Title of Invention: Cabinet door operated faucet valve
Abstract: A block containing a set of solenoid valves interposed between a water supply line and an existing faucet and activated by switches mounted on the sink cabinet door frame will provide instantaneous or continuous control of water flow from an existing sink faucet. The controlling switches for these solenoid valves are easily mounted on the cabinet door frame or in the form of padded pressure sensitive switches mounted directly on the surface of the cabinet doors. Slight knee pressure on the door or padded switches instantly opens the solenoid valves to activate water flow.
Detailed Description: Part PAC: DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Part PAR: A typical sink cabinet is shown in FIG. 1, having bowl 1, faucet valves 2, 3, under the sink cabinet doors 4, 5, water supply valve gland nuts 6, 7, connecting tubes 8, 9 and upper door frame 10. In FIG. 1, it can be seen that, conventionally, the sink faucet valves 2, 3 are connected by means of tubes 8, 9 to the supply valve gland nuts 6, 7. FIG. 1 also shows the upper door frame 10, to which cabinet doors 4, 5 are rested upon, while closed.
Part PAR_2: To install the present invention, the gland nuts 6, 7 are first removed. As shown in FIG. 3, the valve body inlet ports 11, 12 are connected through supply tubes 15, 16 to the gland nuts 6, 7. The faucet connecting tubes 8, 9 are then connected to the valve body outlet ports 13, 14 of valve block 17. The controlling switches, which take the form of a latching switch 21 and a momentary switch 22, are then connected to the upper door frame 10 in the manner shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. The switches 21, 22 are connected by means of an electrical wire to solenoid coils 19, 20 on the valve body 17 (see FIGS. 2, 6 and 10).
Part PAR_3: As shown in the exemplary circuit diagram in FIG. 10, the solenoid coils 19', 20' are connected in parallel, and their connection to a low voltage transformer 18 is interrupted so long as the two normally opened push button switches 21, 22 remain open. The solenoid coils 19', 20' are normally closed to water voltage flow unless their coils are energized by the closing action of switches 21, 22. Because the switches 21, 22 are normally open, i.e. in a non-conductive position, they interrupt the connection of the solenoid coils 19, 20 to the low voltage transformer 18, which serves as the power supply, until the switches 21, 22 are closed. As is explained in greater detail below, the positioning of the switches 21, 22 advantageouly allows for a user to accomplish closing of the switches 21, 22, simply by applying gentle pressure with one's knee to the front of one of the cabinet doors 4, 5 mounted under the sink. For consumer safety, transformer 18 is a step down transformer intended to reduce the high wall reciprocal current to a safe handling voltage.
Part PAR_4: Latching switch 21 is adapted to stay in a closed position when activated (so as to provide a continuous flow of water), thereby continuously maintaining the connection of the solenoid coils 19', 20' to the low voltage transformer 18, until the latchable switch 21 is engaged a second time, which re-opens the switch 21.
Part PAR_5: The valve body inlet ports 11, 12 are denied free flow to the valve body outlet ports 13, 14 (see FIG. 8) by the action of needle valves 23, 24 at point 25, 26 and by the inactivated solenoid valves 19, 20 (see FIG. 6). Solenoid valves 19, 20 are typical, normally closed solenoid valves which restrict the water flow through their inlet port 27 and the outlet port 28. Because the internal configuration of a normally closed solenoid valve is not part of the claimed invention, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that any suitable configuration for a normally closed solenoid valve may be adopted. However, for purposes of illustration, FIG. 6 shows the function of a basic dual solenoid valve arrangement consisting of spring loaded non-corrosive magnetic plungers 29 and guides 30, electromagnetic coils 31 and valve block with inlet ports 11, 12 and outlet ports 13, 14.
Part PAR_6: In non-actuated mode, the spring loaded plunger 29 of FIG. 6, aided by water pressure of inlet ports 11, 12, creates a positive seal against the outlet port 28 of the solenoid valves, 19, 20 thus restricting the water flow.
