FR2736346A1 - Water magnetic treatment unit designed to fit into tap - comprises bush with one or more magnets and passage for water to pass through - Google Patents

Abstract

Water magnetic treatment unit consists of a bush (2) contg. one or more magnets (12a) and has a passage (3) for the water to pass through. It is designed to be fitted inside a component (20a) of a tap assembly or a water inlet of a sanitary unit or domestic appliance. The unit can incorporate two or more parallelepiped magnets positioned parallel to one another, or can have two or more ring magnets sepd. by spacers. The bush (2) is cylindrical in shape and made from plastic, the magnets are made from neodymium-iron-boron.

Description

DEVICE FOR THE ANTI-SCALE TREATMENT OF WATER BY
USE OF MAGNETIZED FIELDS
The present invention relates to a device of the magnetic field type intended to protect taps or devices using water, scale deposits due in part to calcium carbonate obtained by bonding between the carbonate anion and the calcium cation present naturally. in water.

 The operation of anti-scale devices with magnetic fields consists in circulating the water through a magnetic field created by two magnets whose neighboring poles are of the same nature. This allows the polarization of carbonate and calcium ions thus reducing to nothing their natural tendency to attract and form limestone. On leaving this type of device, the carbonate and calcium ions retain a magnetic remanence preventing the formation of tartar for more than forty-eight hours.

 Various devices are already known using magnetic fields to be placed on a pipe or pipe aimed at protecting the entire sanitary water network of one or more accommodation (s).

 We know that these devices are large, that their implementation generally calls on plumbing professionals resulting in a high cost of installation, that their location far from the point to be protected is detrimental to their efficiency, that their reliability is due to a constant flow of water and appropriate for each appliance which must be positioned closest to the point (s) to be protected.

 The device according to the invention is intended to be implemented as close as possible to the devices and taps to be protected thanks to a simple and easy installation, and without the bulk due to the size of the known devices.

 Thus, the anti-scale device of the type using magnetic fields according to the invention is characterized in that it consists of a socket comprising at least one magnet and a passage allowing the flow of water, said socket being intended to be housed in one of the adjoining rooms or integrated into the taps or the water supply of a sanitary or household appliance.

 According to one embodiment, the sleeve comprises an axial hole comprising at least two parallelepiped magnets arranged parallel to each other, while, in another embodiment, the sleeve comprises an axial hole comprising at least two annular magnets separated by a annular spacer.

 According to an additional characteristic, the axial hole comprises grooves or longitudinal retaining slots for the magnets.

 According to another characteristic, the socket is made of plastic.

 In a preferred embodiment, the socket is cylindrical, and comprises at least two parallelepiped magnets arranged in parallel, while, in a variant, the socket comprises three parallelepiped magnets, two lateral magnets and a central magnet, so as to create at least two water passages.

 In order to make a small device, it is planned to use Neodymium-Iron-Boron magnets.

Of course, the invention also relates to the valve fitted with the device, but also the installation comprising said device.
The anti-tartar device according to the invention is compact, which allows it to be integrated into a fitting and therefore to protect against deposits of tartar in mixers, mixers and aerators. The device can be housed in a simple water inlet fitting or in the fitting itself. The device is therefore easily and quickly installed without requiring special and specific tools. n operates without any electrical connection or addition of chemical, does not modify the flow rate of the water flow and preserves the natural quality of the water.

Note also that the device of the invention adapts to any type of installation.

 Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description which follows with reference to the appended drawings which are given only by way of nonlimiting examples.

 Figures 1 and 2 show the anti-tartar device housed directly or adjacent to the valve.

 Figures 3 and 4 show a first preferred embodiment of the sleeve of the anti-tartar device, Figure 3 being an end view, while Figure 4 is a sectional view along (AA).

 Figures 5 and 6 show a first alternative embodiment of the socket of the device, Figure 5 being an end view, while Figure 6 is a sectional view along (AA).

 Figures 3 to 8 show different embodiments of sockets according to the invention equipped with their magnets.

 Figures 7 and 8 illustrate a second alternative embodiment of the socket of the anti-scale device which comprises annular magnets, Figure 7 being an end view, while Figure 8 is a sectional view along (AA).

 Figure 9 is an exploded perspective view showing the socket-holder element or cage assembly and the socket of the anti-scale device with a filter.

 Figure 10 is an end view which illustrates a variant according to which there are provided three sockets housed in a barrel.

 Figures 11, 12, 13 and 14 illustrate three other applications of the invention given by way of example.

 The anti-scale device (1) according to the invention consists in part of at least one socket (2) comprising a passage (3) allowing the flow of water and means for obtaining magnetic fields (4 ), said sleeve (2) being intended to be housed directly in a part of the valve, intended to be protected. Thus, the socket is, for example, housed in a socket-carrying element (20a, 20b) which can be either one of the integral parts of the fittings (200a, 200b), or a cage assembly (201a, 201b) put in place directly on the water inlets (18a, 18b) of the taps (6).

 FIG. 1 is a first illustration according to which the sleeve-carrying elements (20a, 20b) carrying the sleeve (2) are eccentric connections (200a, 200b) known per se, while FIG. 2 is a second illustration according to which the bushing elements (20a, 20b) are constituted by the cage assembly (201a, 201b) intended to serve as a connection on the water inlets (18a, 18b).

 According to a preferred embodiment, said socket (2) is cylindrical in shape and comprises a central hole (7) with an axis (XX ') extending longitudinally from one of the end walls (8a) to the other (8b). In this variant, the cross section of said hole (7) is rectangular in a radial plane orthogonal to the axis (XX ') and is centered on the latter.

 The central hole (7) further comprises retaining means for magnets (12a, 12b) which are advantageously of parallelepiped shape. Thus, said hole (7) comprises at least two pairs of complementary longitudinal grooves (1a, îîb - 11'a, 11'b), each of the grooves made on the internal side walls (9a, 9b) of the central hole (7 ) constituting grooves facing each other, so that the two magnets (12a, 12b) of parallelepiped shape can each be introduced into a pair of grooves by sliding, so as to be positioned against the two side walls (10a, 10b ) of said hole (7).

 According to this preferred embodiment illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, the sleeve (2) therefore comprises two magnets (12a, 12b) parallelepipedal arranged in parallel and the space of the hole (7) located between the two magnets constitutes a central passage allowing water flow (3), flow obtained along the axis (XX ') and "characterized by its perpendicularity to the axis (YY') of the magnetic flux of the magnets (12a, 12b)".

 According to a first alternative embodiment illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, the sleeve (2) comprises not two magnets (12a, 12b), as before, but three magnets (12a, 12b, 12c). Thus, there is provided a third magnet (12c) disposed between the first two magnets (12a, 12b) in the center of the sleeve (2) and retained by a pair of longitudinal grooves (11 "a, 11" b), said magnet (12c) being equidistant from the two lateral magnets (12a, 12b). Thus, this configuration makes it possible to obtain two identical flow passages (13a, 13b) on either side of this third magnet (12c), said passages (13a, 13b) forming the water flow circuit. (3) of the anti-scale device (1), said flow passages (3a, 3b) are thus perpendicular to the magnetic flux of axis (YY ') of the magnets (12a, 12b, 12c). that the three magnets (12a, 12b, 12c) are identical and of parallelepiped shape and are arranged in the socket (2) so as to be parallel to each other and parallel to the longitudinal axis (XX ') of said socket (2) . It goes without saying that the number of magnets contained in the socket could be increased without departing from the scope of the invention, just as the magnets might not be identical in their size and / or in their shape.

 According to a second alternative embodiment illustrated by FIGS. 7 and 8, the anti-scale device (1) consists of at least one bush (2) of cylindrical shape comprising, along its longitudinal axis (XX '), a cylindrical hole (7 ) of diameter D1 centered on the axis (XX '). Said hole (7) extends longitudinally between the two end walls (8a, 8b) of the sleeve (2) and is intended to receive a succession of annular magnets (14a, 14b). According to this variant, the socket comprises a stack consisting of two magnets (14a, 14b) and three spacers (15a, 15b, 15c) which are advantageously made of iron with low carbon content. It is, of course, possible, without departing from the scope of the invention, to provide a larger number of magnets. Note that the spacers and the magnets are of annular shape and their external diameter is substantially equal to the diameter D1 of the central cylindrical hole (7) to be able to be engaged therein so that the water flow passage (3) is constituted by a central channel (16) passing through said magnets (14a, 14b) and spacers (1 Sa, 15b , 15c), said flow being obtained parallel to the axis (XX ') and perpendicular to the magnetic flux of the magnets (14a, 14b).

