U.S. patent application number 09/768855 was filed with the patent office on 2001-08-09 for valve system especially for a sanitary fixture.
This patent application is currently assigned to Friedrich Grohe AG & Co. KG. Invention is credited to Gebhardt, Wolfgang, Ludewig, Hans-Jurgen, Pawelzik, Manfred, Philipps-Liebich, Hartwig.
Application Number | 20010011560 09/768855 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 7630485 |
Filed Date | 2001-08-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010011560 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Pawelzik, Manfred ; et
al. |
August 9, 2001 |
Valve system especially for a sanitary fixture
Abstract
A manually-operated valve is provided in series with an
electromagnetically-operated valve and the manually-operated valve
is provided with a proximity detector connected to the electronic
controller whereby a switch in the manually-operated valve, in one
position of the single control lever therefor, corresponding to
about 50% of maximum supply rate, is operated to activate the
proximity sensor and enable the water flow to be controlled by an
object within its detection range. Removal of the object, e.g. the
hand of the user from the range, will shut off the water through
the manually-operated valve. Outside the position of the lever at
which the switch is operated, the proximity detector is ineffective
and control is effected exclusively by swinging the lever.
Inventors: |
Pawelzik, Manfred; (Soest,
DE) ; Ludewig, Hans-Jurgen; (Rinteln, DE) ;
Gebhardt, Wolfgang; (Menden, DE) ; Philipps-Liebich,
Hartwig; (Hemer, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
THE FIRM OF KARL F ROSS
5676 RIVERDALE AVENUE
PO BOX 900
RIVERDALE (BRONX)
NY
10471-0900
US
|
Assignee: |
Friedrich Grohe AG & Co.
KG
|
Family ID: |
7630485 |
Appl. No.: |
09/768855 |
Filed: |
January 24, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
137/801 ;
137/614 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16K 31/605 20130101;
Y10T 137/9464 20150401; Y10T 137/87925 20150401; F16K 11/0782
20130101; Y10T 137/87676 20150401 |
Class at
Publication: |
137/801 ;
137/614 |
International
Class: |
E03C 001/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 9, 2000 |
DE |
10005946.5 |
Claims
We claim:
1. A valve system for a water outlet comprising: a lever-operated
valve having a housing provided with a central axis and formed with
said water outlet, at least one water inlet communicating with said
housing, a valve member in said housing between said inlet and said
outlet, and a control lever swingable on said housing along a path
about a pivot axis transverse to said central axis; a detent member
in said housing formed with a detent opening along an arcuate path
of said lever; a spring-loaded detent body bearing on said member
and engaging in said opening upon displacement of said lever about
said pivot axis to a predetermined angular position in opening of
said valve; and electric circuitry responsive to angular
displacement of said lever and including: at least one further
valve in series with said lever-operated valve for controlling
outflow from said outlet, an electrical control for said further
valve, a contactless detector operatively connected to said
electrical control for maintaining said further valve open for a
duration determined by activation of said detector, and a switch in
said housing connected with said control for rendering said
detector effective in said predetermined angular position of said
lever and rendering said detector ineffective in angular positions
of said lever other than said predetermined angular position for
control of said outflow by said lever-operated valve without
limitation by said further valve.
2. The valve system defined in claim 1 wherein said lever-operated
valve is a single lever mixing valve wherein said control lever,
upon displacement about said central axis, controls a proportion of
hot and cold water mixed together before being discharged through
said outlet.
3. The valve system defined in claim 1 wherein said switch is
actuated through said detent opening by said body.
4. The valve system defined in claim 3 wherein said detent body is
a ball, said ball being mounted on said lever.
5. The valve system defined in claim 3 wherein said detent body is
a plate of a hard material extending along said path and along
which said body rides, said detent opening being a bore in said
plate and said switch being disposed on a side of said plate
opposite said detent body and having an actuating element coaxial
with said bore and so positioned that said switch is activated upon
passage of a front of said body through said bore via said
actuating element.
6. The valve system defined in claim 4 wherein said ball is biased
toward said detent opening by a spring received with said ball in a
hollow screw threaded in a threaded bore of said lever.
7. The valve system defined in claim 1 wherein said body engages in
said detent opening at a flow rate through said outlet of about 50%
of a maximum flow through said valve system.
8. The valve system defined in claim 1 wherein said further valve
in an electromagnetically-controlled pilot valve.
