EP2529056B1 - Jet regulator and jet adjustment process - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to an aerator for the outlet of a sanitary fitting or for a shower.

Aerators, also known as aerators or mixing nozzles, are often located at the water outlet of a sanitary fitting and influence the shape and type of the water jet. Depending on the various country-specific conditions and different water pressures, the best possible jet should be guaranteed. Usually, a soft, non-splashing jet is to be produced and water and energy costs are to be saved. There are aerators with an aerated jet, laminar jet and shower jet.

With a small amount of water, a shower jet consisting of several individual jets can wet a larger area with water than a laminar jet. With higher water pressure and larger amounts of water, a shower jet on a washbasin is less suitable because it causes a lot of splashing when it hits the basin.

From the DE 44 36 193 A1 a jet regulator with a perforated plate is known, by means of which the water jet can be adapted to changing water pressure conditions or water pressure fluctuations by openings in the perforated plate being released or blocked for the flow of water by means of a valve preloaded in the closed position.

From the DE 198 51 151 A1 a flow restrictor for sanitary fittings is known which can change the outlet flow cross section between at least two values depending on the prevailing pressure conditions.

From the U.S. 3,697,002 another flow restrictor is known which causes a constant flow rate of the fluid through a flexible cylindrical disk.

Finally is out of the WO 2008/067903 A1 another flow limiter is known, which is equipped with an elastic throttle body. Between itself and a housing wall, the throttle body delimits a control gap that changes under the pressure of the fluid flowing through.

The US patent US5348231 describes a jet generator with two different jet types that can be set manually. The jet former includes a membrane and an elastic liner that defines a valve chamber therein.

The pamphlet US4000857A describes a flow control device which maintains a constant flow rate and is arranged to produce a regulated, air-mixed jet on the outlet side.

The pamphlet DE4436193A1 describes an aerator for a water outlet with a closable perforated plate arranged upstream in front of one or more water outlet nozzle(s), separate flow chambers being connected downstream of the perforated plate, with one or more water outlet nozzle(s) being arranged at the downstream end region of each.

Against this background, the object of the invention is to bring about a functional improvement for sanitary fittings and showers with different spray types.

The object is achieved by a jet regulator with the features of patent claim 1 and methods with the features of patent claims 12 and 13 for jet switching. Advantageous developments are the subject of dependent claims.

The invention provides an aerator for the outlet of a sanitary fitting or a shower, which comprises at least two flow chambers or flow channels, each having an inflow opening and one or more water outlet openings. The inflow for each flow chamber or flow channel is controlled by a single valve with an elastic valve body, which is arranged upstream of the flow chamber or flow channels and optionally closes or opens the inflow openings, with a deformation of the elastic valve body and thus a change in the valve position due to a change in the pending water pressure or by mechanical actuation by means of an actuator. The inflow opening of the flow chamber or the flow channel is closed by a part of the elastic valve body resting against a sealing surface, the sealing surface being formed by a housing wall of the jet regulator.

A jet regulator usually has a housing with an external thread that can be screwed into the outlet of a sanitary fitting. The flow chambers or flow channels are formed by the housing and partitions, the partitions optionally being formed by detachable inserts or inserts in the housing. The flow chambers or flow channels have at their final end, for example in the bottom of the housing, water outlet openings of various types or inserts in the form of screens or jet formers that ensure the shape of the emerging water jet.

According to a development of the invention, the flow chambers or flow channels are arranged concentrically. Advantageously, the resilient valve body is positioned and shaped to form part of the flow chambers or flow channels. According to the invention, the elastic valve body has an annular shape. The elastic valve body can also be positively connected to an insert or insert that is part of the flow chambers or flow channels or includes a flow channel.

According to a development of the invention, the elastic valve body has at least one lip or flap.

Elastomers, which may also be used in accordance with the drinking water guidelines, are particularly suitable as material for the valve body.

Depending on the water pressure at which the water is to be switched from one jet type to the other, the shape of the valve body and thus the shape of the lips or flaps, which are to be moved by the water pressure, can be shaped differently. Depending on requirements, the cross sections and the rigidity of the lip or flap can be constant or have a discontinuity over their length, from the clamping point on the circular ring to the sealing surface. An embodiment of the invention provides, for example, that the valve body has two lips or flaps, each with a different

Stiffness are provided. The annulus of the valve body forms a partition wall between the flow channels.

