WO2018130891A1

WO2018130891A1 - Protecting device of a cartridge for mixer taps

Info

Publication number: WO2018130891A1
Application number: PCT/IB2017/058052
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giancarlo ORIBONI
Original assignee: Galatron Plast S.P.A.
Priority date: 2017-01-12
Filing date: 2017-12-18
Publication date: 2018-07-19

Abstract

A protecting device (3) to protect a cartridge (1) for mixer taps, comprising a housing (9) for an actuating lever (8) of a mixer tap, an inner groove (6) adapted to house inner sealing means (10) between the actuating lever (8) of the mixer tap and the protecting device (3) itself and an outer groove (7) adapted to house outer sealing means (11) between the protecting device (3) itself and a main body (2) of a cartridge (1) is described, wherein said protecting device (3) is made of thermoplastic material reinforced with glass and said thermoplastic material comprises at least one polyamide. A cartridge (1) for mixer taps comprising such a protecting device (3) and a mixer tap comprising such a cartridge (1) or such a protecting device (3) are further described.

Description

Protecting device of a cartridge for mixer taps

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DESCRIPTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a protecting device of a cartridge for mixer taps, a cartridge containing such a device and a mixer tap containing such a cartridge.

In particular, the present invention is related to a protecting device to protect a cartridge for mixer taps for plumbing systems for domestic, public or industrial uses.

State of the Art

Mixer taps are hydraulic devices provided with an inner cartridge able to mix a hot water flow with a cold water flow and to provide an outlet fluid with desired flow rate and temperature, by moving a lever, named control or actuating lever.

For the correct functioning of the lever providing some clearance between the lever and the body of the mixer tap is needed, however such a clearance allows impurities and other undesired substances to penetrate the cartridge, with consequent considerable drawbacks. For example, the penetration of detergents inside the cartridge causes irreversible damages to the cartridge itself, which thus must be replaced. In particular, detergents used in public services and industries, in order to be able to guarantee the desired level of hygiene, must be extremely aggressive and thus they are particularly critical for such cartridges.

In industrial uses, it is further possible that contaminated water penetrates the cartridge with the consequent need to be replaced, after a short period of use.

In order to avoid such drawbacks, Patent EP2489792 describes the use of a deformable capsule interposed between the lever and the body of the cartridge. However, this type of solutions has the drawback to have low mechanical resistance to wear, because of the continuous stresses the capsule is subjected to during the use, and thus they shortly prolong the life of the cartridge.

Furthermore, they are not resistant to detergent aggressions.

A further drawback related to solutions of this type is that they require long production time of the cartridge, as it is necessary to provide an additional step, i.e. the mounting of the capsule, that is a complex step.

A further solution proposed by some producers in the field, to solve the problem related to the entry of undesired substances in the cartridge, provides the use of a device that is inside the body of the cartridge and interposed between the lever and the body of the cartridge. It is provided with an O-ring for the sealing between the actuating lever and the device itself and with a gasket with x-section for the sealing between the device and the body of the cartridge. Such a solution hasn't the above-mentioned problem related to mechanical stresses, however it is chemically sensitive to common detergents used for the cleaning and thus is subject rapid wear and easy rupture.

Furthermore, it is costly as the gaskets with x-section are expensive and require particular precautions during the assembly.

Summary of the Invention

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a protecting device to protect a cartridge for mixer taps, a cartridge for mixer taps and a mixer tap, which are free from the above-mentioned drawbacks.

In particular, it is a first object of the present invention to provide a protecting device to protect a cartridge able to resist to mechanical wear and chemical aggressions and, consequently, a cartridge with high capabilities in terms of mechanical and chemical resistances.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cartridge cheap and rapid to be produced.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cartridge for mixer taps that is compatible with most of the mixer taps currently on the market and responding to reference regulations.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a mixer tap resistant to detergents and wear, which is rapid and cheap to be assembled.

These and further objects are achieved by a protecting device of a cartridge for mixer taps, a cartridge for mixer taps and a mixer tap as described respectively in claims 1 , 10 and 14.

In particular, such objects are achieved by a protecting device to protect a cartridge for mixer taps, comprising a housing for an actuating lever of a mixer tap, an inner groove adapted to house inner sealing means between the actuating lever of the mixer tap and the protecting device itself and an outer groove adapted to house outer sealing means between the protecting device itself and a main body of a cartridge, wherein said protecting device is made of thermoplastic material reinforced with glass, said thermoplastic material comprising at least one polyamide.

