US20060143823A1

US20060143823A1 - Propelling control device for automatic shutoff water discharge apparatus

Info

Publication number: US20060143823A1
Application number: US11/028,555
Authority: US
Inventors: Sheng Yeh
Original assignee: Sunghao Metals Co Ltd
Current assignee: Sunghao Metals Co Ltd
Priority date: 2005-01-05
Filing date: 2005-01-05
Publication date: 2006-07-06

Abstract

A propelling control device for an automatic shutoff water discharge apparatus includes a water discharge apparatus mounted to a basin or a urinal, and a propelling control unit, made up of a spring element, a movable rod, and a retaining sleeve tube, to be coupled to a valve body of the water discharge apparatus in linkage connection with a push-type valve rod adapted therein wherein the spring element is abutted against a fixing section of the valve body thereof, and the movable rod having a semi-spherical guide sliding member with a compressing stop disc disposed at one end is abutted against the other end of the spring element thereof The retaining sleeve tube, securely screwed up to the fixing section of the valve body to define an actuation space therein, has a pivoting hole of a smaller diameter disposed at the opening of the actuation space thereof to form a limiting seat for the abutting location of the compressing stop disc accommodated at the actuation space therein and flexibly supported by the spring element, permitting the guide sliding member thereof to extend outwards precisely outside the pivoting hole thereof. Therefore, via the above structure, the propelling control unit can be ergonomically operated with a guide sliding effect, facilitating a smoother and more effort-saving operation thereof for use of people, especially for the children and the elderly or disabled people.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to a propelling control device for an automatic shutoff water discharge apparatus, including a water discharge apparatus mounted to a basin or a urinal, and a propelling control unit, made up of a spring element, a movable rod, and a retaining sleeve tube, to be coupled to a valve body of the water discharge apparatus in linkage connection with a push-type valve rod adapted therein wherein the movable rod having a semi-spherical guide sliding member with a compressing stop disc disposed at one end is abutted against the spring element adapted at the outer side of the valve rod thereof, and the retaining sleeve tub has a pivoting hole disposed at the opening of an actuation space defined therein to form a limiting seat for the abutting location of the compressing stop disc thereby, permitting the guide sliding member to extend outwards precisely outside the pivoting hole thereof, therefore, the propelling control unit can be ergonomically operated with a guide sliding effect, facilitating a smoother and more effort-saving operation thereof for use of people, especially for the children and the elderly or disabled people.
Please refer to FIG. 1. A conventional control device for an automatic shutoff water discharge apparatus comprise a faucet 10 made up of a housing 11, a control valve 12, a hollow fixing sleeve 13, a spring 14, and a push button 15 wherein the spring 14 is joined to a polygonal ring groove 131 disposed at the interior of the fixing sleeve 13 therein, and the spring is properly compressed for an engaging rod 151 of the push button 15 to be forced into the fixing sleeve 13 thereof. A valve rod 121 of the control valve 12 is guided into the other side of the fixing sleeve 13 before an external threaded section 1211 of the valve rod 121 is securely screwed up to an internal threaded section 1511 defining the engaging rod 151 of the push button 15 therein. An outer threaded section 132 of the fixing sleeve 13 is then engaged with an inner threaded section 111 defining the opening end of the housing 11 so as to accommodate the control valve 12 at a valve chamber 112 of the housing 11 therein.
There are some drawbacks to such conventional control device for an automatic shutoff water discharge apparatus. Most of all, the push button 15 is flexibly supported by the spring 14 and connected with the valve rod 121 of the control valve 12 in linkage actuation. In operation, the push button 15 is pressed for the discharge of water or released to retract to the original position via the spring 14 to end the water supply thereof. However, the push button 15 is aligned in a straight angle with the spring 14 and directly affected by the pressure of water flow, which can take a lot of effort in the instance of pushing operation for water supply, and may cause trouble for some children and elderly or disabled people due to insufficient pushing force applied for water discharge. Thus, the above conventional control device thereof is quite inconvenient and difficult in operation thereof

