FR3043103B1 - SANITARY WATER EXHAUST DEVICE COMPRISING A SECONDARY BODY MOBILE TORQUE IN ROTATION ON A BODY BODY, THE SECONDARY BODY PARTIALLY INTEGRATING A DRIVE CABLE - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a sanitary water evacuation device comprising: - a bung body (1); - A drain plug (2) movable along an axis X relative to the bung body; a transmission mechanism comprising a cam (6) intended to actuate the cap, an actuating means for the cam, and a flexible drive cable (5) coupled by one of its ends to the means of actuating the cam , characterized in that it comprises a secondary body (4) integrating the cam, the actuating means of the cam and the end of the cable, and in that the secondary body is coupled to the bung body in a movable manner in rotation about an axis parallel or coincident with the X axis and receives the cable in a direction transverse to the X axis.

Description

Sanitary water discharge device comprising a coupled secondary body rotatable on a bung body, the secondary body partially incorporating a drive cable.

The field of the invention is that of the design and manufacture of sanitary equipment.

More particularly, the invention relates to a sanitary water evacuation device comprising a mobile drain plug in a bung body and a means for controlling the position of the drain plug adapted to move the plug via a transmission mechanism comprising a drive cable.

In sanitary water evacuation devices comprising a drain plug, there are traditionally plugs that are set up and removed manually.

For a long time, the prior art has provided an alternative to this type of device by proposing control means and transmission mechanisms for remote control closing or opening a bung body to evacuate water. collected in the direction of an evacuation pipe.

According to a solution proposed by the prior art, there are known transmission mechanisms that implement rods. These rod mechanisms consist of one or more rods hinged to each other to transmit a movement to the drain plug. These rods and allow the control means to change the position of a member located below the drain plug to drive mobility.

These mechanisms rods nevertheless have disadvantages. Indeed, the forces acting on the rods can deform or move them from their operating position. Also, this type of mechanism may involve a complex installation and / or require recurring and tedious maintenance operations. The prior art, such as the patent document published under the number WO2006 / 088557, proposed another type of transmission mechanism which implements flexible drive cables, also called "Bowden cables", capable of exerting a thrust and traction. These cables may in particular be made of a movable steel link inside a flexible sheath.

Such drive cables are easy to install but have disadvantages. Indeed, the evacuation devices must comprise a receiving member, located on a bung body, adapted to receive one end of the drive cable. The drive cable then extends from this member and takes a least restrictive position possible to the control means (zipper, lever, ...). Nevertheless, conventionally, the bung body is positioned according to the position of a discharge duct and not according to the position of the control means relative to the receiving member. The drive cable can then take a curved shape, in which the cable is constantly under stress.

This curved shape has the effect of increasing the friction exerted inside the drive cable and thus reduce the life of the drive cable.

Also, according to technical solutions proposed by the prior art, the cable can transmit the stress resulting from its curved shape on a seal present on the bung body, thus risking to degrade its performance and cause a loss of sealing of sanitary water evacuation devices. The invention particularly aims to overcome these disadvantages of the prior art.

More specifically, the invention aims to provide a sanitary water evacuation device comprising a control means and a transmission mechanism, which is easy to install and which is less likely to exhibit premature wear than what is allowed by the prior art. The invention also aims to provide such a device implementing a flexible drive cable which is less likely to present a wear resulting from friction inside the cable than is allowed by the prior art. The invention also aims to provide such a device whose drive cable is less likely to degrade the sealing of the device than is allowed by the prior art.

These objectives, as well as others that will appear later, are achieved by the invention which relates to a sanitary water evacuation device comprising: - a bung body; - A drain plug movable along an axis X relative to the bung body between a closed position and an evacuation position; a transmission mechanism comprising: a cam intended to actuate the plug; a means for actuating the cam; a flexible drive cable coupled at one of its ends to the means of actuating the cam, characterized in that it comprises a secondary body incorporating the cam, the means for actuating the cam and the end of the cable; , and in that the secondary body is coupled to the bung body rotatively about an axis parallel to or coincident with the X axis and receives the cable in a direction transverse to the X axis.

The flexible drive cable is more precisely coupled by a first of its ends to a means for controlling the position of the drain plug (a pull tab, a push button, etc.) and by a second end thereof by means of actuation of the cam.

The sanitary water discharge device according to the invention has a flexible drive cable which has the particularity of being able to take a less curved position between the bung body and the control means during the installation of the device, which what is allowed by the solutions proposed by the prior art.

Indeed, thanks to the rotational mobility of the secondary body on the bung body, the secondary body can then be in the position where the stresses exerted on the drive cable are the weakest. This positioning is thus independent of the position of an evacuation pipe with respect to the bung body.

For example, a device according to the prior art, because of the position of a discharge line, may require that the drive cable extend from the bung body in the opposite direction of the control means. The drive cable must then be bent in the direction of the control means and bypass the bung body.

Thanks to the evacuation device according to the invention, the secondary body which integrates the end of the cable can be oriented so that the drive cable leaves the secondary body directly towards the control means, without the need for be strongly curved, regardless of the position of the discharge pipe relative to the bung body.

Consequently, the drive cable of a device according to the invention tends to wear less than a drive cable of a device according to the prior art.

