JP2002346553A - Seal structure of cleaning filter connection part in water cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem that, in a water cleaner in which a cylindrical cleaning filter is housed in a filter housing chamber, the filter is moved irregularly in the axial direction in the chamber and to make a connection part between the end opening in the axial direction of a water channel in the central part of the filter and an opening on the opposite side compact. SOLUTION: In the water cleaner having the cleaning filter 42 having the water channel 58A in the central part, the filter housing chamber 41 having the opening for connecting the water channel, and an elastic seal member 142 for connecting the opening on the filter housing chamber 41 side and the end opening in the axial direction of the filter 42 with each other watertightly, the seal member 142 is compressed elastically in the axial direction by the end face in the axial direction of the filter 42 and the opposite surface of the chamber 41 facing the end face so that a watertight seal is formed between the openings of a pair.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a water purification device for purifying tap water, and more particularly, to a sealing structure for a connection portion of a purification filter.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Tap water contains components that cause turbidity, such as fine sand and red rust, and components that cause odors such as chlorine and fungi due to chlorine for sterilization. Therefore, conventionally, tap water is purified by a water purification device and then discharged from a purified water discharge port.

As this kind of water purifier, (a) a cylindrical filter having a water channel in the center, and containing a tap water as raw water and purifying the same, and (b) a purifier filter are housed. A filter accommodating chamber having an opening for connecting a water passage at a position corresponding to an axial end of the water passage at the center of the purification filter; and (c) an opening on the filter housing chamber side and a shaft of the purification filter. 2. Description of the Related Art There is known a water purification device having a form having a seal member for connecting an opening at a direction end to a direction of watertight.

In this type of water purification apparatus, the purification filter has a certain dimensional tolerance in the axial direction. Therefore, when the purification filter is mounted in the filter accommodation room, the filter is connected to the filter accommodation room and the purification filter so that it can be carried out well. It was necessary to secure a certain axial clearance between them.

FIG. 9 shows a structure for satisfactorily connecting the opening at the axial end of the water channel at the center of the purification filter and the corresponding opening at the filter housing chamber side in a watertight state with the clearance secured. The connection part seal structure shown in FIG.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 200 denotes a filter housing chamber 20.
2, a purification filter having a cylindrical shape, and a water passage 204 is formed at the center. The filter housing chamber 202 faces the opening 208 at the axial end of the water channel 204 at the center of the purification filter 200 for connecting the water channel.
Openings 206 and 208
In this case, in order to connect
The cylindrical portion 210 is provided in a protruding shape on the axial end surface of the cylindrical portion 210, fitted in the opening 206, and the elastic O-ring 212 mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 210 is elastically compressed in the radial direction. By contacting the inner surface of the opening 206,
The openings 206 and 208 are connected in a watertight manner.

[0007] In the drawing, S represents an axial clearance secured between the purification filter 200 and the filter housing chamber 202.

[0008]

However, in the case of this seal structure, the purifying filter 200 is not
02, there is a problem of rattling in the axial direction, particularly when such a purification filter 200 is incorporated in the water discharge head of the faucet, when the water discharge head is moved by hand, the purification filter 200 is positioned in the axial direction. The movement causes a problem that an unpleasant rattling sound is generated.

In this sealing structure, the purification filter 20
0, ie, the filter housing chamber 202 side, is provided with a fitting portion 214, into which the cylindrical portion 210 must be inserted and fitted. A problem arises in that the connection between 208 and 206 becomes complicated and large in shape.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The sealing structure of the connecting portion of the purification filter in the water purification apparatus of the present invention has been devised to solve such a problem. Claim 1
(A) a purification filter for purifying raw water by passing tap water, which is raw water, having a water channel in the center thereof in the form of a cylinder, and (b) a chamber for accommodating the purification filter. hand,
A filter housing chamber having an opening for connecting a water passage at a position corresponding to an opening at an axial end of the water passage at the center of the purification filter; and (c) an opening on the filter housing chamber side and an axial end of the purification filter. And a seal member for connecting the opening of the filter water-tightly to the opening, wherein an end face in the axial direction of the purification filter and an opposing face of the filter chamber facing the end face are interposed therebetween. The mounted elastic seal member is elastically compressed in the axial direction, thereby performing a watertight seal between the pair of openings.

A second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first aspect, the elastic seal member has a cylindrical shape, and the elastic seal member is elastically compressed and deformed in the axial direction.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first and second aspects, a holding portion having a height smaller than an axial height of the elastic sealing member in a free shape state is provided on an axial end surface of the purification filter. The elastic seal member is provided in a protruding shape, and is held by the holding portion in a state of being positioned in a direction perpendicular to the axis.

