Water conditioner valve and system

Claim 1

A water conditioner system for producing product water from supply water received from a water supply source, comprising: water filter means, the water filter means including means for receiving supply water and means for producing and discharging product water and for discharging brine water, the water filter means having a water supply inlet passage and a product water outlet passage and a brine water outlet passage, a water container, a movable wall within the water container and separating the water container into a first portion and a second portion, a product water outlet conduit, the product water outlet conduit being operable and closeable, the product water outlet conduit being normally closed, a valve housing, the valve housing being provided with a water supply inlet passage and a water supply outlet passage, there being a first cavity within the housing and joining the water supply inlet passage to the water supply outlet passage, a first valve within the first cavity and positioned to control flow of water between the water supply inlet passage and the water supply outlet passage, spring means urging the first valve to an open position, the first valve being provided with a main orifice therethrough and an auxiliary orifice therethrough, a first closure member, the first closure member being movable into the main orifice to close the main orifice of the first valve, the housing also being provided with a third passage and a fourth passage, there being a second cavity leading from the third passage to the fourth passage, a second valve within the second cavity and positioned to control water flow between the third passage and the fourth passage, spring means urging the second valve to an open position, the second valve being provided with a main orifice and an auxiliary orifice, the housing also being provided with a fifth passage and a sixth passage, a check-valve separating the fifth and sixth passages, means joining the sixth passage to the product water outlet conduit, first piston means, means responsive to product water pressure in the fifth passage for operation of the first piston means, means responsive to operation of the first piston means for operation of the first closure member, second piston means, means responsive to pressure of product water in the sixth passage for operation of the second piston means, means responsive to operation of the second piston for controlling operation of the second closure member, first conduit means, the first conduit means joining the water supply outlet passage of the housing to the water supply inlet passage of the water filter means, second conduit means, the second conduit means joining the product water outlet passage of the water filter means to the fifth passage of the housing, third conduit means, the third conduit means joining the brine water outlet passage of the water filter means to the third passage of the housing, fourth conduit means, the fourth conduit means joining the fifth passage of the housing to the second portion of the water container, fifth conduit means, the fifth conduit means joining the first portion of the water container to the fourth passage of the housing, wherein supply water flows into the water supply inlet passage of the housing and supply water flows through the first cavity into the supply water outlet passage and from the supply water outlet passage through the first conduit means to the water filter means, product water flowing from the product water outlet passage of the water filter means through the second conduit means to the fifth passage of the housing, product water flowing from the fifth passage into the fourth conduit means and into the second portion of the water container, product water also flowing from the fifth passage into the sixth passage and into the product water outlet conduit, the product water when sufficient in volume and pressure operating the second piston and moving the second closure member into the main orifice of the second valve to close the main orifice of the second valve, wherein water flow through the auxiliary orifice within the second cavity forces the second valve to close communication between the third passage of the housing and the fourth passage of the housing, thus preventing flow of brine water to the water container, increased pressure of the product water in the fifth passage operating the first piston and moving the first closure member into the main orifice of the first valve to close the main orifice of the first valve member, wherein water flow through the auxiliary orifice in the first valve within the first cavity forces the first valve to close communication between the first passage and the second passage, thus preventing water flow from the water supply source to the water filter means, opening of the product water outlet conduit permitting flow of product water from the water container and from the fifth and sixth passages and reducing the pressure of product water within the fifth and sixth passages, wherein the first and second pistons operate and move the first and second closure members from the first and second valves, permitting the first and second valves to move to open position and permit flow of supply water through the water supply inlet passage and through the supply water outlet passage and into the water filter means, for additional flow of brine water from the water filter means and into the first portion of the water container thus applying pressure upon the movable wall within the water container and forcing product water to flow from the water container and through the fifth and sixth passages and into the product water outlet conduit.