SE2150340A1

SE2150340A1 - Water tap

Info

Publication number: SE2150340A1
Application number: SE2150340A
Authority: SE
Inventors: Heikki Kauppinen
Original assignee: Maraplan Oy
Priority date: 2021-03-24
Filing date: 2021-03-24
Publication date: 2022-09-25

Abstract

The water tap comprises a housing, a chamber (8) inside said housing, a first inlet and a second inlet, said first and second inlets having a first end opening into the chamber and a second end opening outside the housing, an outlet having a first end opening into the chamber and a second end opening outside the housing, a temperature valve (3) inside said chamber for controlling the amount of inflowing water through said first and second inlets, a closing valve (19) for controlling the amount of outflowing water through said outlet and a lever for manipulating the temperature valve and the closing valve, the lever extending outside the housing. The closing valve is inside said temperature valve.

Description

The invention relates to a water tap comprising a housing, a Chamber inside said housing, a first inlet and a second inlet, said first and second inlets having a first end opening into the chamber and a second end opening outside the housing, an outlet having a first end opening into the chamber and a second end opening outside the housing, a temperature valve inside said chamber for controlling the amount of in- flowing water through said first and second inlets, a c|osing valve for controlling the amount of outﬂowing water through said outlet and a lever for manipulating the tem- perature valve and the c|osing valve, said lever extending outside the housing.

Background Art Numerous types of mixing water taps or faucet for producing variable mixtures of hot and cold water have been developed and used in the plumbing industry with varying degrees of success. Some of the water taps are capable of being manipu- lated by means of a single lever arm. ln most prior art water taps accurate adjusting both the amount and temperature of the outflowing water is cumbersome or incom- plete.

Document US 2839083 discloses a water mixing faucet comprising a valve housing with a cylindrical chamber into which hot and cold inlet passages open. Inside the chamber there is a cylindrical valve member connected to a lever arm extending outside the housing. The valve member can be moved in its longitudinal direction by lifting or lowering the free end of the lever arm for controlling the volume of the outflowing water. For adjusting the amount of water from either one of the inlets or from both of them simultaneously in varying proportionate amounts the valve mem- ber is rotated around its longitudinal axis by rotating the lever arm in horizontal di- rection. ln the faucet disclosed in US 2839083 the amount of outflowing water is adjusted by raising or lowering the free end of the lever arm. The lever arm is easy the move to its extreme positions, i.e. to a closed position or to a fully open position. However, adjusting the lever to an intermediate position between the extreme positions is dif- ficult because the vertical movement of the lever arm is difficult to control. Adjusting the amount of outflowing water accurately is therefore very difficult.

Documents JPH1181404 and CN 2481926 disclose water mixing faucets compris- ing a temperature regulating handle for operating a temperature regulating valve and a water discharge handle for operating the water discharge valve. Regulating the temperature and amount of outﬂowing water is done by separate handles, which makes operating the faucets slow.

An object of the invention is to provide a water mixing tap with which drawbacks relating to the prior art can be diminished. The object of the invention is achieved with a water tap, which is characterized in what is disclosed in the independent pa- tent claim. Some preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the de- pendent claims.

