the valve seat40has a peripheral wall formed with an inner thread42which extends in an axial direction of the valve seat40and extends through a whole length of the valve chamber41of the valve seat40. The valve chamber41of the valve seat40has a first end formed with the inner thread42and a second end formed with the water inlet conduit43which is located opposite to the inner thread42. The valve chamber41of the valve seat40has a side formed with the water outlet conduit44which is located between the water inlet conduit43and the inner thread42. The first end of the valve chamber41of the valve seat40has an end face formed with a resting portion45located beside the inner thread42of the valve seat40.

The valve body50is a precise ceramic valve body. The valve body50has a first portion secured in the valve chamber41of the valve seat40and a second portion protruded outwardly from the valve chamber41of the valve seat40. The first portion of the valve body50has a first end formed with an outer thread55screwed into the inner thread42of the valve seat40and a second end formed with the water inlet hole51. The first portion of the valve body50has a side formed with the water outlet hole52which is located between the water inlet hole51and the outer thread55. The second portion of the valve body50is formed with an outer threading56located beside and having a diameter greater than that of the outer thread55of the valve body50. The second portion of the valve body50has a stepped shoulder57located between the outer thread55and the outer threading56and rested on the resting portion45of the valve seat40.

The ceramic plate unit53includes a plurality of precise ceramic plates530. The ceramic plate unit53has a first side formed with a separation portion531(seeFIG. 3) and a second side formed with a connecting hole532(seeFIG. 4). Thus, the ceramic plate unit53is rotatable in the valve body50between a first position as shown inFIG. 3where the separation portion531of the ceramic plate unit53is located between the water inlet hole51and the water outlet hole52of the valve body50to interrupt the connection between the water inlet hole51and the water outlet hole52of the valve body50and a second position as shown inFIG. 4where the connecting hole532of the ceramic plate unit53is connected between the water inlet hole51and the water outlet hole52of the valve body50to connect the water inlet hole51to the water outlet hole52of the valve body50.

The control shaft54is extended through the second portion of the valve body50, and the second end of the control shaft54has a peripheral wall formed with a serrated portion540.

The control handle70has an inside formed with a mounting hole71mounted on the serrated portion540of the control shaft54to attach the control handle70to the control shaft54. The control handle70has a side provided with a transverse control rod72to facilitate a user operating the control handle70.

The locking cap60is located between the valve seat40and the control handle70and has a first end formed with an inner threading62screwed onto the outer threading56of the valve body50and a second end formed with a passage61to allow passage of the second end of the control shaft54. The first end of the locking cap60is formed with a resting section63rested on the resting portion45of the valve seat40.

In operation, referring toFIGS. 3 and 4with reference toFIGS. 1 and 2, when the control handle70is rotated, the control shaft54is driven to rotate the ceramic plate unit53so that the ceramic plate unit53is rotatable in the valve body50.

As shown inFIG. 3, when the ceramic plate unit53is rotatable in the valve body50to the first position, the separation portion531of the ceramic plate unit53is located between the water inlet hole51and the water outlet hole52of the valve body50to interrupt the connection between the water inlet hole51and the water outlet hole52of the valve body50so as to stop the water flow from the water inlet conduit43of the valve seat40into the water inlet hole51of the valve body50.

As shown inFIG. 4, when the ceramic plate unit53is rotatable in the valve body50to the second position, the connecting hole532of the ceramic plate unit53is connected between the water inlet hole51and the water outlet hole52of the valve body50to connect the water inlet hole51to the water outlet hole52of the valve body50so that the water flow from the water inlet conduit43of the valve seat40can in turn flow through the water inlet hole51of the valve body50, the connecting hole532of the ceramic plate unit53and the water outlet hole52of the valve body50into the water outlet conduit44of the valve seat40for use with a user.

Accordingly, the ceramic plate unit53is rotatable in the valve body50to open or close the water flow so that the valve body50will not rub the valve seat40constantly to prevent the valve body50and the valve seat40from being worn out due to the friction, thereby enhancing the lifetime of the switch valve. In addition, the ceramic plate unit53has a wear-resisting function to prevent a gap from being formed between the ceramic plate unit53and the valve body50during a long-term utilization, so that the ceramic plate unit53has a leakproof function, thereby enhancing the working efficiency of the switch valve. Further, the valve chamber41of the valve seat40has a peripheral wall formed with the inner thread42so that the water outlet conduit44formed on a side the valve chamber41of the valve seat40has a larger diameter to facilitate passage of the water flow.