EP1855809A1

EP1855809A1 - Shower head

Info

Publication number: EP1855809A1
Application number: EP06705383A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Benjamin Hodel; Lutz Alteneder; Henning Kaess
Original assignee: Weidman Plastics Technology AG
Current assignee: Weidman Plastics Technology AG
Priority date: 2005-03-11
Filing date: 2006-03-09
Publication date: 2007-11-21
Anticipated expiration: 2026-03-09
Also published as: DE502006002331D1; CN101137445B; WO2006094424A1; US20080302886A1; EP1855809B1; CN101137445A; ATE416844T1; ES2317488T3

Abstract

The invention relates to a shower head which comprises a housing (2) wherein a valve (V), which comprises a closing body (10) which can be adjusted between two closing positions by changing the type of jet by means of an actuation device (19), is arranged. The actuation device (19) comprises a rotating wheel (33, 41, 51, 61, 71) which is arranged on the outer side of the housing (2), said rotating wheel being actively connected to the closing body (10) such that it can manually rotate in a limited manner in order to adjust the closing body (10). A valve pipe (3) is arranged in the housing (2), whereon the rotating wheel (33, 41, 51, 61, 71) is mounted in a rotationally limited manner. Said shower head can be manually actuated in a simple manner and can consist of very few parts.

Description

shower head

The invention relates to a shower head with a housing in which a valve is arranged, which has a closure body, which is adjustable to switch the beam with an actuator between two closing positions.

A shower head of this type has become known for example from DE 198 03 554 A. This shower head is intended in particular for a pull-out shower or dishwashing spray. The shower head is connected to a hose line, which is guided displaceably in a pipe bend. The shower head can be pulled out of the pipe bend from below. Such showers are also referred to as "pull-down" jets. The valve is a change-over valve that can be switched on a lever, so that optionally two different jet formations are possible. The lever is arranged invisibly under a rubber-elastic membrane. The changeover takes place at two different spaced apart actuating points of the membrane.

A pull-out spray has also become known in the prior art from EP 1 418 007 A. In this, a lever is also arranged under a rubber-elastic membrane for the operation. This acts via a toggle wedge on the closure body of the switching valve to move it between the two positions. From EP 1 462 051 A, a dishwashing spray is known, which has as an actuating element a lever arranged on the outside. In a pivoted position, this lever can be fixed to a retaining ring. To change this retaining ring must be rotated. The operation is comparatively cumbersome here.

EP 0 704 252 A discloses a showerhead with a handle, which is also arranged under a rubber-elastic membrane.

GB 2 185 019 A discloses a showerhead which has a laterally projecting lever for actuating an outlet valve. However, this shower can not be switched between two spray modes.

The US 6,378,790 B discloses a shower, which has a rotary lever for actuation. This rotary lever is projecting outside the housing.

The invention is based on the Aufgäbe to create a shower head of the type mentioned, which is easier to operate and can also be made inexpensively from a few parts.

The object is achieved in a generic shower head characterized in that the actuating device has a projecting on the outside of the housing rotary knob which is limited to adjust the closure body by hand rotatably and operatively connected to the closure body. The wheel allows a very simple one-point operation and one-hand operation. No other position needs to be sought to change the beam type, which is especially important in the case of a pull-out spray. The operation for switching the valve takes place, for example, with the thumb of the hand, which holds the shower head. Since the rotary knob protrudes on the outside and thus is not hidden under a membrane, it is also clear on first use, how and where to operate. The shower head is particularly suitable for a pull-out shower. According to a development of the invention, it is provided that a valve tube is arranged in the housing and that the rotary wheel is rotatably mounted on the outside of this valve tube. With this development, it is possible to design the shower head so that even without a housing a complete functional test is feasible. The shower head can then be delivered without housing. The housing is mounted in this case, for example, by a dealer. It can hold different housings, for example housings with a different surface in stock, and assemble the housing according to the customer's request.

According to a development of the invention it is provided that the rotary wheel can be inserted through an opening of the housing in this. When mounting the shower head, the rotary knob is finally inserted through the opening of the housing after placing the housing. The insertion of the rotary wheel is then particularly simple and reliable, if it is latched onto a bearing part arranged in the housing. This bearing part is preferably a bearing block, which is integrally formed on said valve tube.

According to a development of the invention it is provided that the rotary wheel is connected to a connecting part with the closure body. This connecting part can be positively or frictionally connected to the rotary knob in a simple manner. The connection is particularly simple if, according to a development of the invention, the connecting part has an opening at one end, into which engages an attachment of the rotary wheel. Such a compound is relatively insensitive to tolerances. The assembly is also very simple and allows the above-mentioned locking connection of the rotary wheel with a bearing block of the valve tube.

