FR2481404A1 - Water feed valve with push flow control - has rotary sleeve regulation cutting by pass flow for membrane to move washer onto seat - Google Patents

Abstract

The valve may control a water feed in a domestic bathroom, using separate controls to authorise and regulate flow respectively. The flow enters through the conduit to an outfall through an annular passage, stopped by the axial displacement of the washer onto the seat and vice versa. A sleeve is rotated to vary the axial interval between the washer and seat and regulate the through flow, effecting the rotation of a screw which drives the nut. The push button acts through a bi-stable mechanism to open or close the valve moving a second valve onto the seat to instigate closure. A bypass flow is now blocked off and directed to the rear of a membrane, which deflects to effect the descent of the washer onto seat.

Description

 The present invention relates to a sanitary tap comprising an on-off member with two stable positions.

 The sanitary taps generally comprise a handle ensuring at the same time the function of opening and closing of flow from an inlet orifice to an outlet orifice and the function of adjusting the flow rate.

 Sanitary taps have also been proposed comprising an on-off member with two stable positions, such as for example an on-off push-button, ensuring only the opening and closing function of flow and possibly comprising a handle or a flow adjustment button located at a distance from the on-off device. Such taps present an inherent complication in the dissociation of the on-off and flow control functions and, moreover, a large bulk due to the location of the handle. or of the flow adjustment button upstream of the stop organ in relation to the direction of flow.

 In addition, these taps with stop-running organs solve insufficiently the problems of stabilization of the valve and of water hammer on closing.

 The object of the invention is to remedy the shortcomings of taps with known start-stop members by producing a compact tap, convenient for the user and endowed with clean and low noise operation.

 More particularly, the invention relates to a sanitary tap of the type comprising a body provided with at least one water inlet orifice and at least one water outlet orifice, a movable differential member carrying a main valve capable controlling the passage of water from the inlet port to the outlet port as a function of the pressure difference between the inlet port and a pilot chamber adjacent to the movable member, this chamber being supplied from the inlet orifice and being capable of being discharged towards the outlet orifice, by means of a pilot valve subject to an on-off member with two stable positions.

 According to the essential characteristic of the invention, this valve comprises a flow adjustment member movable parallel or coaxially to the movable member inside the valve body to modify the water passage section of the orifice d entry to the exit orifice.

 I1 follows that the valve of the invention is particularly compact and convenient for the user.

Due to the parallelism between the movements of the flow control member and the movements of the movable member, it is thus not necessary to increase the height of the valve. In addition, the valve is easier to manufacture because the machining is in parallel.

 In a first embodiment of the invention, the flow control member is constituted by a stop limiting the lifting of the movable member relative to the inlet or outlet orifice.

 This stop can have a generally annular shape and be. capable of translational movement or helical displacement movement. It can be independent of the movable member or can be an integral part of an assembly-supporting this member, and adjustable in position relative to the inlet orifice. The stop can also be constituted by a presettable screw whose axis is parallel to the axis of displacement of the movable member.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, the valve comprises a deflector disposed downstream of the inlet orifice in the vicinity of the movable member, for example under the latter. The deflector stabilizes the application of the movable member against the stop to avoid clicks, pressure surges or vibrations.

 In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the stop is fixed and the deflector is adjustable in position to modify the flow rate between the inlet and the outlet.

 When the outlet orifice is coaxial with the inlet orifice outside of it, the deflector can have a generally annular shape, by surrounding the inlet orifice and providing a passage towards the outlet orifice.

 When the inlet orifice is coaxial with the outlet orifice outside thereof, the pilot valve is linked to the on-off member by a dead travel link.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows and which refers to the appended drawings, given solely by way of illustration, and in which
Figure 1 is a sectional view of a sanitary tap according to a first embodiment of the invention in which the stop is an annular member with displacement in translation
Figure 2 is a sectional view of a second embodiment in which the stop is an annular member with helical displacement
Figure 3 is a sectional view of a third embodiment in which the stopper is an integral part of an assembly supporting the movable member
Figure 4 is a sectional view of a fourth embodiment in which the stop is an annular member movable in translation by means of a screw hidden under an on-off pusher
Figure 5 is a sectional view of a fifth embodiment in which the stopper is constituted by a screw hidden under an on-off rocker
Figure 6 shows in section a sixth embodiment in which the stop is a screw controlled by a handle further enabling the on-off member to be actuated;
Figure 7 is a sectional view of a seventh embodiment in which a deflector performs the flow adjustment function; and
FIG. 8 shows an eighth embodiment in which the inlet orifice surrounds the outlet orifice.

There is shown in Figure 1 a valve according to the invention comprising a hollow body 10 provided with a threaded end piece 12 for connection into which penetrates an inner tube 14 terminated by an inlet orifice 16 of flared shape, communicating with the inside the valve body and defining a valve seat 17. Water arrives through the inlet port 16 to flow towards an annular outlet port 18 coaxial with the port i6 and delimited between the tube 14 and l tip 12.

