Patent Abstract:
A faucet valve of the present invention includes a pressure valve and a mix valve. The faucet valve can be connected to two external water pipes. The pressure valve can balance the water amount from the water pipes when the water pressure of the water pipes changes. The mix valve can mix the water from the water pipes and then output the water. Thereby, the present invention can stabilize the water temperature by balancing the amount of the hot water and the cold water.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a faucet, and more particularly to a valve which is installed in a faucet for controlling the mix of hot water and cold water. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    To avoid water being output with unstable temperature by the pressure changes of the hot and cold water sources, conventional faucets are installed with a movable valve to make a cold and hot water pipe respectively pass through two ends of the valve. The pressure will push the valve to move so as to change the diameter of the cold and hot water pipe, when the pressure of the cold and hot water pipe changes. Thereby, the flow amount of the cold and hot water pipe will be kept in balance as shown in TW 493712. 
         [0005]    However, said valve is connected into the cold and hot water pipe, so users need to prevent leakage therefrom and to position other components while installing said valve. In other words, it is complicated to install said valve to a faucet. Therefore, the present invention is arisen to obviate or at least mitigate the above mentioned disadvantages. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The main object of the present invention is to provide a faucet valve, which can balance the mix of the cold and hot water flow, and the faucet valve can be installed easily. 
         [0007]    To achieve the above and other objects, a faucet valve of the present invention includes a shell, a bottom cover, a pressure valve, a mix valve and a control head. 
         [0008]    The shell has a side wall and a partition. The side wall is disposed around the partition. The side wall and the partition define a first room. The partition is formed with a groove. The partition separates the groove and the first room. The partition is formed with a first opening and a second opening. The first opening and the second opening respectively communicate the first room with the groove. The shell further comprises an outlet which communicates with the first room. 
         [0009]    The bottom cover is fixed to the shell and is formed with a recess. The recess and the groove are joined to form as a second room. The bottom cover is formed with a first flow hole and a second flow hole. The first flow hole and the second flow hole respectively communicate the second room with an external space. 
         [0010]    The pressure valve is received in the second room so as to separate the first flow hole and the second flow hole. The first flow hole and the first opening define a first channel for water from outside flowing through the first channel and then entering into the first room. The second flow hole and the second opening define a second channel for water flowing from outside through the second channel and then entering into the first room. The pressure valve has a valve tube which is movable by a water pressure, so that the size of the first channel and the second channel is adjustable. 
         [0011]    The mix valve is received in the first room. The mix valve makes water flow into the first room form the first opening and the second opening, and then be output to the outlet. 
         [0012]    The control head is connected to the mix valve so as to control the amount of water flowing into the first room respectively from the first opening and the second opening. 
         [0013]    Thereby, above-mentioned components can be assembled as the faucet valve which can be connected to an external hot and cold water source, and can also be connected to an external outlet with its outlet. The faucet valve is easy to be assembled in one time and can balance the cold and hot water flow amount with the pressure valve. 
         [0014]    The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiment(s) in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a stereogram showing a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a partial exploded drawing showing a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is an exploded drawing showing a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 3A  is a stereogram showing the shell of a preferred embodiment of the present invention in another viewing angle; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3B  is a plain-view drawing showing the shell of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a sectional drawing showing a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is an exploded drawing showing another preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 5A  is a perspective drawing showing another preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 6  is a sectional drawing showing another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0024]    Please refer to  FIGS. 1 to 4 . The present invention provides a faucet valve includes a shell  1 , a bottom cover  2 , a pressure valve  3 , a mix valve  4 , and control head. 
