US20090308952A1

US20090308952A1 - Sanitary water-outlet fitting with jet regulator for deflecting the exiting water jet

Info

Publication number: US20090308952A1
Application number: US12/438,872
Authority: US
Inventors: Heinz Buettgen
Original assignee: Neoperl GmbH
Current assignee: Neoperl GmbH
Priority date: 2005-03-04
Filing date: 2006-02-09
Publication date: 2009-12-17
Also published as: DE102005010549B4; DE102005010549A1; EP2093333A3; EP1853770B1; EP1853770A1; WO2006094593A1; EP2093333A2

Abstract

A sanitary water-outlet fitting (1) which has a water outlet (2) that is provided on the outflow side in the region of the water outlet (2), with a flow guide (3) which has at least one perforated plate (4), screen or lamellar structure with a number of outlet holes or outlet openings (6) surrounded by flow-guide walls (7). The flow guide (3) is configured as a jet regulator, and the flow-guide walls (7) of at least individual outlet holes or outlet openings (6) are arranged at an angle to the flow direction of the water flowing into the flow guide (3) on the inflow side, and the flow-guide walls (7) of these outlet holes or outlet openings (6) deflect the inflowing water stream in a direction of their longitudinal extent. It has been found that such a flow guide (3) is capable of deflecting the water in the direction of the axial position of the flow-guide walls (7), even in the case of the flow guide (3) having a comparatively short longitudinal extent in the axial direction. It is thus possible to dispense with ball-and-socket joints which take up a lot of space and may be unsightly.

Description

BACKGROUND

The invention relates to a sanitary water outlet fitting that has a water outlet, wherein, on the outflow side, in the region of the water outlet there is a flow guide that has at least one perforated plate and/or screen or lamellar structure, with this flow guide having a number of outlet holes or outlet openings surrounded by flow guide walls.
A jet regulator that is attached to the water outlet fitting by an outlet nozzle is usually provided on the water outlet of sanitary water outlet fittings. The jet regulator should form a homogeneous, bubbling, soft water jet. Here, jet regulators have also already been created that have, on the outflow side, a flow rectifier that should direct the individual jets generated in the jet regulator approximately coaxial to each other and that is constructed, for example, as a perforated plate or as a screen or lamellar structure.
There is often the problem that the water jet flowing into the outlet fitting is to be deflected in a different direction in the region of the water outlet. For this purpose, ball-and-socket joints have also been created that have two joint sections that are connected to each other in an articulated manner and of which one joint section is connected to the water outlet of the water outlet fitting and the other joint section carries the jet regulator. With the help of such a ball-and-socket joint, the water jet can be directed onto the desired region when needed. Such ball-and-socket joints, however, have a comparatively large longitudinal extent and have spatial requirements that are not available in every area of use. In addition, these ball-and-socket joints also change the outer appearance, which can be especially unsightly water outlet fittings.

