EP3507426A1

EP3507426A1 - Aerator

Info

Publication number: EP3507426A1
Application number: EP16791111.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Gerhard Nikles
Original assignee: Nikles Tec Italia SRL
Current assignee: Nikles Tec Italia SRL
Priority date: 2016-09-02
Filing date: 2016-09-02
Publication date: 2019-07-10
Also published as: WO2018042465A1

Abstract

An aerator applicable to the outlet (2) of a tap (3) comprises an aerator insert (10) and an aerator body (14) in which an insert seat (12) is made in which the aerator insert (10) is sealingly received. A connecting ring nut (18) is adapted to connect the aerator body (14) to the mouth of the tap. A ring retaining member (20) axially constrains the connecting ring nut (18) to the aerator body (14) with the possibility of a free axial rotation of the aerator body (14) with respect to the connecting ring nut (18). The areator may comprise a coating shell (40) for decorative purposes.

Description

"Aerator"

DESCRIPTION

[0001] The present invention relates to an aerator applicable to the outlet of a tap.

[0002] As is known, the term aerator means a device which is applied to the outlet of a tap to control the flow of water dispensed so that it is more regular and assumes the classic shape of a cylindrical column.

[0003] In one embodiment, the aerator is limited to "channelling" the liquid through a series of blades arranged radially.

[0004] In other more common embodiments, the aerator makes it possible to mix air with the flow of water passing through it so as to increase the volume of the fluid in output and thereby reduce the volume of water consumed. To such purpose, the aerator usually comprises a series of overlapping grills and channels such that, during the passage of the liquid in the central part of the device air is drawn in mixing with the water so that the jet appears soft and smooth.

[0005] In one known embodiment, the aerator comprises an aerator insert housed in an external, hollow body of a cylindrical shape which ends at the top with a threaded portion, of male or female type, for screwing to the outlet of the tap. [0006] Since sanitary fixtures have now become design objects, even an accessory such as aerator can help to determine the shape and style of tap to which it is applied.

[0007] In particular, it may be desirable to give the aerator body a particular shape instead of the conventional cylindrical shape. However, given that the aerator is screwed to the outlet of the tap, a shape which is not axially symmetric could end up being oriented axially in a position which does not give the desired effect.

[0008] The object of the present invention is to propose an aerator having an outer body which can also have a non- axial-symmetric shape and which can be rotated into a desired position.

[0009] Another object of the invention is to satisfy the above-mentioned need to customise the aerator body without, however, significantly increasing the complexity and, therefore the production costs, of the aerator structure.

[0010] Such objects are achieved by an aerator applicable to the outlet of a tap according to claim 1. The dependent claims describe preferred or advantageous embodiments of the aerator.

[0011] The characteristics and advantages of the aerator according to the invention will, in any case, be evident from the description given below of its preferred embodiments, made by way of a non-limiting example with reference to the appended drawings, wherein:

[0012] - Figure 1 shows an exploded view of an aerator according to the invention;

[0013] - Figure 2 shows the aerator assembled;

[0014] - Figure 3 shows the aerator connected to the outlet of a tap; and

[0015] - Figure 4 is an axial cross-section of the aerator assembled and applied to the outlet of the tap.

[0016] In said drawings, reference numeral 1 globally denotes an aerator according to the invention applicable to the outlet 2 of a tap 3.

[0017] In a general embodiment, the aerator 1 comprises an aerator insert 10, suitable to be crossed by a flow of water coming from the tap so as to deliver a regular and uniform jet of water, preferably a jet of aerated water.

[0018] The present invention can use any aerator commercially available, which does not therefore require a detailed description herein.

[0019] The aerator insert 10 is housed watertight in an aerator seat 12 made in an aerator body 14.

[0020] In particular, the aerator seat 12 is made in an axial duct 16 of the aerator body. The axial duct 16 is suitable to be crossed by the flow of water coming from the outlet 2 of the tap 3.

[0021] The aerator body 14 extends between an upper end 14¹ , facing towards the outlet of the tap and a lower outlet end 14" of the jet of water.

[0022] The aerator further comprises a connecting ring nut 18 suitable to connect the aerator body 14 to the outlet 2 of the tap 3. In particular, the connecting ring nut 18 makes it possible to place the dispenser duct of the jet of water made in the body, in fluid communication with the axial duct 16 made in the aerator body 14.

[0023] The aerator 1 further comprises a ring retaining member 20 that axially constrains the connecting ring nut 18 to the aerator body 14 with the possibility of a free axial rotation of the aerator body 14 with respect to the connecting ring nut 18.

[0024] Consequently, the ring retaining member 20 makes it possible to realise the aerator body 14 and the connecting ring nut 18 as two separate elements, so that the first is axially rotatable relative to the second.

