REMOTELY CONTROLLED VALVE

ROBINET COMMANDE A DISTANCE

English Abstract

REMOTELY-CONTROLLED VALVE
ABSTRACT
A remotely-controlled valve is disclosed having a
faucet-attachable control valve member and a foot-control member
for generating air or water pressure which is communicated to
the control valve member by means of a flexible tube or conduit.
The air or water pressure urges a piston and a rigidly attached
rod within the control valve member against a control ball valve
away from an aperture connecting a first water chamber connected
to the water supply from the faucet and a second water chamber
connected via an exit passage to a spray head. Manual override
means are provided to force the control ball valve in an open
position regardless of the operation of the foot-control member.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive
property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A remotely-controlled valve attachable to the
spout of a faucet for the control of water flowing there-
through comprising:
a foot operated control member,
a control valve member having adapting means to
attach it to a faucet, said valve member having a body
enclosing a first chamber for accepting water from said
faucet from a water inlet passage and a second chamber having
a passage for directing exiting water from said control valve
member, said first and second chambers being connected by means
of an aperture said first chamber having a valve ball placed
within it, said valve ball being urged, by the force of water
entering said first chamber from said faucet, against said
aperture thereby preventing water flow from said first chamber
to said second chamber, said control valve member connected
to said foot-operated control member by means of a flexible
conduit, said foot-operated control member, upon activation,
applying fluid under pressure through said flexible conduit,
a cylinder within said control valve member,
a piston slidably disposed within said cylinder,
a piston guide chamber slidably disposed within
said chamber having attached thereto an inlet member about
which said flexible conduit is connected, said inlet member
having a hollow passage for fluid or air under pressure from
said foot-operated control member,
the flexible conduit connected to the end of said
inlet member transmitting the fluid pressure therein to the
end of the piston thereby causing said piston to slide
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within said cylinder in the direction of said valve ball,
the actuating rod attached to said piston thereby moving
said valve ball away from said aperture and allowing water
to flow from said first chamber to said second chamber, and
means for manually urging said piston and its
rigidly attached rod against said valve ball thereby moving
said valve ball away from said aperture and allowing water to
flow from said first chamber to said second chamber, said
manual urging means comprising
a clamp extending about the exterior of the flexible
conduit adjacent to the end of the inlet member of the piston
guide for retaining the conduit to the inlet member, and an
override thumb ring attached to the clamp, said piston guide
chamber undergoing linear movement with respect to said valve
body by means of manual force applied to said override thumb
ring, said linear movement being
transmitted from said piston guide to said piston
and its rigidly attached rod to said valve ball.
2. The remotely controlled valve of claim 1
wherein said manual force provided to said cylindrical member
causing it to undergo a linear movement with respect to said
valve body is a rotational manual force provided to said
threaded cylindrical member.
3. A remotely-controlled valve attachable to the
spout of a faucet for the control of water flowing therethrough
comprising:
a foot-operated control member,
a control valve member having adapting means to
attach it to a faucet, said valve member having a body enclosing
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a first chamber for accepting water from said faucet from a
water inlet passage and a second chamber having a passage for
directing exiting water from said control valve member, said
first and second chamber being connected by means of an
aperture, said first chamber having a valve ball placed within
it, said valve ball being urged, by the force of water entering
said first chamber from said faucet, against said aperture
thereby preventing water flow from said first chamber to said
second chamber, said control valve member connected to said
foot-operated member by means of a flexible conduit, said
foot-operated control member, upon activation, applying fluid
under pressure through said flexible conduit,
a cylinder within said control valve member,
a piston slidably disposed within said cylinder,
an actuating rod rigidly attached to said piston, the flexible
conduit being connected to the end of said cylinder transmitting
the fluid pressure therein to the end of the piston thereby
causing said piston to slide within said cylinder in the direc-
tion of said valve ball, the actuating rod attached to said
piston thereby moving said valve ball away from said aperture
and allowing water to flow from said first chamber to said
second chamber, and
an assistance spring connected between said piston
and said body, said assistance spring providing a mechanical
force against said piston in a direction away from said valve
ball when said foot-operated member is not actuated, thereby
insuring that the activating rod will not obstruct the valve
ball from closing said aperture between said first and second
chambers under the condition of low water pressure in said
first chamber.
