Patent Publication Number: US-2010126612-A1

Title: Water flow temperature control system

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The present invention relates to a water flow temperature control system, and more particularly to a water flow temperature control system having a two-stage control of dual flows and achieving an optimized stable mixing effect within a short distance. 
     2. Related Art 
     Currently, a common mixed water tap is generally limited to a design of a device for mixing cold and hot water, and is unable to actively adjust the water pressure in case of an abnormal change (for example, water is drawn from a single water tap or from multiple water taps at the same time), such that the outlet water is easily subjected to a sudden temperature drop or rise. Especially in winter, if the hot water pressure is suddenly lowered, the flow quantity thereof is reduced sharply, and thus the temperature of the water flowing out of the tap drops accordingly. In this case, the user may easily catch a cold if continuing using the device. On the contrary, if the cold water pressure is suddenly increased, the temperature of the outlet water rises abruptly, and the user may be easily scalded. 
     Further, in order to simultaneously control the temperature of the outlet water, the quantities of the inlet water (the hot water and the cold water) must be controlled in advance. U.S. Pat. No. 6,880,575 has disclosed a water mixing valve including two water inlets, a mixing chamber, a rotatable control member having openings for controlling flows from the two water inlets to the mixing chamber, and a support. The control member includes a circular plate having a first surface and a second surface. The two water inlets seal against the first surface and the openings extend between the first surface and the second surface. The support is used for supporting the control member on the second surface. The support includes surfaces adjacent to the openings of the control member for directing water flows from the corresponding openings towards one another and into the mixing chamber for efficient mixing. 
     The openings of the control member are two correspondingly disposed tapered holes for controlling a large and a small water flow respectively passing through the two inlet holes. In particular, the tapered holes may be sawtooth-shaped to precisely control the water flow quantities. Moreover, a mixing feature having a plurality of blades for efficient mixing is disposed between the control member and the support. 
     As described above, the tapered holes for controlling the water flows are sawtooth-shaped so as to precisely control the flow quantities. However, under the circumstance that two modes of water discharging respectively from multiple water taps and from a single tap must be satisfied, if the control member is designed for a small flow and operates in a water-saving manner with merely one set of openings of the same size as water passages, an insufficient outlet water pressure is resulted when the control member switches to the mode of discharging water from multiple water taps even if the water is sufficiently mixed. Moreover, as the mixing feature is cylindrical, the water flow mixing path seems very long. However, the overall structure must be enlarged and elongated to achieve an efficient mixing effect even if the blades are added to generate a turbulent flow to enhance the mixing efficiency. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a water flow temperature control system having a two-stage control of a large water quantity and a water-saving quantity simultaneously on the same temperature control sheet. 
     The present invention is also directed to a water flow temperature control system having a mixing device characterized in achieving an optimized stable mixed water flow temperature within a short distance. 
     Therefore, a water flow temperature control system including a valve, a pressure equalization valve, and a mixing device is provided. The valve has a first inlet passage, a second inlet passage, an outlet passage, and an upper cover. The pressure equalization valve is disposed in the valve for controlling the quantity of a water flow flowing through the first inlet passage and the quantity of a water flow flowing through the second inlet passage. The pressure equalization valve has a first chamber and a second chamber respectively disposed corresponding to the first inlet passage and the second inlet passage. The mixing device has a temperature control sheet, a first water seal, a second water seal, a transmission shaft, and a water mixer. The first water seal and the second water seal are pressed between the pressure equalization valve and the temperature control sheet and are disposed corresponding to the first chamber and the second chamber. The temperature control sheet has a number of adjusting holes disposed corresponding to the positions of the first water seal and the second water seal. The water mixer of a tapered funnel structure is rotatably disposed between the upper cover and the temperature control sheet and has a large opening portion and a small opening portion. The large opening portion is adjacent to the temperature control sheet. The small opening portion having a through-hole in the center and a number of water outlets is adjacent to the upper cover. The water mixer is connected to the upper cover by a hollow cylinder to form an integral structure. The through-hole of the water mixer is communicated with the hollow cylinder. A first end of the transmission shaft is connected to the temperature control sheet, and a second end of the transmission shaft is connected to a stepping motor through the through-hole, the hollow cylinder, and the upper cover, so as to control the rotation of the temperature control sheet through the stepping motor. 
     Preferably, the adjusting holes of the temperature control sheet include a first large tapered hole, a second large tapered hole, a first small tapered hole, and a second small tapered hole. Each tapered hole has a large area portion and a small area portion. The small area portion of the first large tapered hole is adjacent to the small area portion of the first small tapered hole. The large area portion of the first large tapered hole is adjacent to the small area portion of the second small tapered hole. The small area portion of the second large tapered hole is adjacent to the large area portion of the first small tapered hole. The large area portion of the second large tapered hole is adjacent to the large area portion of the second small tapered hole. 
