JP2686895B2 - Hot and cold water mixing device with cartridge type functional unit - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[Object of the invention]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hot and cold water mixing apparatus having an automatic temperature control function, and more particularly to a hot and cold water mixing apparatus having a cartridge type functional section.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A hot and cold water mixing apparatus having an automatic temperature control function is generally composed of a temperature control function section and a temperature setting function section. The temperature control function unit has a wax type temperature sensitive element or other type of temperature sensitive element and a movable valve body positioned by the temperature sensitive element, and controls the temperature of the hot and cold mixture flowing out of the mixing device to a target temperature. It is like this. The temperature setting function unit is for setting a target temperature, has a spindle that is rotated by an operating handle, and converts the rotational movement of the operating handle into a translational movement by a screw-spline mechanism or the like to change the position of the movable valve body. It is supposed to be adjusted.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 56-24147 discloses that the temperature setting function part and the temperature adjusting function part of the hot and cold water mixing device are manufactured in the form of a single cartridge, and this function cartridge is mounted on the main body of the mixing device. Has been done. If the functional part of the hot and cold water mixing device is made into a cartridge in this way, cartridges of the same standard can be used in common for hot and cold water mixing devices of different sizes and designs. While providing the mixing device, it is possible to mass-produce the cartridges, and there is an advantage that the cost can be reduced.

[0004]

When providing a hot and cold water mixing apparatus of various designs using such a functional cartridge, the functional cartridge can be placed on either the left or right side (or the upper and lower sides) of the mixing apparatus according to the design requirements. It is desirable to be able to freely arrange on the side of. In that case, from the viewpoint of user convenience, it is required that the target temperature be increased or decreased in the same manner in the rotation direction of the operation handle. That is, for example, in the case of the right side arrangement (FIG. 1), the target temperature is increased by rotating the operation handle upward from the front in the direction of arrow A, and in the case of the left side arrangement (FIG. 2), the operation handle is also moved. Similarly, it is preferable to design so that the target temperature is increased by rotating from the front side upward in the direction of arrow B.

However, when the functional cartridges are arranged on the right side (FIG. 1) and the functional cartridges are arranged on the left side (FIG. 2), the rotation direction of the spindle of the temperature setting function section is opposite, so that the same functional cartridge is used. It could not be used interchangeably, which was an obstacle to making the cartridge completely common.

An object of the present invention is to make the operation direction of the operation handle constant regardless of whether the function cartridge is arranged at the left or right (or left or right) position of the hot and cold water mixing device, thereby making the function cartridge common. It is to promote the transformation.

[0007]

Configuration of the Invention

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a hot and cold water mixing apparatus in which a temperature setting function section and a temperature adjustment function section are formed in the form of a single cartridge, and the function cartridge is mounted in a mixing apparatus body. The rotary motion reversing mechanism is arranged between the spindle of the temperature setting function unit and the operation handle, and the spindle is rotated in the direction opposite to the rotation of the operation handle.

[0008]

For example, when the functional cartridge is arranged on the right side of the hot and cold water mixing device (FIG. 1), the operation handle can be directly connected to the spindle of the temperature setting function part of the cartridge.

When it is desired to arrange the functional cartridge on the left side of the hot and cold water mixing device (FIG. 2), a rotary motion reversing mechanism can be arranged between the spindle of the temperature setting function section and the operation handle. The rotation of the operating handle is converted into the reverse rotation by the reversing mechanism and transmitted to the spindle. Therefore, the target temperature can be increased or decreased by rotating the operation handle in the same direction as in the case of the right side arrangement.

[0010]

The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings showing an embodiment of the present invention. 1 shows a hot and cold water mixing apparatus with the functional cartridge arranged on the right side, and FIG. 2 shows a hot and cold water mixing apparatus with the functional cartridge arranged on the left side.

Referring to FIG. 1, this hot and cold water mixing apparatus 10
Has a main body 12, and hot water is supplied to the main body 12 from hot water side metal fittings 14 and water side metal fittings 16, respectively. Body 1
A functional cartridge 18 is detachably mounted in the unit 2 so that the temperature of the hot and cold mixture can be automatically adjusted. Details of the function cartridge 18 will be described later with reference to FIG. The target temperature of the hot and cold mixture is the temperature control handle 2.
It is set by the operation of 0. The hot water mixture formed is
By operating a switching handle 22 of a switching valve (not shown), it is selectively fed to a currant 24 or a shower hose 26.