         [0025]    The shell  1  can be formed in one piece so as to be assembled with other components. Please refer to  FIGS. 3A and 3B . The shell  1  has a partition  11  and a side wall  12  which is disposed around the partition  11 . The side wall  12  and the partition  11  define a first room  13 . The partition  11  is formed with a groove  14  which is located one side of the partition which is away from the first room  13 , so that the partition  11  separates the groove  14  and the first room  13 . The partition  11  is formed with a first opening  15  and a second opening  16 . The first opening  15  and the second opening  16  respectively communicate the first room  13  with the groove  14 . The shell  1  is further formed with an outlet  17  which communicates with the first room  13 . Preferably, the outlet  17  is located at one side of the partition  11 . In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, as shown in  FIG. 5A  and  FIG. 6 , the partition  11  is formed with tow ribs  18 . Each rib  18  is convexly formed on the partition  11  and protrudes inside of the first room  13 . The ribs  18  respectively encircle a periphery of the first opening  15  and the second opening  16 , wherein the ribs  18  or the partition  11  can also be disposed with other convex ribs. 
         [0026]    Please refer to  FIGS. 1 to 4  again. The bottom cover is fixed to the shell  1 , wherein the bottom cover is formed with a recess  21 . The recess  21  and the groove  14  are joined to form as a second room. The bottom cover  2  is formed with a first flow hole  22  and a second flow hole  23 . The first flow hole  22  and the second flow hole  23  respectively communicate a second room with an external space. Preferably, the shell  1  is formed with two clasp portions  19 , and the bottom cover  2  is correspondingly formed with two clasp holes  24 . The clasp portions  19  snap-fit into the clasp hole  24  so as to join and fix the shell  1  to the bottom cover  2 . On the contrary, the shell  1  can be formed with several clasp holes  24 , and the bottom cover  2  is formed with several corresponding clasp portions  19 . Preferably, the shell  1  can further comprise several tabs  101  which convexly and axially protrude from a periphery of the shell  1 . The bottom cover  2  further comprises several corresponding positioning slots  25 , and each tab  101  abuts against one of the positioning slots  25 , so that the shell  1  and the bottom cover  2  can be fixed with each other. The bottom cover  2  is formed with an outlet channel which communicates with the outlets  17  so as to make water flow out through outlet  17  and the outlet channel  26 . 
         [0027]    The pressure valve  3  is received in the second room. The pressure valve  3  separates the first flow hole  22  from the second flow hole  23 . The first flow hole  22  and the first opening  15  define a first channel for water from outside flowing through the first channel and then entering into the first room  13 . The second flow hole  23  and the second opening define a second channel for water from outside flowing through the second channel and then entering into the first room  13 . A spacer  31  can be disposed between the pressure valve  3 , the partition  11  and the bottom cover  2  so as to prevent from water leakage. The pressure valve  3  has a movable valve tube  32 . The center of the valve tube  32  is closed and its two ends respectively connect to the first channel and the second channel. As the water pressure changes in the two channels the valve tube  32  is pushed to shift by the water pressure so as to change the size of the two channels. More specifically, the valve tube  32  can change the size of the minimum cross section inside of the two channels. 
         [0028]    The mix vale  4  is received in the first room  13 . The mix valve  4  can make water flow into the first room  13  from the first opening  15  and the second opening  16 , and then be output to the outlet  17  after mixing. More specifically, the mix valve  4  comprises a fixed valve plate  41  and a controlling valve plate  42 . The fixed valve plate  41  is formed with a first via hole  411 , a second via hole  412  and a third via hole  413 . The fixed valve plate  41  is received in the first room  13  and abuts against the partition  11 . Further, a water proof gasket  43  can be disposed between the fixed valve plate  41  and the partition  11 . The first via hole  411  communicates with the first opening  15 , so that water from outside will flow through the first channel and then enter in the first via hole  411  inside of the firs room  13 . The second via hole  412  communicates with the second opening  16 , so that another water from outside will flow through the second channel and then enter in the second via hole  412  inside of the first room. The third via hole  413  communicates with the outlet  17 . The controlling valve plate  42  abuts against the fixed valve plate  41 , so that the controlling valve plate  42  can slide with respect to the fixed valve plate  41 . The controlling valve plate  42  and the fixed valve plate  41  can be made from ceramics, and their surfaces are processed, such as polishing, so as to make their surface slippery and delicate. Thereby, when the controlling valve plate  42  abuts against the fixed valve plate  41 , water cannot leak between the controlling valve plate  42  and the fixed valve plate  41 . The controlling valve plate  42  is formed with a mix hole  421  which communicates with the third via hole  413 . The first via hole  411  and the second via hole  412  respectively and selectively communicate with the mix hole  421  when the controlling valve plate  42  moves with respect to the fixed valve plate  41 . 
