초록 ▼

A fluid control system includes a valve and a restrictor. The valve is configured to regulate the proportion at which a first fluid and a second fluid are mixed together. Based on the pressure drop across the restrictor, the valve further regulates the overall flow rate of the mixed first and secon

A fluid control system includes a valve and a restrictor. The valve is configured to regulate the proportion at which a first fluid and a second fluid are mixed together. Based on the pressure drop across the restrictor, the valve further regulates the overall flow rate of the mixed first and second fluids. In one form, the valve includes a pair of spools that regulate the proportion and flow rate of the fluids. In another form, the valve includes a thermostatic element that regulate the proportion at which the first and second fluids are mixed together so as to control the temperature of the mixed fluids. The valve in a further form incorporates a pair of diaphragm valves.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A flow control valve system, comprising: a flow sensor configured to sense flow of a mixed fluid that includes at least a first fluid and a second fluid; and a valve including a flow regulator operatively coupled to the flow sensor to regulate the flow of the mixed fluid base

What is claimed is: 1. A flow control valve system, comprising: a flow sensor configured to sense flow of a mixed fluid that includes at least a first fluid and a second fluid; and a valve including a flow regulator operatively coupled to the flow sensor to regulate the flow of the mixed fluid based on the flow of the mixed fluid sensed by the flow sensor, the flow regulator defining at least in part a first flow opening through which the first fluid flows, the flow regulator being configured to shrink the first flow opening to reduce flow of the first fluid upon a decrease in the flow of the mixed fluid at the flow sensor and to enlarge the first flow opening to increase flow of the first fluid upon an increase in the flow of the mixed fluid at the flow sensor, and a mixture regulator defining at least in part the first flow opening, the mixture regulator being configured to regulate a mixture ratio of the first fluid and the second fluid in the mixed fluid by at least adjusting size of the first flow opening. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the flow sensor is configured to directly measure the flow of the mixed fluid. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the flow sensor includes a turbine. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the flow sensor is configured to indirectly measure the flow of the mixed fluid. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the flow sensor includes a pressure sensor. 6. The system of claim 5, further comprising: a restrictor having a restrictor opening through which the mixed fluid flows, the restrictor opening being sized to create a pressure drop in the mixed fluid across the restrictor; and wherein the pressure sensor is configured to sense the pressure drop across the restrictor to measure the flow of the mixed fluid. 7. The system of claim 6, further comprising: a mixer in which the first fluid and the second fluid are mixed; and wherein the restrictor is disposed inside the mixer. 8. The system of claim 6, wherein the restrictor opening has a fixed size. 9. The system of claim 6, wherein the restrictor opening has a size that varies based on pressure of the mixed fluid. 10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a mixer in which the first fluid and the second fluid are mixed. 11. The system of claim 10, where the mixer and the valve are separate components fluidly coupled together. 12. The system of claim 10, wherein the mixer is integrated into the valve. 13. The system of claim 10, further comprising a restrictor disposed inside the mixer, the restrictor having a restrictor opening sized to create a pressure drop in the mixed fluid across the restrictor. 14. The system of claim 1, wherein the flow regulator and the mixture regulator are integrated into a flow control element assembly that includes a first fluid control element for controlling the flow of the first fluid and a second fluid control element for controlling flow of the second fluid. 15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a restrictor disposed downstream from the flow control element assembly, the restrictor having a restrictor opening sized to create a pressure drop. 16. The system of claim 14, wherein the first fluid control element includes a diaphragm valve. 17. The system of claim 14, wherein the first fluid control element includes a spool. 18. The system of claim 1, wherein the mixture regulator includes a thermostatic element. 19. The system of claim 1, further comprising a restrictor having a restrictor opening through which the mixed fluid flows, the restrictor having one or more slots that define one or more flaps around the restrictor opening. 20. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more showerheads fluidly coupled to the valve. 21. The system of claim 1, wherein the first fluid includes hot water and the second fluid includes cold water. 