The valve body is positively connected to the insert so that the lip forms a defined gap.

According to the invention, the sealing surface against which a part of the valve body, one of its lips or its flaps rests to close the inflow opening of a flow chamber or a flow channel is formed by a housing wall or by the inside of a housing wall of the jet regulator. However, the sealing surface can also be formed by a centrally arranged insert element, which has a cylindrical or stamp-like shape, for example. The lips or flaps of the valve body are each arranged or fastened in such a way that in the open position of the valve a defined gap is formed between the sealing surface and the lip or flap. In the closed valve position, the valve body or a part of it can lie flat against a sealing surface or only come into contact with the sealing surface through an edge and thus close the defined gap.

Depending on the desired type of jet, a jet former or a screen for generating a laminar or mousseur jet can be provided in the water outlet opening of a flow chamber or a flow channel. As an alternative to this, individual water outlet openings arranged at a distance from one another can be provided in a flow chamber or a flow channel, so that a shower jet with a number of individual jets is formed. If inserts or inserts with water passage openings or bores are used to create the flow chambers or flow channels, it is advantageous if an elastic sealing element is provided between the insert, which forms or contains a flow channel, and the housing base of the aerator and has tubular attachments. which penetrate the water outlet openings on the bottom of the housing. The tubular attachments act like water outlet nozzles that generate the individual jets for a shower jet. The sealing elements usually also consist of an elastomer. In addition to the function of shaping and metering the shower jets, they also have a descaling function. Deposits of lime from the exiting water on the sealing element or the water outlet nozzles are possible, but can be removed by light mechanical action on the tubular attachments.

According to the invention, it should be possible at different pending water pressures, either from the position of the shut-off valve or from the technical building conditions result in automatically generating different jet patterns or jet types, so that the most efficient jet type can be used for washing hands, for example.

If the water pressure is low, a large area should still be wetted; if the water pressure is high, splashing should be avoided when the jet hits it.

Therefore, the invention provides a method for jet conversion in a sanitary fitting with a jet regulator, which is provided in the outlet of the sanitary fitting, or a jet regulator for a shower head, which comprises at least two flow chambers or flow channels, each having an inflow opening and one or more water outlet openings have and in which a valve with an elastic valve body is arranged. When the shut-off valve is closed, an elastic valve body or a part of it blocks a first inflow opening of a first flow chamber or a first flow channel and at the same time releases an inflow opening of a second flow chamber or a second flow channel for the inflowing amount of water, so that a first type of jet can flow through the water outlet openings there , For example, a shower jet is formed with individual jets.

With increased or increasing water pressure, the valve body is deformed in such a way that it comes into contact with a sealing surface of the jet regulator and blocks the open inflow opening of the second flow chamber or the second flow channel. When a defined limit pressure is reached, both inflow openings are blocked by the valve body. After a further increase in the water pressure, the valve body is deformed further in such a way that the inflow opening of the first flow chamber or the first flow channel is released and the inflowing water leaves the sanitary fitting or the shower through the water outlet opening or the water outlet openings there and forms a second jet has, which can be formed, for example, as a laminar or mousseur jet.

A development of the invention provides that, in addition to the automatic or water-pressure-dependent jet changeover, a mechanical jet changeover is possible. In this case, the method for jet changeover in a sanitary fitting with a jet regulator, which is provided in the outlet of the sanitary fitting and which comprises at least two flow chambers or flow channels, each of which has an inflow opening and one or more water outlet openings and in which a valve with an elastic valve body is arranged, provided that the inflowing water is introduced due to a first open and a second closed lip of the valve body through a first inflow opening into the first flow chamber or flow channel and through the water outlet openings present there to a first jet type, for example a shower jet with individual jets. To change the type of jet, a mechanical adjusting element causes the first open lip of the valve body to deform, such that it comes into contact with a sealing surface of the jet regulator and blocks the open first inflow opening. At the same time or subsequently, a movement of the mechanical actuating element causes the second closed lip of the valve body to be deformed in such a way that the inflow opening of the second flow chamber or the second flow channel is released and the inflowing water flows out through the existing water outlet opening or water outlet openings and, for example, to a laminar or Mousseur jet is formed.