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4. A remotely-controlled valve attachable to the
spout of a faucet for the control of water flowing there-
through comprising:
a foot-operated control member,
a control valve member having adapting means to
attach it to a faucet, said valve member having a body enclosing
a first chamber for accepting water from said faucet from a
water inlet passage and a second chamber having a passage
for directing exiting water from said control valve member,
said first and second chambers being connected by means of an
aperture, said first chamber having a valve ball placed within
it, said valve ball being urged, by the force of water entering
said first chamber from said faucet, against said aperture
thereby preventing water flow from said first chamber to said
second chamber, said control valve member connected to said
foot-operated control member by means of a flexible conduit,
said foot-operated control member, upon activation, applying
fluid under pressure through said flexible conduit,
a cylinder within said control valve member,
a piston slidably disposed within said cylinder,
an actuating rod rigidly attached to said piston,
the flexible conduit being connected to the end of
said cylinder transmitting the fluid pressure therein to the
end of the cylinder thereby causing said piston to slide within
said cylinder in the direction of said valve ball, the actuating
rod attached to said piston thereby moving said valve ball
away from said aperture and allowing water to flow from said
first chamber to said second chamber, and
means for withdrawing said rod from contact with
said valve ball when said foot-operated member is deactuated,
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thereby insuring that said valve ball closes said aperture
between said first and second chambers under the condition
of low water pressure in said first chamber, said withdrawing
means including
an assistance spring connected between said piston
and said body, said assistance spring providing a mechanical
force against said piston in a direction away from said ball
when said foot-operated member is not actuated, and
a pressure differential across said piston created
by high water pressure in said second chamber and the absence
of fluid pressure on the end of said cylinder when said foot-
operated member is deactivated.
5. A remotely-controlled valve attachable to
the spout of a faucet for the control of water flowing there-
through comprising:
a foot-operated control member,
a control valve member having adapting means to
attach it to a faucet, said valve member having a body enclosing
a first chamber for accepting water from said faucet from a
water inlet passage and a second chamber having a passage for
directing exiting water from said control valve member, said
first and second chambers being connected by means of an
aperture, said first chamber having a valve ball placed within
it, said valve ball being urged, by the force of water entering
said first chamber from said faucet, against said aperture
thereby preventing water flow from said first chamber to said
second chamber, said control valve member connected to said
foot-operated,control member by means of a flexible conduit,
said foot-operated control member, upon activation, applying
fluid under pressure through said flexible conduit,

a cylinder disposed within said control valve
member, one end of said cylinder being open to said second
chamber, the other end being closed to said second chamber,
a piston slidably disposed within said cylinder,
an actuating rod rigidly attached to said piston,
the flexible conduit being connected to the other
end of said cylinder transmitting the fluid pressure therein
to the end of the cylinder thereby causing said piston to slide
within said cylinder in the direction of said valve ball, the
actuating rod attached to said piston thereby moving said valve
ball away from said aperture and allowing water to flow from
said first chamber to said second chamber,
sealing means between said piston and said cylinder
for isolating the fluid in said flexible conduit from the
water flowing through said valve, and
an assistance spring connected between said piston
and said body, said assistance spring providing a mechanical
force against said piston in a direction away from said valve
ball when said foot-operated member is not actuated, thereby
insuring that the activating rod will not obstruct the valve
ball from closing said aperture between said first and second
chambers under the condition of low water pressure in said
first chamber.
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Description

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
2 Fi~d o the Invent_~
3 The general field to which this invention pertains is
l~ r~mot~ly-controlled valves. Specifically this invention r~lat~s
5 to foot-op~rat~d valves for faucets useful in homes, hospitals,
6 laboratories and the like
7 L~9
8 Foot-operated valves are known for use in medical and
9 laboratory sink applications where the hands must be free while
~0 controllin~ faucet wat~r flow. Inexpensive remot~ly-controlled
11 va~,v~s for domestic use in bathroom and kitchen sinks have not
12 b~n wid~ly accept~d primarily due to their lack of inexensive,
13 y~t reliable valve mechanism. U.S. Patent 3,536,294 discloses a
14 foot-op~rated control valve attachment to a faucet where the valve
15 mechanism uses a flexible diaphragm as the controlled element in
16 th~ valve to open or close a water passage.
17 U.S. Patent 2,839,264 discloses a foot-operated control
18 valve wher~ the control valve m~chanism is a spring load~d plug.
19 U.S. Patent 3,~38,680 discloses a foot-operated elec-
20 trical control m~ans for controlling the flow ànd mix proportions
21 f hot and cold water. Electrically controlled valves control
2~ wat~r flow in the hot and cold supply lines.
23 U.S. Patent 3,786,995 discloses a spray device for
24 attachm~nt to a faucet in which a ball valve mernber is used to
25 dir~ct water from a supply line to on~ of two outlet portst one
26 f which ~xits through an aerating device and the other of which
27 discharg~s through spray forming passages.
