WO2009098569A1

WO2009098569A1 - Variable composition faucet

Info

Publication number: WO2009098569A1
Application number: PCT/IB2009/000189
Authority: WO
Inventors: Daniel Mauduit
Original assignee: Dlm International
Priority date: 2008-02-04
Filing date: 2009-02-04
Publication date: 2009-08-13
Also published as: FR2927098A1; EP2240714A1

Abstract

The faucet according to the invention comprises a faucet body (1), a housing (2) which includes in part a flow line (3) and which is fitted over the faucet body to form a cap therefor, a means for feeding water to said flow line also including a water circulation area (4) delimited respectively by the periphery of the faucet body (1), by the inner wall of the housing (2), and by a set of sealing joints (6a, 6b), a mechanism for dispensing water and modulating the flow and/or the temperature of said water, a control means (5) for said mechanism snap-fitted at the upper end of the faucet body, connected to the upper end of said mechanism.

Description

VARIABLE COMPOSITION TAP

The present invention relates to the field of plumbing in general. It relates more particularly to a valve intended to equip including a water distribution station. Such a valve conventionally comprises a valve body connected to a general water supply pipe, a spout of water, means for conveying water through the valve body from said general supply pipe up to said spill nozzle, and control means of a mechanism allowing or not the distribution of water by the tap and to modulate the flow of the distributed water and / or, in some cases, the temperature of this water. These control means may be in various forms, for example a handle, a lever mounted on a ball joint; rotary buttons, push buttons, etc. It should be noted that what will be designated in the following "general water supply pipe" any device for conveying water to the distribution station, this device comprises one or more conduits (hot water, cold water, for example).

Such a valve is conventionally fixed on a wall of the distribution station, whether it is a horizontal wall such as, by way of non-limiting example, a part of the plan of a sink or a sink, or that it is a vertical wall such as, non-exhaustively, a shower partition.

Most often, in order to confer a particular aesthetic to these faucets, the body, the spout, and the control means are covered with various decorative coatings and / or have specific conformations. In general, when the desired final design for the faucet varies, the shapes of all or part of the various constituents thereof are caused to vary also, which can increase the costs of producing a range of products. European patent application EP-A1-1 046 846 discloses a mixing valve comprising a housing which fits over the body of the valve so as to form a cap thereof. It also includes a control handle of the dispensing and flow control mechanism and / or the water temperature. This document claims to provide better aesthetics and ease of construction of the valve but does not address the connections between the valve elements and how to disassemble, especially for the control handle.

A disadvantage of the valves of the prior art is not to allow easy disassembly of the outer portion of the valve covering the body of the valve and the control handle. However, it is necessary to be able to easily dismount / remount the external parts of the tap to be able to clean them and also to access the external surface of the internal parts and jointing areas with the outside at which bacteria, microbes and others are housed. dirt when using the faucet. This complete cleaning is all the more important in the case of communities (hospitals, schools, public toilets, etc.) that a large number of people handle the tap during the day. The risks of spreading diseases through contamination when touching the tap and also by contamination of the water passing through the tap are further increased.

The invention aims to solve the problems of cleanliness and ease of cleaning faucets while allowing to propose faucets attractive design and easy to change if necessary. It proposes a faucet with greater ease of assembly / disassembly including external parts of the faucet. Secondarily, it proposes a valve having a greater tightness to the sources of contamination / pollution of the body (internal) of the faucet, in particular when the external elements are removed during the cleaning or other reason. For this purpose, the invention provides the insertion by fitting, around a valve body, a housing including at least a portion of the valve spout, this housing forming a cap of said valve body, s extending preferably to the wall on which the faucet is fixed, the control handle of the dispersing / modulating mechanism of the water flow can be fixed and disassembled by clipping and preferably also the body of said tap can be clipped to its support.

More specifically, the invention proposes a valve intended to equip a water distribution station, comprising in particular:

- a valve body,

- a spill,

means for conveying water towards said spill nozzle, comprising a circulation zone delimited respectively by the periphery of said valve body, by the inner wall of a casing including at least in part said spout; pouring and fitting on said valve body so as to form a cap thereof, and by a set of seals,

a mechanism for distributing water and for modulating the flow rate and / or the temperature of this water,

control means of said mechanism,

and such that said control means is clipped onto the upper end end of the valve body, in connection with the upper end of said water dispensing mechanism.

