Patent Publication Number: US-2006010596-A1

Title: Multi-input faucet

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to faucets, and particular to a multi-input faucet which has a plurality of inputs for providing different kinds of water to users.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      It is often that a faucet necessary to supply hot water and cold water and also necessary to supply cleaning water. In these kinds of prior art, the faucet has an inner tube and an outer tube so that water of different kind can flow on different path. Furthermore, the water is often to be heated so as to provide hot water to users. However, the prior art structure has a larger size so that the user will feel uneasy in operation.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The object of the present invention is to provide a multi-input faucet. The faucet comprises a spraying tube and a faucet body connected to the spraying tube. The faucet body comprises a cold water input tube and a hot water input tube being installed at a front side of a ceramic valve tank; a cold water inlet tube having a cold water inlet hole at an upper side thereof; the cold water inlet tube being connected to a lower cold water chamber through the cold water inlet hole; a cold water control valve for controlling the opening between the lower cold water chamber and the upper chamber so that the water flows into the upper water chamber; a hot water control valve for controlling hot water flow; a second isolating plate for separating the guide chamber from the cold water chamber; and a guide tube being connected below the guide chamber.  
      The various objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the appended drawing.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of the present invention.  
       FIG. 2  is an assembled perspective view of the present invention.  
       FIG. 3  is a cross section view of the present invention.  
       FIG. 3A  shows the arrangement of the water inlet tubes of the present invention.  
       FIG. 4  is an assembled cross section view of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      In order that those skilled in the art can further understand the present invention, a description will be described in the following in details. However, these descriptions and the appended drawings are only used to cause those skilled in the art to understand the objects, features, and characteristics of the present invention, but not to be used to confine the scope and spirit of the present invention defined in the appended claims.  
      With reference to  FIGS. 1, 2  and  3 , the present invention will be described herein.  
      The present invention includes a spraying tube  3  and a faucet body  2  connected to the spraying tube  3 .  
      A faucet body includes a first water supply unit and a second water supply unit.  
      The first water supply unit has the following components.  
      A ceramic valve tank for embedding a water control ceramic valve  21  is installed at a front protrusion of the faucet body  2 .  
      A cold water input tube  21 A and a hot water input tube  21 B are installed at a front bottom of the ceramic valve tank. A rear side of the ceramic valve tank has a water supply opening  221 . Water can flow through the supply opening  221  to a rear water chamber  22  so that the cold water W 1 A or hot water W 1 B can flow through the main hole  231  of the water chamber  22 . Then the water flows out from an outer tube  31  of a coaxial tube  3  by an adaptor seat  23 A.  
      The second water supply unit has the following components.  
      An inner tube  32  of the coaxial tube  3  is installed to a sub-seat hole  232  below a main seat hole  231 . A water cleaning chamber  24  below the inner tube  32  is isolated by a first isolating plate  241  having a water inlet  242 .  
      A cold water inlet tube  243 ′ has a cold water inlet hole  234  at an upper side thereof. The cold water inlet tube  243 ′ is connected to a lower cold water chamber  24 B through the cold water inlet hole  243 . Cold water W 2 A flows through the cleaning water inlet hole  243  to the lower cold water chamber  24 B. The water W 2 A flows through the water inlet  242  to the upper water chamber  24 A and then flows into the inner tube  32  of the coaxial tube  3 .  
      A cold water control valve  25 A serves to control the opening between the lower cold water chamber  24 B and the upper chamber  24 A so that the water flows into the upper water chamber  24 A.  
      A hot water control valve  25 B arranged opposite to the cold water control valve  25 A for controlling hot water flow. Cold water flows from the upper water chamber  24 A to the water guide chamber  26  from a middle water hole  262 . An isolating plate  261  serves to separate the guide chamber  26  from the cold water chamber  24 B. The middle water hole  252  is on the guide chamber  26 .  
      A guide tube  262 ′ is connected below the guide chamber  26 . Cold water flows into the guide tube  262 ′ from the guide chamber  26  and then to a process tank, for example, an electric heating tank (not shown) through a guide opening  263  for heating the water.  
      Referring to FIGS.  3 ,  3 -A and  4 , it is illustrated that the isolating surface  241  has a folded structure.  
      The first isolating plate  241  and the second isolating plate  261  are formed with a longitudinal channel  24 R with two openings  24 R 1  and  24 R 2 . A hot water tube  27  is installed between the openings  24 R 1  and  24 R 2  by using an upper sleeve  271  and a middle sleeve  272 . The lower end of the hot water tube  27  is inserted into the processing tank so that hot water can flow through the hot water tube  27 .  
      In operation, when only hot water is desired, then the cold water valve  25 A is closed so that cold water will not flow into the upper chamber  24 A. Only the hot water flows into the inner tube  32  so as to further flow into the spraying tube  3 .  
      When only cold water is desired, the hot water valve  25 B must be closed so that only cold water flows into the inner tube  32 .  
      By adjusting the opening of the hot water and cold water valves, the temperature of the mixing water in the upper chamber is adjusted.  
      The present invention is thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.