DE102019123536A1 - Shower head for a sanitary fitting with a plurality of membrane valves - Google Patents

Abstract

Shower head (1) for a sanitary fitting, at least comprising: - a liquid duct (2) with at least one inlet (3) and a plurality of outlets (4, 5, 6); - a plurality of membrane valves (7, 8, 9) with one membrane (10, 11, 12) and one counter-pressure chamber (13) connected to the at least one inlet (3); and - a controller (14) for controlling the plurality of diaphragm valves (7, 8, 9), the controller (14) having a rotatable pin (15) with a control channel (16) and the counter-pressure chambers through the control channel (16) (13) of the membrane valves (7, 8, 9) can be connected to an outlet (4, 5, 6) by bypassing the membranes (10, 11, 12).

Description

The present invention relates to a shower head for a sanitary fitting. Such sanitary fittings are used to provide a liquid as required, for example in showers, bathtubs, sinks or wash basins.

There are known shower heads for sanitary fittings with which a liquid, in particular water, can be dispensed in various types of jets, for example normal jets, full jets, massage jets, rain jets, etc. The shower heads regularly have different jet formers to create the different jet types. In order to form a certain type of jet, the liquid must be directed from an inlet of the shower head via a line system of the shower head to one of the jet formers of the shower head. For this purpose, valves are arranged in the line system. For the actuation of the valves, complex mechanics are regularly required in the shower heads, which leads to high manufacturing costs. In addition, the different jet types can only be adjusted by a user directly on the shower head. Changing the jet types can therefore be time-consuming if the accessibility of the shower head is restricted. This can be the case, for example, when the shower head is attached at a great height in a shower.

The object of the invention is therefore to at least partially solve the problems described with reference to the prior art and, in particular, to specify a shower head for a sanitary fitting, the jet types of which can be set comfortably and without complex mechanics at the same time.

These objects are achieved with a shower head according to the features of the independent claim. Further advantageous refinements of the invention are specified in the dependent claims. It should be pointed out that the features listed individually in the dependent claims can be combined with one another in any technologically meaningful manner and define further embodiments of the invention. In addition, the features specified in the patent claims are specified and explained in more detail in the description, with further preferred embodiments of the invention being presented.

• - eine Flüssigkeitsführung mit zumindest einem Zulauf und einer Mehrzahl von Abläufen;
• - eine Mehrzahl von Membranventilen mit jeweils einer Membran und jeweils einer, mit dem zumindest einen Zulauf verbundenen Gegendruckkammer; und
• - eine Steuerung zum Steuern der Mehrzahl von Membranventilen, wobei die Steuerung einen drehbaren Pin mit einem Steuerkanal aufweist und wobei durch den Steuerkanal die Gegendruckkammern der Membranventile unter Umgehung der Membranen mit einem Ablauf verbindbar sind.

A shower head for a sanitary fitting, which has at least the following components, contributes to this:

• - A liquid duct with at least one inlet and a plurality of outlets;
• a plurality of diaphragm valves, each with a diaphragm and in each case a counter-pressure chamber connected to the at least one inlet; and
• - A controller for controlling the plurality of diaphragm valves, the controller having a rotatable pin with a control channel and wherein the back pressure chambers of the membrane valves can be connected to a drain by bypassing the membranes through the control channel.

The shower head can be connected to a sanitary fitting, for example via a hose line and / or pipeline. Sanitary fittings are used to provide a liquid, in particular water, as required, for example in showers, bathtubs, sinks or wash basins. The shower head can be designed, for example, in the manner of a hand shower and / or in the manner of an overhead shower.

The shower head comprises a liquid duct with at least one inlet, via which the shower head can be connected to a liquid source, for example a sanitary fitting. The liquid guide can be designed, for example, as a valve chamber housing in which chambers for diaphragm valves are formed. The liquid flowing in via the at least one inlet can be fed to a plurality of diaphragm valves through the liquid guide, which can be, for example, a plastic injection-molded part. For this purpose, inlet channels and / or inlet chambers can be formed in the liquid guide. The plurality of diaphragm valves enables a plurality of outflows of the liquid guide to be closed or opened. The various processes can each lead to a jet generator for a specific jet type. Thus, by opening one of the membrane valves, a certain spray type of the shower can be activated.

The membrane valves each include a membrane and each a counter-pressure chamber connected to the at least one inlet. Furthermore, the membrane valves can be controlled by a (common and / or single) controller. The (mechanical) control comprises a rotatable pin with a control channel. The pin can, for example, be at least partially pin-shaped or tubular. In particular, the pin can have a circular cross section and / or a diameter of, for example, 5 mm (millimeters) to 20 mm. In addition, the pin can have a length of 5 mm to 50 mm, for example, parallel to its axis of rotation. The pin is also in the shower head rotatable about an axis of rotation. For this purpose, the shower head can have a receiving space in which the pin is rotatably mounted.

