JP2000110209A - Faucet - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily cope with cases where right and left positions arranged of a heat regulating unit and a stopping and switching valve unit are adversely located, in a faucet provided with the heat regulating unit, and the stopping and switching valve unit which is separately formed of the heat regulating unit and which is arranged at a different position from it. SOLUTION: This faucet is provided with a heat regulating unit 12, a stopping and switching valve unit 14 constituted an another body from the heat regulating unit 12 and arranged at a different position from the heat regulating unit, and a connecting pipe 20 which is connected and communicated to each channels of the heat regulating unit 12 and the stopping and switching valve unit 14. In that case, each end parts of the connecting part 20 is connected to each lower ends of the heat regulating unit 12 and the stopping and switching valve unit 14 so as to rotate around the axis in a vertical direction in each units 12, 14.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a faucet, and more particularly to a first functional unit such as a temperature control unit and a second functional unit such as a water shutoff / switching valve unit which is disposed separately and at a different position. The present invention relates to a faucet in a form in which a bifunctional unit is connected with a connecting pipe.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a temperature control unit (hereinafter simply referred to as a temperature control unit) and a water cutoff / switching valve unit, which is separate from the temperature control unit, are arranged in the left and right direction, and they are connected by a connecting pipe. Connect the water outlet and shower head to the water stop / switch valve unit through a dedicated conduit,
After the temperature control water from the temperature control unit flows into the water stop / switch valve unit through the connection pipe, the temperature control water is discharged from the water discharge port or the shower head by operating the water stop / switch valve unit, or the water is stopped. Water faucets adapted for watering are known.

[0003]

In this type of faucet, the water outlet and the shower head are disposed on the right side of the temperature control unit and the water shutoff / switching valve unit depending on the location of the faucet. In this case, it is necessary to arrange the temperature control unit and the water stoppage / switching valve unit left and right.

However, in the case of this type of conventional faucet, each end of the connecting pipe is connected to the temperature control unit and the water stoppage / switching valve unit in a fixed state, respectively.
That is, since the direction of the connection part with respect to the connection pipe of the temperature control unit and the water stop / switch valve unit is determined, the positional relationship between the temperature control unit and the water stop / switch valve unit is defined by the connection pipe, There is a problem that it is difficult to cope with the case where the arrangement positions of the water discharge pipe and the shower head are reversed as described above.

[0005]

The faucet of the present invention has been devised to solve such a problem. Thus, the faucet of claim 1 is configured separately from the first functional unit such as a temperature control unit, and the first functional unit.
A second functional unit such as a water stop / switch valve unit disposed at a different position from the first functional unit, and a connection for connecting and connecting each water channel of the first functional unit and the second functional unit; In the faucet comprising a pipe, each end of the connection pipe is rotated around the vertical axis of each functional unit with respect to each of the first functional unit and the second functional unit. It is characterized by being connected as possible.

A water tap according to a second aspect of the present invention is the water tap according to the first aspect, wherein each end of the connection pipe has a cylindrical shape with a bottom with an axial center directed upward and downward, and a circular connection at the top. While providing the female fitting portion having an opening, each of the lower end portions of the first functional unit unit and the second functional unit unit is a male fitting portion having a circular cross section that is fitted into the female fitting portion in a watertight manner, The female fitting portion and the male fitting portion are connected to each other in a fitted state.

A third aspect of the invention is the faucet according to the second aspect, wherein the pipe main body of the connection pipe extends horizontally from a side surface of the female fitting portion.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the faucet according to any one of the first to third aspects, the first functional unit is a temperature control unit, and a supply pipe for leading water and hot water is provided with the temperature. It is characterized in that it is connected to the side surface of the adjustment unit via an elbow rotatable around a horizontal axis.

[0009]

As described above, in the water faucet according to the first aspect, each end of the connection pipe is arranged around the vertical axis with respect to each of the first functional unit and the second functional unit. It is rotatably connected, and in this faucet, in a state where the first function unit and the second function unit are connected by a connection pipe, and the orientation of the first function unit and the second function unit is changed. In a state where the second functional unit is oriented in a certain direction, the second functional unit can be located at any position around the axis of the first functional unit.
Alternatively, the first functional unit can be located at any position around the axis of the second functional unit.

