US 12,129,632 B2
Valve assembly for an electronic faucet
Kurt J. Thomas, Indianapolis, IN (US); Derek A. Brown, Lizton, IN (US); and Joel D. Sawaski, Indianapolis, IN (US)
Assigned to Delta Faucet Company, Indianapolis, IN (US)
Filed by Delta Faucet Company, Indianapolis, IN (US)
Filed on Jul. 7, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/369,409.
Application 17/369,409 is a division of application No. 16/015,798, filed on Jun. 22, 2018, granted, now 11,085,176.
Application 15/247,378 is a division of application No. 13/837,052, filed on Mar. 15, 2013, granted, now 9,458,612.
Application 16/015,798 is a continuation of application No. 15/247,378, filed on Aug. 25, 2016, granted, now 10,138,622, issued on Nov. 27, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0332574 A1, Oct. 28, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. E03C 1/05 (2006.01); E03C 1/04 (2006.01); F16K 31/06 (2006.01); F16K 31/08 (2006.01); F16K 31/40 (2006.01); F16K 11/00 (2006.01)
CPC E03C 1/057 (2013.01) [E03C 1/0404 (2013.01); E03C 1/055 (2013.01); F16K 31/0603 (2013.01); F16K 31/0675 (2013.01); F16K 31/082 (2013.01); F16K 31/402 (2013.01); E03C 2001/0418 (2013.01); F16K 19/006 (2013.01); Y10T 137/7737 (2015.04); Y10T 137/9464 (2015.04)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An electrically operable valve assembly for an electronic faucet comprising:
a valve housing including an outer wall defining an interior region for receiving a fluid;
a solenoid valve;
a temperature sensor positioned outside the interior region;
a thermally conductive heat transfer device extending between the temperature sensor and the interior region to transfer heat from fluid in the interior region to the temperature sensor, the heat transfer device including a shaft portion and a head portion, the shaft portion extending within an opening of the outer wall of the valve housing into the interior region, and the head portion in thermal communication with the temperature sensor;
a controller in communication with the temperature sensor and operative to control the solenoid valve; and
an electronically controlled valve body assembly in series with the solenoid valve and controlled by the controller to control the temperature of fluid within the interior region in response to input from the temperature sensor.