Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Fleld of the Invention
The invention relates to a sanitary water valve which includes
a stationary cylinder, having at least one water inlet orifice,
and one water outlet orifice, a piston rota~ably and longi-
tudinally shiftably positioned in the cylinder, by which the
piston may be shifted from an "off" position to a totally
or partially "on" position.
Brief Description of the Prior Art
Valves of this type are known and are generally referred to
as so-called single lever or single knob mixing valves. With
these single control valves, the inlet orifices in the cylinder
have to be sealed both against the inlet opening of the
valve body and against the wall of the piston. Also, the top
and bottom of the piston, as well as the outer surfaces of
the cylinder, require seals to provide a fluid tight fit of
the valving elements for the valve. Accordingly, valves of
this type require at least four dynamic stressed seals or
packings because no direct sealing takes place between the
cylinder and the piston since the materials used for making
the valve control elements do not provide mechanical seals
at their mating surfaces. Even with control elements made
of hard materials, effective mechanical seals are not
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possible, or only at very high manu~acturing cost~ in order
to maintain the critical tolerance required f~r making
mating surfaces capable of forming a seal. The same problem
is encountered where plastic materials are used to make
the control elements, which require maintaining surfaces
having critical tolerances. However, valves made of plastics
of the above-described kind are difficult to manufacture.
It would be desirable to provide valves, where the control
elements seal directly against each other, ~nd the dynamic
stressed seals, which are made of soft materials, could be
eliminated which in turn reduces the manufacturing costs
and increases the reliability in service. Mixing valves
are known, which do not require dynamic stressed seals made
of soft materials, since the control elements themselves
provide the sealing functions. Such ~ixing valves of this
type are provided with disc-shaped control elements made of
metal or ceramics. Discs having the required surface area
and tolerance which form a seal by simply placing one against
the other present no difficulty in manufacture.
A disadvantage of mixing valves, having disc-shaped control
elements, is to provide a water temperature comfort zone,
which approximates that of piston valves, and requires
increased manufacturing costs. As used herein, the temper-
ature comfort zone means that in the mixed water temperature,
the user obtains only a relatively small change of temper-
ature by an increased or decreased movement of the lever or
the knob. Another disadvantage of water valves, having
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disc-shaped control elements, is that the movable disc
and the necessary flow ~ections formed therein require
relatively enlarged disc-areas, which results in a
corresponding increase in the diamet~r of the valve. Also,
another disadvantage of uch a mixing valve is that the
actuating means ~or the movable disc is more expensive to
manufacture because of the critical toleran~es and quality
of the material used for the actuating means that is
necessary to withstand the relatively great forces that
the respective parts are subjected to.
Summary of the Invention
In accordance with the present invention, the seal problems
and disadvantages encountered with regard to the manufacture
and-use of single-control v&lves have been overcome by
providing valves of this type that are simple in const~uc-
tion, inexpensive to manufacture, and reliable in operation.
These objectives advantageously have been ~chieved by
providing such valves with valving elements in the form of
a cylinder, having a continuous, lengthwise slot formed
through the cylinder wall over its entire length. The
longitudinal, lengthwise slot formed in cylinder permits
the use o~ a piston that has a diameter which is slightly
oversized, with respect to the diameter of the cylindex.
When the piston is inserted into the cylinder, the length-
wise slot permits the cylinder to expand due to the
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elasticity of the material forming the cylinder which
provides p~sitive, fluid tight, mechanical ~eal due to
the compressive radial forces exerted on the piston by the
cylinder. Pistons and cylinders manufactured in this
manner may be made having a greater range of tolerance
limits. The problems encountered in their production
may be controlled so that after mating the piston with
the cylinder, the tolerance limits between the sealing
surfaces required for producing each piece ~s less than
the resul~ing gap in the cylinder. Additional radial,
compressive forces are exerted by the cylinder toward
the piston by the added pre-tension of the O-rings which
seal the inlet orifices and outlet orifice of the cylinder
against the corresponding valve body orifices.
Another object of the invention is to provide cylinde~
wall which increases thickness starting from the longitudinal
slot to a maximum w211 thickness in the section of the
cylinder diametrically opposite the slot. This is technically
achieved by an eccentrically disposed cylinder bore which
is offset from the center axis of the cylinder, and as such
the tolerance limits thereof may be quite large.
