JP2005195088A - Mixing faucet - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a mixing faucet in which hot water and water can be brought in contact with a thermostatic spring in the uniformly mixed state, and an automatic temperature control function can be greatly improved. <P>SOLUTION: A hot water valve seat 2 and a water valve seat 3 are installed sandwiching a valve body 1. Hot water and water of the flow rate corresponding to the opening of the valve body 1 for the hot water valve seat 2 and the water valve seat 3 are fed into a mixing part 4 on the downstream side, and hot water or water flowed into the mixing part 4 or mixed water mixed with both is discharged outside. The coil-like thermostatic spring 5 made of shape memory alloy to urge the valve body 1 in such a direction that the opening for the hot water valve seat 2 lessens is installed in the mixing part 4. In the mixing faucet, a mixed water passage 4a of smaller diameter and a mixed water passage 4b of greater diameter are formed in the order from the upstream side, and the thermostatic spring 5 is arranged across the mixed water passage 4a of the smaller diameter and the mixed water passage 4b of the greater diameter. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a hot and cold water mixing faucet having a valve body that changes a mixing ratio of hot water and water and having an automatic temperature adjustment function.

  For example, as a conventional hot and cold water mixing faucet installed in a bathroom or a wash basin, there is one configured as follows. That is, a hot water valve seat and a water valve seat are provided so as to sandwich the valve body, and hot water and water having a flow rate according to the opening degree of the valve body with respect to the hot water valve seat and the water valve seat are sent to the mixing section on the downstream side, Shape memory for urging the valve body in a direction in which the degree of opening relative to the hot water valve seat is reduced, and is configured to discharge hot water or water reaching the mixing section or mixed water formed by mixing them. A coil-shaped temperature-sensitive spring made of an alloy is provided in the mixing section, whereby a hot and cold water mixing faucet configured to automatically adjust the mixing ratio of hot water and water.

With a hot water / water mixing faucet having the above-described configuration, even if the mixing ratio of hot water and water changes due to, for example, fluctuations in hot water supply / water pressure, the temperature sensing spring changes the temperature of the mixed water. Accordingly, the temperature of the mixed water is immediately returned to the original set temperature.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-60760

  However, in the above-described conventional hot and cold water mixing faucet, the hot water that has flowed through between the hot water valve seat and the valve body and the water that has flowed through between the water valve seat and the valve body in the mixing section. Are not uniformly mixed, and this affects the amount of expansion and contraction of the temperature-sensitive spring and thus the temperature of the discharged mixed water.

  Therefore, as described in Patent Document 1, it is conceivable to provide a stirring member on the upstream side of the temperature-sensitive spring, but in this case, the structure of the hot and cold water mixing faucet becomes complicated and the manufacturing cost increases. Since the space for installing the stirring member is necessary, the faucet becomes larger, and hot water is introduced from the upstream side of the stirring unit, but water is introduced from the downstream side of the stirring unit. There was a fear that water and water were not uniformly mixed.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned matters, and its purpose is to make it possible to contact the temperature-sensitive spring in a state in which hot water and water are uniformly mixed, thereby greatly improving the automatic temperature control function. It is to provide a hot and cold water faucet.

  In order to achieve the above object, the hot and cold water mixing faucet of the present invention is provided with a hot water valve seat and a water valve seat so as to sandwich the valve body, and a flow rate corresponding to the opening degree of the valve body relative to the hot water valve seat and the water valve seat. The hot water and water are sent to the mixing section on the downstream side, and the hot water or water reaching the mixing section or the mixed water formed by mixing them is discharged to the outside. A hot and cold water mixing faucet provided with a coil-shaped temperature-sensitive spring made of a shape memory alloy that urges the valve body in a direction in which the opening degree decreases in the mixing portion, and a small-diameter mixed water flow path in the mixing portion A large-diameter mixed water flow path is formed in this order from the upstream side, and the temperature-sensitive spring is arranged from the small-diameter mixed water flow path to the large-diameter mixed water flow path (Claim 1).

