Eaton Corporation

Keith E Zukausky

Donald M Berlin

Eugene Stratynski

The mixing valve includes a plurality of flow regulating assemblies (A) each of which independently regulates the flow of one of a plurality of fluids. Each flow regulating assembly includes a pressure displaceable structure (22) which is physically displaced by changes in pressure and a movable valving member (50) which is movable relative to a stationary valve seat (42) for adjusting the cross section of a flow path therebetween. The movable valving member is operatively connected with the pressure displaceable structure such that the cross section of the flow path varies generally in inverse proportion to the sensed pressure. A proportioning assembly (B) proportions back pressure from adjacent a mixed fluid outlet (132) between the flow regulating assemblies such that each flow regulating assembly regulates its fluid flow in accordance with the proportion of the back pressure accorded it. A mixed fluid selecting valve assembly (C) selectively connects the proportioning valve assembly with one of a plurality of mixed fluid outlets which have larger and smaller diameter sections to cause relatively low and high back pressures, hence, relatively high or low flow rates. A mixed fluid temperature control (D) monitors the temperature of the mixed fluid adjacent the mixed fluid outlet and controls the proportioning assembly to maintain the mixed fluid substantially at a selected temperature.

Mixing valve

The pilot operated valve assembly includes a flexible diaphragm (A) which selectively engages a valve seat (B) to open and close a fluid passage through the valve. The diaphragm has a plurality of filtering apertures 20 and an inward peripheral attaching projection 80. A diaphragm insert (C) is frictionally received in the diaphragm. The diaphragm insert has a pilot supply aperture 74 in fluid communication with a peripheral recess 76 extending inward from a peripheral edge. The diaphragm filtering apertures 20 are disposed in fluid communication with the peripheral recess 76 and the pilot supply aperture 74. The insert peripheral edge has a peripheral valley 82 for receiving the peripheral projection 80 of the diaphragm. The insert has a pilot outlet aperture 66 which is selectively opened and closed by an armature assembly (D). A guide shell (E) aligns the armature assembly (D) with the pilot outlet aperture 66 and defines a pilot reservoir with the diaphragm (A).

Pilot operated valve assembly

Upon energization a solenoid (58) activates a pilot valve means (44,46) for opening a pilot flow passage (34) causing flow from a pilot portion (52) of the valving chamber. Flow from the main valving chamber (18) and through a bleeder passage (50) is insufficient to prevent a loss of pressure in the chamber (52) and the pressure in valving chamber (18) urges diaphragm pad (29) upward away from contact with valve seat (26) to permit flow from chamber (16) to outlet (20). A diaphragm insert (30) has a portion (32) with a lip (68) extending into a narrow section (66) of outlet (32) for providing a downstream restriction to maintain sufficient pilot circuit differential to provide valve movement until rim (68) moves out of passage (66) thus providing any desired stroke by adjusting the level of (66) to prevent trapping fine particles of foreign matter at the valve seat.

Pilot operated low flow valve

A flow control employing elastically deformable washer received in a cavity having a single contoured flow orifice having a plurality of inwardly extending projections formed on the periphery of the orifice. At inlet pressures at and below a predetermined threshold, the projections form the periphery of the single orifice and at pressures above threshold the washer is deformed in the cavity and the projections come into mutual contact thereby forming a plurality of smaller elongated orifices instead of a single large orifice. The elongated plural orifices tend to minimize velocity increases caused by increased pressure.

Flow washer

A solenoid for use with an alternating current power supply has a stationary pole piece and a movable armature provided with an axially extending food means comprising in one embodiment a ring of nonmagnetic material and in another embodiment a plurality of ferromagnetic lugs on the end adjacent the pole piece. The lugs are disposed in peripherally spaced arrangement and extend axially from the armature in the region of contact with the pole piece to prevent rocking and orbiting buzz. The armature optionally includes a shading ring and/or slot extending a portion of the length thereof.

Electromagnetic device

A control system for a washing machine having an aspirator connected to the discharge side of the inlet valve. The aspirator vacuum port provides a vacuum signal through a one-way valve to a vacuum reservoir which supplies a vacuum signal via a control valve to one or more vacuum responsive diaphragm actuators. The force output of the actuators is employed for auxiliary machine functions such as direct mechanical actuation of the drain valve or operating the recirculation pump motor start switch.

Venturi power supply and actuator system

The mixing valve includes a plurality of flow regulating assemblies (A) each of which independently regulates the flow of one of a plurality of fluids. Each flow regulating assembly includes a pressure displaceable structure (22) which is physically displaced by changes in pressure and a movable valving member (50) which is movable relative to a stationary valve seat (42) for adjusting the cross section of a flow path therebetween. The movable valving member is operatively connected with the pressure displaceable structure such that the cross section of the flow path varies generally in inverse proportion to the sensed pressure. A proportioning assembly (B) proportions back pressure from adjacent a mixed fluid outlet (132) between the flow regulating assemblies such that each flow regulating assembly regulates its fluid flow in accordance with the proportion of the back pressure accorded it. A mixed fluid selecting valve assembly C selectively connects the proportioning valve assembly with one of a plurality of mixed fluid outlets which have larger and smaller diameter sections to cause relatively low and high back pressures, hence, relatively high or low flow rates.

A cam actuated valve (10) is disclosed having a butterfly-type valve member (52) rotatably mounted to a crank member (40) extending into a fluid passageway (23) defined by the valve housing. A rectangular bracket (12) attached to one side of the valve housing has parallel edges (66, 68) forming guide surfaces which are slidably received in parallel grooves (62, 64) molded into an actuator member (14). The outer end of the crank member extends through an elongated slot formed in the actuator member thereby defining a cam-cam follower arrangement which transfers the linear movement of the actuator member to rotation of the crank member. The configuration of the cam slot and its position relative to crank member follower end provides a mechanical advantage enabling a relatively low input force exerted on the actuator member to operate the valve.

Cam actuated butterfly valve

A cam actuated valve is disclosed having a butterfly-type valve member (50) rotatably mounted in a fluid passageway (22) defined by a valve housing (20) with a crank member (16) attached to the valve member and extending beyond the housing. A rectangular bracket (12) is attached to one side of the valve housing and has a pivot hole (60) and a pair of arcuate slots (56, 58) concentric with the pivot hole. A cam (14) is rotatably mounted to the bracket by a pin (84) which projects from the face of the cam and extends into the bracket pivot hole. The cam is axially retained to the bracket by a pair of guide tabs (68, 70) formed around its periphery which extend through the guide slots and abut the valve side of the bracket and a bearing surface on the cam which abuts with the cam side of the bracket. The outer end (74) of the crank member extends through the bracket and into engagement with a cam surface defined by a slot (72) in the cam. The angular position of the crank and the configuration of the slot are such that valve fluid flow rate changes are directly proportional to cam angular displacement.

A valve assembly of the type providing bypass flow through a branch channel when the movable valve member is in the closed position to block flow through the main flow channel outlet. A venturi device is disposed in the main channel upstream of the movable valve member, and the venturi has secondary ports provided through the wall at the throat section. When the movable valve member is in the closed position, flow into the venturi exits at the flow ports and flows through the bypass channel. When the movable valve member is in the open position, flow discharges from the venturi, through the main channel outlet port downstream of the movable valve member, thereby causing reduced pressure at the venturi throat and preventing flow through the secondary ports to the bypass channel.

Growing community of inventors

St. Charles, IL, United States of America

Keith E Zukausky