BACKGROUND
Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a handshower for the
dispensing of water of the type having multiple secondary
outlet conduits; in particular, it relates to a handshower
of this type equipped with a flow selector to deviate the
single supply flow onto the desired one among secondary
conduits.
As known, in correspondence of sinks, wash-basins and
other sanitary appliances, handshowers of the most diverse
shapes and operation modes are employed to dispense water.
Since the same handshower can be used in different
ways, it has now become common practice in the field to
provide a dispensing head with differentiated flows, for
example one having a single central jet and a plurality of
smaller jets circumferentially arranged. In this case the
handshower also features a manoeuvring member or a selector
mechanism which allows the user to choose the water dispensing
mode. Generally speaking, the selector mechanism
provides to interrupt the water supply main flow and to direct
it, according to the user's choice, towards an outlet
nozzle or to another nozzle through respective delivery
conduits.
Selector mechanisms can be roughly divided into two
main categories: those arranged in and integral with the
dispensing head - which may be operated by a rotating coupling
ring which couples in a differentiated way two selection
plates - and those located on the handshower handle -
which are normally operated by levers or push-buttons.
The mechanisms of the first type are preferable from a
functional point of view, because they allow wider adjustment
possibilities, being able to exploit the coupling between
two plates varying their position over a complete
360° rotation. However, the coupling ring structure requires
such mechanisms to be arranged directly on the dispensing
head: from an operation point of view, the user is
hence forced to act on the head, thereby interfering with
the water outlet area; these selection systems are therefore
employed in showers only.
A mechanism of this type is known for example from
PCT/EP01/13525 in the name of the same Inventor.
The mechanisms of the second type are instead subject
to a significant functional limitation, since they are
mounted on the handle in the shape of levers or push-button
switches, and do not offer the opportunity to exploit many
different settings. A switch lever, such as the one illustrated
in US 4.629.124 in the name of Hansa Metallwerke AG
for example, can be operated choosing between two settings
only.
Besides, the setting selection direction must necessarily
be reversed to change from one setting to the other,
which is not welcome, both from the point of view of the
dimensions and of the operation thereof. As a matter of
fact, one only needs to think of a push-button or of a selection
lever which can be comfortably pushed to select a
certain setting, but which must then be uncomfortably
lifted to bring it back to the original setting; or of a
lever which can be shifted about the longitudinal axis of
the handle, the rotation of which, for a left-handed person,
can be comfortable in one direction but not in the opposite
one.
The problems set forth above are easily understandable
by referring to the prior art handshowers illustrated, for
example, in the documents US 4.209.132 in the name of Well
Men Industrial Company Ltd. and FR 2.683.745 in the name of
Valentin France SA.
It is the object of the present invention to overcome
the disadvantages of the handshowers equipped with selection
mechanisms on the handle, in particular by providing a
selector design which allows adjustment with a one-way intervention,
i.e. without the need to reverse the setting
selection direction, and by coupling two selector components
mutually rotating over a 360° circumference.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, the object set forth above
is achieved by means of a water-dispensing handshower and
relative selector device as described in their essential
features in the attached claims.
Further features and advantages of the handshower and
of the selector device according to the invention will in
any case be clearer from the following detailed description
of a preferred embodiment of the invention, given by way of
example and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is an elevation side view of a handle portion
of the handshower of the invention;
fig. 1A is an elevation front view of the handle of
fig. 1;
fig. 2A and 2B are longitudinal and cross section
views, respectively, taken along the line I-I and II-II of
fig. 1A and of the same fig. 2A;
fig. 3 is a perspective view of the handle of fig. 2A
truncated in correspondence of the line II-II;
fig. 4 is a partial-section perspective view of the
selector device contained in the handle of fig. 3;
fig. 5 is a section view taken along a horizontal
plane of the handle of fig. 1;
fig. 6 is a section view taken along a vertical plane
of the handle of fig. 1; and
fig. 7 is a view similar to that of fig. 6, open from
the opposite side and with the selector mechanism and the
switch not in section.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In fig. 1 there is represented a portion of a handle 1
for a handshower. In a manner known per se, at one entry
end 1a of the handle a water supply duct (not shown) is intended
to be coupled, while at the other outlet end 1b a
dispensing head (not shown) is engageable and capable of
letting the water flow out through a series of nozzles
which may be alternatively selected. In the embodiment illustrated,
the dispensing head provides up to four different
water delivery conduits and, correspondingly, the outlet
end 1b features four distinct outlet ports 1c (fig.