This connection between the control means and the water distribution mechanism can be direct or indirect if there are other parts or element located between them, as described below. The control means can be snapped (clipped) directly on the upper end of the water distribution mechanism or on an intermediate piece.

More particularly, the joints mentioned above comprise at least one seal ensuring the sealing of the water circulation zone with respect to the wall on which the valve is fixed, as well as at least one seal ensuring the sealing of this water circulation zone with regard to the control means of the mechanism allowing or not the distribution of water by the tap and the modulation of the flow rate and / or the temperature of this water.

The invention thus makes it possible, for a given valve body and, for example, standardized for a type of valve, in particular a mixer tap, to simply and quickly change the appearance, or even the external shape of the valve by a simple replacement of the housing. and to be able to disassemble it easily to clean it, then to reassemble it as easily, parts of the tap being unclipped / reclipsant. This results in both a great flexibility of design for the faucet, as well as a significant reduction in costs for the realization of a range of products having in common for example the body of the faucet, while having a convenience and efficiency cleaning this faucet.

This arrangement according to the invention makes it possible, by the simple removal of the casing and the control means, to have easy access to the external part of the valve body and to the wall intended to receive it in order to ensure complete and fast cleaning.

Preferably the valve body is fixed by clipping on the base that receives it. This base has a rising shape such as an insert in the form of a rising collar, or a hole surrounded by a rising portion arranged for example in the wall of the sanitary (washbasin for example) or the worktop that accommodates said valve. The clipping of the valve body is strong enough that the valve body remains fixed, is not driven when the control means are turned to open, adjust the flow and / or temperature of the water, or more generally when handling tap. Preferably the clipping means of said valve body comprises means having a conformation such that they expand and thus exert sufficient pressure on the inner periphery of the base in which they are inserted so as not to easily unclip. Preferably these means are such that it is necessary to exert a manual pressure to constrain their expansion and tighten and allow their unclipping. Such means may be for example a set of slats as described below.

The fact that the base of the valve body is inserted into a base (upward) itself covered by the housing allows to have more cleanliness because the tap base is not directly affected by soiling. When removing the housing, simply clean the outside of this base.

This makes it possible to eliminate more easily than with conventional faucets any traces of dirt or contamination that could be retained at the interface between the valve housing and the wall that receives it, and between the housing and the body of the faucet.

Moreover, the fact that the valve body is fastened by clipping allows it to be removed, for example if it is desired to clean or repair the valve, without having to undo the water supply hoses; the faucet body is unclipped and pulled with the hoses.

Advantageously, but without limitation, the joints mentioned above are O-rings made of an elastomeric material or a material having mechanical and thermal properties compatible with its implementation for such an application.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the seals are placed in grooves formed at the periphery of the valve body according to the invention.

According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, these seals are placed in grooves formed in the inner wall of the valve housing according to the invention.

According to other alternative embodiments of the invention, these seals can be simply glued or reported by any other suitable means on the outer wall of the valve body or on the inner wall of the housing.

According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the aforementioned water circulation zone comprises a groove formed in the periphery of the valve body. This then makes it possible to increase the size of the volume in which the water circulates without changing the dimensions of the housing or the valve body, which allows more flexibility in the modulation of the flow delivered by the valve according to the invention. Indeed, an orifice pierced in the valve body connected to the general supply pipe in water typically communicates with the spout. In the case where the latter may be caused to move in rotation around a longitudinal axis of the valve (for example the axis of a substantially cylindrical valve body), this orifice may not be directly in front of the nozzle spill. the throat evoked above then finds all its interest to promote the delivery of water to the spout.

Thus, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention in which the valve is a valve with a single control means, in particular handle, the housing can advantageously be drilled at the end of its upper part opposite its part. closest to the wall on which the valve is fixed, an orifice adapted to receive a connecting element between the valve body and the operating handle. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention in this case, the valve body can thus comprise in its upper part a lug on which fits a complementary hollow portion of the operating handle, the connection between the latter and the housing being made for example by sliding a skirt of the operating handle concentric to said hollow portion on the outer face of the upper part of the housing, as will be detailed below.

According to another particular feature of the invention, the housing mentioned above can also be fixed by clipping on the body of said valve or on the base or wall which accommodates said valve body.