According to a fourth aspect, in the third aspect, the holding portion has a cylindrical shape.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to fourth aspects, the purifying filter is incorporated in a water discharge head of a faucet.

[0015]

As described above, according to the present invention, the elastic sealing member interposed between the end face in the axial direction of the purification filter and the opposing face of the filter accommodating chamber facing the end face is provided in the axial direction. Elastically compressed into
According to the present invention, the space between the pair of openings can be sealed watertight by the elastic compression of the elastic seal member in the axial direction. Here, the elastic seal member may be formed in a tubular shape.

According to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 9, it is not necessary to form a shape portion such as the fitting portion 214 on the filter housing chamber 202 side. Also in FIG.
Does not need to be formed, so that the structure of the connection part in the purification filter can be simplified and the size can be reduced.

In addition, in the present invention, it is possible to absorb the axial dimensional tolerance between the purifying filter and the filter accommodating chamber by the elastic compression of the elastic sealing member in the axial direction. Based on this, the purifying filter can be held elastically pressed in the axial direction. That is, the purifying filter can be always fixed in the axial direction by the elastic sealing member.
The problem that the purification filter 200 rattles in the filter housing chamber in the axial direction as in the seal structure shown in FIG.

Here, the elastic seal member may be formed in a cylindrical shape, and may be elastically compressed and deformed in the axial direction. According to a third aspect of the present invention, a holding portion having a height smaller than the free height of the elastic seal member in the axial direction is provided in a protruding manner on the axial end surface of the purification filter. The elastic seal member can be held by the holding portion in a state of being positioned in a direction perpendicular to the axis, so that the seal can be surely secured, and irregular deformation such as falling down of the elastic seal member can be prevented. it can.

In this case, the holding portion can be formed in a cylindrical shape. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is suitably applicable to a water purification device in which a purification filter is incorporated in a water discharge head of a faucet (claim 5). Here, the water discharge head can be made to be able to be pulled out or moved with the flexible hose.

[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings, taking as an example a case where a water purifier is integrated into a faucet. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes a single lever type faucet (mixed faucet) used as a kitchen faucet or the like.
Reference numeral 12 denotes a faucet body having a built-in main valve for controlling the amount of discharged water and the amount of discharged water and controlling the temperature. Reference numeral 14 denotes a single-lever type operation unit rotatably provided at an upper portion thereof. In this faucet 10, the temperature of water discharge is adjusted by operating the operation unit 14 right and left, and the amount of water to be stopped and water discharge is adjusted by operating the operation unit 14 up and down.

Reference numeral 16 denotes a water discharge pipe extending from the water faucet main body 12, and has a water discharge pipe main body 18 fixed to the water faucet main body 12, and a water discharge head 20 at a distal end side thereof. Here, the water discharge head 20 can be pulled out from the water discharge pipe main body 18 together with the flexible hose 22 and can be moved three-dimensionally in the drawn state.

At the end of the water discharge head 20, a lever-type and rotary switching operation part 24 for switching between raw water straight water discharge, raw water shower water discharge and purified water straight water discharge, which will be described in detail later, projects outside. Is provided.

As shown in FIG. 2, the water discharge head 20 has a grip portion 26 and a head portion 28 at the distal end thereof, and a hose 22 is provided at the base end of the grip portion 26 with a seal member 30. It is connected and fixed watertight under the seal. Here, the hose 22 is axially slidably inserted into a hose insertion hole 32 formed in the center of the water discharge pipe main body 18.

At the tip of the water discharge pipe main body 18, an insertion projection 34 is provided. On the other hand, a corresponding insertion recess 36 is formed on the side of the water discharge head 20, and the insertion recess 3 is formed.
6 so that the insertion protrusion 34 is inserted thereinto.
Is fitted and held at the tip of the water discharge pipe main body 18. In this example, the water discharge head 20 simultaneously constitutes a water purification device.

In the water discharge head 20, the grip portion 26 has a double cylinder structure of an outer cylinder 38 and an inner cylinder 40, and a filter housing chamber 41 which is long in the axial direction is formed inside. A purifying filter 42 for purifying raw water (tap water) by passing the raw water (tap water) through the filter housing chamber 41 is housed therein. The purification filter 42 is a member having a cylindrical shape as a whole, and has a cylindrical porous ceramic filter 44 at the center thereof.
Using this as a support, a layer of diatomaceous earth 46 is formed on the outer surface thereof, and a layer of activated carbon 48 is further formed on the outer surface thereof. A nonwoven fabric 50 is wound around the outer surface of the layer.