 An interior part 20 is screwed inside the body 10 with the interposition of a gasket of a rubber seal 22 so as to delimit an annular passage 24 communicating with the outlet orifice 18.

An annular deflector 26 of the bowl type is mounted at the base of the part 20. The deflector has a circular orifice 28 surrounding the inlet orifice 16 and providing an annular passage around the latter.

The deflector 26 is screwed to the base of the part 20 with the interposition of a movable member 30 constituted by an elastic membrane 31 of annular shape which supports a movable assembly 32 movable along the axis XX of the valve.

 moving part is provided with a central orifice 34 which is provided with a needle 36 freely mounted inside the orifice 34 and capable of ensuring the passage of water through the orifice 34 while preventing its scaling .

The moving element 32 further comprises an annular main valve 38 capable of coming to bear either on the seat 17 of the inlet orifice 16 or on an abutment a0, in response to the movements of the movable member.

 The stop 40 is constituted by a hexagon nut able to slide along the axis XX inside the part 20 and to be entrai born in rotation by means of a rotary member 42. The member 42 is mounted tightly inside the part 20 and has a threaded appendage 44 cooperating with the thread of the nut 40. The drive member 42 can be rotated by means of a handle 46 capable of rotating around the axis XX and subjected in rotation to the drive member 42 by any suitable means.

A pilot chamber 50 defined between the part 20, the movable member 30 and the drive member 42 is permanently supplied with water through the orifice 34, whether the valve 38 is in the open position or in the closed position.

The chamber 50 communicates with the annular space between the drive member 42 and the nut 40 by means of passages such as 52 and 54.

 The drive member 42 also comprises an axial passage 56 disposed along the axis XX, communicating with the chamber 50 and terminated by a valve seat 58 which can be opened or closed, as will be described below, to allow discharge the water contained in the chamber 50 towards the outlet orifice 18. For this purpose, the drive member 42 comprises at least one radial passage 60 opening into an annular chamber 62 communicating with the annular passage 24 through d 'at least one radial passage 64 made in part 20.

The valve seat 58 can be closed by a pilot valve 66 controlled by a stop push button 68 with two stable positions comprising a bistable mechanism 70, for example a mechanism of the type used in retractable ballpoint pens, placed inside the drive member 42. The pusher 68 is movable along the axis XX and can be retracted more or less in the upper part of the handle 46.

 The movable member 30 constitutes a differential equipment designed so that when the pilot valve is closed, the pressure in the pilot chamber 50 is equal to the pressure at the inlet orifice and is sufficient to press the main valve on the inlet port and, on the contrary, when the pilot valve is open and the pressure in the pilot chamber decreases, the pressure at the inlet port compensates for the pressure in the chamber to apply the movable member to the stop .

 In the position shown in Figure I or the pilot valve is in the open position, the pilot chamber is supplied with water but discharges towards the outlet orifice so that the pilot pressure is insufficient to compensate for the inlet pressure L ' the movable member is thus pressed against the stop and the main valve is open, thus allowing a main flow of water to pass, to which is continuously added a small flow of water passing through the pilot chamber.

 The actuation of the on-off button causes the pilot valve to close, thus increasing the pressure inside the pilot chamber and finally closing the main valve. The water in the pilot chamber cannot escape from it and its pressure keeps the main valve resting on its seat.

 It will be noted that the deflector 26 makes it possible to avoid the risks of noise by clicks, vibrations or water hammer. Indeed, this deflector makes it possible to obtain a higher pressure in the zone included above the deflector thus leading to press the movable member on the stop and to slow down its closing movement. In addition, any gaseous inclusions contained in the pilot chamber are sucked downstream by suction through passages 56, 60, 64 and 24.

There is shown schematically in Figure 2 another embodiment of the invention in which the stop and the drive member are constituted by a single piece 72 driven by a movement
helical inside the part 20. I1 follows that the drive handle 46 also undergoes a combined movement of rotation and translation, whereas in the embodiment of FIG. 1, this handle only undergoes a rotational movement.

In this embodiment, the distance D2 between the seat 17 of the inlet orifice 16 and the stop 40 is modified by moving the stop thanks to the described actuation of the handle.

 FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the invention in which the stop 40 is an integral part of an assembly 74 supporting the movable member 30. The assembly 74 is displaceable according to a helicoidal movement with respect to the body 10 by rotation of the handle 46.

The distance D3 between the seat 17 of the main valve formed by the inlet orifice 16 and the stop 40 is modified, by moving the assembly formed by the support 74 of the stop and by the movable member 30.

 FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the invention in which the stop 40 is independent and consists of an annular member 76 having an internal passage 78 directed along the axis XX and displaceable in translation inside a chamber 80 formed inside a part 82 screwed onto the body 10. The movement of the member 76 is carried out by means of a screw-nut device 84 having a control head 86 housed inside of the part 82 under the pusher 68. Such a tap therefore makes it possible to preset the flow rate in advance, without it being possible then to modify this flow rate unless the pusher 68 is dismantled.

In this embodiment, the distance D4 between the seat 17 and the stop 40 is modified.