In accordance with another object of the invention, a single-
control sanitary water valve is provided having both inlet
~rifices for cold and warm water and the outlet orifice for
the mixed water formed in the cylinder wall, the same
longitudinal distance from end thereof. Cylinders formed,
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having the inlets and outlet at the ~ame longitudinal
di~t~nce from its end permits the length of both the
piston and cylinder to be decreased when compared to
presently manufactured piston type mixing valves that
have the outlet orifice positioned in the cylinder above
or below than the inlet orifices
In accordance with still another object of the invention,
to provide a cylinder having a longitudinal slot extending
between the inlet orifices and an outlet orifice disposed
on the part of the cylinder wall opposite the longitudinal
slot. This arrangement permits the use of a piston of
the type having a chamber in the shape of a transversPly
formed groove or channel to connect the inlet orifices
with the outlet orifice, which design is relatively simple
to manufacture.
A further object o~ the invention is to provide a piston
in the shape of a pipe-body, having a transversely formed
orifice vr channel to connect the inlet orifices with the
outlet orifice of the cylinder.
Accordingly, a still further object of the invention is to
provide a cylinder havinq inlet orifices, each inlet orifice
having a greater length in its horizontal dimension than the
horizontal dimension of the outlet orifice. The volume of
water flow for providing the desired comfort zone temperatures
is obtained by increasing the height of the outlet orifice.
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According to still another object of the invention, the
O-ring packings are seated at the inlet openings and
outlet openings on the outer surface of the cylinder by
providing on the outer surface thereof, longitudinal ribs
extending between the outlet orifice and two inlet orifices,
together with a longitudinal rib on both sides of the
longitudinal slot.
According to still a further object of the invention, is to
provide a counter bearing in the form of a sleeve or
shell, having a longitudinal slot, inlet and outlet openings
corresponding to the inlet and outlet openings formed in
the cylinder through which O-ring packings are supported.
In the Drawings
Fig. 1 is a view in elevation, partially in section,
illustrating one form of the valve assembly of the present
invention;
Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of ~ig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a view in elevation, partly section, showing
the valving assembly of Fig. 1, operatively mounted in a
sanitary fitting in close position;
Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but illustrating the
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valve assembly of Fig. 1 in its open po~ition;
Figs. 5-7 are horizontal, cross-sectional views of
the sanitary water valve of Figs. 3 and 4, showing the valve
assembly of Fig. 1 positioned respectively between cold,
mixed and hot water flows;
Fig. 8 is an exploded, isometric view of the valve
assembly, illustrated in Figs. 1-7;
Fig. 9 i6 an exploded isometric view of another form of
the cylinder assembly;
Fig. 10 is an elevational view of the cylinder of
Fig. 9, fully assembled;
Fig. 11 is a sectional view, taken along line li-ll of
~ig. 10;
Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view, taken alonq line 12-12
of Fig. 10;
Pig. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the piston and
cylinder in which the cylinder wall is greatly exaggerated
to show its increasing thickness, formed by its eccentrically
positioned bore;
Fig. 14 is an exploded, isometric view of still another
form of the valve assembly of Fig. l;
Fig. 15 is an elevational view of the valve of Fig. 14
fully assembled;
Fig. 16 is an elevational view in section, taken along
line 16-16 of Fig. 15; and
Fig. 17 i6 a cross-sectional view, taken along line 17-17
of Fig. 15.
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Detailed Description of the Preferred Embsdiments
In the drawings, Figs. 1-8 illustrate one form of valve
assembly 10. Valve assemb~y 10 includes a cylinder 14 and
a piston 12, which is positioned in the ~ylinder bore and
is rotatable and longitudinally shiftable. Longitudinal
slot 16, two inlet orifices 17,18 for cold and warm water,
respectively, and an outlet orifice 19 for discharging
mixed water therethrough are formed in cylinder 14.
Longitudinal slot 16 extends along the length of cylinder
14 and is disposed between the two inlet orifices 17,18.
The inlet orifice 17,18 and outlet orifice 19 are
formed through cylinder wall 15 and are positioned at the
same longitudinal distance from its base or lower end 20.
