Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02690361 2010-01-14
TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED VALVE CORE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a temperature controlled valve core that can
utilize a single rotating component to open and close water supply, and to
adjust
temperature at a stable range.
Description of the Prior Art
Conventional temperature controlled valve core is used to supply water at a
stable temperature by changing temperature or/and pressure of cold and hot
waters,
accordingly a heat sensitive element is provided to adjust the temperature of
mixed
cold and hot water to keep the temperature at a stable status.
A temperature adjustable valve core disclosed in Publication No.
20080035744 comprises temperature adjusting assembly including a flow amount
adjusting component and a temperature adjusting component to control flowing
amount and temperature individually. The flow amount adjusting component is
used
to rotably actuate a movable disc and a fixed disc relative to the movable
disc to act
so that a first tunnel to flow hot fluid, a second tunnel to flow cold fluid,
and a third
tunnel to flow mixed cold and hot water move at opposite positions to change
communicating state with each other. The temperature adjusting component is
applied an adjustable screw to axially actuate a heat sensitive element and an
upper
sliding valve to change flowing amount of the mixed cold and hot water in a
chamber. The heat sensitive element includes a heat sensing portion disposed
on a
flowing path of the mixed cold and hot water to sense the temperature of the
flowing
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water, such that a plunger on one end of the heat sensitive element expands
and
retracts to actuate the sliding valve to move axially so as to adjust flowing
amount of
the mixed cold and hot water in the chamber automatically, thus obtaining a
stable
temperature.
However, such an operating process is complicated and time consuming
that user will feel confused. Besides, some users may only operate the
temperature
adjusting component and then feel confused because the mixed cold and hot
water
does not flow outward, and because after operating the flow amount adjusting
component, the temperature adjusting component has to be operated once more,
some users will feel troublesome to abandon using the temperature adjusting
function. Furthermore, when the temperature adjusting component is set at a
higher
or lower temperature, a scald or frostbite will happen.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the
afore-described disadvantages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a temperature
controlled valve core that can utilize a single rotating component to open and
close
water supply, and to adjust temperature at a stable range.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a temperature
controlled valve core that can if the cold water stops supply, the temperature
of the
mixed cold and hot water raises at instant, then the sensing portion of the
plunger of
the heat sensitive element senses the raised temperature of the mixed cold and
hot
water to expand the plunger quickly so that the inlet valve is pushed by the
plunger
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adversely to move downward to close the second intake, obtaining anti-scald
safety.
A temperature controlled valve core in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the present invention comprises:
a housing including a receiving space defined therein, and including a first
tunnel to flow cold water axially extending on a first peripheral fence,
including a
second tunnel to flow hot water, and a channel to flow mixed cold and hot
water; the
first tunnel extending upward from a bottom end of the housing toward a first
height
to communicate with the receiving space; the second tunnel extending upward
from
the bottom end of the housing toward a second height; the first height is
higher than
the second height; the channel extending upward from the bottom end of the
housing
to be over the first height so as to communicate with the receiving space;
a seat received in a predetermined position of the receiving space of the
housing, and including a first chamber to receive mixed cold and hot water
arranged
therein to communicate with the channel of the lower housing part;
an adjusting assembly installed between the housing and the seat, and
including:
a rotating component limited to rotate on a top end of the housing;
a watering valve actuated by the rotating component to move upward and
downward, and having a resilient protecting element installed therein, and
having a
pushing element pushed downward by the resilient protecting element; the
watering
valve being actuated to move downward so as to close a watering outlet, and
when
the watering valve is actuated to move upward, the watering outlet is opened;
an inlet valve received at a predetermined portion of the receiving space of
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the housing, and having a second chamber to flow hot water arranged on a lower
side thereof to communicate with the first chamber of the seat, and to
communicate
with a top end of the second tunnel via a second intake so as to flow hot
water, and
to communicate with a top end of the first tunnel via a first intake so as to
flow cold
water; the inlet valve allowing to be actuated to move upward and downward,
when
the inlet valve is pushed to move downward, the second intake is closed, and
the first
intake is opened; when the inlet valve is pushed to move upward, the second
intake
is opened so that the first intake becomes decreased until it is closed
completely; the
inlet valve is moved upward and downward to adjust a mixing ratio of cold and
hot
waters from the first intake and the second intake, and the cold and the hot
waters
are mixed in a top end of the second chamber to flow toward the fist chamber;
a heat sensitive element engaging with the inlet valve and the pushing
element of the watering valve respectively so as to transmit an axial pushing
force