  More specifically, a hot water valve seat and a water valve seat are provided so as to sandwich the valve body, and hot water and water having a flow rate corresponding to the opening degree of the valve body with respect to the hot water valve seat and the water valve seat are mixed on the downstream side. The hot water or water that has reached the mixing section or mixed water obtained by mixing them is discharged to the outside, and the valve body is attached in such a direction that the opening with respect to the hot water valve seat decreases. A hot and cold water mixing faucet provided with a coil-shaped temperature-sensitive spring made of a shape memory alloy in the mixing portion, provided with a cylindrical slide member that slides along the inner wall of the housing constituting the mixing portion, A temperature sensitive spring is configured to urge the valve body through the slide member, and a small-diameter mixed water flow path formed by the inner wall of the slide member and a large diameter formed by the inner wall of the housing. Diameter mixed water flow path Formed from the flow side in this order, are arranged over the mixed water passage of the large diameter the temperature sensitive spring from the small diameter mixed water passage of (claim 2).

  In any of the hot and cold water mixing faucets, it is preferable that the downstream end portion of the small-diameter mixed water flow channel is configured to be located in the approximate center of the temperature-sensitive spring or in the upstream side range. 3).

  In the invention according to claims 1 and 2, the hot water and water that have reached the mixing section first flow through the small-diameter mixed water flow path, and then flow into the large-diameter mixed water flow path. At this time, since the cross-sectional area of the flow path rapidly increases, hot water and water are agitated to form mixed water that is mixed almost uniformly, and the mixed water is passed over the temperature-sensitive spring. Since the temperature can be flown, the temperature sensing operation of the temperature sensing spring can be performed very well, and the automatic temperature control function based on the operation of the temperature sensing spring can be greatly improved.

  In the invention according to claim 3, since the hot water and water in the state of mixed water mixed almost uniformly can be reliably brought into contact with the temperature-sensitive spring, the invention according to claims 1 and 2 is obtained. The effect is more certain.

Hereinafter, the details of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory view schematically showing a configuration of a main part of a hot and cold water mixing faucet according to one embodiment of the present invention.
The hot and cold water mixing faucet of this embodiment is provided with a hot water valve seat 2 and a water valve seat 3 so as to sandwich the valve body 1 and has a flow rate corresponding to the opening degree of the valve body 1 with respect to the hot water valve seat 2 and the water valve seat 3. Hot water and water are sent to the mixing unit 4 on the downstream side, and hot water or water reaching the mixing unit 4 or mixed water obtained by mixing them is discharged to the outside. In addition, a coil-shaped temperature-sensitive spring 5 made of a shape memory alloy that urges the valve body 1 in a direction in which the opening degree with respect to the hot water valve seat 2 is reduced is provided in the mixing portion 4. 1 is moved, and the mixing ratio of hot water and water is automatically adjusted.

  In the following, the structure of the hot and cold water mixing faucet will be described in detail. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 6 denotes a substantially cylindrical faucet body, and a tubular hot water pipe is connected to a hot water pipe (not shown) on the back surface thereof. A hot water connection port 8 to which the joint 7 for piping is detachably attached, a shower hose connection port 10 to which the joint 9 for shower hose is detachably attached, and a tubular shape so as to communicate with a water pipe (not shown) A water connection port 11 to which a water pipe joint (not shown) is detachably attached is provided in this order from the left side in the figure, and a water discharge pipe joint (not shown) is detachable on the lower surface portion thereof. A water discharge pipe connection port 12 is provided. Further, a temperature adjustment handle 13 is provided at the left end of the faucet body 6 in the drawing, and a switching handle (not shown) is provided at the right end.

  Further, the substantially cylindrical first, second and third housings 14, 15, 16 are detachably inserted into the faucet body 1 in this order from the left side in this order by screw joining. Has been placed.

  The first housing 14 has a groove in which the screw rod 17 connected to the plug rod 13 a of the temperature adjustment handle 13 is engaged, and the longitudinal direction of the faucet body 6 is interlocked with the rotation of the temperature adjustment handle 13. A bottomed cylindrical interlocking member 18, a shaft 19 connected to the interlocking member 18, and a bias that is sandwiched between the interlocking member 18 and the shaft 19 and constantly urges the shaft 19 to the right side in the drawing. A spring 20 is provided.

  The upstream portion of the second housing 15 has one hot water introduction hole 21 that faces the hot water connection port 8 and communicates with the hot water connection port 8 in an airtight manner. A plurality of (for example, four) water introduction holes (not shown) are provided at positions at appropriate intervals in the circumferential direction, and further, the water valve seat 3 is provided inside thereof. Moreover, in the upstream part of this 2nd housing 15, the hot water valve seat member 22 in which the said hot water valve seat 2 was formed, and the said valve body 1 are arrange | positioned in this order from the left side in the figure.