Where appropriate the housing may comprise means for fixing, preferably by clipping, the valve on the wall which receives it.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the valve body comprises a sealing piece opening into the upper opening of the housing and / or the orifice located at the upper part of the valve body in correspondence with this upper opening of the housing. , so as to close said opening and / or said orifice, and preferably fastened by clipping on the upper end of said water distribution mechanism. This part avoids penetrating dirt and touching the inside of the valve body especially when the housing is removed to clean the outer parts of the valve body. Preferably said sealing member has an asymmetric shape, its rear face, with respect to the spout, being shorter than its front face, to allow its displacement around the central axis of the valve body. According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the control means of the water distribution mechanism are fixed by clipping on said sealing piece.

According to another particular embodiment of the invention, the spout is in two parts, the end portion of the spout being fixed, by clipping, to the starting portion of said spout integrated in the valve housing.

The valve proposed by the invention has an additional advantage, insofar as it allows incorporation into the valve body of a possible distributed water treatment device. By way of non-exhaustive example, this device may be a distributed water filtration cartridge (filtration cartridge which is conventionally integrated at the end of the spout in the taps known by the state of the art), or a cartridge comprising water disinfection products, or a magnetic stirring device molecular or polarization to reduce the accumulation of limescale in the valve body. For the sake of clarity, the invention will be described in the following in its embodiment in which the treatment device is a filter cartridge of the distributed water.

According to one of its features, the invention provides that the valve body connected to the general water supply pipe advantageously comprises a peripheral recess in which opens, through a transfer orifice, the general water supply pipe tap. It should be noted here that if the general water supply device of the tap respectively comprises a cold water supply duct and a hot water supply duct, these ducts can open into two separate orifices or a single orifice in the recess described above depending on whether the hot water / cold water mixture is effected upstream or downstream of the filtration zone in the direction of water flow. In the recess peripheral also opens, through a return port in the valve body, a connecting conduit with the previously described means that allow the water to be conveyed to the spout.

The invention then provides for placing, in the peripheral recess mentioned above, a cartridge holder whose shape and dimensions correspond to the shape and dimensions of the volume evolved by this recess, the cartridge holder forming at least one receiving cavity for a cartridge of a material capable of filtering the distributed water. It should be noted that in the case where the general water supply pipe of the tap comprises respectively a cold water supply pipe and a hot water supply pipe and where the hot water / cold water mixture is produced in downstream of the filtration zone in the direction of the flow of water, the invention advantageously provides that the cartridge holder forms two separate cavities each suitable for receiving a filter cartridge.

In order to achieve the flow of water within each of the filter cartridges, they comprise at least one inlet and one outlet orifice, advantageously provided with seals. The cartridge inlet port is connected to the tap water supply conduit through the previously mentioned transfer port, and the cartridge outlet port is connected to the water conveying means, in the faucet, up to the spout, thanks to the return port described previously.

The invention then makes it possible, by a simple removal of the housing, to access the filter cartridges to control and / or replace them.

This arrangement allows, on the one hand, the use of larger cartridges than commonly used cartridges, which allows, by increasing the specific filtration area, to reduce the frequency of replacement of these cartridges. This allows, moreover, a standardization of the dimensions and shapes of the cartridges, since these then depend only on the dimensions of the valve body, the latter being able to be itself standardized thanks to the invention as it has been mentioned above. Finally, with such a configuration, the introduction of the filter cartridges and access to them are facilitated since it suffices to remove the housing mentioned above to clear access to the entire valve body. The invention also relates to a sanitary installation comprising a valve, which is characterized in that it comprises a valve provided with a housing and a valve body as described above, the base of the body of said valve being fixed by clipping in a rising base and the casing covering all this base. Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge on reading the following description, illustrated, in a nonlimiting manner, by:

- Figure 1, which is a sectional view, along a longitudinal plane of the invention applied to a single handle mixer tap, - Figure 2, which is a schematic perspective view of a semi-exploded faucet according to the invention mounted on a wall,

FIG. 3, which is a view from below of a clipping control handle according to the invention in connection with FIG. 2,

FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C are diagrammatic perspective views respectively of the body of a valve according to the invention in the case where it is equipped with filter cartridges, a cartridge-carrying element, and a filter cartridge adapted to the tap according to the invention, and

- Figure 5, which is an exploded view of a complete valve comprising a filter cartridge and an inner sealing member.