from the pushing element to the inlet valve, so that the heat sensitive
element moves
downward to sense a temperature of the mixed cold and hot water which flows to
the
first chamber, and the heat sensitive element automatically expands to push
the inlet
valve to move downward based on a sensed temperature, or the heat sensitive
element is forced to retract;
an elastic returning element engaging with a bottom end of the inlet valve
and the receiving space of the housing so that when the watering valve is
actuated to
move upward, and the inlet valve is pushed to move upward to push the heat
sensitive element to retract, and a resilient coefficient of the elastic
returning element
being larger than that of the resilient protecting element.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the assembly of a temperature
controlled valve core according to a preferred embodiment of the present
invention;
Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the exploded components of the
temperature controlled valve core according to the preferred embodiment of the
present invention;
Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view showing the assembly of the temperature
controlled valve core according to the preferred embodiment of the present
invention;
Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a longitudinal cross section of a
housing of the temperature controlled valve core in accordance with the
preferred
embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 5 is another perspective view showing a longitudinal cross section of
the housing of the temperature controlled valve core in accordance with the
preferred
embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a horizontal cross section of the
housing of the temperature controlled valve core in accordance with the
preferred
embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 7 is another perspective view showing a horizontal cross section of the
housing of the temperature controlled valve core in accordance with the
preferred
embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing a cross section of an upper housing
part of the temperature controlled valve core in accordance with the preferred
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embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing a cross section of a seat of the
temperature controlled valve core in accordance with the preferred embodiment
of
the present invention;
Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing a horizontal cross section of the seat
of the temperature controlled valve core in accordance with the preferred
embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing a cross section of a rotating
component and a watering valve of the temperature controlled valve core in
accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 12 is a perspective view showing a cross section of an inlet valve of the
temperature controlled valve core in accordance with the preferred embodiment
of
the present invention;
Fig. 13 is a cross sectional view showing a part of the temperature
controlled valve core in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the
present
invention;
Fig. 14 is a cross sectional view showing the operation of the temperature
controlled valve core in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the
present
invention;
Fig. 15 is another cross sectional view showing the operation of the
temperature controlled valve core in accordance with the preferred embodiment
of
the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
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The present invention will be clearer from the following description when
viewed together with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of
illustrations only, the preferred embodiment in accordance with the present
invention.
Referring to Figs. 1-3, a temperature controlled valve core according to a
preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a housing a, a seat b,
and
an adjusting assembly c;
the housing a including a lower housing part 10, an upper housing part 20
sealed to a top end of the lower housing part 10, and a casing 30 sealed to
the lower
housing part 10 and a partial exterior of the upper housing part 20, the
housing a also
including a receiving space defined in a partial interior thereof, wherein
the lower housing part 10 as shown in Figs. 4-7 is formed in a cylinder
shape, and includes a first room 11 with a first opening 111 facing upward,
and
includes a first tunnel 13 to flow cold water axially extending on a first
peripheral
fence 12, includes a second tunnel 14 to flow hot water, and a channel 15 to
flow
mixed cold and hot water;
the first tunnel 13 extends upward to a first height from a bottom end of the
lower housing part 10, and communicates with the first room 11 through a first
orifice 131 which passes through the first peripheral fence 12. In this
embodiment,
the first tunnel 13 communicates with the first room 11 via two second
orifices 132
which pass through the first peripheral fence 12, and between the first and
the
second orifices 131, 132 is defined a ditch 133 to communicate with the first
and the
second orifices 131, 132 so that cold water from a top end of the first tunnel
13 flows
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to the first and the second orifices 131, 132 and further flows into the first
room 11
evenly.
The second tunnel 14 extends upward from the bottom end of the lower
housing part 10 to a second height, and then communicates with the first room
11 via
a third orifice 141 which passes through the first peripheral fence 12. In
this
embodiment, the second tunnel 14 extends upward from the bottom end of the
lower
housing part 10 to the second height via two fourth orifices 142 which pass
through
the first peripheral fence 12, and between the third and the fourth orifices
141, 142 is
defined a trench 143 to communicate with the third and the fourth orifices
141, 142
so that hot water from a top end of the second tunnel 14 flows to the first
room 11
evenly from the third and the fourth orifices 141, 142.
