Patent Publication Number: US-2010126609-A1

Title: Separated-control valve device

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a separated-control valve device, and more particularly to a separated-control valve device having a pair of valves for adjusting a temperature of water. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A conventional valve device includes a housing having two inlets and an outlet formed in a bottom panel, a seat secured in the housing and having two ports and an aperture aligned with the inlets and the outlet of the housing. A rotary member is rotatably received in the housing, and engaged onto the seat, and includes a bore communicating with the aperture of the seat, and two slots selectively communicating with the ports of the seat when the rotary member is rotated relative to the housing and the seat. The seat and the rotary member are made of porcelain materials to make a water tight seal without spring members. 
     However, the rotary member of the conventional valve device is rotatable relative to the housing and the seat to selectively enclose/disclose the ports for guiding hot water and cold water flowing from the ports to the bore of the rotatory member. Therefore, the hot water and the cold water are relatively linked together due to the rotatory member is rotatable relative to the housing and the seat. It is hard to precisely adjust a water temperature and a water flow. Furthermore, the flows of the hot water and the cold water are linked and relatively provided. It can not separately adjust the flows of the hot water and the cold water. Thus, it is inconvenient to use the conventional valve device. 
     The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the disadvantages of the conventional separated-control valve device. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The main objective of the present invention is to provide an improved separated-control valve device for providing a separated-control valve device for separately adjusting a temperature and a flow of water. 
     To achieve the objective, the separated-control valve device in accordance with the present invention comprises a valve seat having a pair of inlets and a pair of outlets. The pair of inlets includes a first inlet and a second inlet respectively defined therein. The pair of outlets includes a first outlet and a second outlet respectively defined therein adjacent to the pair of inlets. The first inlet and the second inlet are adapted to connect to a hot water source and a cold water source. The first outlet and the second outlet are adapted to connect to a faucet. A valve plate is irrotatably mounted on the valve seat. The valve plate has a first inlet, a second inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet respectively defined therein. The first inlet, the second inlet, the first outlet, and the second outlet of the valve plate respectively correspondingly communicate with the first inlet, the second inlet, the first outlet, and the second outlet. A control module is mounted on the valve plate and includes a first valve and a second valve slidably mounted on the valve plate. The first valve has a first guiding recess defined therein for selectively communicating with the first inlet and the first outlet. The second valve has a second guiding recess defined therein for selectively communicating with the second inlet and the second outlet. A first lever and a second lever are respectively connected to the first valve and the second valve for driving the first valve and the second valve. A control seat is irrotatably mounted on the valve plate. The control seat has two holes defined therethrough. The first lever and the second lever are respectively and pivotally received in the two holes. 
     The first lever and the second lever are respectively pushed to relatively and slidably move the first valve and the second valve for adjusting an area of the first inlet and the first outlet communicating with the first recess and an area of the second inlet and the second outlet communicating with the second recess. Therefore, a flows of hot water and cold water are separately adjustable to precisely adjust a temperature/flow of water flowed from the faucet. 
     Furthermore, a second embodiment in accordance with the present invention shows a separator is formed on the valve plate. The first valve is divided into a first lower unit and a first upper unit mounted on the first lower unit. The second valve is divided into a second lower unit and a second upper unit mounted on the second lower unit. The separator of the valve plate is provided for preventing the hot water and the clod water from interfering with each other. When assembling, the separator is disposed between the first valve and the second valve such that a friction between the first valve and the second valve is diminished. It is convenient to respectively mill the first upper unit and the first lower unit such that a cost and time of manufacture is retrenched. 
     Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a separated-control valve device in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the separated-control valve device in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is an operational view of the separated-control valve device in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the separated-control valve device in accordance with the present invention taken along line A-A in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the separated-control valve device in accordance with the present invention taken along line B-B in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded view of a second embodiment of a separated-control valve device in accordance with the present invention; and 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view of the separated-control valve device of the second embodiment in another direction. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to the drawings and initially to  FIGS. 1-2 , a separated-control valve device in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention comprises a valve seat ( 1 ) and a control module ( 2 ) mounted on the valve seat ( 1 ). 
