Patent ID: 7448553

Claim:
A fluid mixer comprising: a housing including an outer wall defining a mixing chamber; a cold water inlet in fluid communication with the mixing chamber and configured to supply a combined cold water stream to the mixing chamber; a hot water inlet in fluid communication with the mixing chamber and configured to supply a combined hot water stream to the mixing chamber; a mixed water outlet in fluid communication with the mixing chamber and configured to receive a combined mixed water stream from the mixing chamber; a stationary mixing element received within the mixing chamber and restrained from rotating relative to the housing, the mixing element including a hub and a plurality of blades extending outwardly from the hub; and a mixing passageway defined within the mixing chamber intermediate the hub of the mixing element and the outer wall of the housing, wherein the cold water inlet and the hot water inlet are arranged to impart rotational flow to the combined cold water stream and the combined hot water stream within the mixing passageway, and the plurality of blades extend transverse to the mixing passageway.