The first height where the top end of the first tunnel 13 is located is higher
than the second height where the top end of the second tunnel 14 is located,
e.g.,
cold water flows inward from a higher position of the first room 11, and hot
water
flows inward from a lower position thereof.
The channel 15 extends to the top end of the lower housing part 10 from the
bottom end of the lower housing part 10 so that the mixed cold and hot water
from a
top end of the channel 15 flows downward.
The lower housing part 10 includes first outer threads 16 formed on an outer
surface of the top end thereof, and the first room 11 includes a fixing fringe
17
formed on an inner surface thereof where is located at top ends of the first
and the
second orifices 131, 132, and includes an enclosure tab 18 fixed on the inner
surface
thereof where is located at bottom ends of the third and the fourth orifices
141, 142,
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and includes a first positioning notch 19 disposed on a bottom end thereof.
The lower housing part 10 includes two engaging members 121
symmetrically secured on a lower side thereof proximate to an outer side of
the first
peripheral fence 12.
The upper housing part 20 as illustrated in Fig. 8 is formed in a sleeve
shape,
and includes a larger-diameter screwing portion 21 mounted on a lower side
thereof,
and includes a smaller-diameter receiving segment 22 arranged on an upper side
thereof, and includes a stepped abutting shoulder 23 formed on an exterior
thereof,
the screwing portion 21 includes inner threads 211 attached in an interior
thereof to
screw with the first outer threads 16 of the lower housing part 10. The
receiving
segment 22 includes a second room 221 formed therein, and the second room 221
includes a number of protrusions extending around an inner surface of an upper
side
thereof to define a defining trough 222 between each two protrusions, and
includes a
mouth 223 with a smaller diameter disposed on a top end thereof, the mouth 223
includes a first hole 224 mounted on a top surface thereof.
An outer peripheral surface of the receiving segment 22 is polygonal to fit a
specific tool and be rotated by the tool.
The casing 30 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 is formed in a cover shape, and
includes an internal area 31 having a second opening 311, and includes a
second hole
32 fixed on a top surface thereof to inert the receiving segment 22 of the
upper
housing part 20 upward so that the casing 30 fits to the screwing portion 21
of the
upper housing part 20 and the lower housing part 10 and to close an outer
peripheral
surface of the lower housing part 20 so that the first and the second orifices
131, 132
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of the first tunnel 13 of the lower housing part 20 and the third and the
fourth
orifices 141, 142 of the second tunnel 14 are closed to flow the cold water
and the
hot water toward the first room 11.
The casing 30 further includes two retaining recesses 33 fixed at two
symmetrical positions of a bottom end thereof respectively, and each recess 33
includes two slots 34 formed on two sides thereof so that the casing 30 covers
to a
part of the upper housing part 20 and the lower housing part 10, and a top
surface of
the internal area 31 engages with the abutting shoulder 23 of the screwing
portion 21
of the upper housing part 20, the retaining recesses 33 engage with the
engaging
members 121, thus closing the lower and the upper housing parts 10, 20
tightly.
The receiving space of the housing a is comprised of the first room l I of the
lower housing part 10, the second room 221 of the upper housing part 20, and
the
screwing portion 21 of the upper housing part 20.
The seat b as shown in Figs. 9, 10 is positioned to an upper side of the first
room 11 of the lower housing part 10, and includes a first chamber 401 to
receive
mixed cold and hot water arranged therein to communicate with the channel 15
of
the lower housing part 10. In this embodiment of the present invention, the
seat b
includes an outer periphery 40a and a locking loop 40b, wherein
the outer periphery 40a is formed in a circular loop and fixed on the upper
side of the first room 11 of the lower housing part 10, and a bottom end of a
first
peripheral side 41 thereof engages with the fixing fringe 17 of the lower
housing part
10, the peripheral side 41 of the outer periphery 40a includes a first bottom
rim 42
secured around the bottom end thereof, and the outer periphery 40a allows to
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CA 02690361 2010-01-14
most part of the first chamber 401 by using an inner space thereof.
The locking loop 40b includes a first top cliff 43 and a second peripheral
side 44 extending downward, the second peripheral side 44 couples with the
outer
periphery 40a. A top surface of the first top cliff 43 flushes with the top
end of the
lower housing part 10, and includes a plurality of biasing members 45 secured
thereon, and between each two biasing members 45 is defined a cutout 451, and
a
top end of the biasing member 45 is screwed with the screwing portion 21 of
the
upper housing part 20 to be abutted downward so that the seat b is positioned
between the first room 11 of the lower housing part 10 and the screwing
portion 21
of the upper housing part 20 securely.