Summary of the invention The water tap according to the invention comprises a housing, a chamber inside said housing, a first inlet and a second inlet, said first and second inlets having a first end opening into the chamber and a second end opening outside the housing, an outlet having a first end opening into the chamber and a second end opening outside the housing, a temperature valve inside said chamber for controlling the amount of inflowing water through said first and second inlets, a closing valve for controlling the amount of outflowing water through said outlet and a lever for manip- ulating the temperature valve and the closing valve, the lever extending outside the housing. The water tap is characterized in that the closing valve is inside said tem- perature valve. ln a first preferred embodiment of the water tap according to the invention the cham- ber has an upper space and a cylindrical lower space and said temperature valve is a cylindrical part locating in said lower space. ln a second preferred embodiment of the water tap according to the invention the first ends of said first and second inlets open into the chamber to the first side of the temperature valve and the first end of said outlet opens into the chamber to the second side of the temperate valve. Preferably, the first end of the outlet opens into the upper space of the chamber. ln a third preferred embodiment of the water tap according to the invention said temperature valve has cylindrical side surface, a bottom surface and a top surface, a first passage and a second passage, said first and second passages having a first end opening to the bottom surface and a second end opening to the top surface of the temperature valve. ln yet another preferred embodiment of the water tap according to the invention the first and second passages have an elongated cross-section. Term elongated means here, that the cross section is not round, but stretched in one direction. ln yet another preferred embodiment of the water tap according to the invention the housing has a wall, which has an elongated opening and said lever is connected to the temperature valve through said opening. Preferably the |ongitudina| direction of the opening is perpendicular to the fictitious central axis of the cy|indrica| tempera- ture valve. The temperature valve can thus be rotated around is fictitious central axis by moving the lever in the direction of the opening. ln yet another preferred embodiment of the water tap according to the invention inside the temperature valve there is a cavity, through which cavity said first and second passages pass and inside which cavity said closing valve is located. ln yet another preferred embodiment of the water tap according to the invention the cavity has a cy|indrica| shape and said closing valve can be rotated to a closing position, in which position said first and second passages are fully closed, to an opening position, in which position said first and second passages are fully open or to various intermediate positions, in which positions said first and/or second pas- sage(s) are partially closed. ln yet another preferred embodiment of the water tap according to the invention the temperature valve has an aperture extending from the cavity to the cy|indrica| side surface and said lever is connected to the closing valve through said aperture. The closing valve can be rotated to different positions by rotating the lever around its fictitious central axis. The temperature valve and the closing valve are thus manip- ulated by the same lever. Preferably the lever comprises a handle, said handle being in an angled position in relation to the lever. The handle makes it easier to grip to the lever by hand and to rotate it around its |ongitudina| axis.

A yet another preferred embodiment of the water tap according to the invention fur- ther comprises an outflow tube connected to the second end of the outlet.

A yet another preferred embodiment of the water tap according to the invention fur- ther comprises a detachable shield at least partly enclosing the housing. The de- tachable shield may be made of plastic and it may be chromium plated.

An advantage of the invention is, that the structure of the valve system inside the housing is compact and reliable.

An advantage of a preferred embodiment of the invention is, that adjusting the amount and temperature of outflowing water can be made easily and accurately.

Brief Description of the Drawings ln the following the invention will be described in detail, by way of examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which, Fig. 1 presents the water tap according to the invention seen obliquely from above, fig. 2a presents the housing of the water tab according to the invention seen obliquely from above, fig. 2b presents the housing of the water tab according to the invention as a vertical cross-section, fig. 3 presents the water tab according to the invention as a vertical cross-sec- tion, figs. 4a, 4b and 4c present the temperature valve belonging to the water tap accord- ing to the invention, fig. 5 presents the lever and closing valve belonging to the water tap according to the invention, figs. 6a, 6b and 6c present the temperature valve and closing valve of the water tap according to the invention in different closing valve positions and figs 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d, 7e, 7f and 7g present the cross-section of the water tap according to the invention in different temperature valve positions.

Detailed Description ln figure 1 an example of a water tap according to the invention is shown obliquely from above. The water tab has a housing 1 with a substantially cylindrical outer surface. The housing is made of metal, preferably brass. The upper part of the hous- ing is covered with a shield 2. The shield has a cup-like form and it is made of plastic. The outer surface of the shield is preferably chromium plated. The shield can be made of two halves which are connected together to enclose the upper part of the housing. The shield has a hole 21, through which a lever 4 enters inside the shied and the housing. ln the bottom 7 of the housing there are two inlets; a first inlet 11 and a second inlet 12, through which hot and cold water enter into the housing. The first inlet is intended for connecting to hot water conduit of the building and the second inlet is intended for connecting to cold water conduit of the building. ln the |over part on the housing there is an outflow tube 22, through which the outflowing water leaves the water tab. The outflowing water may be cold water, hot water or a mixture of inﬂowed cold and hot water as explained later. ln figure 2a the housing of the water tap according to the invention is show obliquely from above and in 2b same housing is shown as a vertical cross-section. ln these figures the shield enclosing the upper part of the housing is removed. ln the following both figures are explained simultaneously.

