EP0910712B1 - Water run-out fitting - Google Patents

Abstract

PCT No. PCT/DE97/01316 Sec. 371 Date Jan. 18, 1999 Sec. 102(e) Date Jan. 18, 1999 PCT Filed Jun. 25, 1997 PCT Pub. No. WO97/49875 PCT Pub. Date Dec. 31, 1997The invention relates to a water faucet fixture (1, 1', 1''), especially for institutional kitchens and medical establishments, whereby a hot water line and a cold water line (3, 4) open into a mixing and shut-off unit (2) with a lever for manual control, by means of which water is supplied at a certain mixed temperature and flow volume to a spout (6), whereby the water faucet fixture (1, 1', 1'') comprises another feed line (5) which, while bypassing the mixing and the shut-off unit (2), allows the supply of water from at least the cold water line (3) into the spout (6). This feed line (5) can be shut off by means of an electrically actuatable valve (9) that is controlled by the sensor signal of a proximity sensor (7, 7', 7''). The proximity sensor (7, 7', 7'') is located in the upper area of the fixture in such a manner that movements that serve to operate the fixture manually do not fall within its detection range (20, 20', 20''). This makes it possible to operate the fixture contact-free as well as manually. Advantageously, the fixture comprises two additional sensors (15, 16) that serve to regulate the temperature contact-free.

Description

Technical field:

The invention relates to a water outlet fitting which contains a mixing and shut-off unit with a lever for manual control of the water outlet, according to the preamble of claim 1.

State of the art:

Water outlet fittings are known which contain a mixing and shut-off unit (mixer tap) with a lever for manual control of the water outlet, a hot and cold water pipe opening into the mixing and shut-off unit, from which water with a certain mixing temperature and flow rate an outlet is given and exits from the outlet opening of the valve. Such fittings are mainly used in the private sector, but also in commercial kitchens, medical facilities and public facilities. In order to prevent water wastage in public toilet facilities and to make the facilities more hygienic, water outlet fittings are known, which are controlled without contact instead of manual operation, in that a sensor, e.g. in the area below the outlet for water, is located in the hand washing area. an infrared sensor is located, which reacts to washable hands held under the tap and causes the outflow of water for a certain period of time or while the hands are present in the area of the tap or the washbasin. In the toilet area, often only cold water is supplied through an electric valve; Sometimes cold and warm water is mixed to the desired temperature with a mechanical regulator. The electric valve then switches through more or less heated water to the outlet.

Furthermore, a water outlet fitting is known from EP 0 245 577, which has both a lever for manual control of the water outlet and the temperature and also a sensor arranged below the outlet opening for contactless request for water delivery. This fitting can alternatively be operated either manually or without contact, so that it can be used both in the private sector and in public facilities. To switch from manual to non-contact operation, the lever is mechanically fixed in one position with a screw, in which the valve is open for the flow of liquid. The constant flow of liquid in this position is prevented by an electric valve which only opens the water flow when water is requested by approaching the sensor and the sensor thereby emits a sensor signal.

From GB-A2 248 469 a water outlet fitting is known which contains a shut-off unit with a manual control of the water outlet, a water pipe opening into the shut-off unit, from which water can be supplied to an outlet with a certain flow rate. The water outlet fitting contains a further feed line in the form of a bypass, which bypassing the shut-off unit enables water to be introduced from the water line into the outlet, the feed line being able to be shut off by means of an electrically controllable valve, which can be shut off by the sensor signal of a proximity sensor which is located in its Detection area brought object is able to detect, is controlled.

Furthermore, a water outlet fitting has become known from US-A-5 322 086, which contains a mixing and shut-off unit with a lever for manual control of the water outlet, a hot and cold water line opening into the mixing and shut-off unit, from which water with a certain mixing temperature and flow rate is fed into an outlet. The water outlet fitting also contains a feed line which, bypassing the mixing and shut-off unit, enables water to be introduced from the cold and hot water pipes into the outlet, the feed line being shut off by means of an electrically controllable valve.

