CH643641A5 - Mixer mechanical mixer ceramic plates. - Google Patents

Description

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1. Mechanical mixer with ceramic plates with single control comprising a body containing a fixed ceramic plate provided with openings, a ceramic plate mobile in translation and in rotation with respect to the fixed plate also provided with openings as well as a drive mechanism of the movable plate in its movements controlled using a control member emerging from this body, the mixer body comprising two water inlet orifices, one for hot water and the other for cold water, characterized in that the mixer body has two outlet ports, one for hot water and the other for cold water, in that the fixed plate has two first openings communicating with the cold water inlet and outlet openings of the mixture body and two second openings communicating with the hot water inlet and outlet openings of the mixture body, in that the movable plate has a first open erture establishing, depending on the relative position of the movable plate relative to the fixed plate, communication between the first openings of the fixed plate and a second opening establishing communication between the second openings of the fixed plate by the fact that the mechanism drive of the movable plate limits its movements so that the first openings of the fixed plate are never placed in communication with the second openings of this fixed plate, and by the fact that a translation of the mobile plate causes a modification relative flow of hot and cold water to change the temperature while a rotation of the movable plate causes a virtually identical change in the flow of hot water and cold water.

The present invention relates to a mechanical mixer with ceramic plates with single control.

There are currently a certain number of mechanical mixers with ceramic plates and with a single control as described for example in patent N ° FR 7727802, the German patent application published OS N ° 2907978 or the European patent application published N ° 0022590.

All these known mechanical mixers include at least two ceramic plates having openings, at least one of which is movable in translation and in rotation relative to the other plates. The adjustment of such mechanical mixers is obtained using a single control member causing the translation of the movable ceramic plate for adjusting the flow rate and the rotation of this plate for adjusting the temperature.

These known devices are satisfactory when the mixing of hot and cold water can be carried out inside the mixer and the outlet of the mixer therefore delivers a mixture of hot and cold water. .

In certain particular applications and also to meet the standards set by certain legislations, it is necessary that the hot water and the cold water are completely separated until the outlet of the neck of the mixer, that is to say that the mixing of hot and cold water is only carried out at the outlet of the mixer neck which must then have two separate outlet conduits.

The known mechanical mixers are not suitable for these particular applications and the aim of the present invention is to produce such a mechanical mixer with single-control ceramic plates in which the hot and cold water are separated until the outlet of the neck of the apparatus.

The present invention relates to a mechanical mixer with ceramic plates with single control comprising a body containing a fixed ceramic plate provided with openings, a ceramic plate movable in translation and in rotation relative to the fixed plate also provided with openings as well as a mechanism for driving the movable wafer in its movements controlled by means of a control member emerging from this body, the body of the mixer comprising two water inlet orifices, one for water hot and the other for cold water, characterized in that the mixer body has two outlet openings, one for hot water and the other for cold water, by the fact that the plate fixed has two first openings communicating with the cold water inlet and outlet openings of the body of the mixture and two second openings communicating with the hot water inlet and outlet openings of the body of the mixture, in that the plaque movable head comprises a first opening establishing, depending on the relative position of the movable plate relative to the fixed plate, communication between the first openings of the fixed plate and a second opening establishing communication between the second openings of the fixed plate, by the fact that the drive mechanism of the movable plate limits its movements so that the first openings of the fixed plate are never placed in communication with the second openings of this fixed plate, and by the fact that a translation of the movable plate causes a relative modification of the flow rates of hot water and cold water to modify the temperature while a rotation of the movable plate causes a practically identical modification of the flow rates of hot water and cold water.

The accompanying drawing illustrates schematically and by way of example an embodiment of the mechanical mixer according to the invention.

Fig. 1 is an axial section of the mechanical mixer.

Figs. 2 to 6 illustrate, in plan view, the position of the fixed and movable ceramic plates for different operating conditions of the mechanical mixer.

The mechanical mixer illustrated in fig. 1 comprises a battery body 1, generally made of brass, having a generally cylindrical shape, provided with an end wall 2 in which four orifices are provided. The two external ports 3, 6 are intended to be connected to respectively cold hot water supply conduits while the two internal ports 4, 5 are intended to be connected to respectively cold hot water discharge conduits. A part of the cylindrical internal wall of this body 1 is provided with a thread 7 cooperating with a fixing nut 8.

