RADIATOR VALVE

Abstract

There is provided a radiator valve including a pipe, a valve member mounted inside of the pipe for controlling fluid flow through the pipe, a control element exposed on a side of the pipe for controlling the valve member, and a nut with female threads. The pipe includes first and second opposing ends, the first end being a male connector that includes male threads for screwing into a radiator, and the second end retaining the nut with the female threads. There is further provided a radiator including two of the radiator valves, and methods of removing and replacing a radiator core of a radiator.

Claims

1. A radiator valve comprising a pipe, a valve member mounted inside of the pipe for controlling fluid flow through the pipe, a control element exposed on a side of the pipe for controlling the valve member, and a nut with female threads, wherein the pipe comprises first and second opposing ends, the first end being a male connector that comprises male threads for screwing into a radiator, and the second end retaining the nut with the female threads.

2. The radiator valve of claim 1, where the pipe consists of a single length of pipe.

3. The radiator valve of claim 1, wherein the pipe is a straight pipe.

4. The radiator valve of claim 1, wherein the control element comprises a stem and the valve member is a rotational valve connected to the stem.

5. The radiator of claim 4, wherein the stem comprises a shaped head configured for actuation by a tool.

6. The radiator of claim 4, wherein the control element comprises a lever attached to a head of the stem.

7. The radiator valve of claim 4, wherein the rotational valve is a ball valve.

8. The radiator valve of claim 1, wherein the nut is configured to screw over threads of a male connector of another valve.

9. The radiator valve of any claim 1, wherein the male threads are ½″ BSP threads and the female threads are also ½″ BSP threads.

10. A radiator for connecting to first and second fluid pipes, the radiator comprising: a first control valve for controlling fluid flow via the first pipe, a second control valve for controlling fluid flow via the second pipe, a core portion between the first and second control valves for radiating heat from the fluid, a first radiator valve between the first control valve and the core portion, and a second radiator valve between the core portion and the second control valve, wherein the first radiator valve and second radiator valve each comprise: a valve member mounted inside of the pipe for controlling fluid flow through the pipe, a control element exposed on a side of the pipe for controlling the valve member, and a nut with female threads.

11. The radiator of claim 10, wherein the first end of the first radiator valve is screwed into the core portion, and wherein the first end of the second radiator valve is also screwed into the core portion.

12. The radiator of claim 10, wherein the first control valve is screwed into the nut of the first radiator valve and the second control valve is screwed into the nut of the second radiator valve.

13. The radiator of claim 10, wherein the first control valve is a flow valve and the second control valve is a lockshield valve.

14. The radiator of claim 13, wherein the flow valve is a thermostatic valve.

15. The radiator of claim 10, wherein the core portion comprises a plurality of passageways for fluid and a plurality of fins extending from the plurality of passageways to radiate heat from the fluid.

16. A method for removing a radiator core of a radiator, the radiator comprising a first control valve for controlling fluid flow via a first pipe, a second control valve for controlling fluid flow via] a second pipe, a core portion between the first and second control valves for radiating heat from the fluid, a first radiator valve between the first control valve and the core portion, and a second radiator valve between the core portion and the second control valve, wherein the first radiator valve and second radiator valve each comprise a valve member mounted inside of the pipe for controlling fluid flow through the pipe, a control element exposed on a side of the pipe for controlling the valve member, and a nut with female threads, wherein the first control valve is screwed into the nut of the first radiator valve and the second control valve is screwed into the nut of the second radiator valve, and wherein the method comprises: moving each of the first and second control valves and the first and second radiator valves to a closed position that blocks fluid flow through the valves, unscrewing the nut at the second end of the first radiator valve from the first control valve, unscrewing the nut at the second end of the second radiator valve from the second control valve, and removing the radiator core and the first and second radiator valves from the first and second control valves and from a radiator support provided on a wall.