A disadvantage of the known water outlet fittings with sensor-controlled operation is that they can be used advantageously only for the purpose of hand cleaning and are too inflexible for other applications, in particular for use in canteen kitchens, medical facilities or in the food industry. In these areas, both a contact-free water supply for hand cleaning and a permanent, one-time water supply for rinsing objects or filling a container are required at one and the same washing place. A disadvantage of the solution presented in EP 0 245 577 is that the decision whether the valve is manual or should be controllable without contact, must be taken when installing the valve, since mechanical manipulations on the lever and on the internal water supply are necessary to change the operating modes.

Technical task:

The invention has for its object to provide a water outlet fitting of the type mentioned, the water outlet and water temperature can be controlled independently of each other both manually and contactlessly. Work in the area of the water outlet opening, e.g. in the wash basin below should be possible without sensor-controlled water flowing automatically.

Disclosure of the invention and its advantages:

The object is achieved in that the water outlet fitting contains a further feed line which, bypassing the mixing and shut-off unit, enables the introduction of water from at least the cold water line into the outlet, the feed line being able to be shut off by means of an electrically controllable valve which can be shut off by the sensor signal of a proximity sensor, which is able to detect an object brought into its detection area, is controlled and that a further mixer unit is located in front of the valve, the cold-warm mixing ratio either being specified internally or by an outside in the area of the water outlet fitting arranged controller is adjustable or can be controlled without contact by two proximity sensors arranged outside in the area of the water outlet fitting.

Such a fitting enables the conventional control of water outflow and temperature by manually operating the lever that controls the mixer tap. Irrespective of this, a contactless request for water delivery by approaching the proximity sensor is also possible. The provision of a further mixer unit, the cold / warm mixing ratio either being predefined internally, manually adjustable by a controller arranged outside in the area of the water outlet fitting, or being contactlessly adjustable by means of two proximity sensors arranged outside in the area of the water outlet fitting, enables the setting of the sensor-controlled water output to a constant temperature or, if necessary, the adjustment of the temperature to the needs of the user. This temperature adjustment can be done manually be carried out by the controller being mechanically connected to the additional mixer unit or by the controller emitting an electrical signal which controls the mixer unit. Furthermore, the temperature can also be adjusted without contact by weighting the sensor signals of two sensors, one for cold and warm water, and using them to control the mixer unit.

Furthermore, the sensor or sensors and the lever for manual actuation are preferably arranged in the area of the water outlet fitting in such a way that manual actuation of the lever and handling in the area of the outlet opening of the water outlet fitting are outside the detection range of the sensor or sensors. Such a spatial arrangement of the sensor or sensors with respect to the lever ensures that the automatic, sensor-controlled water delivery is not triggered during normal, lever-controlled use of the fitting. The two types of operation can thus be clearly separated. For example, the detection area of the sensor for controlling the valve extends in the direction of the side facing away from the outlet opening of the fitting, e.g. by installing the sensor on the top of the water outlet fitting, and the lever is arranged on the front of the fitting in the area below the outlet opening. Likewise, the lever can be arranged on the top of the fitting and project forward in the direction of the water outflow, the sensor being located on the back of the fitting and being able to detect movements in the rear, lower fitting area.

The sensors for controlling the mixer unit are preferably arranged on the side of the water outlet fitting. If an object comes close to the right sensor, for example, and triggers a sensor pulse, this causes the mixer to feed some warmer water into the outlet. Triggering this sensor again can, in turn, gradually change the mixing ratio, e.g. in fixed steps, in favor of a higher water temperature.

The sensors are, for example, infrared proximity sensors with a short-range detection range. If an object comes closer to the active surface of the sensor than a certain distance, preferably not more than 30 cm, the sensor generates an electrical signal which is used to control the valve and, if appropriate, the mixer.