22. The system of claim 1, further comprising a mixed fluid property sensor disposed downstream from the mixture regulator to sense at least one property of the mixed fluid, wherein the mixture regulator is configured to regulate the mixture ratio of the first fluid and the second fluid in the mixed fluid based on the property of the mixed fluid. 23. The system of claim 22, wherein the mixed fluid property sensor includes a temperature sensor to sense temperature of the mixed fluid. 24. The system of claim 1, further comprising a flow regulator motor coupled to flow regulator for moving the flow regulator. 25. The system of claim 1, further comprising a mixture regulator motor coupled to the mixture regulator for moving the mixture regulator. 26. The system of claim 25, further comprising: a flow regulator motor coupled to the flow regulator; a controller operatively coupled to the flow regulator motor, the mixture regulator motor and the flow sensor; an input/output device operatively coupled to the controller for interfacing with a user; and a mixed fluid property sensor operatively coupled to the controller for sensing at least one property of the mixed fluid. 27. A flow control valve system, comprising: a flow sensor configured to sense flow of a mixed fluid that includes at least a first fluid and a second fluid; and a valve including a flow regulator operatively coupled to the flow sensor to regulate the flow of the mixed fluid based on the flow of the mixed fluid sensed by the flow sensor, the flow regulator defining at least in part a first flow opening through which the first fluid flows, the flow regulator being configured to shrink the first flow opening to reduce flow of the first fluid upon a decrease in the flow of the mixed fluid at the flow sensor and to enlarge the first flow opening to increase flow of the first fluid upon an increase in the flow of the mixed fluid at the flow sensor, a mixture regulator defining at least in part the first flow opening, the mixture regulator being configured to regulate a mixture ratio of the first fluid and the second fluid in the mixed fluid by at least adjusting size of the first flow opening; wherein the flow regulator and the mixture regulator are integrated into a flow control element assembly that includes a first fluid control element for controlling the flow of the first fluid and a second fluid control element for controlling flow of the second fluid; a restrictor disposed downstream from the flow control element assembly, the restrictor having a restrictor opening sized to create a pressure drop; wherein the valve has a valve body that defines a valve cavity in which the flow control element assembly is disposed; wherein a mixed fluid cavity is defined between the first fluid control element and the second fluid control element; wherein the valve body defines a first fluid discharge opening, the first flow opening being defined between the first fluid control element and the first fluid discharge opening; wherein the valve body defines a second fluid discharge opening, a second flow opening being defined between the second fluid control element and the second discharge opening; wherein the valve body and the first fluid control element define a first fluid cavity; wherein the first fluid cavity is fluidly coupled upstream of the restrictor to receive the first fluid; wherein the valve body and the second fluid control element define a second fluid cavity; wherein the second fluid cavity is fluidly coupled upstream from the restrictor to receive the second fluid; wherein the first fluid control element is configured to shrink the first flow opening upon an increase in pressure of the first fluid in the first fluid cavity and to expand the first flow opening upon a decrease in pressure of the first fluid in the first fluid cavity; wherein the second fluid control element is configured to shrink the second flow opening upon an increase in pressure of the second fluid in the second fluid cavity and to expand the second flow opening upon a decrease in pressure of the second fluid in the second fluid cavity; and wherein the second fluid control element being configured to shrink the second flow opening to reduce flow of the second fluid upon an increase in pressure of the mixed fluid downstream from the restrictor and to enlarge the second flow opening to increase flow of the mixed fluid upon a decrease in the pressure of the mixed fluid downstream from the restrictor. 28. A flow control valve system, comprising: a flow sensor configured to sense flow of a mixed fluid that includes at least a first fluid and a second fluid; and a valve including a flow regulator operatively coupled to the flow sensor to regulate the flow of the mixed fluid based on the flow of the mixed fluid sensed by the flow sensor, the flow regulator defining at least in part a first flow opening through which the first fluid flows, the flow regulator being configured to shrink the first flow opening to reduce flow of the first fluid upon a decrease in the flow of the mixed fluid at the flow sensor and to enlarge the first flow opening to increase flow of the first fluid upon an increase in the flow of the mixed fluid at the flow sensor, a mixture regulator defining at least in part the first flow opening, the mixture regulator being configured to regulate a mixture ratio of the first fluid and the second fluid in the mixed fluid by at least adjusting size of the first flow opening; wherein the flow regulator and the mixture regulator are integrated into a flow control element assembly that includes a first fluid control element for controlling the flow of the first fluid and a second fluid control element for controlling flow of the second fluid; and wherein the flow control element assembly includes a spring disposed between the first fluid control element to the second fluid control element. 