1A).
The handle 1, in particular, consists of a cylindrical
housing 2, slightly curved to facilitate an ergonomic grip,
inside which are housed an entry insert body 3, an outlet
insert body 4, and a selector mechanism 5.
The entry insert body 3 has the shape of a tubular
supply body, with a larger diameter at one coupling end 3a
by which it protrudes from the housing 2. The coupling end
3a is precision-fitted at the mouthpiece of the housing 2
with the interposition of an O-ring-type seal 6.
The tubular supply body 3 ends inside the housing 2
with a circular flange 3f from which projects, in the upper
part (in fig. 2A), a guide and sliding element 7, open
downwards with an upturned U shape (in fig. 2A), the function
of which will be discussed further on.
At the outlet end 1b, a similar outlet insert body 4
is coupled with the mouthpiece of the housing 2 by interposing
a pair of watertight O- ring seals 8 and 9. Within
the outlet insert body 4 are obtained the four channels 1c,
mutually parallel and circumferentially equidistant.
According to the invention, in the central part of the
insert body 4 there is engaged a threaded pin 10 which extends
inwardly in a longitudinal direction, terminating in
a manoeuvring head, for example a screw head 10a.
Onto the pin 10 is fixed a ceramic disc 11, which features
four holes 11a in correspondence of the mouthpieces
of the channels 1c. The disc 11 is fixed and adheres to the
end surface of the insert body 4 and hence the holes 11a
represent the mouthpieces and a junction surface of the
channels 1c. Advantageously, the holes 11a feature a
slightly countersunk surface (as can be seen in fig. 2A)
representing a connecting surface for the water throughflow.
Between the insert body 4, generally made of moulded
plastic material, and the ceramic disc 11, in correspondence
of the connection between the holes 11a and the channels
1c, t small watertight seals 4c are provided.
On the pin 10 a second ceramic disc 12 is further
mounted, free to rotate, equipped with two dispensing ports
12a, mounted integral with a tubular control body 13.
The tubular control body 13 is engaged in a seat 3b of
the tubular supply body 3, where it is rotatingly supported.
For that purpose a PTFE ring 13g is provided between
the two pieces, in order to avoid friction and chafing
which would cause component wear; the seal between the
pieces 13b and 3b is guaranteed by a lip seal.
The front coupling of the two ceramic discs 11 and 12
has proved particularly effective in guaranteeing a sliding
seal without the need to interpose any gasket. In this way,
the rotation of the ceramic disc 12, equipped with two dispensing
ports 12a, against the fixed ceramic disc 11,
achieves the desired selection, since it leads the dispensing
ports 12a - communicating with the inner room of the
tubular control body 13, which in turn communicates with
the inner room of the tubular supply body 3 - alternatively
in communication with one of the four holes 11a of the four
distinct channels 1c. The pair of the two coupled and mutually
rotating ceramic discs is already known per se and is
commonly called ceramic cartridge of the handshower.
According to the invention, the cartridge of the two
discs 11 and 12 and the tubular control body 13 form the
selection mechanism together with the operating member 5,
which is illustrated in the following.
The tubular control body 13 features a first cylindrical
portion with a larger diameter 13a adjacent to the ceramic
disc 12 integral therewith. The tubular control body
further features a second portion with a smaller diameter
13b which protrudes from the first portion 13a and engages,
as said above, into the seat 3b of the supply body 3. On
the outside of this smaller-diameter portion 13b a series
of saw teeth 14 are obtained having the shape of a complete
circular toothing.
Astride of this portion 13b equipped with the saw
teeth 14, a fork-shaped push-button 15 is further provided,
equipped with a pivoting dog spike or pawl hook 16.
The fork-shaped push-button features a thickened base
portion 15a, which protrudes from the housing 2 through an
opening 2a, and two side wings 17a and 17b, tapered at
their ends, which enclose sideways the smaller-diameter
portion 13b.
The two wings 17a and 17b are arranged and sized so
that they can slide, in a crosswise direction to the longitudinal
axis of the handle 1, between the housing 2 and the
walls of the guide element 7 (fig. 3). In this way the
push-button 15 is free to slide crosswise to the handle,
covering a total stroke of about 6 mm, but it cannot rotate
about the longitudinal axis.
