Mixing Valve Cartridge Geometry for Reduced Spindle Rotation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mixing valve cartridges require large spindle rotation angles, often up to 180°, to achieve desired water temperatures, leading to ergonomic challenges and inefficient operation.
Innovation Solution
The mixing valve cartridge design includes a control disc with a recess shaped like a circular sector, allowing for a reduced spindle rotation angle by altering the central angles of the cold and hot water inlet surfaces, enabling finer temperature adjustments with a rotation angle less than 150° for hot water and less than 70° for cold water.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the cold water opening has a cold water inlet surface bounded by a second imaginary circular sector with a smaller central angle (beta) than the first imaginary circular sector, then the spindle rotation angle required to achieve desired mixed water position is reduced, but the area of the cold water inlet surface is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the inlet surfaces by defining them with different central angles (alpha for hot water, beta for cold water where beta < alpha). This parameter change allows the cold water control to be achieved with a smaller rotation angle, improving ease of operation while the overall valve design compensates for the reduced surface area through the differential angle design between hot and cold water pathways.
2Measurement precision
If the hot water inlet surface is bounded by a third imaginary circular sector with a larger central angle (gamma) than the second imaginary circular sector, then finer adjustment of water temperature is enabled, but the complexity of the valve internal geometry increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs parameter changes by defining the hot water inlet surface with a larger central angle (gamma) compared to the cold water inlet surface (beta). This angular parameter differentiation enables finer temperature control as the control disc can modulate the hot water flow more precisely. The complexity increase is managed by maintaining the overall circular sector geometry, which is manufacturable and conceptually simple despite the different angular parameters.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6b
AI summary
The invention relates to a mixing valve cartridge with a head (1) centrally penetrated by a spindle (2) via which a disc control can be actuated, the disc control comprising a control disc (3) rotatably arranged relative to an inlet disc (4) positioned fixedly in the head (1), wherein the inlet disc (4) has a hot water opening (42) and a cold water opening (41), wherein the control disc (3) has a recess (31) bounded by the first radii of a first imaginary circular sector (310) and which can be brought into at least partial overlap with the hot water opening (42) and the cold water opening (41) for adjusting the mixing water, wherein the cold water opening (41) has, on its side facing the control disc (3), a cold water inlet surface (411) bounded by the second radii of a second imaginary circular sector (410), the central angle β (beta) of which is smaller is,as the central angle α (alpha) of the first imaginary circular sector. The invention further relates to a sanitary fitting with such a mixing valve cartridge.