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

It is, therefore, the primary purpose of the present invention to provide a propelling control device for an automatic shutoff water discharge apparatus, including a water discharge apparatus mounted to a basin or a urinal, and a propelling control unit made up of a spring element, a movable rod, and a retaining sleeve tube wherein the movable rod having a semi-spherical guide sliding member with a compressing stop disc disposed at one end is abutted against the spring element adapted at the outer side of a valve rod thereof, and the retaining sleeve tub has a pivoting hole disposed at the opening of an actuation space defined therein to form a limiting seat for the abutting location of the compressing stop disc thereby, permitting the guide sliding member to extend outwards precisely outside the pivoting hole thereof; therefore, the propelling control unit can be easily operated with a guide sliding effect, facilitating a smoother and more effort-saving operation thereof for use of people, especially for the children and the elderly or disabled people.
It is, therefore, the second purpose of the present invention to provide a propelling control device for an automatic shutoff water discharge apparatus wherein, via the semi-spherical surface of the guide sliding member thereof, the movable rod can be freely bent along the pivoting hole of the retaining sleeve tube within 360 degree, providing a more ergonomically-oriented operation to achieve the best using status thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional control device for an automatic shutoff water discharge apparatus.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the present invention in assembly.
FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the present invention in operation.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the present invention in assembly.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the present invention mounted to another valve body in assembly.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the present invention in application to a urinal.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention in assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIGS. 2 to 3 inclusive. The present invention is related to a propelling control device for an automatic shutoff water discharge apparatus, including a water discharge apparatus 20 mounted to a basin A as shown in FIGS. 5, 6 or a urinal B as shown in FIG. 7 wherein the water discharge apparatus 20 comprises a valve body 21 having a fixing section 22 extending at one end thereof for the coupling of a propelling control unit 30 thereto, and a push-type valve rod 23 protruding at the interior of the fixing section 22 in linkage connection with the propelling control unit 30 thereof. The propelling control unit 30 is made up of a spring element 31, a movable rod 32, and a retaining sleeve tube 33 wherein the spring element 31 is joined to the outer side of the valve rod 23 and abutted against the opening edge of the fixing section 22 thereof. The movable rod 32 shaped in a cylindrical level is provided with a semi-spherical guide sliding member 321 disposed at one end thereof, and a handle grip 322 attached at the other end thereof wherein the guide sliding member 321 thereof has a compressing stop disc 3211 of a larger diameter integrally molded at one end thereof to precisely abut against one end of the spring element 31 thereof. The retaining sleeve tube 33 is equipped with an internal threaded section 331 disposed at the interior of one end thereof to be mutually engaged with the fixing section 22 of the valve body 21 thereof, an actuation space 332 disposed at the other end therein, and a pivoting hole 333 of a smaller diameter defining the opening edge of the actuation space 332 to form a limiting seat 334 thereby, permitting the compressing stop disc 3211 accommodated at the actuation space 332 therein and flexibly supported by the spring element 31 to abut against the limiting seat 334, and the guide sliding member 321 to extend outwards precisely outside the pivoting hole 333 thereof.
Please refer to FIG. 4. In practical use, the handle grip 322 of the movable rod 32 is freely bent towards one side with the semi-spherical guide sliding member 321 tilting along the annular edge of the pivoting hole 333 accordingly and sliding over the curved facet at the actuation space 332 of the retaining sleeve tube 33 therein, permitting the compressing stop disc 3211 to slant into an oblique angle and squeeze at the spring element 31 thereof When the handle grip 322 of the movable rod 32 remains the ongoing tilting operation thereof, one side of the compressing stop disc 3211 thereof will touch and push the valve rod 23 thereof for the discharge of running water. Once the handle grip 322 of the movable rod 32 is released from the bending operation thereof, the spring element 31 will flexibly rebound to retract the guide sliding member 321 back to the original position thereof, permitting the valve rod 23 to detach from the squeezing abutment of the compressing stop disc 3211 thereof so as to stop the water supply. Therefore, via the compressing stop disc 3211 of the movable rod 32 abutted against the limiting seat 334 of the retaining sleeve tube 33 to extend the semi-spherical guide sliding member 321 outside the pivoting hole 333 thereof, the propelling control unit 30 is easily operated with a guide sliding effect in linkage actuation thereof, facilitating a smoother and more effort-saving operation thereof for use, especially for children and the elderly or disabled people. Moreover, via the semi-spherical surface of the guide sliding member 321 thereof, the movable rod 32 can be freely bent along the pivoting hole 333 of the retaining sleeve tube 33 within 360 degree, providing a more ergonomically-oriented operation to achieve the best using status thereof
Please refer to FIG. 8. The propelling control unit 30 of the present invention can also be mounted to the underside of the basin A with a water inlet pipe coupled at one side for water supply and a water outlet pipe connected at the other side to communicate with a faucet for the discharge of the running water via a spout of the faucet wherein the handle grip 322 of the movable rod 32 thereof is stepped thereon to control the discharge of water flow.

Claims

1. A propelling control device for an automatic shutoff water discharge apparatus, including a water discharge apparatus mounted to a basin or a urinal wherein the water discharge apparatus comprises a valve body having a fixing section extending at one end thereof for the coupling of a propelling control unit thereto, and a push-type valve rod protruding at the interior of the fixing section in linkage connection with the propelling control unit thereof, the present invention being characterized by that,

the propelling control unit being made up of a spring element, a movable rod, and a retaining sleeve tube wherein the spring element is joined to the outer side of the valve rod and abutted against the opening edge of the fixing section thereof; the movable rod is provided with a semi-spherical guide sliding member disposed at one end thereof, and a handle grip attached at the other end thereof wherein the guide sliding member thereof has a compressing stop disc of a larger diameter integrally molded at one end thereof to precisely abut against one end of the spring element thereof; the retaining sleeve tube is equipped with an internal threaded section disposed at the interior of one end thereof to be mutually engaged with the fixing section of the valve body thereof, an actuation space disposed at the other end therein, and a pivoting hole of a smaller diameter defining the opening edge of the actuation space to form a limiting seat thereby, permitting the compressing stop disc accommodated at the actuation space therein and flexibly supported by the spring element to abut against the limiting seat, and the guide sliding member to extend outwards precisely outside the pivoting hole thereof;

therefore, when the handle grip of the movable rod is bent towards one side, the semi-spherical guide sliding member will slant along the annular edge of the pivoting hole accordingly and slide over the curved facet at the actuation space of the retaining sleeve tube therein, permitting the compressing stop disc to tilt into an oblique angle and squeeze at the spring element thereby, and when the handle grip of the movable rod remains the ongoing tilting operation thereof, one side of the compressing stop disc will touch and push the valve rod thereof for the discharge of running water; once the handle grip is released from the bending operation thereof, the spring element will flexibly rebound to retract the guide sliding member back to the original position thereof, permitting the valve rod to detach from the abutment of the compressing stop disc thereof so as to stop the water supply thereby.

2. The propelling control device for an automatic shutoff water discharge apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the movable rod of the propelling control unit thereof is preferably shaped in a cylindrical level configuration.