According to a development of the invention it is provided that the connecting part is displaceably mounted on said valve tube. For storage, for example bearing parts are formed on the outside of the valve tube, in which the connecting part can be inserted laterally. The connecting part is preferably located in a gap between said valve tube and the housing. this makes possible a very slim design of the shower head. In particular, this shower head can be formed like a circular cylinder similar to a torch flashlight.

According to a development of the invention it is provided that the rotary wheel has a pin as a driver, which projects substantially radially from the axis of rotation of the rotary wheel. This pin is preferably positively connected to the closure body operatively connected. This allows a very simple and reliable construction.

According to a development of the invention it is provided that the rotary wheel is frictionally engaged with the closure body operatively. The rotary wheel preferably has a friction surface, which bears against a corresponding friction surface of the closure body. Preferably, this friction surface is arranged on a connecting part and flat.

According to a development of the invention it is provided that the rotary wheel is connected to a hinge part with the closure body. This allows a one-piece design of the rotary wheel and the connecting part. The rotary wheel can be manufactured with the connecting part, for example by injection molding as a part. This allows an even simpler and cheaper construction.

According to a development of the invention it is provided that the hinge part has at least one film hinge, preferably two spaced-apart film hinges. Preferably, the hinge part at one end of a two-armed lever which engages with an arm on the closure body to move it. This allows a particularly simple construction with few individual parts.

According to a development of the invention it is provided that the rotary knob on a

^■ Tooth connection with the closure body is operatively connected. This allows a particularly reliable connection between the rotary knob and the closure body.

Further advantageous features emerge from the dependent claims, the following description and the drawings. Embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing. Show it:

FIG. 1 shows, on an enlarged scale, a longitudinal section through a shower head according to the invention,

2 shows a longitudinal section through a shower head according to a variant,

3 shows a longitudinal section through a shower head according to a further variant,

FIG. 4 shows a longitudinal section through a shower head according to a further variant,

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section through a shower head according to another variant.

FIG. 6 shows a side view of a shower head according to the invention,

Figure 7 is another view of the inventive shower head and

FIG. 8 shows a view in the direction of the arrow VIII of FIG. 6.

The shower head 1 shown in Figure 1 has a substantially circular cylindrical housing 2, in which a water supply pipe 3 is mounted. The water guide tube 3 has at a protruding from the housing 2 edge a connecting piece 4 with a connecting thread 5, on which the shower head 1 with a not shown here

Line hose is connected. This hose is preferably mounted extendable in a pipe bend, not shown here. The shower head 1 can then be pulled down, for example, and used in particular as a dishwashing spray.

At the other end of the water guide tube 3, a known insert 34 is arranged, which is sealed with a sealing ring 18 with respect to the water guide tube 3 and the Auslassöfmungen 15 for a shower spray and centrally a jet former 16 has. The water jet is formed either by the Auslassöfmungen 15 or by the jet former 16. There are thus two types of spray possible. Suitable inserts 34 are known in the art and these need not be further explained here. Through the Wasserfuhrungsrohr 3 leads a water supply channel 6, can get through the water from the connection piece 4 to the insert 34. The control of the water takes place with a valve V, which is a diverter valve and has a closure body 10, on which a connecting rod 12 is formed, which protrudes through a passage 7 of the water guide tube 3. With a . Sealing body 8, the connection days 12 sealed relative to the Wasserfuhrungsrohr 3. The closure body 10 can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the connecting rod 12 limited. If, in FIG. 1, the closure body 10 is moved downwards, a spring 13 is tensioned. In the position shown, a sealing body 11 bears against a valve seat 9. If the closure body 10 is moved downward against the retroactive force of the spring 13, the water guide channel 6 is connected to a space 17 and the outlet openings 15. If the closure body 10 is in the lower position, it rests against a rubber-elastic sealing body 14 and thus closes the connection of the water guide channel 6 with the jet former 16. If a faucet, not shown here, is closed and the pressure in the water guide channel 6 is lowered, then it moves the tensioned spring 13, the closure body 10 in the position shown in Figure 1. In the basic position, the closure body 10 is thus always in the position shown in FIG. 1, in which the water guide channel 6 is connected to the jet former 16.