An evaluation unit is used to evaluate the sensor signal and to control the valve and mixer unit, to which the sensor signal of the sensor or sensors is transmitted by means of a signal line in each case. When a sensor signal is received, the evaluation unit initiates the opening of the valve for a predeterminable time interval and, if necessary, the change in the cold-warm mixing ratio of the mixer unit.

In order to avoid electrical lines within the fitting and thus their contact with water, the signal line can be an optical fiber cable.

The evaluation unit is preferably designed so that it triggers the delivery of water at a predetermined temperature, in particular cold or lukewarm, with each new request for water by triggering the corresponding sensor, the temperature during the outflow of water by actuating the controller or without contact by the Sensors is changeable. After the water supply has ended, the temperature is automatically reset to the initial value. The manual control is not affected.

In order to prevent scalding of hot water still present in the bypass of the fitting during subsequent manual actuation, the evaluation unit preferably initiates a brief rinsing after the hot water has been supplied via the additional line, which cannot be recognized by the lever position, before the valve is locked with cold water, which flushes the hot water out of the spout.

Furthermore, the fitting can also be designed such that it is only suitable for dispensing cold water, that is to say instead of the mixing and shut-off unit, it merely has a shut-off unit for metering the cold water, which is bypassed according to the invention by a bypass, the through-flow being through the bypass can be regulated with the aid of a sensor-controlled valve.

Brief description of the drawing, in which:

Figure 1

a water outlet fitting according to the invention in side view with a sensor arranged on the top

Figure 2

a water outlet fitting in front view to show the detection areas of the triggering sensor and sensors for temperature regulation

Figure 3

a water outlet fitting according to the invention in side view with a sensor arranged on the back

WAYS OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION:

Figure 1 shows a water outlet fitting 1 according to the invention in side view with a sensor 7 arranged on the top, which is used for automatic, sensor-controlled triggering of water delivery. The installation position of the water outlet fitting 1 at the edge of a basin or a tub 14 is indicated, the outlet opening 17 of the armature for the outflow of water being located above the basin or the tub 14.

The fitting 1 has in its lower area supply lines 3 and 4 for hot and cold water, respectively, which are connected to the corresponding lines of the installation location. Through these lines, cold or heated water is fed to a mixing and shut-off unit 2 (mixer tap), in which the water is mixed in a known manner and fed to an outlet 6, through which it flows through the outlet opening 17 into the basin 14. The warm-cold mixture ratio as well as the current total flow can be adjusted manually with a lever 13, a one-hand lever. Rotating the lever usually causes a change in temperature by changing the mixing ratio and lifting or lowering the lever changes the flow from completely shutting off the valve contained in the mixer tap to fully opening it with maximum water flow.

Lines 18, 19 branch off from the supply lines 3 and 4 for hot and cold water in the lower area of the fitting 1 before connection to the mixer tap, which supply cold and warm water to a further mixer unit 8. The water mixed there is fed via a line 5 'to an electrical valve 9, which regulates the flow from line 5' to a line 5, normally blocks it. The line 5 opens into the outlet 6 of the fitting 1, through which the water can flow out into the basin via the outlet opening 17.

The valve 9 is normally closed, as is the valve of the mixer tap 2, so that water does not escape through either of the channels 5 or 6. The valve 9 can be controlled via a sensor 7, which is located on the top of the fitting. The sensor 7 is a non-contact proximity sensor, e.g. an infrared sensor that reacts to objects entering its detection area 20 by emitting a sensor signal. The detection area 20 is a cone-shaped, upwardly extending area with a depth of a few centimeters, preferably not more than 30 cm. The sensor signal, an electrical pulse, is transmitted to an evaluation unit 10 via a signal line 12. This evaluates the sensor signal and converts it into an electrical signal with which the valve 9 is controlled via a further signal line 12 '. If the user holds his hand or an object in the detection area 20 of the sensor 7, the latter emits a signal which is recognized by the evaluation unit and converted into a control signal for the valve 9. When this pulse is received, the valve 9 opens for a certain time interval, as a result of which the fitting releases water for this time. The water has a predeterminable temperature, which is given by the position of the mixer unit. The evaluation unit 10 is operated with an electrical power supply 11, which is preferably a battery.