In FIG. 5, the flow adjustment member is a stop 40 constituted by a screw 88 housed along the axis XX inside a part 90 secured to the valve body 10 under the stop member, that -this being constituted by a bistable rocker device 92 capable of actuating laterally a rod 67 for controlling the pilot valve 66 The adjustment of the screw 88 causes the distance D5 to be modified between the stop 0 and the seat 17
The flow control member of Figure 6 is a stop 40 constituted by a screw 94 disposed in the axis XX of the valve This screw is rotated by means of a lever 96 articulated around an axis 98 perpendicular to the axis XX This lever comprises a spout 100 capable of cooperating with an annular plate 102 displaceable in translation along the axis XX inside a part 104 screwed onto the body 10 of the valve and having two determined stable positions by two notches 106 and 108 able to cooperate with a ball 110 urged radially by a spring 112. This plate 102 actuates the pilot valve 66, which is arranged parallel to the axis of rotation of the screw, by means of a rod control 114 terminated by a head 116 permanently urged under the plate 102 by means of a spring 118.

 The adjustment of the screw 94 modifies the distance D6 between the seat 17 and the stop 40.

 The stop 40, shown in Figure 7, is fixed so that the distance D7 between this stop and the main valve seat is fixed. The control handle 46 requests the displacement of the throttling disc 26, provided with an inner annular rim 120 of which it varies the distance d7 with respect to an outer annular rim 122 integral with the tube 14.

 In this embodiment, the movable member 30, the push button 68, the bistable mechanism 70 and the pilot valve 66 are carried by a piece 124 screwed inside the body 10 by providing an annular passage for a piece of drive 126 cooperating by thread with the body 10 and driven by the handle 46.

The part 126 ends with a flange 128 on which radial lugs 130-of the throttling disc 26 passing through radial passages 132 formed in the part 124 are applied by a spring 134.

In the embodiment of FIG. 8, the annular inlet orifice 140 is coaxial with the outlet orifice 142 outside thereof and the pilot valve 144 is linked to the on-off member 68 by l 'Intermediate to a dead spring travel link 146 housed in a part 148 secured to the bistable mechanism 70. The movable member 30 is provided with a central orifice 150 arranged along the axis XX.

In the high position of the member 68, the pilot valve 144 clears the central discharge port 150, while the movable member 30 is applied against the stop 40; the position of the stop is adjusted by rotation of the handle 46 which drives the part 72 stop support. The handle 46 -piece 72 assembly moves in a helical movement and modifies the distance
D8 between seat 17 and stop 40.

To close the tap, the member 68 is pressed, so that the pilot valve 144 comes to the low position and closes the discharge orifice 150.

The upstream water pressure present at the inlet port 140 remains transmitted to the pilot chamber through the port 34 so that the movable member 30 is applied against the seat 17 of the outlet port 142 by the differential pressure effect exerted on the membrane.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments particularly described and shown and one can imagine other variants without departing from the scope of the invention.

 Thus the movable member could be constituted by a piston instead of a movable membrane.

Similarly, the needle 36 could be integral with the valve 66 or with a fixed or movable part of the valve.

The sanitary tap of the invention finds a general application in taps for the equipment of home appliances.

Claims (9)

 1. Sanitary tap comprising a body provided with at least one water inlet orifice and at least one water outlet orifice, a movable differential member carrying a main valve capable of controlling the passage of water from the inlet orifice to the outlet orifice as a function of the pressure difference between the inlet orifice and a pilot chamber adjacent to the movable member, this chamber being supplied from the orifice inlet and being capable of being discharged towards the outlet orifice by means of a pilot valve subject to an on-off member with two stable positions, characterized in that it comprises a flow adjustment member movable in parallel or coaxially with the movable member inside the body of the tap to modify the section of water passage from the inlet port to the outlet port.  2. Tap according to claim 1, characterized in that the flow control member is constituted by a stop limiting the lifting of the movable member relative to the inlet or outlet. 3. Tap according to claim 2, characterized in that the stop has a generally annular shape and is capable of a translational movement or a helicoidal movement movement.  4. Tap according to one of claims 2 and 3, characterized in that the stop is an integral part of an assembly supporting this member and adjustable in position relative to the inlet orifice.  5. Tap according to claim 2, characterized in that the stop is a presettable screw whose axis is parallel to the axis of movement of the movable member.  6. Tap according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that it comprises a deflector disposed downstream of the inlet orifice in the vicinity of the movable member to stabilize llapplication of 11 movable member against the stop . 7. Faucet according to claim 6, characterized in that the stop is fixed and that a throttling disc adjustable in position makes it possible to modify the flow rate between the inlet orifice and the outlet orifice 8. Tap according to one of claims 6 and 7, characterized in that the outlet orifice is coaxial with the inlet orifice outside thereof and that the deflector or throttle disc has a generally annular shape by surrounding the inlet orifice and making a passage to the outlet orifice. 9. Tap according to claim 1, characterized in that the inlet orifice is coaxial with the outlet orifice outside thereof and that the pilot valve is linked to the on-off member by a connection dead race.