FR2642671A1 - System having a water-delivering nozzle and an apparatus using water for its operation, fitted with such a system - Google Patents

Abstract

System with a water-delivering nozzle, provided with a free-air passage dividing its connection duct into two sections, a section serving as a delivery conduit connected to a water-delivering main (network) and fitted at its free end with a frustoconical nozzle, and a section serving as a receiving conduit connected to a water-using circuit, and provided at its free end with an inlet in the form of a funnel, characterised in that it comprises, at the free end of the delivering-conduit section 36, a frustoconical flexible nozzle 37 which, arranged axially aligned with the receiving-conduit section 38 having a concentric inlet in the form of a funnel 39, converts the delivered water flow into a constantly axially convergent water jet 44 irrespective of the hardness of this water.

Description

WATER DISPENSING NOZZLE SYSTEM
AND AN APPARATUS USING WATER IN
ITS OPERATION PROVIDED WITH SUCH A SYSTEM
The present invention relates to a water distribution nozzle system and a water user device in its operation, provided with such a system.

 A water user device in its operation such as a dishwasher or laundry machine is generally supplied with water by a distribution network which is generally a distribution network for drinking water. The water supplied to this appliance is often blown either by washing or rinsing products used or by dirt present therein. If the drinking water distribution network is connected to this body of contaminated water in this appliance by a continuous line and if there is a vacuum in this drinking water distribution network, the contaminated water this body of water is drawn into this drinking water distribution network, through this connecting pipe. Such a risk should normally be prohibited. For this reason, a connecting pipe between a drinking water distribution network and a water user appliance must, according to mandatory installation rules, be interrupted by a passage to the open air.

 According to a usual embodiment, this connecting pipe is cut into two sections by an open air passage. A first section of this pipe which is connected to a drinking water distribution network is provided at its free end with a frustoconical distribution nozzle which transforms the current of distributed water into a convergent jet of water while a second section of this pipe which is connected to a water user device is provided at its free end looking at the frustoconical dispensing nozzle, with a funnel-shaped inlet intended to collect the jet of water emitted by the nozzle frustoconical of the first section and to introduce it through this second section into a predetermined and preferential circuit of the user device.

 In known water-using devices such as known dishwashers, the frustoconical dispensing nozzle of the system is constituted by a rigid part terminated at its free end of small diameter by a water outlet opening with rigid, non-deformable edge. or not expandable under the pressure of the current of water passing through it.

 The water distributed generally has a higher or lower limestone content. Thus, lime deposits form on the free edge of this water outlet opening of the frustoconical distribution nozzle. These lime deposits modify the regular initial configuration of this water outlet opening and cause the water streams to deflect so as to create a diverging and offset water jet at the outlet of the frustoconical dispensing nozzle. The funnel-shaped entry piece of the receiving pipe then becomes insufficient or ineffective to capture all of this diverging and offset water jet. A significant part of the water sent by the distribution network thus escapes this water receiving pipe. As a result, a small part of the water sent by the distribution network is only collected by this receiving pipe and introduced in the pre-established and preferred circuit of the user device.

 In the case of a dishwasher, for example, the water collected from the distribution network is guided through the receiving pipe to a water softening device usually consisting of a pot of ion exchange resins where the The introduced water leaves a large part of its lime ions before entering the tank of the appliance to wash the dishes. This pre-established and preferential water circuit effectively prevents the annoying deposit of lime on washed and rinsed dishes. If a large part of the water exiting the distribution network escapes this receiving line due to a modification from the initial configuration of the opening of the frustoconical dispensing nozzle by a deposit of limescale, and enters directly into the tank of the dishwasher without first being rid of its lime ions, this water compromises the good results of washing the dishes , because the lime in this water is deposited on the washed and rinsed dishes.

 The present invention, aimed at avoiding these drawbacks, makes it possible to produce an economical system with a water distribution nozzle in which the nozzle invariably transforms the stream of water distributed into an axial jet and converging water whatever the hardness of this water.

 The invention also relates to a water user device in its operation provided with such a water distribution nozzle system.

