WO1995006787A1

WO1995006787A1 - Filter arrangement to provide a sparkling stream of water

Info

Publication number: WO1995006787A1
Application number: PCT/CH1994/000171
Authority: WO
Inventors: Oskar Ruther
Original assignee: Ruther-Entwicklungsbüro
Priority date: 1993-09-02
Filing date: 1994-09-02
Publication date: 1995-03-09
Also published as: EP0668951A1

Abstract

The filter arrangement has a plurality of fine-mesh plastic woven fabrics (477) at least on the outflow side which divide up the emerging stream of water. The plastic woven fabrics (477) are caused to vibrate by the water and thus prevent furring.

Description

Sieve arrangement for generating a sparkling water jet

The invention relates to a sieve arrangement for generating a sparkling water jet according to the preamble of claim 1.

Sieves made of wire have been used at the water outlet of faucets for decades, which swirl the outflowing water and thus dissolve the emerging water jet somewhat. In individual cases, the screens are designed such that the emerging water jet, like a water jet pump, sucks air from the environment into the area above the screens and the air is mixed with the water in a plurality of screens connected in series, so that a bubbling jet emerges. The advantage of such a jet is that when washing hands, the water does not splash to the side, but is evenly distributed over the hair.

Also in sieve arrangements, the housings of which are made of plastic, metal grids are used at the outlet end in order to achieve a very fine resolution of the water mixed with air. The disadvantage of these sieves is that they clog very quickly in heavily calcareous water and in many cases either have to be decalcified or replaced with acid within a few weeks.

The amount of water flowing through these known screens is always dependent on the pressure in the pipe system. In public toilets, restaurants or factories there are huge amounts of water for cleaning hands consumed. It is known that hand cleaning is also readily possible with a significantly smaller amount of water per unit of time. In the known rotary valves, it is common not always to open them completely when washing hands; The lever valves commonly used today are usually fully opened so that a much too large amount of water is used uselessly. For this reason, a bubble sieve has already become known, to which an aperture is placed, which limits the amount of water flowing through. However, it has been found that this known bubble screen has to be cleaned quite frequently, since it clogs very quickly due to contaminants carried in the water.

The object of the present invention is to create a sieve arrangement which has a low tendency to calcification.

The object of the present invention is further to provide the screen arrangement with a throttle device which does not tend to become blocked by impurities in the water and / or calcification.

This object is achieved by a sieve arrangement according to the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

The plastic meshes or gauzes, which are arranged one above the other. On the one hand, sieves produce a very fine resolution of the water jet emerging, and on the other hand, the sieves reduce the formation of limescale over a long period of use, even when used on hot water taps. The fine gauzes are vibrated by the water flowing through them. The vibration therefore causes a continuous movement, which prevents the deposition and build-up of a layer of limescale, by continuously breaking up the thin layers of limestone formed when the tap is not in use and removing it as small fractions that cannot be retained by the sieves. In a further embodiment, the diaphragm according to the invention regulates the passage cross section as a function of the pressure on the inflow side, without significantly increasing the overall height of the arrangement. The rubber ring inserted loosely in the channel allows impurities that have been temporarily retained to escape from the area of the orifice when the water supply is switched on or off. The conical and undulating surface area of the inner part of the diaphragm allows a fine adjustment of the passage rate with increasing pressure through the rubber ring surrounding the inner part. The parts of the screen made of plastic reduce the formation of limescale and ensure a constant amount of water per unit of time. The channel receiving the rubber ring can be formed in a simple and cost-effective manner by the diaphragm and the throttle ring below it, which has a stepped bore. Both parts are easy to produce by injection molding from plastic and can be connected to each other without tools by coaxial sliding. Air can easily enter the inflow side of the screens arranged in the housing through one or more channels or recesses in the outer surface of the throttle ring and slots in the housing. The outlet sieve of the third embodiment enables a laminar outflow of water and prevents unwanted and uncontrolled spreading of the water jet, especially in the case of sieve arrangements without air supply, as are prescribed in hospitals and medical practices.