Referring to the various figures, a valve according to the invention, designated under the general reference R, is composed of a valve body 1, preferably but not exclusively of generally cylindrical general shape, a casing 2, a spout 3, means for conveying the water to the outlet spout 3, and means 5 for controlling the distribution / modulation mechanism of the water flow rate and / or the temperature of the water. More specifically, these control means 5, which are conventionally presented for example in the form of an operating handle, possibly a lever mounted on a ball joint, rotary knobs or push buttons, can control the mechanism that allows or not the distribution of water by the tap R, and which allows to modulate the flow rate and / or the temperature of the distributed water.

The valve body 1 is connected, by means not detailed in the figures, to a general water supply pipe not shown in the figures. As mentioned above, this pipe may include one or more conduits, for example depending on whether the valve dispenses only cold water or can dispense a mixture of cold water and hot water.

As shown in the figures, the casing 2 is fitted on the valve body so as to cap it, preferably all the way up to the base of the base or the wall P of the distribution station intended to receive tap. The spout 3 is integrated in the housing 2, which thus gives the valve according to the invention its outer shape and aesthetics. It is clear here that a simple replacement of this housing makes it possible, for a given valve body 1, to significantly modulate the final appearance of the valve, and this, at a lower cost, the casing 2 being advantageously designed, non-limiting example, in a polymeric material coated with a decoration such as a metallization, a paint, a varnish, or any other type of decorative layer. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the base of the body of the valve 1 can snap into a base having a rising shape, reported as an insert or made in the wall P of the sanitary or worktop hosting the valve. As explained above, the clipping of the valve body is strong enough that the valve body remains fixed. Preferably the clipping means of said valve body comprise means, for example in the form of a set of slats (see FIG. 5), which exert a sufficient pressure on the inner periphery of the base in which they are inserted so as to not be easily unclipped. The invention therefore makes it possible, from the same valve body 1, to decline in a simple and inexpensive way a whole range of valves with various forms and decorations, and at the same time it offers, by the presence of the casing 2 , the valve body 1 and control means 5 which are unclip, the possibility of simply performing a complete cleaning of the docking wall P of the valve, as well as the wall of the valve body 1 and, also to consider a specific cleaning, for example followed by sterilization, of the casing 2 which comprises the spout 3. According to one characteristic of the invention, the means which make it possible to convey the water to the outlet spout 3 comprise a zone 4 for circulation of water at the periphery of the valve body 1. This circulation zone, which communicates clearly with the spout 3 to allow water to be conveyed to the latter, is also delimited by the inner wall 20 of the housing 2, and by seals 6a and 6b whose functions will be detailed below, and thus forms a volume in which the water flows to the outlet spout 3. It is conventionally connected by suitable means for the elements that connect the valve body to the general water supply pipe (usually by a single orifice).

The seals mentioned above comprise at least one gasket (gasket 6a) intended to isolate the circulation zone 4 from the control means 5 mentioned above, and at least one gasket (gasket 6b) intended to isolate the gas zone. circulation 4 of the wall P on which the valve is fixed. These seals are O-rings advantageously made of an elastomeric material.

According to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the seals 6a and 6b are inserted in appropriate grooves provided for this purpose at the periphery of the valve body 1.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, not shown in the figures, these seals are advantageously inserted into appropriate grooves formed in the inner wall of the casing 2. In addition to the simplification of assembly that may result, such an arrangement allows to obtain an even greater configuration flexibility for the valve according to the invention. Indeed, in particular for valves controlled by a single control means, such as a handle, altering the respective locations of the seals in the housing can then significantly increase the various possibilities that are available for the implantation spout relatively to the valve body, while maintaining the same said valve body. Such a configuration also offers an additional advantage in that it allows cleaning and possible concomitant sterilization of the housing and seals while leaving the outer wall of the smooth tap body for simplified cleaning.

It should be noted that according to alternative embodiments of the invention, as mentioned above, the seals 6a and 6b can also be glued or fixed by any other suitable means on the outer wall of the valve body or on the inner wall of the housing.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, presented more specifically in FIG. 1, the circulation zone 4 comprises a groove 41 formed at the periphery of the valve body 1. The presence of this groove makes it possible to increase the volume of the the circulation zone 4, and therefore the amount of water circulating within it. This allows, especially in the case where the spout is rotatable relative to the valve body 1 (particularly when the latter has a substantially cylindrical shape), to obtain greater flexibility in the modulation of the flow delivered by 3. Indeed, in this case, the valve body and spout may be in relative positions in which the orifice where the water passes is no longer in front of said spout. The groove 41 then makes it possible to maintain a constant flow regardless of the relative positions of the valve body and the spout.