The inlet orifices 17,lB are identically dimensioned with
their horizontal dimension being greater than their longi-
tudinal dimension. The outlet orifice 19 has a horizontal
dimension less than the horizontal dimension of inlet orifices
17,18~ but its longitudinal dimension is greater. The
longitudinal dimension of outlet orifice 19, may vary
depending upon the desired temperature comfort zone required
for a particular sanitary water valve. Also forming part
of the valve assembly 10 is counter-bearing or sleeve 24,
preferably made of a suitable metal, is formed having inlet
orifices 17', 18' and an outlet orifice 19' which are
dimension to encircle inlet orifices 17,18 and outlet
orifice 19, respectively, of cylinder 14 so that O-ring
packings 25 can be mounted therein to effect a watertight
~23403~
seal between inlet orifices 17,13 and Outlet orifice 19 and
the corresponding water passageways in sanitary valve 9
which are shown in Figs. 5-7. A flow chamber 13, in
the form of a recess, is provided in piston 12 to connect
with inlet orifices 17,18 and outlet orifice 19, as
shown in Figs. 7-8. In valve assembly 10, cylinder 14
and piston 12 are preferably made of alumin~um oxide, which
is capable of forming very smooth surfaces, which when
mated in face-to-face contact form a watert~ght seal without
the need of other seal assemblies. As is evident, other
materials may be used such as metals or metal alloys and
even certain plastics~ however, such valve assemblies may
require the use of static seal assemblies. In Figs. 3-7,
valve assembly 10 is shown operably mounted in sanitary
fitting 9 in its closed position, Fig. 3, in its opened
position, and Fig. 4 and in the various mixing modes,
full cold, Fig. 5 uniformly mixed cold and hot, Fig. 6
and full hot, Fig. 7.
Another form of counter bearing and cylinder assembly is
illustrated in Figs. 9-13. Cylinder 30 is preferably
made of high content aluminium oxide similar to cylinder 14
of Figs. 1-8. Cylinder 30 differs in design wherein longi-
tudinally extending ribs 32,33 and 34,35 are formed on its
outer surface as most clearly shown in Fig. 9.
3~ 3i~
Ribs 3~,33 are spaced to straddle outlet 4rifice
49, while ribs 34,35 are formed, respectively, on each
side of longitudinal slot 31. The counter bearing
assembly rather than bein~ a sleeve bearing as ~hown
in Figs. 1-8, are a pair of generally cup-shaped bearings
40,41. Each bearing 40,41 is identically shaped.
Each are formed having ~lots 32',33',36, whiçh provide
guides to mount upper and lower bearings 40,41, respectively.
Each bearing at its inner or open end is de~igned having
three uniformly shaped scalloped edges formed between
slots 32',33',36, and when mounted on cylinder 30, Fig. 11,
scalloped edges 42,43, 44 of top bearing 40 are complimentary
to scalloped edges 42', 43',44' of lower bearing 41 to form
circular recesses for h~using O-riny packings 25 which
encircle inlet orifices 47,48 and outlet orifice 49 and
when the valve assembly is operably mounted in sanitary
fitting 9 provides watertight seal connections between the
hot and cold water inlets and outlet of the valve body
and the respective orifices of cylinder 30. While Figs. 9-13
only illustrate the cylinder and bearing assembly, the
piston shown in Figs. 1-8 is used and is made of the same
material and is similarly shaped and is positioned in the
bore of cylinder 30. Also, the wall 15 o~ cylinder 30
increases in thickness starting from longitudinal slot 31
to its maximum wall thickness in the section of cylinder
wall which is diametrically opposite the slot, as is most
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clearly shown in ~ig. 13. Bearings 24, and 40,41 al~o
provided additional ~trength to cylinder 14,30, particularly
in its radial direction.
The embodimen~ illustrated in ~igs. 14-17 utilizes an
alternate form of piston 12, shown in Figs. 1-7. Valve
assembly 50 includes a cylindex having inle~ orifices
53,54 and outlet orifice 55 and the wall of the cylinder
is formed having an increase in thickness s~arting from
slot 51 to a maximum wall thickness in the section of
cylinder wall spposite the longitudinal slot 51. Cylinder
52 is preferably made of high content aluminium oxide and has
the same physical properties of cylinders 14,30. Piston
assembly 56 includes a shaft 58 which is threaded at
its lower end 59 and at its upper end is an enlarged
head 60 constructed to operatively couple linkages to a
handle or lever, shown in Figs. 3,4. A circumferential
groove 61 is formed around shaft 58 which seats O-ring
62. A channel or groove 63 is formed in Ehaft 58 and
is adapted to communicate with inlet orifices 53,54 and
outlet orifice 55 formed in cylinder 52. A sleeve 66, made
of high content aluminium oxide is formed having an internal
bore 67 having slightly greater diameter than the diameter
of shaft 58 which, when mounted thereon is locked from
rotation by rib 64, formed along the under surface of enlarged
head 60. Rib 64 nests in corresponding slot 64' formed in
the upper rim 67 of sleeve 66. O-ring 62 provides a water-
tight seal at the upper end 67 of sleeve 66. A threaded
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nut 70, having an out6ide diameter 61ightly greater than
shaft 58 and less than the bore diameter of cylinder 52,
threadedly engages shaft 58 and when tightened, ~ig. 16,
locks sleeve 66 onto shaft 58. This permits piston
assembly 56 to be longitudinally shiftable and rotatable
within the cylinder bore of cylinder 52. An annular sroove
72 is formed around the upper surface 76 of nut 70 which
seats 0-ring 73 and provides watertight seal at the lower
end 68 of sleeve 66. Sleeve 66 is formed having a slot 69,
which is aligned with groove 63 of shaft 58, so that a
water passageway is formed which communicates with the
water inlet orifices 53,54 and water outlet orifice 55 of
cylinder 52.