The combination of such characteristics lends good properties of resistance to wear and detergents to the device. Furthermore, the presence of glass reinforcement further increases the resistance of the device to mechanical stresses and thus to wear.

Furthermore, such a device is simple and rapid to be produced in addition to be compliant with regulations in force in many countries.

Preferably, the thermoplastic material mainly comprises polyamides and, even more preferably, such polyamides are semi-aromatic polyamides.

This lends particular properties of resistance to wear and detergents. In fact, semi-aromatic polyamides have good resistance to the chemical agents and good mechanical properties.

Preferably, the semi-aromatic polyamides are polyarylamides.

Even more preferably, said polyarylamides comprise poly-m- xylylenadipinamide.

The polyarylamides, in fact, are particularly suitable for their characteristics of chemical and mechanical resistances, in particular the Applicant found that by using poly-m-xylylenadipinamide (PA MXD6) it is possible to obtain particularly desired results.

Furthermore, polyarylamides are particularly stable regarding the dimensions, with consequent benefits for the production process point of view.

Preferably the thermoplastic material is reinforced with glass fibers or glass beads.

Advantageously, the percentage of glass fibers or glass beads is not lower than 10% by weight. Such a percentage allows good mechanical resistance with thicknesses and/or not-high dimensions to be obtained.

Even more preferably, the thermoplastic material comprises a percentage of glass fibers not lower than 30% by weight and, in the most preferred embodiment, it comprises a percentage of glass fibers equal to 50% by weight. Such a percentage is optimal with the above mentioned preferred materials in order to obtain joints with dimensions suitable the market needs, with the desired chemical and mechanical characteristics.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment, the inner groove and/or outer groove is/are adapted to house sealing means with circular section. This achieves higher automation of the production process of the cartridge on which it is applied and thus advantages from the production time and production cost points of view.

The protecting device is preferably obtained by molding, simply and economically.

According to a further aspect, the present invention relates to a cartridge for mixer taps which comprises a protecting device as described above.

Such a cartridge achieves the same advantages previously listed for the protecting device. Furthermore, it is simple to be assembled inside most of the mixer taps currently on the market, both during production and maintenance steps.

Preferably, the cartridge further comprises:

- a main body adapted to house the protecting device and mixing means to mix at least two fluids;

at least two inlets and at least one outlet for the respective inlet and outlet fluids; and

inner sealing means between the actuating lever of the mixer tap and the protecting device and outer sealing means between the protecting device and the main body.

A so-made cartridge, suitably dimensioned, is compatible with most of the mixer taps currently on the market.

Advantageously, said inner sealing means and/or said outer sealing means comprise gaskets with circular section. In fact, they are particularly simple to be assembled and particularly cheap, guaranteeing at the same time a sufficiently long service life.

Preferably, the inner sealing means and/or outer sealing means are made of nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR). Such a material, resistant to the chemical aggressions, lends particular resistance and good elastic recovery to the sealing means.

According with a third aspect, the present invention relates to a mixer tap comprising a protecting device and/or a cartridge as previously described and claimed below.

A mixer tap provided with a cartridge or a device as previously described, and as better detailed below, achieves long periods of use without the need of maintenance and thus a long service life.

Furthermore, a mixer tap provided with such a cartridge achieves a simple and cheap production process. In fact, it doesn't provide complex and long modifications of the assembly process with respect to the assembly process of a mixer tap not provided with the protecting device. In fact, it is sufficient to simply insert the protecting device into the body of the cartridge, without providing further modifications.

Furthermore, a mixer tap with such characteristics has the advantage of being compliant with the regulations in force in many countries. In the present context, the term "mainly" referred to the composition of the thermoplastic material means a percentage higher than 50% by weight. Brief List of the Figures

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will be better evident by examining the following specification of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of the protecting device, cartridge and mixer tap of the invention, which is illustrated for illustrative purposes and without limitation, with the aid of the attached drawings, wherein:

- figure 1 shows a schematic longitudinal section view of a cartridge comprising a protecting device, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

- figure 2 shows a partially exploded view of the cartridge of figure 1. Detailed description of the invention

The following detailed description relates to a protecting device for a cartridge for mixer taps, a cartridge for mixer taps and a mixer tap comprising such a cartridge.

