CN85109398A

CN85109398A - Blister message bathtub and the drain control unit that is suitable for this bathtub use

Info

Publication number: CN85109398A
Application number: CN198585109398A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 托德·S·格鲁布; 斯科特·R·洛里; 约翰·M·布伦达尔; 戴维德·G·格鲁诺
Original assignee: Kohler Co
Current assignee: Kohler Co
Priority date: 1985-08-13
Filing date: 1985-12-27
Publication date: 1987-02-11
Also published as: EP0224615A2; ES8705602A1; JPS6241660A; EP0224615A3; KR870001810A; ES550471A0; BR8506589A

Abstract

Herein disclosed is a kind of blister message bathtub and be particularly suitable for the drain control unit that this bathtub uses.In one embodiment, this bathtub has two spill plastic housings, and air duct is located at therebetween, is provided with hole and this channel connection by top housing, and a kind of foamed materials is located between two spill shells and supports this passage.A lift valve is located in the osculum, controls its motion by a bands, and a guide bracket extends in a bands end adjacent with this lift valve, and Long-distance Control element is connected the other end of this bands.This bands upwards promotes and downward this lift valve of pulling along with the rotation of handle just can be controlled.

Description

Blister message bathtub and the drain control unit that is suitable for this bathtub use

Involved in the present invention is the bathtub with blister massage features, also relates to being specially adapted to the drain control unit that this bathtub uses.

Now had some kinds of fluid message bathtubs, wherein set air conduit is adjacent with the bathtub bottom, so that air upwards reaches the purpose that hydro-therapeutic massage is provided by the water generates blister.The example of this device is found in United States Patent (USP) the 3rd, 251, and 071 and 4, in 249, No. 522, user can be seen not too refined air line, and these pipelines are supporting sorrily, that is need to use extra thick and expensive plastic plate to support these air lines.

Purpose of the present invention just provides a kind of bathtub of the above-mentioned type; its making is relatively cheap, and allows to use very thin cabinet and cover, and they are in light weight; supporting method is ingenious and can protect air duct, in addition shell also air duct hidden get up.

The invention provides a kind of blister message bathtub, comprising one first spill shell element, this spill shell element have a bottom and around sidewall; Also comprise the air duct device that is installed in below this first spill shell element, and being provided with the hole by the described first spill shell element is communicated with described air duct device, it is characterized in that, one second spill shell element is installed under the described air duct device, and this second spill shell element has a bottom and sidewall, and it is provided with, and the result is holding the described first spill shell element and the described first spill shell element is nestable relation; A kind of foamed materials that has hardened is arranged between the described first and second spill shell elements and is supporting described air duct device; And an osculum extends through two described spill shell elements, and this osculum also is communicated with the bottom and the described air duct of the described first spill shell element.

Developed truncated system and this truncated system can carry out Long-distance Control for the blister message bathtub, one of them example is found in United States Patent (USP) the 2nd, 856, in No. 611.Yet such lift valve has adopted complicated lever construction, and it involves great expense and difficulty is installed.And then this structure is because transposition sudden change and/or have integrity problem, thereby operates and have noise.

People also can obtain using the example of certain bands control draining lift valve in traditional bathtub, such as United States Patent (USP) the 4th, 411, and No. 028.Yet this bands does not link to each other with lift valve, but makes this lift valve displacement by the lever transmission, therefore realizes that closing motion will lean on gravity or user to oppress this valve.

At this, further purpose of the present invention is to provide a kind of device that is used to control the bathtub lift valve, and its cost is relatively cheap, and structure is also simple, and opening and closing are reliable, and its operation is also very steady.

Therefore the present invention further provides a kind of device that is used to operate the bathtub lift valve, this device can be installed in the osculum of a bathtub, be used for moving up and down at a vertically extending drain pipe, it is characterized in that a flexible bands is connected the motion that is used to control lift valve on the described lift valve; A Long-distance Control element is connected on the described bands, and this control element can be controlled the pulling downwards of described bands and upwards promote this lift valve; Described control element has a shell that can be installed on the sidewall, and described shell has an axial hole; A sliding part is installed in this axial hole and moves axially, and the rotational motion of this sliding part then is restricted, and described sliding part also links to each other with the end of this bands away from this lift valve; A rotatable handle is installed on this shell; And axle is at this handle and have between this sliding part of thread head and extend axially; The rotation of this handle on both direction just can cause the axially-movable of this sliding part thus, thereby drives this bands motion, finally causes moving both vertically of this lift valve.

