U.S. patent application number 09/768923 was filed with the patent office on 2001-08-09 for cartridge for a single-lever mixing faucet.
This patent application is currently assigned to KLUDI Aramaturen Scheffer Vertriebs- und Verwaltungs OHG. Invention is credited to Schumacher, Peter.
Application Number | 20010011558 09/768923 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25682459 |
Filed Date | 2001-08-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010011558 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Schumacher, Peter |
August 9, 2001 |
Cartridge for a single-lever mixing faucet
Abstract
A cartridge for a mixing faucet is provided, in addition to the
valve formed by a pair of disks and controlled by a single lever,
with an electrically operated valve which can be actuated by a
proximity detector to respond to the presence of a user's hand near
the valve outlet.
Inventors: |
Schumacher, Peter; (Ahlen,
DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
THE FIRM OF KARL F ROSS
5676 RIVERDALE AVENUE
PO BOX 900
RIVERDALE (BRONX)
NY
10471-0900
US
|
Assignee: |
KLUDI Aramaturen Scheffer
Vertriebs- und Verwaltungs OHG
|
Family ID: |
25682459 |
Appl. No.: |
09/768923 |
Filed: |
January 24, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
137/613 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 137/87917 20150401;
Y10T 137/86549 20150401; F16K 27/048 20130101; F16K 27/045
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
137/613 |
International
Class: |
F16K 051/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 12, 1998 |
DE |
19846720 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A cartridge for a single-lever mixing faucet comprising: a
faucet-cartridge housing; a nonshiftable inlet/outlet disk in said
housing communicating with hot and cold water inlets and an outlet;
a shiftable control disk in said housing juxtaposed with said
inlet/outlet disk for selectively connecting said inlets with said
outlet; a lever pivotally mounted in said housing and operatively
connected with said control disk for displacing said control disk;
and an electrically operated valve within said housing in said
outlet.
2. The cartridge defined in claim 1 wherein said inlet/outlet disk
is formed with a first discharge opening communicating with said
outlet through said valve and a second discharge opening
communicating directly with said outlet.
3. The cartridge defined in claim 2 wherein said electrically
operated valve is an electromagnetic membrane valve.
4. The cartridge defined in claim 1 wherein said electrically
operated valve is an electromagnetic membrane valve.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] My present invention relates to a cartridge for a
single-lever mixing faucet of the type in which the control of the
flow and of the water temperature is effected by the movement of
one disk relative to another by a lever pivotal in a cartridge
housing in which the disks are contained.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Cartridge-type water faucets which have a faucet body
capable of receiving the cartridge and whereby the hot and cold
water lines are connected to the outlet through the cartridge are
increasing in utilization throughout the world.
[0003] It is also known to provide contactless
electrically-controlled faucets which have been widely used in
public facilities. However, if the electric current supply to such
faucets fails or electrical components like electric valves fail,
water cannot flow from the faucet.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
[0004] It is, therefore, the principal object of the present
invention to provide an improved cartridge for a single-lever
mixing faucet of the aforedescribed type which enables water supply
even in the case of a failure of the electrical component or of the
supply power.
[0005] Another object of this invention is to provide a more
versatile cartridge for a faucet whereby drawbacks of earlier
systems are avoided.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] These objects are attained, in accordance with the invention
by providing within the cartridge a second valve, i.e. a valve in
addition to that formed by the relatively slidable disk and in an
outlet passage of this cartridge or the first valve thereof. More
particularly, the cartridge for a single-lever mixing faucet
according to the invention can comprise:
[0007] a faucet-cartridge housing;
[0008] a nonshiftable inlet/outlet disk in the housing
communicating with hot and cold water inlets and an outlet;
[0009] a shiftable control disk in the housing juxtaposed with the
inlet/outlet disk for selectively connecting the inlets with the
outlet;
[0010] a lever pivotally mounted in the housing and operatively
connected with the control disk for displacing the control disk;
and
[0011] an electrically operated valve within the housing in the
outlet.
[0012] With the control afforded by the present invention, the
electromagnetically operated valve can be triggered to enable and
disable the flow of any response to the project to the faucet, e.g.
the hand of the user, while manual actuation is also possible. The
manual actuation can enable control of the volumetric flow rate so
that the flow itself can be independent of the electric valve. The
manual operation allows supply of the water even in the case of a
failure of the proximity switch or other means for sensing the
presence of the user.
[0013] The manual actuation, in addition, allows complete blockage
of the flow so that for cleaning of the faucet or the basin or
sink, undesired openings of the electrical valve by the proximity
or contactless sensor will have no effect.
