JP2589446B2 - shower head - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a shower head used for bathrooms, vanities, kitchens, and the like, and more particularly to an apparatus which can easily switch between rectified water discharge and spray water discharge.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A shower head provided with a mechanism for switching between a rectified water discharge from the center of a water sprinkling section to discharge a bundle of stream lines and a spray water discharge from a peripheral edge of the water sprinkling section to discharge a large number of narrow stream lines. For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 4-5791
No. 5 is disclosed.

[0003] In this method, a flow dividing plate is fixedly arranged between a flow path on a water supply side and flow paths on a rectifying water discharging side and a spray discharging water side, and a switching plate is overlapped on the flow dividing plate. By rotating by the operation from, the holes formed in the switching plate are matched with the holes for the rectified water discharge and the spray water discharge formed on the flow dividing plate side, thereby enabling the flow path to be switched. The operation of the switching plate has a mechanism that allows the switching plate to rotate in the same direction each time the push-type button is pressed once. In this mechanism, a feed plate, in which the axial movement of a button is converted into a rotary movement, is urged toward a switching plate by spraying, and a cam is provided on the overlapping surface of these plates.

In the shower head of this example, when the button is pressed, the switching plate is rotated by the feed plate, and at this time, an operation of separating from the flow dividing plate can be performed during the period of rotation by the cam mechanism.

[0005]

However, the conversion mechanism for converting the linear motion to the rotary motion on the button side and the feed plate are separately provided, and a cam having an uneven shape is provided between the feed plate and the switching plate. Since it is provided, the number of parts is increased and the bulk is increased. For this reason, miniaturization of the entire system is limited, and it is not appropriate to use it as a hand shower for operating a button by holding it in the palm.

The problem to be solved in the present invention is to provide a switchable shower head having a simpler, more compact structure and high durability.

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided a main body having an inflow portion, an outflow portion, and a communication passage connecting them.
Immediately upstream of the sprinkler plate provided at the outflow portion, a separator is provided in which inlets for dividing the flow passage into two systems are provided concentrically, and a switching plate having a passage hole selectively aligned with these inlets is provided by the separator. A shower head arranged along a surface facing an upstream side and having a push-type operation button connected to the switching plate, wherein the operation button is reciprocally operable and its reciprocating stroke is reciprocally rotated by the switching plate. A rack that elastically urges the switching plate toward the separator and restricts the rotational attitude of the switching plate to respective connecting contacts of the switching plate and the separator;
A holding mechanism for holding the position of the stroke end of the operation button between the switch and the plate with the operation buttons, the holding mechanism operates integrally with the operation button
Cam block, one end of which is connected to the main body and the other end is
The lock pin dropped into the cam groove of the cam block
A leaf spring that urges the lock pin toward the cam groove
Rannahli, characterized by comprising as an alignable the flow path between the switching plate and the separator in the holding position of the operation button by the holding mechanism.

In such a configuration, the holding mechanism
The cam groove of the cam block has a closed loop shape
As to drop the lock pin into this
To switch the reciprocating operation of the operation button and reciprocate the plate
Can be converted to

[0009]

The operation button can reciprocate in the operation direction, and the switching plate connected to the operation button also changes its direction of rotation according to the movement direction of the operation button. Therefore, by setting the rotation angle such that the passage hole of the switching plate aligns with one of the inlets and closes the other with respect to the two inlets of the separator, it is possible to switch between the two flow passages. Becomes

Further, since the holding mechanism is constituted only by the members of the cam block, the lock pin and the leaf spring, the design occupying a small space in the main body can be realized.

[0011]

1 is a side longitudinal sectional view showing an embodiment of a shower head according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 1, and FIG. It is a cross-sectional view by the arrow B line.

In the figure, a sprinkling plate 2 is provided on the front side of a main body 1 of a shower head. The water spray plate 2 has a rectifying water outlet 2a opened in the center thereof and a number of spray water outlets 2b distributed around the rectifying water outlet 2a. The rectifying water outlet 2a incorporates a mesh filter 2c using a metal net. I have.

Inside the main body 1, a frame 3 is incorporated coaxially with the sprinkling plate 2 and a separator 4 for branching the flow path to the rectifying side and the spraying side downstream of the frame 3 and between the frame 3 and the sprinkling plate 2. Provide. A hole 3a communicating with the water supply source side is opened in the frame 3, and a water supply chamber 1a partitioned by the frame 3 and the separator 4 communicating with the hole 3a.
A switching plate 5 is provided along the separator 4 for switching the supply of water to the rectifying water outlet 2a and the spray water outlet 2b.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the separator 4.

