Patent Publication Number: US-7213608-B1

Title: Wasted water draining valve for a drinking water fountain

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a wasted water draining valve, and more particularly to a wasted water draining valve for a drinking water fountain. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   A conventional wasted water draining valve for a drinking water fountain in accordance with the prior art shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5  comprises a valve body  10 , a U-shaped tube  40 , a threaded plug  50 , a wasted water inlet tube  20 , and a wasted water outlet tube  30 . The valve body  10  has an inside formed with an inlet channel  12  having a lower end formed with an inlet hole  14  and an outlet channel  13  parallel with the inlet channel  12  and having a lower end formed with an outlet hole  15 . The valve body  10  has a top formed with a threaded receiving recess  11  communicating with the inlet channel  12  and the outlet channel  13 . The outlet channel  13  of the valve body  10  has a side formed with an air vent  16 . The U-shaped tube  40  is mounted in the receiving recess  11  of the valve body  10  and has a first end secured to the inlet channel  12  of the valve body  10  and a second end secured to the outlet channel  13  of the valve body  10 . The threaded plug  50  is screwed into the receiving recess  11  of the valve body  10 . The wasted water inlet tube  20  has an upper end connected to the inlet hole  14  of the inlet channel  12  of the valve body  10  and a lower end connected to a first pipe (not shown) which is connected to a reverse osmosis device (not shown). The wasted water outlet tube  30  has an upper end connected to the outlet hole  15  of the outlet channel  13  of the valve body  10  and a lower end connected to a second pipe (not shown) which is connected to a drainage (not shown). 
   As shown in  FIG. 5 , the wasted water in turn passes through the wasted water inlet tube  20 , the inlet channel  12  of the valve body  10 , the U-shaped tube  40 , the outlet channel  13  of the valve body  10  and the wasted water outlet tube  30  and finally flows outward from the wasted water outlet tube  30 . Thus, the wasted water filtered by the reverse osmosis device enters the wasted water inlet tube  20 , then flows upward into the wasted water draining valve of the drinking water fountain and is finally drained outward from the wasted water outlet tube  30 , thereby preventing the wasted water from flowing back into the reverse osmosis device. 
   However, the conventional wasted water draining valve has a complicated construction, thereby increasing costs of fabrication. In addition, the air vent  16  is directly located at a side of the outlet channel  13  of the valve body  10 , so that the wasted water easily sputters outward from the air vent  16  during drainage. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a wasted water draining valve for a drinking water fountain, wherein the wasted water draining valve has a simplified construction. 
   Another objective of the present invention is to provide a wasted water draining valve, wherein the wasted water inlet channel of the valve body is inclined relative to the wasted water outlet channel of the valve body, so that the wasted water inlet channel of the valve body is directly connected to the wasted water outlet channel of the valve body without having to provide a coupler (or U-shaped tube) to connect the wasted water inlet channel and the wasted water outlet channel of the valve body, thereby decreasing costs of fabrication. 
   A further objective of the present invention is to provide a wasted water draining valve, wherein the wasted water outlet channel of the valve body has an oblique air vent, thereby preventing the wasted water from sputtering outward from the air vent during drainage. 
   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 a perspective view of a wasted water draining valve for a drinking water fountain in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the wasted water draining valve as shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a plan cross-sectional view of the wasted water draining valve as shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of a conventional wasted water draining valve for a drinking water fountain in accordance with the prior art; and 
       FIG. 5  is a plan cross-sectional assembly view of the conventional wasted water draining valve as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring to the drawings and initially to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a wasted water draining valve for a drinking water fountain in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a valve body  60 , a wasted water inlet tube  70 , and a wasted water outlet tube  80 . 
   The valve body  60  has a bottom having a first side formed with a wasted water inlet channel  61  and a second side formed with a wasted water outlet channel  63  connected to the wasted water inlet channel  61 . 
   The wasted water inlet channel  61  of the valve body  60  is inclined relative to the wasted water outlet channel  63  of the valve body  60 . Preferably, the wasted water inlet channel  61  of the valve body  60  is disposed at an inclined state and the wasted water outlet channel  63  of the valve body  60  is disposed at an upright state. Alternatively, the wasted water inlet channel  61  of the valve body  60  is disposed at an upright state and the wasted water outlet channel  63  of the valve body  60  is disposed at an inclined state. Alternatively, the wasted water inlet channel  61  of the valve body  60  is disposed at an inclined state and the wasted water outlet channel  63  of the valve body  60  is disposed at an inclined state. 
   The wasted water outlet channel  63  of the valve body  60  has a diameter greater than that of the wasted water inlet channel  61  of the valve body  60 . 
   The wasted water outlet channel  63  of the valve body  60  has a side formed with an oblique air vent  65  directed upward in an inclined manner and connected to an ambient environment to connect the wasted water outlet channel  63  of the valve body  60  to the ambient environment. 
   The wasted water inlet channel  61  of the valve body  60  has a lower end formed with a wasted water inlet hole  62 , and the wasted water outlet channel  63  of the valve body  60  has an upper end connected to an upper end of the wasted water inlet channel  61  of the valve body  60  and a lower end formed with a wasted water outlet hole  64 . 
   The wasted water inlet tube  70  has an upper end connected to the wasted water inlet hole  62  of the wasted water inlet channel  61  of the valve body  60  and a lower end connected to a first pipe (not shown) which is connected to a reverse osmosis device (not shown). 
   The wasted water outlet tube  80  has an upper end connected to the wasted water outlet hole  64  of the wasted water outlet channel  63  of the valve body  60  and a lower end connected to a second pipe (not shown) which is connected to a drainage (not shown). 
   As shown in  FIGS. 1–3 , the wasted water in turn passes through the wasted water inlet tube  70 , the wasted water inlet channel  61  of the valve body  60 , the wasted water outlet channel  63  of the valve body  60  and the wasted water outlet tube  80  and finally flows outward from the wasted water outlet tube  80 . 
   Thus, the wasted water filtered by the reverse osmosis device enters the wasted water inlet tube  70 , then flows upward into the wasted water draining valve of the drinking water fountain and is finally drained outward from the wasted water outlet tube  80 , thereby preventing the wasted water from flowing back into the reverse osmosis device. 
   Accordingly, the wasted water inlet channel  61  of the valve body  60  is inclined relative to the outlet channel  63  of the valve body  60 , so that the wasted water inlet channel  61  of the valve body  60  is directly connected to the wasted water outlet channel  63  of the valve body  60  without having to provide a coupler (or U-shaped tube) to connect the wasted water inlet channel  61  and the wasted water outlet channel  63  of the valve body  60 , thereby decreasing costs of fabrication. In addition, the wasted water outlet channel  63  of the valve body  60  has an oblique air vent  65 , thereby preventing the wasted water from sputtering outward from the air vent  65  during drainage. 
   Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention.