FR2788009A1 - Shower head flow control has slide operating rod to move piston with respect to seal ring - Google Patents

Abstract

The shower head flow control (10) has an actuator (11) with a pusher (12) operating a rod (113) which moves a piston (114). The piston actuates a toroidal seal (115) to selectively allow water flow. The actuator has a moulded projection opposite the pusher.

Description

Device for opening and closing a water supply provided within

  a handle of a shower head and handle

  a corresponding shower head.

  The field of the invention is that of manufacturing a control for a water supply. More specifically, the invention relates to a device for opening and closing a water inlet provided within a handle of a knob.

  shower as well as a handful of a matching shower head.

  Conventionally, the water supply to a shower head is carried out from a control located at the height of a connection connecting a water pipe and an extension carrying, at one of its ends, a handle

ended with a shower head.

  However, such an order is not very advantageous. In fact, the water supply control is very often distant from the area of use of the shower head. The separation distance between the control and the shower head requires that the person holding the shower head, bends and / or moves and possibly releases the handle to access the water control. However, such a movement leads to

  often a wrong orientation of the water jet.

  To remedy this problem, it has been proposed, in the prior art, to provide on the handle supporting the shower head, a control arranged on the side of the handle. The control activates a mechanism for opening and closing the water supply within the handle of the shower head. This mechanism notably includes a movable ball. The action of the control is intended to move the ball in a predetermined one direction to allow

  opening or closing the water supply.

  However, such a solution has certain drawbacks.

  Firstly, the mechanism is on the one hand complex to manufacture due to the presence of the ball, and on the other hand ineffective once manufactured. Indeed, the action of the control can cause the movement of the ball in the opposite direction to that desired for proper operation of the mechanism. The moving ball therefore separates from the mechanism which loses control of it. We then witness a temporary or even permanent disruption of the mechanism in the worst case. Therefore, the action of the control does not therefore cause any effect on the opening or closing of the water supply. The control then projects outside the handle and can therefore

  done, be easily deteriorated.

  The present invention aims in particular to overcome these different

  disadvantages of the state of the art.

  More specifically, one of the objectives of the present invention is to provide a device for opening and closing the water inlet for a shower head making it possible to obtain, in a more certain and effective manner, an opening and

  closure of the water supply compared to the state of the art.

  A complementary objective of the invention is to provide a handle of a shower head provided with such a device having a less structured

conducive to deterioration.

  These various objectives, as well as others which will appear subsequently, are achieved according to the invention, using a device for opening and closing a water supply provided within a handle. a shower head, said device for opening and closing the water inlet being provided for this purpose with an operating mechanism, characterized in that said operating mechanism comprises a control element, said element forming control activating a support leg element, said support leg element actuating a hammer element, said hammer element pushing a piston element, said piston element causing the displacement of an O-ring element. Thus, the operating mechanism comprises different elements arranged between them in a precise manner, so that each one causes, during an actuation or a relaxation of the control element, an actuation and / or a direct movement of another of its elements. Such an arrangement of elements makes it possible to obtain a more certain opening and closing of the water inlet and

  effective compared to the state of the art.

  It should be noted that, to do this, such an operating mechanism allows the movement of the hammer element only in one direction. More precisely, the actuation of the control element implies that the hammer element pushes the piston element, in order to open the water inlet. Conversely, the loosening of the control element causes the piston element to push the hammer element in order to close

the water supply.

  Preferably, said control element comprises at least

  a molded zone having at least one protuberance.

  Such a molded zone guarantees efficient actuation of the element

forming command.

  Advantageously, said molded zone is provided substantially opposite

  of said support leg element.

  By bringing the grip place intended for the user closer together to activate said support leg element, the effort which must be provided is optimized.

  the user as well as the efficiency of the operating mechanism.

  Preferably, said hammer-forming element comprises: - a support-forming part carrying - an axis around which pivots: - a part having a protrusion pushing said piston-forming element, when said control element is activated, - a part having a flat surface destined to

  cooperate with said element forming a support leg.

  In a particular embodiment of the invention, said part having a protuberance and said part having a planar surface constitute

one piece.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, said support part is also used as a stop for said part having a flat surface, when said control element is activated so as to

  obtain maximum opening of the water supply.

  Advantageously, said piston element comprises: - a support part intended to receive: - a rod around which is provided a spring element intended to hold, when said control element is deactivated, said plated O-ring element, sealingly, on said support part at one of its ends, the other of its ends being terminated by a flat surface intended to cooperate

  with said hammer member.

  Preferably, said support leg element is fixed to said zone.

molded.

  The invention also relates to a handle of a shower head provided with a device for opening and closing a water supply such as

previously described.

  Advantageously, said control element is provided

  essentially in the extension of said handle.

  In other words, the control element cannot, by a projecting part, strike an object and / or a person causing damage.

  or even the destruction or injury of the latter.

  Such a characteristic therefore makes it possible to confer on the opening device

  and closing the water supply, greater handling safety.

  Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent on

  reading of the following description of a preferred embodiment of

  the invention, given by way of simple illustrative and nonlimiting example, and with reference to the appended drawing in which the single figure presents a schematic and simplified sectional view of a particular embodiment of a device according to

  the invention of opening and closing a water supply.

  The invention therefore relates to a device for opening and closing a water inlet allowing in particular a more efficient operation and having

  increased security compared to the state of the art.

  We now present a particular embodiment of a device for opening and closing a water supply according to the invention, with reference to the drawings in which: - Figure 1 shows a view in longitudinal section of a shower head equipped with a device according to the invention: - Figure 2 shows a sectional view ZZ of the head shown in Figure 1;

  - Figure 3 shows an exploded view of the pommel.

  Conventionally, a handle 12 of a shower head connects a pipe by a nozzle 13 for supplying water to a water distribution head. This handle 12 of the shower head comprises a device 10 for opening and closing a water supply which includes a mechanism 11 for operating. The

  diagram shown illustrates the device 10 in the closed water inlet position.

  According to the invention, the operating mechanism 11 comprises an element 111 forming a control, the element 1 1 1 forming a control activating an element 112 forming a support foot, the element 112 forming a support foot actuating an element 113 forming a hammer , the element 113 forming a hammer pushing an element 114 forming a piston, the element 114 forming a piston causing the displacement of an element 115 forming an O-ring. The operating mechanism 11 therefore comprises a plurality of elements 111 to 115 which interact with each other, upon actuation or relaxation of the element 1 1 1 forming a command. A user who pushes, in the direction of the arrow referenced 15, or releases, in the direction of the arrow referenced 16, the element 111 forming a control causes actuation and / or direct movement of another of its elements. Such an arrangement of elements makes it possible to obtain an opening and a closing of

  the arrival of more certain and efficient water compared to the state of the art.

  It is understood that the actuation of the element 111 forming a control induces actuations (and / or movements) of the different elements of the operating mechanism 11 that are opposite (or opposite) to those induced for the release of this same element 111 forming a control, in order to open or close the water supply respectively (at the level of the shower head 14). f is important to note that, to do this, the operating mechanism 11 does not allow the movement of the hammer element 113 only in one direction when actuating or releasing the control element 111. Actually, the actuation of the element 111 forming a control implies that the element 113 forming a hammer pushes the element 114 forming the piston, in the direction of the arrow referenced 17, while the relaxation of the element 111 forming a control implies that the element 114 forming the piston pushes the element 113 form The element 113 forming the hammer comprises: - a part 113a forming a support carrying: - an axis 113c around which pivots: - a part 113b having a flat surface intended to cooperate with the lower flat part of the element 112 forming a support leg. - A part 113d (shown in dotted lines) perpendicular to the part 113b having a protrusion pushing the element 114 forming the piston when the element 1 1 1 forming the control is actuated. The part 113a forming a support is also used as a stop for the part 113b having a flat surface, when the element 1 1 1 forming

  control is activated, so as to obtain a maximum opening of the water inlet.

  Thus, it is the part 113a forming a support which limits the freedom of movement of the element 115 forming an O-ring. Consequently, the mechanical limits of the piston element 114 are not used for this purpose, so that the restoring force of the piston element 114 is preserved over time, allowing it to be repeated, identically, the actuation of the

operating mechanism 11.

  It is interesting to note that, by construction, the part referenced 13d cannot escape either from an actuation of the element 112 forming a support leg or from a displacement of the element 114 forming the piston. In other words, the part

  referenced 113d is not free to move inside the handle 12.