[0014] It is especially advantageous to form the inlet/outlet disk
with a second outlet opening form which water passes through the
system, the second passage opening directly into the outlet. The
second valve should be advantageously an electromagnetic membrane
valve.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0015] The above and other objects, features, and advantages will
become more readily apparent from the following description,
reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which:
[0016] FIG. 1 is an axial section through a cartridge provided with
an electromagnetic valve according to the invention;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the lower housing region of the
cartridge;
[0018] FIG. 3 is an axial section through the lower housing
region;
[0019] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the nonmovable inlet/outlet
disk;
[0020] FIG. 5 is a section taken along the line V-V of FIG. 4;
[0021] FIG. 6 is a plan view of the movable disk;
[0022] FIG. 7 is a section taken along the line VII-VII of FIG.
6;
[0023] FIG. 8 is an axial section through the cartridge; and
[0024] FIG. 9 is a bottom view of the lower housing region as
represented in FIG. 3.
SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION
[0025] The cartridge shown in the drawing for the single-handle
mixing faucet is received in a housing of the faucet which has not
been shown and which is provided with a hot and cold water fitting
and a spout or other outlet connected to the outlet of the
cartridge. The cartridge can be replaced as a unit and eliminates
the need to change washers, thereby renewing the interior of the
faucet as a unit.
[0026] The cartridge itself comprises an upper housing portion 20
and a lower housing portion 21. In the underside of the upper
housing portion, an inlet/outlet disk is fixedly mounted and has an
inlet opening EW for the hot water, an inlet opening EK for the
cold water, an outlet opening AH for the mixed water and under
manual control and a mixed water outlet opening AE under electrical
control.
[0027] Above the inlet/outlet disk 9 is a horizontally movable
control disk 10 with a downwardly open mixing chamber 22 which,
depending upon the position of the disk 10 connects the opening of
the inlet/outlet disk 9 with one another so that cold water and/or
warm water and usually a mixture of the two can flow at greater or
lesser flow rates to the outlet opening AH or the outlet opening AE
as selected by the lever 14 which is pivotally mounted in the
cartridge and engages the control disk 10. The manual lever 14 has
the following positions:
[0028] 1. The lever down: no water discharged possible (sleep
function). For cleaning of the faucet or of the basin or sink.
[0029] 2. Lever 14 in an intermediate position (automatic mode).
Flow and temperature determined by the position of the lever. On
and off determined by the electrically-operated valve.
[0030] 3. Lever 14 up: water flows continuously. Used, for example,
in the case of a failure of the supply current to the electric
valve or a failure of the electric valve itself.
[0031] The electrically-controlled membrane valve 6 is located in a
lower housing portion of the cartridge and has a membrane movable
from a closed position into an open position by an electromagnet
coil 2. When the valve 6 is electrically energized, it opens and
the mixed water flows from the outlet opening AE via the outlet
passage 8 to the valve outlet 7 into the cartridge outlet 18. The
opening AH can be closed by a middle region M of the control disk
10.
[0032] If the valve 7 is not energized and thus closed, the outlet
opening AH can be opened by movement of the disk 10 and the mixed
water can bypass the valve 6 to the outlet 18. The flow is
controlled then exclusively by the position of the lever 14 and the
electrical valve is not effective. With the application of an
electrical pulse to the coil 2, the control piston 4 is so
positioned that flow is permitted from the inlet it to the valve 6
through the membrane 5 and out through the outlet 7 of the valve 6
from the control unit. By means of the disk 1, which is preferably
a magnet, the position of the control piston 4 can be set
independently of the electrical signal. When the electrical signal
is applied, therefore, the position of the piston 4 can be altered
so that flow through the outlet 7 is permitted or prevented.
[0033] The geometry of the disks 9 and 10 are so selected that the
requisite degree of mixing of the fluid and flow through the
cartridge as a function of the relative position of the disk is
permitted. Similarly the geometry of the disks 9 and 10 also
determine the position of the toggle lever 14 at which flow will be
blocked at the outlet 18 or permitted.
[0034] A bushing 11 is braced against the disk 10 and entrains the
latter, the bushing 11 being pivotally connected at 17 to the lever
14 which, in turn, is pivotally connected at 15 to a ring 12 fixed
in the upper housing portion 20 and surrounded by a cap 16
surmounted by a ring 19.
[0035] The electrical valve 6 can be connected to a proximity
detector responsive to the introduction of the hands of the user
into the region of the faucet, e.g. below the spout.
* * * * *