Inside the housing there is a chamber 8, having a bottom 7, top cover 5 and a cylin- drical wall 6. The chamber is arranged inside the housing eccentrically in a way, that the thickness of the wall varies. The wall is thinnest on the front side of the housing, i.e. directly above the outflow tube 22 and thickest on the rear side of the housing, i.e. on side farthest from the outflow tube. The chamber has an upper space 8a and a lower space 8b. Both the upper and lower space has a cylindrical shape and they have a common fictional central axis. The diameter of the upper space is slightly smaller than the diameter of the lower space.

The first ends of the first and second inlets 11, 12 extend through the bottom 7 and open to the bottom surface of the chamber 8. Inside the bottom and the rear side wall of the housing there is a cannel-like outlet 13 (fig. 2b). The first end of the outlet opens to the upper space 8a of the chamber and the second end of the outlet opens to the outer surface of the lower part of the housing. The outflow tube 22 is con- nected to the housing as a continuation or extension piece of the outlet. ln the front side of the housing wall there is an elongated opening 10 through which the lever 4 enters inside the chamber as explained later. The opening is in the lower part of the housing wall, i.e. the opening 10 opens into the lower space 8b of the chamber 8. ln figure 3 the water tap according to the invention is shown as a cross-section. Inside the lower space 8b of the chamber 8 there is a temperature valve 3 having a cylindrical shape. The shape and dimensions of the temperature valve match with the shape and dimensions of the lower space 8b of the chamber. However, the temperature valve is slightly smaller than the lower space leaving a small play be- tween the outer surface of the temperature valve and the inner surface of the lower space enabling the rotation of the temperature valve inside the chamber. Inside the temperature valve there is a cylindrical cavity 15, inside which a closing valve 19 is arranged. The first end of the lever 4 is attached to the closing valve. The lever enters into the cavity 15 through the hole 21 in the shield 2, through the opening 10 in the housing wall 6 and through an aperture in the temperature valve (see fig 4a, 4b). The closing valve can be rotated inside the cavity by rotating the lever.

Water flowing from the first and second inlets flows through the temperature valve inside the upper space 8a, where the inﬂowed water streams mix. The mixture of water flow out of the upper space through outlet 13 and outflow tube 22. The house is made of two halves which are connected together by screws not shown in the figure. This makes possible to locate the temperature valve inside the chamber 6. Preferably the cutting level separating the housing halves is in the lower space part of the housing. ln figures 4a, 4b and 4c the temperature valve 3 belonging to the water tap accord- ing to the invention is shown. Figure 4a presents the temperature valve seen obliquely from above and figures 4b and 4c present two different vertical cross-sec- tions of the temperature valve. The cross-section of figs. 4b and 4c are orthogonal in relation to each other. ln the following all figures are explained simultaneously.

The temperature valve is a cylindrical part having a cylindrical side surface, a top surface 3a and a bottom surface 3b. A first passage 17 and a second passage 18 extend through the temperature valve in the longitudinal direction of the valve. The first and second passages have a first end opening to the bottom surface and a second end opening to the top surface of the temperature valve 3. The first and second passages have an elongated cross-section, i.e. the cross section is not round. lnstead, the longitudinal direction of the cross section is significantly longer than the transverse direction. lnside the temperature valve 3 there is a cavity 15 having a cylindrical shape. The fictional central axis of the cavity is perpendicular in relation to the fictional central axis of the temperature valve. The first and second passages 17, 18 pass through the cavity i.e. the passages open into the cylindrical surface of the cavity. On the cylindrical side surface of the temperature valve there is a round aperture 16 ex- tending from the side surface into the cavity. The fictional central axis of the aperture and the fictional central axis of the cavity are coaxial. The temperature valve is made of two halves, which are joined together. This makes possible to locate the closing valve 19 inside the cavity. ln figure 5 the lever 4 and the closing valve 19 belonging to water tap according to the invention are shown. The lever is a rod-like element having a first end and a second end. The closing valve 19 is attached to the first end of the lever. The closing valve is an elongated piece having a first end surface 19a and a second end surface 19b. Both end surfaces are curved surfaces. The radius of curvature of the end surfaces and the radius of the cavity 15 are substantially equal. The length of the closing valve and the diameter of the cavity are substantially equal. Similarly, the width d of the closing valve and length of the cavity (in the direction of the central axis of the cavity) are substantially equal. Thus, the closing valve is dimensioned to divide the cavity to two substantially watertight compartment, when the valve is in- side the cavity. Preferably the closing valve or at least the surface layer of the clos- ing valve is made of hard plastic or similar material, which can be pressed tightly against the inner surface of the cavity without creating too much friction. ln the second end of the lever 4 there is a handle 20. The handle is in an angled position in relation to the lever. The handle and the lever are both rod-like elements which are connected together with a curved section. ln figures 6a, 6b and 6c the temperature valve and closing valve of the water tap according to the invention are shown in different closing valve positions. ln the fol- lowing all figures are explained simultaneously.

The closing valve 19 located inside the cavity 15 can be rotated by rotating the lever 4. ln figure 6a the closing valve is in a closing position. ln the closing position the first and second passages 17, 18 are fully closed by the closing valve, i.e. water flowing the first and second passages cannot pass the closing valve. When the clos- ing valve is in the closing position the handle 20 is in substantially horizontal posi- tion. The water tap can be constructed in a manner, where the closing valve is in a closing position, when the handle is not in horizontal position. For example, closing valve may be configured to be in a closing position, when the handle is in an angle of 45 degrees in relation to the horizontal level. ln figure 6c the closing valve is in an opening position, where the first and second passages 17, 18 are fully open, i.e. the closing valve does not close or choke the water flow inside the passages. ln the opening position the handle 20 is in substan- tially vertical position. ln figure 6b the closing valve is in an intermediate position, wherein the first and second passages are partially closed, i.e. they are not fully closed but not fully open either. ln the intermediate position the closing valve chokes the flow of the water thereby reducing the amount of water flowing through the temperature valve. The closing valve can be rotated to various intermediate posi- tions providing stepless adjustment for the amount of outflowing water. ln figures 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d, 7e, 7f and 7g the cross-section of the temperature valve 3 of the water tap according to the invention is shown in different temperature valve positions. ln the figures the closing valve inside the temperature valve is in opening position. ln the following all figures are explained simultaneously.

The temperature valve 3 is rotated inside the chamber 8 by turning the lever 4, i.e. by moving the lever in the opening 10 between the left and right extreme positions. ln figure 7a the lever is in the right extreme end of the opening whereby the first ends of the first and second inlets open against the solid part of the bottom surface 3b of the temperature valve. ln this position water flow from both inlets is prevented by the temperature valve, i.e. the water tap is closed. ln figure 7b the lever is moved slightly from the right extreme position towards left. The temperature valve inside the chamber is now in a position, where the second inlet 12 is partly open i.e. part of the water flowing from the second inlet can flow into the second passage 18. ln this position the first inlet is still fully closed by the temperature valve. The water flowing out of the water tap through outflow tube has the same temperature as the water flowing in the second inlet. ln figure 7c the lever is moved slightly more from the right extreme position towards left. The temperature valve inside the chamber is now in a position, where the sec- ond inlet 12 opens fully into the second passage 18 and the first inlet 11 opens partly into the first passage 17. ln this position all of the water flowing from the second inlet can flow into the second passage and part of the water flowing in the first inlet can enter to the first passage. The water flowing out of the tap is now a mixture of the waters flowing in through first and second inlets. ln figure 7d the lever 4 is moved to the middle position between the right and left extreme position. The temperature valve inside the chamber is now in a position, where the second inlet 12 fully opens into the second passage 18 and the first inlet 11 fully opens into the first passage 17. ln this position all of the water flowing from the first and second inlets can flow into first and second passages. The temperature of the outflowing water is now an average of the temperatures of the waters flowing in through first and second inlets. ln figure 7e the lever is moved slightly from the middle position towards the left ex- treme position. The temperature valve inside the chamber is now in a position, where the second inlet 12 is partly closed but the first inlet 11 is still fully open. The temperature of the outflowing water is now closer to the temperature of the water flowing from first inlet that the temperature of the water flowing from the second inlet. ln figure 7f the lever is moved slightly more from the middle position towards the left extreme position. The temperature valve inside the chamber is now in a position, where the second inlet is fully closed by the temperature valve but the first inlet 11 is still partly open. The temperature of the water flowing out of the tap is now equal with the temperature of the water flowing in through first inlet. ln figure 7g the lever is in the left extreme end of the opening 10 whereby the tem- perature valve 3 inside the chamber 8 is in a position, where the first ends of the first and second inlets open against the solid part of the bottom surface of the tem- perature valve. ln this position water flow from both inlets is again prevented, i.e. the water tap is closed.