The separator 4 has a first inlet 4a communicating with each of the rectifying outlet 2a and the spray outlet 2b.
And a second inlet 4b. These first and second inlets 4a and 4b are located at three locations and have the same opening shape, and the central angle between the adjacent first and second inlets 4a and 4b is 60 °. .

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the separator 4 has a substantially double-pipe structure. The tube side is fitted to the main body 1. The first inlet 4a communicates with the straightening outlet 2a, and the second inlet 4b communicates with the spray outlet 2b through a flow path having an annular cross section.

FIG. 5 shows the switching plate 5 in detail.
(A) of the same figure is a plan view, (b) of the same figure is (a) of the same figure
FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken along line CC of FIG.

The switching plate 5 has a structure in which three flow passage holes 5b are arranged at a central angle of 120 ° on a metal substrate 5a, and a mounting hole 5c is provided at the center. Channel hole 5
b has the same opening shape as the first and second inlets 4a and 4b of the separator 4. When the posture of FIG.
If the switching plate 4 is rotated by 60 ° in alignment with the position b, the alignment can be made with the first inlet 4a. A seal piece 5d made of rubber and surrounding the flow path hole 5b and the mounting hole 5c is integrally provided on the upper surface of the substrate 5a. This seal piece 5d
Closes the seating surface 4c of the separator 4 and seals the water supply passing through the flow passage hole 5b.

The switching plate 5 is set at 60 ° around its center.
In order to rotate, the switching plate 5 is rotatably connected to the frame 3 side. This connecting structure is configured by combining a support shaft 6, a spring 7, a joint 8, and a bushing 9 as shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the support shaft 6 is coaxially bridged between the frame 3 and the separator 4 and fixed. The joint 8 and the bushing 9 are rotatable about the support shaft 6. Connect.

As shown in FIG. 6, the joint 8 is provided with a rod 8a extending parallel to the axis from a peripheral edge of a flange at one end, and a coupling shaft 8b having a square cross section at the other end. Things. An annular slit 8c for accommodating the spring 7 is formed on the flange side, and the switching plate 5 is fitted to the coupling shaft 8b and held between the coupling plate 8b and the bushing 9.

As shown in the detailed view of FIG. 7, the bushing 9 has a coupling hole 9a on one end side into which the coupling shaft 8b of the joint 8 is fitted, and a cam tooth 9b on the other end side. is there. The cam teeth 9b have a flat trapezoidal shape, and a total of six cam teeth 9b are arranged so that their central angles are 60 °. The bushing 9 is rotatably accommodated in a connecting hole 4d provided in the separator 4 at a portion provided with the cam teeth 9b, and a rack 4e capable of engaging with the cam teeth 9b is provided on the bottom surface side of the connecting hole 4d. Provide.

FIG. 8A is a plan view of the connecting hole 4d, and FIG.
(B) is a diagram showing the shape of the rack 4e when viewed in the direction of the arrow D-D in FIG.

The rack 4e is provided with the cam teeth 9 on the bushing 9 side.
It has the same shape as b, and is formed by standing up at a total of six places so as to form a central angle of 60 °. Therefore, if the bushing 9 is rotated by 60 ° from a state in which the cam teeth 9b of the bushing 9 are located between and meshing with the rack 4e in the connecting hole 4d, the cam teeth 9b are located between the valleys beyond the rack 4e. Can be engaged.

For the rotation shift of the switching plate 4,
At the upper end of the main body 1, a push-type operation button 10 is provided,
The linear motion can be converted into the rotary motion of the switching plate 4 via the rod 8a of the joint 8. Then, as shown in FIG. 9, a rod 11, a cam block 12, a fixed block 13, and a slider 14 are incorporated as the conversion mechanism.

The operation button 10 and the cam block 12 are integrally connected to the rod 11 by a pin 11a, and a cam 12a is provided on one end surface of the cam block 12.

The fixed block 13 is fixed in the main body 1 by a screw 13a, a spring 13a is interposed between the fixed block 13 and the cam block 12, and the operation button 10 is urged outward. A lock pin 15 is connected between the fixed block 13 and the cam 12a of the cam block 12, and one end of the lock pin 15 is integrally connected to the fixed block 13.
Then, one end of a leaf spring 16 overlapping the lock pin 15 is fixed to the fixed block 13, and the tip is provided as a free end.

The slider 14 is integrally connected to the rod 11, is guided by two guides 3b formed on the frame 3, and is movable vertically in FIG. At the bottom of the slider 14 is a connecting seat 1 with the joint 8.
4a is provided, and a hole 14b into which the rod 8a is inserted is opened. On the other hand, an arc-shaped slit 3c is formed in the frame 3 to connect the rod 8a and the hole 14b.

