EP1724401A2

EP1724401A2 - Electrically controlled mixing valve

Info

Publication number: EP1724401A2
Application number: EP06425303A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Paolo Andreotti
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-05-06
Filing date: 2006-05-03
Publication date: 2006-11-22
Also published as: EP1724401A3

Abstract

The invention is a new system for mixing water and regulating the flow rate, comprising an electric control and supply unit (Zi) and a manifold-mixer (C) comprising in turn one or more solenoid valves (Ei) connected to and regulated by suitable electronic adjusting devices (P, Pm, Pp), and wherein each solenoid valve (Ei) comprises two through holes (F1) and (F2) for connection to the hot water (Tc) and cold water (Tf) pipes and at least one further hole (F3) for the insertion of a supply pipe (Ti) that conveys water to the sanitary fixture (Ui) to which water must be provided. Said solenoid valves (Ei) may be connected to the same two hot water (Tc) or cold water (Tf) pipes, and be positioned side by side or overlapped. The electric control and supply unit (Zi) processes the data coming from the adjusting knobs (N) and feeds the solenoid valves (Ei). The system also comprises one or more sensors (flood sensor Sa, temperature sensor, pressure sensor, etc) and presence detectors and vocal controls for regulating the flow rate and the mixing ratio of the water being dispensed.

