Control unit for the delivery of hot and cold water in mixer valves

Abstract: The invention relates to a control unit for the delivery of hot and cold water in mixer valves having two overlapping plates (11, 12) one of which is fixed and the other movable on the fixed one and in which the fixed plate has an outlet hole or opening (17) made from a semicircular side (17a) placed between two arched water inlet holes or openings (15, 16) with its centre being in the centre of the fixed plate and a side which extends and widens in a fan-shape in the other half of the fixed plate, symmetrically in respect to the axis of said plate passing through said two arched holes or openings.

Description: The present invention relates to a control unit for the delivery and mixing of hot and cold water in mixing valves as is, according to the features defined in the preamble of claim 1 known from FR-A-2 532 394. Such control units usually include two plates made of ceramic materials or the like. Cartridge-type mixer valves for hot and cold water in fact incorporate a valvular mixer unit made from two overlapping plates, one being fixed and the other movable both radially and in rotation on and in respect to the fixed one. The fixed plate usually has two water inlet holes respectively joining two separate pipes for hot and cold water and one hole for the outlet of the water towards the mouth of a delivery tap to which the mixer valve is applied. As far as the movable plate is concerned, it is operated through a control rod and has a mixing chamber designed to selectively join one or both the water inlet holes with the water outlet hole. However, the shape of the holes or openings in the overlapping plates in units available at present do not contribute to reaching good capacity and mixing conditions of the water unless plates of a relatively large diameter, in order that they can have wide holes, are used. This results in that it is not possible to maintain the cartridge-type valve at the desired size. The present invention aims to solve these problems and thus to supply a control unit for the delivery of hot and cold water in mixer valves with improved capacity and mixing performances due to a particular and innovative arrangement and configuration of the holes or openings of said plates. The employment of plates in accordance to the invention allows for the use of holes which better make use of available surface space and therefore reach the desired capacity even with plates being of a smaller diameter so as to advantageously reduce the volume and dimensions of the valves incorporating such plates. The here proposed realization also allows for an improved mixing of water, maintaining a satisfactory so-called safety space due to a reduction of the divide cap cups between the holes or openings of the fixed plate. The above objects are achieved buy a control unit for mixer valves according to claim 1. Further details of the invention will appear clearer following the description with references being made to the attached drawing in which: Fig. 1 is an axial section view of an example of a mixer valve incorporating the fixed and movable plates in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a view of the top surface of the fixed plate; Fig. 3 is a view of the lower surface of the movable plate in a first embodiment; Figs. 4a, b, c, d, e are different positions of the movable plate on the fixed one respectively in fully closed, fully open and half open mixing conditions and fully open for the delivery of only hot water or only cold water; Fig. 5 is a view of the lower surface of the movable plate in another embodiment; Fig. 6a, b are two different positions of the movable plate in Fig. 5 on the fixed plate, respectively in fully closed and fully open mixing conditions; Fig. 7 is a view of the lower surface of the movable plate in yet another embodiment; and Figs. 8a, b are two different positions of the movable plate in Fig. 7 on the fixed plate, respectively in fully closed and fully open mixing conditions. A valve wit a cartridge-type body (10) holds a lower fixed plate (11) blocked to the bottom (10a) of the body and a movable plate (12) which rests against and is both radially and rotatingly movable on the fixed plate (11). The upper movable plate (12) is operated through a control rod (13) which is indirectly connected to the same plate by a hooked plate cover element (14). The fixed plate (11) has two holes or openings (15, 16) which are joined by two corresponding separate pipes (not shown) for hot and cold water and a hole (17 for the outlet of hot, cold or mixed water towards a delivery mouth. In turn, the movable plate (12) has a mixing chamber (18) which is open towards the fixed element (11) and closed at the top by the plate cover (14). Depending on the position of the movable plate in relation to the fixed plate, the mixing chamber (18) can fully close any passage or totally or partially join one or both holes (15, 16) for the inlet of water with the outlet one (17) so as to deliver hot, cold or mixed water. The two holes or openings (15, 16) of the fixed plate (11) are formed in an arch-shape on one half of the plate and symmetrically in respect to a divide cap (19) which is placed radially. Said holes or openings (15, 16) extend at an angle starting from the divide cap (19) in opposite directions, each one in an arch of 90° or less; the divide cap (19) tapers upwards from the bottom where it forms a cups (19a) which reduces the space between one hole and the other and therefore forming the so-called safety space. The hole or opening (17) of the fixed plate (11), (Fig. 2), is semicircular on one side (17a), its centre coinciding with the centre of the plate, and on the other side (17b) widens in a fan shape in the half of the fixed plate which is opposite to the half in which the holes or openings (15, 16) are formed, the semicircular side (17a) and the fan-shaped side (17b) joining through divergent or parallel sides (17c). The semicircular side (17a) is positioned between the two arched inlet holes or openings (15, 16) and is separated by a partition (20), whilst the fan-shaped side (17b) of said hole (17) extends away from said arched holes or openings, widening symmetrically in respect to the axis of the plate (11) passing through the cups (19a). The partition (20) between the outlet hole (17) and the inlet openings (15, 16) also tapers upwards, in other words towards the movable overlapping plate (12) with a bevel (20a) formed at least on the side of the outlet hole and at least at the same height of the semicircular side (17a). As far as the mixing chamber (18) in the movable plate (12) is concerned, the realizations (Fig. 3 and 4) are of a general key hole shape with a circular side (18a) with a smaller radius than the minimum radius of the arched inlet holes or openings (15, 16) and not in line with the geometrical centre of the plate itself and polygonal-shaped (18b) on the other side; the opposite sides of said hoke or opening (18) can be flared in an upwards direction, in other words towards the plate cover (14). Figs. 4a, b, c, d, e illustrate various interacting conditions between the two overlapping plates, especially of the mixing chamber (18) with the holes or openings (15, 16, 17). Said conditions depend on the position of the movable plate (12) on the fixed one (11) as so as to obtain: the complete closure of the valve (Fig. 4); the maximum opening for the delivery of mixed water (Fig. 4b); an intermediate opening for the delivery of a limited amount of mixed water (Fig. 4c); the maximum opening for the delivery of only hot water (Fig. 4d); the maximum opening for the delivery of only cold water (Fig. 4e). For the delivery positions of the water, the circular side (18a) of the chamber (18) covers the inlet holes whilst the remaining side (18b) always covers the outlet hole (17) totally making use the fan-shaped side (17b) in function of the positioning of the mixing chamber as can be seen from the drawing. The mixing chamber (18) of the movable plate (12) can also have a figure-of-eight (Fig. 5) or an elliptic (Fig. 7) configuration but always maintaining the same intercepting conditions with the holes or openings (15, 16, 17) of the fixed plate (11) so as to ensure maximum capacity and best functioning.