The hot and cold water mixing apparatus 30 shown in FIG. 2 has a main body 36 connected to the hot water side metal fittings 32 and the water side metal fittings 34. Inside the main body 36, the functional cartridge 18 of FIG.
A functional cartridge (shown by the same reference numeral 18) having the same structure as that of FIG. The target temperature of the hot and cold water mixture is set by operating the temperature adjustment handle 38. A switching valve (not shown) is arranged on the right side of the main body 32, and the hot water mixture is supplied to either the curran 42 or the shower hose 44 by rotating the switching handle 40.

Referring to FIG. 3, the main body 12 is formed by liquid-tightly fitting an outer case 46 and an inner tube 48, and a hot water passage, a water passage, and a hot water mixture passage are provided between them by a seal member. Well defined. Only the hot water passage 50 of these passages is shown in FIG.
0 is connected to the hot water side metal fitting 14. The functional cartridge 18 is replaceably fitted within the inner tube 48. Cartridge 18 has one common casing 52
The casing 52 has a temperature adjusting function part 54 and a temperature setting function part 56 incorporated therein.

In the illustrated embodiment, the temperature control function 54
Is a hot water inlet port 58 communicating with the hot water passage 50, a hot water side valve seat 60 formed in the casing 52, and a hot water side leg fitting 16
A water inlet port 62 communicating with the casing 52, a water side valve seat 66 formed on a valve seat insert 64 snap-fitted to the casing 52, and a movable mixing valve body 68 slidably fitted to the casing 52. , The movable mixing valve body 68 is the valve seat 60.
And 66 to control the open area of the hot and cold water inlet ports 58 and 62, the temperature of the hot and cold water mixture is controlled. The mixing valve element 68 has a central opening 7
0 is formed, and the hot water that flows into the hot and cold water mixing chamber 74 from the hot water inlet port 58 through the valve chamber 72 and the central opening 70 and the water that flows from the water inlet port 62 into the mixing chamber 74 are mixed. It is mixed indoors to form a hot and cold mixture. In the illustrated embodiment, the movable mixing valve 68
Is a temperature sensitive coil spring 76 arranged in the hot and cold water mixing chamber 74.
And a bias coil spring 78 disposed in the valve chamber 72.
It is designed to be positioned by balancing with.
The temperature-sensitive coil spring 76 is formed of a shape memory alloy whose spring constant changes according to temperature, and its urging force increases or decreases according to the temperature inside the hot and cold water mixing chamber 74. If the temperature of the mixture in the hot and cold water mixing chamber 74 rises above the target temperature set by the temperature setting function unit 56 for some reason,
Since the urging force generated by the temperature-sensitive coil spring 76 is increased to displace the movable mixing valve body 68 to the right side in FIG. 3, the inflow amount of hot water is reduced and the mixture temperature is lowered. Conversely,
When the temperature of the mixture in the hot and cold water mixing chamber 74 becomes lower than the target temperature, the biasing force generated by the temperature sensitive coil spring 76 decreases, and the movable mixing valve body 68 is allowed to displace to the left side in FIG. As a result, the inflow of hot water increases and the mixture temperature rises.

The temperature setting function section 5 of the function cartridge 18
The reference numeral 6 increases or decreases the preload of the temperature sensitive coil spring 76 and the bias coil spring 78 by rotating the operation handle 20 to increase or decrease the target temperature. More specifically, the temperature setting function part 56 has a movable spring bearing 80 that supports a bias coil spring 78, and the movable spring bearing 80 is formed on the outer circumference thereof and the inner circumference of the cartridge casing 52. A directional spline 82 fits the casing 52 slidably in the axial direction but non-rotatably. The axial position of the movable spring receiver 80 is adjusted by rotating the spindle 84 via the operation handle 20. Therefore, an inner screw 86 is formed on the inner circumference of the spring receiver 80 and an outer screw 88 is formed on the outer circumference of the spindle 84, and the spindle 84 is screw-fitted to the movable spring receiver 80. . The spindle 84 is rotatably mounted on the casing 52 by a circlip 90 so as not to be displaced in the axial direction. The operation handle 20 is detachably fixed to the spindle 84 by means of serrations 92 and screws 94, so that both are integrally rotated.

In the illustrated embodiment, the inner screw 86 and the outer screw 8
Reference numeral 8 is a left-hand thread, and when the spindle 84 is rotated in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1 via the operation handle 20, the movable spring receiver 80 moves to the left in FIG. As a result, the temperature-sensitive coil spring 76 and the bias coil spring 78 are compressed while increasing the preload, and the position of the movable mixing valve body 68, which is determined by the balance between these springs, is displaced to the left in FIG. The target temperature of the mixture rises. The target temperature can be lowered by rotating the spindle 84 in the opposite direction with the operation handle 20.

