NZ229270A - Shower arrangement: fixed configuration mixing chamber separate from common control member for hot and cold flow - Google Patents

Description

PjBits Form No. 5 NEW ZEALAND XXI Xlo Pal. 5 *"UH AYJS30 PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (lot* iurmshcJ in Duplicate) Where priority as provided by subscction (2) or (?) of section tl of ihc Patents Act 1953 is dcsiroJ in respect of one or more provisional specifications, quote number or numbers and date or dates 229270 No Daic 24th MAY, 1989 (a) Insert title of Invention. (a) IMPROVED SHOWER MIXING DEVICE (b) State (in tull) name, address and nationality ol applicant or applicants as in application form (b) I, VICTOR KEITH RELF a New Zealand Citizen with residential address at 44 El Dorado Leader. Pauanui Beach^_285CL_vLa_ Thames, New Zealand. (c) Here begin full description of invention. The continuation of the specification should be upon paper of the same size as this form, on one side only with the lines welt spaced and with a margin of 2.5cm on the left hand side of the paper. The completion ot the description should be followed by the words "What I (or we) claim is" after which should be written the claim or claims numbered consecutively (see note below). The specification and Ihc dup-licutc thereof must be signed at the end.

HEREBY dcdarc the invention, lor which I/wc pray that a patent may be granted to mc/us and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: (c)This invention relates to Water Mixing Devices and particularly to domestic-Shower Mixing Valves or Mixing Taps NOTE. The claims must relate to a single invention, must be clear and succinct, and must be fairly based on the matter disclosed in the specification. They should form in brief a clear statement of that which constitutes the invention. Applicants should be carcful that their claims include neither more nor less than they desire to protect by their patent. Any unnecessary multiplicity of claims or prolixity of language should be avoided.

In shower installations where the controlling member is installed at a distance, (for example .5 meters or more) below and usually vertically from the delivery point the vertical distance results in back pressure which creates a noticeable performance loss. The said back pressure inhibits stable mixing of unequal pressure supplies especially when trying to employ the well known Venturi effect mixing chamber. It follows that all venturi type mixers to date have employed a single unit construction with control and delivery as a single integrated member or unit. Such a system was described in my earlier NZ Patent Specifications numbers 154-021 and 157-815. A second problem created by the distance from control to delivery point is a delay in sensing changes in temperature when in any adjustment is made to the controlling member. Accordingly, the purpose of the invention described in this application is to minimise or eliminate these disadvantages, while retaining the ability to install the said controlling member remotely from the delivery point.

To describe the invention: A Shower Mixing device that may be described as a single handed mixing device is divided into two separate components, the first or lower component and the second or upper component, each component connected to the other by two separate, parallel or concentric conduits of a length required by the installation situation.

To further describe the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings the first or lower component (1) incorporates two separate valve members (13) and (14) with independent inlets (2) and (3) and independent outlets (4) and 5). each valve member is variably controlled by a common actuating member (6). Said actuating member adjusting the proportion of the flow of liquid seperately through each of the valve members as is appropriate for the particular function intended. In the case of a shower mixing valve, usually there would be first an opening of the cold supply (3) followed by the hot supply (2) and as the operating member is advanced, reducing the cold and increasing the hot supply and finally closing off the cold supply when the hot supply reaches a fully open condition. Said actuating member (6) is associated with a suitable handle or knob (16) for manual actuation. The said valve members, inlet and outlet connections, common operating member and handle or knob are contained in a single assembly, the aforesaid lower component. (1). l i J / The second or upper component (10) with suitable fixing means (15) comprises a separate mixing chamber able to be closely coupled with the distribution spray or nozzle (12). Said upper component (10) may be installed at any practical distance from the lower component (1) and connected by two suitable conduits or pipes (26) and (27) to the said lower component. Said conduits may be ordinary plumbing pipes or special concentric pipes (17) in either case the lower and upper components have appropriately designed connections. The purpose of these separate conduits or pipes is to carry the proportioned but not yet mixed supplies of hot and cold water from the lower component to be mixed, immediately prior to discharge, at the upper component.

The upper component (10) may be simply a mounting for the shower head or distribution device (12) and the said appropriately designed connections to receive the two conduits or pipes (26) and (27) from the lower component or in it's preferred form it may incorporate additional features such as the known technique as earlier described in patent numbers 154-021. 157-815. of a Venturi mixing chamber whereby a higher pressure cold water supply induces the lower pressure hot water supply facilitating un-equal pressure mixing. Further the addition of a flow control device (11) provides variable control of the flow of mixed water.

A particular feature of the construction described is the ability of the two components, correctly installed and especially with the upper component in it's preferred form, that is, incorporating the aforesaid venturi mixing device, to mix unequal supply pressures without the detrimental effect of back pressure created by distance from the point of delivery, that is the shower head or distribution device. A further feature is that any temperature change of the mixed water occasioned by the adjustment of the hot and cold flow rates at the lower component or controlling member is immediately effective and sensible at the point of mixing and delivery obviating an annoying delay of sensing temperature change and subsequent further adjustments with the accompanying delay. ^ / 4 :. / .4, * ^

Claims (6)

WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A mixing assembly having a first component comprising a single handedly operable hot and cold water common control member and both separate input and output connections for hot and cold water flow and having a second component comprising a fixed configuration mixing chamber separately located from the first component and connected to the output connections of the first component by individual conduits for both the hot and cold water supplies.

2. A mixing assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which the single handedly operable common control member includes both proportioning and shut-off means for the hot and cold supplies.

3. A mixing assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which the mixing chamber incorporates a venturi mixing device.

4. A mixing assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which the two individual conduits are either parallel or concentrically constructed.

5. A mixing assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which the second component has the mixing chamber closely coupled to a water distribution means or shower head to form substantially one mixed water outlet.

6. A mixing assembly as claimed in claim 5 in which the mixed water outlet incorporates a variable control device for the flow of mixed water.