FLUID CONTROL SYSTEM

Abstract: A fluid control system comprising a manually operated valve (4) having rigidly connected thereto a solenoid valve (9) wherein the downstream connection of the fluid control system is adapted to be connected to flexible hose (6) and the upstream connection is adapted to be connected to substantially rigid piping (2).

Description: - - r M The present invention relates to a fluid control system and in particular to its use with domestic appliances such as automatic dishwashers and washing machines. It is not known to use a fluid control system of the present invention with a domestic appliance to prevent flooding of internal areas. Manufacturers of automatic washing machines include in the operating instructions advice to the user to turn off water taps when the appliance is not in use. Such instructions are often ignored or forgotten with the result that water taps to automatic domestic appliances are often left turned on. A build-up in mains water pressure, which can be as high as 150 p.s.i. is some low lying areas, can cause rupturing of the flexible intake hose and result in flooding of internal areas and water damage. Use of a high-pressure type flexible intake hose goes someway to meet this problem until wear causes the hose to creep and/or the end connections of the hose are loose. The insurance industry annually pays out significant sums in settlement of claims for water damage. The present invention seeks to substantially alleviate the disadvantages in the known art and thereby to substantially alleviate the risk of flooding to internal areas. In one broad aspect there is provided a fluid control system comprising : a manually operated valve having rigidly connected thereto a solenoid valve , wherein the downstream connection of the fluid control system is adapted to be connected to flexible tubing and the upstream connection adapted to be connected to substantially r igid piping. In another aspect this invention also discloses a fluid control system for use with a domestic or industrial appliance compr ising a fluid valve which is connectible directly to a mains supply and remotely operable from the appliance to selectively control the flow of fluid entering sa id appliance from the supply . The present invention will now be more particularly described in the accompanying drawings , in which : Fig . 1 is a schematic representation of the prior art . Fig . 2 is a schematic representation of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and Fig . 3 is an enlarged plan view of the preferred embodiment as shown in Fig . 2. In Fig. 1 there is shown an automatic dishwasher 1 and its connections to a cold standard mains water supply 2. A similar connec tion can be made with the hot water supply 3. For reasons of simplicity , only the cold water supply 2 will hereinafter be descr ibed . A manually operated valve 4 is connected a t its upstream end to the cold water supply 2 by means of a T-junction pipe 5 and a t its downstream end to a flexible hose 6 by means of a hose clamp 7. The manually operated G PI__ feS valve 4 because it is usually awkward or difficult to get to, is normally left in an open position as shown in Fig. 1. The flexible hose 6 is connected at its downstream end to the water inlet valve 8 of the dishwasher 1 by a hose clamp 7. The water inlet valve 8 is controlled by a solenoid 9 which in turn is controlled by the dishwasher's cycle which opens or closes to permit the intake of water to the dishwasher 1. The solenoid 9 is connected to the dishwasher's control panel 10 by means of an electric cable 11. In normal operation, the flexible hose 6 is always full of water and subject to water hammer, unless the manually operated valve 4 is turned off. It can readily be _'- seen that a build-up in mains water pressure can cause the flexible hose 6 to rupture or to creep and become disconnected from the manually operated valve 4 or water inlet valve 8 of the dishwasher 1; with resultant flooding of internal areas. In Fig. 2 the manually operated valve 4 is at its upstream end, similarly connected to the cold water supply 2. However at its downstream end it is rigidly connected to a solenoid 9' which in turn is connected at its downstream end to a flexible hose 6. The solenoid 9' is controlled by the dishwasher's control panel 10 by means of electric cable 11' extending exterior of the dishwasher. As the solenoid 9* and part of the electric cable 11' are now exterior of the dishwasher 1 it is preferable that they both be encased by an insulating plastics material. Fig. 3 shows on an enlarged plan view the solenoid 9' encased in a plastics insulating cover 12 and controlled by insulated electric cable 11'. The solenoid 9' is connected to a valve body 13 by screws 14. The valve body 13 is a single plastic moulding with valve bellows (not shown) and with a female adapter 15 connected at its upstream end to the manually operated valve 4. The solenoid 9' thus controls the ingress of water to the flexible hose 6. The downstream end of the flexible hose 6, which in the prior art is connected to the inlet valve 8 of the dishwasher 1, now by passes the existing inlet valve 8 and is directly connected to the inlet 8' of the dishwasher 1. In operation the manually operated valve 4 is left in its open position. The solenoid 9' when not activated by the dishwasher's cycle keeps the valve bellows in the valve body 13 closed so that water from the cold water supply 2 does not enter the flexible hose 6. It is only when the cycles of the dishwasher 1 dictate, that water is present in the flexible hose 6 and not at any other time. Thus fluctuations in mains water pressure have no affect on the flexible intake hose 6, nor on its upstream or downstream connections. The present invention is not limited to the specific illustration given but is of wider application as defined by the following claims.

Claims: CLAIMS : 1. A fluid control system comprising a manually operated valve having rigidly connected thereto a solenoid valve wherein the downstream connection of the fluid control system is adapted to be connected to flexible tubing and the upstream connection is adapted to be connected to substantially rigid piping. 2. A fluid control system as claimed in claim 1 adapted to be used with a domestic appliance. 3. A fluid control system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the domestic appliance is a dishwasher. 4. A fluid control system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the domestic appliance is a washing machine. 5. A fluid control system for use with a domestic or r' industrial appliance comprising a fluid valve which is connectible directly to a mains supply and remotely operable from the appliance to selectively control the flow of fluid entering said appliance from the supply. 6. A fluid control system as claimed in claim 5 wherein the fluid valve includes a solenoid remotely operable by means of an electrical circuit. 7. A fluid control system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the electrical circuit includes an electrical cable which extends between the fluid valve and the control panel of the appliance.

Inventors: HARTMANN ANDREW JOHN, SOLOMONSON LESLIE B, HARTMANN, ANDREW, JOHN, SOLOMONSON, LESLIE, B.
Applicants: HARTMANN ANDREW JOHN, SOLOMONSON LESLIE B, HARTMANN, ANDREW, JOHN, SOLOMONSON, LESLIE, B.
Application year: 1984
Main classification: F17D5
IPC codes: A47L15, D06F39