JPH07868A - Shower head - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a shower head wherein a changeover structure is simplified and the shower head is constituted of a compacter structure and durability is enhanced. CONSTITUTION:A separator 4 is arranged to divide a flow path directed to a sprinkling plate 2 into two systems. Flow path holes are made in a changeover plate 5 so as to be selectively matched to the inflow ports of the respective flow paths of the separator 4. The changeover plate 5 is connected to a push type operation button 10 capable of being operated from the outside of the body of a shower head. Furthermore a rack is so equipped that the operation button 10 is reciprocatively actuated and also the reciprocating stroke thereof is converted into the reciprocating turning of the changeover plate 5 and the changeover plate 5 is flexibly energized and the turning attitude of the changeover plate 5 is restrained in the respective connection points of the changeover plate 5 and the separator 4.

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 a bathroom, a bathroom vanity, a kitchen, etc., and more particularly to a device structure that can be easily switched between rectifying water discharge and spray water discharge.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A shower head having a mechanism for switching between straightening water discharge for discharging a thick bundle of streamlines from the center of a water spray section and spray water discharge for discharging a large number of thin streamlines from the peripheral edge of the water spray section. , For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 4-5791
There is one described in Japanese Patent No.

This is because a flow dividing plate is fixedly arranged between the flow passage on the water supply side and the flow passages on the rectifying water discharge side and the spray water discharge side, a switching plate is superposed on the flow dividing plate, and the switching plate is externally arranged. It is possible to switch the flow paths by rotating the holes by opening the switching plate and aligning the holes formed in the switching plate with the holes for rectifying water discharge and spray water discharging formed in the flow dividing plate. 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, the feed plate, in which the axial movement of the button is converted into a rotational movement, is urged toward the 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 feed plate rotates the switching plate, and at this time, the cam mechanism allows the switching plate to move away from the flow dividing plate.

[0005]

However, the conversion mechanism from the linear motion on the button side to the rotary motion and the feed plate are separately arranged, and a cam having an uneven shape is provided between the feed plate and the switching plate. Since it will be equipped, the number of parts will increase and the bulk will increase. For this reason, there is a limit to miniaturization of the whole, and it is not appropriate to use it as a hand shower in which the user holds the palm and operates buttons.

The problem to be solved in the present invention is to provide a shower head having a simpler and more compact structure and a highly durable switchable operation.

[0007]

The present invention comprises a main body having an inflow portion, an outflow portion, and a communication passage connecting them.
Immediately upstream of the sprinkler plate provided in the outflow part, a separator having concentric inlets for dividing the flow passage into two systems is provided, and the separator is provided with a switching plate having flow passage holes selectively aligned with these inlets. A shower head arranged along a surface facing the upstream side, in which a push-type operation button is connected to the switching plate, the operation button can be reciprocated, and the reciprocating stroke of the shower head is reciprocal rotation. And a rack for elastically urging the switching plate toward the separator and restraining the rotational attitude of the switching plate at the respective contact points of the switching plate and the separator.
A holding mechanism for holding the position of the stroke end of the operation button is provided between the operation button and the switching plate, and a flow path between the switching plate and the separator is provided at the holding position of the operation button by the holding mechanism. The feature is that they can be matched.

The holding mechanism includes a cam block which operates integrally with the operation button, a lock pin which is connected to the main body side at one end and has the other end dropped into the cam groove of the cam block, and the lock pin is urged toward the cam groove. It may be configured to include a leaf spring that operates.

[0009]

The operation button can reciprocate in the operation direction, and the switching plate connected to the operation button also changes the direction of rotation according to the moving direction of the operation button. For this reason, it is possible to switch the flow paths of two systems by setting the rotation angle so that the flow path holes of the switching plate are aligned with one of the flow openings of the separator and close the other with respect to the two flow openings of the separator. Becomes

Further, since the holding mechanism is composed only of the members of the cam block, the lock pin and the leaf spring, the space occupied in the main body can be designed to be small.

[0011]

FIG. 1 is a side vertical sectional view showing an embodiment of the shower head of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line A--A of FIG. 1, and FIG. It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B.

In the figure, a sprinkler plate 2 is provided on the front side of a showerhead body 1. The water spray plate 2 has a rectifying water outlet 2a formed in the center thereof and a large number of spray water outlets 2b distributed around the rectifying water outlet 2a. The rectifying water outlet 2a has a mesh filter 2c using a metal net incorporated therein. There is.

Inside the main body 1, a frame 3 is installed coaxially with the water spray plate 2, and a separator 4 is provided downstream of the frame 3 to branch the flow path to the rectification side and the spray side. Set up. The frame 3 is provided with a hole 3a communicating with the water supply source side, and the water supply chamber 1a defined by the frame 3 and the separator 4 communicating with each other through the hole 3a.
A switching plate 5 is provided along the separator 3 for switching the water supply from the water outlet 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 inflow port 4a communicating with each of the straightening water discharge port 2a and the spray water discharge port 2b.
And a second inflow port 4b. These first and second inlets 4a and 4b are respectively located at three places and have the same opening shape, and the central angle between the adjacent first and second inlets 4a and 4b is 60 °. .