9. The valve system defined in claim 8 wherein said further valve
is located upstream of said lever-operated valve.
10. The valve system defined in claim 1 wherein said further valve
is one of a pair of further valves which open and close
synchronously and are connected respectively to cold and hot water
supplies for said valve system.
11. The valve system defined in claim 10 wherein said further
valves form a twin valve operated by a pilot from said electrical
control.
12. The valve system defined in claim 11 wherein said body engages
in said detent opening at a flow rate through said outlet of about
50% of a maximum flow through said valve system.
13. The valve system defined in claim 12 wherein said detent body
is a plate of a hard material extending along said path and along
which said body rides, said detent opening being a bore in said
plate and said switch being disposed on a side of said plate
opposite said detent body and having an actuating element coaxial
with said bore and so positioned that said switch is activated upon
passage of a front of said body through said bore via said
actuating element.
14. The valve system defined in claim 13 wherein said ball is
biased toward said detent opening by a spring received with said
ball in a hollow screw threaded in a threaded bore of said lever.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] Our present invention relates to a valve system, especially
for a sanitary fixture, of the type in which a lever-operated valve
can be actuated to control the flow through a water outlet, the
lever having a detent by which the lever is releasably retained at
a certain opening angle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] It is advantageous with certain sanitary fixtures to provide
lever-operated valves which are indexed at a certain point in the
opening process with a detent which can be overcome by further
movement of the lever, the detent being effective to retain the
lever-operated member in an engaged position at a certain opening
angle corresponding to a certain flow rate of the valve.
[0003] Such a valve system is described, for example, in German
open application DE 43 40 713 A1.
[0004] With the detent arrangement described in this publication,
the user cannot unconsciously move the lever into a maximum opening
position and thus there can be conservation of water if only
because the user is reminded of the position of the lever when that
detent engages. Of course, the detent can be overcome so that if
the user desires, the flow rate can be increased and the detent can
also be overcome to swing the lever back into the closing
position.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0005] It is therefore the principal object of the present
invention to provide an improved valve system for a water outlet
and especially for a single-lever faucet as used for sanitary
fixtures in which there can be a further reduction in water
consumption and/or an increase in the user comfort with respect to
the faucet use.
[0006] Another object is to provide an improved lever-operated
water control for sanitary fixtures whereby disadvantages of
earlier systems can be avoided.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] These objects and others which will become apparent
hereinafter are attained, in accordance with the invention by
providing, in the indexed position of the lever, an electronic or
electrical control for the water flow so that in this position the
water flow can be controlled by a contactless sensor, i.e. a
proximity detector, whereas in other angular positions of the
lever, the electrical control of the flow rate is cut out.
[0008] More particularly, the valve system of the invention can
comprise:
[0009] a lever-operated valve having a housing provided with a
central axis and formed with the water outlet, at least one water
inlet communicating with the housing, a valve member in the housing
between the inlet and the outlet, and a control lever swingable on
the housing along a path about a pivot axis transverse to the
central axis;
[0010] a detent member in the housing formed with a detent opening
along an arcuate path of the lever;
[0011] a spring-loaded detent body bearing on the member and
engaging in the opening upon displacement of the lever about the
pivot axis to a predetermined angular position in opening of the
valve; and
[0012] electric circuitry responsive to angular displacement of the
lever and including:
[0013] at least one further valve in series with the lever-operated
valve for controlling outflow from the outlet,
[0014] an electrical control for the further valve,
[0015] a contactless detector operatively connected to the
electrical control for maintaining the further valve open for a
duration determined by activation of the detector, and
[0016] a switch in the housing connected with the control for
rendering the detector effective in the predetermined angular
position of the lever and rendering the detector ineffective in
angular positions of the lever other than the predetermined angular
position for control of the outflow by the lever-operated valve
without limitation by the further valve.
[0017] The contactless detector may respond to any part of the body
of the user or to an object and the valve system can be used as a
single-lever faucet for a sink or some other fixture. In the case
of a sink, the proximity detector may be effective to detect the
use of the user whereas the valve system can also be used for a
bidet, toilet or other sanitary fixture to respond to other body
parts.
[0018] According to a feature of the invention, the lever-operated
valve may be a single-lever mixing valve which may control the
proportions of hot and cold water discharged from the water
outlet.