Note also that, whatever the embodiment chosen for the socket (2), the magnets used (12a, 12b, 12c, 14a, 14b) can advantageously be magnets of a new generation.
Neodymium-Iron-Boron allowing, thanks to their intrinsic characteristics, a considerable reduction in size and therefore in the size of the anti-tartar device (1), the magnetic field being obtained thanks to said magnets (12a, 12b, 12c, 14a , 14b) by opposing poles of the same kind.

 Add that the socket (2) consists of a cylindrical body made, for example, of injected plastic.

 The anti-tartar device according to the invention consists in placing one or more bushes (2) according to the flow of water to be treated in a cage assembly (5) as illustrated in FIG. 9 or in a barrel (17) can also be housed in a cage assembly (5) consisting of a male part (5a) cooperating with a female part (5b). Said cage assembly (5) constitutes the bushing element (20) intended to be installed on a water inlet (18a, 18b) adjacent to the taps or to the various devices using water and requiring anti- The anti-scale device (1) illustrated in FIG. 2 then consists of two socket-holder elements (20a, 20b) each installed on one of the two water inlets (18a, 18b) from the tap (6), so that the water arriving at the tap is passed through the flow circuit (3) of at least one socket (2).

 According to a variant illustrated in Figure 10, three sockets (2) are housed in a barrel-shaped part (17) which itself can be housed in a cage assembly (5) of dimensions adapted to multiply the passages of the water and so the flow.

 In addition, a filter (19) can advantageously be added in the cage assembly (5) in front of the inlet of the socket (2) as illustrated in FIG. 9 or in the eccentric connector as shown in FIG. 1.

 Figures 1 and 2 illustrate the invention in the context of an installation such as a valve (6), but it goes without saying that the socket (2) of the invention could be integrated into any type of inlet d water, such as, for example, the supply of water from a sanitary or household appliance, such as, for example, a water heater (600), as illustrated in FIG. 11, or a washing machine (601) , as shown in Figure 12.

 FIG. 13 represents another type of use according to which the anti-scale device (1, 2) is housed in a fitting of the handle of a shower (602).

FIG. 14 represents another type of use, namely, for equipping the water supply with a water heater or a gas boiler of the wall type (601). It goes without saying that the anti-scale socket could be integrated into the boiler, as illustrated in dashed lines and referenced by the reference (2 ′).
Figure 15 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing an alternative embodiment of retaining magnets (12a, 12b) in the sleeve (2).

For this purpose, the grooves (lia, îîb - 11'a, 11'b) are replaced by two lateral slots (110, 111), the central hole (7) being limited laterally on the magnet side by two thin walls (110a, villa ).

 It goes without saying that the magnets can be overmolded during the production of the socket, without however departing from the scope of the invention.

 Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown by way of examples, but it also includes all the technical equivalents and their combinations.

Claims (10)

 1. Anti-scale device (1) of the type using magnetic fields, characterized in that it is constituted by a socket (2) comprising at least one magnet (12a, 12b, 12c, 14a, 14b) and a passage ( 3) allowing the flow of water, said socket being intended to be housed in one of the rooms (20a - 20b, 200a - 200b, 201a - 201b) adjoining or integrated into the taps (6) or on arrival water from a sanitary or household appliance.  2. anti-tartar device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the sleeve comprises an axial hole (7) comprising at least two parallelepiped magnets (12a, 12b, 12c) arranged parallel to each other  3. Anti-tartar device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the sleeve comprises an axial hole (7) comprising at least two annular magnets (14a, 14b) separated by an annular spacer (15b).  4. Anti-tartar device (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the axial hole (7) comprises longitudinal grooves (lla - îîb, 11'a - 11'b, 11 "a - 11" b) or lateral slots (110, 111) for retaining the magnets (12a, 12b, 12c).  5. Anti-tartar device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sleeve (2) is made of plastic.  6. Anti-tartar device (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the sleeve (2) is cylindrical.  7. anti-tartar device (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the sleeve (2) comprises three parallelepiped magnets, two lateral magnets (12a, 12b) and a central magnet (12a), so as to create at least two water passages (3a, 3b).  8. Anti-tartar device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the magnets are neodymium-iron-boron magnets.  9. Installation comprising the device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said device is integrated into the taps or into the water supply from a sanitary or household appliance.  10. Installation according to claim 9 or any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the sleeve according to any one of claims 1 to 8 is housed in a water inlet fitting (200a - 200b, 201a - 201b).