Description

The present invention concerns devices for mixing water and regulating the flow rate and in particular it concerns a new system for mixing water and regulating the flow rate comprising solenoid valves and an electric control and supply unit, in particular for hydraulic systems for sanitary water.
Hydraulic systems for the supply of sanitary water are known, which are commonly installed in civil, commercial, industrial buildings, that is, wherever there are civil and industrial users to which water must be provided.
Hydraulic systems for sanitary water are known and widespread, which comprise two distinct piping lines, one for cold water and the other for hot water, that convey water to every single sanitary fixture, that is, basin, shower, etc., and wherein water is mixed and the flow rate of the supplied water is regulated at the level of the mixer tap.
Taps for sanitary fixtures like basins, showers, etc are known, which comprise a tap or mixer, and one or more knobs or levers for regulating the water flow rate.
Said knobs or levers have the function to open or close to a varying degree the hydraulic valves, or gate valves, positioned inside the pipes leading to the sanitary fixture.
In particular, the taps equipped with regulating knobs usually comprise one or two knobs for opening and closing the hydraulic valve of the hot or cold water pipe. In this way the user, opening or closing one or both of said knobs, is able to regulate the temperature and the flow rate of the water that flows out of the mixer tap.
The operation of said known taps is thus mechanic and involves the use of special devices installed inside the taps and connected to said regulating knobs.
For this purpose, valve units are known, which are used for taps with regulating knobs.
In particular, said valve units are devices having a substantially cylindrical shape, with a main body threaded in at least two parts, in such a way as to be able to be connected and fixed both to said regulating knobs and to the body of the tap itself.
Said valve units comprise a further threaded element that, when screwed or unscrewed due to the rotation of the main component of the valve unit, is lifted or lowered, thus functioning as a gate for the pipe that supplies water to the tap.
The rotation of said regulating knobs causes the corresponding water supply pipe to open or close, thus regulating the water flow rate.
Traditional taps are commonly used in pairs, one for regulating the supply of hot water and the other for regulating the supply of cold water. In this way, the user may set the desired temperature and flow rate of the water to be supplied by rotating the two knobs accordingly.
The taps equipped with lever have the same operating principle, but are used differently.
Said taps comprise a lever that, if rotated on the horizontal plane, that is, to the right or to the left, adjusts the water temperature, that is, the ratio between the flow rates of the hot and cold water pipes, while if rotated on the vertical plane, that is, lifted or lowered, adjusts the flow rate of the water to be supplied.
The operation of said known taps is thus mechanic and involves the use of special components, called cartridges, which are inserted in the taps in such a way as to be able to be manoeuvred by means of said regulating lever.
Said cartridges are devices comprising a substantially cylindrical external body, whose bottom is provided with two or more holes, and wherein inside said cylindrical body there are suitable moving elements, usually flat and circular in shape.
The known cartridges are inserted in the tap and are equipped, on the top, with a small lever connected to the regulating lever of said tap.
When the user shifts said regulating lever laterally, to the right or to the left, this rotary movement is transmitted to the discs contained in the cylindrical body and these discs open or close, partially or completely, the holes present on the bottom of the cylindrical body itself.
In this way, by closing or opening said holes, the passage of hot or cold water is allowed or prevented, which means that the relevant flow rates are regulated, and practically in this way also the temperature of the supplied water is regulated.
If the user, on the other hand, lifts or lowers the regulating lever, the small lever of the cartridge is moved to an inclined position, thus opening or closing the hole through which the water to be dispensed can reach the tap and flow out.
The greater or smaller opening of said hole, determined by the greater or smaller inclination of the regulating lever, determines the flow rate of the dispensed water.
Differently from the common taps with double regulating knob, with this type of tap the user can regulate both the temperature and the flow rate of the water to be dispensed by means of a single regulating lever.
Hydraulic systems with two distinct water pipes, on the other hand, present several drawbacks, first of all the high labour cost for installation and maintenance.
It is also known that said hydraulic systems with double piping need demolition work for any replacement or repair, or for any modification of the position of the sanitary fixtures, with the consequence that the part of the wall involved by the work must also be rebuilt, with the corresponding additional costs.
Single-pipe hydraulic systems for sanitary water are also known, that is, systems comprising a single pipe that supplies the already mixed water to the corresponding sanitary fixture.
In this case water is mixed before being conveyed into the supply pipe, and mixing takes place in a manifold-mixer, where the two hot and cold water pipes arrive and from which a single supply pipe branches off for each sanitary fixture.
The water, properly mixed in such a way as to obtain the desired temperature and flow rate, reaches the sanitary fixture through said single supply pipe, made of a flexible plastic material.
In this way the use of two pipes is avoided, thus sparing a considerable amount of time and reducing material and installation costs.