[0019] The electrical switch may be aligned with the detent opening
and the detent body may be a spring-loaded body like a ball carried
by the lever. The ball and its spring can be received in a hollow
screw threaded into a threaded bore of the lever. The detent
opening, in turn, may be a bore in a hard metal plate along the
arcuate path or track of the lever and the ball can ride on that
plate. A stainless steel plate is preferred. The switch can have an
actuating element coaxial with the detent bore and by means of
which the switch can be operated. The front end or region of the
detent body or ball can extend through the detent opening and
actuate the switch via the actuating element.
[0020] Preferably the detent body engages in the detent opening at
a position of the lever which corresponds to 50% of the maximum
flow rate (flow volume per unit time) of the valve system.
[0021] The further valve can be a pilot valve operated by the
electrical control and a corresponding pilot valve can be provided
for each of the hot and cold water supplies. Preferably a twin
pilot valve is provided with the hot and cold valves in a common
housing and synchronized for joint operation by the electrical
control. A single pilot can be provided for that purpose.
[0022] The valve system of the invention thus has an advantage that
with relatively simple means, at a desired position of the control
lever, usually corresponding to half the maximum flow, the actual
outflow of the valve can be controlled by the proximity or
contactless detector so that water consumption will then be
automatically reduced when the water is not necessary. In the
detent position, moreover, the contactless control of the outflow
increases the comfort level since actual manipulation of the lever,
of course, the outflow is controlled exclusively manually by the
lever.
[0023] The valve system can therefore be a so-called single-hand
mixer which not only regulates the flow rate but also the ratio of
mixing of cold and hot water although that can be achieved by other
means such as, for example, rotation of a handle. With a single
actuating member, both the mixed water temperature and the flow
rate per unit time can be controlled and the water outlet regulated
by the proximity detector at a given flow rate of the system. Of
course the system is also applicable just to control the flow rate
in a simple water tap application.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0024] 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:
[0025] FIG. 1 is a faucet system of the type which can be mounted
on a sink, showing the single-lever mixing faucet with its
electronic controls detected and the valves operated by the
controls in a schematic illustration; and
[0026] FIG. 2 is a section in a plane II, drawn to an enlarged
scale, of a portion of the single-lever valve of FIG. 1.
SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION
[0027] The faucet system shown in FIG. 1 can be considered to be
mounted on a sink and to have its detecting device or proximity
sensor responsive to the presence of the hand of a user below the
spigot or outlet of the sink faucet. The valve can be used for
sink, washbasin and, indeed, any sanitary fixture in which a mixing
faucet is usable and in which control of the outflow is desirable
and in which a conservation of water can be effected by opening and
closing flow in response to a body part.
[0028] The system shown in FIG. 1 comprises a faucet body 1, a
lever head 2 and a valve 3 for mixing the hot and cold water and
controlling the volume rate of flow. The system also includes the
control electronics 4, a detecting device 5, referred to here as a
contactless or proximity sensor and the connecting lines 10, 11 for
supplying the hot and cold water to the lever-operated valve. The
apparatus also comprises valves 6 operated by electronic
circuitry.
[0029] The faucet housing 1 with the detecting device 5 is provided
above the washbasin in the region of an opening 70 in a
conventional manner. The two lines 10 and 11 for the hot and cold
water are passed through the opening 70 and the valves 6
communicate with these lines 10, 11 and with the outlet sides of
the elbow valves 8 only one of which is visible in FIG. 1 and which
serve to connect the hot and cold water lines to the hot and cold
distribution piping of the building.
[0030] As noted, in the drawing only one of these elbow valves 8
has been shown, the second elbow valve being behind the one shown
and below the plane of the drawing.
[0031] The hand-actuated valve 3 is provided with a standard
cartridge valve system encased in a cartridge housing and retained
conventionally in the faucet body 1. A control lever 30 extends
from the region of the cartridge housing and is connected with the
lever head 2. For the manual operation of the valve, a residual
projecting handle 20 is provided.
[0032] The valve 3 is so configured that with an up and down
pivoting action of the handle 20, the control lever 30 slides in a
pivot track 31 or along that pivot path to adjust the outflow per
unit time. A rotary movement of the lever head 2 about the central
axis 21 of the faucet adjusts the mixing ratio of the cold and hot
water supplied to the faucet and thus the temperature of the mixed
water discharged form the spigot 13.