 According to the invention, a water distribution nozzle system provided with an open air passage dividing the connecting pipe into two sections, a section serving as a distribution pipe connected to a water distribution network and provided with its free end of a frustoconical nozzle, and a section serving as a receiving pipe connected to a water user circuit, and provided at its free end with a funnel-shaped inlet, is characterized in that it comprises the free end of the section of distribution pipe a flexible frustoconical nozzle which, arranged axially aligned with the section of reception pipe with concentric entry in the form of funnel, transforms the current of water distributed into a jet of water constantly axial converging which whatever the hardness of this water.

 To better understand the invention, there is described below an exemplary embodiment illustrated by attached drawings of which - Figure 1 shows a schematic and partial side view of a water user device in its operation in the form of a dishwasher showing a system with water distribution nozzle, - Figure 2 represents a schematic partial view in longitudinal section of a known system with water distribution nozzle, and - Figure 3 represents a view partial schematic in longitudinal section of a water distribution nozzle system produced according to the invention.

 The invention is applicable to systems with a nozzle for distributing water in the form of a water jet, and to industrial or household appliances using water in their operation, such as a dishwasher, provided with such systems.

 A dishwasher I illustrated as an exemplary embodiment of the invention in FIG. 1 comprises a bodywork 2 closed by a front door 3, a tank 4 in which are mounted a lower basket for dishes 5, an upper basket for dishes 6 , a lower watering reel 7, an upper watering reel 8, a water softening device 9 consisting of a pot of ion exchange resins and a reservoir of regenerating salt for these resins, and a water distribution nozzle system 10, supplying water to the dishwasher 1 through a supply solenoid valve 11 and from a water distribution network 12.

 A known system with a water distribution nozzle 14 is shown schematically and partially in FIG. 2.

This system 14 usually comprises, on the one hand, a section of dispensing pipe 16 connected to a water distribution network 17 and provided at its free end with a rigid frustoconical nozzle 20 whose free edge 21 is rigid or non-deformable, and on the other hand, a receiving pipe section 24 connected to a water user circuit 25 and provided with a funnel-shaped inlet 27 spaced from the frustoconical nozzle 20 of a passage in the open air 30 During a water distribution, the current coming from the distribution network 17 is transformed by the frustoconical rigid nozzle 20 into a convergent jet of water which crosses the passage in the open air 30 and penetrates entirely into the pipe. receiver 24, through the funnel inlet 27.

 When the system 14 stops operating, the residual water in the section of the distributing pipe 16 is evacuated by the rigid edge of the free end 21 of the frustoconical nozzle 20 by trickling and / or draining and usually leaves there. a lime deposit 31. As this system 14 operates, the lime deposit 31 thickens and modifies the regular initial configuration of the outlet opening of the free end 21 of the frustoconical nozzle 20 and consequently results in a transformation of the normally convergent and axial water jet formed by this nozzle 20 into a diverging and offset water jet 34.

 The entry into the funnel 27 of the section of the receiving pipe 24 is no longer then. able to collect all of this divergent and offset water jet 34. Part of the water from this jet 34 thus escapes the receiving pipe 24 and the user water circuit 25.

 The present invention makes it possible to avoid the drawbacks of this known system with a water distribution nozzle 14.

 According to the invention, a water distribution nozzle system provided with a passage to the open air dividing its connecting pipe into two sections, a section serving as a distribution pipe connected to a water distribution network and a section serving as a receiving pipe connected to a water user circuit, comprising at the free end of the distribution pipe section, a flexible frustoconical nozzle which, disposed axially aligned with the receiving pipe section with concentric inlet in the form of a funnel, transforms the current of distributed water into a jet of water that is constantly axial and convergent, whatever the hardness of this water.

 In a water user appliance, the section of dispensing pipe of this water distribution nozzle system is connected to a water distribution network through a device for controlling the passage of the current of distribution water passing through it. system, and the receiving pipe section of this system is connected to a pre-established and preferential circuit for operating water of this device.

