The present invention relates to a spout faucet, and more specifically, to a spout faucet with a built-in switching valve apparatus. The present invention enables water supply by a three-way pipe and a water supply by a water purifier through tap-water pipe switching.
An apparatus with a switching valve cannot be found in the current market.
When generating a membrane-filtered water (hereinafter referred to as RO water) using a reverse osmosis membrane water processor (hereinafter referred to as the RO device), it is generally required to drain discharge water with an amount equivalent to 1 to 3 times of the RO water (water not filtered through a reverse osmosis membrane is hereinafter called discharge water) and a discharge water to flush a membrane surface with a high flow. However, since the RO device is received at a lower part of a cupboard, this water is discharged by inserting a water pipe into a sewer pipe opening of a cupboard. Due to the worldwide problem of insufficient fresh water, which can be expected to be even worse in the future, it is desirable to reuse the water discharged from a sink table as general service water.
Furthermore, high-flow water is needed to flush the membrane on the RO membrane surface, and this flushing (hereinafter referred to as rinsing) water is also drained through the sewer pipe. However, since the sewer pipe is not hygienic, the RO device connected to the sewer pipe also has a hygienic issue.
Out of the consideration of environment and health, there is an increasing demand on clean and safe water, which, on one hand, raises the demand on a water purifier or a reverse osmosis purifier, and on the other hand, brings inconvenience to users who purchase these machines.
The biggest problem is filter membrane clogging inside a machine. Due to the clogging, it is compulsory to replace the filter membrane. However, it is rather troublesome to replace the filter membrane, particular replacing the filter membrane of a machine mounted in the lower part of the sink table, which is impossible for a consumer to perform; the replacement work has to rely on a professional.
In order to be mountable in the lower part of a sink table or at other place, the machine has to be miniaturized, but miniaturization results in less water flow that can be processed by the filter membrane of a water processing machine, which then increases the clogging odds. Because miniaturization seems to be an absolute condition, the filter material has to be replaced frequently.
For a purified water making machine having a RO membrane and the like, it first removes the dregs in the water during the pretreatment, and then removes the organics in the water with activated carbon, and finally the water is completely processed through the RO membrane. Although it is called “remove” here, it is not a real removal, but an interception of dregs instead; thus, the inside of the water purifier for RO membrane pretreatment becomes the place for intercepting the removed objects; these intercepted objects accumulate at most of the front surface of the filter membrane, which causes decrease of the flow; however, through the above purified water making machine, these intercepted objects and the bacteria reproduced within the intercepted objects are drained outside of the machine, and the RO membrane is cleaned as well.
An objective of the present invention lies in providing a spout faucet that can discharge water for flushing an RO membrane and all of the discharge water and backwashing water during producing RO water from a sink, such that the user may reuse the above water as general service water.
For a precise filter membrane and a limiting filter membrane and the like of a water purifier as used in preliminary treatment, filter membrane reproduction can be achieved through backwashing without lowering the flow; compared with the scenario of not using backwash, a capability with times of filter capacities can be maintained; moreover, through backwashing, the bacteria are discharged outside the machine, which reduces RO membrane clogging caused by bacteria; through backwashing the RO membrane, its total treatment capacity can increase multiple times; further, by using a spout faucet on a sink table to let off the discharge water for producing RO water, the discharge water for flushing the RO membrane surface, and the discharge water for backwashing, such discharge water will not be waste water, but can be used as general service water.