Because the top surface of the first top cliff 43 flushes with the top end of
the lower housing part 10, when the upper housing part 20 engages with the
biasing
members 45, a distance between the interior of the screwing portion 21 and the
top
end of the lower housing part 10 is formed to supply water so that the cutout
451 is
in communication with the top end of the channel 15.
The first top cliff 43 includes a first bore 431 disposed on a central portion
thereof, and between the first bore 431 and the top cutout 451 is defined a
first
closing portion 432. In this embodiment, the first closing portion 432 is
comprised of
a stop pad retained in an annular indention of the top surface of the first
top cliff 43.
The locking loop 40b allows to define a small part of the first chamber 401
by using a space between a lower side of the first top cliff 43 and the second
peripheral side 44, the first chamber 401 communicates with the channel 15 via
the
first bore 431 and the cutouts 451.
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The adjusting assembly c as illustrated in Figs. 11-13 is installed between
the housing a and the seat b, and includes a rotating component 50, a watering
valve
60, an inlet valve 70, a heat sensitive element 80, and an elastic returning
element 90,
wherein
The rotating component 50 is formed in a shaft shape, and includes second
outer threads 51 arranged on a bottom end thereof, and includes a sealing
portion 52
fixed on a middle section thereof, and a rotary shaft 53 disposed on a top end
thereof.
The rotary shaft 53 extends out of the first hole 224 of the upper housing
part 20 to
be rotated. The sealing portion 52 is rotatably retained to the mouth 223 so
that the
rotating component 50 is driven to rotate on the top end of the upper housing
part 20.
The watering valve 60 is actuated by the rotating component 50 to move
upward and downward.
The watering valve 60 includes an actuating member 60a, a seal sleeve 60b,
a resilient protecting element 60c, and a pushing element 60d.
The actuating member 60a includes a first and a second screwing grooves
61, 62 mounted on a top and a bottom ends thereof individually, and the first
screwing groove 61 screws with the second threads 51 of the adjusting
component
50, the second screwing groove 62 includes a second positioning notch 621
defined
on an upper side thereof.
The seal slave 60b includes third threads 63 mounted on a top end thereof to
screw with the second screwing groove 62 of the actuating member 60a, and
includes a third positioning notch 64 arranged therein, and the third
positioning
notch 64 includes a second bore 65 fixed on a center of a bottom end thereof,
the
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seal sleeve 60b includes a raised second closing portion 66 extending from a
bottom
surface thereof.
Between the second positioning notch 621 of the actuating member 60a and
the third positioning notch 64 of the seal sleeve 60b is defined a cavity 601.
The actuating member 60a includes a number of limiting blocks 67
extending around the top end thereof to engage with the defining troughs 222
of the
second room 221 of the upper housing part 20 so that the actuating member 60a
is
limited to rotate, hence when the rotating component 50 is rotated, the
actuating
member 60a is actuated to move upward and downward.
The resilient protecting element 60c is a compression spring to be installed
in the cavity 601 of the watering valve 60, and a top end of the resilient
protecting
element 60a retains with the second positioning notch 621 of the actuating
member
60a.
The pushing element 60d is installed to the third positioning notch 64 of the
watering valve 60, and a top end of the pushing element 60d abuts against a
bottom
end of the resilient protecting element 60c, a bottom end of the pushing
element 60d
engages with the third positioning notch 64 of the seal sleeve 60b, and the
pushing
element 60d includes an aperture 60 disposed on a center thereof.
The watering valve 60 is actuated to move downward so that the second
closing portion 66 of the seal sleeve 60b engages with the first closing
portion 432 of
the locking loop 40b of the seat b, and watering paths between the first bore
431 and
the cutouts 451 are closed. On the contrary, when the watering valve 60 is
actuated
to move upward, the second closing portion 66 disengages from the first
closing
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portion 432 to generate a watering outlet 602, as shown in Fig. 3, the mixed
cold and
hot water from the first chamber 401 flows to the top end of the channel 15
through
the first bore 431, the watering outlet 602, and the cutouts 451.
The inlet valve 70 is received in a middle area of the first room 11 of the
lower housing part 10 to move upward and downward so as to control flowing
amount of the cold water and the hot water flowing from the top end of the
first
tunnel 13, and the top end of the second tunnel 14, and the first room 11 of
the lower
housing part 10.
