WO2011115597A2

WO2011115597A2 - Faucet for sanitary installations

Info

Publication number: WO2011115597A2
Application number: PCT/TR2011/000064
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bora ÇIRACI; Fatih Cumbul
Original assignee: Eczacibaşi Yapi Gereçleri̇ Sanayi̇ Ve Ticaret Anonim Şi̇rketi̇
Priority date: 2010-03-16
Filing date: 2011-03-15
Publication date: 2011-09-22
Also published as: WO2011115597A3; TW201139797A; TR201001988A2

Abstract

The sanitary tap (A), or faucet, according to the present invention, comprises a water inlet (6), water outlet (4), a shower outlet (3), and a diverter mechanism (5) in its body (1 ) guiding the water received therein to a desired outlet (4, 3). As the movable components in said diverter mechanism (5) are used a tubular rod (7); at least one seal ring (9) provided at the exterior of the rod (7) and positioned so as to move together with the latter (7), and at least one spring (8) exerting force onto the rod (7) on the direction of the movement of the latter. As for the outlet of the shower (3), there is provided a shower connection element (18) to which one end (17) of the rod (7) is connected, and which is brought close to and moved away from the faucet (A) to adjust the state, or position, of the mechanism.

Description

DESCRIPTION

FAUCET FOR SANITARY INSTALLATIONS Technical Field

This invention relates to faucets, or taps, with connections to fixed shower and/or to handheld shower heads used in sanitary installations. Prior Art

As is known, bathroom and kitchen faucets are sanitary taps which allow using hot or cold water, or a mixture thereof, for personal cleaning purposes. In bathroom and kitchen faucets, typically provided with a hand-held shower connection as well, are used a so- called diverter mechanism to guide the water to the shower head. Water is guided out from the normal outlet, or from the shower head of a faucet, depending on the position of the diverter. In most of the known faucets, there is employed an up-down movable bar on the faucet to adjust the state, or position of the diverter. The water is let out from the outlet of the faucet itself, or from a shower head connected to the faucet, depending on the up or down position of said bar, and on the structure of the diverter. The presence of a bar of this kind to adjust the state of the diverter on the body of a faucet is a factor that makes difficult the production of the faucet body. The presence of the bar also yields an inconvenient use, as well as complicates the cleaning of the faucet's exterior. In the published patent application CA2637121 according to the prior art is disclosed a faucet in which no diverter bar is disposed. According to the faucet disclosed in that application, it is seen that the state of the diverter is adjusted with a control button provided on a shower or spray head connected to the faucet and with the water pressure in the faucet. Disposing the control button only on the shower head, however, is sometimes likely to bring about an inconvenient use in terms of accessing a shower head provided at the end of a long hose.

Brief Description of Invention

The faucet according to the present invention, as detailed below, comprises a water inlet and outlet, a fixed shower and/or hand-held shower head connection, as well as a diverter mechanism within its body to guide the water taken into the body to any outlet desired. As the movable components in said diverter mechanism are used a tubular rod; at least one seal ring positioned so as to move together with the rod, and at least one spring exerting force to the rod on the direction of the movement of the latter. As for the outlet of the shower, there is provided a shower connection element to which one end of the rod is connected, and which is brought close to and moved away from the faucet to adjust the state, or position, of the mechanism. When the shower connection element is brought close to the faucet body, an upper surface of the seal ring is moved to rest onto an aperture, so that the water is passed only from the outer periphery of the rod and through an aperture there, so as to reach the water outlet of the faucet via the faucet body. When the shower connection element is moved away from the faucet body, a lower surface of the seal ring is similarly moved to rest on another aperture, so that the water is passed only through between the seal ring and the upper aperture, so as to reach the shower outlet from the interior of the rod. Objective of Invention

The objective of this invention is to provide a sanitary tap, or faucet, provided with a fixed shower and/or to hand-held shower head connection and a diverter mechanism used for this connection.

Another objective of this invention is to provide a faucet, not provided with a diverter arm on the body of said faucet.

A further objective of this invention is to provide an easily-producible and inexpensive, reliable faucet.

Description of Figures

An illustrative embodiment of the subject sanitary tap is illustrated in annexed figures briefly described hereunder;

Figure 1 is a side view of a faucet illustrative of the prior art.

Figure 2 is a side view of a faucet illustrative of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a faucet according to the present invention.