In order to move the closure body 10 between said two positions, an actuating device 19 is provided which has a rotary wheel 33 and a connecting part 28. The rotary wheel 33 is limited to rotate about a rotation axis 24 and protrudes through an opening 20 therethrough. The rotational movements of the rotary wheel 33 about the axis 24 is represented by the double arrow 23. For supporting the rotary wheel 33, a bearing block 29 is integrally formed on a wall 30 of the water guide tube 33. This bearing block 29 has not shown here openings, are locked in the bearing pin not shown here, the rotary wheel 33. The locking connection between the rotary wheel 33 and the bearing block 29 is formed so that the rotary knob 33 can be snapped through the opening 20 on the bearing block 29. So that the rotary wheel 33 can be turned rocker-like around the rotation axis 24 in the directions of the double arrow 23, it has on the outer surface 21 a recess 22 which forms two opposite touch surfaces A and B. For example, if a pressure is exerted on the touch surface A with the thumb, the rotary wheel 33 pivots clockwise about the rotation axis 24 and thereby the closure body 10 is moved downward in FIG. The sealing body 11 thus lifts off from the valve seat 9 and thus water can escape through the outlet openings 15. If subsequently a pressure is exerted on the touch surface B, the rotary wheel 33 pivots back into the position shown in FIG. For both pivoting movements of the thumb from the rotary wheel 33 does not have to be lifted. It is thus possible a so-called one-point operation.

The rotary wheel 33 has a pin-shaped bent projection 26, which engages in a passage 27 of the connecting part 28. The projection 26 forms a driver, with which the pivoting movement of the rotary wheel 33 is converted into a linear movement of the connecting part 28. At the periphery of the projection 26, the rotary wheel 33 has a recess 25 on the back side.

The connecting part 28 is a rod, which is firmly connected in Figure 1 at the lower end by means of a connection 32 with the connecting rod 12. The connection 32 may be a clamping connection, latching connection, an adhesive connection or the like. For storage of the connecting part 28, two bearing parts 31 are integrally formed on the wall 30, on which the connecting part 28 is inserted laterally. The connecting part 28 extends substantially in the longitudinal direction of the connecting rod 12 and thus in the direction of the center line M of the shower head 1. The axis of rotation 24 of the rotary wheel 33 is as shown at a distance from its point of application on the passage 27. This distance is preferably smaller than the distance of the rotation axis 24 to the outer surface 21 of the rotary wheel. The power arm of the rotary wheel 33 is thus preferably larger than the load arm, which allows a comparatively large tilt angle and a comparatively small actuation force. This angle is preferably greater than about 45 °. Instead of the recess 22 and a Anspritzteil 35 may be provided, which is indicated by a dashed line. This Anspritzteil 35 consists for example of a plastic having a surface with a relatively large coefficient of friction. Suitable, for example, is a rubber-elastic plastic. The actuation thus takes place on the injection-molded part 35 onto which, for example, the thumb is placed.

FIG. 2 shows a shower head 40, which basically is constructed like the shower head 1. However, the actuating device has here a rotary wheel 41, which also has two touch surfaces A and B or a Anspritzteil 35 and which is pivotally mounted about an axis of rotation 43. The pivoting movement is indicated here by the double arrow 42. On the rotary wheel 41 a stabfδrmiger driver 44 is formed, which engages in a recess 45 of a connecting part 46. When pivoting the rotary wheel 41 about the axis 43 is pivoted in accordance with the driver 44 and thus the connecting part 46 in Figure 1 down or moved upwards. Accordingly, the closure body 10 is moved from one to the other position.

FIG. 3 shows a shower head 50 which has a rotary wheel 51 which has a driver 52 which is semicircular and has a correspondingly curved friction surface 53. This friction surface 53 bears against a friction surface 54 of a connecting part 55. When rotating the rotary wheel 51, the friction surface 53 rolls off the friction surface 54 and displaces the connecting part 55 accordingly. The driver 52 can be, for example, a molded part made of a rubber-elastic material.

FIG. 4 shows a shower head 60 which has a rotary wheel 61 which has a driver 62 which has toothing 63 on its circumference. This toothing 63 meshes with a toothing 64 of a connecting part 65. When turning the rotary wheel 61, the toothing 63 rolls on the toothing 64 and, accordingly, the connecting part 65 and thus the closure body 10 is displaced.

FIG. 5 shows a shower head 70 which, for actuating the valve V, has a rotary wheel 71 which can be pivoted in the direction of the double arrow 72 to a limited extent. The connection with the closure body 10 'is carried out with a connecting part 73, the Rotary wheel 71 is formed and has two spaced-apart hinges 74 and 75. These two hinges are preferably film hinges. One end of the connecting part 73 forms a two-armed lever 76, which is mounted on a bearing part 77. The lever 76 is pivotable about an axis 78 and engages with its free end in a recess 79 of the closure body 10 'a. The pivoting movements on the rotary wheel 71 are transmitted via the connecting part 73 on the closure body 10 'and this moved accordingly in Figure 5 downwards or upwards. The rotary wheel 71 may be integrally formed with the connecting part 73 as an injection molded part. This results in a further reduction of the individual parts.