The liquid can flow from the inlet channels and / or inlet chambers of the liquid guide via a compensating bore in the membranes of the membrane valves and / or other components of the shower head into the counter-pressure chamber of the membrane valves, so that the liquid has the same liquid pressure on both sides of the membranes. Since the membranes delimit the counter-pressure chambers with a larger area than the inlet channels and / or inlet chambers of the liquid guide, the force on the membranes resulting from the liquid pressure of the liquid in the counter-pressure chambers is greater than that from the liquid pressure of the liquid in the inlet channels and / or inlet chambers resulting power. This pushes the membrane onto a valve seat so that the membrane valves are closed. Depending on the rotational position of the pin, the control channel of the pin connects the counter-pressure chambers of at least one of the membrane valves, bypassing the membranes of the membrane valves, with one of the processes. In this way, the liquid can flow out of the counter-pressure chambers via the control channel, so that the liquid pressure in the counter-pressure chambers drops. The membrane can lift off the membrane seat so that the membrane valves open. In order for the diaphragm valve to open, the liquid pressure in the counter-pressure chamber can drop sufficiently due to the steady state that is established between the liquid flowing in via the compensation opening and the liquid flowing out of the counter-pressure chamber via the control channels. For this purpose, the control channel can be made larger or with a larger diameter than the compensating bores.

By using a plurality of diaphragm valves, different jet types can be set without complex mechanics. By using the pin to open or close the diaphragm valves, the diaphragm valves can also be actuated with low operating forces and only a small amount of space and a small number of components are required to control the diaphragm valves, which reduces the installation effort. In addition, the shower head can be built up modularly.

Depending on the rotational position of the pin, the control channel can open one of the diaphragm valves and close the remaining diaphragm valves (at the same time). This ensures that the shower head only dispenses the liquid with one type of jet.

The control channel can be designed as a recess in a peripheral surface of the pin. In particular, the recess can be designed in the manner of a groove in the peripheral surface of the pin.

The pin can be connected to a rotatable control disk. In particular, the pin can be attached to the rotatable control disk or formed in one piece with the control disk. The control disk can at least partially consist of plastic. Furthermore, the control disk (orthogonal to the axis of rotation of the pin) can in particular have a diameter of 50 mm (millimeters) to 200 mm. The pin can be rotated around the axis of rotation, in particular by means of the control disk. Furthermore, the control disk can be actuated in particular by a user of the shower head in order to actuate the diaphragm valves. The control disk can therefore be part of the control system.

The pin can be designed as the axis of rotation of the rotatable control disk. This can mean that the control disk is rotatably mounted in the shower head via the pin.

The pin can be arranged in the center of a circle on which the diaphragm valves are located. In particular, the diaphragm valves are symmetrical on a circle, i. H. in particular, each offset by the same angle around the axis of rotation of the pin and / or at the same radial distance from the axis of rotation of the pin. In this case, the axis of rotation of the pin runs through the center of the circle. The pin is also located between the diaphragm valves. By turning the pin around the axis of rotation, the control channel of the pin for opening a diaphragm valve can be aligned in the direction of the diaphragm valve to be opened.

The membrane valves can be arranged in a membrane unit. The membrane unit can at least partially consist of rubber and / or have sealing sections which engage in grooves in the liquid guide and / or a cover of the liquid guide. The cover can in particular serve to close the counter-pressure chambers of the diaphragm valves.

Each counterpressure chamber can have a control opening which connects the counterpressure chamber to a receiving space of the pin. The receiving space of the pin can be at least partially tubular or sleeve-shaped and serve as a (rotary) bearing for the pin. The control opening can extend from the counter-pressure chamber, for example through the cover and / or through the membrane unit. Furthermore, the control opening can run at least partially in a radial direction with respect to the axis of rotation of the pin. The The control opening opens into the receiving space of the pin and can be closed by the pin. The pin thus serves as a valve for the control openings.

A receiving space of the pin can have a drain opening for each of the counter-pressure chambers, which connects the receiving space with one of the drains. The drain opening can extend from the receiving space through the membrane unit, for example, and / or run at least partially in the radial direction.

The control opening and the drain opening can be connectable to open one of the diaphragm valves through the control channel of the pin. For this purpose, the pin can be rotated around the axis of rotation into a rotational position in which the control channel of the pin is aligned in the radial direction with the control opening of the counter-pressure chamber to be opened and the drain opening of the respective counter-pressure chamber. In this position of the pin, the liquid can flow out of the counter-pressure chamber of the diaphragm valve via the control opening, the control channel and the drain opening into the drain of the diaphragm valve, so that the liquid pressure in the counter-pressure chamber drops, whereby the respective diaphragm valve is opened.