Said mixed water supply pipe is housed in sheaths, channels, hoses or the like, so that in case of replacement it can be simply withdrawn from its seat, with no need for any wall demolition work.
Hot and cold water are thus mixed before being conveyed into the supply pipe, and mixing takes place in said manifold-mixer, usually in proximity to the boiler.
Said manifold-mixer comprises, for this purpose, at least one three-way solenoid valve, connected to the hot and cold water pipes and to the water supply pipe.
Each supply pipe thus brings water to the corresponding sanitary fixture, the mixing ratio and the flow rate of the water to be dispensed having already been regulated by said solenoid valve, one solenoid valve being provided for each water supply pipe.
In particular, the mixing ratio is regulated by the user through a regulating knob that, via electric wires connected to the solenoid valve or to the corresponding control circuit, controls the operation of the manifold-mixer.
By changing the position of the regulating knob it is possible to change the position of the solenoid valve and therefore to regulate the mixing ratio of hot and cold water and the flow rate of the water to be dispensed.
The known manifolds-mixers of the hydraulic systems for sanitary water with one single pipe are thus reached by the two hot and cold water pipes, and said pipes have as many branches as the number of solenoid valves.
In this way, however, the system of pipes and pipe fittings may be rather bulky and too complex and difficult to carry out, especially in the presence of several solenoid valves.
The known devices for mixing water and regulating the flow rate, furthermore, are not sufficiently compact and are also difficult to install; when one of said solenoid valves must be replaced, the operation is excessively complex and requires even a temporary interruption of the supply of water of the whole system.
To overcome all the drawbacks mentioned above, a new system for mixing water and regulating the flow rate has been designed and implemented, equipped with solenoid valves and an electric control unit, particularly for single-pipe hydraulic systems, with one or more taps with electronic valve unit and/or one or more mixer taps with electronic cartridge.
The main aim of the present invention is to carry out the mixing of hot and cold water before the water is conveyed into the supply pipe, so that when the water to be dispensed reaches the sanitary fixture it has already been mixed, according to the temperature and flow rate desired by the user.
Another aim of the present invention is to allow the flow rate of the water reaching the sanitary fixture to be regulated according to the user's needs.
Another aim of the present invention is to carry out a system that is compact and easy to install.
A further aim of the present invention is to facilitate maintenance and replacement of the solenoid valves.
Another aim of the present invention is to make it unnecessary to replace the common taps with regulating knobs or the common mixer taps with regulating levers.
A further aim of the present invention is to make it possible to transform any traditional pre-existing tap or mixer tap with manually-operated regulating knobs/levers into a tap or mixer tap with electronically operated knobs/levers, keeping its appearance and functionality unchanged.
A further aim of the present invention is to allow the installation of knobs and/or levers and/or button panels for regulating the flow rate and the temperature of the water to be dispensed even not in proximity to the taps.
These and other direct and complementary aims have been achieved through the implementation of the new system for mixing water and regulating the flow rate equipped with solenoid valves and an electric control unit, with one or more taps with electronic valve unit and/or one or more mixer taps with electronic cartridge.
The invention is constituted - as to its main components - by an electric control and supply unit, a manifold-mixer comprising at least one solenoid valve connected to at least one potentiometer, one or more water supply pipes, one or more taps and/or mixer taps and one or more knobs and/or levers and/or button panels and/or displays and/or other devices for regulating the flow rate and mixing the water that is being delivered.
Said manifold-mixer is preferably installed upstream of the sanitary water supply pipe, typically in proximity to the boiler.
The manifold-mixer comprises one or more solenoid valves, each one of which is connected to the two hot and cold water pipes and to one supply pipe.
Said supply pipe is a flexible pipe made of plastic material resistant to thermal and mechanic stress due to the passage of the water conveyed to the different sanitary fixtures.
Each solenoid valve is provided with two through holes in which the hot and cold water pipes are inserted and connected, both pipes being provided with suitable holes and pipe fittings for allowing water to be fed into the supply pipe.
Said solenoid valve comprises two motors for hydraulic valves that control the opening and closing of said holes and is electrically connected, through two or more electric wires, to an adjusting device like a potentiometer that in turn is directly or indirectly connected to one or more regulating knobs and/or levers and/or button panels and/or to said electric control and supply unit.
By changing the position of said potentiometer the user can modify the position of said solenoid valve, thus regulating the flow rates of hot and cold water, or the mixing ratio and consequently the temperature and flow rate of the water to be dispensed. Since each sanitary fixture is connected to a supply pipe, the new system for mixing water and regulating the flow rate comprises at least one solenoid valve for each supply pipe, that is, one solenoid valve for each sanitary fixture, each valve being controlled by a potentiometer connected for example to one or more regulating knobs or levers for each sanitary fixture.