1: spout faucet valve box
2: valve
3: tap water inlet port
4: tap water outlet port
5: water purifier entry
6: water purifier (water purifying process)
7: water purifier exit
8: RO device entry
9: reverse osmosis membrane processor, RO device
10: RO water exit of the RO device
11: RO water inlet port
12: RO water outlet port
13: discharge water outlet port
14: handle
15: three-way pipe
16: tap water inlet pore
17: tap water outlet pore
17A: tap water inlet/outlet pore
18: discharge water inlet port
19: RO water inlet pore
20: RO water outlet pore
21: RO water circulation chamber, RO circulation portion
22: discharge water circulation chamber, discharge water circulation portion
23: discharge water inlet pores
23A: discharge water inlet pores at the RO producing position
24: discharge water outlet pore
24A: discharge water outlet pore at the RO producing position
25: valve gland
26: tap water circulation chamber, tap water circulation portion
27: spacing wall component
27C: spacing wall
28: water pipe
29: communicating pore of a projection portion
30: discharge water circulation path
31: discharge water branch
32: jet nozzle
33: discharge water outlet pipe
34: RO water outlet pipe
35: jet nozzle housing
36: sink table
37: exhaust port of the RO device
38: magnetic block
39: steering switch (inductive switch)
40: electric wire
41: plug
42: computer box, transformer
43: electromagnetic valve
44: switch fixing plate
45: seal slot
46: flow reducer
47: sewer pipeline of the sink table
48: fixing portion
The present invention provides a spout faucet with a built-in switching valve for producing RO water. The spout faucet comprises a valve box, a valve, and a handle. The valve box has a tap water inlet port, a tap water outlet port, a discharge water inlet port, a discharge water outlet port, a RO water inlet pore, and a RO water outlet port. The valve has a cylindrical valve chamber disposed at a center of the valve box and communicating with respective ports, and a spacing wall disposed in an interior forming a cylindrical shape. Inside the valve chamber are included: a tap water circulation portion, tap water inlet pores connected to the circulation portion, and tap water outlet pores; RO water inlet pores and RO water outlet pores connecting to a RO water circulation portion; a plurality of discharge water inlet pores and a plurality of discharge water outlet pores connected to the discharge water circulation portion; a cave inside an axis as a discharge water communicating path which is connected to a plurality of discharge water branches; the handle is connected to the valve so as to thereby rotate and operate the valve; through rotating this handle, the tap water flowing in from the tap water inlet port is switched to flow out; at a RO water producing position, the tap water, together with the water purifier and the RO device, adopts a forward water flow path, but adopts a reverse water flow path at a backwashing position; at a rinsing position, the water purifier and the RO device together adopt the forward water flow path, such that the discharge water that has been discharged through inserting a water pipe into the a sewer pipe of the cupboard flows out from an exhaust portion at the upper part of the cupboard, and the discharge water may be used as general service water.
Hereinafter, Embodiment 1 will be illustrated with reference to
Referring to
The spacing wall 27C in
There is further illustrated the water path at the RO water producing position when generating the RO water and the discharge water.
Hereinafter, the valve 2 at the water stop position will be illustrated.
The water supplied to the three-way pipe 15 through tap water flows into the water pipe 28 and also flows into through the tap water inlet port 3 of the valve box 1; however, since the tap water inlet port 3 of the valve box 1 is switched off by the valve 2, the water flow stops. At this point, if the discharge water outlet pore 24 is disposed at the position communicative with the tap water inlet port 18 of the valve box 1 and the position of the valve 2 in communication with the discharge water inlet pores 23 and the discharge water outlet port 13 of the valve box 1, the remnant pressure in the water purifier 6 and the RO device after water stop may be discharged off.
Referring to
The tap water supplied from the three-way pipe 15 flows through the water pipe 28 and arrives at the tap water inlet port 3 of the valve box 1, and then through the tap water inlet pore 17A of the valve 2, into the tap water circulation portion 26, and flows out from the tap water outlet port 4 of the valve box 1 via the tap water outlet pore 17 of the valve 2, through the water pipe 28, and into the water purifier 6 from the water purifier entry 5, through the water pipe 28 from the water purifier exit 7, into the RO device from the connected RO device entry 8; after cleaning the RO membrane surface, through the water pipe 28 from the discharge water outlet port 37 of the RO device, first from the discharge water inlet port 18 of the valve box 1, and then from the discharge water inlet pores 23 of the valve 2, flows into the discharge water circulation portion 22, through the discharge water outlet pore 24 of the valve 2, and then flows out from the discharge water outlet port 13 of the valve box 1, and the water flows out from the discharge water outlet pipe 33 of
A RO water, cleaning water spout faucet with a built-in switching valve is characterized by a spacing wall formed by connecting an inside-cylinder wall of such cylinder-shaped valve 2 and an outer wall of a shaft of a valve 2, and a tap water circulation portion 26, wherein the tap water circulation portion 26 likewise fixes at the insider-cylinder wall of the valve 2 a spacing wall component 27 rotating with the valve 2; at the center of a spout faucet valve box 1 forms a tap water inlet port 3 and a tap water outlet port 4.