Therefore, in this faucet, the horizontal positional relationship between the first functional unit and the second functional unit can be freely set and changed. Moreover, the adjustment or setting of the horizontal positional relationship between the first functional unit and the second functional unit can be performed while the first functional unit and the second functional unit are connected to each other by a connection pipe.

In the water faucet according to the first aspect, each end of the connection pipe may be connected to a vertically intermediate portion between the first functional unit and the second functional unit. Preferably, each end of the connection pipe is connected to each lower end of the first functional unit and the second functional unit.

By connecting each end of the connecting pipe to the lower end of each functional section unit, it is easier to rotatably connect each end of the connecting pipe to each functional section unit. Becomes

In this case, at each end of the connection pipe, a female fitting portion having a bottom with a vertical axis and a circular connection opening at the top is provided, while the first functional unit is provided. And the lower end of each of the second functional unit is formed as a male fitting portion having a circular cross section which is fitted into the female fitting portion in a watertight manner, and the male fitting portion and the female fitting portion are fitted to each other. Can be connected rotatably (claim 2).

According to this structure, each end of the connection pipe can be easily rotated around the axis of each of the first and second functional units with a simple structure. Can be connected to

Further, in this case, the pipe main body of the connecting pipe can be formed to extend horizontally from the side face of the female fitting portion. With this configuration, the first functional unit and the second functional unit can be connected to each other by the connection pipe at the shortest distance.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, when the first functional unit is a temperature control unit, one end of a supply pipe for guiding water and hot water to the temperature control unit is connected to a side surface of the temperature control unit. It is designed to be connected via an elbow that can rotate around a horizontal axis, so that the supply of the water stopcock, check valve, strainer, etc. can be performed irrespective of the position. Based on the rotation of the pipe, the other end of the supply pipe can be easily connected to the pipes of water and hot water via the stopcock, the check valve, the strainer and the like.

Therefore, in the water faucet according to the fourth aspect, the other end of the supply pipe for water and hot water is connected via a water stopcock, a check valve, and a strainer.
For example, water, through a unit that combines them,
The present invention is particularly effective when applied to a faucet connected to hot water piping.

When connecting a supply pipe for guiding water and hot water to the side surface of the temperature control unit via an elbow rotatable about a horizontal axis, a female or male fitting portion is connected to the side surface of the temperature control unit. Are provided in a laterally protruding shape, while male or female fitting portions are provided in the elbow in a horizontal direction, and the female fitting portion and the male fitting portion are rotatable by the connecting member in a state where the female fitting portion and the male fitting portion are fitted. It can be made to connect.

[0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 (A) shows the faucet of this example with a counter-10.
In the figure, 12 is the counter 1
Reference numeral 14 denotes a temperature control unit as a first functional unit provided in the lower part of the counter 10 as a first functional unit. This is a water stop / switch valve unit as a two-function unit. Operation handles 16 and 18 are attached to the temperature control unit 12 and the water shutoff / switching valve unit 14 above the counter 10, respectively.

The lower ends of the temperature control unit 12 and the water stop / switch valve unit 14 are connected to respective ends of a connection pipe 20, and the temperature control unit 12 and the water stop / switch valve are connected via the connection pipe 20. Each channel of the unit 14 is connected to each other. That is, the temperature control water from the temperature control unit 12 is connected to the connection pipe 20.
Through the water stop / switch valve unit 14.

As shown in FIG. 3, the temperature control unit 1
2 is connected to one end of a supply pipe 22 for water and hot water made of a flexible pipe via an elbow 24 rotatable about a horizontal axis.
The water and the hot water are led into the temperature control unit 12 through the inside 2.

As shown in FIG.
A female fitting part 26 having a cylindrical shape is integrally formed with the housing in such a manner as to protrude laterally. Elbow 2
4 is formed with a male fitting part 28 which also has a cylindrical shape and fits watertight inside the female fitting part 26, and the female fitting part 26 and the male fitting part 28 are fitted to each other. In the state, they are prevented from coming off from each other by the elastic clip 30 as a connecting member. That is, the female fitting portion 26 and the male fitting portion 28 are connected to each other by the elastic clip 30 in a state where they are fitted to each other.