SUMMARY

Therefore there is the objective of creating a sanitary water outlet fitting that allows a deflection of the water jet, without requiring a ball-and-socket joint that takes up a lot of space and that is possibly also unsightly.
The solution to meeting this objective according to the invention is that, in the sanitary water outlet fitting, the flow guide is formed as a jet directional dispenser, the flow guide walls of at least individual outlet holes or outlet openings are arranged at an angle to the flow direction of the water flowing into the flow guide on the inflow side, and the flow guide walls of these outlet holes or outlet openings deflect the incoming water jet in the direction of their longitudinal extent.
In the water outlet fitting according to the invention, the flow guide is formed as a jet directional dispenser that deflects the incoming water jet in a direction that differs from the inflow direction. The flow guide walls of the flow guide surrounding the outlet openings or outlet holes are arranged at an angle to the flow direction of the water flowing into the flow guide such that they can deflect the incoming water jet in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the flow guide walls. Surprisingly, it has been shown that such a flow guide is in the position to also deflect the water for a comparatively short axial longitudinal extent of the flow guide in the direction of the axial position of the flow guide walls. Here, ball-and-socket joints that take up a lot of space and that are possibly unsightly can be eliminated.
The flow guide can have a lamellar structure that deflects the water jet between the flow guide walls formed as plates. Preferred is, however, an embodiment in which the outlet holes or outlet openings of at least one perforated plate of the flow guide have a circular or polygonal opening cross section. The flow guide walls of these circular or polygonal outlet holes or outlet openings can be arranged comparatively densely relative to each other and therefore allow for a good deflection of the water jet over practically the entire jet cross section.
An especially advantageous embodiment according to the invention provides that the outlet holes or outlet openings of at least one perforated plate of the flow guide have a hexagonal opening cross section and are arranged relative to each other like a honeycomb. Such a honeycomb-like perforated plate features outlet holes or outlet openings that are arranged densely relative to each other and nevertheless has a comparatively large open outlet cross section.
If the water jet is to be deflected and simultaneously its jet quality is to be improved significantly, it is advantageous when a jet regulator is connected before the flow guide in the direction of flow.
Here, the water jet flowing into the flow guide can be an aerated or non-aerated water jet.
A perforated plate or screen or lamellar structure is already sufficient to deflect the water flowing into the flow guide in a different direction. However, it can be advantageous if the flow guide has several perforated plates and/or screen or lamellar structures advantageously spaced apart from each other.
In this way it can be preferred when the perforated plates and/or screen or lamellar structures of the flow guide are arranged at an equal or increasing angle relative to the direction of flow of the incoming water.
It is possible that at least the perforated plate or screen or lamellar structure of the flow guide arranged on the outflow side has a flat or bowed configuration.
If the perforated plate of the flow guide arranged on the outflow side is to have a bowed configuration, it can be advantageous when the perforated plate or screen or lamellar structure is created as a separate component and is later connected to an outflow-side front edge of the outlet fitting for forming a bowed or uneven shape or for adapting the perforated plate or screen or lamellar structure to the relief of this outflow-side front edge. In this embodiment, because the perforated plate or screen or lamellar structure can also be created as a separate, flat component, this component can also be created as a planar injection-molded part with coaxial outlet openings, in order to bring this flat component into a shape that has been bent, for example, convexly after the connection to the provided front edge of the outlet fitting.
One embodiment according to the invention provides that the outlet holes or outlet openings have approximately coaxial longitudinal axes. However, it is also possible that the longitudinal axes of the outlet holes or outlet openings diverge or converge. Thus, for example, the water jet flowing out from a flat water outlet fitting as a wide water jet can be concentrated to form a turbulent, round water jet directly after exiting from the water outlet. In order to leave such a wide water jet in its wide jet shape over the longest possible path, it can be advantageous when the longitudinal axes of the outlet holes diverge. Because the water outlet fitting according to the invention can also be formed with a water outlet that is not round in its open cross sectional shape and the water outlet fitting according to the invention may also maintain a non-round jet shape over a long path, the water outlet fitting according to the invention is distinguished by a large degree of possible shapes.
Here, a preferred embodiment according to the invention provides that the longitudinal axes of at least the outlet holes or outlet openings provided in the outer edge region of the perforated plate are directed outward or inward.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Improvements according to the invention are listed in the additional subordinate claims. Below, the invention will be explained in greater detail with reference to different embodiments.

Shown are:

FIG. 1 a longitudinal section view of a sanitary outlet fitting whose water outlet has an outlet plane cut at an angle, wherein, in the region of the water outlet there is a flow guide formed here as a perforated plate and used as a jet directional dispenser,

FIG. 2 a perspective view of the outlet fitting from FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 a view of an outlet fitting that is comparable with FIG. 1 and whose flow guide has a convexly curved perforated plate for generating individual, diverging outflow jets,

FIG. 4 a perspective view of the outlet fitting from FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 a section view of the curved perforated plate mounted on a perforated plate carrier in the outlet fitting shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 taken along the section plane V-V in FIG. 3,