The invention is explained in more detail on the basis of illustrated exemplary embodiments. Show it:

1 shows an axial section through a first

Embodiment of a sieve arrangement (the sieves are shown as a grid, but can be designed analogously to FIGS. 10 and 11),

FIG. 2 shows a top view of the screen arrangement,

FIG. 3 shows a bottom view of the sieve arrangement,

FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of the individual parts of the sieve arrangement,

Figure 5 shows an axial section through the second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 shows an axial section through a suction strainer of a third embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 7 shows a top view of the suction strainer in FIG. 6,

FIG. 8 shows an axial section through the screen arrangement of the third embodiment of the invention with an outlet screen with guide surfaces,

FIG. 9 shows an outlet sieve for a sieve arrangement without air admixture,

FIG. 10 shows an axial section through an outlet sieve made of plastic fabric with a clamping ring,

Figure 11 is an axial section through an outlet sieve made of plastic fabric with a molded edge. In axial section through the first embodiment of a sieve arrangement 1, a cover 7 with an outer ring 9 and an inner part 11, a rubber ring 13, for example an O-ring, a throttle ring 15 are in a housing 3, which is closed at the bottom by an outlet sieve 5, a suction strainer 17, e. Printing screen 19 and a bead screen 21 are arranged coaxially to one another in the order listed. The stepped interior of the housing 3 receives in its upper section 23 the throttle ring 15 and the diaphragm 7 inserted therein. The lower section 25, the clear width of which is smaller, accommodates the throttle ring 15, the suction strainer 17 and the pressure strainer 19. The individual parts of the screen arrangement 1 made of plastic are explained in more detail below. The inner part 11 of the diaphragm 7 is connected to the outer ring 9 by a plurality of webs 27. The outer ring 9 preferably has a cylindrical outer lateral surface 29, the diameter of which corresponds to the inner clear width of the upper section 23 of the housing 3. The inner circumferential surface 33 of the outer ring 9 facing the annular inlet opening 31 between the outer ring 9 and the inner part 11 preferably runs conically. However, it can also be cylindrical (not shown). The outer lateral surface 35 of the inner part is also conical and is also undulating. The wave crests 37 and wave troughs 39 each lie in imaginary common, conical surfaces. The inner part 11 projects beyond the outer ring 9 with its tapered lower end on the front side. The diaphragm 7 is seated completely embedded in a circumferential shoulder 41 in the throttle ring 15 and is held by this both radially and axially. The throttle ring 15 has at its lower end an inwardly directed flange 43, which is a central one Opening 45 surrounds. The lower section of the outer surface of the throttle ring 15 has a circumferential groove 47. In the transition from the recess 47 to the lower end face 49 of the throttle ring 15, a plurality of recesses 51 are made. These recesses 51 are preferably distributed regularly over the circumference and form free passage cross sections with respect to the surface of the inclined to the horizontally extending retaining ring 53 of the suction strainer 17. The central sieve part 55 of the suction strainer 17 has a diameter which is larger than the central, non-permeable Part 57 of the pressure screen 19. The air which flows into the area indicated by reference number 59 can initially enter the space 62 formed by the recess 47 and the housing wall of the housing 3 through slots 61 arranged on the circumference of the housing 3.

If no water is passed through the sieve arrangement 1 in accordance with the arrows x, the rubber ring 13 rests on the flange 43 (cf. right half of the illustration in FIG. 1). The passage cross section of the inlet opening 31 is largest in this position of the rubber ring 13. The water can flow both in the troughs 39 of the inner part 11 and in the area between the wave crests 37 and the inner ring surface of the rubber ring 13. However, when water begins to feed into the inlet opening 31, the rubber ring 13 lifts off from the flange 43 somewhat. Since the wave-shaped outer surface 35 of the inner part 11 is conical, and because the diameter of the rubber ring 13 is essentially unchangeable, it lies against the inner part 11. As soon as a predeterminable maximum water pressure is reached, the rubber ring 13 lies both intimately on the lateral surface 35 of the inner part 11 and on the outer ring 9. The inflowing water can then only reach the space 59 in the troughs 39 which are additionally narrowed by the rubber ring 13. The amount of pressure of the inflowing water at which the

