Patent ID: 6959904

Claim:
Device for controlling the flow of a fluid in a domestic electrical appliance, particularly for controlling the water supply to a washing machine, comprising: a solenoid valve of the bistable type controlled by means of an operating winding; circuit means coupled for operation to a power supply source and capable of supplying to the operating winding of the said solenoid valve at least a first and at least a second current pulse, for opening and closing, respectively, the said solenoid valve; and detecting and operating means associated with the said solenoid valve, capable of detecting a predetermined dangerous operating condition thereof, and of causing, in such a case, automatic reclosing of the valve for cutting off the flow of the said fluid, wherein in which the said circuit means comprise auxiliary energy storage means, and the said detecting and operating means are designed to detect the occurrence of a condition of interruption of the power supply from the aforesaid source, and to cause, in such a case, the coupling of the auxiliary energy storage means to the operating winding of the said bistable solenoid valve, in such a way that a current is applied to the said winding in the direction which causes the closing of the solenoid valve, wherein in which the said power source is an alternating current source, and the said auxiliary energy storage means comprise a capacitor connected essentially in series to the operating winding of the said bistable solenoid valve and capable of being coupled to the said alternating current power source through first rectifier means, and in which the said detecting and operating means comprise an electrical or electronic switch coupled to the said voltage source and capable of assuming: a first condition in which the said capacitor and the operating winding of the bistable solenoid valve can be coupled to the alternating current voltage source through the said (first) rectifier means, and a second condition in which it causes the said capacitor to be coupled to the terminals of the operating winding of the bistable solenoid valve in such a way that the said capacitor can discharge into the said winding.