The purifying filter 42 has water-impermeable end caps 52 and 54 at front and rear ends. The end caps 52 and 54 are made of a light-transmitting member, respectively, and the end faces of the purification filter 42, specifically, the layers of the ceramic filter 44 and the diatomaceous earth 46 and the layer of the activated carbon 48 are passed through the end caps 52 and 54. , Non-woven fabric 50
The end face of this layer can be visually observed from the outside. That is, the degree of contamination of each layer of the purification filter 42 can be visually observed through the end caps 52 and 54.

Ribs 56 are formed at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surfaces of the end caps 52 and 54, and the outer peripheral ends of the ribs 56 are in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the inner cylinder 40. . That is, these ribs 56 form a water passage 58A for raw water (tap water) between the outer peripheral side of the purification filter 42, specifically, between the outer peripheral surface of the purification filter 42 and the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder 40 in the grip portion 26. A purified water channel 60A is formed inside the ceramic filter 44 of the purification filter 42, that is, at the center thereof.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the head 28 has on its lower surface a raw water straight water discharge port 62 for discharging raw water as straightening bundles and a raw water shower discharge for discharging raw water as shower water. A water outlet 64 and a purified water straight water discharge port 66 for discharging water straight as a straightened bundle of purified water are separately provided. Further, a raw water straight passage 68, a raw water shower passage 70, and a purified water straight passage 72 are formed to communicate with the respective water discharge ports 62, 64, 66, respectively.

A switching valve 74 (see FIG. 4) for switching between raw water straight water discharge, raw water shower water discharge, and purified water straight water discharge is disposed downstream of the purification filter 42 and inside the head 28. . The switching valve 74 is a cylinder-type valve, and includes a valve body 76 having a stepped and cylindrical shape as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, and a valve casing 78 water-tightly fitted to the valve body 76. are doing.

The valve body 76 has a shaft portion 80 projecting in the axial direction. The base portion 82 of the lever-type and rotary-type switching operation portion 24 and the spacer ring 84 are fitted to the shaft portion 80 in an integrally rotating state. Have been. That is, while the male spline portion 86 is formed on the outer periphery of the shaft portion 80, the switching operation portion 24
A female spline portion 88 is formed on the inner periphery of the base portion 82 and the spacer ring 84, and the shaft portion 80, the base portion 82, and the spacer ring 84 are fitted in a state where they are engaged with each other. The shaft portion 80, the base portion 82, and the spacer ring 84 rotate integrally based on the engagement. The shaft 80 has a female screw hole 9
0 is formed, and the fixing screw 92 is screwed therein,
Thus, the shaft portion 80, that is, the valve body 76 and the switching operation portion 24 are fastened and fixed in the axial direction.

The valve body 76 has a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion formed at different positions in the axial direction. The large diameter portion serves as a raw water valve portion 94, and the small diameter portion serves as a water purification valve portion 96. It is configured. The internal space of the raw water valve portion 94 and the internal space of the water purification valve portion 96 are a raw water chamber 98 and a water purification chamber 1 respectively.
00, and they are partitioned water-tightly in the axial direction by the partition member 102.

The opening at the end on the raw water valve 94 side is closed by a closing member 104. The closing member 104 is formed with a partition press 106 having a triangular cross section. The partition press 106 presses the partition member 102 in the axial direction.

FIGS. 4 and 6 show the valve casing 78.
The raw water from the water channel 58A is supplied to the raw water valve section 9 as shown in FIG.
A water passage 108 for flowing into the raw water chamber 98 inside 4
And a water channel 110 for flowing purified water from the water channel 60A into the water purification chamber 100 inside the water purification valve portion 96. These water passages 108 and 110 open to the inner surface of the valve casing 78 and the filter housing chamber 41, respectively. In the figure, 108a and 108b and 110a and 110b represent respective openings.

The valve casing 78 is also integrally formed with a cylindrical insertion fitting portion 112, and the insertion fitting portion 112 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the end portion of the inner cylinder 40 in the grip portion 26. It is plugged in watertight via a ring 114. That is, the valve casing 78 and the inner cylinder 40 of the grip portion 26 are connected in a watertight manner via the insertion fitting portion 112. Here, the valve casing 78 forms the above-mentioned filter housing chamber 41 together with the inner cylinder 40.

The valve casing 78 communicates with the raw water straight water discharge opening 126 for connecting the raw water chamber 98 inside the raw water valve portion 94 of the valve body 76 to the raw water straight passage 68 and the raw water shower passage 70. And a raw water shower water discharge opening 128 is provided so as to penetrate in the radial direction. On the other hand, on the water purification valve section 96 side, a water purification opening 130 for communicating the water purification chamber 100 with the water purification straight passage 72 is provided so as to penetrate in the radial direction.

