Granted Patent B2

US 12,565,764 · App. 18/680,589 · Granted Mar 3, 2026

Inventor: Ryan M. Snitil (Medina, OH)

Assignee: Fortune Brands Water Innovations

E03C1/042E03C2001/0418G05D11/135

Abstract

Claims (96)

1 . A plumbing system, the plumbing system having a valve body, the plumbing system comprising:

an adapter, the adapter operable to be received in the valve body behind a mounting surface, the adapter further operable to receive hot water from a hot water inlet of the valve body and cold water from a cold water inlet of the valve body;

a mixing assembly, the mixing assembly operable to fluidly communicate with the adapter, the mixing assembly further operable to receive hot water and cold water from the adapter and provide mixed water to the adapter; and

a housing, the mixing assembly operable to be received in the housing in front of the mounting surface;

the mixing assembly including a waterway and an electronic valve;

the waterway operable to receive hot water and cold water from the adapter and provide mixed water to the adapter;

the electronic valve operable to control flow of hot water and cold water from the adapter to the waterway;

the waterway including a mixing chamber;

the mixing chamber including a hot water inlet and a cold water inlet;

the mixing chamber including a hot interface between the hot water inlet and the mixing chamber and a cold interface between the cold water inlet and the mixing chamber; and

wherein the electronic valve is not operable to seal against the hot interface between the hot water inlet and the mixing chamber or the cold interface between the cold water inlet and the mixing chamber and is not operable to prevent flow of water from the hot water inlet or the cold water inlet to the mixing chamber.

2 . The plumbing system of claim 1 , wherein:

the mixing assembly includes a temperature sensor; and

the temperature sensor is operable to detect a temperature of mixed water flowing through the waterway.

3 . The plumbing system of claim 2 , wherein:

the waterway includes a mixed water flow path; and

the temperature sensor is located at least one of downstream of the mixing chamber and in the mixed water flow path.

4 . The plumbing system of claim 2 , wherein:

the electronic valve is operable to control flow of hot water and cold water from the adapter to the waterway based on the detected temperature of mixed water flowing through the waterway.

5 . The plumbing system of claim 1 , wherein:

the waterway includes a mixed water flow path;

the mixing chamber is operable to fluidly communicate with the adapter, the mixing chamber is further operable to receive hot water and cold water from the adapter;

the mixed water flow path is operable to fluidly communicate with the mixing chamber, the mixed water flow path is further operable to receive mixed water from the mixing chamber; and

the mixed water flow path is operable to fluidly communicate with the adapter, the mixed water flow path is further operable to provide mixed water to the adapter.

6 . The plumbing system of claim 1 , wherein:

the waterway includes a mixed water flow path;

the waterway includes a mixed interface between the mixing chamber and the mixed water flow path; and

the electronic valve is operable to seal against the mixed interface between the mixing chamber and the mixed water flow path and to prevent flow of water from the mixing chamber to the mixed water flow path.

7 . The plumbing system of claim 1 , wherein:

the waterway includes a mixed water flow path;

the electronic valve is operable to control flow of water from the hot water inlet and the cold water inlet to the mixing chamber; and

the electronic valve is operable to prevent flow of water from the mixing chamber to the mixed water flow path.

8 . The plumbing system of claim 1 , wherein:

the electronic valve includes a single motor.

9 . A plumbing system, the plumbing system having a valve body, the plumbing system comprising:

an adapter, the adapter operable to be received in the valve body behind a mounting surface, the adapter further operable to receive hot water from a hot water inlet of the valve body and cold water from a cold water inlet of the valve body;

a mixing assembly, the mixing assembly operable to fluidly communicate with the adapter, the mixing assembly further operable to receive hot water and cold water from the adapter and provide mixed water to the adapter; and

a housing, the mixing assembly operable to be received in the housing in front of the mounting surface;

the mixing assembly including a waterway and an electronic valve;

the waterway operable to receive hot water and cold water from the adapter and provide mixed water to the adapter;

the electronic valve operable to control flow of hot water and cold water from the adapter to the waterway;

the waterway including a mixing chamber;

the mixing chamber including a hot water inlet and a cold water inlet;

the mixing chamber including a hot interface between the hot water inlet and the mixing chamber and a cold interface between the cold water inlet and the mixing chamber; and

wherein the electronic valve is not operable to seal against the hot interface between the hot water inlet and the mixing chamber and is not operable to prevent flow of water from the hot water inlet to the mixing chamber.