     The valve seat ( 1 ) has a pair of inlets and a pair of outlets. The pair of inlets includes a first inlet ( 10 ) and a second inlet ( 11 ) respectively defined in the valve seat ( 1 ). The pair of outlets includes a first outlet ( 12 ) and a second outlet ( 13 ) respectively defined in the valve seat ( 1 ) adjacent to the pair of inlets. The first inlet ( 10 ) is provided for connecting to a hot water source tube (not shown). The second inlet ( 11 ) is provided for connecting to a cold water source tube (not shown). The first outlet ( 12 ) and the second outlet ( 13 ) are adapted to connect to a faucet (not shown). The valve seat ( 1 ) has two buckles ( 15 ) diametrically disposed on the edge thereof. 
     A valve plate ( 16 ) is irrotatably mounted on the valve seat ( 1 ). The valve plate ( 16 ) has a first inlet ( 160 ), a second inlet ( 161 ), a first outlet ( 162 ), and a second outlet ( 163 ) respectively defined therein for corresponding those of the valve seat ( 1 ). The first inlet ( 160 ), the second inlet ( 161 ), the first outlet ( 162 ), and the second outlet ( 163 ) of the valve plate ( 16 ) are respectively communicated with the first inlet ( 10 ), the second inlet ( 11 ), the first outlet ( 12 ), and the second outlet ( 13 ) of the valve seat ( 1 ) when assembling. 
     The control module ( 2 ) includes a first valve ( 221 ) and a second valve ( 222 ) slidably mounted on the valve plate ( 16 ). The first valve ( 221 ) and the second valve ( 222 ) are generally mirror images of each other. The first valve ( 221 ) has a first cutout ( 2212 ) defined in a top thereof and a first guiding recess ( 2211 ) defined in a bottom thereof. The second valve ( 222 ) has a second cutout ( 2222 ) defined in a top thereof and a second guiding recess ( 2221 ) defined in a bottom thereof. The control module ( 2 ) includes a first lever ( 211 ) having one end pivotally received in the first cutout ( 2212 ) of the first valve ( 221 ) and a second lever ( 212 ) having one end pivotally received in the second cutout ( 2222 ) of the second valve ( 222 ). The control module ( 2 ) includes a control seat ( 20 ) irrotatably mounted on the valve plate ( 16 ). The control seat ( 20 ) has two holes ( 201 ) slantwise defined therein and extended therethrough for respectively receiving the first lever ( 211 ) and the second lever ( 212 ). Each of the two holes ( 201 ) of the control seat ( 20 ) has a slant surface ( 2011 ) formed on an inner periphery thereof for guiding a pivotal angle of the first lever ( 211 ) and the second lever ( 212 ). A shaft ( 202 ) is laterally mounted in the control seat ( 20 ) via the first lever ( 211 ) and the second lever ( 212 ) for respectively providing a pivot to the first lever ( 211 ) and the second lever ( 212 ). 
     A valve housing ( 23 ) is irrotatably mounted on the valve seat ( 1 ) for receiving the control module ( 2 ) and the valve plate ( 16 ). The valve housing ( 23 ) has two slots ( 231 ) diametrically defined in an inner periphery to correspondingly engage with the two buckles ( 15 ) for fixing the valve housing ( 23 ) on the valve seat ( 1 ). 
