Patent Publication Number: US-2017362100-A1

Title: Water softener valve mechanism and system thereof

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE 
     This application claims the priority of Chinese Application No. 201610428150.1, filed on Jun. 17, 2016 and the entirety thereof is herein incorporated in reference. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The preferred embodiment of the present invention is related to a field of water softener and, more particularly, to a water softener valve mechanism and system thereof. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Nowadays, the presence of certain metal ions like calcium and magnesium principally as bicarbonates, chlorides, and sulfates in water causes a variety of problems. Hard water leads to the buildup of limescale, which can foul plumbing, and promote galvanic corrosion. In industrial scale water softening plants, the effluent flow from the re-generation process can precipitate scale that can interfere with sewage systems. Water softening is the removal of calcium, magnesium, and certain other metal cations in hard water. The resulting soft water is more compatible with soap and extends the lifetime of plumbing. Water softening is usually achieved using lime softening or ion-exchange resins. Water softeners are well known in the art and typically include a raw water source, a treatment tank containing an ion exchange resin, a brine tank containing a brine solution, and a control valve for directing fluids between the source, the tanks and a drain or other output. 
     Water softening occurs by running water through the ion exchange resin, which replaces the calcium and magnesium cations in the water with sodium cations. As the ion exchange process continues, the resin eventually loses its capacity to soften water and must be replenished with sodium cations. The process by which the calcium and magnesium ions are removed, the capacity of the ion exchange resin to soften water is restored, and the sodium ions are replenished is known as regeneration. 
     The existing art, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,535,540 (&#39;540) describes a control valve device for a water softener and the system thereof, wherein the system includes a piston, wherein movement of the piston between a plurality of different positions is operative to change the flow of water through the orifices. 
     From the above description abstracted from &#39;540 patent, it is to be noted that the patent is focused on the piston to control open or close of variety of orifices as well as different fluid communication between pipes or conduits. 
     After study current art, it is noted that numerous valve structures are provided commercially. However, they are either complicated in structure or require additional control modules to control various water softening processes. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an objective of the preferred embodiment of the present invention to provide a water softener valve mechanism adapted to be in fluid communication with a resin tank containing therein resins for softening hard water and a brine tank containing therein salt water for cleaning resins in the resin tank. The valve mechanism constructed in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention has a valve body provided with a first inlet, a first outlet and a discharge for discharging waste such as calcium, magnesium. Furthermore, a static valve plate and a dynamic valve plate rotatably corresponding to the static valve are provided inside the valve body to selectively channel different waterways to undergo various water softening processes. 
     A further objective of the embodiment of the present invention is to have a water softener valve mechanism having a body provided with a first inlet, a first outlet and a first discharge. The body further has a static valve plate provided with a first passage, a second passage, a third passage, a fourth passage, a fifth passage and a sixth passage respectively and radially defined through a surface of the static valve plate and a second discharge defined through a central portion of the static valve plate to have the first passage, the second passage, the third passage, the fourth passage, the fifth passage and the sixth passage radially located around the second discharge; and a dynamic plate rotatable relative to the static plate and having an elongated recess defined in a side face of the dynamic plate and a third inlet in communication with the first inlet of the body and to selectively communicate with the first passage, the second passage, the third passage, the fourth passage, the fifth passage and the sixth passage; and a driving device mounted inside the body to drive the dynamic valve plate to rotate. 
     A further objective of the embodiment of the present invention is that the driving device includes a motor, a master gear securely connected to the motor to be rotatable relative to the motor, and a planetary gear meshed with the master gear to be driven by the master gear, the planetary gear is securely connected to the dynamic valve plate to provide a driving force to the dynamic valve plate to rotate relative to the static valve plate. 
     A further objective of the embodiment of the present invention is that a plurality photo sensors are mounted inside the body and photo pads mounted on the planetary gear to allow the photo sensors to detect angular positions of the dynamic valve plate after rotation. 
     A further objective of the embodiment of the present invention is that check valves are installed respectively in the fourth passage, the fifth passage and the sixth passage. 