2, 4, and 5, the hot and cold water mixing apparatus 30 shown in FIG. 2 has the functional cartridge arranged on the left side, and has been described above with reference to FIG. A cartridge 18 having the same structure as is used. As described above, the inner screw 86 of the movable spring receiver 80 and the outer screw 88 of the spindle 84 are left-handed screws. Therefore, when the spindle 84 is rotated in the direction of arrow B in FIG. Move to the left,
Contrary to the right cartridge arrangement of FIGS. 1 and 3, the target temperature of the hot and cold mixture would unintentionally decrease.

Therefore, according to the present invention, between the spindle 84 of the functional cartridge 18 and the operating handle 38,
A rotary motion reversing mechanism 96 is arranged. 4 and 5
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the reversing mechanism 96 includes a central gear 98 fitted to the spindle 84 by serrations 92.
And the two intermediate gears 10 meshing with the central gear 98.
0 and an internal gear ring gear 102 meshing with these intermediate gears 100. An adapter 106 is fixed to the end of the cartridge casing 52 by a plurality of screws 104, and the intermediate gear 100 is rotatably supported by the adapter 106 by each pivot 108. In order to allow the ring gear 102 to rotate relative to the adapter 106 without dropping from the adapter 106, the guide groove 11 is formed on the outer periphery of the adapter 106.
0 is formed, and a pair of upper and lower pins 112 driven into the ring gear 102 are slidably engaged with the groove 110. The operation handle 38 is attached to the ring gear 102 with screws 114.

With such a structure, as shown by the arrow B in FIGS. 2 and 5, when the operation handle 38 is rotated from the front to the upper direction, the central gear 98 and the spindle 84 rotate in the opposite directions. However, the target temperature of the hot and cold mixture can be raised. If the operating handle 38 is rotated in the opposite direction, the target temperature will drop.

Although a specific embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this, and various design changes may be made. For example, although the functional cartridge 18 has been described as being disposed at the left and right positions of the hot and cold water mixing device, it can be disposed interchangeably in the vertical direction. Further, the temperature sensitive element 76 made of a shape memory alloy
Instead of the bias coil spring 78, a conventional wax temperature sensitive element may be used.

[0021]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the functional cartridges 18 having the same structure are used, the functional cartridges 18 are arranged on the right side (FIG. 1) and the left side (FIG. 2). In either case, the target temperature can be increased or decreased uniformly with respect to the rotation direction of the operating handle.

Therefore, the functional cartridge 18 can be shared between the hot and cold water mixing device 10 (FIG. 1) arranged on the right side of the cartridge and the hot and cold water mixing device 30 (FIG. 3) arranged on the left side of the cartridge. In this way, the common use of the cartridges 18 is promoted, which facilitates mass production and inventory management of the cartridges 18, and can provide a cheaper hot and cold water mixing apparatus.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hot and cold water mixing apparatus including a cartridge arranged on the right side.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a hot and cold water mixing apparatus including a cartridge arranged on the left side.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III in FIG.

4 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG.

5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VV of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 18: Hot water mixing device functional cartridge 30: Hot water mixing device 36: Hot water mixing device main body 38: Operation handle 54: Cartridge temperature adjusting function part 56: Cartridge temperature setting function part 76: Temperature sensing element 96: Rotational motion reversal mechanism

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) Bibliography 6-82472 (JP, U) Bibliography 6-80968 (JP, U) Japanese Patent Publication 7-18492 (JP, B2) Japanese Patent Publication 6- 52104 (JP, B2)

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A functional unit having an operation spindle and a fluid control valve is formed as a cartridge, the cartridge is mounted on a main body of the apparatus, and fluid is controlled by rotating the spindle by a rotary operation handle. In the above faucet device, a rotational movement reversing mechanism is arranged between the spindle of the cartridge and the operation handle, and the spindle is rotated in a direction opposite to the rotation of the operation handle. Faucet device. 2. A temperature setting function unit having a spindle for setting a target temperature of the hot and cold water mixture, and a temperature adjusting function unit having a temperature sensing element responsive to the temperature of the hot and cold water mixture for adjusting the temperature of the hot and cold water mixture to the target temperature. , And are formed in the form of a single cartridge, the cartridge is mounted on the main body of the mixing apparatus, and the spindle is rotated by the rotary operation handle to set the target temperature of the hot water mixture. In the apparatus, a rotary motion reversing mechanism is arranged between the spindle of the cartridge and the operation handle, and the spindle is rotated in a direction opposite to the rotation of the operation handle. 3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the rotational movement reversing mechanism is detachably mounted on the cartridge. 4. The reversing mechanism includes a central gear mounted on the spindle, two intermediate gears meshing with the central gear, and an internal gear ring gear meshing with the intermediate gear. Based equipment.