  On the other hand, the downstream part of the second housing 15 constitutes the mixing part 4. A cylindrical slide member 23 that slides along the inner wall of the downstream portion of the second housing 15 is provided, and the temperature sensitive spring 5 always attaches the valve body 1 to the left side in the drawing through the slide member 23. It is configured to force. The slide member 23 has a flange 23a facing inward at the left end in the figure, and the inner wall portion excluding the flange 23a has a uniform inner diameter. And it is comprised so that the left end part in the figure of the temperature-sensitive spring 5 may contact | abut to this flange 23a.

  In addition, an annular packing 23 b that is in close contact with the inner wall of the second housing 15 is provided on the outer peripheral wall of the slide member 23, and the downstream end surface of the slide member 23 is approximately the inner wall surface of the downstream portion of the second housing 15. It is vertical.

  Further, a small-diameter mixed water channel 4a formed by the inner wall of the slide member 23 and a large-diameter mixed water channel 4b formed by the inner wall of the downstream portion of the second housing 15 are formed in this order from the upstream side. The temperature-sensitive spring 5 is disposed from the small-diameter mixed water channel 4a to the large-diameter mixed water channel 4b. Furthermore, the downstream end portion of the small-diameter mixed water flow path 4a is configured to be located in the approximate center of the temperature-sensitive spring 5 or an upstream side range. Note that the downstream portion of the large-diameter mixed water flow path 4b is narrower toward the downstream side.

  The third housing 16 is provided with a shower hose outlet 24 that faces the shower hose connection port 10 and communicates with the shower hose connection port 10 in an airtight manner. The third housing 16 constitutes a switching unit that interlocks with the rotation of the switching handle.

  And the said valve body 1 consists of the outer cylindrical body 1a and the rib 1b of the cross-section of the longitudinal cross-section provided in this cylindrical body 1a. The rib 1b protrudes to the left in the drawing relative to the cylindrical body 1a, and is inserted through the hot water valve seat member 22 and is in contact with the shaft 19. Accordingly, the valve body 1 is biased to the right side in the figure by the bias spring 20 via the shaft 19.

  That is, the position of the valve body 1 is maintained by the balance between the biasing of the temperature-sensitive spring 5 to the left in the drawing and the biasing spring 20 to the right of the drawing in the drawing. Thus, when the position of the bias spring 20 is moved in the left-right direction in the figure, the valve body 1 is similarly moved in the left-right direction along with this movement.

  Further, a groove 1c is provided in the straight portion S where the outer diameter of the valve body 1 (cylindrical body 1a) is substantially uniform, around the outer peripheral surface thereof and receiving hot water from the hot water connection port 8.

  In the hot and cold water mixing faucet configured as described above, the hot water that has entered the faucet body 6 from the hot water connection port 8 passes through the hot water introduction hole 21 and includes a groove 1c provided in the outer peripheral portion of the valve body 1. After flowing into the flow path 25, it passes through the inside of the valve body 1 from between the valve body 1 and the hot water valve seat 2 and reaches the mixing unit 4. On the other hand, the water that has entered the faucet body 6 from the water connection port 11 passes through the water-side annular channel 26 formed between the faucet body 6 and the third housing 16, and passes through the water introduction hole to the valve body. 1 enters the inside of the valve body 1 from between the water valve seat 3 and reaches the mixing section 4. Note that the hot water side annular channel 25 and the water side annular channel 26 are isolated by bringing an annular packing 27 provided on the outer peripheral wall of the valve body 1 into close contact with the inner wall of the second housing 15.

  And the hot water and water which reached the mixing part 4 first flow through the small diameter mixed water flow path 4a, and then flow into the large diameter mixed water flow path 4b. At this time, since the cross-sectional area of the flow path suddenly expands, hot water and water are agitated to form mixed water that is almost uniformly mixed, and the mixed water flows across the temperature-sensitive spring 5. Therefore, the temperature sensing operation of the temperature sensing spring 5 is performed satisfactorily. Then, the mixed water formed as described above reaches the inside of the third housing 16, and the state where the mixed water is stored in the third housing 16 by the turning operation of the switching handle and the shower hose connection port 10 through the shower. It can be switched between a state of sending to the hose and a state of sending from the water discharge pipe connection port 12 to the water discharge pipe.