28 U.S. Patent 2,608,205 disclose,~ a safety valve in which
29 a ball valv~ member for a butane tank is open,?d by m~ans of water
30 pr~Ssur~ created by the activation of a solenoid. If thP supply
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1 W~re to be ruptured, the wat~r pressure ;s released thereby auto-
2 matically closing the valv~. ¦
3 U.S. Patent 2,849,208 discloses the use of a valve
4 ball as a control valve member in a garden sprayer. A manual
5 actuator forces the valve ball from its seat to allow water to
6 f~ow th~ough the sprayer.
7 In overcoming the disadvantages of the prior art, the
8 remotely-controlled valve described hereinafter has a primary
9 advantage in that it provides an inexpensive extremely reliable
10 ;control element.
11 A feature of the invention is that it is provided with
12 a r~liabl~ manual m~ans to override the remote-control feature.
13 Another featur~ is that it is provided with means to
14 control the direction of wat~r flowing from that faucet.
15 ~ Another feature is that it is provided with means to
16 produce a spray or direct flow of water.
17 ~ SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION I :
18 These and other objects, advantages and features are
19 ~mbo~i~d in a novel remotely-controlled valve attachable to the
spout of a faucet for the control of water flowing therethrough.
21 A control valve m~mb~r is provided with adapting means for attach-
22 ing it to a faucet. The valve member has a first chamb~r or ac-
23 c~pting wat~r from the faucet via a water inlet passage. A second
2~ chamber is provid~d having an exit passage for directing water out
of th~ control valv~ m~mber~ The firs~ and second chambers are
26 conn~ct~d by m~ans of an ap~rture which may be sealed by means of
27 a va]ve ball within th~ first chamb~r~ Th~ force of water enter-
28 ing th~ first chamb~r from the faucet forc~s the valve ball against
29 th~ aperture thereby sealing it and preventing water flow from th~
Lirs~ chamber into the second chamber. A foot-operat~d control

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1 m~mb~r is provided to generate air or water pressure in a flexible
~ conduit which is attached to the control valve member. The air or
3 water pressure is used to urge a piston and a rigidly attached
4 actuating rod within the control va~ve member against the valve
ball. By such action the valve ball is moved away from the aper-
6 tur~ in opposition to the force on the valve ball from the water
7 in the f irst chamber. Water is then free to pass the aperture
8 into the second chamber and out of the control valve member.
g An assistance spring is provided between the piston and
t~he body of the control valve member to provide a restraining
~1 ~orc~ against the piston when the foot-operated member is no
12 long~r generating air or water pressure applied to orce the
13 piston and the actuating rod against the valve ball. This re-
14 straining force allows the valve ball to close the aperture open-
ing between the first and second chambers when water p~essure in
16 straining force allows the valve ball to close the aperture open-
17 the first chamber is insufficient to force the valve ball and
18 piston back to a closed position.
19 A spray head is provided to accept water exiting through
the ~xit passage and force it through small ho~es or alternatively
21 ellrough a direct flow outlet which may be stoppered by means of a
22 built-in stopper. The valve control member is provided with a
23 thr~aded adapter to connect it to the faucet and with a swivel
24 ball-bushing mechanism for directing the exiting water in various
dir~ctions with respect to the faucet.
26 A mechanism is provided for manual override of the re-
27 mot~ control force such that the control-valve member may be ~`
28 locked to an open flow position.
29 The remote-control force is provided by a foot-operated
control member having a bellows placed between a foot pedal and a
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1 base. Depression of the foot peda] causes the bellows to force
2 air or water und~r pressuie via a flexible conduit to the control
3 valve membeK. ¦
4 BRIEF l)ESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
This invention, as well as its objects, advantages and
6 ~atures, will b~ better understood by reference to the following
7 detailed description of the preferred embodiment of this invention
8 taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in whic:h:
g Fig. 1 is a perspective drawing of the remotely-
controlled valve according to the invention attached to a faucet
11 for a kitchen sink,
12 Fig. 2 is a larger perspective drawing of the control
13 valve member according to the invention,
14 Fig. 3 shows by means of a cross section taken through
the int~rnal parts of the control valve memb~r according to the
16 inV~ntion, `
17 Fig. 4 shows the control valve member forced in an open
18 position by air or water pressure from a foot-operated control
~9 m~mb~r according to the invention,
- Fig. 5 shows the control valve member forced in an open
21 position by a manual override system according to the invention,
2~ Fig. 6 shows a lateral cross section through control
23 valv~ member illustrating th~ mechanical construction of the
24 manual override feature according to the inventlon, and
Fig. 7 shows a foot-operated control memb~r according
~5 to th~ invention.