Each solenoid valve also comprises an electric control and supply unit that provides for decoding and processing the data coming from said potentiometer and for feeding the solenoid valve that regulates the mixing ratio and the flow rate of the water to be conveyed to the sanitary fixture.
In particular, the position of each potentiometer, controlled for example by means of knobs and/or levers and/or button panels, determines the data corresponding to the flow rate of hot water and cold water and sends them to said electronic control and supply unit, which operates the corresponding solenoid valve, that is, the motors of the hydraulic valves, so that hot and cold water can be properly mixed according to the user's requirements.
According to a possible implementation of the invention, the new system for regulating and mixing the water being delivered comprises one or more taps with regulating knobs and/or one or more taps with regulating lever.
In particular, each one of said taps with knobs comprises at least one valve unit for each regulating knob, wherein each one of said valve units is constituted - as to its main components - by a main body for connection and attachment to the fixed support of the regulating knob, a rotary spindle connected to said regulating knob and a potentiometer electrically connected, through said electric wires, to the corresponding solenoid valve of said manifold-mixer.
The rotation of the regulating knob causes the rotation of the rotary spindle of the valve unit and therefore regulates the voltage transmitted by the potentiometer, through the electric wires, to the solenoid valve of the manifold-mixer or to said control and supply unit.
In this way, by rotating the regulating knob, the user has the impression of turning a normal tap, while he/she is actually operating a potentiometer inserted in the valve unit, which transmits a signal to the corresponding solenoid valve that in turn causes the opening or closing of the hot or cold water pipes, thus mixing the water to be supplied and regulating its flow rate, according to the rotation of said knob, that is, according to the user's needs.
As an alternative to or in combination with said taps with regulating knobs, the new system comprises one or more taps with regulating lever and electronic cartridge.
Said electronic cartridge comprises an external, substantially cylindrical body that is identical to that of standard cartridges and therefore is suited to be inserted in the mixer taps with regulating lever of the known type, wherein said cartridge is equipped with a small lever positioned vertically on the top of said cylindrical body and connected to the regulating lever, with a substantially cylindrical rotary element positioned horizontally in the cylindrical body and with two potentiometers.
The first potentiometer controls the mixing of hot and cold water, that is, regulates the relevant flow rates and therefore the temperature of the water being dispensed, and is electrically connected to said rotary element on the horizontal plane, while the second potentiometer, which is responsible for regulating the flow rate, is electrically connected to said small lever rotating on the vertical plane and both said potentiometers are also connected, through said electric wires, to the corresponding solenoid valve of said manifold-mixer.
The rotation to the right or to the left of the adjusting lever of the tap determines the rotation of said rotary element around its vertical axis on the horizontal plane, thus causing the rotation of the moving cursor of the mixing potentiometer connected to it.
The electric signal is transmitted, through two or more electric wires, to the corresponding solenoid valve of said manifold-mixer, where the mixing of cold and hot water is regulated, and/or to said electric control and supply unit.
On the other hand, by lowering or lifting the adjusting lever it is possible to determine the movement of the cartridge lever, thus causing the rotation of the moving cursor of the flow rate potentiometer connected to it.
In this way the electric signal is sent, through two or more electric wires, to said electric control and supply unit and/or to the solenoid valve of said manifold-mixer, where the position of said solenoid valve determines the flow rate of the water to be dispensed.
Practically, in order to avoid giving up the undoubtful advantages deriving from the installation of the single-pipe hydraulic system for sanitary water and to ensure its ease of use, the installation of said valve unit with potentiometer and/or of said cartridge with potentiometers makes it possible to obtain regulating devices that are absolutely similar to the known ones, that is, taps with adjusting knobs or lever.
According to a further possible implementation of the invention, even simpler and more economic than the previous ones, the potentiometers that control the solenoid valves can be regulated with common knobs or joysticks and contained in a simple case that can be integral with the sanitary fixture or positioned on a wall, not necessarily in proximity to the sanitary fixture itself.
The invention may also comprise one or more sensors (flood, temperature, pressure sensors, etc) that improve the operation and use of the hydraulic system for sanitary water.
For example, through the installation of flood probes inside or in proximity to the manifold-mixer, said electric control and supply unit may cause the interruption of the supply of water in case of uncontrolled water outflows.
The installation of a temperature sensor connected to an adjusting device allows the user to read and consequently set the temperature of the water to be dispensed through the tap of the sanitary fixture before its use.
The characteristics of the invention will be highlighted in greater detail in the following description, with reference to the drawings attached as non-limiting examples.