     With reference to  FIGS. 3-5 , the first inlet ( 10 ) is connected to the cold water source tube and the second inlet ( 11 ) is connected to the hot water source tube. When more hot water is required, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the second lever ( 212 ) is gradually pushed toward the slant surface ( 2011 ) in the hole ( 201 ) and the second valve ( 222 ) is relatively driven to an opposite direction. The second guiding recess ( 2221 ) of the second valve ( 222 ) is adjustably gradually communicated with the second inlet ( 161 ) of the valve plate ( 16 ) and the second outlet ( 163 ) of the valve plate ( 16 ) such that the second inlet ( 11 ) of the valve seat ( 1 ) is communicated with the second outlet ( 13 ) of the valve seat ( 1 ) via the second guiding recess ( 2221 ) for guiding hot water from the second inlet ( 11 ) of the valve seat ( 1 ) to the second outlet ( 13 ) of the valve seat ( 1 ). When more cold water is required, the first lever ( 211 ) is pushed toward the slant surface ( 2011 ) in the hole ( 201 ). As above described, the first inlet ( 10 ) of the valve seat ( 1 ) is communicated with the first outlet ( 12 ) of the valve seat ( 1 ) via the first guiding recess ( 2211 ) of the first valve ( 221 ) for guiding cold water from the first inlet ( 10 ) of the valve seat ( 1 ) to the first outlet ( 12 ) of the valve seat ( 1 ). When less cold water is required, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the first lever ( 211 ) is gradually pushed toward an opposite direction of the slant surface ( 2011 ) positioned in the hole ( 201 ) and the first valve ( 221 ) is relatively driven by the first lever ( 211 ). The first valve ( 221 ) gradually covers the first outlet ( 162 ) of the valve plate ( 16 ) such that the first outlet ( 162 ) of the valve plate ( 16 ) is gradually enclosed to diminish cold water until the cold water is stopped flowing. When less hot water is required, as above described, the second lever ( 212 ) is gradually pushed toward an opposite direction of the slant surface ( 2011 ) in the hole ( 201 ) such that second outlet ( 163 ) of the valve plate ( 16 ) is gradually enclosed for diminishing the hot water. Therefore, the flows of hot water and cold water are separately adjustable to precisely adjust a temperature/flow of water. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 6-7 , that shows a second embodiment of the separated-control valve device in accordance with the present invention. The elements and effects of the second embodiment which are the same with the first embodiment are not described, only the differences are described. The valve plate ( 16 ′) of the second embodiment has a separator ( 164 ′) formed on a top thereof for dividing the valve plate ( 16 ′) into a first portion and a second portion. The first inlet ( 160 ′) and the first outlet ( 162 ′) of the valve plate ( 16 ′) are disposed in the first portion. The second inlet ( 161 ′) and the second outlet ( 163 ′) of the valve plate ( 16 ′) are disposed in the second portion. A first valve ( 221 ′) is slidably mounted on the first portion of the valve plate ( 16 ′). The first valve ( 221 ′) is composed of a first lower unit ( 221   b ′) slidably mounted on the first portion and a first upper unit ( 221   a ′) complementally mounted on the first lower unit ( 221   b ′). The first lower unit ( 221   b ′) has a first guiding recess ( 2211 ′) defined a bottom thereof for communicating with the first inlet ( 160 ′) and the first outlet ( 162 ′) of the valve plate ( 16 ′). The first upper unit ( 221   a ′) has a first cutout ( 2212 ′) defined in a top thereof for receiving one end of the first lever ( 211 ). A second valve ( 222 ′) is slidably mounted on the second portion of the valve plate ( 16 ′). The first valve ( 221 ′) and the second valve ( 222 ′) are generally mirror images of each other. The second valve ( 222 ′) is composed of a second lower unit ( 222   b ′) slidably mounted on the second portion and a second upper unit ( 222   a ′) complementally mounted on the second lower unit ( 222   b ′). The second lower unit ( 222   b ′) has a second guiding recess ( 2221 ) defined a bottom thereof for communicating with the second inlet ( 161 ′) and the second outlet ( 163 ′) of the valve plate ( 16 ′). The second upper unit ( 222   a ′) has a second cutout ( 2222 ′) defined in a top thereof for receiving one end of the second lever ( 212 ). Therefore, the separator ( 164 ′) of the valve plate ( 16 ′) is provided for preventing the hot water and the clod water from interfering with each other. When assembling, the separator ( 164 ′) is disposed between the first valve ( 221 ) and the second valve ( 222 ) such that a friction between the first valve ( 221 ′) and the second valve ( 222 ′) is diminished. It is convenient to respectively mill the first upper unit ( 221   a ′) and the first lower unit ( 221   b ′) when manufacturing such that a cost and time of producing is retrenched. 
     Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.