If the fitting has further sensors for regulating the temperature of the water discharged by contactless operation via the additional channel 5, signal lines also lead from these to the evaluation unit 10. Then the evaluation unit also controls the additional mixer unit 8, for which purpose signal lines must also run between these components. However, this is not shown here for the sake of clarity.

The fitting 1 according to the invention can advantageously be used, for example, in commercial kitchens. It is possible to request water without contact by activating the sensor 7 by bringing an object into the detection area, for example for washing hands or for quenching a hot pan. The contactless request is made simply by holding hands or kitchenware briefly in the space above the tap. Such a detection area also virtually excludes unintentional triggering of the water release due to the inadvertent introduction of objects into the detection area. In addition to the contactless actuation of the valve, the usual manual Control of the water supply by the lever 13 is possible at any time, for example for introducing the water into the sink or for permanently rinsing an object.

Figure 2 schematically shows a water outlet fitting 1 'according to the invention with three sensors 7', 15 and 16 in the view from the front. The sensor 7 ', like the sensor 7 from FIG. 1, is arranged on the top of the fitting 1' and serves to trigger a contactless delivery of water. Its detection area 20 'extends upwards from the top of the fitting, so that in order to request water delivery, an object must first be brought into the detection area and then water is available outside the detection area. Once the water flow is triggered, the water temperature can be controlled without contact by means of two further sensors 15 and 16. These sensors are arranged in the lower area of the fitting 1 'on opposite sides. Their detection areas 21 and 22 point in opposite directions and do not overlap either with one another or with the detection area of the triggering sensor 7 '. This enables targeted non-contact control of the water flow. As described in the explanations for FIG. 1, the sensor signals of the sensors 7 ', 15, 16 are evaluated in an evaluation unit and converted into signals for controlling the valve (sensor 7') and for controlling the mixer unit (sensors 15 and 16). The fitting shown in FIG. 2 allows manual operation and control of the water flow and the temperature by means of the lever 13 '. The sensors are arranged so that handling the lever 13 'or in the basin below the outlet opening 17' of the fitting 1 'cannot fall into the detection range of one of the sensors. Alternatively, the sensor 7 could also be attached to the rear of the fitting with the detection area facing away from the basin 14 'and the lever 13' located on the top of the fitting. The function of sensors 15 and 16 would not be affected. The arrangement of the sensors outside the fitting, e.g. on a control panel.

A further example of a water outlet fitting according to the invention is shown in FIG. 3, where such a fitting 1 "with a sensor 7" arranged on its rear side is shown in a side view. The water flow through this fitting 1 "is controlled manually with a one-hand lever 13" attached to the top of the fitting. There is a 7 "sensor on the back of the fitting for contactless triggering of water delivery, For example, also on the back of the lever 13 ". The front is the side on which the water outlet takes place through the outlet opening 17" into the basin 14 ". In this area, there are movements within the basin, for example for washing hands and objects, and also for manual operation of the fitting. The detection area 20 "of the sensor 7" turns away from this area, so that accidental contactless triggering of water supply is excluded. To operate the fitting 1 "according to the invention, an object must be used can be brought briefly into the detection area 20 "on the back of the fitting. This is easily possible without mechanical hindrance because of the design of such fittings which is inclined slightly in the direction of the water outflow.

Industrial applicability and usefulness:

The invention is advantageously used in commercial kitchens, in the food industry and in medical facilities, but also in private households, in which both non-contact, quick request for water delivery of short duration, for example for quick, hygienic hand cleaning, and manual operation of the fitting for adjustment a water flow of a certain strength, temperature and duration, for example for filling a container or rinsing objects, is necessary at one and the same installation location of the fitting.