Figures 1 and 1a show a cross section and a three-dimensional view of a solenoid valve (Ei), while Figure 2 shows a manifold-mixer (C), in which a possible arrangement of said solenoid valves (Ei) is diagrammatically represented.
Figure 3 shows a sanitary fixture (Ui) connected to the supply pipe (Ti), while Figure 4 shows a control display (D).
Figure 5 is a front view of the valve unit (V).
Figures 6 and 7 show two examples of application of the valve unit (V) in two different types of taps (Ri) with knobs (N).
Figure 8 shows a cartridge (D) and Figure 9 shows its components in detail.
Figure 10 shows an example of application of the cartridge (D) to a tap (Ri) with adjusting lever (L) connected to a solenoid valve (Ei) through a supply pipe (Ti).

The manifold-mixer (C) comprises a solenoid valve (Ei) for each sanitary fixture (Ui) to be fed, and each solenoid valve (Ei) is provided with two through holes (Fc) and (Ff), for the insertion of the hot water pipe (Tc) and of the cold water pipe (Tf), respectively.
Said solenoid valves (Ei), being provided with said through holes (F1) and (F2), may all be connected to the same two hot water (Tc) and cold water (Tf) pipes, and can be positioned side by side or overlapped, as shown in Figure 2.
The solenoid valve (Ei) is provided with a further hole (F3) for inserting the supply pipe (Ti) that conveys water from said solenoid valve (Ei) to the sanitary fixture (Ui).
Each solenoid valve (Ei) also comprises two motors (M1) and (M2) that control the hydraulic valves (W1) and (W2) responsible for regulating the flow rates of the hot and cold water coming from the pipes (Tc) and (Tf).
Each solenoid valve (Ei) of the manifold-mixer (C) is connected to an adjusting device, for example one or more potentiometers (P)/(Pm, Pp), through two or more electric wires.
In the specific cases represented in the figures, said potentiometers (P)/(Pm, Pp) are controlled and regulated by means of one or more adjusting knobs (N)/lever (L) of the tap (Ri) of each sanitary fixture (Ui) to which water must be delivered or through the electric control and supply unit (Zi).
The electric control and supply unit (Zi) has the function to receive, decode and process the data sent by said adjusting knobs (N)/lever (L) of the taps (Ri) and by any sensors used, such as a flood sensor (Sa), a temperature sensor, or any other sensor.
The invention may also comprise a display (Y), connected to said temperature sensor, that indicates, in addition to the value of the flow rate, also the value of the temperature of the water present in the supply pipe (Ti) and ready to be dispensed.
In this way the user can read the temperature and the flow rate of the water that is going to be dispensed and if necessary decide whether to use the button panel and/or the adjusting knobs (N)/lever (L) in order to modify the mixing ratio and the flow rate of the water before use.
This configuration is particularly useful for showers or other sanitary fixtures, in fact the user comes in contact with the water only when the desired temperature has been reached, which allows unpleasant sensations of excessive cold or hot to be avoided.
Once the data have been received and processed, the position of the solenoid valve (Ei) is set according to the position of the knob (N)/lever (L) of the tap (Ri), thus regulating the operation of the motors (M1) and (M2) and, consequently, the mixing ratio, temperature and flow rate of the water conveyed to the sanitary fixtures (Ui) through the supply pipe (Ti).
Each one of said taps (Ri) is connected to the corresponding supply pipe (Ti), wherein said supply pipe (Ti) is in turn connected to said manifold-mixer (C) where the position of the solenoid valve (Ei) determines the mixing ratio and the flow rate of the dispensed water.
According to the solution with taps with knobs (N), said solenoid valve (Ei) is connected, through two or more of said electric wires (1) and (2), to the valve unit (V), which in turn is connected to and screwed into said adjusting knob (N), of known type.
The main body (V1) of said valve unit (V) is threaded, so that it can be fastened to the fixed support (N1) of the adjusting knob (N), and comprises a spindle (V2) whose rotation is caused by the rotation of the adjusting knob (N).
Said valve unit (V) comprises a bottom chamber (R) that houses a potentiometer (P).
The rotation of the potentiometer control is in turn caused by the rotation of the adjusting knob (N), transmitted by the spindle (V2) of the valve unit (V).
The rotation of said adjusting knob (N) thus causes the rotation of said spindle (V2) that, through the potentiometer (P) and the electric wires (1) and (2), controls the position of the solenoid valve (Ei) that regulates the mixing ratio and the flow rate of the water to be dispensed.
As an alternative to or in combination with the solution just described, one or more of the taps (Ri) may be of the type with adjusting lever (L).
Each one of said taps (Ri) is connected to the corresponding supply pipe (Ti), wherein said supply pipe (Ti) is in turn connected to said manifold-mixer (C) where the position of the solenoid valve (Ei) determines the mixing ratio and the flow rate of the dispensed water.
Said solenoid valve (Ei) is connected, through two or more electric wires, to the cartridge (D), which in turn is inserted and fixed into the tap (Ri) and connected to the adjusting lever (L).
The cylindrical body (D1) of said cartridge (D) contains a disc (D2) on which the mixing potentiometer (Pm) is housed.
The mixing potentiometer (Pm) is connected to a rotary element (D3), substantially cylindrical in shape, which is also housed on said disc (D2).
Said rotary element (D3) comprises teeth (D3') that mesh with the teeth of the moving cursor (Pm') of the mixing potentiometer (Pm), so that the rotation of the small lever (D4) on the horizontal plane causes the rotation of said rotary element (D3) hinged to it on the horizontal plane. The rotation of the rotary element (D3) in turn shifts said movig cursor of the mixing potentiometer (Pm) that sends the relevant electric signal to the solenoid valve (Ei). The cartridge (D) also comprises a small lever (D4), inserted in the cylindrical body (D1) and connected to said adjusting lever (L).
Said small lever (D4) is in turn connected also to the flow rate potentiometer (Pp), so that shifting said small lever (D4) means moving the cursor of said flow rate potentiometer (Pp), which will send the relevant electric signal to the corresponding solenoid valve (Ei).
In particular, said small lever (D4) comprises, in its lower part, teeth (D4') that mesh with the teeth of the moving cursor (Pp') of the flow rate potentiometer (Pp), in such a way that the rotation of said small lever (D4) on the vertical plane shifts said moving cursor (Pp') of the flow rate potentiometer (Pp).
In this way the user, to regulate the mixing ratio of the dispensed water, must use the adjusting lever (L), rotating it sideways, while to regulate the flow rate the user must lift or lower said adjusting lever (L). In practice, therefore, the user uses the tap with adjusting lever (L) as if it were a common tap with hydraulic cartridge.
The use of a presence detector can also be included, which regulates the water flow rate by adopting preset values.
Furthermore, a vocal control device can also be employed to regulate the total flow rate and the mixing ratio of the flow being dispensed.
Therefore, with reference to the above description and the attached drawings, the following claims are expressed.