This blister message bathtub fit on cost provided by the present invention is very low, allow to use very thin cabinet, and weight is also light, and provides for air duct and to support cleverly and protect, and is also hidden this air duct.The reinforcement of being mentioned in most preferred embodiment extends below the described second spill shell element bottom, and align with the part of this air duct device, this reinforcement has the U-shaped cross sectional shape substantially, and this air duct stretches into downwards in the upper portion side wall part of this reinforcement.And then, the part of foamed materials in this reinforcement between this reinforcement and air duct.Adopt this structure, this reinforcement and foamed materials have just been protected this air duct together, and this air duct has increased the rigidity of this reinforcement conversely again.

Others at this most preferred embodiment, there is an air inlet to be arranged in this second spill shell element, and a nut element and described air inlet align and are arranged between this first and second spills shell element, also have a mounting groove adjacent with this nut, and this just defines the rotation of this nut.This structure allows this air supply pipe road to be tightened at an easy rate on this air duct, both made when this second spill shell element too thin so that thereon in the hole during tap out, this structure also can reach purpose of connecting.

By using this device, just can control the drainage channel of this lift valve this air duct of opening and closing simultaneously and this bathtub.Like this, after filling with water in the bathtub, the air that pumps into this air duct just can only pass through this bathtub pore, produces blister thus to greatest extent.After opening drainage channel, this air that pumps into just can assist to discharge the sewage in any air duct, makes sewage enter drainage pipeline.

Use the bands of recommending, guide and remote control have guaranteed simple relatively honest and clean structure, and this structure has reliable opening and closing function, and owing to finish the opening and closing action gradually noise are minimized.

In most preferred embodiment, a bearing sleeve is between this sliding part and shell, and in this sliding part, there is an internal thread hole to cooperate with the lower thread end of this axle, this axle is installed together with the handle that rotates, and a medicated cap/supporting is housed, on this shell so that guiding rotatablely moving of this axle.

Most preferred embodiment of the present invention will be disclosed with reference to the accompanying drawings in the narration below, and these and some other feature and advantage of the present invention can be well understood to thus, wherein:

Fig. 1 is the top view (part is cut open) of a kind of blister message bathtub and drain control unit among the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a part vertical cross-section along the 2-2 line intercepting of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section along the 3-3 line intercepting of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section along the 4-4 line intercepting of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 and 5A are indicated is this drain control unit at the zoomed-in view of closing with the enable possition;

Fig. 6 and 6A are the vertical cross-section zoomed-in views, have shown the regulation mechanism of draining lift valve when two positions;

Fig. 7 is the vertical cross-section along the 7-7 line intercepting of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is the vertical cross-section along the 8-8 line intercepting of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a vertical cross-section zoomed-in view of the air intlet coupling arrangement that shows in Fig. 2;

Figure 10 is the assembly drawing of nut tightening member among Fig. 2.

Fig. 1 at first with reference to the accompanying drawings and Fig. 2, blister message bathtub 10 comprise that one is contained in the first spill shell 11 in one the second spill shell 12 with nestable form, and this first spill shell element 11 has a bottom 13 and sidewall 14.Air duct device 15 U-shaped in general profiles and have the aperture 16 that passes bottom 13, this second spill shell element 12 also has a bottom 17 and auxiliary sidewall 18.Laterally reinforcement 19(is referring to Fig. 2) and waling 19A(referring to Fig. 3) on the bottom 17 of the second spill shell 12, extend.In the middle of the first spill shell element and the second spill shell element, accompany a kind of hardened foam material 20 of polyurethanes.

With particular reference to Fig. 3, U-shaped plastic of conduit element 36 adopts adhering with epoxy resin to be fixed under the bottom 13 of the first spill shell element 11 on the surface, and wherein some is arranged in the inner space of waling 19A.This reinforcement extends on the position that is lower than second concave member, 12 bottoms.The part of foamed materials 20 is filled between U-shaped pass element 36 and the reinforcement.Therefore this air duct provides extra support to reinforcement, and this reinforcement protection, hidden and supported this air duct.

Understand a kind of attachment device at Fig. 4 invading the exterior, it provides one can make ornamental upright header board or backplate 42(for for the purpose of convenient for assembly, and is preferably hidden in the bathtub bottom side).A recess 38 is arranged in the top edge of the second spill shell element 12, and one or several clamps 40 that are opening T shape substantially are fixed on (such as bonding by a kind of suitable bonding agent) in this recess 38.Each clamp 40 all has the tooth 41 with the top frictional fit of decorative panel 42, so that keep decorative panel 42 in place securely.

