GB2172379A

GB2172379A - Tap or faucet

Info

Publication number: GB2172379A
Application number: GB08506863A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Fu-Hsiang Chen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-03-16
Filing date: 1985-03-16
Publication date: 1986-09-17
Also published as: GB8506863D0

Abstract

A tap of faucet permits both automatic and manual modes of operation and enables hot or warm or cool water to be supplied by matching respective hot and cool water inlet passages to corresponding water outlets by rotation of a shaft controlling a ported hollow pipe 12. Normally pipe 12 is set to a position allowing a desired inflow of hot and cool water through passages 21, 22 respectively, mixed water flowing out past a valve disc 31 of a solenoid valve 3 controlled by a sensor. If the electricity supply fails, valve 3 closes and pipe 12 is then manually rotated to a position allowing a desired flow through alternative outlet 24. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improved tap The present invention relates to an improved tap more especially one permitting both automatic and manual operation.

Water is usually made available for both domestic and industrial applications through pipes terminating at taps or faucets installed in a consumer's premises. A water heater may be incorporated with a tap installation to provide water heated to a desired temperature. While such kinds of heaters have won extensive acceptance among consumers, they have found to have the following disadvantages: (1) a complicated construction involving many structural components which inevitably affects the precision of manufacture and production costs; (2) complexity of construction arising from the use of many components giving rise to failures; 3) most of the heaters being electrically powered, become out of service in case of power failure or suspension of power supply.

The invention seeks to provide a tap or faucet permitting both automatic and manual applications which enables the supply of water at a desired temperature through automatic or manual adjustments in which the tap construction is simpler as compared with existing constructions.

The invention also seeks to provide a tap or faucet permitting both automatic and manual applications when an electrical power supply is available but in which manual operation is available in the event of power failure.

According to the present invention there is provided a tap or faucet for dispensing liquid in an auto matic or a manual mode comprising a control shaft assembly removably sealed within a tap body, said assembly including a hollow pipe with an outlet port and two sets of opposed outlets spaced apart along its length for hot and cold water, with the outlet sets offset one relative to the other, the tap body having a bore in communication with a chamber by way of an interconnecting path leading at one end to the outlet port, a passage being provided in the bore to lead to the chamber, and cool water and hot water channels for connection to external pipes, cool water, hot water and tepid water being supplied in either an automatic mode or manual mode by the alignment of the water outlet and the cool and hot water passages, with the respective water outlet, cool water path, and hot water path by appropriate rotation of the control shaft.

The invention will now be described further by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a control shaft for a tap according to the invention; Figure 2 is a sectional view of a tap according to the invention; Figure 3 is a sectional view of the tap in a closed position; Figure 4 is a sectional view of the tap shown in Figure 3 in an open position supplying hot water in an automatic mode; Figure 5 is a view similar to Figures 3 and 4 with the taps supplying tepid water in an automatic mode; Figure 6 is a view similar to Figures 3, 4 and 5 with the tap supplying cool water in an automatic mode; Figure 7 is a view of the tap supplying hot water in a manual mode; Figure 8 is a view of the tap when supplying tepid water in a manual condition; and Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8 with the tap supplying cool water in a manual condition.

(1) Control shaft (15) outlet port (11) Control shaft (16) (16') cool water outlet (12) hollow pipe (17) (17') hot water outlet (13) pipeway (2) tap or faucet body (14) rubber seal (21) hot water passage (22) cool water passage (28) opening (23) pipe sleeving (29) water outlet (24) water duct (3) solenoid valve (25) water path (4) handle (26) chamber (27) inflow path Referring to Figures 1 and 2 the control shaft assembly for the tap consists of shaft 11 and an adjoining hollow pipe 12 which can be sealed to an adjacent tap body by a rubber seal in a manner to be described.

A first port is provided in a wall of the pipe 12 at the end adjacent the shaft 11. Two opposed, second or cool water outlets 16, 16' are provided in a wall of the pipe in the central region thereof. A pair of opposed third or hot water outlets 17, 17' are also provided in a wall of the pipe at the end remote from the shaft 11. The arcuate extent of the outlet port 15 is greater than that of either the second or third outlets 16, 16'; 17, 17'. Furthermore, the three water outlets are offset one relative to the other.