The inlet valve 70 includes a third closing portion 70a and a fitting portion
70b, wherein:
the third closing portion 70a is received in the lower housing part 10 where
is located at a lower area of the first room 11 of the seat b, and includes a
stepped
portion 71 defined between the third closing portion 70a and the fitting
portion 70b,
and includes a second chamber 72 to receive hot water formed on a bottom end
thereof, the second chamber 72 includes a central hole 721 and a plurality of
side
bores 722 disposed on a center and a top surface thereof respectively, and
includes a
number of guiding wings 73 extending from an inner surface thereof so that
between
each two guiding wings 72 is defined a passage 74 to communicate with the side
bores 722, and the guiding wing 73 includes a fourth positioning notch 75
arranged
on a bottom end thereof.
The fitting portion 70b is received in the first chamber 401 of the seat b,
and
includes a number of reinforced ribs 76 extending upward from a top surface
between the central hole 721 and the side bores 722, and between each two
abutting
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reinforced ribs 76 is defined a fifth orifice 761, and among the reinforce
ribs 76 is
defined a second room 77 so that the second chamber 72 communicates with the
first
chamber 401 of the seat b through the central hole 721 and the side bores 722.
The fitting portion 70b includes a holder 78 connected on a top end thereof,
and the holder 78 includes a dent 781 disposed on a top end thereof, the dent
781
includes a gap 782 mounted on a center of a bottom end thereof to communicate
with the second room 77.
The inlet valve 70 is pushed to move downward so that the second bottom
rim 701 of the third closing portion 70a engages with the enclosure tab 18 to
close
the third and the fourth orifices 141, 142 of the second tunnel 14 and the
second
chamber 72, the second top wall 702 of the stepped portion 71 disengages from
the
first bottom rim 42 of the outer periphery 40a, and a first intake 703 to flow
cold
water is opened as shown in Fig. 13 so that the cold water from the top end of
the
first tunnel 13 flows to the first chamber 401 via the first and the second
orifices 131,
132 and the first intake 703. In contrast, when the inlet valve 70 is moved
upward,
the second bottom rim 701 of the third closing portion 70a disengages from the
enclosure tab 18 of the lower housing part 10 until a second intake 704 to
flow hot
water is opened as illustrated in Fig. 13 so that hot water from the top end
of the
second tunnel 14 flows to the second chamber 72 through the third and the
fourth
orifices 141, 142 and the second intake 704, and the second top wall 702 of
the
stepped portion 71 moves close to the first bottom rim 42 of the outer
periphery 40a
until they are engaged with each other to close the first intake 703. Thereby,
the inlet
valve 70 is moved upward and downward to adjust a mixing ratio of the cold and
the
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hot waters in the first chamber 401, thus controlling water temperature.
The heat sensitive element 80 is formed in a shaft shape, and includes a
plunger 81 mounted on a top end thereof to expand and retract axially, and
includes
an annular projection 82 fixed on a middle section thereof to be positioned in
the
dent 781 of the inlet valve 70, and includes a heat sensing portion 83 secured
on a
bottom end thereof.
The plunger 81 retains with the aperture 68 of the pushing element 60d of
the watering valve 60 to transmit an axially downward action from the pushing
element 60d toward the inlet valve 70 so that the inlet valve 70 is pushed to
move
downward.
The sensing portion 83 is inserted to the second room 77 through the gap
782 of the inlet valve 70 so as to sense the temperature of the mixed cold and
hot
water flowing to the first chamber 401, and when the temperature of the mixed
cold
and hot water becomes high, the plunger 81 expands to push the inlet valve 70
to
move downward so as to lower inflow amount of the hot water, thus changing
mixing ratio of the cold and the hot water. On the contrary, when the
senescing
portion 83 senses the temperature of the mixed cold and hot water becomes
lower,
the plunger 81 is forced to retract downward.
The heat sensitive element 80 includes a heat inflatable material filled
therein, such as bees wax, to push the plunger 81 to expand when it is
inflated by
heat, and when the heat sensitive element 80 is cold, the plunger 81 retracts
inward
by an external force.
The heat sensitive element 80 is spaced a suitable distance apart from the
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second bore 65 of the watering valve 60, thereby a first slit 801 is defined
as shown
in Fig. 10, so as to flow the mixed cold and hot water from the first chamber
401 to
the cutouts 451.
