JPS6352267B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a thermostatic mixing valve that mixes separately supplied hot water and cold water to a desired temperature and automatically maintains this mixed water temperature.

Hitherto, various types of thermostatic mixing valves have been known, but the one shown in FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent Publication No. 49-33371 is the simplest one.

When changing the set temperature while discharging mixed water, for example, if you operate the temperature adjustment handle 52' to discharge high temperature mixed water from a state where low temperature mixed water is being discharged, the handle 52'
As the temperature sensing part 30' retreats as the temperature sensor rotates, the control valve body 22' is moved by the operating spring 24' in the direction in which the water side control valve b' closes and the hot water side control valve a' opens, temporarily The water side control valve b' closes and a large amount of hot water flows in, causing the temperature sensing part 30' to rapidly expand, pushing down the control valve body, rapidly opening the water side control valve b', and simultaneously opening the hot water side control valve a. ′ is suddenly closed.

Then, as a large amount of water flows in, the temperature-sensing part 30' rapidly contracts, rapidly closing the water side control valve b', and rapidly opening the hot water side control valve a', causing a large amount of hot water to flow in. As a result, the temperature sensing portion 30' expands, causing a so-called cycling phenomenon in which hot water and water are alternately discharged, and as a result, mixed water at the set temperature cannot be obtained.

A technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to shorten the time during which the control valve body moves and closes one control valve when the set temperature is changed.

The technical means taken by the present invention to achieve such a technical problem includes a main body having a water flow path, a hot water flow path, and a mixed water flow path where these flow paths merge, and a main body disposed in the mixed water flow path. a temperature-sensing part that is sensitive to the temperature of the mixed water; an operation part that moves the temperature-sensing part to set the temperature of the mixed water; A thermostatic mixing valve comprising: a control valve that controls the temperature of mixed water to a set temperature; and an actuating spring that biases the control valve body of the control valve toward a water valve seat, A spring having a spring constant larger than the operating spring is interposed between the operating section and the temperature sensing section or between the temperature sensing section and the control valve body, and the spring and the operating spring are balanced to control the operation. The valve body is held between both valve seats so that it can move in the direction of both valve seats,
As the temperature-sensing section expands, the operating spring and the spring contract at a rate inversely proportional to their respective spring constants, causing the control valve element to move toward the hot water valve seat, and as the temperature-sensing section contracts, the operating spring The control valve element is seated on the water (hot water) valve seat by configuring the spring to move toward the water valve seat as the spring expands at a rate inversely proportional to each spring constant. At this time, the spring is instantaneously damped and vibrated to open the water (hot water) side control valve immediately, albeit slightly, thereby slowing down the closing of the water (hot water) side control valve.

Therefore, since the temperature change around the temperature sensing part becomes slow, the temperature sensing part can follow the temperature change of the mixed water, preventing the occurrence of cycling phenomenon, and always discharging mixed water at a stable set temperature. Can be done.

Since the present invention is configured as described above, it has the following advantages.

The spring buffers the impact force when the control valve body collides with the valve seat, improving the durability of the control valve body, valve seat, temperature sensing section, operating section, etc.

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

In the figure, A is the main body, and 1, 2, and 3 are a hot water flow path, a water flow path, and a mixed water flow path that are respectively defined inside the main body. 1 bulkhead 4
The water flow path 2 and the mixed water flow path 3 are adjacent to each other with a second partition 5 interposed therebetween.

The hot water flow path 1 and the water flow path 2 each have a hot water inlet 6 and a water inlet 7, and the hot water inlet 6 is used as a hot water source, and the water inlet 7 is used as a water supply source. Connectors 8 and 9 that communicate with each other are connected.

Further, the mixed water flow path 3 communicates with a discharge section 11 via an on-off valve 10.

On the other hand, the first partition wall 4 and the second partition wall 5 include a hot water flow path 1, a water flow path 2, a water flow path 2, and a mixed water flow path 3.
Insertion holes 12 and 13 are coaxially formed to communicate with each other, and openings 14 and 15 are formed coaxially with the insertion holes 12 and 13 in the main body A on the hot water flow path 1 side and the water flow path side, respectively. A lid 16 is attached to the opening 14 opened in the main body A on the hot water channel 1 side, and a cylindrical liner 17 is attached to the opening 15 opened in the main body A on the water channel 2 side. .