In particular with reference to the figures, numeral 1 denotes overall a cartridge for sanitary mixer taps or more in general hydraulic mixer taps, according to the present invention.

The cartridge 1 comprises a main body 2 adapted to house a protecting device 3 and mixing means 12 to mix at least two fluids.

The cartridge 1 further comprises at least two inlets 4 (of which only one can be seen in figure 1 ) and at least one outlet 5 for the respective inlet and outlet fluids. Generally, the two inlet fluids are hot water and cold water and the outlet fluid is water at the desired temperature and flow rate, obtained by appropriately modulating an actuating lever 8 in a known way.

The cartridge 1 comprises a ring nut 13 placed above the main body 2, which is adapted to lock in place the protecting device 3.

The protecting device 3 is a substantially cylindrical hollow body comprising a housing 9 adapted to house at least partially the actuating lever 8 of a mixer tap. The protecting device 3 is telescopically interposed between the main body 2 and the actuating lever 8.

The protecting device 3 is provided with coupling means to mechanically couple with the actuating lever 8, which are adapted to make the protecting device integral to the rotation of the actuating lever 8.

In the preferred embodiment shown in the figures, such coupling means comprise two opposing holes 18 obtained on the side surface of the protecting device 3. During the assembly, such opposing holes 18 are positioned at two corresponding holes 20 of the actuating lever 8 so that a pin 19 can simultaneously be inserted through the two opposing holes 18 and the two corresponding holes 20 and can impede relative axial rotations between the protecting device 3 and the actuating lever 8. Therefore, the protecting device 3 is intended to rotate together with the actuating lever 8 around a longitudinal axis.

The corresponding holes 20 are preferably obtained in a pivot pin 21 of the actuating lever 8.

The protecting device 3 is provided with an inner groove 6 obtained in its inner surface and adapted to house inner sealing means 10, i.e. sealing means between the actuating lever 8 and the protecting device 3. The protecting device 3 is also provided with an outer groove 7 obtained in its outer surface and adapted to house outer sealing means 11 , i.e. sealing means to seal between the protecting device 3 itself and the main body 2 of the cartridge 1 .

The inner groove 6 and/or the outer groove 7 is/are preferably adapted to house sealing means with circular section.

According to the present invention, the protecting device 3 is made of thermoplastic material reinforced with glass and comprises at least one polyamide.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the thermoplastic material mainly comprises polyamides. In other words, the thermoplastic material comprises polyamides in amounts higher than 50% by weight. Preferably, the thermoplastic material is substantially completely constituted by polyamides.

Preferably the polyamides are of semi-aromatic type.

Such semi-aromatic polyamides are preferably polyarylamides, but they could be different semi-aromatic polyamides with analogous properties.

Preferably such polyarylamides comprise poly-m-xylylenadipinamide (PA MXD6), but they could comprise any polyarylamide with analogous properties, such as for example polyhexamethylene terephthalamide (PA6T).

Preferably the glass reinforcement of the thermoplastic material comprises glass fibers or glass beads. It is also possible to provide the simultaneous use of glass fibers and glass beads.

According to preferred embodiments of the invention, the percentage of the glass reinforcement is not lower than 10% by weight, even more preferably not lower than 30% by weight and in a particularly preferred embodiment such a percentage is equal to about 50% by weight.

In particular, the Applicant noticed that by making the protecting device 3 of polyarylamide with a percentage of glass fibers equal to 50% by weight, it is possible to achieve the desired chemical and mechanical characteristics with optimal dimensions.

In fact, such characteristics gives a protecting device 3 resistant to wear as time goes by, resistant to detergents and, in general, resistant to chemically aggressive substances, and which is well tolerating the torque given by the closing of the ring nut 13.

The thermoplastic polymer could also be provided with a mineral load, in order to lend particular properties to the joint, for example of aesthetic type, for specific applications.

The protecting device 3 is preferably obtained by molding.

The cartridge 1 further comprises inner sealing means 10 between the actuating lever 8 of the mixer tap and the protecting device 3 and outer sealing means 11 between the protecting device 3 and the main body 2. The inner sealing means 10 and/or outer sealing means 11 preferably comprise gaskets with circular section, i.e. of O-ring type. They are preferably made of nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR), or other analogous material with appropriate chemical and mechanical resistances.