FIG. 6 a view of the outlet fitting from FIGS. 3 to 5 in a position of use located in operation,

FIG. 7 a view of a single-lever mixing valve whose water outlet has, on the outflow side, a flow guide used as a jet directional dispenser,

FIG. 8 a view of the flow guide of the water outlet fitting shown in FIG. 7, wherein the flow guide is formed from a perforated plate with outlet holes or outlet openings that are arranged like a honeycomb relative to each other and that have a hexagonal opening cross section,

FIG. 9 a longitudinal section view of the single-lever mixing valve from FIGS. 7 and 8,

FIG. 10 a cross-sectional view of the single-lever mixing valve from FIGS. 7 to 9,

FIG. 11 a partial longitudinal section view of the honeycomb-like perforated plate of the flow guide shown for the water outlet according to FIGS. 7 to 10,

FIG. 12 a view of a single-lever mixing valve comparable with FIGS. 7 to 11, wherein its water outlet is here arranged, however, at an angle,

FIG. 13 a view of the flow guide formed as a perforated plate in the water outlet fitting shown in FIG. 12,

FIG. 14 a view of an outlet fitting that is comparable with FIGS. 7 to 11 or 12 to 13 and that here has, however, instead of a cylindrical outer periphery, rectangular outer contours,

FIG. 15 a view of the perforated plate of a flow guide, wherein this perforated plate here has circular outlet openings or outlet holes,

FIG. 16 a view of the perforated plate of a flow guide that has square outlet holes or outlet openings in the opening cross section,

FIG. 17 a view of the flow guide designed for a sanitary water outlet fitting that here has a lamellar structure with outlet openings that are bounded by lamellar-like flow guide walls, and