Then the heat sensitive element 80 is installed, its bottom end is inserted to
the central hole 721 of the inlet valve 70 slightly, and leaves a suitable
distance from
an inner surface of the central hole 721 to generate a second slit 802 as
shown in Fig.
13 so that partial hot water in the second chamber 72 flows to the first
chamber 401
via the second slit 802, the second room 77, and the firth orifices 761.
The outer periphery 40a is included in the side bores 722 of the inlet valve
70 so that cold water from the first and the second orifices 131, 132 and hot
water
from the side bores 722 are mixed together on upper sides of the side bores
722, and
then are guided to bottom ends of the fifth orifices 761 to further mix with
hot water
from the first slit 801, and to flow upward along the fifth orifices 761 of
the heat
sensing portion 83 of the heat sensitive element 80 and finally to flow into
the first
chamber 401, wherein the mixed cold and hot water is guided to flow through
the
heat sensing portion 83, thus being sensed precisely.
The elastic returning element 90 is a compression spring, and installed to a
lower area of the first room 11 of the lower housing part 10, and a bottom end
of the
elastic returning element 90 engages with the first positioning notch 19 of
the first
room 11, and a top end of the elastic returning element 90 engages with the
fourth
positioning notch 75 of the inlet valve 70 so that the inlet valve 70 is
pushed upward
by the elastic returning element 90 to enhance inflow amount; and the inlet
valve 70
remains still in the watering valve 60 as well, but when the sensing portion
83 of the
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heat sensitive element 80 senses the temperature of the mixed cold and cold
water
decreased, the inlet valve 70 is pushed to move upward, and the plunger 81 is
pressed inward so that the plunger 81 and the pushing element 60d contacts
with
each other, and the inflow amount of the hot water is enhanced to change
mixing
ratio of the cold and the hot waters.
The resilient protecting element 60c is used to compress the heat sensitive
element 80 and the inlet valve 70 to prevent the heat sensitive element 80 and
the
inlet valve 70 from damage, when the second bottom rim 701 of the inlet valve
70
engages with the enclosure tab 18 of the lower housing part 10, and plunger 81
of
the heat sensitive element 80 expands because the sensing portion 83 senses
the
temperature of the mixed cold and hot water becomes higher. Therefore, the
resilient
protecting element 60c dose not provide any resilient compressing function to
prevent the plunger 81 from being pressed, and the heat sensitive element 80
can not
push the inlet valve 70 to move downward to adjust supply ratio of the cold
and the
hot water automatically, hence a resilient coefficient of the resilient
protecting
element 60c has to be set larger than that of the elastic returning element
90.
The temperature controlled valve core of the present invention is installed to
a watering device of a faucet, and an operating lever can be assembled to the
rotary
shaft 53 of the rotating component 50 so that the watering valve 60 and the
inlet
valve 70 are actuated to control water supply and the temperature of the mixed
cold
and hot water.
In operation, the second closing portion 66 of the seal sleeve 60b engages
with the first closing portion 432 of the locking loop 40b so as to close the
watering
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outlet 602, and the mixed cold and hot water in the first chamber 401 can not
flow to
the channel 15, thus closing water supply.
When the rotating component 50 is operated, the watering valve 60 is
actuated to move upward so that the second closing portion 66 disengages from
the
first closing portion 432 to open the watering outlet 602 as shown in Figs.
14, 15,
and the inlet valve 70 is pushed upward by the elastic returning element 90,
such that
the second bottom rim 701 of the enclosure tab 18 disengages from the
enclosure tab
18 to open or expand the second intake 704, and the inflow amount of the hot
water
is decreased, the first intake 703 is decreased due to the second top wall 702
moves
upward to close to the first bottom rim 42, thereby lowering inflow amount of
the
cold water. In other words, when the rotating component 50 is rotated, the
watering
outlet 602 is opened so that the mixed cold and cold water from the first
chamber
401 flows through the watering outlet 602 quickly and flows into the top end
of the
channel 15 to supply mixed cold and hot water, and the inflow amount of the
hot
water is increased, the inflow amount of the cold water is decreased to
enhance the
temperature of the mixed cold and hot water. In contrast, when the rotating
component 50 is rotated in an opposite direction, the inflow amount of the hot
water
is decreased by using the second intake 704, and the inflow amount of the cold
water
is enhanced by ways of the decreasing first intake 703 until the watering
outlet 602
is closed. Therefore, user can adjust watering temperature of mixed cold and
cold
water by controlling a rotating angle of the rotating component 50, and can
close the
mixed cold and hot water by rotating the rotating component 50 adversely, thus
adjusting water easily.