Claims

System for mixing water and regulating the flow rate for single-pipe hydraulic systems for sanitary water, characterized in that it comprises a manifold-mixer (C), comprising in turn one or more solenoid valves (Ei) connected to and controlled by suitable adjusting devices (P, Pm, Pp), each solenoid valve comprising:
- two or more through holes (F1) and (F2) for connection to the hot water (Tc) and cold water (Tf) pipes of the hydraulic system;

- at least one further hole (F3) for the insertion of at least one supply pipe (Ti) that conveys the water coming from said hot water pipe (Tc) and/or from said cold water pipe (Tf) to the tap (Ri) of the sanitary fixture (Ui) to which water must be supplied;

- one or more motors (M1) and (M2) of hydraulic valves (W1) and (W2) for regulating the flow of hot and/or cold water;

- one electric control and supply unit (Zi) for receiving and processing the impulses coming from said adjusting devices (P, Pm, Pp) and for feeding said solenoid valve (Ei) according to said impulses received, in order to control the operation of said motors (M1, M2) and the position of said hydraulic valves (W1, W2), in such a way as to obtain the supply of water already mixed and regulated at the desired temperature and flow rate;
and wherein said solenoid valves (Ei) may be connected to one another and/or to the same two hot water (Tc) and cold water (Tf) pipes, and be positioned side by side or overlapped.
System for mixing water and regulating the flow rate according to claim 1, characterized in that said adjusting devices (P, Pm, Pp) comprise one or more potentiometers that are directly or indirectly set rotating by the user.
System for mixing water and regulating the flow rate according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said adjusting devices (P, Pm, Pp) are connected to knobs (N) and/or levers (L) that may or not be integral with said taps (Ri), and/or button panels and/or displays, through which the user can regulate the mixing ratio and the flow rate of the dispensed water.
System for mixing water and regulating the flow rate according to claims 1, 2, 3, 4, characterized in that one or more of said taps (R) comprise/s one or more of said knobs (N), each one connected to at least one valve unit (V), in turn comprising:
- a threaded main body (V1) for fastening to the fixed support (M1) of said adjusting knob (N);