A long-range drain control unit 22(is referring to Fig. 2,6-8) and a compound block valve 23(referring to Fig. 2 and 5) can be together controlled with an overflow element (being generally 27).Note that the overflow openings 29 among Fig. 1, overflow pipe 90(is referring to Fig. 2) be communicated with this opening 29 and be connected on the general T-shaped joint 28, cross out an oscular tube 39 from overflow pipe 90.

This remote control 22 comprises a shell 43 and bearing sleeve 44, and shell 43 has a hollow inner channel 93 that has axial notch 57, the axial projection 72 of this axial notch 57 in order to hold bearing sleeve 44.In a similar manner, a slides within part 45 has projection 58 in order to axially to slide in bearing sleeve 44, and all these are clearly visible in Fig. 1.

T shape guide 46 has a chamber 50 and is used for holding slidably a rod member 76, and an end of the heart yearn 26 of bands 25 just is connected on the rod member 76, and another chamber 51 is used to hold the end of bands 25.

This slidably rod member 76 be connected in turn on the sliding part 45 by a threaded connector 49.Combine and can see with Fig. 8, guide 46 has projection 47 and is used for coincideing in the auxiliary flute of shell 43 (with anti-rotation).A medicated cap/supporting 52(is referring to Fig. 6) the rotation guiding is provided for the axle or the core bar 53 of drawing from rotating handles 24, this axle 53 is fixed on the handle 24 together rotates with this handle.Between external screw thread 77 on live spindle 53 bottoms and the female thread 87 on the sliding part 45, adopt threaded engagement.A auxiliary flute in shell 43 tops in flange 54 snap-ons of stretching out in medicated cap/supporting 52, so just formed a tight chuck structure.If desired, can adopt the mode that is threaded at flange 54 places.Nut 55 cooperates so that clamp bathtub wall with screw thread 56 on the shell 43.

With reference now to Fig. 5 and the compound block valve of 5A(), as can be seen, bands 25 is fixed in the L-shaped substantially guide bracket 59, and its inner flexible heart yearn 26 then extends from bands 25 and is connected on the H shape joint 60.A threaded T junction 61 has a major diameter part 62 and a small diameter portion 63, and this T junction 61 is tightened on the joint 60.A lock collar 65 is tightened in together and is connected to through thread part 62 along big footpath blocks on the body portion 66.

A set draining shell 66A cooperates with osculum 21 hermetically, and this draining shell 66A comprises a drainage cover with holes or net 88.Block body portion 66 and also comprise a upper flange part 86 and a lower flange part 86A, this lower flange partly is provided with a circumferential sealing circle 67, sealably cooperates with valve base element 68 on the draining shell 66A.

A packing ring 70 is between the bottom of drain pipe 39 and bottom 17, and then should be noted that, the extension 79 of U-shaped air duct is communicated with air duct device 15 and osculum 21 get up, and the lateral opening shown in 80 is arranged among the draining shell 66A in order to play the connection effect.

Bands 25 cooperates a joint 84 that has coaxial sleeve element 85 to be securely fixed on the sidewall attachment areas 28 by a capstan nut 83.Sleeve 85 is frictionally cooperating bands 25 under the fastening effect of nut 83.

The crust component 43 of Long-distance Control element 22 can be inserted in the first and second spill shell elements 11 and 12(or on shower wall) a suitable opening in cooperate in a side with nut 55, then undertaken fixedly connected at opposite side by flange component 86.Then bands 25 at Long-distance Control element 22 and join domain 28(referring to Fig. 2) between extend.

Shown in Fig. 2,9 and 10, be an air conduit 30 at the other end of this blister message bathtub 10, it is connected to air duct device 15(and 31,32 by a nut 33) on.Nut 33 is fixedly located in non-rotatable state in the expansion 32 of air duct device 15, and this feature allows the second spill shell element 12 thin extraordinarily (this is to carry out the fixed cause of pipeline because need in the hole of this second spill shell element screw thread be set).

This air duct device and then comprise air duct 31, it extends under the sidewall of this bathtub.In a best especially form, joint 35 is drawn by air supply pipe road 91 and is connected (see figure 10) by the opening 37 on sidewall 18 with nut 33.Screw thread 34 is achieved the cooperation between joint 35 and the air supply pipe road 91, and joint 35 also has one and has the extension 81 of external screw thread 82 so that cooperate with threaded nut 33.A packing ring 71 is between the sidewall 18 and aiding support wall 78 of the joint 35 and the second spill shell element 12.

Nut 38 is fixed in the expanding channel part 32 of being drawn by passage 36 by an interlocking part 73.This interlocking part 73 has a U-shaped flange 74 and a U-shaped interlocking part 75, is used for the part at its bottom interlocking nut 33.This interlocking part also has a upper support wall 78.