Inside this battery body is a socket 9 enclosing the mixer mechanism; this socket is clamped between the fixing nut 8 and a plastic base plate 10 placed on the front wall 2 of the body 1. This base plate is provided with four openings 11,12,13,14 communicating respectively with the orifices 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the front wall 2 of the body 1 of the mixer. The angular position of this base plate 10 is determined by a positioning finger 15 of the sleeve 9 cooperating with a corresponding recess made in the periphery of this base plate 10. Seals 16 ensure the seal between the base plate and the front wall 2 of the body 1 to avoid any communication between the orifices 3,4, 5,6 and the openings 11,12, 13,14.

The mixer also includes a fixed ceramic plate 17 placed on the base plate 10 and whose angular position is also fixed by the positioning finger 15 of the sleeve 9 cooperating with a notch 18 of this fixed plate 17.

This fixed ceramic plate 17 has four openings 19, 20, 21, 22 communicating respectively with the openings 11, 12, 13, 14 of the base plate and the orifices 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the body 1.

Seals 23 ensure the seal between the base plate 10 and the fixed ceramic plate 17 to avoid any communication between the openings 11, 12, 13, 14 respectively the orifices 19, 20, 21 and 22.

A movable ceramic plate 24 is placed on the free face of the fixed ceramic plate 17. The flat faces of the two ceramic plates 17 and 24 ensure, where they are in contact, a perfect seal. This movable plate 24 has two openings 25 and 26 cooperating, as will be seen below, with the openings 19, 20 respectively 21, 22 of the fixed ceramic plate 17.

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The mechanism for driving the movable ceramic plate 24 in its translational and / or rotational movements relative to the fixed ceramic plate 17 comprises an intermediate part 27 bearing against the free upper face of the mobile plate 24. This intermediate part 27 comprises two cavities 28, 29 communicating respectively with the openings 25, 26 of the wafer 24 and forming independent chambers. A seal 30 seals between the intermediate piece 27 and the movable plate 24 around the openings 25, 26 thereof. The intermediate piece comprises a drive finger 31 engaged in a corresponding notch in the movable plate 24. This intermediate piece has a housing in its upper face in which is housed the spherical end 32 of a control lever 33 made of steel pivoted about an axis 34, extending parallel to the plane of the ceramic plates 17,24, integral with an operating head 35 passing through the upper opening of the socket 9. A lower stop 36 formed by a rim of the head maneuver 35 and a fixing washer 37 fix the axial position of this maneuvering head 35 relative to the sleeve 9, while allowing a relative rotational movement between these two parts. Stops, not shown, can be provided to limit the relative angular displacement between the socket 9 and the operating head 35. The nut 8 fixing the socket 9 to the body 1 thus keeps the entire mixer mechanism in place in the body 1 with a determined pressure to seal the assembly, while allowing operation.

It can therefore be seen that the hot and cold water are completely separated, from the inlet to the outlet of the mixer. In fact, the hot water is introduced through the orifice 3, the openings 11, 19 and 25 into the chamber 28 which it leaves through the openings 25, 20 and 12 as well as through the discharge orifice 4. From even, the cold water enters the mixer through the orifice 6, the openings 14, 22 and 26 to enter the chamber 29 which it leaves through the openings 26, 21 and 13 as well as through the discharge orifice 5. The hot and cold water circuits are thus completely separated.

The operation of the mechanical mixer described is as follows:

a) A rotation of the control lever and therefore of the plates 17 and 24 relative to each other causes a practically identical modification of the flow of hot water and the flow of cold water by varying the passage section between the openings 19 and 20 on the one hand and 21, 22 on the other hand of a substantially equal value. A rotation of the control lever therefore causes a practically identical variation in flow rate of the two waters and therefore the mixing of these waters carried out after leaving the mixer remains at a constant temperature.

b) A translation of the movable plate 24 relative to the fixed plate 17, caused by a pivoting of the control lever around the axis 34, causes a modification of the proportions of hot water and cold water passing through the mixer without changing the combined flow of hot and cold water. This variation therefore gives a variation in the temperature of the mixed water after leaving the mixer, without modifying the flow rate of this water mixture.

c) It is obvious that by pivoting and rotating movements of the simultaneous control lever, it is possible to vary both the total flow rate of the mixer and the temperature of the mixture of hot and cold water carried out after leaving the mixer.

Fig. 2 illustrates the position of the ceramic plates 17 and 24 when the mixer is closed, the flow rates of hot and cold water are both zero and for a median temperature. Indeed, it can be seen that the openings 19, 21 are not connected by the opening 25 and that the openings 21, 22 are also not connected by the opening 26. The mixer is therefore closed. By cons, the movable plate 24 being centered on the plate 17, the passage sections between the openings 20 and 25 respectively 21 and 26 are equal.