As described above, the rod 8a of the joint 8 is connected to the slider 14, and since the rod 8a is separated from the center of the joint 8, when the operation of the operation button 10 causes the slider 14 to reciprocate, The joint 8 also reciprocates in conjunction. And the slit 8c
Is determined so that the rotation angle of the joint 8 is 60 °, the partition plate 4 connected to the joint 8 also reciprocates at an angle of 60 °, as described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. Thus, the cam teeth 9b of the bushing 9 are
Operation over one rack 4e.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the cam 12a.

The cam 12a is formed by engraving a cam groove 12b in the shape of a heart on the upper surface of a plate-like block. The tip of the lock pin 15 enters into the cam groove 12b, and the cam 12a is connected to the fixed block 13. You. And lock pin 1
5 is a cam 12a by a leaf spring 16 as shown in FIG.
And is restrained so as not to come out of the cam groove 12b.

The cam groove 12b is formed so that the portion farthest from the fixed block 13 is a start point A, and is inclined so that the lock pin 15 can sequentially go clockwise from this point. A lock point B is located at a position facing the start point A and biased toward the fixed block 13.
Position. On the path from the start point A to the lock point B and from the lock point B to the start point A, first and second clear points C and D located closer to the fixed block 13 than the lock point B are provided. Also, steps a and c are provided on the entrance side to the start point A and the entrance side to the first clear point C, respectively, so that the levels of the start point A and the first clear point C are lowered.

When the tip of the lock pin 15 has fallen to the start point A, the cam 12a is located at the farthest position from the fixed block 13, and the operation handle 10 is set to the position indicated by the one-dot chain line in FIG. In the state, the flow path on the side of the rectifying water discharge port 2a communicates. When the operation button 10 is pressed, the lock pin 15 advances in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 10 due to the movement of the cam 12a, and drops from the step c to the first clear point c. When the pressing force of the operation button 10 is eliminated, the urging force of the spring 13a and the step c
, The lock pin 15 is moved to the lock point B and is restrained. Accordingly, the rod 11 also performs a stroke operation to move the slider 14 to the left in FIG. 1, rotate the joint 8 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 6, and transmit the rotation to the switching plate 5.

When the lock pin 15 is at the lock point B, a flow passage communicates with the spray water outlet 2b by the switching plate 4 as described later, and spray water is discharged. When the operation button 10 is pressed again, the lock pin 15 escapes to the second clear point D side because the step c restricts the movement to the first clear point C side, and when the operation button 10 is released, the lock pin 15 sprays. The lock pin 15 returns to the start point A by the restoration of 13a. By the retraction of the rod 11 by this operation, the joint 8 rotates in the direction opposite to the direction of the arrow in FIG. 6, the switching plate 5 also reverses, returns to the original position, and switches to the rectifying water discharge side.

As described above, by pressing the operation button 10, the flow path can be switched in the order of rectification → spray → rectification → spray... In this operation, the switching plate 5 repeats the reversing operation.

In the above configuration, in FIG. 1, the operation button 10 is at the pressed position, and the slider 14 is also stopped at the position moved to the left in FIG. At this time, the flow passage hole 5b of the switching plate 5 is aligned with the first inlet 4b of the separator 4 as shown in FIG. 3, and is in a state of water discharge from the spray water discharge port 2b.

In this initial state, as described with reference to FIG. 10, the tip of the lock pin 15 is at the lock point B of the cam groove 12b.
It is located in. Here, when the operation button 5 is pressed, the lock pin 15 moves to the second clear point D side. When the pressing force is eliminated, the lock pin 15 returns to the start point A by the urging force of the spring 13a, and the cam block 12 moves outward. Thereby, the rod 11 also moves to the right in FIG. 1, and the joint 8 rotates in the direction opposite to the direction of the arrow in FIG. 6 by the rod 8 a connected to the slider 14. The rotation angle of the joint 8 at this time is 60 °.

By the rotation of the joint 8, the switching plate 4 and the bushing 9 also rotate integrally. Since the bushing 9 has the cam teeth 9b on the end face thereof opposed to the rack 4e of the separator 4, the cam teeth 9b climb over one rack 4e while contracting the spring 7 while the bushing 9 rotates by 60 °. Due to the restoration of the spring 7, the posture is shifted by 60 ° from the initial state. Therefore, due to the positional relationship between the flow path hole 5b and the first and second inflow ports 4a, 4b described in FIGS. 4 and 5, the flow path hole 5b is aligned with the first inflow port 4a, and the second inflow port 4b is closed. close.