10 . The plumbing system of claim 9 , wherein:

the mixing assembly includes a temperature sensor;

the temperature sensor is operable to detect a temperature of mixed water flowing through the waterway;

the waterway includes a mixed water flow path; and

the temperature sensor is located at least one of downstream of the mixing chamber and in the mixed water flow path.

11 . The plumbing system of claim 10 , wherein:

the electronic valve is operable to control flow of hot water and cold water from the adapter to the waterway based on the detected temperature of mixed water flowing through the waterway.

12 . The plumbing system of claim 9 , wherein:

the waterway includes a mixed water flow path;

the mixing chamber is operable to fluidly communicate with the adapter, the mixing chamber is further operable to receive hot water and cold water from the adapter;

the mixed water flow path is operable to fluidly communicate with the mixing chamber, the mixed water flow path is further operable to receive mixed water from the mixing chamber; and

the mixed water flow path is operable to fluidly communicate with the adapter, the mixed water flow path is further operable to provide mixed water to the adapter.

13 . The plumbing system of claim 9 , wherein:

the waterway includes a mixed water flow path;

the waterway includes a mixed interface between the mixing chamber and the mixed water flow path; and

the electronic valve is operable to seal against the mixed interface between the mixing chamber and the mixed water flow path and to prevent flow of water from the mixing chamber to the mixed water flow path.

14 . The plumbing system of claim 9 , wherein:

the waterway includes a mixed water flow path;

the electronic valve is operable to control flow of water from the hot water inlet and the cold water inlet to the mixing chamber; and

the electronic valve is operable to prevent flow of water from the mixing chamber to the mixed water flow path.

15 . A plumbing system, the plumbing system having a valve body, the plumbing system comprising:

an adapter, the adapter operable to be received in the valve body behind a mounting surface, the adapter further operable to receive hot water from a hot water inlet of the valve body and cold water from a cold water inlet of the valve body;

a mixing assembly, the mixing assembly operable to fluidly communicate with the adapter, the mixing assembly further operable to receive hot water and cold water from the adapter and provide mixed water to the adapter; and

a housing, the mixing assembly operable to be received in the housing in front of the mounting surface;

the mixing assembly including a waterway and an electronic valve;

the waterway operable to receive hot water and cold water from the adapter and provide mixed water to the adapter;

the electronic valve operable to control flow of hot water and cold water from the adapter to the waterway;

the waterway including a mixing chamber;

the mixing chamber including a hot water inlet and a cold water inlet;

the mixing chamber including a hot interface between the hot water inlet and the mixing chamber and a cold interface between the cold water inlet and the mixing chamber; and

wherein the electronic valve is not operable to seal against the cold interface between the cold water inlet and the mixing chamber and is not operable to prevent flow of water from the cold water inlet to the mixing chamber.

16 . The plumbing system of claim 15 , wherein:

the mixing assembly includes a temperature sensor;

the temperature sensor is operable to detect a temperature of mixed water flowing through the waterway;

the waterway includes a mixed water flow path; and

the temperature sensor is located at least one of downstream of the mixing chamber and in the mixed water flow path.

17 . The plumbing system of claim 16 , wherein:

the electronic valve is operable to control flow of hot water and cold water from the adapter to the waterway based on the detected temperature of mixed water flowing through the waterway.

18 . The plumbing system of claim 15 , wherein:

the waterway includes a mixed water flow path;

the mixing chamber is operable to fluidly communicate with the adapter, the mixing chamber is further operable to receive hot water and cold water from the adapter;

the mixed water flow path is operable to fluidly communicate with the mixing chamber, the mixed water flow path is further operable to receive mixed water from the mixing chamber; and

the mixed water flow path is operable to fluidly communicate with the adapter, the mixed water flow path is further operable to provide mixed water to the adapter.

19 . The plumbing system of claim 15 , wherein:

the waterway includes a mixed water flow path;

the waterway includes a mixed interface between the mixing chamber and the mixed water flow path; and

the electronic valve is operable to seal against the mixed interface between the mixing chamber and the mixed water flow path and to prevent flow of water from the mixing chamber to the mixed water flow path.

20 . The plumbing system of claim 15 , wherein:

the waterway includes a mixed water flow path;

the electronic valve is operable to control flow of water from the hot water inlet and the cold water inlet to the mixing chamber; and

the electronic valve is operable to prevent flow of water from the mixing chamber to the mixed water flow path.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (103)