A sleeve 23 is provided in the tap body 2, one end being connected to external sources, the other end being operatively connected to an opening via a water path 25. A duct connects the sleeve 23 to a chamber. Similarly a hot water passage 21 and a cool water passage 22 operatively connect to the sleeve 23, provision being made for appropriate external water connections.

To assemble the tap, the pipe 12 which is integral with the control shaft assembly is inserted into the sleeve 23 provided in the tap body 2. The seal 14 provides a water-tight junction between the end face of the pipe 12 and the tap body 2. A handle 4 is then placed on shaft 11 and a solenoid device 3 connected into the notch 28. The valve disk of the solenoid lies at the bottom end of the opening 28, such that when the valve is in a closed position, (see Figure 3) both the hot water passage 21, the cool water passage 22 and the water duct 24 are blocked by the hollow pipe 12, as indicated by lines A-A, B-B, and C-C respectively. No water flows out of the water outlet 29 whether the solenoid valve 3 is active or passive.

By rotating the the shaft 1 through 180 degrees, when the tap of the invention releases hot water in an automatic mode of application, a further small rotation as shown in Figure 4 causes the sensor device to energise the solenoid valve 3, on passing the sensing clearance to the notch 28, whereupon hot water passes via the hot water passage 21, hot water outlet 17' relative to the hollow pipe 12, pipeway 13, water path 25, bottom of opening 28 and inflow path 27, into the chamber 26, and eventually out of the water outlet 29.

To use the tap to disperse tepid water in an automatic mode, one starts by turning the housing 1 in the direction as shown in Figure 5. This action raises the valve disk 31 so that both cool water and hot water flow through the passages 21, 22 and the cool water outlet 16', hot water outlet 17' respectively to pipeway 13, further through water path 25, past the bottom end of the opening, inflow path 27, the chamber 26, eventually feeding out via outlet aperture 29.

To use the tap to dispense cool water in an automatic mode, one starts by turning the control shaft 1 in the direction illustrated in Figure 6, the valve disk 31 rises enabling cool water to flow via passage 22, outlet 16' pipeway 13, path 25, base of the opening 28, inflow path 27 to the chamber 26. Eventually the cool water feeds out of the outlet 29. Each of the above-described operating procedures relate to the operation of the tap in an automatic mode. Should the power supply fail, then the user will have to appiy the manual mode of operation. It shouid be noted however that as long as power remains unavailable, the solenoid valve 3 is inactive so that the valve disk 31 adheres to the base of notch 38 to close the path 25. Manual application starts by rotating the control shaft 1 in the direction illustrated in Figure 7, applicable to the dispensing of hot water. Hot water is transmitted along the following path: cool water passage 22, cool water outlet 16, hot water passage 21, hot water outlet 17 converging to pipeway 13, outlet port 15, water duct 24, chamber 26 and water outlet 29.

To use the tap in a manual mode to supply cool water, one rotates the control shaft in the direction as shown in Figure 9. Cool water is then supplied by the following route; cool water passage 22, cool water outlet 16, pipeway 13, outlet port 15, water duct 24, chamber 26 and outlet 29.

The handle 4 may be suitably marked to inform a user of the required rotation for the dispensing of hot water, cool water, tepid water in both automatic and manual modes of execution.

Claims

1. Tap or faucet for dispensing liquid in an automatic or a manual mode, comprising a control shaft assembly removably sealed within a tap body, said assembly including a hollow pipe with an outlet port and two sets of opposed outlets, spaced apart along its length for hot and cold water, with the outlet sets offset one relative to the other, the tap body having a bore in communication with a chamber by way of an interconnecting path leading at one end to the outlet port, a passage being provided in the bore to lead to the chamber, and cool water and hot water channels for connection to external pipes, cool water, hot water and tepid water being supplied in either an automatic mode or manual mode by the alignment of the water outlet and the cool and hot, water passages, with the respective water outlet, cool water path, and hot water path by appropriate rotation of the control shaft.

2. A tap or faucet for dispensing liquid in an automatic or a manual mode of operation substantially as herein described with reference to an as illustrated in any one of the accompanying drawings.