FIGS. 6 to 8 show the outside, for example the shower head according to FIG. 1. However, the illustrations also apply to the shower heads according to FIGS. 2 to 5. Thus, only the parts arranged inside the housing 2 are different. As can be seen, the rotary wheel 33 protrudes beyond the outside of the housing 2. If the shower head 1 is grasped by hand, then the rotary wheel 33 can be turned or tilted with the thumb. The thumb lies here in particular in the depression 22. If the injection-molded part 35 shown in FIG. 1 is provided, then the thumb lies correspondingly on this injection-molded part 35. As can be seen, the showerhead 1 is essentially circular-cylindrical.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

Shower head 27 passage

Housing 28 connecting part a front end 29 bearing block b rear end 30 wall

Water guide tube 31 bearing part

Connecting piece 32 connection

Connecting thread 33 rotary knob

Wasserfuhrungskanal 34 use

Passage 35 Anspritzteil

seal body

Valve seat 40 Shower head

Lock body 41 rotary wheel

Sealing body 42 double arrow

Connecting rod 43 axis of rotation

Spring 44 driver

Sealing body 45 recess

Outlet openings 46 connecting part

beamformer

Room 50 shower head

Sealing ring 51 rotary knob

Actuator 52 driver

Breakthrough 53 friction surface

Outer surface 54 friction surface

Vertierung 55 connecting part

double arrow

Rotary axis 60 Shower head

Recess 61 rotary knob

Approach 62 drivers Teeth 76 Lever Zähnung 77 Bearing part Connecting part 78 Rotary axis

79 Recessed shower head A Touch surface Turning wheel B Touch surface Double arrow M Center line Connecting part V Valve First hinge Second hinge

Claims

claims

1. shower head with a housing (2) in which a valve (V) is arranged, which has a closure body (10) which is adjustable for switching the beam with an actuator (19) between two closing positions, characterized in that the Actuating device (19) has a on the outside of the housing (2) projecting rotary knob (33, 41, 51, 61, 71) autweist, limited to adjust the closure body (10) by hand rotatably and with the closure body (10) operatively connected.

2. Shower head according to claim 1, characterized in that in the housing (2) a Wasserfuhrungsrohr (3) is arranged and that the rotary wheel (33, 41, 51, 61, 71) is mounted rotatably limited to this Wasserfuhrungsrohr (3).

3. Shower head according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the rotary wheel (33, 41, 51, 61, 71) through an opening (20) of the housing (2) is inserted into this.

4. Shower head according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the rotary wheel (33, 41, 51, 61, 71) on a in the housing (2) arranged bearing part (29) is latched.

5. Shower head according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the rotary wheel (33, 41, 51, 61, 71) with a connecting part (28, 46, 55, 65, 73) is connected to the closure body (10) ,

6. Shower head according to claim 5, characterized in that the connecting part (28, 46, 55, 65, 73) at one end an opening (27), in which engages a projection (26) of the rotary wheel (33).

7. Shower head according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the connecting part (28, 46, 55, 65) is displaceably mounted on a Wasserfuhrungsrohr (3).

8. Shower head according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the connecting part (28, 46, 55, 65, 73) in a space between the housing (2) and a Wasserfuhrungsrohr (3) is arranged.

9. Shower head according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the rotary wheel (41) as a driver pin (43) which projects substantially radially from the axis of rotation (43) of the rotary wheel (41).

10. Shower head according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the rotary wheel (51) frictionally engaged with the closure body (10) is operatively connected.

11. Shower head according to claim 10, characterized in that the rotary wheel (51) as a driver (52) has a circular friction surface (53).

12. Shower head according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the rotary wheel (71) is connected to a hinge part (73) with the closure body (10).

13. Shower head according to claim 12, characterized in that the hinge part (73) has at least one film hinge (74, 75), preferably two film hinges.

14. Shower head according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the hinge part (73) is integrally formed at one end on the rotary wheel (71).

15. Shower head according to one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that the hinge part (73) at one end a two-armed lever (76) which engages with an arm on the closure body (10).

16. Shower head according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the rotary wheel (61) via a tooth connection (63, 64) with the closure body (10) is operatively connected.