Part PAR_7: In the activated mode, the energized magnetic coil 31 causes the plunger 29 to move upward, thus removing the obstacle of communication between valve body inlet ports 11, 12 and valve body outlet ports 13, 14 of the solenoid valves 19, 20. In activated mode, the two solenoid valves 19, 20 will simultaneously permit unrestricted water flow through their outlet ports 28, and consequently to the sink faucet, as its settings permit.
Part PAR_8: Similarly, the needle valves 23, 24 of FIG. 8 control the manual operation of the invention. In the event of a power failure or malfunction, the needle valves 23, 24, through bores 25, 26 allow free irrigational communication between inlet ports 11, 12 and outlet ports 13, 14 of valve block 17. The needle valve function and the passage ways 25, 26 between inlet ports 11, 12 and the outlet ports 13, 14 can be seen in FIG. 8.
Part PAR_9: FIG. 8 also shows two cylindrical cavities 30 filled with compressed air and sealed by two pistons 32 containing O-rings 33 as a seal, and retaining rings 34 to retain the pistons 32 within the cylindrical cavities 30. The lower end of each of the two cylindrical cavities, on the uncompressed side of the piston 32, is sealed by threaded plugs 35 and connected by passage ways 36 to water inlets 11, 12. This arrangement will provide a shock absorbing environment to minimize the hammering action and related noises that may be generated by the sudden closing action of the solenoid valves 19, 20. The sudden shock caused by the closing action of the solenoid valves 19, 20 passes through bores 36 and causes the pistons 32 to move against the preset pressurized cavities 30, thus absorbing the shock and hammer effect of sudden closure.
Part PAR_10: As shown in FIG. 4, the switches 21, 22 are provided at the forward end of the cabinet, immediately adjacent the cabinet doors. When the switches 21, 22 are in their open, inactivated position, they cause the associated cabinet door to jut slightly outwardly (FIG. 4). By applying a gentle pressure with one's knee to the cabinet door, the corresponding switch will close.
Part PAR_11: As shown in FIG. 9, the switches 21, 22 may instead be activated by pressure sensitive switch pads 37 that can be mounted on the exterior surface of the cabinet doors. This embodiment advantageously immediately makes the user aware that the sink is equipped with a cabinet door faucet valve system.
Part PAR_12: The illustrated embodiment is exemplary in nature and many of the details thereof could be modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the internal configuration of the solenoid valves 19, 20 could be of a different type, such as a piloted solenoid valve. The general shape of the system could also be different. For example, two separate blocks, verses one, each containing a solenoid valve and a diversionary valve. Style-wise, the inlet or outlet ports may be configured differently or the switching apparatus could be of electronic nature. To reduce consumer cost, the shock absorbing portion may be simplified or eliminated.
Part PAR_13: The essential elements of the invention are a dual solenoid valve with separate inlet-outlet ports and a manually operable diversionary valve, to be operated by two switches mounted on the cabinet frame or door surface and the retrofit nature of the design in which the valve is interposed between the existing faucet and fresh water supply valves.
Part PAR_14: The arrangement of the present invention makes the automatic valve control system advantageously very easy to install, even by non-plumber consumers. Its simplicity and minimal parts makes it inexpensive, and its practicality and ease of operation will encourage its use. Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that other changes and modifications can be made to the invention within the scope of the appended claims.


{'bibliographic_information': "{'Patent Number': '060474173', 'Series Code': '9', 'Application Number': '1666673', 'Application Type': '1', 'Art unit': '371', 'Application Filing Date': '19981005', 'Title of Invention': 'Cabinet door operated faucet valve', 'Issue Date': '20000411', 'Number of Claims': '2', 'Exemplary Claim Number(s)': '1', 'Assistant Examiner': 'Nguyen; Tuan', 'Primary Examiner': 'Recla; Henry J.', 'Number of Drawing Sheets': '4', 'Number of figures': '10'}", 'source_file': './grant/2000/pftaps20000411_wk15.txt', 'source_data': 'USPTO-Grant'}