The raw water valve portion 94 of the valve body 76 serves as both a raw water straight valve portion and a raw water shower valve portion, and as shown in FIG. 5, discharges raw water from the water passage 108 in the valve casing 78. A raw water straight passage 68 or a raw water shower passage 70 passes through an opening 132 for flowing water into the raw water chamber 98 and a raw water straight water discharge opening 126 or a raw water shower water discharge opening 128 in the valve casing 78. And a water-passing opening 134 for communicating with the air-conditioner are provided in a state penetrating in the radial direction. Here, the opening 132 has a long hole shape elongated in the rotation direction.

On the other hand, the water purifying valve portion 96 has an opening 136 for allowing purified water from the water passage 110 in the valve casing 78 to flow into the water purifying chamber 100, and a water purifying chamber 100.
And a water-passing opening 138 for communicating the water through the water-purifying opening 130 in the valve casing 78 to the water-purifying straight passage 72 in a radially penetrating state.

As shown in FIG. 6, a cylindrical holding portion 140 is provided in a protruding state on the axial end face of the cleaning cartridge 42, more specifically, on the axial end face of the end cap 52, and is provided inside thereof. An elastic seal member 142 also having a cylindrical shape is held in the recess.

As shown in FIG. 2, the elastic seal member 142 has the axial end face of the purification filter 42 and the opposing surface in the filter accommodating chamber 41, specifically, the valve casing 78, with the purification filter 42 assembled. Of the purification filter 42 is elastically deformed in the axial direction with the surface facing the axial end face thereof, and the opening at the axial end of the purified water channel 60A at the center of the purification filter 42 is formed based on the elastic compression deformation. 144 and the opening 11 on the filter storage chamber 41 side
0a, specifically, the opening 110a of the valve casing 78 is water-tightly sealed.

Here, in order to ensure the axial deformation of the elastic seal member 142, the cylindrical holding portion 140 has a projection height lower than the axial height of the elastic seal member 142 in the free shape state. Have been. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 2, the other axial end face (the right end face in the figure) of the purification filter 42 is pressed against the axially opposed surface of the filter housing chamber 41 via the filter retainer 146. I have.

Next, the operation of the water purification apparatus of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
This will be described in detail below. FIG. 7 (I) and FIG. 8 (I) show a straight water discharge state of raw water. At this time, the lever-type and rotary-type switching operation unit 24 is in a state of being lifted to the uppermost position, and the switching valve 74 is operated based on the operation of the switching operation unit 24 as shown in FIG. Elongated opening 1 of raw water valve portion 94 in body 76
32 is communicated with the opening 108b of the valve casing 78, and the opening 134 of the valve body 76 is communicated with the raw water straight water discharge opening 126 of the valve casing 78. Further, the water purification valve portion 96 is provided with an opening 110 of the valve casing 78.
b is in a closed state.

Therefore, in this state, the grip 26
Water passage 58A formed on the outer peripheral side of internal purification filter 42
From the raw water straight passage 6 via the switching valve 74
8 and the raw water straight water discharge port 62, from which straight water is discharged downward as a straightening bundle. At this time, of course, the spouting of purified water from the purified water straight spouting port 66 is not performed.

Next, from this state, the switching operation unit 24 is moved to the state shown in FIG.
When it is rotated downward to the intermediate position of I), as shown in FIGS. 7 (II) and 8 (II), the communication between the opening 132 of the valve body 76 and the opening 108b of the valve casing 78 is maintained. The opening 134 in the valve body 76 coincides with the raw water shower spouting opening 128 of the valve casing 78, and the raw water from the water passage 58A is now led to the raw water shower passage 70 and the raw water shower spout 64, The water is discharged downward as shower water. As shown in FIG. 8 (II), also at this time, the water purification valve portion 96 of the valve body 76 of the switching valve 74 is in a state where the water passage of the purified water is shut off.
No spouting of purified water from 6 is performed.

From this state, FIGS. 7 (III) and 8 (III)
When the switching operation unit 24 is further rotated downward as shown in FIG. 5, the water passage of the raw water is shut off by the switching valve 74, and the water passage of the purified water is opened, as shown in those figures.

At this time, the raw water in the water channel 58A penetrates through the purification filter 42 in the radial direction by the feed water pressure because the water channel of the raw water is shut off by the switching valve 74.
It reaches the water channel 60A of the purified water formed at the center. Then, the raw water is purified by passing through the purification filter 42.