The lid 16 has a cylindrical portion 18 that is screwed into the opening 14 and extends into the hot water flow path 1, and the tip of the cylindrical portion 18 constitutes a hot water valve seat 19.

The liner 17 is made up of a cylindrical front member 17a and a rear member 17b screwed to the front member 17a.The liner 17 is inserted and screwed into the mixed water channel 3 from the opening 15, and the front member 17a is inserted into the insertion hole of the second partition wall 5. 13 and extends into the water flow path 2, forming a water valve seat 20 from its tip.

In addition, the liner 17 has a through hole 21 formed in the rear peripheral surface of the front member 17a to communicate the inside of the liner 17 with the mixed water flow path 3.

Reference numeral 22 is a control valve body formed in a cylindrical shape that corresponds to the hot water valve seat 19 and the water valve seat 20, respectively. 20, and its front and rear ends constitute a hot water side control valve a and a water side control valve b corresponding to the hot water valve seat 19 and the water valve seat 20, respectively.

The control valve body 22 is provided with a partition plate 23 that partitions it in the diametrical direction near the open end on the side of the water valve seat 20, and an operating spring 2 is provided between the partition plate 23 and the lid 16.
4 is loaded and energized in the direction of the temperature sensing section 30 (to be described later), in other words, in the direction of the water valve seat 20, that is, in the direction of increasing the temperature of the mixed water.

Further, the partition plate 23 is provided with a through hole 25 passing through it in the thickness direction.

Reference numeral 26 denotes an element case, which is formed into a cylindrical shape with an opening at the rear and is slidably disposed within the front member 17a of the liner 17, and has a protrusion 27 protruding from the center of the outer surface of the bottom of the element case as a partition of the control valve body 22. It comes into contact with the center of the plate 23.

The element case 26 is also provided with through holes 28 and 29 in its bottom and rear peripheral surface.

Reference numeral 30 denotes a temperature sensing section housed in the element case 26. Wax, which is very sensitive in response to temperature changes and has a high expansion and contraction rate, is used as a temperature sensing element 32 in the case 31 provided with fins. The projecting shaft 33 is extended and retracted from the rear of the case 31 by thermal expansion and contraction of the temperature sensing element 32.

The temperature sensing section 30 is fixed to a step 34 provided on the inner circumferential surface of the element case 26 by a fixing ring 35 at a midway point, so that the rear part of the case 31 protrudes from the element case 26, and the step formed on the front member 17a 36 and the connecting end of the rear member 17b, the element guide 37 is slidably inserted and extends into the rear member 17b.

The element guide 37 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and O-rings are provided on the inner and outer peripheries of the element guide 37 to isolate the inside of the rear member 17b from running water.

Incidentally, as the temperature sensing section 30, a bellows or a temperature sensing pipe filled with ethyl alcohol, Freon gas, etc. may be used.

The rear member 17b is provided with an operating section c consisting of an operating shaft 38, a spindle shaft 39, a handle 52, etc., the operating shaft 38 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and its outer periphery is screwed into the inner periphery of the rear member 17b. A cap-shaped element holder 40 is screwed onto the peripheral surface of the front opening, and the element holder 40 is inserted into the operating shaft 38.
A safety spring receiver 41 that engages with the inner circumferential surface by a spline is slidably housed in the inner circumferential surface of the operating shaft 38.

The safety spring receiver 41 is connected to the protruding shaft 33 via the stepped portion.
A recessed hole 42 with a large diameter on one side and a through hole formed with a screw hole 42' on the other side are bored, and a spring receiver 43 is slidably housed in the inner peripheral surface of the recessed hole 42.

The spring receiver 43 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and a flange 44 is formed at the end on the protruding shaft 33 side.
A spring 45 having an elastic force equal to the force of the operating spring 24 is elastically mounted between the flange 44 and an adjustment screw 46 to be described later.

This spring 45 has a spring constant larger than that of the operating spring 24.

That is, in the temperature sensing section 30, the rear part of the case 31 contacts the element retainer 40, and the protruding shaft 33 protruding from the rear part of the case 31 passes through the element retainer 40 and abuts against the spring receiver 43, respectively.