According to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 1, in which the valve body 1 is of substantially cylindrical shape, the groove 41 is annular, it can also be helical or take any other shape, whatever the shape of the valve body 1, its function is more generally to promote the delivery of water to spout 3, regardless of the position of the latter relative to the water circulation zone 4 and the valve body 1.

Thus, in the case where the valve according to the invention is a valve with a single control means such as a mixer tap controlled by an operating handle according to Figure 1, the housing 2 comprises, in its upper end, an orifice 21 , preferably axially when the valve body is of substantially cylindrical shape, and the control handle 5 advantageously comprises a hollow portion 50 adapted to be inserted through this orifice to be nested by clipping on a lug 7 located in the upper end portion of the valve body and connected by a hinge not shown in the figures to the control mechanism and modulation of the water distribution by the valve.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the operating handle 5 here also comprises a skirt 51 concentric with the hollow portion 50, and adapted to be, by way of non-limiting example, fixed by clipping and articulated on a complementary lip concentric with the orifice 21 and made on the outer wall of the casing 2. According to a preferred alternative embodiment, illustrated in Figure 1, the skirt 51 has an inner shape complementary to the outer shape of the casing 2 in its upper end portion, and is fixed only to the lug 7, the skirt 51 simply sliding on the outer wall of the housing 2 when the handle 5 is operated. It is also conceivable, according to other alternative embodiments of the invention, that part of the operating handle is made in a single block with the housing 2, and that another part of said handle, connected to the casing 2 by means allowing it to maintain the degrees of freedom necessary for the proper functioning of the valve, is fixed by clipping on the lug 7.

According to Figure 2, the valve according to the invention is a mixing valve controlled by a control handle 5 fixed by clipping on the lug 7 of the upper end portion of the valve body 1 in connection with the water distribution mechanism . According to Figure 3, the control handle 5 has a hollow portion 50 adapted to snap on the lug 7 or a similar element internal valve.

It should be noted that, according to an alternative embodiment in the case for example where the valve R is a single handle mixer tap, the handle 5 can be formed in a piece connected to the housing 2 so as to maintain the degrees of freedom necessary for the operation of the valve and adapted to cooperate with the aforementioned pin 7. More specifically, it can be envisaged that the handle 5 comprises a peripheral groove through which it is inserted into the orifice 21 mentioned above while maintaining the possibility of rotation and angular orientation relative to the axis of the valve body, the handle 5 snapping on the lug 7 and / or in the orifice 21.

The invention also makes it possible, as shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C, to simplify and standardize the setting up of any distributed water treatment devices (filter cartridges, cartridges containing a predefined product, by example a disinfectant, magnetic stirring device and / or polarization to limit the accumulation of limestone, etc ...). These figures illustrate the case, preferential but not exclusive, wherein the valve body 1 is substantially cylindrical in shape and wherein the water treatment device is a set of filter cartridges. For clarity in what follows, will be designated by "lower" and "upper" the positions of the various elements when the valve body is placed substantially vertically, and the invention will be described for this configuration, without it being limiting.

The general water supply pipe of the valve 1, which here comprises two ducts 8, is connected by appropriate means not shown in the figures to the valve body 1 and is extended within it by a set of ducts. routing.

According to a feature of the invention applied to a valve having a water treatment device such as a set of filter cartridges, a recess 9 is formed in the valve body 1 (see Figure 4A). According to the embodiment illustrated by the figures, this recess releases a connecting pillar 10 between the lower part of the valve body, connected to the general water supply pipe, and the upper part of said valve, which comprises the specific means mentioned above such as the circulation zone 4 for conveying water to the spout 3.

According to the embodiment of the invention illustrated by the figures, the water circulation pillar comprises respectively a transfer orifice 11 and a return orifice 12. The transfer orifice 11 communicates the general supply ducts. in water with the recess 9, and the return port 12 communicates this recess 9 with the water conveying means in the upper part of the valve body to the spout 3. Advantageously, the orifices 11 and 12 are placed one above the other when the valve according to the invention is in a vertical position fed by its lower part. They advantageously comprise, to. their periphery, a countersunk not detailed in the figures and whose role will be specified later.