The water tap according to the invention can thus be closed by moving the lever to the left or right extreme position, whereby the first and second inlets are closed by the temperature valve or by rotating the closing valve to a closing position, where both passages are closed by the closing valve.

The water tab explained above further contains seal rings or gaskets for preventing water leaks between the structural parts of the water tap. At least one gasket is arranged between the outer surface of the temperature valve and the inner surface of the lower space of the chamber near both ends of the temperature valve. Further at least one gasket is arranged between the outer surface of the lever and inner surface of the aperture through which the lever extends.

Some preferred embodiments of the water tap according to the invention has been explained above. The invention is not limited to the solutions explained above, but the invention can be applied in different ways within the limits set by the patent claims.

Reference Signs: 19a 19b 21 22 housing shield temperature valve top surface bottom surface lever top cover wall bottom chamber upper space lower space opening first inlet second inlet outlet cavity aperture first passage second passage ciosing valve first end surface second end surface handle hole outflow tube width

Claims

1. Awater tap comprising a housing (1), a Chamber (8) inside said housing, a first inlet (11) and a second inlet (12), said first and second in|ets (11, 12) having a first end opening into the chamber (8) and a second end opening outside the housing (1 ), an out|et (13) having a first end opening into the chamber (8) and a second end opening outside the housing (1 ), a temperature valve (3) inside said chamber (8) for contro||ing the amount of inflowing water through said first and second in|ets (11, 12), a c|osing valve (19) for contro||ing the amount of outﬂowing water through said out|et (13) and a lever (4) for manipulating the temperature valve (3) and the c|osing valve(19), said lever extending outside the housing (1), characterized in that said c|osing valve (19) is inside said temperature valve (3).

2. The water tap according to claim 1, characterized in that said chamber (8) has a upper space (8a) and a cylindrical lower space (8b) and said temperature valve (3) is a cylindrical part locating in said lower space (8b).

3. The water tap according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first ends of said first and second in|ets (11, 12) open into the chamber (8) to the first side of the temperature valve (3) and the first end of said out|et (13) opens into the chamber (8) to the second side of the temperate valve (3).

4. The water tap according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the first end of said out|et (13) opens into the upper space (8a) of the chamber (8).

5. The water tap according to any of the claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said temperature valve (3) has cylindrical side surface, a bottom surface (3b) and a top surface (3a), a first passage (17) and a second passage (18), said first and second passages having a first end opening to the bottom surface (3b) and a second end opening to the top surface (3a) of the temperature valve (3).

6. The water tap according to claim 5, characterized in that the said first and second passages (17, 18) have an elongated cross-section.

7. The water tap according to any of the claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said housing (1) has a wall (6), which wall (6) has an elongated opening (10) and said lever (4) is connected to the temperature valve (3) through said opening (10).

8. The water tap according to claim 7, characterized in that, the Iongitudinal di- rection of the opening (10) is perpendicular to the fictitious central axis of the cylin- drical temperature valve (3)

9. The water tap according to any of the claims 1 to 8, characterized in that inside said temperature valve (3) there is a cavity (15), through which cavity (15) said first and second passages (17, 18) pass and inside which cavity (15) said clos- ing valve (19) is located.

10. The water tap according to claim 9, characterized in that said cavity (15) has a cylindrical shape and said closing valve (19) can be rotated to a closing position, in which position said first and second passages are fully closed, to an opening position, in which position said first and second passages are fully open or to various intermediate positions, in which positions said first and/or second passage(s) are partially closed.

11. The water tap according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that said tempera- ture valve (3) has an aperture (16) extending from the cavity (15) to the cylindrical side surface and said lever (4) is connected to the closing valve (19) through said aperture (16).

12. The water tap according to any of the claims 1 to 11, characterized in that said lever (4) comprises a handle (20), said handle (20) being in an angled position in relation to the lever (4).

13. The water tap according to any of the claims 1 to 12, characterized in that it further comprises an outflow tube (22) connected to the second end of the outlet (13).

14. The water tap according to any of the claims 1 to 13, characterized in that it further comprises a detachable shied (2) at least partly enclosing the housing (1).