Reference numeral 46 denotes an adjustment screw screwed into the screw hole 42' of the safety spring receiver 41. By rotating the adjustment screw 46 from the outside, the temperature sensing portion 30 is adjusted through the spring 45, the spring receiver 43, and the protruding shaft 33. The operating position can be adjusted.

A friction ring 46' is provided between the screw hole 42' of the safety spring receiver 41 and the adjusting screw 46 to prevent the adjusting screw 46 from loosening by increasing the frictional force of the screw.

Further, the operating shaft 38 has a rear opening formed with a small diameter through a stepped portion 47, and a spindle shaft 39 that extends through the rear end of the liner 17 through the rear opening.
A strong safety spring 48 is elastically loaded between the safety spring receiver 41 and the stepped portion 47 .

Therefore, normally, the safety spring receiver 41 is in contact with the element presser 40.

The spindle shaft 39 has a flange 49 in the middle, and the flange 49 is locked to a step 50 provided at the opening of the liner 17 so that it rotates but is prevented from moving in the axial direction by a retaining ring 51. It is fixed to the liner 17, and the handle 52 is splined to the outer end of the liner 17, and screwed and fixed with a screw or the like, and the stepped portion 47 of the flange 49 and the operating shaft 38
A correction spring 53 is loaded between.

Therefore, in such a thermostatic mixing valve, when the operating part c, that is, the handle 52 is rotated to rotate the spindle shaft 39 and the operating shaft 38 is advanced, the protruding shaft 33 of the temperature sensing part 30 contracts. When the operating shaft 38 is extended, the element presser 40 fixed to the front end of the operating shaft 38 comes into contact with the rear part of the case 31 of the temperature sensing section 30, and when the projecting shaft 33 is extended, the projecting shaft 33 contacts the spring receiver 43. As a result, the temperature sensing section 30 is pushed forward, and this temperature sensing section 30
The control valve body 22 moves forward (toward the hot water valve seat 19 side) through the element case 26 that engages with the element case 26, and conversely, the handle 52 is rotated in the opposite direction to open the operating shaft 38.
When the valve is moved backward, the control valve body 22 is moved rearward (toward the water valve seat 20 side) under pressure by the operating spring 24.
By adjusting the opening degrees of the hot water side control valve a and the water side control valve b, respectively, the ratio of the inflow amounts of hot water and water, in other words, the temperature of the mixed water is set.

In this state, the hot water that has entered the hot water flow path 1 passes through the hot water side control valve a, the control valve body 22, and the through hole 25, and the water that has entered the water flow path 2 passes through the water side control valve b. They enter the element case 26 through the through hole 28 at the bottom of the element case 26 and mix.
0 and flows while contacting the element case 26.
It flows into the mixed water channel 3 through the through hole 29 on the circumferential surface and the through hole 21 on the circumferential surface of the liner 17, and is supplied to the discharge part 11 via the on-off valve 10.

At this time, when the temperature of the mixed water becomes higher or lower than the set temperature due to a change in the hot water supply or water supply pressure, the temperature sensing part 30 works to automatically adjust the opening degree of the valve to adjust the temperature of the mixed water. It is now possible to maintain That is, if the temperature of the mixed water rises due to reasons such as an increase in hot water supply pressure, the wax, which is the temperature sensor 32 of the temperature sensor 30, expands and pushes out the protruding shaft 33. This extension of the protruding shaft 33 compresses the spring 45 via the spring receiver 43 and the actuation spring 24 via the element case 26 and control valve body 22, respectively.

That is, the spring 45 is inversely proportional to the spring constants of the elastic member 45 and the actuating spring 24.
The operating spring 24 contracts and the temperature sensing section 30 itself moves forward. Therefore, the control valve body 22 moves forward, approaches the hot water valve seat 19, and closes the hot water side control valve a.
The opening degree of the water side control valve b becomes smaller and the inflow amount of hot water decreases, and at the same time, the control valve body 22 moves away from the water valve seat 20, the opening degree of the water side control valve b increases, and the inflow amount of water increases. Lower the temperature.

When the temperature of the mixed water drops below the set temperature, the operation is completely opposite to that described above, and the mixed water is always maintained at the set temperature.