• 1: ein Brausekopf in einer Explosionsdarstellung;
• 2: eine Flüssigkeitsführung des Brausekopfs mit einer Membraneinheit in einer perspektivischen Darstellung;
• 3: der Brausekopf in einer ersten Betriebsstellung in einer Schnittdarstellung; und
• 4: der Brausekopf in einer zweiten Betriebsstellung in der Schnittdarstellung.

The invention and the technical environment are explained in more detail below with reference to the figures. It should be pointed out that the figures show a particularly preferred embodiment variant of the invention, but this is not limited thereto. The same components are provided with the same reference symbols in the figures. It shows by way of example and schematically:

• 1 : a shower head in an exploded view;
• 2 : a liquid guide of the shower head with a membrane unit in a perspective view;
• 3rd : the shower head in a first operating position in a sectional view; and
• 4th : the shower head in a second operating position in the sectional view.

The 1 shows a shower head 1 in an exploded view. The shower head 1 is shown here without its outer case so that its internal components are visible. A control disk can be seen here 19th with a pin 15th , a lid 25th and a liquid guide 2 of the shower head 1 . The liquid flow 2 is designed in the manner of a valve chamber housing and has an inlet 3rd for a liquid up. At the inlet 3rd a liquid line, not shown here, can be connected via which the shower head 1 can be connected to a liquid source, also not shown here. The membrane unit 21 includes a body 26th made of rubber, in which a first diaphragm valve 7th with a first membrane 10 , a second diaphragm valve 8th with a second membrane 11 and a third diaphragm valve 9 with a third membrane 12th are arranged. The control disk 19th with the pin 15th are part of a control system 14th to control the diaphragm valves 7th , 8th , 9 . The membrane unit 21 is located between the liquid duct 2 and the lid 25th . The control disk 19th lies on the lid 25th on and is around the pin 15th rotatably mounted so that the control disk 19th by a user of the shower head 1 to control the membrane valves 7th , 8th , 9 is rotatable.

The 2 shows the liquid flow 2 with the membrane unit 21 in a perspective view. The diaphragm valves 7th , 8th , 9 are symmetrical about a central sealing geometry 27 arranged on a circle. Through the first diaphragm valve 7th is a first process 4th closable for the liquid by the second diaphragm valve 8th is a second process 5 closable for the liquid and through the third diaphragm valve 9 is a third process 6th closable for the liquid. The Indian 1 shown pin 15th the control disk 19th is in the central sealing geometry 27 rotatably mounted. This is the sealing geometry 27 tubular or sleeve-shaped.

The 3rd shows the shower head 1 in a longitudinal section through the first diaphragm valve 7th . The second diaphragm valve, which cannot be seen here 8th and third diaphragm valve 9 are identical to the first diaphragm valve 7th designed so that the following description applies accordingly to all diaphragm valves 7th , 8th , 9 can be obtained. The liquid flows from the inlet 3rd the liquid flow 2 into an annular inlet chamber 28 of the first diaphragm valve 7th and from there through a compensating bore 29 in the first membrane 10 in a back pressure chamber 13th . The back pressure chamber 13th is located on one of the inlet chambers 28 opposite side of the first membrane 10 . The first membrane 10 is here in a closed state. In the closed state, the inlet chamber prevails 28 and the back pressure chamber 13th the same fluid pressure. Because the first membrane 10 the back pressure chamber 13th limited with a larger area than the inlet chamber 28 , is that of the liquid pressure of the liquid in the back pressure chamber 13th resulting force on the first membrane 10 greater than that from the liquid pressure of the liquid in the feed chamber 28 resulting power. This creates the first membrane 10 on an annular valve seat 30th pressed so no liquid from the first drain 4th can flow. The valve seat 30th is at a longitudinal end of the first run 4th as well as the liquid flow 2 educated. The membrane unit 21 is with a circumferential sealing section 31 in a first groove 32 the liquid flow 2 and a second groove 33 of the lid 25th stored.

The back pressure chamber 13th has a control opening 22nd on, which is relative to an axis of rotation 20th of the pin 15th in a radial direction through the lid 25th and the sealing geometry 27 the membrane unit 21 extends. The tax opening 22nd thus connects the back pressure chamber 13th with one through the sealing geometry 27 formed recording space 23 for the pin 15th . The recording room 23 serves as a bearing for the pin 15th . The pin 15th is in the recording room 23 around the axis of rotation 20th rotatably mounted and lies with its peripheral surface 18th liquid-tight on one inner surface 34 of the recording room 23 the membrane unit 21 at. At the in 3rd rotational position of the pin shown 15th locks the pin 15th thus the control opening 22nd the back pressure chamber 13th so that no liquid from the back pressure chamber 13th through the control opening 22nd can drain.