Figur 1

einen Schnitt durch einen erfindungsgemäßen Strahlregler in einer ersten Ausführungsform bei geschlossenem Absperrventil oder geringem anstehenden Wasserdruck;

Figur 2

einen Schnitt durch den Strahlregler aus Figur 1 bei definiertem anstehenden Grenzdruck;

Figur 3

einen Schnitt durch den Strahlregler aus Figur 1 und 2 bei erhöhtem Wasserdruck;

Figur 4

einen Schnitt durch einen erfindungsgemäßen Strahlregler in einer zweiten Ausführungsform bei geschlossenem Absperrventil oder geringem anstehenden Wasserdruck;

Figur 5

einen Schnitt durch den Strahlregler aus Figur 4 bei erhöhtem Wasserdruck;

Figur 6

einen Schnitt durch einen erfindungsgemäßen Strahlregler gemäß der ersten Ausführungsform mit zusätzlichem mechanischem Stellelement ;

Figur 7

einen Schnitt durch den Strahlregler aus Figur 6 mit verformtem Ventilkörper und veränderter Position des Stellelements;

Figur 8

einen Schnitt durch den Strahlregler aus Figur 6 und 7 mit verformtem Ventilkörper und veränderter Position des Stellelements;

Figur 9

einen Schnitt durch einen Strahlregler in einer dritten Ausführungsform.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawing and is described in more detail below. In the drawings, the same reference symbols denote the same functional parts. It shows in the drawing

figure 1

a section through an aerator according to the invention in a first embodiment with a closed shut-off valve or low pending water pressure;

figure 2

cut through the aerator figure 1 at a defined limit pressure;

figure 3

cut through the aerator Figure 1 and 2 with increased water pressure;

figure 4

a section through an aerator according to the invention in a second embodiment with a closed shut-off valve or low pending water pressure;

figure 5

cut through the aerator figure 4 with increased water pressure;

figure 6

a section through a jet regulator according to the invention according to the first embodiment with an additional mechanical actuating element;

figure 7

cut through the aerator figure 6 with deformed valve body and changed position of the control element;

figure 8

cut through the aerator Figure 6 and 7 with deformed valve body and changed position of the control element;

figure 9

a section through an aerator in a third embodiment.

the Figures 1 to 3 show a section through a jet regulator 1 according to the invention, with a housing 11 whose outer contour is adapted to the outlet of a sanitary fitting and whose inner contour defines part of a flow chamber or a flow channel 12 . The present jet regulator 1 has two flow channels 12, 13 which are arranged concentrically to one another. A valve with an annular elastic valve body 15 is provided in the jet regulator 1, the opening and closing positions of which are achieved by a deformation of the valve body 15 and its interaction with different sealing surfaces 111, 161. The elastic valve body 15 has two differently shaped lips 151, 152 which protrude on both sides of the valve body. The valve body 15 is pushed through the lower opening of the housing 11 into the jet regulator 1 and at the same time forms an extension of a flow channel wall. A stamp-shaped insert 16 is then also inserted through the lower opening of the housing into the jet regulator 1, against which a lip 152 of the valve body nestles, thus being prestressed and forming a tight seal of the resulting flow channel 13 at the inflow opening. Following the stamp-shaped insert 16, a sieve or a jet former 14 is inserted or screwed into the water outlet opening 131 of the flow channel 13 downstream, with the support of which a laminar jet or a mousseur jet can be generated.

Out of figure 1 it can be seen that the lip 152 cantilevers freely and releases the inflow opening to the flow channel 12 . If the amount of water is small, the water flows through this inflow opening and is formed by the water outlet openings 121 into a shower jet with a number of individual jets.

figure 2 shows the aerator figure 1 with increased water pressure. With the geometry of the elastic valve body 15 and the associated material properties, the system is set such that the lip 151 closes at the defined limit pressure shown by coming to rest on a sealing surface 111 of the housing 11 while the lip 152 is still closed.

figure 3 shows the aerator figure 2 after a defined increase in water pressure. The lip 152 is deformed and slides along the sealing surface 161 of the stamp-shaped insert 16 and releases the inflow opening of the flow channel 13 . The water thus flows to the water outlet opening 131, in which the jet former 14 is inserted and thus serves as a jet former for a mousseur jet.

the Figures 4 and 5 show a further exemplary embodiment of an aerator 1 according to the invention, the elastic valve body 15 of which has a different geometry, but whose mode of operation corresponds to the basic principle described above.