     Preferably, the water mixer is further provided with a helical guide rib. The guide rib has an inlet portion and an outlet portion. The inlet portion is adjacent to the large opening portion. The outlet portion is adjacent to the small opening portion and connected to the water outlets. 
     Preferably, the water mixer is rotatably connected to the hollow cylinder. 
     A water flow temperature control system including a valve, a pressure equalization valve, a mixing device, a driving source, and a microcomputer control module is also provided. The valve has a first inlet passage, a second inlet passage, and an outlet passage. The pressure equalization valve is disposed in the valve and has a first chamber and a second chamber respectively disposed corresponding to the first inlet passage and the second inlet passage. The mixing device is disposed between the two inlet passages and the outlet passage of the valve and has a water mixer and a temperature control sheet. The temperature control sheet has a pair of penetrating large adjusting holes and a pair of penetrating small adjusting holes respectively. A cross-sectional area of the pair of large adjusting holes is larger than that of the pair of small adjusting holes. The driving source is used for driving the mixing sheet to move rotatably. The microcomputer control module controls the driving source to adjust a moving position of the temperature control sheet and selectively communicate the pair of first adjusting holes or the pair of second adjusting holes with the two inlet passages and the outlet passage. 
     Therefore, the water flow temperature control system provided by the present invention may realize a two-stage control on the same temperature control sheet, and achieve an optimized water flow mixing effect within a short distance by adopting the water mixer of a tapered funnel structure in the mixing device, so as to stably control the outlet water temperature to meet the demands of the user. 
     The detailed features and advantages of the present invention will be described in detail in the following embodiments. Those skilled in the arts can easily understand and implement the content of the present invention. Furthermore, the relative objectives and advantages of the present invention are apparent to those skilled in the arts with reference to the content disclosed in the specification, claims, and drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below for illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded structural view of an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an assembled cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3A  is a schematic structural view of a pressure equalization valve according to the embodiment of the present invention when a hot water flow is larger than a cold water flow; 
         FIG. 3B  is a schematic structural view of the pressure equalization valve according to the embodiment of the present invention when the hot water flow is smaller than the cold water flow; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic structural view of a temperature control sheet according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic structural view of a water mixer according to the embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic structural view of a temperature control sheet according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustrated in detail below with the accompanying drawings. 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  are respectively an exploded structural view and an assembled cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention. A water flow temperature control system  1  of this embodiment includes a valve  2 , a pressure equalization valve  3 , and a mixing device  4 . 
     The valve  2  has a first inlet passage  21  and a second inlet passage  22  at a lower side for being respectively connected to a hot water supply pipe and a cold water supply pipe (not shown). That is, the hot water flows through the first inlet passage  21  and the cold water flows through the second inlet passage  22 . The valve  2  further has an outlet passage  23  at an upper side for the warm water after mixing in the mixing device  4  to flow out of a single water tap or multiple water taps (not shown). 
     An upper cover  24  is disposed on the top of the valve  2  for sealing the valve  2  to prevent the overflow of the warm water after mixing. 
       FIGS. 3A and 3B  are respectively schematic structural views of the pressure equalization valve according to the embodiment of the present invention when the hot water flow is larger than the cold water flow and when the hot water flow is smaller than the cold water flow. The pressure equalization valve  3  controls the warm water flow through the first inlet passage  21  and the cold water flow through the second inlet passage  22 , so as to provide warm water and cold water flows of different proportions to simultaneously flow into the mixing device  4  for mixing. 
     The pressure equalization valve  3  has a fixed member  31 , a movable member  32 , a first chamber  33 , and a second chamber  34 . The fixed member  31  having a hollow structure is fixed in the valve  2 , and constituted by a first annular wall  311 , a second annular wall  312 , a third annular wall  313 , and a number of connecting pillars  314 . The second annular wall  312  is disposed between the first annular wall  311  and the third annular wall  313 , and the annular walls are connected to each other through the connecting pillars  314 . Therefore, a first inlet hole  315  and a second inlet hole  316  are respectively formed between the first annular wall  311  and the second annular wall  312  and between the second annular wall  312  and the third annular wall  313 , i.e., at positions adjacent to and corresponding to the two inlet passages  21  and  22 . 
     The movable member  32  is movably and axially pivoted in the fixed member  31 , that is, the movable member  32  is capable of moving axially in the fixed member  31 . The movable member  32  is provided with a first baffle plate  321 , a second baffle plate  322 , a third baffle plate  323 , and a number of connecting pillars  324  at positions corresponding to the first annular wall  311 , the second annular wall  312 , and the third annular wall  313  of the fixed member  31 . The connecting pillars  324  are disposed between the baffle plates for connecting these plates. Therefore, a first space  325  and a second space  326  are respectively formed at positions corresponding to the first inlet hole  315  and the second inlet hole  316 . 