Figure 4 is a detailed view of Figure 3. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a faucet according to the present invention.

Figure 6 is a detailed view of Figure 5.

All the parts illustrated in figures are individually assigned a reference numeral and the corresponding terms of these numbers are listed below.

Faucet (A)

Faucet (Α') (prior art)

Diverter bar (R) (prior art)

Faucet body (1 )

Faucet body (V) (prior art)

On/off bar (2)

On/off bar (2') (prior art)

Shower outlet (3)

Shower outlet (3') (prior art)

Body water outlet (4)

Body water outlet (4') (prior art)

Diverter mechanism (5)

Faucet water inlet (6)

Rod (7)

Spring (8)

Seal ring (9)

Upper aperture (10)

Aperture (1 1)

Body interior (12)

Lower surface of seal ring (13)

Upper surface of seal ring (14)

Lower aperture (15)

Interior aperture of rod (16)

Rod tip (17)

Shower connection element (18)

Shower hose (19) Description of Invention

General external views of sanitary taps (Α', A) (e.g. for the kitchen or the bathroom) according to the prior art and to the present invention are illustratively shown in figures 1 and 2 respectively. As seen in Figure 1 , a diverter bar (R) is provided on the body (1 ') of said faucet (Α'). According to the position of the diverter bar (R) as determined by a user, a diverter (not shown in Figure 1 ) provided in the body (1 ') guides the water to a shower outlet (3') (either fixed and/or hand-held shower to provide normal or jet-like water flow), or to a water outlet (4') in the body (V) of the faucet. In this configuration, however, it is a must to form an extra hole on the body of the faucet (1 ') for the diverter arm (R). For this reason, production costs associated with the faucet body (1 ') and the assembly costs of the faucet (Α') are enhanced. In addition to these, cleaning the exterior of suchlike faucets is difficult due to the presence of this bar (R), provided in the form of a protrusion on the body (1 '). It is another cause of use inconvenience that mains water on/off bars (2') on faucet bodies (1 ') are provided close to the diverter bar (R) in some faucets (A).

As for the faucet (A) illustrated in Figure 2, it is not provided with any diverter arm on its body (1 ), wherein the state of the diverter (not illustrated in Figure 1 ) within the body (1 ) is adjusted by means of a shower outlet (3). The details on this shower outlet (3) and the respective diverter mechanism are given below.

Figures 3 and 4 each provide a cross-sectional view of the faucet (A) according to the present invention. The interior of the faucet (A) is illustrated in these figures, including the details of the respective diverter mechanism (5). The state of the diverter mechanism (5) in figures 3 and 4 is the state by which the water in (12) the faucet body (1 ) is guided out from a water outlet (4) of the body. In other words, mains water coming from a water inlet (6) of the faucet is passed through the diverter mechanism (5) and delivered to said water outlet (4). For this reason, no water can be delivered to the shower outlet (3) in this state of the mechanism (5). In Figure 4, in turn, the state of the diverter mechanism (5) is illustrated in greater details (the flow direction of water is illustrated in this figure by dashed lines with arrows).

As the movable components in the diverter mechanism (5) are used a tubular rod (7); at least one seal ring (9) provided at the exterior of the rod (7) and positioned so as to move together with the latter (7), and at least one spring (8) exerting force onto the rod (7) on the direction of the movement of the latter. Other parts in the mechanism (5) are fixed, i.e. immovable, and are used to adjust the position of the rod (7), seal ring (9), and the spring (8). As illustrated in Figure 4, the rod (7) is present in an upper position. In this position, the seal ring (9) is moved to lean with its upper surface (14) to an aperture (10). With the seal ring (9) sealing this aperture (10) in an impermeable manner, the mains water will flow only through the outer periphery of the rod (7) and through an aperture (11) provided there. Water passing through this aperture (1 1) is delivered to the interior (12) of the faucet body and to said water outlet (4). Meanwhile, said spring (8) pushes the rod (7) in this position and helps the seal ring (9) in leaning against said upper aperture (10). In this position again, the mains water exerts pressure to the lower surface (13) of the seal ring, thereby helping the rod (7) and the seal ring (9) to stay in said position.