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CA 02690361 2010-01-14
It is to be noted that as the rotating component 50 is rotated to obtain a
certain watering temperature of the mixed cold and hot water, the plunger 81
of the
heat sensitive element 80 may not expand and extract completely relative to
the
temperature of the mixed cold and hot water, but because the plunger 81 can
expand
and retract simultaneously during temperature change of the mixed cold and hot
water, it can adjust expanding and retract range slightly to have an influence
to the
temperature of the mixed cold and hot water within an acceptable range.
When the temperature or pressure of the cold and the hot waters changes,
the temperature of the mixed cold and hot water is influenced, so as to
prevent from
unstable temperature of the mixed cold and hot water, the heat sensitive
element 80
is used to adjust the inflow ratio of the cold and the hot waters
automatically to
maintain the temperature of the mixed cold and hot water at a stable
temperature.
For example, as the temperature or pressure of the hot water becomes
increased, the
plunger 81 of the heat sensitive element 80 expands and pushes the inlet valve
70 to
move downward to lower inflow amount of the hot water, thus lower the
temperature
of the mixed cold and hot water. Also, when the temperature or pressure of the
cold
water becomes increased, the elastic returning element 90 pushes the inlet
valve 70
to move upward, and the plunger 81 is pressed to retract inward to enhance the
inflow amount of the cold water so as to increase the temperature of the mixed
cold
and hot water, thereby keeping the temperature of the mixed cold and hot water
at a
stable temperature.
The temperature controlled valve core of the present invention can decrease
or close the inflow amount of the hot water when the supply of cold water is
failed.
CA 02690361 2010-01-14
For example, when the temperature controlled valve core is turned on to supply
mixed cold and hot water, if the cold water stops supply, the temperature of
the
mixed cold and hot water raises at instant, then the sensing portion 83 of the
plunger
81 of the heat sensitive element 80 senses the raised temperature of the mixed
cold
and hot water to expand the plunger 81 quickly so that the inlet valve 70 is
pushed
by the plunger 81 adversely to move downward to close the second intake 704,
obtaining anti-scald safety.
The seat b includes the outer periphery 40a and the locking loop 40b which
are plastic injection molded, and the outer periphery 40a and the locking loop
40 are
assembled together to prevent from mold making problem.
The cutouts 451 of the seat b is applied to flow the mixed cold and hot
water into the channel 15 through the watering outlet 602, any technologies to
flow
the mixed cold and hot water into the channel 15 are included in this present
invention. For instance, the first top cliff 43 of the seat b includes plural
pores or
paths arranged thereon where is located at a top surface of the watering
outlet 602 to
flow the mixed cold and hot water to the channel 15 via the pores or paths. In
addition, the first top cliff 43 is located at outer surfaces of the pores or
the paths so
that the lower and the upper housing parts 10, 20 are retained together. A C-
shaped
retainer can also be used to position the pushing element 60d.
Likewise, a peripheral surface of a top end of the plunger 81 can engage
with the bottom end of the pushing element 60d to obtain side limiting
functions,
and a bottom end of the plunger 81 can engage with the fitting portion 70b to
achieve lower support effect.
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CA 02690361 2010-01-14
A size of the first intake 703 is determined by a cross section which is
generated when a predetermined distance between a top surface of the inlet
valve 70
and the first bottom rim 42 of the seat b is spaced, and a size of the second
intake
704 is determined by a cross section which is formed when a predetermined
distance
between a bottom surface of the inlet valve 70 and the enclosure tab 18 of the
lower
housing part 10 is spaced, but not be limited by the above-described method.
Furthermore, the size of the first intake 703 is also determined by a remained
void or
an inflow cross section when the inlet valve 70 is covered by the first
peripheral
fence 12 of the lower housing part 10, e.g., when the inlet valve 70 moves
upward, a
closed cross section is increased, and an open cross section is decreased.
Also, the
size of the second intake 703 is also determined by a remained void or an
inflow
cross section when the inlet valve 70 is covered by the first peripheral fence
12 of
the lower housing part 10.
While we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance
with the present invention, it is clear to those skilled in the art that
further
embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present
invention.
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