A mixing valve having a housing and first and second flow control valves. The housing has a mixing chamber, a first outlet, and a second outlet. The first flow control valve controls fluid flow through the first outlet to the mixing chamber, and the second flow control valve controls fluid flow through the second outlet to the mixing chamber. The first and second outlets each have a size so that the mixing valve has a flow coefficient of approximately 2.5 in a mid-open position of both flow control valves, and the housing has a length dimension, a width dimension, and a thickness dimension, and the largest of these dimensions is no more than approximately 65 millimeters.

Embodiments include eyewash valves in which the temperature of the water emerging from the valve is thermostatically controlled by a wax motor which regulates the flow of hot and cold water through the valve. Embodiments include provisions for continuing water flow through the valve despite failure of the hot water supply. Embodiments also include provisions for water flow through the valve despite failure of the wax motor in the upper position or in the lower position.

A mixing valve includes a mixing chamber, a first flow control valve having a first flow control opening, and a second flow control valve having a second flow control opening. The first and second flow control openings each have a diameter of approximately six millimeters and the mixing valve has a flow coefficient of approximately 2.5 when both flow control valves are in a mid-open position.

A plumbing fixture having a body and a mixing valve provided within and separate from the body. The mixing valve has a housing that is separable from and disposed within the body, wherein the housing includes a mixing chamber for receiving cold water, hot water or a mixture thereof; a first flow control valve for controlling a flow of cold water to the mixing chamber; and a second flow control valve for controlling a flow of hot water to the mixing chamber. Each flow control valve has a first valve member, which is configured to engage with a valve seat of the housing in a closed position, and a second valve member, which is configured to engage with a separate valve seat of the housing in the closed position. A portion of the mixing chamber in the housing is located between the first and second flow control valves.

A fluid flow control system having a fluid inlet configured to be operatively coupled to a fluid source, a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the fluid inlet such that fluid may exit the system therethrough, a proximity sensor for detecting the position of an object within a region adjacent the sensor, and a flow control device configured to regulate fluid flow between the inlet and outlet in response to object detection by the sensor, wherein the flow control device varies the fluid flow proportional to the detected distance of an object from the sensor. A water flow control system for use in a shower environment is also provided, as well as a shower control system, methods for controlling water flow based on sensing of the presence and location of an object, and methods for reducing water consumption.

A flow control valve includes a valve inlet configured to receive a fluid, a valve outlet configured to output the fluid, and a valve member assembly for controlling the fluid flow through the flow control valve. The valve member assembly and the valve inlet are configured such that, when in use, fluid flowing through the flow control valve exerts substantially no net force on the valve member assembly.

A method of performing a cleaning cycle for a water supply system having a valve. The method includes determining whether the cleaning cycle is necessary in a central controller located remotely from the water supply system; and when cleaning is necessary, sending a signal from the central controller to a local controller located within the water supply system to activate a heating element within the water supply system to heat an internal waterway of the water supply system to a temperature configured to clean the internal waterway.

A plumbing fitting having a body and a housing located in the body that includes a first inlet for receiving the first fluid, a second inlet for receiving the second fluid, and a mixing chamber. The plumbing fitting includes a first flow control valve operatively coupled to the housing; a second flow control valve operatively coupled to the housing; and an actuator assembly configured to move the first flow control valve relative to the housing to control flow of the first fluid from the first inlet to the mixing chamber, such that the first fluid exerts substantially no net force on the first flow control valve, and configured to move the second flow control valve relative to the housing to control flow of the second fluid from the second inlet to the mixing chamber, such that the second fluid exerts substantially no net force on the second flow control valve.

A temperature control system 1 includes a joint path 71 that supplies a fluid from a low-temperature path 76 having a variable valve 79a and a high-temperature path 77 having a variable valve 79c to a temperature regulation member 70; a bypass path 73 that has a variable valve 79b and circulates the fluid flowing a collection path 72 that collects the supplied fluid through the temperature regulation member; a circulation pump 87 at the collection path; and a tank 78 that is provided at an upstream side of the circulation pump and supplies the fluid to the circulation pump when an amount of the fluid reaches a preset amount. The variable valves 79a and 79b are opened to supply the fluid, and the valves 79b and 79c are opened to supply the fluid after detecting that the amount of the fluid in the tank 78 reaches the preset amount.

A fluid flow control system having a fluid inlet configured to be operatively coupled to a fluid source, a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the fluid inlet such that fluid may exit the system therethrough, a proximity sensor for detecting the position of an object within a region adjacent the sensor, and a flow control device configured to regulate fluid flow between the inlet and outlet in response to object detection by the sensor, wherein the flow control device varies the fluid flow proportional to the detected distance of an object from the sensor. A water flow control system for use in a shower environment is also provided, as well as a shower control system, methods for controlling water flow based on sensing of the presence and location of an object, and methods for reducing water consumption.