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27 DESCRIPTIQN OF TH~ INvErlTIoN
28 Fig. 1 shows th~ invention in place attached to a
29 kitchen sink faucet. A control valve member 100 is attach~d to
th~ fauc~t. Water flow is control]ed by a force g,enera~ted by
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1 foot-operated control member 300 which transmits air or water
2 under pr~ssure to control valve member 100 via flexible conduit
3 13
; Fig. 2 shows a larger view of the control valve member
~ 100.
6 Fig. 3 shows a longitudinal cross section through the
7 control valve member The control valve member 100 is connected
8 to a faucet by means of adapter 1 which has male threads 2a out-
9 side and female threads 2b inside so that the control valve member
100 may be attached t~ threaded faucets of both types. Knurled
11 flan~ 3 of the adapter provides a means for turning the threads
12 into place on the faucet. A filter washer 4a is provided to re-
~3 move particles from the water supply at the entrance of inlet
1~ passage 4
The body 5 of control valve member 100 is connected to
16 adapter 1 by means of a swivel ball 50 which allows control valve
.:
17 member 100 to be turned with respect to the faucet to which it is
~8 attached. The swivel ball 50 is rotatable and is held by a swivel
19 bushing 51 which can be attached to valve body 5 by means of an
ultrasonic weld 52. A swivel collar 53 retains swiv~l ball 50.
21 ~n 0 ring 54 pr~vents water from leaking from the valve member
22 100 past the swivel ball 50.
23 Th~ body 5 of control valv~ member 100 ~ormed of metal
24 or a suitable synthetic plastic enc~oses an inl~t chamber 6 ~or
incoming water and an outlet chamber 7 for exiting water. Inl~t
26 chamber 6 and outlet chamber 7 are connected by means of an aper-
27 ture 9. A valve ball 10 is provided within inl~t chamb~r 6 which
28 is forced by the pressure of th~ water in inlet chamber 6 against
29 ap~rture 9 thereby sealing outlet chamb~r 7 from th~ flow of
water.
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1 Valv~ ~all 10 is urg~d away from aperture 9, allowing
2 water to flow th~rethrough by means of rod 11 rigidly attached to `
3 piston 12. In the remote control mode, piston 12 moves in the
4 direction of the valv~ ball wh~n forc~ is applied to it by means
o~ fluid or air pressur~ conducted by flexible conduit or tube 13.
6 ~ manual control mode for mov;ng the piston is described below.
7 When air or water pressure is transmitted via conduit 13
8 throuqh pressure inl~t 14 of piston guide 15, the pressure is ap-
g plied to the end of piston 12 throughout valve open chamber 16. T
h~ pr~ssur~ applied to piston 12 urges it and its rigidly attached
~1 rod 11 against valve ball 10 allowing water to flow from inlet
1~ chamber 6 through aperture 9 and into outlet chamber 7 as shown
13 in ~ig. 4. Water then is expelled through outlet passage 17.
14 A low vater pressure assistance spring 18 (Fig. 3),
attached between control valve member body 5 and the piston 12
16 assists in returning the piston 12 to a closed position when air
17 or water pressure via passage 14 is no longer applied. Low water
18 pr~ssur~ assistance spring 18 assures that valve ball 10 closes,
19 `~v~n if the water pressure in inlet chamber 6 is not sufficient
20 to move valve ball 6 against rod 11, thereby pushing piston 12 ~`
21 back to normal position.
~2 Piston 12 moves within cylinder bore 19 which is op~n
23 to ~utl~t water chamber 7. The walls of cylinder bore 19 cut
24 ;n valv~ body 5 are smooth, allowing piston 12 to move easily in
2~ both directions. ~ft~r valve ball 10 is open, cylinder bor~ 1~ is
~ fill~d with water. Th~ pr~ssure of this uster acts on piston 12
27 and assists in r~turning it to a normal or closed position wh~n
28 pr~ssure is no longer appli~d via conduit 13. A piston "0" ring
29 20 in pi5ton 12 assures that wat~r from bore 19 does not pass to
th~ other side of piston 12.