As shown in Fig. 13, the wall of the cylinder increases in
thickness starting from a slot and increases to a maximum
wall thickness of the wall section opposite the slot. The
increase in wall thickness forms a most effective spring
or hinge ef~ect when a slightly oversized piston is
positioned in the cylinder. The cylinder expands and maintains
a compressive, radial force against the piston to provide a
functional sealing contact between the mating faces of the
cylinder and the piston. The wall thickness of the cylinder
is generally about 1.5mm, at the slot and increases in
thickness to a maximum up to about 2.5mm along the section
of the cylinder wall opposite the slot. Accordingly,
the difference between the axial center line
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of t~e cylinder and the axial center line of the cylinder
bore defines the eccentricity of the cylinder which is
at least l.Omm and may be up to about 2.5mm, which is
generally necessary since under the effect of high
pressures such as occurs with water hammer, damage could
result if less than about 1.0mm differential were maintained.
On the other hand, exceeding this wall thickness wGuld
decrease the elasticity of the ~ylinder, and therefore
the diameter of the piston would become more critical.
In sanitary valve designs of the present type, the various
forms of the cylinder, counter bearing and piston designs
function in sanitary fitting 9 in the same manner. The
piston is coupled between linkage means 84 and handle or
lever 80 so that the piston is both longitudinally
displaceable in the cylinder bore to control water volume
flow and is rotatable therein to control the mixing of
water flow through hot and cold water conduits 4,5, shown
in the various p~sitions in Figs. 3-7.
The operation of a mixing valve 9, accordinq to the inven-
tion, corresponds to that of known piston operated valves
and will be described with regard to Figs. 1-7, although
its operation is the same for all embodiments shown.
The temperature and volume of water passing through the
mixing valve can be adjusted by respectively rotating and
raisiny or lowering piston 12 by operating a lever 80.
A pivot pin 81 directed horizontally through a lug 82 of
the lever 11 pivotally attaches the lever 11 to a bearing
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123~13'~
p~rt 83. The pin 81 is positioned eccentrically of a valve
linkage 84. The head portion 85 is coupled to free end
86 of the lever 80. The lower portion 86 of valve linkage
84 i~ connected to the piston 12. Thus, by an up and down
action of the outer end B7 of the lever 80, piston 12
will be lowered and raised accordingly to open and close
valve 10, and by swinging lever 80 horizontally about the
axial line of valve piston 1~, the piston will be rotated
accordingly to vary the water mixture.
As previously discussed, the cylinder and piston, or a
piston sleeve, are preferably made of a ceramic material,
a high content aluminium oxide. The cylinder is formed from
the ceramic material and after being fired, the inner
surface is polished to provide a first mating surface.
The piston, also made of ceramic material, is formed
having a diameter slightly in excess of the diameter of
the cylinder, and it too is polished to provide a second
mating surface. When the piston is inserted into the
cylinder, the cylinder will expand slightly due to the
longitudinal slot formed through the cylinder wall so that
its diameter will mate with the diameter of the piston.
This provides a watertight seal between the piston and
the inner surface of the cylinder. When the piston is
rotated and/or shifted longitudinally water will flow through
either one of the inlet openings in the cylinder wall
and through the ~low passage formed on the piston to the
outlet opening in the cylinder wall.
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The foregoing description and illustration of preferred
embodiments represent various ex~mples for practicing
the invention. Variations and modifications of the invention
will occur to those skilled in the art, for example,
the invention could be used with dual control mixing
valves or single faucet valves which control only cold
and warm water. Also, the invention contemplates when
positioning the two inlet orifices, the upper edge of
the outlet orifice should not lie below the lower
edges of the inlet orifices and respectively, that the
lower edge of the outlet orifice should not lie about the
upper edges of the inlet orifices.