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the separator 4 has a substantially double tube structure, and the tip of the inner tube side is connected to the water sprinkling plate 2 within the region including the straightening water discharge port 2a and the outer side. The tube side is fitted to the main body 1. And the 1st inflow port 4a is open for free passage to the straightening water discharge port 2a, and the 2nd inflow port 4b is open for free passage to the spray water discharge port 2b by the channel of an annular cross section.

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

The switching plate 5 is formed by arranging three flow path holes 5b on a metal substrate 5a with a central angle of 120 °, and providing a mounting hole 5c 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, and in the posture of FIG. 5, these flow passage holes 5b are provided for the separator 4 in the posture of FIG.
It is possible to align with the first inflow port 4a by aligning with b and rotating the switching plate 4 by 60 °. Further, 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
Adheres to the seating surface 4c of the separator 4 and seals the water supply passing through the flow path hole 5b.

The switching plate 5 is 60 ° around its center.
In order to rotate, the switching plate 5 is rotatably connected to the frame 3 side. This connecting structure is constructed 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 fixed between the frame 3 and the separator 4, and the joint 8 and the bushing 9 are rotatable around 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 the peripheral portion of the flange at one end, and a connecting shaft 8b having a quadrangular cross section at the other end. It is a thing. Then, an annular slit 8c for accommodating the spring 7 is formed on the flange side, and the switching plate 5 is fitted on the coupling shaft 8b and held between the bushing 9 and the switching plate 5.

As shown in the detailed view of FIG. 7, the bushing 9 has a coupling hole 9a into which the coupling shaft 8b of the joint 8 is fitted and a cam tooth 9b at the other end. 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 housed in the connecting hole 4d provided in the separator 4 at the portion provided with the cam tooth 9b, and the rack 4e engageable with the cam tooth 9b is provided on the bottom surface side of the connecting hole 4d. Set up.

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 has cam teeth 9 on the bushing 9 side.
It has the same shape as b, and is formed by erected at a total of 6 places so that each has a central angle of 60 °. Therefore, when the cam teeth 9b of the bushing 9 are positioned between the racks 4e and engaged with each other in the connecting hole 4d, if the bushing 9 is rotated by 60 °, the cam teeth 9b can be formed in a valley beyond the rack 4e by one. Can be engaged.

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

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 screws 13a, and a spring 13a is interposed between the fixed block 13 and the cam block 12 to urge the operation button 10 to the outside. 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 the leaf spring 16 overlapping the lock pin 15 is fixed to the fixed block 13, and the tip thereof 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 in the vertical direction in FIG. At the bottom of the slider 14, a connecting seat 1 with the joint 8 is provided.
4a is provided, and a hole 14b for inserting the rod 8a is opened in this. On the other hand, in the frame 3, an arc-shaped slit 3c is cut in order to connect the rod 8a and the hole 14b.

As described above, since the rod 8a of the joint 8 is connected to the slider 14 and the rod 8a is separated from the center of the joint 8, when the slider 14 reciprocates by the operation of the operation button 10, the rod 8a is reciprocally moved. The joint 8 also reciprocally rotates in conjunction with it. And the slit 8c
If the length of the joint 8 is determined so that the rotation angle of the joint 8 is 60 °, the partition plate 4 connected to the joint 8 also reciprocally rotates at an angle of 60 °, which is described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. So that the cam teeth 9b of the bushing 9
It is possible to move over one of the racks 4e.

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

The cam 12a is formed by carving a cam groove 12b in the shape of a heart on the upper surface of a flat plate-like block. The tip of the lock pin 15 is inserted into the cam groove 12b and is connected to the fixed block 13. It And lock pin 1
5 is a cam 12a by means of a leaf spring 16 as shown in FIG.
It is biased to the side and is restrained so as not to come out from the cam groove 12b.

The cam groove 12b has a portion farthest from the fixed block 13 as a start point A, and is inclined so that the lock pin 15 can sequentially rotate clockwise from this point. The lock point B is provided at a position facing the start point A and biased toward the fixed block 13 side.
Position. First and second clear points C and D, which are located closer to the fixed block 13 than the lock point B, are provided on the path from the start point A to the lock point B and from the lock point B to the start point A, respectively. Further, steps a and c are respectively provided on the entry side to the start point A and the entry side to the first clear point C 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 falls to the start point A, the cam 12a is at the farthest position from the fixed block 13, and the operating handle 10 is set at the position indicated by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. In the state, the flow path on the side of the rectifying water discharge port 2a is in communication. Then, when the operation button 10 is pressed, the lock pin 15 moves in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 10 by the movement of the cam 12a, and falls from the step c to the first clear point c. Then, when the force pushing the operation button 10 is eliminated, the urging force of the spring 13a and the step c
The lock pin 15 moves to the lock point B and is constrained by the guide by. As a result, the rod 11 also strokes 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, the flow path communicates with the spray water discharge port 2b side by the switching plate 4, as described later, and spray water discharge is performed. Then, when the operation button 10 is pressed again, the step c of the lock pin 15 restricts the movement toward the first clear point C side, so that the lock pin 15 escapes to the second clear point D side, and when the operation button 10 is released, the spray is released. The lock pin 15 returns to the start point A by the restoration of 13a. Due to the backward movement of the rod 11 due to 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 its original posture, and switches to the rectifying water discharge side.