Centered with
The valve 2 at the RO water producing position is illustrated with reference to
The shaft of the valve 2 is extended to the center of the valve 2 in embodiment 1; a cylinder-shaped hollow is arranged inside the shaft; a spacing wall component 27 closely attached to the front end of the cylinder-shaped hollow (hereinafter referred to as inner cave) and the inner wall of the valve 2 is disposed, such that the RO water circulation portion 21 and the tap water circulation portion are independent from each other.
The path of the RO water at the RO water producing position is specified below: the tap water supplied from the three-way pipe 15 flows through the water pipe 28, from the tap water inlet port 3 of the valve box 1, and then flows out from the tap water inlet port 16 of the valve 2—tap water circulation portion 26—the tap water inlet port/outlet pore 17A of the valve 2—tap water outlet port 4 of the valve box 1—water pipe 28—entry 5 of the water purifier 6—water purifier exit 7—water pipe 28—RO device entry 8—RO device 9—RO water outlet port 10—water pipe 28—RO water inlet port 11 of the valve box 1—RO water inlet pore 19 of the valve 2—RO water circulation portion 21—RO water outlet pore 20 of the valve 2—RO water outlet port 2 of the valve box 1; the discharge water path when producing RO water is specified below: RO device discharge water outlet port 37—water pipe 28—discharge water inlet port 18 of the valve box 1—discharge water inlet pores 23A of the valve 2—discharge water circulation portion 22—discharge water outlet pore 24A of the valve 2—flowing out from the discharge water outlet port 13 of the valve box 1.
Referring to
Through a portion of the outer cylinder of the valve 2 at the water stop position, since the water at the tap water inlet port 3 of the valve box 1 is switched off, the water flow stops.
Referring to
the tap water supplied by the three-way pipe 15—water pipe 28—tap water inlet port of the valve box 1—tap water inlet port/outlet pore 17A of the valve 2—tap water circulation portion 26—tap water inlet port/outlet pore 17A of valve 2—tap water outlet port 4 of the valve box 1—water pipe 28—water purifier entry 5—water purifier exit 7—water pipe 28—RO device entry 8—RO device 9—RO device discharge water outlet port 37—discharge water inlet port 18 of the valve box 1—discharge water inlet pores 23 of valve 2—discharge water circulation portion 22—discharge water outlet pore 24 of the valve 2—flowing out from the discharge water outlet port 13 of the valve box 1.
Referring to
Tap water supplied by the three-way pipe 15—water pipe 28—tap water inlet port 3 of the valve box 1—flow into the tap water circulation portion 26 from the tap water inlet port/outlet 17A of the valve 2, through the communicating pore 29 of the discharge water circulation portion 22 in communication with the water circulation portion 26 as shown in
Embodiment 3 is illustrated with reference to
At the left side of
At the spout faucet illustrated in this embodiment, like above Embodiment 1,
By removing the tap water inlet port 3 and tap water inlet port 4, as well as nozzles 32 thereof, of the valve box 1 in Embodiment 1, removing the tap water inlet pore 16, tap water outlet pore 17, and the tap water circulation portion 26 of the valve 2, as well as the spacing wall component 27 fixed to the valve 2, the spacing wall 27C is formed, and the RO water circulation portion 21 and the discharge water circulation portion 22 are formed independently, respectively; by disposing a magnetic block 38 in the valve 2, at the water stop position, the magnetic block 38 in the valve 2 is rotated through a handle to induct a steering switch 39 such that it is fixed to the valve box 1; through a computer box 42 composed on a transformer and other components via electric wire 40, the transformed electric power as transported via the electric wire 40 has the magnetic block 38 induct the steering switch 39 to switch off the electromagnetic valve 43.
As a preliminary water purification process, there is a huge difference for the reverse osmosis water purifier regarding what approach is adopted to transport purified water for cleaning to the membrane and what approach is adopted to rinse the membrane surface. The more delicately the water is purified, the more possible clogging occurs. Therefore, for the existing water purifier, its filter membrane has to be changed frequently. It is desired by a consumer that a filter membrane can be used for a long term without changing the filter membrane while can still produce purified water in a larger amount. The spout faucet according to the present invention has a high applicability. Further, the discharge water from the RO device flows out from the sink table, which may be used as general service water; therefore, water might not be wasted.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2010-139918 | May 2010 | JP | national |
The present application is national phase of International Application No. PCT/JP2011/061134, filed May 10, 2011, and claims priority from, Japanese Application Number. 2010-139918, filed May 12, 2010, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/JP2011/061134 | 5/10/2011 | WO | 00 | 11/7/2012 |