17. A method for replacing a radiator core of a radiator, the radiator comprising a first control valve for controlling fluid flow via a first pipe, a second control valve for controlling fluid flow via a second pipe, a core portion between the first and second control valves for radiating heat from the fluid, a first radiator valve between the first control valve and the core portion, and a second radiator valve between the core portion and the second control valve, wherein the first radiator valve and second radiator valve each comprise a valve member mounted inside of the pipe for controlling fluid flow through the pipe, a control element exposed on a side of the pipe for controlling the valve member, and a nut with female threads, and wherein the first control valve is screwed into the nut of the first radiator valve and the second control valve is screwed into the nut of the second radiator valve, the radiator core being filled with a liquid that is retained inside the radiator core by the first and second radiator valves in a closed position, wherein the method comprises.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising removing some of the liquid from the radiator core by opening the first or second radiator valves, replacing the removed liquid with a liquid additive, and closing the opened radiator valve, prior to the step of attaching the radiator core with the first and second radiator valves to the radiator support on the wall.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of non-limiting example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective diagram of a radiator valve according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0022] FIG. 2 shows another schematic perspective diagram of the radiator valve of FIG. 1;

[0023] FIG. 3 shows a schematic cross-sectional diagram taken along line XS1 of FIG. 2; and

[0024] FIG. 4 shows a schematic diagram of a radiator incorporating two of the radiator valves of FIG. 1.

[0025] The figures are not to scale, and same or similar reference signs denote same or similar features.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] The schematic diagrams of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show a radiator valve 10, comprising a cylindrical pipe 12 having a first end 14 and a second end 16 that is opposite from the first end 14. FIG. 1 shows the radiator valve when viewed from the end 14, whereas FIG. 2 shows the radiator valve when viewed from the second end 16.

[0027] The cylindrical pipe 12 may be straight and have a constant diameter between the first and second ends 14 and 16. The first end 14 may have an enlarged diameter to provide male threads 13 of ½″ BSP, and the second end 16 may have an enlarged diameter boss 20. The nut 17 comprises female threads 18 that are also of ½″ BSP inside the nut and may comprise a partial closure 17a at an end of the nut that faces toward the first end 14. The partial closure 17a reduces the diameter of an opening 17b at the end of the nut to less than the diameter of the female threads 18 inside the nut. The boss 20 may have an external diameter of a size that is in between the size of the diameter of the opening 17b and the size of the diameter of the female threads 18.

[0028] The partial closure 17a and the boss 20 may therefore abut against one another inside of the nut 17 to retain the nut on the second end 16 of the pipe, with the boss 20 fully inside the nut 17. However, other ways of retaining the nut at the second end of the pipe could also be implemented in alternate embodiments.

[0029] The boss 20 may have a length that is short enough to leave most of the length of the female threads 18 exposed inside the nut and available for accepting male threads, the lengths being in a same direction as the axial length of the pipe at the second end.

[0030] The radiator valve 10 also comprises a control element, of which a head 19 slightly protrudes from the side of the pipe 12. The head 19 is shaped to receive a tool for actuating the control element, and in this embodiment the head is shaped with a socket to receive an Allen key tool, although it could alternatively be shaped to fit other tools. For example, the head 19 could be shaped with a slot to receive a flat headed screwdriver. It would also be possible to fix a lever to the head 19, so the control element could be turned by pushing on the lever.

[0031] The schematic diagram of FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the radiator valve 10, taken looking in along the line XS1 marked in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 illustrates the internal details of the radiator valve so it can be appreciated how the valve is opened and closed. As shown, the control element comprises the head 19 and a stem 22 that is attached to or integrally formed with the head 19. The stem 22 is attached or integrally formed with a valve member in the form of a spherical ball 26 at an opposite end of the stem from the head 19..Accordingly, the valve may be described as a ball valve.

[0032] The spherical ball 26 has a circular hole 28 passing through it, and the circular hole 28 appears elliptical in FIG. 3 since the ball 26 is shown at a rotation where the axis of the hole is around 45° to the axis of the pipe. The spherical ball 26 is mounted within a valve seating 24, which is mounted inside the pipe 12.

[0033] In use, the head 19 is rotated using a tool, to rotate the spherical ball 26 and either align the axis of the hole 28 with the axis of the pipe 12 to fully open the valve, or to align the axis of the hole 28 at 90° to the axis of the pipe 12 to fully close the valve.