Passage cross-section is smallest, can be determined on the one hand by the size of the rubber ring 13 and / or on the other hand by the height of the wave crests 37 or the depth of the wave troughs 39 and their geometric design. It is therefore possible to equip the screen arrangement 1 for different pressures by using appropriately dimensioned orifices 7 and / or rubber rings 13. A corresponding identification of the maximum amount of water per unit of time can be optically represented, for example, by the color of the screen 7.

The sieves (suction sieve 17, pressure sieve 19, pearl sieve 21, outlet sieve 5) are preferably made of plastic like the other bodies. They have rectangular webs 63 forming the screen surface, the cross-sectional area of which is rectangular or diamond-shaped (see FIG. 1). The apex lines 65 of the screen webs of the individual screens preferably run at right angles to one another. The apex lines 65 of the screens arranged one above the other are preferably arranged at an acute angle to one another. This enables a "waterfall effect" and leads to an excellent mixing of the water with the air supplied through the slots 61.

In the embodiment of the invention according to FIG. 5, the diaphragm and the throttle ring can be of the same design as in the embodiment of the invention in FIGS. 1 to 4. These parts are therefore not explained in more detail below and are also not shown in FIG. 5. in the In contrast to the first embodiment, the suction strainer is

117 conical, with the tip of the cone pointing upwards. Below the suction strainer 117, a cone-shaped membrane 118 is also inserted and, when depressurized, lies snugly against the underside of the suction strainer 117. Feet 120 are molded onto the membrane 118 and are supported on the pressure screen 119, which is also conical. The pressure screen 119 serves as a spring which presses the membrane 118 against the suction screen 17. A guide mandrel 122, which is also molded onto the membrane 118 and which is guided in central openings in the underlying sieves (pressure sieve 119, pearl sieve 121, outlet sieve 105) with little play, centers the membrane 118 at all times.

Before water enters the sieve arrangement 101 from above, the membrane 118 lies against the suction sieve 117 and completely closes the passage through its sieve surface. As soon as the pressure of the water is increased, the membrane 118 moves downward against the force of the resilient pressure screen 119 and water can reach the pressure screen 119 via the periphery of the membrane 118. As soon as the pressure of the water drops again, the membrane closes

118 the passage cross section of the suction sieve 117 again and the contents of the sieve arrangement 101 cannot be dripped and emptied.

In the embodiment of the sieve arrangement 201 according to FIGS. 6 to 8, the suction sieve 217 has an annular passage opening 222 which is interrupted by webs 218. A water guiding element 224 is inserted in the center of the passage opening 222, the outer jacket 226 of which has an arcuate cross-sectional profile. The hollow inside of the water guide member 224 forms a mixing chamber 230 for the air entering through air access slots 261 arranged on the circumference of the housing 203 with the water brought through the passage opening 222 before it reaches the pressure screen 219.

The outlet sieve 305 of the sieve arrangement 301 shown in FIG. 9 has annular channels 332, the height H of which, in relation to the width B, is approximately 2: 1 to 4: 1. The annular channels 332 are formed by concentrically arranged annular webs 334 of small width, which are supported by a number of radially extending bridges (not shown).

In FIG. 10, the outlet sieve 405 is made from two or more narrow-mesh plastic fabrics 477 lying one above the other. The plastic fabrics 477, also called gauzes, preferably have a mesh size of 0.35 to 0.50 mm and are in the form of punched-out rondelles or hot-cut rondelles. The plastic fabric 477 lying at the bottom preferably has a larger passage cross section than the ones above it; this can be 1 mm, for example. The rondelles made of plastic fabric 477 can be assembled by placing them on the annular edge surface 479 of the sieve 405 and clamping them by means of a clamping ring 481. The clamping ring 481 preferably has a circumferential rib 482 on its underside, which lies opposite a correspondingly arranged groove 483 in the annular surface 479 and keeps the plastic fabric 477 slightly stretched when pressed in. The clamping ring 481 is held on the outlet screen 405 by a circumferential bead 485. In the embodiment of the invention according to FIG. 11, the edges of the plastic fabric 477 cut out as rondelles are injected individually or directly one above the other into a plastic retaining ring 487. The plastic fabrics 477 arranged one above the other, held by the holding ring 487, are pressed as a whole into the holding ring 487 of the sieve 405.

