Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for controlling the temperature of a liquid

US4757943A · kind A · utility

56Cited by
5References
17Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 22, 1986
Grant dateJul 19, 1988
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 22, 2006

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T137/87885
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A liquid temperature controlling method and apparatus are provided in which on/off valves are utilized. The on/off valves are housed in a compact manifold assembly having a number of channels through which hot and cold water flows to and from the valves. Each of the valves communicates with an orifice, with each orifice communicating with the hot water valves being of a different size to produce binary flow patterns of water exiting the hot water associated orifices and valves. Similarly, each of the orifices communicating with a cold water valve is of a different size so that the flow rate of water from each cold water associated orifice is related in a binary manner to the flow rates through the other cold water associated orifices and valves. Because of the greater viscosity of the hot water, it is preferable that the hot water associated orifices be of a smaller size than corresponding cold water orifices. The opening/closing of the valves is controlled using information stored in memory. The programmed information correlates valve openings with information relating to water temperature. When there is a difference between actual and desired temperatures, one or more different c…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.