FIG. 18 a view of the preferred embodiment of a perforated plate whose outlet openings or outlet holes are arranged like a honeycomb relative to each other and have a hexagonal open outlet cross section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In FIGS. 1 to 18, different embodiments of a sanitary water outlet fitting 1 are shown. These water outlet fittings 1 have a water outlet 2. A flow guide 3 is provided in the region of each water outlet 2. From FIGS. 1 to 18 it can be seen that the flow guides 3 have at least one perforated plate 4 and/or one screen or lamellar structure 5 with a number of outlet openings 6 or outlet holes that are surrounded by flow guide walls 7.
Often there exists the problem that the water jet flowing into the outlet fitting 1 is to be deflected in a different direction in the region of the water outlet 2. The flow guides 3 of the water outlet fittings 1 shown here are therefore constructed as jet directional dispensers. The flow guide walls 7 of at least individual outlet openings 6 or outlet holes are arranged at an angle relative to the direction of flow of the water flowing into the flow guide 3 on the inflow side, such that their flow guide walls 7 deflect the incoming water jet in the direction of their longitudinal extent.
Surprisingly, it has been shown that such a flow guide 3 is able to deflect the water in the direction of the axial position of the flow guide walls 7 for a comparatively short axial longitudinal extent of the flow guide 3. In this way, ball-and-socket joints or similar elements that take up a lot of space and that are possibly also unsightly can be eliminated. This flow guide 3 that can have a thickness and thus an axial longitudinal extent of approximately 0.5 to 15 mm thus has, in practice, the function of a water lens or a water prism.
In FIGS. 1, 3, 5, 9, 10, and 11 it can be seen that the flow guides 3 of the water outlet fittings 1 shown here comprise a perforated plate 4. In FIG. 1, however, it is indicated by dashed lines that the flow guide 3 can also have several perforated plates and/or screen or lamellar structures spaced apart from each other. Several such components 4, 5 of the flow guide 3 can be arranged at an angle that is equal—as shown in FIG. 1—or at an angle that increases or decreases relative to the direction of flow of the incoming water.
From a comparison of FIGS. 1 and 2 on one side and FIGS. 3 to 6 on the other side it is to be seen that at least the perforated plate 4 or screen or lamellar structure of the flow guide 3 arranged on the outflow side can have a flat or bowed configuration. While the perforated plate 4 of the water outlet fitting 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 has a flat configuration, the perforated plate 4 of the water outlet fitting shown in FIGS. 3 to 6 is bowed convexly such that the outlet holes or outlet openings 6 directed increasingly toward the edge region generate a water jet with—as can be seen in FIG. 6—individual jets diverging outward. This water jet generated from diverging individual jets is comparatively wide over a long path and is only then concentrated into a narrow, round water jet.
While the outlet holes or outlet openings 6 of the perforated plate 4 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 have coaxial longitudinal axes, the longitudinal axes of the outlet holes or outlet openings 6 that can be seen in FIGS. 4 to 6 are directed outward. In order to be able to produce the perforated plates or screen or lamellar structures as injection-molded parts, for example, from plastic, it is advantageous if the perforated plate 4 shown in FIGS. 3 to 6 is initially produced as a separate component that is flat in the non-installed state and has coaxial outlet openings 6 or outlet holes. This separate component 4 is later connected to the non-flat front edge of a sleeve-shaped perforated plate carrier 8, so that the component 4 adapts to its shape and deforms according to its relief into a convexly bowed shape in which the longitudinal axes of the outlet holes or outlet openings 6 now increasingly diverge toward the outer periphery.
Through a corresponding shaping of the component 4, it is also possible that the longitudinal axes of the outlet holes 6 converge or are directed inwards.
The water jet flowing into the flow guide 3 can be an aerated or non-aerated water jet. Here it can be advantageous when a jet regulator not shown in greater detail here and/or another sanitary functional unit is connected in front of the flow guide 3 in the direction of flow.
In FIGS. 7 to 11, a single-lever mixer valve is shown in different views as one application. This single-lever mixer valve is here formed as a “joystick” mixer or single-lever mixer. The incoming water flows via the inflow lines 9 into the valve housing 10 that is located in the water outlet fitting 1. The water thoroughly mixed in the valve housing 10 flows out again at the front end of the valve housing 10 facing away from the lever 11, in order to flow in the intermediate space remaining between the valve housing 10, on one side, and the inner periphery of the fitting housing of the water outlet fitting 1, on the other side, to the water outlet 2. The water outlet 2 has, on the outflow side, the flow guide 3 that is here formed by a perforated plate 4 with outlet holes or outlet openings 6 arranged like a honeycomb relative to each other. These outlet holes or outlet openings have coaxial longitudinal axes. The flow guide walls 7 bounding the outlet holes or outlet openings 6 deflect the water flowing into the water outlet fitting 1 practically at a right angle.
From a comparison of FIGS. 12 and 13 on one hand and FIG. 14 on the other hand it is to be inferred that the sanitary water outlet fitting 1 and the valve housing located therein are also arranged at an angle or can have a polygonal and especially a square outer periphery instead of a cylindrical outer periphery.
In FIGS. 14 to 18 it is shown that the outlet holes or outlet openings 6 of the flow guide 3 can have a circular (FIG. 15) or a square (FIG. 16) opening cross section. It is also possible that the flow guide is formed by a lamellar structure (FIG. 17) whose outlet openings 6 are separated from each other by lamellar-like flow guide walls. The preferred embodiment, however, is shown in FIG. 18 in which the flow guide has, on the outflow side, a honeycomb-like perforated plate whose outlet holes or outlet openings 6 have a hexagonal opening cross section and are arranged like a honeycomb relative to each other. Such a honeycomb-like perforated plate allows good deflection of the water flow, without its outlet holes or outlet openings 6 significantly impairing the flow of the water jet.
The flat or arc-shaped flow guide 3 of the water outlet fittings 1 shown here is in the position, despite its comparatively short axial extent, to deflect a water flow coming in at an arbitrary angle in the direction of the axial position of its flow guide walls 7, wherein it is guaranteed by the specific configuration of the flow guide 3 that the water jet that leaves this jet directional dispenser is shaped homogeneously. In this way, the water can be already pre-aerated water or can also be a laminar jet. Other embodiments provide that such a flow guide is bowed in at least one plane, wherein the axes of the flow guide walls 7 are then no longer parallel to each other, but instead diverge or converge. Because a production of such a component 4 that has been curved once or several times is associated with great expense, under some circumstances, due to the different molding direction in terms of injection molding, the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 to 6 provides that the outflow-side perforated plate 4 of the flow guide 3 is produced flat with a parallel arrangement of the flow guide walls 7, in order to then be drawn and fixed on a perforated plate carrier curved in one or more planes, wherein the axes of the flow guide walls 7 are then set according to the connecting rod formed by the perforated plate carrier.
In the water outlet fitting according to the invention, the water jet can also be deflected and oriented such that it tends to spray as little as possible when impacting a washbasin.