 Thus, in the example illustrated (FIGS. 1 and 3), this water distribution nozzle system 10 comprises an open air passage 35 between, on the one hand, a section of distributing pipe 36 connected to a distribution network of water 12 through a solenoid valve 11 and carrying at its free end a flexible frustoconical nozzle 37 and, on the other hand, a receiving pipe section 38 provided at its free end, with a concentric funnel-shaped inlet 39 and connected to a pre-established preferential water circuit 40 where the water softening device 9 is connected. The solenoid valve 11 serving as a device for controlling the passage to the current of distribution water passing through this system 10 is actuated by a dishwasher programmer 46 1.

 At each stop of operation of the system 10 consecutive to a closing of the solenoid valve 11, the residual water in this system is gradually evacuated by the edge of the free end 42 of the nozzle 37 and tends to leave a deposit there 'a thin line of limestone. However, each time this system 10 is put back into operation by an opening of the solenoid valve 11, under the thrust of the current of distribution water, the flexible nozzle 37 expands elastically, which has the effect of instantly breaking and unsticking the lime film formed during a previous shutdown of operation of this system 10 and eliminate this lime film, from the surface and from the edge of the free end 42 of the flexible nozzle 37. As a result, a regular configuration of the opening of the free end 42 of the flexible frustoconical nozzle 37 which conditions the formation of a convergent and axial water jet 44 by this nozzle 37, is automatically found at each restarting of the system with distribution nozzle d water 10.

 The flexible frustoconical nozzle 37 thus has an unexpected and unprecedented characteristic of limescale self-elimination.

 With a view to improving its capacity for self-elimination of lime deposit, the flexible frustoconical nozzle 37 is produced with a thinned free end 42, which further increases its flexibility and facilitates its elastic expansion, causing breakage and take-off of lime deposits which modify the regular configuration of its outlet opening.

 The flexible frustoconical nozzle 37 is made of a natural or synthetic flexible material.

 The material constituting the flexible frustoconical nozzle 37 is chosen from elastomers. flexible plastics, flexible elastomer-plastic mixtures.

 In a reinforcement of its self-eliminating power of lime deposit, the flexible frustoconical nozzle 37 with a thinned free end 42 is produced with a flexible material not adherent to lime.

 In an alternative embodiment, not shown, the distributor pipe section 36 and the tapered flexible nozzle 37 form a single piece.

Claims (8)

 1. Water distribution nozzle system provided with an open air passage dividing its connecting pipe into two sections, a section serving as a distribution pipe connected to a water distribution network and provided at its free end with a frustoconical nozzle and a section serving as a receiving pipe connected to a water user circuit, and provided at its free end with a funnel-shaped inlet, characterized in that it comprises at the free end of the section of distributor pipe (36) a flexible frustoconical nozzle (37) which, arranged axially aligned with the receiving pipe section (38) with concentric entry in the form of a funnel (39), transforms the current of distributed water into a jet of constantly axial converging water (44) whatever the hardness of this water.  2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the tapered flexible nozzle (37) comprises a free end (42) thinned.  3. System according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the tapered flexible nozzle (37) is made of a flexible material chosen from natural materials and synthetic materials.  4. System according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the tapered flexible nozzle (37) is made of a material not adherent to limestone.  5. System according to one of claims 3 and 4, characterized in that the frustoconical flexible nozzle (37) is made of a material chosen from elastometers, flexible plastics and elastomeric plastics mixtures.  6. System according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the section of the distributing pipe (36) and the flexible frustoconical nozzle (37) form a single piece.  7. Apparatus provided with a water distribution nozzle system according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that in the water distribution nozzle system (10), the section of distributing pipe carrying its free end a flexible frustoconical nozzle (37) is connected to a water distribution network (12) through a passage control device (11) to the current of distribution water passing through this system (10).  8. Apparatus according to claim 7 in the form of a dishwasher, characterized in that in the water distribution nozzle system (10), the section of dispensing line (36) carrying at its free end a flexible nozzle frustoconical (37) is connected to a water distribution network (12) through a solenoid valve (11) actuated by a programmer (46) of the apparatus, and serving as a device for controlling passage of a current d water passing through this system (10) and the receiving pipe section (38) is connected to a circuit (40) comprising a water softening device (9) and constituting a preestablished and preferential circuit of water from the apparatus.