[0025] Regardless therefore of the position assumed by the connecting ring nut 18 when connected to the outlet of the tap, the aerator body 14 can be rotated into any angular position.

[0026] The aerator body 14 can thus be made with any external shape, in particular with a non-axial symmetric shape .

[0027] In one embodiment, the connecting ring nut 18 is pressed by the ring retaining member 20 against the aerator body 14 in such a way that the axial rotation of the aerator body 14 with respect to the ring nut takes place with a calibrated coupling and the angular positioning of the aerator body 14 is stable.

[0028] In one embodiment, the ring retaining member 20 comprises a lower portion 202 connected to the aerator body 14 and a head 204 positioned inside the connecting ring nut 18 so as to axially engage the connecting ring nut 18 with the possibility of axial rotation.

[0029] The lower portion 202, when connected to the aerator body 14, is integral with the aerator body 14 both in the axial direction and in the angular direction.

[0030] The ring retaining member 20 thus being an extension of the aerator body 14 which engages the connecting ring nut 18, is also crossed by an axial passage 206 suitable to fluidically connect the outlet 2 of the tap 3 to the aerator insert 10 housed in the aerator body 14.

[0031] In one embodiment, the lower portion 202 of the ring retaining member 20 is connected to the aerator body 14 by means of a threaded connection.

[0032] For example, a top section of the axial passage 206 is delimited by a side wall 207 adapted to be engaged by a tool for screwing the ring retaining member 20 to a threaded end portion 141 of the aerator body 14. For example, such side wall 207 has one or more flat portions adapted to form a shaped coupling with a tool.

[0033] In one embodiment, the connecting ring nut 18 is provided with an inner annular shoulder 182 adapted to be engaged by the head 204 of the ring retaining member 20.

[0034] In one embodiment, the connecting ring nut 18 is provided with an upper threaded portion 184, of the male or female type, suitable to be screwed to the outlet 2 of the tap 3 and has, on its outer surface, a crown socket 186 adapted to be engaged by a tool for the screwing the ring nut to the mouth of the tap.

[0035] In one embodiment, the aerator body 14 is formed of two body portions, lower 142 and upper 144, axially superposed and fixed together, for example by welding. In this embodiment, the insert seat 12 is made in the lower body portion 142, while the upper body portion 144 is engaged by the lower portion 202 of the ring retaining member 20. This way, the aerator insert 10 can be inserted in the respective aerator seat 12 before joining the two portions of the aerator body 14.

[0036] It is therefore possible to make the upper portion 144 with an inner diameter even greater than the diameter of the aerator insert 10, and in particular make the side wall of the upper portion 144 of the aerator body 14 with a thickness greater than that of the wall of the lower portion 142, for example to facilitate the creation of the threaded portion 141 and to provide an adequate support base for the connecting ring nut 18, as is clear from figure 4, while maintaining the outer diameter of the upper portion 144 of the aerator body the same as the outer diameter of the lower portion 142.

[0037] In one embodiment, illustrated in the drawings, the aerator body may thus assume a substantially cylindrical shape adapted to be covered by a coating shell, as described below.

[0038] In one embodiment, a first sealing ring 30, for example a rectangular cross-section gasket, is interposed between the top of the aerator insert 10 and the side wall of the aerator body 14, so that the entire flow of water entering the aerator body 14 passes through the aerator insert 10.

[0039] In one embodiment, a second sealing ring 32, for example a rectangular cross-section gasket, is placed on the connecting ring 18 to form a seal with the outlet 2 of the tap 3.

[0040] In one embodiment, a third sealing ring 34, for example an O-ring, is interposed between the lower portion 202 of the ring retaining member 20 and an upper end portion of the aerator body 14.

[0041] In one embodiment, a washer 36, made for example of a polymeric material and preferably having a flat rectangular cross-section, is interposed between the connecting ring nut 18 and the aerator body 14. Such washer 36 may facilitate the controlled rotation of the aerator body 14 with respect to the connecting ring nut 18. To such purpose, in one embodiment, both the connecting ring nut 18 and the aerator body 14 are provided with flat facing surfaces.

[0042] In an embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the aerator body 14 has a substantially cylindrical shape and is at least partially covered by a coating shell 40 which confers the desired shape to the aerator 1. In the example illustrated, the coating shell 40 has the shape of lips.

[0043] In one embodiment, the aerator body 14 and the coating shell 40 are provided with coupling means 42, 44 for their mutual coupling.

[0044] This way, the realisation of the aerator is simplified, in that a single aerator body 14 of a cylindrical shape is made with the technical characteristics suitable to perform the function of housing the aerator insert 10, as with a conventional body. To such aerator body 14 coating shells 40 in many different shapes and having only an aesthetic function may be associated.