The superiority that work by narrating this bathtub and assembling process can be understood this blister message bathtub and drain control unit better.Make the material that bathtub can adopt numerous species, preferably this first spill shell element 11 is by polypropylene plastics (acrylic plastic) vacuum forming, and the second spill shell element 12 then can be by the vacuum forming of acrylonitrile butadient styrene (acrylonitrile-butadine-styrene) resin.Material as an alternative, shell 12 can be by any cheap plastic material such as shapings such as polrvinyl chloride.Can adopt a kind of acrylic glass fiber composite layer for the bottom of the first spill shell element 11 and the part relative with bottom 13.Nut 33 is positioned among the part 75 of interlocking part 73 fronts that are arranged on housing 11 bottoms.Next step just is to use bonding agent (such as epoxy resin) to be adhesively fixed this U-shaped pass element 36(by constituting with housing 12 identical materials).This lift valve and control device are to be made by common tube metal and plastics.

Between 73 parts and sidewall 18 and supporting walls 78 and sidewall 14, adopt bonding way.Along with nut 33 is fixed on this place in non-rotatable mode, this first and second spills shell element 11 and 12 are fixed together in nestable mode.Assign into polyurethane foam 20 between two spill shell elements then and make foamed materials sclerosis, be the shape of interlayer so that a profile to be provided.This just has been fixed together spill shell element 11 and 12, and is supporting this air duct.

Next step is exactly at the first spill shell element 11(along air duct device 15) bottom 13 on get out a series of hole 16.Get out osculum 21 by two housings, spout hole 29 and control device construction opening.Then overflow pipe 90 is connected on the spout hole 29, and by common coupling method fixed weir pipe 90.

Can be clamped in draining shell 66A on the bathtub by just connecting with drain pipe 39 then.And then joint 35 is tightened on the nut 33, subsequently joint 35 is connected on the air supply pipe road 91.

An amount of water (providing by traditional way of supplying water) is provided with in bathtub massage device 10, air just is introduced in the expanding channel part 32 of this air feeder under pressure then, air will flow downward and then by U-shaped passage 36 by air duct 31, air just upwards flows by aperture 16 then, produces a bubble effect in the water of bathtub massage device 10.

Be appreciated that when lift valve 66 to be provided with and to close that air then can flow out and by the pore 80 among the draining shell 66A by air duct extension 79, and then enters osculum 21.Yet after the mating reaction sealing of its path by sealing ring 67 and valve seat 68, air can not circulate again, at this moment, will stop water to flow out bathtub (because position of this upper flange element and the effect that is sealed and matched), please contrast Fig. 5 and 5A.

When people expect to discharge water in the bathtub 10 when making any water that is contained in the air duct device 15 discharge this air duct device (and), just need to promote this and block body portion or lift valve 66, this if by gradually correctly swing handle 24 can realize.

Along with the rotation of this handle, axle 53 is promptly rotated thereupon, and this has just caused the female thread 87 of external screw thread 77 shift-in sliding parts 45, because this sliding part can not rotate, has just caused move downward (with reference to the Fig. 6 and the 6A) of this sliding part.And then the heart yearn 26 that promotes bands 25 successively moves upward in guide bracket 59, and this has just caused flange 86 to move upward leaving draining shell 66A, and flange portion 67 has also left valve seat 88.At this moment, in air duct device 15 and the water that is held in this bathtub just flow downward and enter drain pipe 39 by osculum 21.The process of sealing this bathtub in contrast.What pay special attention to is that the rotation of this handle and guide bracket 59 allow flexible heart yearn to promote and pulling lift valve 66.

The invention provides like this structure of a uniqueness, it has reduced the thickness of material requested, and this wants cheap with respect to rigidity plastics wallboard cost, and it is a kind of simple in structure that the present invention also provides simultaneously, and quality is light and handy, and durable structure. This air duct is protected in reinforcement, and this passage is supporting again this reinforcement successively.

In other embodiments, can not be by wherein making threaded hole although this thin outer crust is too thin, but still can take measures to make air fed connection to become more easy. A kind of lift valve control device of uniqueness also is provided in addition, has made it smooth operation, expense is cheap, and is simple in structure, installs easily, and allows reliably opening and closing of valve.