[0033] In FIG. 1 the single-lever mixer is shown in an intermediate
mixing position which blocks the outflow of water and yet
corresponds to equal parts of hot and cold water. If the lever 20
is raised from this position, the outflow of water is permitted so
that a stream of mixed hot and cold water can flow from the spigot.
By a rotation about the central axis 21, the temperature of the
discharged water can be adjusted in a stepless manner. At an
angular position of the handle 20, corresponding to about 50% of
maximum output, in the path 31 there is a detent recess 311 in the
form of a bore with a spherical periphery as can be seen from FIG.
2. On a side wall of the path 31, a plate 310 of a hard material,
for example, stainless steel, is arranged against which a body 300
is biased by a spring 301. The body 300 is a ball.
[0034] The ball 300 and its spring 301 are received in a hollow
screw 302 which is threaded into the threaded bore 303 of the
control lever 30. The hollow screw 302 forms a detent unit with the
spring 301 and the ball 300. The thread in the bore 303 is so
configured that a certain difficulty in tightening the screw is
provided as the unit is screwed into the bore, thereby ensuring an
automatic adjustment of the screw depth for the actuation of the
valve 3.
[0035] On the opposite side of the plate 310 from the control lever
30, an electric switch 40 is arranged in the faucet housing and is
provided with an actuating element 400 coaxial with the indexing or
detent opening 311 and which only can move to a limited axial
extent. The electric switch 30 can thus be actuated by the forward
portion of the body 300 when it engages in the indexing position in
the recess 311 of the plate 310, and projects through this recess.
The lever is thus indexed in position and in this indexed position
the switch 40 is actuated. Outside the indexing position, the
switch 40 is unactuated and the electric circuit through the switch
is interrupted.
[0036] The electric switch 40 is connected by an electric line 401
passing through the opening 70 with the electric controller 4 which
may be a microprocessor-based program controller. In a similar
manner, the proximity detector 5 is connected by an electric line
50 also passing through the opening 70 with the electronic
controller 4. The electronic controller 4, which may be
battery-powered or powered by lines current, is connected via an
electric line 61 with the electromagnetic effector of the pilot or
servovalve 60 which is provided in each of the two lines 10 and 11
and is received in a single valve body 6. The valve 6 thus may be a
twin valve for both the hot and cold water and both passages of
which can be operated by a single electromagnetic operator as
represented at 60. In any event both passages are controlled
synchronously for the pilot or servovalve.
[0037] In the position shown for the control lever 30 in FIG. 2,
the ball 300 actuates the switch 40 which switches on the
electronic controller 4 or activates the latter.
[0038] The switching on of the electronic controller 4 activates
the proximity detector 5 and in the absence of a hand or other
object in the detection field of this activator, will block the
valves 6 via the electromagnetic pilot or servovalve 60.
[0039] The detector 5 can be any proximity detector capable of
detecting the presence of an object such as the hand of a user in
the operating range, usually below the outlet or spigot 13. An
infrared proximity detector is preferred for this purpose.
[0040] The proximity detector transmits an electric signal to the
electronic controller 4 which opens the pilot valve 60 and thus the
flow paths in valve 6 for the hot and cold water which can flow at
the rate set by the handle or lever 20 and with a proportion of hot
and cold water determined by the angular position of that handle
about the axis 21.
[0041] When the object is withdrawn from the detector range, the
valve 6 is closed and outflow through the spigot 13 is terminated.
Only when the object, e.g. the hand, again enters the detection
range, will the water be free to flow at the rate and temperature
selected by the lever head 2.
[0042] When the body 300 is removed from the detent opening 311 by
a swinging movement of the lever 30, the switch 40 is open
circuited, i.e. out of the circuit and the pilot valve 6, 60, is
open so that the flow rate per unit time and the mixing ratio and
hence the temperature are controlled exclusively by the
hand-operated valve 3. The proximity detector 5 is in that case
inactive. The hand-operated valve 3 can then adjust the flow rate
or the mixing ratio and hence the temperature.
[0043] Of course the invention is also applicable to valve systems
which control volume rate of flow only, i.e. do not control mixing
of water at two different temperatures and it will be understood
that the electronically-controlled valve 6, 60 can be provided in
series with the manually-operated valve 3 either upstream as is
preferred or downstream therefrom.
[0044] While the electronic controller has been shown separate here
from the housing of the manually-operated valve, it may be
integrated therein and the energy supply for the electromagnetic
valve can also be by battery in the electronic controller or by
connection to a supply network.
* * * * *