Claims: A control unit for the delivery of hot and cold water in mixing valves with a cartridge-type body (10) having two overlapping plates (11, 12) one of which is fixed and the other movable on the fixed one through an operating rod (13), the fixed plate (11) having two arched inlet holes or openings (15, 16) which is separate for hot and cold water, and an outlet hole or opening (17) for hot, cold or mixed water, the movable plate (12) having a mixing chamber (18) designed to join one, the other or both inlet holes or openings (15, 16) with the outlet one (17), said two outlet holes or openings (15, 16) being formed on one half of the fixed plate (11) symmetrically in respect to a divide cap (19) and positioned radially, characterized in that said outlet hole or opening (17) is formed by a semicircular side (17a) placed between the two arched inlet holes or openings (15, 16) and whose centre is in the centre of the fixed plate, and with a side (17b) which extends and widens in a fan-shape in the other half of the fixed plate, symmetrically in respect to the axis of said plate passing through the divide cap (19) between said two arched holes or openings (15, 16). A control unit in accordance to claim 1, characterized in that the semicircular side (17a) and the fan-shaped side (17b) of the outlet hole or opening (17) are joined to each other by two diverging or parallel sides (17c). A control unit in accordance to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said outlet hole or opening (17) of the fixed plate (11) has a bevel at least at the height of its semicircular side and towards the surface on which the movable plate (12) rests. A control unit in accordance to the preceding claims, characterized in that the divide cap (19) tapers towards the surface of the fixed plate on which the movable plate rests. A control unit in accordance to the preceding claims, characterized in that the mixing chamber (18) of the movable plate (12) has a circular side (18a) which is eccentric in respect to the centre of the plate and has a polygonal side (18b) which are joined together, the circular side being turned towards and covering the inlet holes or openings (15, 16) whilst the polygonal side (18b) covers the fan-shaped side of the outlet opening. A control unit in accordance to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the mixing chamber (18) of the movable plate (12) has a figure-of-eight configuration defined by two circular intersecting sides. A control unit in accordance to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the mixing chamber (18) of the fixed plate (12) has an elliptic shape.

Inventors: ORLANDI ALESSIO, ORLANDI, ALESSIO
Applicants: GALATRON SRL, GALATRON S.R.L.
Application year: 1992
Main classification: F16K11
IPC codes: F16K11