1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to faucets, particularly to the control of water temperature and pressure by a device attached to a valve arrangement allowing specific colored marks to match even throughout valve movement, thus accurately regulating water temperature and pressure to desirable settings.
2. Description of Related Art
Monotonous adjustment of bath water for the correct temperature and pressure on a day after day basis is common. In the past, faucets had to be adjusted to the desired temperature and pressure with each use. There is a need for an accurate and more reliable temperature and pressure multiple memory device that can be easily used by sight or touch, and for a "standard", easily recognizable, mark for the most common bathing temperature and pressure.
Basically, there are four popular types of faucets. The first one being the conventional two handled faucet, one handle for hot and the other for cold. It is adjusted by turning the handles clockwise or counter-clockwise. The second type is a single handled faucet, one handle for both hot and cold. It is adjusted by pulling the handle out for pressure and turning the handle clockwise or counter-clockwise for temperature. The third type is also a single handled faucet, similiar to type 2, but the handle is anchored to a hemishere about which it can be moved. It is adjusted by pushing the handle up for pressure and turning clockwise or counter-clockwise for temperature. The fourth type is also a single handled faucet, one handle for both hot and cold. It is similar to type 1 in that when the handle is turned all the way clockwise it is off and counter-clockwise it is on. The difference is, since it is a single handled faucet, as the handle is turned counter-clockwise the temperature increases from cold to hot. It is believed that throughout this range the pressure is basically constant.
There is a single handled faucet, type 2, available by Moen that can remember only one temperature setting and not the pressure at all. The Moen handle does not use marks. To remember the temperature, the user would have to carefully push the handle directly in to turn the faucet off, and with no other uses of different temperatures in between, pull the handle directly back out to turn the faucet on again to the same temperature. If, for example, somebody had used the shower and did not perform the above procedure, the prior setting would be lost. The prior showerer could not easily recognize the handle position change and could be startled by the change in temperature. They would then have to readjust the temperature using trial and error, wasting human time and energy and out natural resources of fuel and water.
Another type 4 faucet by Price Pfister can aid you in recalling a previously used temperature by matching up a mark on the handle with a mark on the wall. But to enable the use of the device, you would have to remember and count a number of marks on the wall to your desired temperature setting. While counting to find the desired setting, the handle is turned on to match the mark on the wall; however, it can be difficult to match the mark on the handle to the mark on the wall since they are approximately 0.5 inches apart, thus requiring the same line of sight or view each time you use the device. In addition, the marks on the wall are approximately separated by 1/8 inches of "no mans land" of space, meaning there is no corresponding wall mark to match with the mark on the handle.
An adjustable temperature limit control valve "ultra-safe" of T&S Brass and Bronze Works is available that limits the temperature to a desired setting for use in institutions to prevent scalding.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,445 to Lundberg describes an adhesive applied to the valve stem and the housing and then severed between the two. In a faucet environment, the rotor valve actuater shaft and a stationary surface are not contiguous, thus presenting the line of sight problem as described above. If it were accessible, the strip would either dwarf the small valve stem or the strip would be too small to read. Also, the strip can not be adjusted if a person wanted a hotter or colder bathing temperature due to a change in seasons, for example.
No temperature or pressure memory device for type 1 faucets is known of whatsoever. No device is known of for type 2 faucets with multiple or retrievable temperature memory or pressure memory. No temperature or pressure memory device for type 3 faucets is known of whatsoever. No device is known of for type 4 faucets with multiple, easy, or accurate retrievable temperature memory. No device for pressure memory is known. No temperature and pressure memory device is known of where multiple lines of sight or touch can be used, or employing a "standard" mark for a common bathing temperature and pressure.