As described above, the flow passage hole 5b is switched from the second inlet 4b side to the first inlet 4a side, and the rectified water discharge port 2a is switched.
Rectified water is discharged from

Next, when the operation button 10 (at the position indicated by the dashed line in FIG. 1) is pressed again after the setting of the rectified water discharge, the lock pin 15 is moved from the start point A of the cam groove 12b to the first clear position in FIG. A lock point B is reached via a point C. Thereby, the joint 8 rotates in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 6, and the switching plate 5 also rotates in the same direction. Also at this time, the cam teeth 9b of the bushing 9 move over one rack 4e while contracting the spring 7, and stop between the same racks 4e as at the beginning.

As described above, the flow path hole 5 of the switching plate 5
b from the first inlet 4a to the second inlet 4 as shown in FIG.
It switches to the b side, and can switch to spray water discharge from the spray water discharge port 2b.

As described above, in the present invention, the operation button 10
Is converted into reciprocating rotation of the switching plate 5, and the reciprocating rotation can be used to switch the water discharge mode between the rectification side and the spray side. And like the conventional example,
There is no need to use a combination of the three members of the feed plate, the switching plate, and the diverting plate, and to provide a cam for each of them. The structure is simple, the bulk is small, the assembly is easy, and the device is compact and can be held in the palm. Optimization of the hand shower to be used is achieved.

[0043]

According to the present invention, since the switching plate can be reciprocatedly rotated in conjunction with the linear reciprocating operation of the operation button, the number of members can be reduced and a compact shower head can be designed. .

Further, the push operation of the operation button is converted into the movement of the switching plate from the seating surface, the rotation and the return operation to the seating surface, only by the engagement relationship between the bushing connected to the slider and the separator. In addition, the structure is simpler than that of the conventional structure, and a compact product can be obtained.

Further, since the holding mechanism is constituted only by the members of the cam block, the lock pin, and the leaf spring, the space occupied in the main body is reduced, and the size can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side longitudinal sectional view showing one embodiment of a shower head of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line AA of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the separator, and is a bottom view showing an arrangement and shapes of a first inlet and a second inlet.

FIG. 5 shows details of a switching plate, and FIG.
Is a plan view thereof, and (b) of the same figure is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line CC of FIG.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing members from a joint to a separator.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are details of the bushing, wherein FIG. 7A is a cutaway front view and FIG. 7B is a bottom view.

8A and 8B are diagrams showing the arrangement and shape of a rack provided on a separator, wherein FIG. 8A is a plan view of a connecting hole of the separator, and FIG. 8B is a diagram of DD in FIG. It is a figure which is a line arrow and shows the shape of a rack.

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing members from an operation button to a slider.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a cam provided in the cam block.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main body 2 Sprinkling plate 2a Straightening spout 2b Spray spout 3 Frame 3a Hole 3c Slit 4 Separator 4a 1st inlet 4b 2nd inlet 4c Seating surface 4d Connecting hole 4e Rack 5 Switching plate 5b Channel hole 6 Support shaft 7 Spring 8 joint 8a rod 9 bushing 9b cam tooth 10 operation button 11 rod 12 cam block 12a cam 12b cam groove 13 fixed block 14 slider 15 lock pin 16 leaf spring

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Nobuhiro Tsukamoto 2-1-1 Nakajima, Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyushu-shi, Fukuoka Prefecture Totoki Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-2-51674 (JP, A) JP-A-4-11962 (JP, A) JP-A-2-28742 (JP, U) JP-A-3-66648 (JP, U) JP-B-4-57915 (JP, B2)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A separator having a main body having an inflow portion and an outflow portion and a communication path connecting the same, and a concentrically arranged inflow port for dividing a flow path into two systems immediately upstream of a sprinkler plate provided in the outflow portion. Provided, a switching plate having a flow passage hole selectively aligned with these inflow ports is arranged along a surface where the separator faces the upstream side, and a push-type operation button is connected to the switching plate by a shower head connected to the switching plate. The operation button is reciprocally operable, and the reciprocating stroke thereof is connected to the reciprocating rotation of the switching plate so as to be reciprocally pivotable. of comprising a rack for restraining the rotation position of the switching plate in the respective articulation point, between the <br/> plate switching the said operation button A holding mechanism for holding the position of the stroke end of the operation button, the holding mechanism, the
A cam block that operates integrally with the operation button
One end is connected and the other end is dropped into the cam groove of the cam block
Lock pin inserted into the cam groove
And a leaf spring biased toward the holding mechanism.
A shower head capable of aligning a flow path between the switching plate and the separator at a holding position of the operation button .