The purified water that has been purified by passing through the purification filter 42 is supplied to the purified water passage 6 inside the purification filter 42.
0A through the water passage 110 of the valve casing 78 and the opening 1
10b and the opening 136 in the valve body 76, flow into the water purification chamber 100, and further from the water purification chamber 100 to the valve body 76.
Opening 138 and the water purification opening 130 of the valve casing 78.
Then, the water flows out to the purified water straight passage 72, and is further discharged straight down from the purified water straight water discharge port 66 as a straightened bundle.

As described above, in this embodiment, the cylindrical elastic seal member 142 is elastically compressed in the axial direction, whereby the space between the pair of openings 108a and 110a can be sealed watertight. According to this example, the fitting portion 214 shown in FIG.
Therefore, the structure of the connecting portion in the purification filter 42 can be simplified and the size can be reduced.

In addition, in the present embodiment, the dimensional tolerance in the axial direction between the purification filter 42 and the filter housing chamber 41 can be absorbed by the elastic compression of the elastic seal member 142 in the axial direction, and the elastic seal member 142 in the axial direction can be absorbed. The purifying filter 42 can be held elastically pressed in the axial direction based on the elastic compression. That is, the purifying filter 42 can be always fixed in the axial direction by the elastic seal member 142. Therefore, there is a problem that the purifying filter 200 rattles in the axial direction in the filter accommodating chamber as in the conventional sealing structure shown in FIG. Can be eliminated.

Further, in this embodiment, since the elastic seal member 142 is held by the holding portion 140 in a state of being positioned in the direction perpendicular to the axis, the seal can be surely achieved, and the elastic seal member 142 can be prevented from falling down. Regular deformation can be prevented.

The embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, but this is merely an example. For example, the above embodiment is an example in which a purifying cartridge, a switching valve, and an operation unit thereof are provided in a water discharge head that can be pulled out together with a flexible hose from a water discharge pipe main body, but the present invention is directed to a bathroom having a normal shower head. The present invention can be applied to a faucet and other various forms of faucet, and can be configured in variously modified forms without departing from the gist thereof.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a water purification device according to an embodiment of the present invention in a state where the water purification device is incorporated in a faucet and in an appearance state.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an internal structure of a water discharge head of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a state where the structure shown in FIG. 2 is disassembled into respective members.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing an internal structure of a distal end portion of the water discharge head of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an operation explanatory view of the switching valve shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of a main part of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing the operation of the same embodiment together with the operation state of the internal switching valve.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the operation of the same embodiment in relation to the operation state of the switching valve and the operation state of the operation unit.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the background of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Mixing faucet 20 Water discharge head 22 Hose 41 Filter accommodating chamber 42 Purification filter 58A Raw water channel 60A Purified water channel 108a, 108b, 110a, 110b, 144 Opening 140 Holding part 142 Elastic seal member

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 3J040 BA04 EA16 FA05 HA08 HA30 4D024 AA02 AB11 AB14 BA02 BB05 BC01 CA04 CA15 4D064 AA17 BJ01 BJ14

Claims (5)

[Claims] (1) a purifying filter for purifying raw water by passing tap water as raw water, the purifying filter having a water channel at a central portion thereof, and (b) a chamber for accommodating the purifying filter. A filter housing chamber having an opening for connecting a water passage at a position corresponding to an axial end of the water passage at the center of the purification filter; and (c) an opening on the filter housing chamber side and the purification filter. A water purification device having a sealing member for connecting an opening at an axial end with a watertight seal, wherein an axial end surface of the purification filter and an opposing surface of the filter accommodating chamber facing the end surface. A sealing structure of a purification filter connection portion in a water purification device, wherein an elastic sealing member interposed therebetween is elastically compressed in an axial direction, thereby performing watertight sealing between the pair of openings. 2. The seal for a connection portion of a purification filter in a water purification apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the elastic seal member is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the elastic seal member is elastically compressed and deformed in an axial direction. Construction. 3. The purifying filter according to claim 1, wherein a holding portion having a height smaller than an axial height of the elastic sealing member in a free shape state is provided on an axial end surface of the purification filter. The sealing structure of a purification filter connection portion in a water purification device, wherein the holding portion holds the elastic seal member in a positioning state in a direction perpendicular to the axis. 4. The seal structure for a purifying filter connecting part in a water purifier according to claim 3, wherein the holding part has a cylindrical shape. 5. The seal structure of a purifying filter connection part in a water purifier according to claim 1, wherein the purifying filter is incorporated in a water discharge head of a faucet.