In the embodiments according to FIGS. 9 and 10, the plastic fabrics 477 can also be used

Ultrasonic welding can be directly welded to the 405 screen or indirectly to the 487 retaining ring. Only the retaining ring 487 with ultrasonic welding can also be welded to the sieve 405.

If the gauzes are arranged at a greater mutual distance, the sieves are constructed as shown in FIGS. 1, 4, 5 and 8.

Claims

claims

1. Sieve arrangement for producing a sparkling water jet, with a housing and a plurality of sieves inserted coaxially one above the other on the outlet side, characterized in that at least the outlet-side sieves (5, 105, 305, 405) consist of a plurality of rondelles arranged one above the other and made of fine plastic fabric (477) exists, which are held along their edges in the housing (403).

2. Screen arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the rondelle-shaped plastic fabric (477) individually clamped in retaining rings (487) and arranged at a mutual distance, or in that several plastic fabrics (477) lying directly one above the other in a common retaining ring (487) clamped in the housing ( 403) are used.

3. Screen arrangement according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the plastic fabric (477) have a mesh size of 0.35 to 0.50 mm.

4. Sieve arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 3 with a device for limiting the flow rate, characterized in that the housing (3,103,203,303) is provided on the inflow side by an aperture (7) with an annular inlet opening (31) that under the aperture (7 ) an annular channel (14) is formed and is intended to receive a rubber ring (13) with axial and radial play.

5. Screen arrangement according to claim 4, characterized in that the diaphragm (7) has an outer ring (9) and a web (27) connected to the outer ring (9) and from this through the inlet opening (31) spaced inner part (11) and / or that the inner circumferential surface (33) of the outer ring (9) is cylindrical or conical and that the outer circumferential surface (35) of the inner part (11) is conically narrowing and undulating towards the inside of the housing (3).

6. Screen arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that the channel (14) is delimited at the top by the outer ring (9) of the diaphragm (7) and at the bottom by an annular throttle ring (15) having a stepped bore.

7. Sieve arrangement according to claim 6, characterized in that the throttle ring (15) in the housing (3) is kept inserted and in the uppermost step-shaped section (23) carries the diaphragm (7).

8. Sieve arrangement according to one of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that in the lateral surface of the throttle ring (15) one or more channels (47) for passing air from slots (61) let in in the housing (3) to the space (59) are arranged under the throttle ring (15).

9. Screen arrangement according to one of claims 4 to 8, characterized in that below the throttle ring (15), a suction strainer (17.217) with a is inserted inclined to the centrally attached sieve part (55) extending retaining ring (53) and that the sieve part (55) is coaxial with the central bore in the throttle ring (15) and has essentially the same diameter as the bore at its narrowest point.

10. A sieve arrangement according to claim 9, characterized in that a pressure sieve (19) with an annular sieve surface is inserted below the suction sieve (17,217) and that the outlet sieve (5,305) at the bottom, which forms the outflow side, has larger passage openings than the suction sieve (17,217 above it) ) and the pressure screen (15).

11. Sieve arrangement according to one of claims 4 to 19, characterized in that below the throttle ring (115) a conical suction strainer (117) and underneath a conical spring-loaded membrane (118) to rest against the suction strainer (117) in the housing ( 103) is used and / or that the membrane (118) is supported with feet (120) on a conical, resilient pearl screen (121).

12. Sieve arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the suction sieve (217) has a concentrically arranged water guide element (224), around the outer jacket (226) of the inflowing water in an arc shape into a mixing space formed under the water guide element (224) (230) and mixed there with air.