[0045] In one embodiment, the coating shell 40 is formed of two half-shells 40' facing each other, each suitable to be radially coupled to the aerator body 14.

[0046] In one embodiment, the aerator body 14 is provided, on its outer side wall, with interlocking coupling means 42 adapted to be engaged by corresponding interlocking counter coupling means 44 made in the half-shells.

[0047] For example, the aerator body 14 is provided with pierced ears 42 diametrically opposite each other in which corresponding pins 44 extending from the half- shells 40' are inserted.

[0048] The coupling means 42, 44 can perform a guiding and provisional coupling function between the half-shells 40' and the aerator body 14 for a subsequent welding step of said coupling means, or, if appropriately sized, may form a definitive pressure coupling.

[0049] In one embodiment, the coating shell 40 ends with a top collar 402 on which the connecting ring nut 18 rests. This way, the aerator body 14 is completely hidden by the coating shell 40 and a continuous outer surface is obtained between the coating shell 40 and the ring nut 18. [0050] A person skilled in the art may make modifications and variations to the embodiments of the aerator according to the invention, replacing elements with others functionally equivalent so as to satisfy contingent requirements while remaining within the sphere of protection of the following claims. Each of the characteristics described as belonging to a possible embodiment may be realised independently of the other embodiments described.

Claims

1. Aerator according to the invention applicable to the outlet (2) of a tap (3), comprises:

- an aerator insert (10), suitable to be crossed by a flow of water coming from the tap so as to deliver a regular and uniform jet of water, preferably a jet of aerated water;

- an aerator body (14) that delimits an axial duct (16) for the passage of the flow of water coming from the outlet (2) of the tap (3), in said axial duct an insert seat (12) being made, the aerator insert (10) being sealingly housed in said insert seat (12), the aerator body (14) extending axially between an upper end (14' ), facing towards the outlet of the tap and a lower outlet end (14") of the jet of water;

- a connecting ring nut (18) suitable to connect the aerator body (14) to the outlet of the tap;

- a ring retaining member (20) that axially constrains the connecting ring (18) to the aerator body (14) with the possibility of a free axial rotation of the aerator body (14) with respect to the connecting ring nut (18).

2. Aerator according to claim 1, wherein said ring retaining member (20) comprises a lower portion (202) connected to the aerator body and a head (204) positioned inside the connecting ring nut (18) so as to axially engage the connecting ring nut (18) with the possibility of axial rotation, the ring retaining member (20) being crossed by an axial passage (206) suitable to fluidically connect the mouth of the tap to the aerator insert (10).

3. Aerator according to the preceding claim, wherein said lower portion (202) is connected to the aerator body (14) by means of a threaded connection.

4. Aerator according to the preceding claim, wherein a top section of the axial passage (206) is delimited by a side wall (207) adapted to be engaged by a tool for screwing the ring retaining member (20) to the aerator body (14) .

5. Aerator according to the any of the claims 2-4, wherein the connecting ring nut (18) is provided with an inner annular shoulder (182) adapted to be engaged by the head (204) of the ring retaining member (20) .

6. Aerator according to any of the preceding claims wherein the connecting ring nut (18) is provided with an upper threaded portion (184) suitable to be screwed to the mouth of the tap and has, on its outer surface, a crown socket (186) adapted to be engaged by a tool for screwing the ring nut to the mouth of the tap.

7. Aerator according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the aerator body (14) has a substantially cylindrical shape, and wherein the aerator comprises a coating shell (40) suitable to cover at least partially the aerator body (14), the aerator body (14) and the coating shell (40) being provided with coupling means (42, 44) for their mutual coupling.

8. Aerator according to the preceding claim, wherein the coating shell (40) is formed of two half-shells (40') facing each other, each of said half-shells (40') being adapted to radially couple to the aerator body (14) .

9. Aerator according to the preceding claim, wherein the aerator body (14) is provided, on its outer side wall, with interlocking coupling means (42) adapted to be engaged by corresponding interlocking counter coupling means (44) made in the half-shells (40').

10. Aerator according to any of the claims 7-9, wherein the shell coating (40) comprises a top collar (402) on which the connecting ring nut rests.

11. Aerator according to any of the preceding claims, comprising a first sealing ring (30) positioned between the top of the aerator insert (10) and the side wall of the aerator body (14) .

12. Aerator according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the aerator body (14) is made of two portions of body, lower (142) and upper (144), axially superposed and fixed together, the insert seat (12) being made in the lower body portion (142), the upper body portion (144) being engaged organ by the ring retaining member (20) .

13. Aerator according to the preceding claim, wherein the upper body portion (144) has a smaller internal diameter than the diameter of the aerator insert (10) and a side wall with a thickness greater than the thickness of the side wall of the lower body portion (142) .