As shown in detail in FIG. 4, the elastic clip 30 is a member formed by bending a metal leaf spring, and has an opening 32 and a guide which is opened in a C shape following the opening 32. Part 34 and an engagement groove 36 formed at the widthwise middle part
By engaging the flanges 38 formed in the female fitting portion 26 and the male fitting portion 28 through the opening 32 into the engagement groove 36, the female fitting portion 26 and the male The fitting portions 28 are connected to each other.

That is, in this example, the elbow 24 is connected to the temperature control unit 12 so as to be rotatable about a horizontal axis with respect to the housing of the temperature control unit 12. That is, the supply pipes 22 for water and hot water are connected to the temperature control unit 12 via the elbows 24 so as to be rotatable around a horizontal axis.

As shown in FIG. 5, the other end of each supply pipe 22 is connected to a pipe for water and hot water through a water stopcock unit 40 including a water stopcock, a check valve, and a strainer. It is supposed to be.

The water stopping / switching valve unit 14 is a part for discharging or stopping water from the water outlet or the shower head from the water outlet from the temperature controller 12 through the connecting pipe 20. A conduit 42 composed of a flexible pipe for guiding the temperature-regulated water to the spout and a conduit 44 also composed of a flexible pipe for guiding the temperature-regulated water to the showerhead are connected to the water stop / switch valve unit 14, respectively.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, a pair of cylindrical female screw pipes 46 are formed in the housing of the water shutoff / switching valve unit 14 so as to project horizontally and in opposite directions to each other. Each of the conduits 4
The male threads of the elbows 48 at the ends of the pipes 2 and 44 are rotatably screwed together so that the respective conduits 42 and 4 are rotatable.
4 is connected to the water stoppage / switching valve unit 14 so as to be rotatable up and down.

As shown in FIG. 2, the connection pipe 20 has a pipe main body 50 and female fitting portions 52 at both ends thereof. Here, the pipe main body 50 extends horizontally from the side surfaces of the pair of female fitting portions 52.

FIG. 5 shows the connection structure between one female fitting portion 52 and the temperature control unit 12 in the connection pipe 20 in detail. As shown in FIG.
4 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and an upper connection opening 56 having a circular cross section is formed in the upper part thereof.

On the other hand, a cylindrical male fitting portion 58 is formed at the lower end position of the temperature control unit 12 so as to protrude downward.
The male fitting portion 58 is rotatably fitted into the female fitting portion 52, that is, rotatably around the vertical axis of the temperature control unit 12. The male fitting portion 58 and the female fitting portion 52
Are connected to each other by an elastic clip 30 as a connecting member in a state where they are fitted to each other.

More specifically, the flange portion 38 formed on the female fitting portion 52 side and the flange portion 38 formed on the male fitting portion 58 side are engaged in the engagement groove 36 of the elastic clip 30,
Thus, the male fitting portion 58 and the female fitting portion 52 are connected by the elastic clip 30 so as to be rotatable around the axis.
In the figure, reference numeral 60 denotes a water channel for discharging the temperature-regulated water from the temperature-regulating unit 12.

FIG. 6 shows a connection structure between the connection pipe 20 and the water stoppage / switching valve unit 14. The connection structure between the connection pipe 20 and the water shutoff / switching valve unit 14 is basically the same as the connection structure between the connection pipe 20 and the temperature control unit 12, and the lower end position of the water shutoff / switching valve unit 14. In a state where the downwardly projecting male fitting portion 58 formed in the above manner is rotatably fitted inside the female fitting portion 52 at the end of the connection pipe 20, they are connected to each other by the elastic clip 30 at each flange portion 38. By the connection, the end of the connection pipe 20 and the lower end of the water stoppage / switching valve unit 14 are rotatably connected around the vertical axis of the water stopping / switching valve unit 14.

Although not shown, inside the male fitting portion 58 of the water stoppage / switching valve unit 14, the temperature control water sent from the temperature control unit 12 through the connection pipe 20 is introduced. A water channel 60 is formed.

As described above, in the case of the faucet of this embodiment, the connecting pipe 2
0 is rotatable around the vertical axis with respect to the temperature control unit 12 and the water shutoff / switching valve unit 14, for example, as shown in FIG. Unit 12 in the left position, water shutoff / switching valve unit 14 in the right position, and its water shutoff / switching valve unit 1
In the case where the water discharge port and the shower head are arranged at the further right position of FIG. 4, or as shown in FIG. 1B, the temperature control unit 12 is at the right position and the water stop / switch valve unit 14 is at the left position. And the water stop / switch valve unit 14
It is possible to easily cope with any case where the water outlet and the shower head are arranged at the left side of.