Fig. 3 illustrates the mixer still in the closed position, the relative angular position of the plates 17 and 24 is the same as in FIG. 1, on the other hand, the plate 24 being offset in the direction of the arrow F by a value 5 relative to the plate 17, the passage sections between the openings 20 and 25 respectively 21 and 26 are different, which corresponds to different flow rates of hot and cold water.

In fig. 4 the plates 17 and 24 are offset by a maximum value in translation, as in FIG. 3, which leads to different passage sections for cold water and hot water, but the plate 24 has also been angularly displaced relative to the fixed plate 17 by an angle a which corresponds to the limit position of closings of the mixer for which the openings 19 and 25 are at the limit of the communication as well as the openings 22 and 26.

In fig. 6 the plates 24 and 17 are always offset by the maximum value 8 but their angular position is offset by an angle a equal to 90 °. In this position, the passage section between the openings 19, 26, 20 is maximum, ensuring a maximum hot water flow. On the other hand, the passage section between the openings 22 and 25 is zero so that the flow of cold water is zero. The mixer therefore delivers a maximum flow of hot water.

In fig. 5 the plates 24 and 17 have been illustrated angularly offset by a = 90 °, which corresponds to the maximum flow rate but the linear offset S between said plates is zero, which corresponds to the median temperature. We see that for this position the openings 19, 20, 26 communicate as well as the openings 21, 22, 25, so that the mixer delivers hot water and cold water.

In this position, the passage section between the openings 19, 20 on the one hand and 21, 22 on the other hand are identical, which leads to identical hot and cold water flow rates and therefore indeed to a median temperature of the mixture.

The shape of the openings 19, 20, 26 and 21, 22, 25 is determined so that a relative rotation of the plates 17, 24, whatever the linear offsets S, causes a practically identical variation in the cross-sections between the openings 19, 20 on the one hand and 21, 22 on the other hand so that only the flow rate of the mixer is modified but not the proportion between hot and cold water.

Likewise, this shape of the openings 19, 20, 26 and 21, 22, 25 leads, for a linear relative movement 8 of the plates 11, 24, to a decrease respectively an increase in the cross section of passage between the openings 19, 20 and to increase, respectively, practically identical decrease in the passage section between the openings 21, 22 so that the flow rate of the mixer remains constant but that the proportion of hot water relative to cold water is modified.

The mechanical mixer described has the achievement of excellent hydraulic characteristics, that is to say that it has passage sections for sufficient hot and cold water flows, which is impractical with known devices if we want to have a separate water mixer.

Thanks to the reversal of the control movements, rotation to control the flow rate and translation to control the temperature with respect to known mixers, and thanks to the particular shapes of the wafer openings, it has been possible to produce a mechanical mixer with ceramic wafers. single control allowing complete separation of hot and cold water. The mixing of hot and cold water flows takes place where the user wishes, downstream of the mixer.

The shape of the openings of the wafers 17 and 24 is obviously important so that a translation of the wafers has no influence on the flow rate and that, conversely, a rotation of these wafers does not have any influence on the ratio of the flow rates. hot and cold water.

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In the example illustrated, the inlet openings 19, 22 of the fixed plate 17 have an elongated slightly curved shape, the outer edge of which is substantially parallel to the periphery of the plate. The internal edge of these openings has a curved middle part, concentric with the plate and two rectilinear end parts. These two openings 19, 22 are of identical shape and dimensions, they are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center of the plate 17.

The outlet openings 20, 21 of the wafer 17 are also arranged symmetrically with respect to the center of the wafer 17 located between the openings 19, 22. These openings 20, 21 have a narrow end whose width gradually increases until the middle of the opening then from the widest midpoint, the width of the opening decreases towards its other end which is however wider than the narrow end.

The shape of the openings 25, 26 of the movable ceramic plate is such that for at least one angular position of this movable plate 5 relative to the fixed plate 17, corresponding to the closed position of the mixer, these two openings 25, 26 are not in communication with the openings 19, 22 of the fixed plate.

Similarly, the shape of these openings 25, 26 of the movable pialo quette 24 must be such that, in the total or partial open position of the mixer, for maximum translation of the plates 17 and 24, the opening 25 does not communicate with the opening 22 and the opening 26 does not communicate with the opening 19.

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3 sheets of drawings