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1 Th~ piston guid~ 15 has an annular shap~ which provides
2 a guide-way for piston 12, thereby prPventing piston 12 from rock-
3 ;ing in cylinder bore 19. Attach~d to the piston guide 15 i5 an
4 inlet member 21 about which conduit 13 is snugly attached by means
o~ a threaded tubing clamp 22. Inlet member 21 is hollow, form-
6 ing passage 14 which enables a flow of water or air under pressure
7 from conduit 13 to impinge on piston 12. Piston guide 15 is re-
8 tain~d within the control valv~ member 100 by means of cylindrical
g cap 23. Cylindrical cap 23 can be sealed to valve body 5 by means
of an ultrasonic seal 24.
11 Threaded tubing clamp 22 is part of an override thumb
12 rin~ 29 which contains thread 22a on the inside of the clamp.
13 '~h~n clamp 22 is screwed over the tubing clockwise to secure the ` "
14 ~ubing to inlet 14 of guide 15, onto tubing clamp 22, clamp 22
butts and becomes secured against piston guide 15 creating a jam
16 nut effect. Thus, piston guide 15 can be rotated within cylinder `` ``
17 cap 23 by rotating clamp 22 by ring 29. Rotation of guide 15
18 causes it to be translated linearly to and fro in the direction of
19 piston 12 by the clockwise-counterclockwise rota~ion of override
thumb ring 29. Three rider guide pins 27, shown in Fig. 6, which
21 is a lateral cross section through cylinder cap 23, slide along
22 the three s~parate rider slopes 26 in cap 23 with a com-like ac-
~3 tion. When the pins hit stops 25 which are part of cylindrical
24 cap 23, the rotation of the guide is terminated. Thus as the
override thumb ring 29 can be rotated approximately one ~lundr~d
26 d~9r~s clockwise, during opening of the motor. The resulting
2r translation of piston 12 and its rigidly attached rod opens valve
28 ball 10 as shown in Fig. 50 Turning overrid~ thumb ring 29 in a
29 counterclockwise direction translates piston guide 15 away from
piston 12 allowing piston 12 to b~ urged by spring 18 away from ~`

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1 valv~ ball 10. An "0" ring 30 is provided in pi.ston guide lS to
2 pr~vent water or air pressur~ from valve open chamber 16.
3 A spray head 35 is attached to valve body S for condi-
4 `tioning water exiting from exit passage 17 (Figs. 4 and 5).
Spray head 35 is a curv~d or arched plate through which spray
6 hol~s 36 ar~ formed. Between spray head 35 and body 5, a spray
7 h~ad pressure chamber 37 is formed. This chamber 37 will produce
8 wat~r pressure therein because the volum~ of water entering it
g throu~h exit passage 7 is greater than that passing through holes
36. Spray h~ad pressure b~hind spray head is desirable in t.wo
11 r~sp~ct.s. Water pressure will prevent residue from collecting in
1~ holes 36 and it will assist, via the water in cylinder base 19,
13 piston 12 to return to the closed position when air or water
14 p~ssur~ in the conduit 13 is released.
Spray head 35 has a direct flow outlet 38 allowing wat~r
16 from pressure chamber 37 to pass directly out in a solid stream
17 for filling bottles, irons, etc. A stopper 3g, connected to
18 stopp~r handl~ 40 is provided to provi~e a manual means for
19 closing off the direct flow outlet 38 as shown in ~ig. 4. .
Foot-operated control member 300 is shown in ~ig. 7
21 A foot pedal base 320 is provided as a foundation for foot pedal
22 330. Th~ p~dal and base are of sufficient strength to wi.thstand
23 th~ weight typically applied by the foot of a human being. Pivot
24 340 is provid~d to allow the foot pedal 330 to arch downward upon
~5 b~llows 310. Bellows 310, when compressed ~etwe~n foot pedal 330
26 and bellows support 350, compresses ai.r or wat~r forcing it along ``
~ fl~xible conduit 13 connected to control valve memb~r 100. When
28 b~llows 310 is no longer being compress~d, as wh~n a us~r l.ifts
29 hls toe, a vacuum created by the revers~ action of b~llows 310 :` :
causes t~l~ pres~nc~ of alr or water pressur~ in fl~xibl~ conduit
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1 13 to be terminated, thereby enabling closure of ball valve 10 in
2 control valve member 100. In a preferr~d embodiment of foot con-
3 trol m~mb~r 300, foot p~dal 330 ànd b~llows 310 are mold~d in on~
4 pi~cP from a material such as synthetic rubber or plastic.
Various changes and modifications may be made in the
6 drtails of construction and d~sign of the above specifically d~-
7 scribed ~mbodiment of this invention without departing from the
8 spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted
g only by the scope of the following claims.
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