Figures 5 and 6 each provide a cross-sectional view of the faucet (A) according to the present invention. The interior of the faucet (A) is illustrated in these figures, including the details of the respective diverter mechanism (5). The state of the diverter mechanism (5) in figures 5 and 6 is the state by which the mains water is guided to the shower outlet (3). In other words, mains water coming from the water inlet (6) of the faucet is passed through the diverter mechanism (5) and delivered to the shower outlet (3). For this reason, no water can be delivered to the water outlet (4) in this state of the mechanism (5). In Figure 6, in turn, the state of the diverter mechanism (5) is illustrated in greater details (the flow direction of water is illustrated in this figure by dashed lines with arrows).

As illustrated in Figure 6, the rod (7) is present here in its lower position. In this position, the seal ring (9) is moved to lean with its lower surface (13) against an aperture (15). Since the seal ring (9) seals this aperture (15) in an impermeable manner, the mains water will flow only through between the seal ring (9) and the upper aperture (10) to the interior aperture (16) of the rod, and from there (16) to the shower outlet (3) directly. With the seal ring (9) sealing said aperture (15) in an impermeable manner, the water is prevented from flowing through an aperture (11) at the external periphery of the rod (7). Said spring (8), in turn, becomes more compressed in this position. Put differently, whilst force is exerted to the rod (7) to move the seal ring (9) away from said aperture, the rod (7) and the seal ring (9) do remain in said position because the mains water exerts pressure onto the upper surface (14) of the seal ring. (In this position, the force generated by the pressure exerted by the mains water to the rod (7) and the seal ring (9) exceeds the counter-force exerted by the spring (8) to the rod (7)). As illustrated in figures 5 and 6, the shower outlet (3) of the faucet (A) according to the present invention has a movable structure. This movable structure is obtained thanks to connecting one end of the rod (17) to a shower connection element (18). The shower connection element (18) is disposed at the end of a hose (19) of a shower head (not illustrated in figures). As a result of pulling the shower connection element (19) away from the faucet body (1 ), the rod (7) will similarly be pulled and the seal ring (9) be settled into said aperture (15). In this position, water will flow through the internal aperture (16) of the rod and then reach the shower hose (19).

When the shower connection element (18) is pushed towards the faucet body (1 ) (the state in which it is brought close to the faucet body (1 )), or when the mains water is interrupted, the rod (7) and the seal ring (9) are restored to their former positions (the state in which the seal ring (9) rests against the upper aperture (10)). As a result of interrupting the mains water, water pressure on the seal ring (9) is eliminated, so that the pressure of the spring (8) only restores the rod (7) and the seal ring (9) to their former positions. For this reason, when water is supplied back to the faucet (A), it is guided first to flow out through the water outlet (4) of the faucet body, as long as the position of the rod (7) in the diverter mechanism (5) is not changed.

Claims

A sanitary tap (A), comprising a water inlet (6), water outlet (4), a shower outlet (3), and a diverter mechanism (5) in its body (1 ) guiding the water received therein to a desired outlet (4, 3), characterized in that

as the movable components, said diverter mechanism (5) comprises a tubular rod (7); at least one seal ring (9) provided at the exterior of the rod (7) and positioned so as to move together with the latter (7), and at least one spring (8) exerting force onto the rod (7) on the direction of the movement of the rod;

said shower outlet (3) comprises a shower connection element (18) to which one end (17) of the rod (7) is connected;

when the shower connection element (18) is brought close to the faucet body (1 ), an upper surface (14) of the seal ring (9) is moved to rest against an aperture (10), so that the water is passed only from the outer periphery of the rod (7) and through an aperture (1 1 ) there, so as to reach the water outlet (4) of the faucet via the faucet body (12); and when the shower connection element (18) is moved away from the faucet body (1 ), a lower surface (13) of the seal ring (9) is moved to rest against an aperture (15), so that the water is passed only through between the seal ring (9) and the upper aperture (10), so as to reach the shower outlet (3) from the interior (16) of the rod (7).

The sanitary tap (A) according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the pressure of the mains water holds said rod (7) in position at which the lower surface (13) of the seal ring (9) rests against said aperture (15).

The sanitary tap (A) according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the pressure of said spring (8) keeps said rod (7) in position at which the upper surface (14) of the seal ring (9) rests against said aperture (10). The sanitary tap (A) according to Claim 1 , characterized in that said shower connection element (18) is positioned at the end of a hose (19) of a shower head.