  Here, for example, when the mixing ratio of hot water and water in the mixing section 4 changes due to fluctuations in hot water supply / water supply pressure and the temperature of the mixed water increases, the temperature-sensitive spring 5 in the mixing section 4 extends in its axial direction, Along with this, the valve body 1 moves to the hot water valve seat 2 side, the water flow ratio increases, and the temperature of the mixed water returns. On the other hand, when the temperature of the mixed water is lowered, the temperature sensitive spring 5 is contracted in the axial direction, and accordingly, the valve body 1 is moved to the water valve seat 3 side, and the flow rate of hot water is increased. As a result, the temperature of the mixed water is restored. In this way, automatic temperature adjustment of the mixed water is performed.

  In the hot and cold water mixing faucet having the above-described configuration, the annular packing 23b is provided on the outer wall surface of the slide member 23, and this is in close contact with the inner wall surface of the second housing 15. Therefore, the following effects are obtained. That is, when the annular packing 23b is not provided, water that has entered the inside of the valve body 1 from between the valve body 1 and the water valve seat 3 through the water-side annular flow path 26 and the water introduction hole is slid. When the water flows between the outer wall surface of 23 and the inner wall surface of the second housing 15 and reaches the mixing unit 4, the temperature sensing operation of the temperature sensing spring 5 is not performed satisfactorily because this water is not so much mixed with hot water. Inconvenience arises. However, in the hot and cold water mixing faucet of this embodiment, since the annular packing 23b is provided, it is possible to reliably prevent the above-described disadvantages from occurring.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be implemented with various modifications. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the downstream end surface of the slide member 23 is substantially perpendicular to the inner wall surface of the downstream portion of the second housing 15, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the downstream end surface of the slide member 23 is The two housings 15 may be somewhat inclined rather than perpendicular to the inner wall surface of the downstream portion.

  Moreover, in the said Example, although the groove part 1c connected to the hot water side annular flow path 25 is provided, the groove part connected to the water side annular flow path 26 is provided instead of the groove part 1c or in addition to the groove part 1c, for example. May be.

It is explanatory drawing which shows schematically the structure of the principal part of the hot-water / water-mixing faucet concerning one Example of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Valve body 2 Hot water valve seat 3 Water valve seat 4 Mixing part 4a Small diameter mixed water flow path 4b Large diameter mixed water flow path 5 Temperature-sensitive spring

Claims (3)

  A hot water valve seat and a water valve seat are provided so as to sandwich the valve body, and hot water and water at a flow rate corresponding to the opening degree of the valve body with respect to the hot water valve seat and the water valve seat are sent to the mixing section on the downstream side, From the shape memory alloy that urges the valve body in such a direction that the opening degree with respect to the hot water valve seat is reduced. A hot water / water mixing faucet provided with a coil-shaped temperature-sensitive spring in the mixing part, wherein a small-diameter mixed water channel and a large-diameter mixed water channel are formed in this order from the upstream side in the mixing unit, A hot and cold water mixing faucet characterized in that a temperature-sensitive spring is disposed from a small-diameter mixed water passage to a large-diameter mixed water passage.   A hot water valve seat and a water valve seat are provided so as to sandwich the valve body, and hot water and water at a flow rate corresponding to the opening degree of the valve body with respect to the hot water valve seat and the water valve seat are sent to the mixing section on the downstream side, and this mixing is performed. From the shape memory alloy that urges the valve body in such a direction that the opening degree with respect to the hot water valve seat is reduced. A hot water / water mixing faucet provided with a coil-shaped temperature-sensitive spring in the mixing part, provided with a cylindrical slide member that slides along the inner wall of the housing constituting the mixing part, and through the slide member A temperature-sensitive spring is configured to urge the valve body, and a small-diameter mixed water channel formed by the inner wall of the slide member, and a large-diameter mixed water channel formed by the inner wall of the housing, From the upstream side in this order Formed, the temperature sensitive mixing valve, characterized in that spring from the small diameter mixed water channel in is arranged over mixed water passage of large diameter.   3. The hot and cold water mixing faucet according to claim 1, wherein the downstream end portion of the small-diameter mixed water flow channel is configured to be positioned at a substantially central portion of the temperature-sensitive spring or an upstream side range.

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