     The first inlet hole  315  and the first space  315  form the first chamber  33 , and the second inlet hole  316  and the second space  326  form the second chamber  34 . 
     Therefore, when the hot water flow (water pressure) is larger than the cold water flow, the hot water pressure is applied on the second baffle plate  322  to push the movable member  32  towards the third baffle plate  323 . The first chamber  33  that the hot water flow passes through becomes smaller under the effect of the first baffle plate  321  and the second annular wall  312  (as shown in  FIG. 3A ), such that the quantity of the hot water flowing towards the mixing device  4  is reduced. Meanwhile, as the movable member  32  moves towards the third baffle plate  323 , the second chamber  34  that the cold water flow passes through becomes larger, such that the quantity of the cold water flowing towards the mixing device  4  is increased. On the contrary, when the hot water flow (water pressure) is smaller than the cold water flow, the cold water pressure is applied on the second baffle plate  322  to push the movable member  32  towards the first baffle plate  321 . The second chamber  34  that the cold water flow passes through becomes smaller under the effect of the third baffle plate  323  and the second annular wall  312  (as shown in  FIG. 3B ), such that the quantity of the cold water flowing towards the mixing device  4  is reduced. Meanwhile, as the movable member  32  moves towards the first baffle plate  321 , the first chamber  33  that the hot water flow passes through becomes larger, such that the quantity of the hot water flowing towards the mixing device  4  is increased, so as to achieve the efficacy of pressure equalization. 
     Moreover, when the cold water flow loses pressure, i.e., the water pressure of the hot water flow is too large, the first chamber  33  is closed to stop the hot water flow, so as to prevent the hot water flow getting excessively large and protect the user from being scalded. 
     Again referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2  together, the mixing device  4  of this embodiment includes a temperature control sheet  41 , a first water seal  42 , a second water seal  43 , a transmission shaft  44 , and a water mixer  45 . 
     The first water seal  42  and the second water seal  43  are disposed between the temperature control sheet  41  and the pressure equalization valve  3 , and respectively pressed against the first inlet hole  315  and the second inlet hole  316 . Each water seal has a spring L installed therein, such that a buffer space exists between the pressure equalization valve  3  and the temperature control sheet  41 . 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic structural view of the temperature control sheet according to the embodiment of the present invention. The temperature control sheet  41  has a first surface  41   a  and a second surface  41   b.  The first surface  41   a  is pressed against the two water seals  42  and  43 , and a central position of the second surface  41   b  is connected to a first end  441  of the transmission shaft  44 . 
     The temperature control sheet  41  further has a pair of large adjusting holes and a pair of small adjusting holes respectively formed by a first large tapered hole  411  and a second large tapered hole  412  and by a first small tapered hole  413  and a second small tapered hole  414 . The large tapered holes and the small tapered holes are alternately disposed. A small area portion of the first large tapered hole  411  is adjacent to a small area portion of the first small tapered hole  413 . A large area portion of the first large tapered hole  411  is adjacent to a small area portion of the second small tapered hole  414 . A small area portion of the second large tapered hole  412  is adjacent to a large area portion of the first small tapered hole  413 . A large area portion of the second large tapered hole  412  is adjacent to a large area portion of the second small tapered hole  414 . 
     The first water seal  42  and the second water seal  43  of this embodiment are respectively pressed against the first large tapered hole  411  and the second large tapered hole  412  or against the first small tapered hole  413  and the second small tapered hole  414 . In the mode of discharging warm water out of a single water tap, the required water outlet quantity (water pressure) does not need to be too large. Therefore, the first water seal  42  and the second water seal  43  are pressed against the first small tapered hole  413  and the second small tapered hole  414 , such that the hot water and the cold water flow through the first small tapered hole  413  and the second small tapered hole  414 . In the mode of discharging warm water simultaneously out of multiple water taps, the required water outlet quantity (water pressure) must be large. Therefore, the first water seal  42  and the second water seal  43  are pressed against the first large tapered hole  411  and the second large tapered hole  412 , such that the hot water and the cold water flow through the first large tapered hole  411  and the second large tapered hole  412 . Through the above structure, a two-stage water temperature control of a large water quantity (the mode of discharging water out of multiple water taps) and a water-saving quantity (the mode of discharging water out of a single water tap) can be performed on the same temperature control sheet  41 . 