According to another characteristic of the invention, a cartridge holder 13 (see FIG. 4B) whose shape and dimensions correspond to the shapes and dimensions of the volume of the recess 9 is inserted in the latter. The cartridge holder 13 thus fills exactly the volume evicted by the recess 9. The cartridge holder 13 comprises at least one receiving cavity 14 of a treatment cartridge 15, here a filter cartridge (see FIGS. 4B and 4C). . According to the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the filter cartridge 15 comprises an inlet orifice 150 and an outlet orifice 151. These orifices are advantageously placed in such a way that, once the filter cartridge has been put in place in the carrier, cartridges and the latter inserted in the recess 9, there is coincidence respectively between the inlet port 150 and the transfer port 11 and between the outlet orifice 151 and the return orifice 12. Thus the circuit of water within the valve body 1 and the cartridge holder 13 is as follows: the water circulating in the conduit 8 and then in the water circulation pillar 10 leaves the latter through the orifice 11 and enters into the filter cartridge 15 through the orifice 150. Once filtered, it leaves the filter cartridge through the orifice 151 and enters then in the upper part of the valve body which comprises the specific means mentioned above which allow the water to be conveyed to the spout.

Advantageously, and in order to avoid any leakage, the orifices 11 and 12, as mentioned above, as well as the orifices 150 and 151 comprise, at their periphery, each a reception counterbore (not shown in FIGS. figures) of a seal (not shown in the figures). Once the filter cartridge placed in the cartridge holder and the latter inserted into the recess of the valve body, these seals are then put into compression, put into compression which is completed by the establishment, around of the valve body 1, the casing 2 previously described.

This results in easier access to the filter cartridges, and thus simplified control and replacement. Similarly, such a configuration allows the use of filter cartridges of larger dimensions than conventional cartridges, which are commonly placed at the end of spout 3. Larger cartridges with a specific filtration surface more high, it then results in increased life for these cartridges, and a reduction in their replacement frequency.

Finally, such an arrangement allows for an increased standardization of these filter cartridges, the shape of which, in particular, thus becomes independent of the shape of the spout, to be related only to the shape and dimensions of the valve body, which can itself be standardized as has been mentioned above thanks to the invention.

It should be noted that, according to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the return orifice 12 of the aforementioned valve body may be formed on the lower face of the upper part of the latter connected to the specific means described herein. document for conveying water to the spill. According to this same embodiment, the water outlet orifice 151 of the filter cartridge is then obviously placed on the latter so as to coincide with the aforementioned orifice 12. It should also be noted that, in the absence of any cartridge 15, the cartridge holder 13 alone can accommodate, for example, a device employing a set of illuminating infrared lamps, by a through-orifice 16 formed axially for this purpose in FIG. lower part of the valve body, the water flowing in the recess 9 to disinfect it.

By extension, the orifice 16 cited above, associated with a through hole 17 corresponding advantageously formed in the cartridge 15, can allow a visual control of all of the latter. It goes without saying that if the valve according to the invention is equipped with two separate filter cartridges, two orifices 16 will be formed in the valve body to visualize each of them. Thus, the invention then makes it possible, when the used treatment cartridge is made of a material whose visual appearance (for example the color) changes as and when its saturation, to visually control the performance thereof by a simple illumination from below it.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a complete faucet comprising:

a casing 2, with a discharge spout 3 here in two parts, a starting portion 31 being integrated in the casing 2 and an end portion 32 being separated and connected to the portion 31 by clipping, the elements 34 and 35 being coverings clips and the piece 33 being a seal,

a valve body composed of an upper element 19, provided with an orifice 191, matching the upper shape of the casing 2, with a washer

23, a filter cartridge 15, an adapter 20, various seals 21, 22, a cartridge holder 13,

and a rising base E in which the body of the valve is inserted, more particularly the clipping lamellae 24, the base being fixed on a nut 26 with a seal 25.

In this FIG. 5, there is also shown a sealing piece 18 which makes it possible to close the upper part of the valve body and to avoid in particular that the interior of the valve body is dirty / polluted when cleaning the outside of the valve body (the housing being removed).

Here the piece 18 has a rounded upper shape adapted to fit under the pierced upper member 19 of the body of the tap which itself adapts to the upper part of the casing 2, an upper square end portion 181 passing through the upper part of the casing 2. 191 of the element 19, the control handle 5 clipping on this portion 181.

This part 181 fits itself by snapping

(clipping) on the lug 7 of the upper body of the valve and allows the connection between the control handle 5 and the mechanism that allows the distribution of water and modulation of flow and / or water temperature.