Claims

1. Sanitary water outlet fitting (1) comprising a water outlet (2), and in a region of the water outlet (2), on an outflow side, there is a flow guide (3) comprising at least one of a perforated plate (4), a screen or lamellar structure (5), the flow guide (3) has a number of outlet holes or outlet openings (6) surrounded by flow guide walls (7) the flow guide (3) is formed as a jet directional dispenser, the flow guide walls (7) of at least individual ones of the outlet holes or outlet openings (6) are arranged at an angle to a flow direction of water flowing into the flow guide on an inflow side, and the flow guide walls (7) of the outlet holes or outlet openings (6) deflect the incoming water flow in a direction of their longitudinal extent.

2. Water outlet fitting according to claim 1, wherein the outlet holes or outlet openings (6) of the at least one perforated plate (4) of the flow guide (3) have a circular or polygonal opening cross section.

3. Water outlet fitting according to claim 1, wherein the outlet holes or outlet openings (6) of the at least one perforated plate (4) of the flow guide (3) have a hexagonal opening cross section and are arranged like a honeycomb relative to each other.

4. Water outlet fitting according to claim 1, wherein a jet regulator is connected before the flow guide (3) in the flow direction.

5. Water outlet fitting according to claim 1, wherein the water jet flowing into the flow guide (3) is an aerated water jet.

6. Water outlet fitting according to one claim 1, wherein the flow guide (3) has several of the perforated plates (4), screens or lamellar structures (5) that are spaced apart from each other.

7. Water outlet fitting according to claim 6, wherein the perforated plates (4), screens or lamellar structures (5) of the flow guide (3) are arranged at an angle that is equal to or that increases relative to the flow direction of the incoming water.

8. Water outlet fitting according to claim 1, wherein the at least one of the perforated plate (4), screen or lamellar structure (5) of the flow guide (3) arranged on the outflow side is bowed.

9. Water outlet fitting according to claim 1, wherein the at least one of the perforated plate (4), screen or lamellar structure (5) is produced as a separate component and is later connected to an outflow-side front edge of the outlet fitting (1) for forming a bowed or non-flat shape or for adapting the perforated plate (4), screen or lamellar structure (5) to a relief of the outflow-side front edge.

10. Water outlet fitting according to claim 1, wherein the outlet holes or outlet openings (6) have approximately coaxial longitudinal axes.

11. Water outlet fittings according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal axes of the outlet holes or outlet openings (6) diverge.

12. Water outlet fitting according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal axes of at least the outlet holes or outlet openings (6) provided in an outer edge region of the perforated plate (4) are directed outwardly.

13. Water outlet fitting according to claim 1, wherein the at least one of the perforated plate (4), screen or lamellar structure (5) of the flow guide (3) arranged on the outflow side is flat.

14. Water outlet fittings according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal axes of the outlet holes or outlet openings (6) converge.

15. Water outlet fitting according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal axes of at least the outlet holes or outlet openings (6) provided in an outer edge region of the perforated plate (4) are directed inwardly.