29. A flow control valve system for controlling a ratio of a first fluid and a second fluid in a mixed fluid and flow rate of the mixed fluid under varying flow conditions, the system comprising: an outlet valve configured to at least adjust the flow rate of the mixed fluid; means for measuring the flow rate of the mixed fluid; a flow control valve located upstream from the outlet valve, the flow control valve including a first fluid control port having a first opening size for supplying the first fluid, a second fluid control port having a second opening size for supplying the second fluid, together the first opening size and the second opening size defining an effective opening size for the flow control valve that limits flow of the mixed fluid, means for changing the first opening size of the first fluid control port and the second opening size of the second fluid control port in a general inverse manner to control the ratio of the first fluid and the second fluid, and means for changing the effective opening size of the flow control valve based on the flow rate of the mixed fluid so that the outlet valve is able to reliably adjust the flow rate of the mixed fluid. 30. The system of claim 29, in which the means for measuring the flow rate of the mixed fluid includes a restrictor plate. 31. The system of claim 29, in which the means for changing the first opening size of the first fluid control port and the second opening size of the second fluid control port in a general inverse manner includes: a first spool disposed in a slidable manner relative to the first fluid control port; a second spool disposed in a slidable manner relative to the second fluid control port; and a spring disposed between the first spool and the second spool. 32. The system of claim 29, in which the means for changing the effective opening size of the flow control valve based on the flow rate of the mixed fluid so that the outlet valve is able to reliably adjust the flow rate of the mixed fluid includes: a first spool disposed in a slidable manner relative to the first fluid control port; and a second spool disposed in a slidable manner relative to the second fluid control port. 33. The system of claim 29, in which: the means for changing the first opening size of the first fluid control port and the second opening size of the second fluid control port in a general inverse manner includes a mixture regulator member that at least in part defines the first fluid control port and the second fluid control port; and the means for changing the effective opening size of the flow control valve based on the flow rate of the mixed fluid so that the outlet valve is able to reliably adjust the flow rate of the mixed fluid includes a flow regulator member that defines at least in part the first fluid control port and the second fluid control port. 34. A control valve system, comprising a flow sensor configured to measure flow rate of a mixed fluid that includes at least a first fluid and a second fluid; and a control valve assembly including a valve housing defining a first control port through which the first fluid flows and a second control port through which the second fluid flows, a first spool slidably disposed in the valve housing to adjust size of the first control port, a second spool slidably disposed in the valve housing to adjust size of the second control, the first spool and the second spool being configured to change the size of the first control port and the size of the second control port in an inverse fashion, and the first spool and the second spool being configured to change the size of the first control port and the second control port in a same fashion based on the flow rate measured at the flow sensor. 35. The system of claim 34, in which the valve housing, the first spool, and the second spool define a mixed fluid sensing cavity between the first spool and the second spool that expands and retracts based on the flow rate measured at the flow sensor. 36. The system of claim 35, further comprising: a spring disposed between the first spool and the second spool in the mixed fluid sensing cavity. 37. The system of claim 35, in which the first spool and the second spool each include a diaphragm that defines the mixed fluid sensing cavity. 38. The system of claim 34, further comprising: an outlet valve for adjusting the flow of the mixed fluid in which the control valve assembly allows the outlet valve to adjust the flow of the mixed fluid over a wide range of flow conditions.