Regulated control valve assembly for a water purification system

Claim 1

A water purification system for producing relatively purified water from a supply of feed water under pressure, said system comprising: a reverse osmosis unit for receiving and processing a feed water supply to produce a purified water supply and a reject water supply; a feed water conduit for coupling a feed water supply for flow to said reverse osmosis unit; means for regulating the pressure of the feed water coupled for flow to said reverse osmosis unit to prevent the feed water pressure from exceeding a predetermined threshold pressure; a storage vessel having an internal volume and a movable barrier separating said internal volume into a purified water chamber and a reject water chamber; means for coupling said purified water supply for flow from said reverse osmosis unit into said purified water chamber; a faucet valve assembly having a discharge spout and including faucet valve means operable in a first position to communicate said purified water chamber to said spout for discharge and use of the purified water supply within said purified water chamber, and for communicating said reject water supply from said reverse osmosis unit into said reject water chamber at a substantial flow rate, whereby the reject water supplied into said reject water chamber expands said reject water chamber to displace said barrier in a manner forcing the purified water supply within said purified water chamber to flow out of said purified water chamber for discharge through said spout; said faucet valve means being further operable in a second position to prevent communication between said purified water chamber and said spout, and for coupling the reject water supply produced by said reverse osmosis unit and the reject water supply within said reject water chamber to a drain; and means for controlling the pressure within said storage vessel to prevent the storage vessel pressure from exceeding a predetermined pressure limit, wherein said regulating means and said controlling means include means for operatively positioning a common throttle valve to selectively throttle flow of feed water through said feed water conduit to said reverse osmosis unit, and wherein said throttle valve comprises a valve body defining a valve seat, means for coupling the feed water supply for flow through said valve seat into said feed water conduit, and a valve head movably positioned to selectively throttle feed water flow through said valve seat, said means for operatively positioning said throttle valve comprising a valve stem coupled to said valve head, said regulating means comprising a pressure regulator coupled to said valve stem and including means responsive to the pressure of the feed water within said feed water conduit downstream of said valve seat to movably position said valve head, and said controlling means comprising a pressure control member coupled to said valve stem and responsive to the fluid pressure within the storage vessel to movably position said valve head.