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

In the configuration described above, the operation button 10 is in the pressed position in FIG. 1, and the slider 14 is also stopped in the position moved to the left in FIG. At this time, the flow path hole 5b of the switching plate 5 is aligned with the first inflow port 4b of the separator 4 as shown in FIG. 3, and is in a water spouting state from the spray spouting 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.
Is located in. Here, when the operation button 5 is pressed, the lock pin 15 moves to the second clear point D side, and when the pressing force is removed, the biasing force of the spring 13a returns to the start point A and the cam block 12 moves to the outside. As a result, the rod 11 also moves to the right in FIG. 1, and the rod 8a connected to the slider 14 causes the joint 8 to rotate in the direction opposite to the arrow direction in FIG. 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 its end face opposed to the rack 4e of the separator 4, the cam teeth 9b pass over one rack 4e while contracting the spring 7 while the bushing 9 rotates 60 °. By the restoration of the spring 7, the posture is set to be 60 ° out of phase with 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 close.

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

Next, when the operation button 10 (at the position shown by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 1) is pressed again after the setting of the rectified water discharge, the lock pin 15 moves from the start point A of the cam groove 12b in FIG. 10 to the first clear position. The lock point B is reached via the point C. As a result, the joint 8 rotates in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 6, and the switching plate 5 also rotates in the same direction. At this time as well, the cam teeth 9b of the bushing 9 move over one rack 4e while contracting the spring 7, and stop during the same rack 4e as in the initial stage.

From the above, the flow path hole 5 of the switching plate 5
b is from the first inflow port 4a to the second inflow port 4 as shown in FIG.
It is possible to switch to the b side and switch to spray water discharge from the spray water discharge port 2b.

As described above, in the present invention, the operation button 10
The reciprocating operation of the above can be converted into the reciprocating rotation of the switching plate 5, and by utilizing this reciprocating rotation, the water discharge form can be switched between the rectification side and the spray side. And like the conventional example,
There is no need to combine the three members of the feed plate, the switching plate, and the flow dividing plate and to provide a cam for each of them, and the structure is simple and small in size, easy to assemble and compact, and to be held in your palm. Optimization to the hand shower used can be achieved.

[0043]

According to the present invention, since the switching plate can be reciprocally rotated in conjunction with the linear reciprocating motion 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 to the seating surface only by the engagement relationship between the bushing connected to the slider and the separator. As compared with the conventional structure, the structure is simple and a compact product can be obtained.

Further, since the holding mechanism is composed only of 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 made compact.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

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

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

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the separator, which is a bottom view showing the arrangement and shape of the first inflow port and the second inflow port.

FIG. 5 is a detail of a switching plate, which is shown in FIG.
Is a plan view thereof, and (b) of the same figure is a vertical sectional view taken along the line CC of FIG.

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

FIG. 7 is a detailed view of the bushing, in which (a) of the drawing is a front view of a cutout, and (b) of the same drawing is a bottom view.

8A and 8B are diagrams showing the arrangement and shape of racks provided on the separator, wherein FIG. 8A is a plan view of the connecting holes of the separator, and FIG. 8B is a DD view of FIG. 8A. 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 included in the cam block.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 main body 2 sprinkler plate 2a straightening water outlet 2b spray water outlet 3 frame 3a hole 3c slit 4 separator 4a first inlet 4b second inlet 4c seating surface 4d connecting hole 4e rack 5 switching plate 5b passage 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

Front page continued (72) Inventor Yoshitaka Ohba 2-1-1 Nakajima, Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture Totoki Equipment Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Nobuhiro Tsukamoto 2-1-1, Nakajima, Kitakyushu, Kitakyushu No. 1 Totoki Equipment Co., Ltd.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A separator comprising a main body having an inflow part, an outflow part, and a communication path connecting these parts, and having a concentric inlet which divides a flow path into two systems immediately upstream of a sprinkler plate provided in the outflow part. A switching plate provided with flow passage holes selectively aligned with these inlets is arranged along a surface of the separator facing the upstream side, and a push-type operation button is connected to the switching plate by a shower head. The operation button is reciprocally movable, and its reciprocating stroke is connected so as to be convertible into reciprocating rotation of the switching plate, and the switching plate is elastically biased toward the separator side and the switching plate and the separator are connected. A rack for restraining the rotational posture of the switching plate is provided at each of the contact points of the switch, and the operation is provided between the operation button and the switching plate. A shower head comprising a holding mechanism for holding the stroke end position of the working button, and making it possible to align the flow path between the switching plate and the separator at the holding position of the operation button by the holding mechanism. 2. The holding mechanism includes a cam block that operates integrally with the operation button, a lock pin having one end connected to the main body side and the other end dropped into a cam groove of the cam block, and the lock pin is the cam. The shower head according to claim 1, comprising a leaf spring biased toward the groove.