According to the illustrated preferred embodiment, the
dog spike comprises a hook 16 mounted pivoting on a pin integral
with one of the two wings, for example the right
hand wing 17a. Preferably, the hook is housed in a well
provided within the wing 17a, so that the pivot pin is supported,
in the wing 17a, at both its ends.
As can be seen, the hook 16 is arranged laterally offset
in respect of the toothing 14 of the control body 13
and is kept radially driven inwards - so as to engage with
the saw teeth - by suitable elastic means, for example by a
plastic material flap 18.
Furthermore, the side wings 17a and 17b are partly interrupted
to make room for two thrust springs 19a and 19b
which are restrained, on one side, against an abutting surface
(not shown in the drawings) of the push-button 15 and,
on the other side, against the inner surface of the housing
2. In this way the push-button 15 is kept driven towards
the outside of the housing 1.
Preferably, the springs 19a and 19b are arranged in an
anti-symmetrical position, as shown in fig. 5, because this
arrangement provides the best equilibrium of the forces
acting on the push-button 15.
During its operation, the push-button 15 is made to
slide (active run) towards the inside of the handle (arrow
F in fig. 3) acting on the operation push-button 15a to oppose
the action of the springs 19a and 19b (in fig. 2B the
push-button is shown at an end stop with the spring 19b
compressed). While sliding, the hook 16 is itself shifted
in the direction of the arrow F, causing the rotation of
the toothing 14 according to arrow R - and therefore of the
control body 13 - by a preset angle: this angle is for example
about 45° for a maximum 6-mm stroke of the push-button
15.
Releasing pressure on the portion 15a, the push-button
15 is newly driven outwards by the springs 19a and 19b
(passive run) and the hook slides over the toothing 14, oscillating
backwards against the elastic force of the flap
18, until it is newly engaged with a successive tooth. As
can be guessed, this run is substantially passive, since
the dog spike is not capable of causing the control body 13
to rotate, which hence remains stationary.
At this point the mechanism has repositioned itself in
a condition which allows to repeat the previous step of
pushing button 15.
As can be guessed, by repeatedly pressing button 15a
it is possible to have the control body 13 perform a complete
rotation even by multiples of 360°, always in the
same direction.
The rotation of the control body 13 causes, in turn,
the rotation of the ceramic disc 12 in respect of the ceramic
disc 11, achieving the desired setting selection,
that is, connecting the supply conduit 3 with the desired
one of the channels 1c, by coupling one of the respective
holes 11a with one of the two dispensing ports 12a.
In the exemplary case shown, the inlet ports 11a are
four, mutually angularly spaced apart by 90°, while the
dispensing ports 12a are two and mutually angularly spaced
apart by a suitable angle, so that, at each relative 45°
rotation - i.e. following each pressure on the push-button
- it is possible to change the setting and thereby the
function of the distributor.
The objects set forth in the introduction are hence
fully achieved. A selection mechanism has in fact been provided
which allows to intervene through an adjustment control
always in the same direction (i.e. by repeatedly pushing
button 15, which is brought back into its home position
by springs 19a and 19b). Furthermore, the mechanism of the
invention allows to perform the selection over a full, 360°
circumferential path, hence with the possibility of deviating
the main flow onto multiple different secondary conduits,
as many as can be housed in a full disc having a diameter
equivalent to the section of the handshower handle.
Finally, the operation push-button 15a, being arranged
along the handshower handle, is easily accessible by the
fingers of a hand without having to interfere with the flow
of water dispensed by the headpiece of the handshower.
However, it is understood that the invention is not
limited to the specific embodiment illustrated above, which
represents only a non-limiting example of the scope of the
invention, but that a number of changes may be made, all
within the reach of a skilled person in the field, without
going beyond the scope of the invention.
For example, the ceramic disc 11 is provided as a
self-contained piece successively mounted integral with the
insert body 4 made of plastic material. As a matter of
fact, the ceramic material has proved particularly suitable
to achieve the watertight rotation coupling which must be
established with the distributor disc 12. However, a different
configuration is not ruled out.
Furthermore, in the context of the teaching offered
here, the term "saw toothing" is intended to mean any arrangement
of notches or recesses on the outer surface of
the control body 13 which allows it to be rotation-driven
by the dog spike 16 only in one displacement direction of
the push-button 15.
Finally, although the push-button has always been illustrated
arranged so as to protrude underneath the handle
- i.e. on the same side where water is dispensed by the
head of the handshower - its orientation can be chosen depending
on other criteria, for example it could protrude
above or sideways of the handle depending on the applications.