[0034] Two of the radiator valves 10 may be incorporated into a radiator, as will now be described with reference to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 shows a radiator 30, comprising a flow valve 32, a first radiator valve 10a, a core portion 34, a second radiator valve 10b, and a lockshield valve 36. The radiator is connected to an incoming pipe 31, which supplies hot water to the radiator, and an outgoing pipe 37, which returns the water from the radiator towards a source of heat. The first and second radiator valves 10a and 10b are both the same as the radiator valve 10 described further above. The radiator may also comprise a radiator support 35 for supporting the radiator against a wall.

[0035] The flow valve 32 may be connected directly to the incoming pipe 31 and connected directly to the first radiator valve 10a, to control fluid flow between the incoming pipe 31 and the first radiator valve 10a. Accordingly, the flow valve 32 can be opened when the radiator is required to radiate more heat and closed when less heat is required. The flow valve 32 is a thermostatic valve, however, could be manually controlled in alternate embodiments.

[0036] The first radiator valve 10a may be connected directly to the flow valve 32 and connected directly to the radiator core 34. The first end of the radiator valve 10a with the male screw threads is screwed into female screw threads of the radiator core 34, and the female threads of the nut 17 at the second end of the radiator valve 10a are screwed over male threads at an outlet of the flow valve, to receive hot water from the flow valve. The first radiator valve 10a is left in the fully on position during normal radiator operation.

[0037] The radiator core 34 may be directly connected to the first radiator valve 10a and directly connected to the second radiator valve 10b, to allow the hot water to flow through the radiator. The radiator core 34 comprises a plurality of passageways for carrying the hot water and a plurality of fins extending from the plurality of passageways to radiate heat from the hot water. The radiator core comprises an inlet and an outlet, the inlet and the outlet both comprising female screw threads that receive male screw threads of the first and second radiator valves 10a and 10b.

[0038] The second radiator valve 10b may be connected directly to the radiator core and connected directly to the lockshield valve 36. The first end of the radiator valve 10b with the male screw threads is screwed into the female screw threads of the outlet of the radiator core 34, and the female threads of the nut 17 at the second end of the radiator valve 10b are screwed over male threads at an inlet of the lockshield valve, to send water from the radiator core to the lockshield valve. The second radiator valve 10b is left in the fully on position during normal radiator operation.

[0039] The lockshield valve 36 may be connected directly to the second radiator valve 10b and connected directly to the outgoing pipe 37, to control fluid flow between the second radiator valve 10b and the outgoing pipe 37. Accordingly, the lockshield valve 36 may be set by a plumber during installation to balance the water flow between this radiator and the other radiators connected to the same system.

[0040] Whilst the hot water flows from the pipe 31 to the pipe 37 in this embodiment, the direction of flow of the hot water through the radiator could be reversed and flow from pipe 37 to pipe 31 instead if desired.

[0041] Whenever there is a need to remove the radiator core 34 from the system, for example to decorate the wall behind it, the flow valve 32 and the lockshield valve 36 can be fully closed to isolate the radiator from the rest of the radiator system and block any further fluid flow through the radiator. The first and second radiator valves 10a and 10b can also be both closed, to prevent the water inside of the radiator core from flowing out. Then, the nuts 17 of the first and second radiator valves can both be unscrewed, allowing the radiator core 34 and the first and second radiator valves 10a and 10b to be removed from the radiator support 35 and the wall with minimal loss of water.

[0042] The radiator core can later be replaced on the radiator support 35 and the nuts 17 screwed back onto the flow valve 32 and the lockshield valve 36, and then the valves 32, 10a, 10b and 36 opened to allow normal operation to resume. Since all the water inside the radiator is retained instead of being drained and replaced with air, much less air is introduced into the radiator system when operation is restarted, improving the operation of the overall radiator system. Optionally, some of the water inside the radiator can be replaced with a liquid additive via the first or second radiator valve, prior to replacing the radiator core on the support 35.

[0043] Many other variations of the described embodiments falling within the scope of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.