Thermostatic Mixing Valve with Segmented Serviceable Assembly

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Solution Overview

Problem

Mixer taps with separate controls for hot and cold water face challenges in providing a pure cold water output due to potential inclusion of hot water, complex and costly installations, and difficult maintenance, especially in safety-sensitive environments where thermostatic mixing valves are integral but hard to access and maintain.

Innovation Solution

A thermostatic mixing device integrated within a single housing with accessible strainers and a thermostatic mixing valve, allowing for easy servicing without dismantling major parts, and ensuring a 'pure' cold water supply by bypassing the thermostatic mixing device when the cold control is operated, thus simplifying maintenance and installation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If a thermostatic mixing valve is integrated within the tap body, then the installation complexity is reduced and all components are housed in one location, but the maintenance difficulty increases because the heavy tap body (6kg or more) must be dismantled or removed to access the thermostat

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinstallation complexityVSAvoidmaintenance difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The tap body is divided into two main segments: a fixed mounting body that remains attached to the wall, and a removable serviceable assembly containing the thermostat, strainers, and other maintenance-requiring components. This segmentation allows the heavy mounting body to stay fixed while only the lighter serviceable assembly needs to be removed for maintenance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The serviceable components (thermostat, strainers) are extracted from the fixed tap body and placed in a separate removable assembly. This extraction enables maintenance personnel to access and service these components without having to dismantle or remove the entire heavy tap body from the wall.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If separate hot and cold regulating controls are used, then the user can be sure that cold output contains water purely from the cold supply, but the control adjustment becomes difficult before reaching the correct temperature and flow rate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecold water purityVSAvoidcontrol adjustment difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

A flow balancer mechanism acts as an intermediary between the hot and cold control valves. This intermediary automatically equalizes the flow rates from both supplies, eliminating the need for manual adjustment while ensuring that cold water output remains pure when the cold control is fully closed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The flow balancer performs automatic flow equalization without requiring user intervention. The system self-adjusts to maintain proper flow rates from both hot and cold supplies, making the control system easier to operate while maintaining cold water purity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of repair

If the thermostatic mixing valve is mounted separately from the tap, then maintenance access is improved, but the installation becomes more complex and costly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemaintenance accessVSAvoidinstallation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of repairVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The serviceable components (thermostat, strainers) are merged with the tap body in an integrated assembly that is pre-configured during manufacturing. This merging eliminates the need for complex field installation of separate components while maintaining ease of maintenance through the removable serviceable assembly design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution provides a safe and reliable 'pure' cold water output while reducing installation complexity and maintenance challenges, ensuring safety and ease of use in institutional settings without the need to remove heavy tap components or access parts behind panels.

Implementation Method 1

a thermostatic mixing device within the single housing arranged to receive and mix hot and cold water from said inlets and supply mixed water to the common outlet

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermostatic mixing:

Implementation Method 2

first and second strainers accommodated within the single housing for blocking the passage of debris respectively from the first or second inlet to the mixing device

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFiltration: Filter (physical)

Data Source

PatentEP1965109B1Thermostatic valve and mixer tap with integrated TMV

Publication Date: 2011.08.24 HORNE ENG

Figure 1~4
Figure 5a~9
Figure 10~12

AI summary

There is described a mixer tap with integrated thermostatic mixing valve (TMV). The tap comprises in a single housing (10, 12): hot and cold water inlets; an outlet (24) for mixed water; hot and cold lever controls (16, 18) and a thermostatic mixing device (48) within the single housing to prevent water above a certain temperature being emitted from the common outlet. The cold water control (16) 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 (48) and strainer/check valve cartridges (54, 56) are housed in an internal body 40 so as to be readily accessible for servicing after installation of the device by removing only a cap part (26) of the housing.