  Preferably, the part 113d and the part 113b having a flat surface

constitute a single piece.

  The element 114 forming the piston comprises, for its part: - a part 114a forming a support intended to receive: - a rod 114b around which is provided a element 114c forming a spring intended to hold, when the element 111 forming the control is deactivated ( that is to say when the user has released the element 111 forming a control), the element 115 forming an O-ring sealingly pressed onto the part 114a forming a support at one of its ends, the other of its ends being terminated by a flat surface 114d intended to cooperate with the element

113 forming a hammer.

  When the user actuates the element 1 1 1 forming a control, the part 113d having a protuberance pushes the flat surface 114d, which compresses the element 114c forming a spring, displaces the rod 14b in the direction of the arrow 17 then discards the element 115 forming O-ring at the end of part 1 14a

forming support.

  The invention also relates to a handle 12 of a shower head 14 provided with the device 10 for opening and closing a water inlet.

explained above.

  The element 111 forming a control is provided essentially in the extension of the handle 12. In other words, the outer surface 1 1 lb of the element 111 forming a control is in the same continuity as that of the surfaces 12a, 12b external of the handle 12. This makes it possible to avoid any premature deterioration of the device 10 for opening and closing a water supply. The term "deterioration" is understood to mean in particular a break and / or a

  unwanted disassembly of the operating mechanism 11 inadvertently produced.

  The invention does not impose any constraint as to the exact location of the element 111 forming a control within the handle 12. In other words, the element 111 forming a control can be present above, below or

  still on one of the sides of the handle 12.

  With reference to FIG. 2, it will be noted that the support leg element 112 is inserted in a rail of the control element 111, which facilitates its

mounting.

  With reference to FIG. 3, it will be noted that the control element 111 is provided with an end 11 which can be inserted by sliding in the body of the knob, which makes it possible to easily change this element 111, while reinforcing

its structure.

  The embodiment presented above is not intended to reduce the scope of the invention, many modifications may therefore be made to it without departing from the scope thereof. In particular, it will be noted that the hammer element 113 and / or the handle 12 may have different shapes.

of those presented.

Claims (10)

  1. Device (10) for opening and closing a water supply provided within a handle (12) of a shower head (14), said device (10) for opening and closing water inlet being provided for this purpose with an operating mechanism (11), characterized in that said operating mechanism (I 1) comprises an element (1 1 1) forming a control, said element (1 1 1 ) forming a control activating an element (112) forming a supporting foot, said element (112) forming a supporting foot actuating an element (113) forming a hammer, said element (113) forming a hammer pushing an element (114) forming a piston, said piston element (114)   causing the displacement of an element (115) forming an O-ring.   2. Device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that said control element (111) comprises at least one molded zone (11a) having at least one outgrowth.   3. Device (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that said molded zone (111a) is provided substantially opposite said element (112) forming a support leg.   4. Device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized   in that said element (113) forming a hammer comprises: - a part (113a) forming a support bearing - an axis (1 13c) about which pivots: a part (113d) having a protrusion pushing said element (114) forming a piston, when said element (1 1 1) forming a control is activated, - a part (113b) having a flat surface intended to cooperate with said element (112) forming support foot.   5. Device (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that said part (113d) having a protuberance and said part (113b) having a surface plane constitute a single piece.   6. Device (10) according to any one of claims 4 and 5,   characterized in that said support part (113a) is further used as a stop for said part (113b) having a flat surface, when said control element (1 1) is activated so as to obtain an opening maximum water supply.   7. Device (10) according to any one of claims i to 6, characterized   in that said element (114) forming a piston comprises: - a part (114a) forming a support intended to receive: - a rod (114b) around which is provided an element (114c) forming a spring intended to hold, when said element ( 111) forming the control is deactivated, said element (115) forming an O-ring sealingly pressed on said part (114a) forming a support at one of its ends, the other of its ends being terminated by a plane surface (114d) intended to cooperate with said hammer element (113).   8. Device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized   in that said element (112) forming a support leg is fixed to said molded zone (11a). 9. Handle (12) of a shower head (14), characterized in that it is   provided with a device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 8.   10. Handle (12) of a shower head (14) according to claim 9, characterized in that said control element (111) is provided   essentially in the extension of said handle (12).