Patent ID: 8109242

Claim:
A thermostat, comprising: a body at least partially defining a first inlet, a second inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet; a hollow valve element disposed within the body between the first and second inlets and the first and second outlets, the hollow valve element being movable to: selectively direct fluid from the first inlet through the hollow valve element to the first outlet; selectively join fluid received at the first and second inlets; selectively direct a portion of the joined fluid to the first outlet; selectively direct a remaining portion of the joined fluid to the second outlet; a wax-driven piston member connected to move the hollow valve element; and a resilient member configured to bias the hollow valve element against the force of the wax-driven piston member toward a position such that whenever a temperature of fluid within the thermostat is below a modulation temperature of the hollow valve element, fluid from the first inlet is directed only to the first outlet.