Furthermore, when attempting to discharge high-temperature mixed water by operating the handle 52 from a state in which low-temperature mixed water is being discharged, the control valve body 22 is moved toward the water side due to the retreat of the temperature sensing portion 30 accompanying this handle operation. The control valve b is closed and the hot water side control valve a is moved in the direction of opening, and the control valve body 22 momentarily contacts the water valve seat 20, but this contact causes the spring balanced against the operating spring 24 to The load of the operating spring 24 on the spring 45 is removed, causing the spring 45 to dampen and vibrate, and the vibration causes the control valve element 22 to move away from the water valve seat 20, opening the water side control valve b, albeit slightly. In other words, water side control valve b
The valve will close slowly.

Therefore, a small amount of water flows into the area around the temperature sensing part 30 along with hot water, which slows down the temperature change around the temperature sensing part 30, preventing rapid expansion of the temperature sensing part 30, and increasing the temperature. The part 30 can follow the temperature change of the mixed water,
No cycling phenomenon occurs.

Furthermore, when attempting to discharge low-temperature mixed water by operating the handle 52 from a state in which high-temperature mixed water is being discharged, the control valve body 22 temporarily moves forward due to the forward movement of the temperature-sensing section 30 accompanying this handle operation. opens the water side control valve b and closes the hot water side control valve a.

Then, the temperature sensing part 30 contracts due to the rapid inflow of water, and the control valve body 22 moves in the direction in which the water side control valve b closes and the hot water side control valve a opens, and the control valve body 22 closes the water side control valve b and moves in the direction in which the hot water side control valve a opens. 22 comes into contact with the water valve seat 20, but due to this contact, the load of the operating spring 24 on the spring 45 that was balanced against the operating spring 24 is removed, causing the spring 45 to dampen and oscillate. When the body 22 moves away from the water valve seat 20, the water side control valve b opens, albeit slightly. Therefore, as described above, the cycling phenomenon is prevented from occurring at this stage.

In the embodiment described above, the spring 45 was interposed between the protruding shaft 33 and the safety spring receiver 41, which is the operating part c, via the spring receiver 43, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, a spring 45 may be directly interposed between the control valve body 22 and the temperature sensing section 30, or as shown in FIG. In other words, a spring 45 may be indirectly interposed between the temperature sensing section 30 and the control valve body 22.

In addition, when using a bimetal or the like that contracts as the temperature of the mixed water increases as the temperature sensing section 30, in the above embodiment, the water flow path 1, the hot water flow path 2, the hot water side control valve a, and the water side As the control valves b are reversed and the hot water side control valves are closed slowly by the spring 45, the cycling phenomenon is prevented from occurring in the same way as in the embodiment described above.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a conventional thermostatic mixing valve, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional front view of a thermostatic mixing valve showing an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional plan view showing a coupling device. Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the main part;
6 are cross-sectional views showing other embodiments. A...Main body, a, b...Control valve (hot water side control valve,
water side control valve), c... operation unit, 1... hot water flow path,
2...Water channel, 3...Mixed water channel, 19...Hot water valve seat, 20...Water valve seat, 22...Control valve body, 24
... Operating spring, 30 ... Temperature sensing part, 45 ... Spring.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A main body having a water flow path, a hot water flow path, and a mixed water flow path where these flow paths merge, a temperature sensing section that is arranged in the mixed water flow path and sensitive to the temperature of the mixed water, and the temperature sensing section. It has an operating part that moves to set the temperature of the mixed water, and a control valve that is operated by the water valve seat, the hot water valve seat, and the temperature sensing part and moves between the two valve seats, and controls the temperature of the mixed water to the set temperature. In the thermostatic mixing valve, the thermostatic mixing valve is equipped with a control valve that presses the control valve, and an actuation spring that urges the control valve body of the control valve toward the water valve seat. or between the temperature sensing part and the control valve body to balance the spring and the operating spring, and hold the control valve body between the valve seats so as to be movable in the direction of the valve seats. As the temperature-sensing section expands, the operating spring and the spring contract at a rate inversely proportional to their respective spring constants, causing the control valve body to move toward the hot water valve seat, and as the temperature-sensing section contracts. A thermostatic mixing valve characterized in that the control valve element moves toward the water valve seat by expanding the operating spring and the spring at a rate inversely proportional to their respective spring constants.