List of reference numerals:

1, 1 ', 1 "

fitting

2

Mixer and shut-off unit

3, 4

Cold and hot water supply lines

5, 5 ', 18, 19

additional line

6

outlet

7, 7 ', 7 "

triggering sensor

8th

Mixer unit (mechanically or electrically operated)

9

Valve (electrically controllable)

10

evaluation

11

power supply

12, 12 '

signal line

13, 13 ', 13 "

lever

14, 14 ', 14 "

pool

15, 16

Sensor (temperature control)

17, 17 ', 17 "

outlet opening

20, 20 ', 20 ", 21, 22

detection range

Claims (10)

1. Water run-out fitting (1, 1', 1") comprising a mixing and shut-off unit (2) with a lever (13) for manual control of the water flow, whereby a hot water line and a cold water line (3, 4) open into the mixing and shut-off unit (2) by means of which water is supplied at a certain mixed temperature and flow volume to a spout (6), and the water run-out fitting (1) comprises another feed line (5) which, while bypassing the mixing and the shut-off unit (2), allows the supply of water from the cold water line (3) into the spout (6), whereby the feed line (5) can be shut off by means of an electrically actuatable valve (9),
   characterized in that
   the valve (9) is controlled by the sensor signal of a proximity sensor (7) that is capable of detecting an object brought into its detection range and in that there is another mixing unit (8) upstream from the valve (9), whereby the hot-cold mixing ratio is either internally predefined or else adjustable by means of a regulator located externally in the area of the water run-out fitting (1, 1', 1") or else it can be regulated contact-free by means of two proximity sensors (15, 16) located externally in the area of the water run-out fitting (1, 1', 1").
2. Water run-out fitting (1,1',1") according to Claim 1, characterized in that the sensor(s) (7, 7', 7", 15,16) and the lever (13, 13', 13") are situated in the area of the water run-out fitting (1,1',1") in such a manner that a manual activation of the lever as well as movements in the area of the outlet opening (17,17',17") of the water run-out fitting (1,1',1") are outside of the detection range of the sensor(s).
3. Water run-out fitting (1,1',1") according to Claim 2, characterized in that the detection range of the sensor (7) for controlling the valve (9) extends in the direction of the side facing away from the outlet opening (17, 17', 17") of the fix-ture (1, 1', 1"), and that the lever (13, 13', 13") is situated on the front of the fixture (1, 1', 1") in the area below the outlet opening (17, 17', 17").
4. Water run-out fitting (1, 1', 1") according to Claim 3, characterized in that the sensor (7, 7', 7") for controlling the valve (9) is situated on the top of the water run-out fitting (1, 1', 1").
5. Water run-out fitting (1, 1', 1") according to Claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the sensors (15, 16) for controlling the mixing unit (8) are situated on the sides of the water run-out fitting (1, 1', 1").
6. Water run-out fitting (1, 1', 1") according to one of the preceding Claims,
   characterized in that
   the sensor signal of the sensor(s) (7, 7', 7", 15, 16) is transmitted by means of a signal line (12) to an evaluation unit (10), which opens the valve (9) for a predetermined time interval and optionally controls the mixing unit (8).
7. Water run-out fitting (1,1',1") according to Claim 6, characterized in that the signal line (12) is an optical fiber cable.
8. Water run-out fitting (1,1',1") according to one of the preceding Claims,
   characterized in that,
   every time water is demanded anew through activation of the sensor (7, 7', 7"), the evaluation unit (10) causes water to be supplied at a predefinable temperature, especially cold or lukewarm, whereby the temperature can be changed while the water is flowing out either by operating the regulator or else contact-free, by means of the sensors (15,16).
9. Water run-out fitting (1,1',1") according to one of the preceding Claims,
   characterized in that,
   after a hot water feed and before the valve (9) shuts, the evaluation unit (10) initiates a brief after-rinsing with cold water, as a result of which the hot water in the spout (6) is flushed out.
10. Water run-out fitting (1,1',1") according to Claim 1, characterized in that the regulator is either manually adjustable and is mechanically connected to the additional mixing unit (8) for this purpose or else the regulator emits an electric signal that controls the mixing unit (8).