the Figures 6 and 7 However, show the aerator 1 with the elastic valve body 15 from the Figures 1 to 3 , the automatic function of the jet changeover due to an increase or decrease in the pending water pressure can be expanded by an additional element for blocking the openings in the area of the elastic valve body 15. Here, the valve body 15 is deformed by a mechanical actuating element 17. The Figures 6 to 8 show the mechanical actuating element 17 in the form of a ring slide, which can be actuated from the outside by sliding it along the housing. In figure 6 the ring slide is in a middle neutral position so that it has no effect on the elastic valve body 15. The lip 152 of the valve body 15 is prestressed, lies against the sealing surface 161 of the plunger-shaped insert 16 and closes the inflow opening to the flow channel 13. However, it releases the inflow opening to the flow channel 12. In this position of the mechanical actuator 17, the operation of the jet regulator 1 with the in Figures 1 to 3 illustrated embodiment identical.

In figure 7 the ring slider is at an upper stop point. With its internal cam, it presses the lip 151 against a sealing surface 111 of the housing 11, so that the inflow opening of the flow chamber 12 is closed and the inflow opening to the flow chamber 13 is opened. Thus, the function of the shower jet on the jet regulator 1 is blocked.

figure 8 finally shows the mechanical actuating element 17 in the position in which it deforms the valve body 15 in such a way that its lip 152 comes into contact with the sealing surface 161 of the plunger-shaped insert 16 and thus blocks the inflow opening to the flow chamber 13 .

figure 9 finally shows a section through a jet regulator 1 according to the invention in a further embodiment. The housing 11 of the jet regulator 1 is also adapted to the outlet of a sanitary fitting. However, the flow chamber 13 and the flow channels 12 are defined by a further insert 18 . The annular insert 18 contains the flow channels 12. In this exemplary embodiment, the elastic valve body 15 is connected to the insert 18 in a form-fitting manner. The open and closed positions are also achieved here by a deformation of the valve body 15 and its interaction with different sealing surfaces 161 and 181 . In order to close the opening of the flow chamber 13, an edge of the lip 152 cooperates with the sealing surface 161 of the plunger-shaped insert 16. The second lip 151 of the elastic valve body 15 forms a defined gap with the sealing surface 181 on the insert 18 . In the open state, the opening to the flow channel 12 in the insert 18 is released. When the water pressure increases, the lip 152 lowers and closes the opening of the flow channel 12 over a large area.

The defined gap is closed and the lip 151 lies flat on the sealing surface 181.

With this jet regulator, the insert 18 with the valve body 15 is pushed through the lower opening of the housing 11 into the jet regulator 1 during assembly and at the same time forms the flow channels 12. Then the stamp-shaped insert 16 is also pushed through the lower opening of the housing into the jet regulator 1 used to which the lip 152 of the valve body 15 nestles. Following the stamp-shaped insert 16, a sieve or a jet former 14 is inserted or screwed into the water outlet opening 131 of the flow channel 13 downstream, with the support of which a laminar jet or a mousseur jet can be generated.

Before the housing base of the aerator 1 is screwed to its housing, a sealing element 19 is also inserted, which penetrates the water outlet openings 121 in the housing base with its tubular projections 191 . In addition to sealing the insert 18 against the housing of the jet regulator 1, the sealing element 19 forms water outlet nozzles with its tubular extensions 191, with which the individual jets of a shower jet are formed.

Reference List

1

aerator

11

Housing

111

sealing surface

12

flow channel / flow chamber

121

water outlet opening

13

flow channel / flow chamber

131

water outlet opening

14

Jet former, sieve insert

15

elastic valve body

151

lip

152

lip

16

stamp-shaped insert element

161

sealing surface

17

actuator

18

mission

181

sealing surface

182

positive-locking connection

19

sealing element

191

tubular approaches

Claims (13)

1. A jet regulator (1)

   - for the outlet of a sanitary fitting or for a shower head,

   - which comprises at least two flow chambers or flow channels (12, 13)

   -- each having one inflow opening and

   -- each having one or more water outlet openings (121, 131), wherein

   -- a single valve having an elastic valve body (15) is provided for controlling the inflow into the at least two flow chambers or flow channels (12, 13),

   -- which valve is arranged upstream of the flow chambers or flow channels (12, 13), and

   -- selectively closes or opens the inflow openings to effect different types of jets,