       FIG. 5  is a schematic structural view of the water mixer according to the embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2  together, the water mixer of this embodiment is connected to the upper cover  24  through a hollow cylinder  5 , and the upper cover  24 , the hollow cylinder  5 , and the water mixer  45  are integrally formed. Besides, the water mixer  45  may be fixedly disposed to omit the structure of the hollow cylinder  5  (not shown), but the present invention is not limited thereto. 
     The water mixer  45  of a tapered funnel structure has a large opening portion pressed against the temperature control sheet  41  and a small opening portion connected to the hollow cylinder  5 . The small opening portion has a through-hole  451  and a number of water outlets  452 . The through-hole  451  is communicated with the hollow cylinder  5  for the transmission shaft  44  to pass through. A second end  442  of the transmission shaft  44  is connected to a driving source. The driving source of the present invention is, but not limited to, a stepping motor  6 . 
     If a total area of the water outlets  452  located at the small opening portion is too small, the water outlet pressure is diminished and is disadvantageous for the water discharge from multiple water taps. If the total area is too large, though the water outlet pressure is large, the mixing effect is undesired. Therefore, preferably, the total area of the water outlets  452  is 1.1 to 1.2 times larger than that of the water inlets of the two water seals  42  and  43 . 
     Additionally, in order to optimize the mixing effect, an inner side wall of the water mixer  45  and the temperature control sheet  41  form a taper angle θ (as shown in  FIG. 2 ) of 42±1°, so as to achieve an optimal mixing effect of the present invention. 
     When the hot water flow enters the large opening portion of the water mixer  45  through the first water seal  42  and the first large tapered hole  411  or the first small tapered hole  413  of the temperature control sheet  41 , and meanwhile the cold water flow enters the large opening portion of the water mixer  45  through the second water seal  43  and the second large tapered hole  412  or the second small tapered hole  414  of the temperature control sheet  41 , the hot water flow and the cold water flow are mixed in a helical direction along the inner wall of the water mixer  45  due to the tapered funnel structure of the water mixer  45 , so as to accelerate the mixing, and the warm water obtained after mixing flows out of the water outlets  452  towards the outlet passage  23 . As the mixing of the hot water flow and the cold water flow is performed in a helical direction on the inner wall of the water mixer  45 , a mixing time-distance path is expanded, and the height of the entire water mixer  45  can be reduced to achieve an optimized stable mixing effect within a short distance. 
     A microcomputer control module (not shown) is electrically connected to the stepping motor  6  and a temperature sensor. After the user inputs a required temperature to the microcomputer control module through a digital control interface, the microcomputer control module controls the stepping motor  6  to rotate the temperature control sheet  41  so as to control the positions of the two water seals relative to the two large tapered holes or the two small tapered holes, thereby controlling the flow quantities of the hot water and the cold water. After the hot water flow and the cold water flow are mixed in the water mixer  45 , a warm water flow is obtained and passes through the outlet passage  23 . When the warm water flow obtained after mixing passes through the temperature sensor, the temperature sensor senses the temperature of the warm water and transmits an information to the microcomputer control module, so as to determine whether the outlet water temperature is required by the user. In this manner, a digital control is achieved. 
       FIG. 6  is a schematic structural view of a temperature control sheet according to another embodiment of the present invention. A helical guide rib  453  is disposed on the inner wall of the water mixer  45 . The guide rib  453  has an inlet portion  454  and an outlet portion  455 . The inlet portion  454  is adjacent to the temperature control sheet  41 . The outlet portion  455  is communicated with the outlet holes  452 . The water mixer  45  is rotatably connected to the upper cover  24  by the hollow cylinder  5 . Preferably, the water mixer  45  is connected to the hollow cylinder  5  through a C-shaped ring (not shown). 
     Therefore, when the hot water flow enters the large opening portion of the water mixer  45  through the first water seal  42  and the first large tapered hole  411  or the first small tapered hole  413  of the temperature control sheet  41 , and meanwhile the cold water flow enters the large opening portion of the water mixer  45  through the second water seal  43  and the second large tapered hole  412  or the second small tapered hole  414  of the temperature control sheet  41 , the hot water flow and the cold water flow simultaneously pass through the inlet portion  454 , and are mixed in a helical direction under the guidance of the guide rib  453 . The mixing can be accelerated if the water mixer  45  rotates freely. Afterward, a warm water flow obtained after mixing flows out of the water outlets  452  through the outlet portion  455  and towards the outlet passage  23 . As the mixing of the hot water flow and the cold water flow is performed on the inner wall of the water mixer  45  in a helical direction, a mixing time-distance path is expanded, and the height of the entire water mixer  45  can be reduced to achieve an optimized stable mixing effect within a short distance. 
     The above descriptions are only illustrative, but not intended to limit the present invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.