The mixing means 12 to mix the inlet fluids comprise, in a known way, a dragging member 13 integral to the actuating lever 8; ceramic discoidal elements 14 appropriately shaped and provided with appropriate openings, which are adapted to rotate relative to one another so that to change the characteristics of the outlet fluid; inlet bushings 15 for the fluids and one outlet bushing 16 for the fluid.

The cartridge 1 is then provided with a bottom element 17 adapted to close the cartridge 1 and house the inlets 4 and the outlet 5 of the fluids.

The bottom element 17 is provided, on its outer diameter, with a suitable housing seat of a further sealing means 22 interposed between the main body 2 and the bottom element 17 itself. It guarantees the sealing between the bottom element 17 and the main body 2. Preferably it also has circular section and preferably is made of nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR).

The materials the further components of the cartridge 1 are made of, are obviously of suitable type to lend to the cartridge the desired chemical resistance and resistance to detergents.

For example, the actuating lever 8 is preferably made of semi-crystalline thermoplastic polymer reinforced with glass fibers, such as for example the material known with the trade name of Latigloss™ PA66 G50, based on polyamide 66 reinforced with 50% glass fibers.

The main body 2 and the bottom element 17 are preferably made of amorphous thermoplastic polymer reinforced with glass fibers, such as for example the material known with the trade name of Ultem™ PEI, based on polyetherimide with 10% glass fibers. Such a material, in addition to have good chemical resistance, also has good dimensional stability.

Obviously, it is possible to provide cartridges 1 of any diameter, based on construction needs, however the cartridges 1 with diameter equal to 25 mm, 35 mm and 40 mm are preferred, so that to be compatible with most of the mixer taps currently on the market.

The characteristics of the protecting device 3 and cartridge 1 make the mixer taps on which they are installed compliant with a number of regulations in force, such as for example the European regulation EN 200, the French regulation NF 077 (ECAU classification) and the American regulation ASME A.112.18.1 , in addition to energy saving regulations.

Obviously, the person skilled in the art could make further modifications and changes, all of which are contained within the scope of protection of the present invention, to the protecting device 3, the cartridge 1 for mixer taps and the mixer tap according to the present invention, with the object of satisfying contingent and specific needs.

Claims

1. A protecting device (3) to protect a cartridge (1 ) for mixer taps, comprising a housing (9) for an actuating lever (8) of a mixer tap, an inner groove (6) adapted to house inner sealing means (10) between the actuating lever (8) of the mixer tap and the protecting device (3) itself and an outer groove (7) adapted to house outer sealing means (11 ) between the protecting device (3) itself and a main body (2) of a cartridge (1 ), wherein said protecting device (3) is made of thermoplastic material reinforced with glass, said thermoplastic material comprising at least one polyamide.

2. Protecting device (3) according to claim 1 , wherein said thermoplastic material mainly comprises polyamides.

3. Protecting device (3) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said polyamides are semi-aromatic polyamides.

4. Protecting device (3) according to claim 3, wherein said semi- aromatic polyamides are polyarylamides.

5. Protecting device (3) according to claim 4, wherein said polyarylamides comprise poly-m-xylylenadipinamide.

6. Protecting device (3) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said glass reinforcement comprises glass fibers or glass beads.

7. Protecting device (3) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said reinforced thermoplastic material comprises a percentage of glass reinforcement not lower than 10% by weight.

8. Protecting device (3) according to claim 7, wherein said percentage is equal to 50% by weight.

9. Protecting device (3) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the inner groove (6) and/or the outer groove (7) is/are adapted to house sealing means with circular section.

10. A cartridge (1 ) for mixer taps comprising a protecting device (3) according to one of the preceding claims.

11. Cartridge (1 ) for mixer taps according to claim 10, further comprising:

a main body (2) adapted to house the protecting device (3) and mixing means (12) to mix at least two fluids;

at least two inlets (4) and at least one outlet (5) for the respective inlet and outlet fluids; and

inner sealing means (10) between the actuating lever (8) of the mixer tap and the protecting device (3) and outer sealing means (11 ) between the protecting device (3) and the main body (2).

12. Cartridge (1 ) for mixer taps according to claim 11 , wherein said inner sealing means (10) and/or said outer sealing means (11 ) comprise gaskets with circular section.

13. Cartridge (1 ) for mixer taps according to claim 11 or 12, wherein said inner sealing means (10) and/or said outer sealing means (11 ) are made of nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR).

14. A mixer tap comprising a protecting device (3) according to one of claims 1 - 9 or a cartridge (1 ) according to one of claims 10 - 13.