The piece 18 has a shape in its lower part slightly flared and asymmetrical, which allows this piece to rotate, follow the movement of the control handle 5, usually the control handle being pushed upward to run the water (to allow the water outlet) and higher or lower to adjust the water flow, and turn to the right or left to adjust the water temperature. In order to raise the handle 5, the piece 18 is shorter at the rear, with respect to the front, the back and the front being considered with respect to the rear and the front of the valve in place respectively. (The front of the tap is usually the side where the spout is located).

The respective scale between the various components shown in the figures is not respected for the sake of clarity of the drawings.

It should be noted that the invention can not be limited to the means described. In particular, the particular conformations of the filter cartridges and cartridge holder described above are given for information only and the number and the arrangement, within the cartridge holder 13, of the cartridges 15 (filter cartridges or delivery cartridges). other products), can not be limited to the number and arrangement described. The same goes for the locations and conformations including transfer and return ports 11 and 12 of the body of valve, the only requirement being that they coincide respectively with the outlet and inlet ports 151 and 150 of the cartridge holder 13 when the latter is placed in the recess 9.

Moreover, it is obvious that the presence of the internal sealing member 18 can not be limited to a valve comprising a water treatment device.

Furthermore the invention is described more specifically for a valve positioned on a horizontal wall, however the invention may also be suitable for a tap fixed on a vertical wall.

Claims

1. Faucet for equipping a water supply station, comprising in particular:

- a valve body (1), a discharge spout (3), - means for conveying water to said discharge spout, comprising a water circulation zone (4) delimited respectively by the periphery said valve body (1), through the inner wall (20) of a housing (2) including at least in part said spout and nested on said valve body so as to form a cap thereof, and by a set of seals (6a, 6b),

- Means (5) for controlling said mechanism, characterized in that said control means (5) are fastened by clipping to the upper end of the valve body, in connection with the upper end of said dispensing mechanism. water and modulation of flow and / or water temperature.

2. Tap according to claim 1, characterized in that the valve body (1) comprises clipping fastening means (24) inserted into a base (E) having a rising form.

3. Valve according to either of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said water circulation zone comprises a groove (41) formed at the periphery of the valve body (1) and intended to promote the delivery of water to the spout (3).

4. Tap according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the housing (2) forms a cap of the body of valve (1) and covers a base (E) having a rising shape in which is fixed the valve body (1) and extends to the wall (P) accommodating said valve.

5. Valve according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said seals (6a, 6b) are reported on the periphery of the valve body (1).

6. Tap according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said seals (6a, 6b) are attached to the inner wall of the housing (2).

7. Tap according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it comprises a sealing member (18) opening into the upper opening (21) of the housing (2) and / or the orifice ( 191) located at the upper end of the valve body in correspondence with this opening (21), so as to close said opening (21) and / or said orifice (191), said part (18) being preferably fixed by clipping on the upper end of said water dispensing mechanism.

8. Tap according to claim 7, characterized in that said sealing member (18) has an asymmetrical shape, its rear face, with respect to the spout, being shorter than its front face, allowing its movement around the central axis of the valve body (1).

9. Tap according to one of claims 7 or 8, characterized in that the control means (5) are fixed by clipping on said sealing member (18).

10. Valve according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that a recess (9) is formed in the body of valve (1) and that a cartridge holder (13) which has at least one receiving cavity (14) of a water treatment device and whose shapes and dimensions correspond to the shapes and dimensions of said recess (9) is inserted in the latter.

11. A valve according to claim 10, characterized in that the treatment device comprises at least one cartridge (15) which comprises at least one inlet orifice (150) and an outlet orifice (151) coinciding respectively, when said cartridge (15) is inserted in the cartridge holder (13) and that it is inserted into the recess (9), with a transfer port (11) of the valve body (1) and a return port (12) of said valve body, said transfer and return ports opening into the recess (9), to form, within the valve, a water circulation circuit from the general supply pipe to the means to the spill.

12. Tap according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that said valve is a valve with a single control means, in particular a mixing valve comprising a control handle (5) of the water distribution mechanism and modulating the flow rate and / or the temperature of this water.

13. Sanitary installation comprising a tap, characterized in that it comprises a valve provided with a housing (2) and a valve body (1) as described in one of claims 2 to 12, the base of the body of said valve (1) being clipped in a rising base (E) and the casing (2) covering the entire base (E).