     A further objective of the embodiment of the present invention is that a water softener system includes a body having a first inlet, a first outlet, a static valve plate immovably located inside the body and having multiple passages radially defined through a face of the static valve plate and a second discharge centrally defined through the face thereof to have the second discharge surrounded by the passages and a dynamic valve plate movable relative to the static plate and having a third inlet selectively communicating with the first inlet and one of the passages of the static valve plate and an elongated recess with a central portion thereof aligned and communicating with the second discharge and a far end thereof either selectively communicating with one of the passages or having no communication with any of the passages while the third inlet is still aligned and communicating with one of the passages;
         an ejector securely mounted on the body and having a main inlet selectively communicating with the first inlet of the body and a negative pressure inlet selectively communicating with the main inlet;   a resin tank having a second inlet selectively communicating with the first inlet of the body, a second outlet selectively communicating with the first inlet and the discharge of the body; and   a brine tank having a salt pipe extending outwardly to selectively communicate with the negative pressure inlet of the ejector such that movement of the dynamic valve plate allows the communication between the third inlet and one of the passages of the static valve plate to have various fluid communications in filtering phase, reverse phase, regenerating phase, cleansing phase and water supplementing phase.       

     A further objective of the embodiment of the present invention is that the passages of the static valve plate include a first passage, a second passage, a third passage, a fourth passage, a fifth passage and a sixth passage respectively and radially defined through the face of the static valve plate. 
     A further objective of the embodiment of the present invention is that a driving device mounted inside the body to drive the dynamic valve plate to move. 
     A further objective of the embodiment of the present invention is that the driving device includes a motor, a master gear securely connected to the motor to be rotatable relative to the motor, and a planetary gear meshed with the master gear to be driven by the master gear, the planetary gear is securely connected to the dynamic valve plate to provide a driving force to the dynamic valve plate to rotate relative to the static valve plate. 
     A further objective of the embodiment of the present invention is that a plurality photo sensors mounted inside the body and photo pads mounted on the planetary gear to allow the photo sensors to detect angular positions of the dynamic valve plate after rotation. 
     A further objective of the embodiment of the present invention is that check valves installed respectively in the fourth passage, the fifth passage and the sixth passage. 
     A further objective of the embodiment of the present invention is that the dynamic valve plate is rotated to a position where the third inlet is communicating with the first passage of the static valve plate and the far end of the elongated recess misaligns with any of the passages, a fluid communication is established among the first inlet, the third inlet, the first passage, the second inlet of the resin tank and the resin tank to turn hard water into softened water. 
     A further objective of the embodiment of the present invention is that the dynamic valve plate is rotated to a position where the third inlet is communicating with the fourth passage of the static valve plate and the far end of the elongated recess aligns with the third passage to communicate the third passage with the second discharge, a fluid communication is established among the first inlet, the third inlet, the second outlet of the resin tank and an interior of the resin tank for cleansing resin plates inside the resin tank. 
     A further objective of the embodiment of the present invention is that the dynamic valve plate is rotated to a position where the third inlet is communicating with the fifth passage of the static valve plate and the far end of the elongated recess aligns with the first passage to communicate with the second discharge, a fluid communication is established among the first inlet, the third inlet, the main inlet of the ejector to allow water to be mixed with salt water flowing from the brine tank via the negative pressure inlet of the ejector for refreshing resin plates inside the resin tank. 
     A further objective of the embodiment of the present invention is that the dynamic valve plate is rotated to a position where the third inlet is communicating with the second passage of the static valve plate and the far end of the elongated recess aligns with the fourth passage to communicate the fourth passage with the second discharge, a fluid communication is established among the first inlet, the third inlet, the second passage, the second inlet and an interior of the resin tank. 
     A further objective of the embodiment of the present invention is that the dynamic valve plate is rotated to a position where the third inlet is communicating with the sixth passage of the static valve plate and the far end of the elongated recess aligns with the fifth passage to communicate the fifth passage with the second discharge, a fluid communication is established among the first inlet, the third inlet, the sixth passage and the main inlet, the negative pressure inlet and an interior of the brine tank. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic cross sectional view of the water softener valve mechanism constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is still a schematic cross sectional view of the water softener valve mechanism of the preferred embodiment of the present invention in a direction different from that of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the valve mechanism of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a side plan view of the valve mechanism of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a top plan view showing the static valve plate of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a top plan view showing the dynamic valve plate of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing the mechanism driving the movement of the dynamic valve plate of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 8-12  are schematic top plan views showing relationships between the dynamic valve plate and the static valve plate in different phases; 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view showing the location of the static valve plate relative to the valve mechanism of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 14  is still a perspective view showing the location of the static valve plate in another angle relative to the valve mechanism of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Preferred embodiment(s) of the present invention in combination with the attached drawings shall be provided in detail in the following description. However, the given description is for example purpose only and should not be deemed as a limiting to the scope of the present invention in any way. 