         [0029]    The control head is connected to the mix valve  4  so as to control the amount of water flowing into the first room  13  respectively form the first opening  15  and the second opening  16 . More specifically, the control head includes a fixing block  51 , a lid  52 , a swivel member  53  and a toggle member  54 . The fixing block  51  engages with the controlling valve plate  42  so as to be in a link-up relationship. The fixing block  51  has a hook portion  511 . The lid  52  is fixed to the shell  1 . The swivel member  53  is rotatably disposed to the lid  52 . The toggle member  54  is pivotally disposed to the swivel member  53 . An engaging portion  541  is disposed on one end of the toggle member  54 . The engaging portion  541  engages with the hook portion  511 , so that the toggle member  54  can drive the fixing block  51  to move when it sways, and further drive the controlling valve plate  42  to move. Also, the swivel member  53  can rotate with respect to the lid  52 , so that the toggle member  54  and the fixing block then rotate to drive the controlling valve plate  42 . 
         [0030]    Please refer to  FIG. 4 . Consequently, two outside water sources can be respectively connected to the first channel and the second channel. The control head can drive the controlling valve plate  42  to rotate, and then the mix hole  421  respectively communicate with the first via hole  411  and the second via hole  412 . Thereby, the water from the two outside water sources can converges into the first room  13  and flows out from the outlet  17 . Otherwise, the controlling valve plate  42  can be driven to block or close the first via hole  411  or the second via hole  412 , so that only one of the outside water sources can flow into the first room  13 , and thereby the mix percentage of the two outside water sources can be controlled. 
         [0031]    Please refer to  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 . In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mix valve  4  includes two seal rings  44 , a controlling valve plate  45 , and two elastic members  46 . Each seal ring  44  is formed with a through hole  441 . Each seal ring  44  abuts against the partition  11 , so that one of the through hole  441  communicates with the first opening  15 , and the other through hole communicates with the second opening  16 . Please refer to  FIG. 5A . To be specifically, the seal rings respectively abut against the ribs  18 , so that each rib  18  encircles the periphery of the seal rings  44  so as to prevent the water leakage. The controlling valve plate  45  is formed with a first slot hole  451  and a second slot hole  452 . The controlling valve plate  452  is received in the first room  13 . The first slot hole  451  and the second slot hole  452  respectively communicates with the first room  13 . The controlling valve plate  45  abuts against the seal rings  44 . The elastic members  46  are respectively disposed between the seal rings  44  and the partition  11 . Each elastic member  46  provides an elastic force to make each seal ring  44  closely abut against the controlling valve plate  45 . 
         [0032]    The control head and the controlling valve plate  45  are in a link-up relationship. More specifically, the controlling valve plate  45  can be disposed with several projections  453 , and the control head is disposed with several notches  55 . Each of the projections  453  abuts against one of notches  55 , so that controlling valve plate  45  is fixed to the control head, and the control head can drive the controlling valve plate  45  to rotate. The control head can be rotatably disposed in the shell  1 , so that the control head can drive the controlling valve  45  to rotate. 
         [0033]    Accordingly, the present invention joins the pressure valve and the mix valve into the shell, so that users can install the faucet valve to a faucet in one time without further assembling or positioning other components. That is to say that, the faucet valve can be installed efficiently. Moreover, the seal rings respectively encircle and abut against the ribs which are disposed on the partition so as to avoid water leakage.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8