The 4th shows the shower head 1 in the same sectional view as in the 3rd , where in the 4th the control disk 19th with the pin 15th to open the first diaphragm valve 7th around the axis of rotation 20th was rotated until that a control channel 16 of the pin 15th a mouth of the control opening 22nd in the recording room 23 covered. The control channel 16 is as a recess 17th in the peripheral surface 18th of the pin 15th formed and runs on the peripheral surface 18th of the pin 15th from the control opening 22nd parallel to the axis of rotation 20th up to a drain opening 24 . The drain opening 24 extends through the sealing geometry 27 the membrane unit 21 and connects the recording room 23 with the first expiration 4th . In the in the 4th rotational position of the pin shown 15th can the liquid from the back pressure chamber via the control opening 22nd , the control channel 16 and the drain opening 24 in the first run 4th flow away. This reduces the fluid pressure in the counter-pressure chamber 13th so that the first membrane 10 from the valve seat 30th is lifted. The first membrane 10 is therefore located in the 4th in an open state. When the first membrane is open 10 the liquid flows from the inlet chamber 28 over the valve seat 30th directly in the first sequence 4th . About the first process 4th For example, the liquid can be fed to a spray head, not shown here, of the shower head 1 be deliverable. The second diaphragm valve, not shown here 8th and third diaphragm valve 9 are in the in the 4th Rotation position of the pin shown 15th closed. By turning the pin 15th around the axis of rotation 20th these can be opened one after the other. There is only one of the diaphragm valves at a time 7th , 8th , 9 opened and the remaining diaphragm valves closed.

With the present invention, the jet types of a shower head can be adjusted comfortably and without complex mechanics at the same time.

List of reference symbols

1

Shower head

2

Liquid flow

3

Intake

4th

first sequence

5

second sequence

6th

third sequence

7th

first diaphragm valve

8th

second diaphragm valve

9

third diaphragm valve

10

first membrane

11

second membrane

12th

third membrane

13th

Back pressure chamber

14th

control

15th

Pin code

16

Control channel

17th

Recess

18th

Circumferential surface

19th

Control disk

20th

Axis of rotation

21

Membrane unit

22nd

Tax opening

23

Recording room

24

Drain opening

25th

cover

26th

body

27

Sealing geometry

28

Inlet chamber

29

Compensation hole

30th

Valve seat

31

Sealing section

32

first groove

33

second groove

34

Inner surface

Claims (10)

Shower head (1) for a sanitary fitting, at least having: - a liquid duct (2) with at least one inlet (3) and a plurality of outlets (4, 5, 6); - a plurality of diaphragm valves (7, 8, 9) each having a diaphragm (10, 11, 12) and in each case a counter-pressure chamber (13) connected to the at least one inlet (3); and - a controller (14) for controlling the plurality of diaphragm valves (7, 8, 9), the controller (14) having a rotatable pin (15) with a control channel (16) and the counter-pressure chambers through the control channel (16) (13) of the membrane valves (7, 8, 9) can be connected to an outlet (4, 5, 6) by bypassing the membranes (10, 11, 12). Shower head (1) Claim 1 , wherein the control channel (16), depending on the rotational position of the pin (15), opens one of the diaphragm valves (7, 8, 9) and closes the remaining diaphragm valves (7, 8, 9). Shower head (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control channel (16) is designed as a recess (17) in a peripheral surface (18) of the pin (15). Shower head (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the pin (15) is connected to a rotatable control disc (19). Shower head (1) Claim 4 , wherein the pin (15) is designed as the axis of rotation (20) of the rotatable control disk (19). Shower head (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the pin (15) is arranged in the center of a circle on which the membrane valves (7, 8, 9) are located. Shower head (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the membrane valves (7, 8, 9) are arranged in a membrane unit (21). Shower head (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein each counter-pressure chamber (13) has a control opening (22) which connects the counter-pressure chamber (13) with a receiving space (23) of the pin (15). Shower head (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a receiving space (23) of the pin (15) has a drain opening (24) for each of the counter-pressure chambers (13) which connects the receiving space (23) with one of the drains (4, 5, 6) connects. Shower head (1) Claim 8 and 9 , wherein the control opening (22) and the drain opening (24) for opening one of the diaphragm valves (7, 8, 9) can be connected through the control channel (16) of the pin (15).

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