     In order to make it easy to carry out the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a detailed description of the parts of the invention, supported with figures is provided here. As each part of the preferred embodiment of the present invention has many features, it is made easy to read, by referring to each feature with a number included in the parts description text. The number of the parts feature(s) is indicated here by starting it sequentially from the number  100 , wherever a part feature appears in a text, it is directly assigned its associated serial number. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1-4, 13 and 14 , It is to be noted that the water softener valve mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention has a body  100  provided with therein a first inlet  110 , a first outlet  120  and a discharge  130 . The body  100  of the valve mechanism of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is adapted to connect to a resin tank  200  and has an ejector  300  adapted to connect to a brine tank  400  having salt water therein. The ejector  300  has a negative pressure inlet  310 , an ejection outlet  320  and a main inlet  330 . The negative pressure inlet  310  is in fluid communication with the brine tank  400  via a salt pipe  410  extending from the brine tank  400  to the negative pressure inlet  310 . The resin tank  200  has a second inlet  210 , a second outlet  220  connected to a central tube  230  extending into an interior of the resin tank  200  and provided with a distributor  240  at a free end thereof. 
     In addition, a static valve plate  140  and a dynamic valve plate  150 , as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , are provided inside the body  100  of the water softener valve mechanism of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The dynamic valve plate  150  is rotatably operative relative to the static valve plate  140  so as to channel different waterways to process different phases of the water softening. Furthermore, to drive the dynamic valve plate  150  to rotate in according to different requirements in various water softening phases of the water softener, a motor  160 , as shown in  FIG. 7 , is provided inside the body  100  to drive a master gear  170  which is meshed with a planetary gear  180 . The planetary gear  180  has an axel (not shown) connected to the dynamic valve plate  150  such that the operation of the motor  160  is able to drive the dynamic valve plate  150  to rotate accordingly. Still, with reference to  FIG. 7 , inside the body  100 , there are provided with photo sensors  190  and photo pads  181  are spatially separated from each other and mounted on a face of the planetary gear  180  such that when the planetary gear  180  is rotated due to the operation of the motor  160 , the photo sensors  190  are able to detect the angular position of the planetary gear  180 , which specifically locate the corresponding angular position of the dynamic valve plate  150 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , it is noted that the static valve plate  140  could be in any shape, preferably in circular shape, as shown in the attached drawing of  FIG. 5 . The static valve plate  140  has a first passage  141  defined to selectively communicate with the second inlet  210  of the brine tank  200 , a second passage  142  defined to selectively communicate with the second inlet  210  of the brine tank  200 , a third passage  143  defined also to selectively communicate with the second inlet  219  of the brine tank  200 , a fourth passage  144  provided therein a first check valve (not numbered) and defined to selectively communicate with the first outlet  120  of the body  100 , the second outlet of the brine tank  200  and the ejection outlet  320  of the ejector  300 , a fifth passage  145  defined to selectively communicate with the main inlet  330  and provided therein a second check valve (not shown), a six passage  146  provided therein a third check valve (not shown) and defined to selectively communicate with the main inlet  330  and a second discharge  147  communicating with the first discharge  130  of the body  100 . It is noted from, for example,  FIG. 5  that the first passage  141 , the second passage  142 , the third passage  143 , the fourth passage  144 , the fifth passage  145  and the sixth passage  146  are arranged on the static valve plate  140  and spatially apart from one another. Especially, the sequence of the passages  141 ˜ 146  is, in a clockwise direction, the first passage  141 , the third passage  143 , the sixth passage  146 , the second passage  142 , the fifth passage  145  and the fourth passage  144 , wherein an additional space is sandwiched between the third passage  143  and the sixth passage  146 . The dynamic valve plate  150  is mounted on top of the static valve plate  140  and has an elongated recess  151  defined in a direction parallel to a radial direction of the dynamic valve plate  150  and a third inlet  152  defined through the surface of the dynamic valve plate  150  to communicate with the first inlet  110  of the body  100 . The shape of the second discharge  147  of the static valve plate  140  is corresponding to that of a central portion of the elongated recess  151  and the central portion of the elongated recess  151  is constantly located on top of the second discharge  147  of the static valve plate  140 . Due to the rotational ability of the dynamic valve plate  150 , a far end of the third inlet  152  is able to selectively communicate with the passages, i.e.,  141 ˜ 146  respectively. When the far end of the third inlet  152  is moved to the space between the third passage  143  and the sixth passage  146 , the far end of the third inlet  152 , the end that is away from the central portion of the third inlet, does not communicate with any of the passages  141 ˜ 146 . 
     As stated earlier that the dynamic valve plate  150  is rotatable due to the driving force provided by the planetary gear  180 , as shown in  FIG. 7  and the photo sensors  190  are able to precisely detect the angular position of the dynamic valve plate  150  after rotation, as such, the rotational angle of the dynamic valve plate  150  is able to be precisely controlled. 
