Thermostatic valve and mixer tap with integrated tmv

Abstract

There is described a mixer tap with integrated thermostatic mixing valve (TMV). The tap comprises in a single housing: hot and cold water inlets; an outlet for mixed water; hot and cold lever controls and a thermostatic mixing device within the single housing to prevent water above a certain temperature being emitted from the common outlet. The cold water control opens a fluid path from the cold inlet to the common outlet, bypassing said thermostatic mixing device, allowing better assurance of purity. The thermostatic mixing device and strainer/check valve cartridges are housed in an internal body so as to be readily accessible for servicing after installation of the device by removing only a cap part of the housing.

1 . A mixer tap device in a single housing comprising:
 first and second inlets for receiving water from hot and cold water supplies respectively;   a common outlet for emitting mixed water to a user;   manually operable control means whereby the user can regulate a flow of water from the inlets to the common outlet including varying a proportion of hot and cold water emitted; and   a thermostatic mixing device within the single housing arranged to receive and mix hot and cold water from the inlets and supply mixed water to the common outlet under control of the control means, thereby to prevent water above a certain temperature being emitted from the common outlet,   wherein the control means comprises separate first and second user controls, the first user control regulating flow of the mixed water to the common outlet, while the second user control is a dedicated cold water control, operable by the user independently of the first user control to open a fluid path from the cold inlet to the common outlet, bypassing the thermostatic mixing device.   
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the first user control means acts downstream of the thermostatic mixing device. 
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the thermostatic mixing device includes means for adjusting its output temperature. 
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 3  wherein the adjusting means is hidden for operation by service personnel only. 
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the thermostatic mixing device comprises a cartridge located in a chamber accessible by removing part of the single housing. 
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the single housing also provides chambers accommodating first and second strainer cartridges for blocking the passage of debris from the first or second inlet to the mixing device. 
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 6  wherein the second strainer cartridge serves also to block the passage of debris from the second inlet to the second user control as well as to the mixing device. 
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the housing further accommodates first and second check valves for blocking the passage of water from the mixing device out through the inlets. 
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 8  wherein the second check valve serves also to block the passage of water from the mixing device out through the cold water outlet as well as out through the second inlet. 
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 8  wherein the first and second check valves are integrated in first and second strainer cartridges respectively with the check valves preferably downstream from strainers so that the strainers protect the check valves from damage due to debris. 
   
   
       11 . The device of  claim 6  wherein the first and second strainer cartridges and thermostatic mixing device are all accessible for servicing by removal of a single cover part of the housing. 
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the housing comprises a monolithic inner body housing the thermostatic mixing device and being located within an outer casing, wherein a sealed space within the outer casing serves as a duct to pass water from a port formed in the inner body to the outlet. 
   
   
       13 . The device of  claim 12  wherein the inner body comprises first and second ports for emitting mixed and cold water respectively into the outer casing, the control means engaging with the ports to regulate a flow from each to the outlet. 
   
   
       14 . The device of  claim 13  wherein first and second strainer cartridges are located within the monolithic inner body. 
   
   
       15 . The device of  claim 1  further comprising integrated isolating valves for isolating serviceable components including the mixing device from the inlets. 
   
   
       16 . The device of  claim 15  wherein the isolating valves are located within a spigot adapted for interfacing the single body to a supporting panel, access for operating the isolating valves being provided without requiring access behind the panel. 
   
   
       17 .- 34 . (canceled)