- at least one spindle (V2) connected to said adjusting knob (N);

- at least one potentiometer (P) connected to said spindle (V2);
and wherein the rotation of said spindle (V2), through the rotation of the adjusting knob (N), determines a voltage variation transmitted by said potentiometer (P), through two or more electric wires (1) and (2), to said electric control and supply unit (Zi) and/or to the corresponding solenoid valve (Ei) connected to it.
System for mixing water and regulating the flow rate according to claims 1, 2, 3, 4, characterized in that one or more of said taps (Ri) comprises at least one adjusting lever (L) and at least one cartridge (D), in turn comprising a small lever (D4) hinged to a rotary element (D3), connected to said adjusting lever (L), and wherein the rotation and inclination of said adjusting lever (L) causes, through the rotation of said small lever (D4) and of said rotary element (D3) on the horizontal plane and and through the rotation of said small lever (D4) on the vertical plane, a change in the voltage of two potentiometer (Pm) and (Pp) connected to them and positioned inside said cartridge (D), said potentiometers (Pm) and (Pp) being also connected to one or more of said solenoid valves (Ei) that control the mixing ratio and the flow rate of the water dispensed through said tap (Ri).
System for mixing water and regulating the flow rate according to claim 5, characterized in that said first mixing potentiometer (Pm) engages with the teeth (D3') of said rotary element (D3) and the flow rate potentiometer (Pp) engages with the teeth (D4') of said small lever (D4), so that:
- the rotation of the adjusting lever (L) on the horizontal plane causes the rotation of said rotary element (D3), thus determining a voltage variation transmitted by said mixing potentiometer (Pm), through two or more electric wires, to said electric control and supply unit (Zi) and/or to said solenoid valve (Ei) that, in said manifold-mixer (C), regulates the mixing ratio between hot and cold water, that is, the temperature of the dispensed water;

- the vertical movement of said adjusting lever (L) causes the rotation of said small lever (D4) on the vertical plane, thus determining a voltage variation transmitted by said flow rate potentiometer (Pp), through two or more electric wires, to said electric control and supply unit (Zi) and/or to said solenoid valve (Ei) that, in said manifold-mixer (C), regulates the flow rate of the dispensed water.
System for mixing water and regulating the flow rate according to claims 4 and/or 5, 6, characterized in that said valve unit (V) and/or said cartridge (D) has/have overall dimensions that can be compared to those of the known valve units and cartridges, so that said valve unit (V)/said cartridge (D) can be inserted in the known taps/mixer taps.
System for mixing water and regulating the flow rate according to the previous claims, characterized in that it comprises one or more flood sensors (Sa), connected to said electric control and supply unit (Zi), to interrupt the feeding of the solenoid valves (Ei) and therefore the supply of water to the sanitary fixtures (Ui) in case of uncontrolled water outflows.
System for mixing water and regulating the flow rate according to the previous claims, characterized in that it comprises one or more temperature sensors positioned inside said supply pipes (Ti) and connected to suitable adjusting devices or thermostats and to said electric control and supply unit (Zi).
System for mixing water and regulating the flow rate according to the previous claims, characterized in that it comprises one or more displays (Y) connected to said temperature sensor and/or to said electric control and supply unit (Zi), indicating the temperature and/or the flow rate of the water present in one or more of said supply pipes (Ti).
System for mixing water and regulating the flow rate according to the previous claims, characterized in that it comprises one or more presence detectors and/or one or more vocal control devices that intervene on the flow rate and the mixing ratio of the water being dispensed, adopting preset values.