     Furthermore, it is understood that there are filtering phase, reverse cleaning phase, regenerating phase, cleaning phase and water supplementing phase in a water softener. The following description is aimed at providing a detailed operational process of the relationship between the static valve plate  140  and the dynamic valve plate  150  as well as the waterways in the valve mechanism. 
     Filtering Phase 
     With reference to  FIG. 8 , when the valve mechanism of the embodiment of the present invention is in a filtering phase, the dynamic valve plate  150  is rotated to a position where the third inlet  152  is communicating with the first passage  141  of the static valve plate  140  and the far end of the elongated recess  151  misaligns with any of the passages, i.e.,  141 ˜ 146 , water flows from the first inlet  110  and passes through the third inlet  152 , the first passage  141 , the second inlet  210  of the resin tank  200  and eventually enters the resin tank  200  to turn hard water into softened water. After water is softened, the soft water flowing through the central tube  230  passes the second outlet  220  and exits from the first outlet  120  for use by the user. 
     Reverse Cleaning 
     With reference to  FIG. 9 , when the valve mechanism of the embodiment of the present invention is in a reverse cleaning phase, the dynamic valve plate  150  is rotated to a position where the third inlet  152  is communicating with the fourth passage  144  of the static valve plate  140  and the far end of the elongated recess  151  aligns with the third passage  143 , which communicates the third passage  143  with the second discharge  147 . Water flows from the first inlet  110  and passes through the third inlet  152 , the second outlet  220  of the resin tank  200  and eventually enters the resin tank  200  to cleanse the resin plates inside the resin tank  200 , after which the used water flows through the second inlet  210  of the resin tank  200 , the third passage  143  of the static valve plate  140  and exits from the discharge  130  of the body  100 . 
     Regenerating Phase 
     With reference to  FIG. 10 , when the valve mechanism of the embodiment of the present invention is in a regenerating phase, the dynamic valve plate  150  is rotated to a position where the third inlet  152  is communicating with the fifth passage  145  of the static valve plate  140  and the far end of the elongated recess  151  aligns with the first passage  141  to communicate with the second discharge  147 , water flows from the first inlet  110  and passes through the third inlet  152  and the main inlet  330  of the ejector  300  to mix with salt water flowing from the negative pressure inlet  310  of the ejector  300  so as refresh the resin plates, after which, the water then flows through the second inlet  210  of the resin tank  200  and exits the discharge  130 . 
     Cleansing Phase 
     With reference to  FIG. 11 , when the valve mechanism of the embodiment of the present invention is in a cleansing phase, the dynamic valve plate  150  is rotated to a position where the third inlet  152  is communicating with the second passage  142  of the static valve plate  140  and the far end of the elongated recess  151  aligns with the fourth passage  144  so as to communicate the fourth passage  144  with the second discharge  147 , water flows from the first inlet  110  and passes through the third inlet  152 , the second passage  142 , the second inlet  210  and enters the resin tank  200 . Then, the water flows through the central tube  230 , the second outlet  220 , the fourth passage  144  and exits the discharge  130 . 
     Water Supplementing Phase 
     With reference to  FIG. 12 , when the valve mechanism of the embodiment of the present invention is in a cleansing phase, the dynamic valve plate  150  is rotated to a position where the third inlet  152  is communicating with the sixth passage  146  of the static valve plate  140  and the far end of the elongated recess  151  aligns with the fifth passage  145  so as to communicate the fifth passage  145  with the second discharge  147 , water flows from the first inlet  110  and passes through the third inlet  152 , the sixth passage  146  and enters the main inlet  330 . After passing through the negative pressure inlet  310 , water flows into the brine tank  400 . 
     In the regenerating phase, when the salt water inside the brine tank  400  is below a previously determined level, the valve  420  inside the brine tank  400  automatically shut down, where in the water supplementing phase, the water entering the ejector  300  forces the valve  420  to turn on. 
     Again, in the regenerating phase, water is flowing in a reverse manner, for example, flowing from the first inlet  110  and passes through the third inlet  152  and the main inlet  330  of the ejector  300  to mix with salt water flowing from the negative pressure inlet  310  of the ejector  300  so as float/refresh the resin plates, after which, the water then flows through the second inlet  210  of the resin tank  200  and exits the discharge  130 . 
     After a detailed description of the preferred embodiment(s) has been provided, any skilled person in the art would easily understand the description so provided is for example purpose only. The scope for protection of the present invention is defined by the attached claims. Any skilled person in the art would easily amend, modify or alter the elements/devices of the present invention without departing from the principle essence and spirit of the present invention. However, the amendment, modification or alteration shall fall within the protection scope sought of the present invention.