Specifically, under the condition that the temperature control unit 12 and the water stoppage / switching valve unit 14 are connected by the connecting pipe 20, the connection of the units 12 and 14 is performed in a state where the directions of the units 12 and 14 are oriented in a fixed direction. With the rotation of the pipe 20, the positions of the temperature control unit 12 and the water stop / switch valve unit 14 are reversed left and right, and the elbow 4 on the water stop / switch valve unit 14 side.
8 is rotated up and down about a horizontal axis to
The extension direction of 44 may be reversed.

It should be noted that the positions of the temperature control unit 12 and the water shutoff / switching valve unit 14 are changed or set while the connection pipe 20 is once removed, and then the connection pipe 20 is connected to each of the units 12 and 14. It may be.

Although the case where the position of the temperature control unit 12 and the water stop / switch valve unit 14 are reversed to the left and right has been described as an example, in the case of the faucet of this embodiment, the water stop / switch valve unit is used. When installing 14 at an arbitrary position around the axis of temperature control unit 12, this can be easily handled. Temperature control unit 12 and water stop / switch valve unit 14
This is because the position can be freely changed around each other's axis under the connection state by the connection pipe 20.

In this embodiment, the pipe main body 50 of the connection pipe 20 extends horizontally from the side of the female fitting portion 52. Therefore, the temperature control unit 12 and the water shutoff / switching valve unit 14 are connected to each other by the connection pipe. At 20 the connection can be made at the shortest distance.

The embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, but this is merely an example. For example, in the above embodiment, the temperature control unit 12 is used as the first functional unit, and the water stop / switch valve unit 14 is used as the second functional unit, and they are connected by the connection pipe 20. The temperature control unit as the first functional unit and the constant flow valve unit as the second functional unit, that is, the amount of water discharge is measured, and the water discharge is automatically stopped when the amount of water discharge reaches a preset constant flow rate. The present invention is applicable to connecting a constant flow valve unit for connection with a connection pipe, or connecting a first function unit and a second function unit of various other functions with a connection pipe. Can be configured in variously modified forms without departing from the gist of the invention.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view showing a water faucet according to an embodiment of the present invention in a connected state by a connecting pipe.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the faucet of FIG. 1 with a counter removed.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing a main part of the faucet of the same embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view showing a main part of the faucet of the same embodiment into respective members.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a main part of the faucet of the same embodiment, which is different from FIGS. 3 and 4;

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of a main part of the faucet of the same embodiment, which is different from FIGS.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 12 Temperature control unit (first functional unit) 14 Water stop / switch valve unit (second functional unit) 20 Connecting pipe 22 Supply pipe 24 Elbow 30 Elastic clip (connecting member) 50 Pipe main body 52 Female fitting section 54 Bottom 56 Connection opening 58 Male fitting 60 Water channel

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A water shutoff / switching valve which is formed separately from a first functional unit such as a temperature control unit, and which is arranged at a different position from the first functional unit. In a water faucet comprising a second functional unit such as a unit, and a connecting pipe for connecting and communicating with each of the first functional unit and the water channel of the second functional unit, each end of the connecting pipe, A faucet, wherein the faucet is connected to each of the first functional unit and the second functional unit so as to be rotatable around a vertical axis of each functional unit. 2. The female tap according to claim 1, wherein each end of said connection pipe has a cylindrical shape with a bottom with an axial center directed upward and downward, and a circular connection opening at an upper portion. On the other hand, the lower end of each of the first functional unit and the second functional unit is formed as a male fitting part having a circular cross section that is fitted into the female fitting part in a watertight manner, and the female fitting part A faucet, wherein the male fitting portion and the male fitting portion are connected to each other in a fitted state. 3. The faucet according to claim 2, wherein a pipe main body of the connection pipe extends horizontally from a side surface of the female fitting portion. 4. The faucet according to claim 1, wherein the first functional unit is a temperature control unit, and a supply pipe for guiding water and hot water is provided on a side of the temperature control unit. A faucet, wherein the faucet is connected via an elbow rotatable about a horizontal axis.