Although described above a most preferred embodiment, be easy to find out as those skilled in the art, do not exceed scope of the present invention and can also make multiple improvement and variation. For example, This axle 53 can be connected on this sliding part regularly, and this sliding part has the screw thread line in the top, and then this handle can have a centre bore, cooperatively interacts with axle under the turning effort of handle. In addition, interlocking part 73 can form one with sidewall 18 with flange 74, perhaps provides suitable supporting web or gusset to reach identical purpose except abutment wall 78. If desired, nut 33 can be compressing with sidewall 18. Another alternative is to remove joint 35, and air supply pipeline 91 can arrange a threaded termination and cooperate with nut 33. And then cross reinforcing 19 can hold the lateral part 94 of air duct apparatus 15 in an identical manner, and the mode of putting into that foamed material 20 adopts also can be taked the to axial pointed mode of reinforcement 19A of Fig. 3.

Claims

1, a kind of blister message bathtub comprises one first spill shell element, this spill shell element have a bottom and around sidewall; Also comprise the air duct device that is installed in below this first spill shell element, and being provided with the hole by the described first spill shell element is communicated with described air duct device, it is characterized in that, one second spill shell element is installed under the described air duct device, and this second spill shell element has a bottom and sidewall, and it is provided with, and the result is holding the described first spill shell element and the described first spill shell element is nestable relation; A kind of foamed materials that has hardened is arranged between the described first and second spill shell elements, and is supporting described air duct device; And an osculum extends through two described spill shell elements, and this osculum also is communicated with the bottom and the described air duct of described first concave member.

2, the bathtub in the claim 1, it is characterized in that, a reinforcement that extends below the described second spill shell bottom aligns with the part of described air duct device, described reinforcement cross section U-shaped in general profile, described air duct device stretch into downwards in the upper portion side wall part of described reinforcement.

3, the bathtub in the claim 1 or 2 is characterized in that, the part of this foamed materials in this reinforcement between this reinforcement and described air duct device.

4, the bathtub in the claim 1,2 or 3 is characterized in that, a compound block valve is arranged in described osculum and is used for being sealed and matched with described bottom and described air duct device simultaneously.

5, the bathtub in the claim 4 is characterized in that, a flexible bands is connected the motion that is used for control valve on the described valve; A Long-distance Control element is connected the other end of described bands, and this control element can be controlled described bands and spur this valve downwards and upwards promote this valve; Described control element has a shell that can be installed on the sidewall, and described shell has an axial hole; A sliding part is installed in and carries out axial telemechanical in this axial hole, and the rotational motion of this sliding part then is restricted, and described sliding part also links to each other with the described other end of this bands; A rotatable handle is installed on this shell; And axle is at this handle and have between the sliding part of thread head and extend axially; The rotation of this handle on both direction just causes the axially-movable of this sliding part thus, thereby drives this bands motion, finally causes moving both vertically of this valve, and described like this valve just can seal and open this osculum and described air duct device.

6, the bathtub in any claim in the claim 1 to 5, it is characterized in that, air intake installation is communicated with described air duct device during work, described air intake installation has an air inlet, this air inlet is arranged in the described second spill shell element, a nut element and described air inlet align and are arranged between the described first and second spill shell elements, also have the adjacent rotation that is used to limit this nut with described nut of mounting groove, described mounting groove is shaped by the holder between described spill shell.

7, the bathtub in the claim 1 to 6 is characterized in that, described foam is a kind of resin system plastic foam, and two described spill shells are made by plastics, and the bottom side of the described first spill shell has a glass fibre coating.

8, a kind of device that is used to operate the bathtub lift valve, this device can be installed in the osculum of a bathtub, be used for moving up and down at a vertically extending drain pipe, it is characterized in that, a flexible bands is connected the motion that is used to control lift valve on the described lift valve; A Long-distance Control element is connected on the described bands, and this control element can be controlled the pulling downwards of described bands and upwards promote this lift valve; Described control element has one can be installed in a shell on the sidewall, and described shell has an axial hole; A sliding part is installed in this axial hole and moves axially, and the rotational motion of this sliding part then is restricted, and described sliding part also links to each other with the end of this bands away from this lift valve; A rotatable handle is installed on this shell; And axle is at this handle and have between this sliding part of thread head and extend axially; The rotation of this handle on both direction just causes the axially-movable of this sliding part thus, thereby drives this bands motion, finally causes moving both vertically of this lift valve.

9, the device in the claim 8 is characterized in that, has an internal thread hole in this sliding part, and this screwed hole cooperates with the thread head of described axle.

10, the device in the claim 8 or 9 is characterized in that, is provided with a bearing sleeve between this sliding part and shell, and has a medicated cap/supporting member to be connected with this shell on this shell, is used to guide rotatablely moving of this axle.