   -- wherein the closing or opening of the inflow openings of the respective flow chamber or the respective flow channel (12, 13) is provided by a deformation of the elastic valve body (15) and the deformation of the elastic valve body (15) and thus a change of the valve position is effected by a change of the applied water pressure or by mechanical actuation by means of an actuating element (17),

   -- wherein the closing of one of the inflow openings is provided by placing a part of the elastic valve body (15) against a sealing surface (111, 161, 181), and

   -- the sealing surface (111) being formed by a housing wall (11) of the jet regulator (1).
2. The jet regulator according to claim 1, characterized in that the flow chambers or flow channels (12, 13) are arranged concentrically.
3. The jet regulator according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the elastic valve body (15) is form-fittingly connected to an insert (18) which is part of the flow chambers or flow channels or contains a flow channel.
4. The jet regulator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the elastic valve body (15) has a circular ring shape.
5. The jet regulator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the elastic valve body (15) has at least one lip (151, 152) or flap.
6. The jet regulator according to claim 4, characterized in that the stiffness of the lip or flap is constant or has a step over its length.
7. The jet regulator according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that two lips or flaps with different stiffness are provided on the elastic valve body (15).
8. The jet regulator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a spray plate or a sieve (14) for creating a laminar or mousseur jet is provided in the water outlet opening (131) of a flow chamber or a flow channel (13).
9. The jet regulator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that water outlet openings (121) are provided in a housing base of the jet regulator for creating a spray jet with a plurality of individual jets.
10. The jet regulator according to claim 9, characterized in that an elastic sealing element is provided between the housing base and an insert (18) which forms or contains a flow channel (12), said sealing element having tubular extensions which penetrate the water outlet openings (121) to create a spray jet.
11. The jet regulator according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an annular valve arranged rotatably or displaceably along a housing (11) of the jet regulator (1) is provided as a mechanical actuating element (17).
12. A method for jet adjustment in a sanitary fitting with a jet regulator (1) which is provided in the outlet of the sanitary fitting, or a jet regulator for a shower head, wherein this jet regulator (1) comprises at least two flow chambers or flow channels (12, 13), which each have an inflow opening and each have one or more water outlet openings (121, 131) and in which a single valve having an elastic valve body (15) is arranged, wherein the elastic valve body (15), when the shut-off valve is closed, blocks a first inflow opening of a first flow chamber or of a first flow channel (13) and at the same time opens an inflow opening of a second flow chamber or of a second flow channel (12) for the inflowing amount of water and the amount of water is formed into a spray jet with individual jets by the water outlet openings (121) present there,

    - wherein with increasing water pressure, a deformation of the valve body (15) takes place in such a manner that the valve body comes to rest against a sealing surface (111) of the jet regulator and blocks the opened inflow opening of the second flow chamber or of the second flow channel (12),

    - wherein after reaching a defined limit pressure both inflow openings are blocked by the valve body,

    - wherein after further increase of the water pressure, a further deformation of the valve body (15) occurs such that the inflow opening of the first flow chamber or the first flow channel (13) is opened and the inflowing water is formed into a laminar or mousseur jet by the water outlet opening (131) present there.
13. The method for jet adjustment in a sanitary fitting with a jet regulator which is provided in the outlet of the sanitary fitting, wherein the jet regulator comprises at least two flow chambers or flow channels (12, 13) which each have an inflow opening and each have one or more water outlet openings (121, 131) and in which a single valve having an elastic valve body (15) is arranged,

    - wherein the inflowing water, due to a first open lip (151) and a second closed lip (152) of the valve body (15), is introduced through a first inflow opening and into the first flow chamber or flow channel (12) and is formed into a spray jet having individual jets by means of the water outlet openings (121) present there,

    - wherein by means of a mechanical actuating element (17) a deformation of the first opened lip (151) of the valve body (15) is effected in such a manner that as a result of its deformation, the lip comes to rest against a sealing surface (111) of the housing (11) of the jet regulator (1) and blocks the opened first inflow opening, and

    - wherein, by means of movement of the mechanical actuating element (17), a deformation of the second closed lip (152) of the valve body (15) occurs simultaneously or subsequently in such a manner that the inflow opening of the second flow chamber or the second flow channel (13) is opened as a result of the deformation of the second lip (152) and the inflowing water is formed into a laminar or mousseur jet by the water outlet opening (131) present there.

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