Moreover, thanks to the invention, the drive cable is less likely to degrade the seal of the seal placed in the orifice of a plug body traversed by the drive cable of a device according to the art. prior.

According to a preferred embodiment, the secondary body is coupled to the bung body by means of clipping means.

Preferably, the clipping means take the form of a circular groove and complementary hooks, one of the bung body or the secondary body having the circular groove and the other of the bung body or the secondary body having the hooks. The installation of the evacuation device is thus simple to implement. More precisely, the secondary body couples particularly rapidly on the bung body.

Also, the circular groove and the hooks make it possible to achieve the pivot connection between the secondary body and the bung body.

According to an advantageous solution, the means for actuating the cam comprises: a rotatably mounted lever intended to cooperate with the end of the cable; - An axis connecting the lever and the cam, the cam being integral in rotation with the lever.

This solution makes it possible to ensure the actuation of the cam by the drive cable by means that are simple to design and economical to produce.

Preferably, the secondary body has two parts, including: - a central portion rotatably mounted on the bung body, the central portion housing the cam; - A remote part of the central portion relative to the X axis, the offset portion housing the lever.

The remote part simplifies the arrangement of the elements constituting the actuating means of the cam. In addition, the operating kinematics of the lever with the end of the drive cable can also be simplified.

Indeed, depending on the installation conditions of the evacuation device on a sanitary equipment and according to the technical characteristics of the evacuation device, there may be implantation constraints (space occupied for a function of the evacuation device, height limited below the bung body, ...) arising from the presence of the bung body above the central part of the secondary body. By deporting a part of the secondary body, one is freed from these constraints.

According to a preferred characteristic, the end of the cable acts on the lever in an area above the axis of rotation of the lever.

With this feature, the assembly formed by the bung body and the secondary body can have a limited space in height while optimizing the design of the interface between the drive cable and the lever to transfer a force able to rotate the cam.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the remote part takes the form of a housing having a cap intended to keep the end of the cable captive in the remote part of the secondary body.

With this design, the installation of the transmission mechanism of the discharge device can be achieved as follows: - insertion of a drive cable into the housing; - closure of the housing by the hood; - clipping of the secondary body on the body of bung.

Such an installation is particularly easy to implement and in particular in comparison, for example, with devices in which a drive cable must be coupled to a lever, held and then retained in position relative to a bung body to the using a hose clamp to tighten with a screwdriver.

According to a preferred embodiment: the bung body has a wall provided with an elastically deformable flexible membrane; - the cap overcomes a rod extending to the flexible membrane; the cam is underlying the flexible membrane, the cam being movable between a first position in which the cap is in the closed position and a second position in which the cam deforms the flexible membrane towards the inside of the bung body so as to bring the cap into the evacuation position.

Thanks to the flexible membrane and the cam underlying the membrane, the sanitary water evacuation device according to the invention is less likely to undergo degradation of its watertightness over time, compared to the solutions proposed by the prior art.

Indeed, the flexible membrane forms an interface separating the inside and the outside of the bung body, through which the cam acts on the stem of the plug. The bung body of the evacuation device is thus not traversed by a body (stem, axis, ...) which would require a seal intended to undergo significant stresses, and whose properties (elasticity, tightness, ...) would be degraded in time.

Also, the sealing of the discharge device according to the invention is provided by the periphery of the flexible membrane which is coupled to the wall of the bung body. This sealed connection is then not subjected to the important stresses previously described intervening between a fixed body, a seal and a moving part.

Advantageously, in the first position of the cam, the flexible membrane extends in the plane formed by the wall adjacent to the flexible membrane.

Thanks to this characteristic, the absence of an intrusive body in the evacuation device according to the invention is doubly advantageous, and in particular in comparison with the solutions proposed by the prior art which have, for example, a tilting up stem opening inside the bung body.

Indeed, a body opening into a bung body can contribute to fouling of the bung body due to the accumulation of unwanted particles (hair, hair, ...) by this body which forms an obstacle .

Thus, in an evacuation device according to the invention, because the flexible membrane can be placed in the plane formed by the wall, a fouling of the type described above is less inclined to occur and the particulate evacuation performance and sanitary water flow are less likely to degrade over time compared to the solutions proposed by the prior art.

According to a preferred embodiment: the wall provided with the flexible membrane forms a bottom of the bung body; the flexible membrane is elastically deformable along the X axis.

The deformation of the membrane is thus optimized to allow the cam to drive the drain plug in motion, without requiring complex deformation of the flexible membrane.

According to a preferred solution, the sanitary water discharge device comprises a rigid disk coupled to a central portion of the flexible membrane and against which the cam is intended to bear.

Thus, the flexible membrane takes the form of a cylindrical or frustoconical stud when the cam is in a high position, the cam entering inside the bung body. The rigid disk thus guides the deformation of the flexible membrane and forms a base perpendicular to the X axis, to ensure the proper movement of the drain plug.

According to an advantageous embodiment: the rigid disk has a concave face oriented towards the cam; - The cam takes the form of a finger having a convex end adapted to slide on the concave face of the rigid disk.

Guiding the deformation of the flexible membrane is then optimized by increasing the force exerted on the rigid disk by the cam due to the rocking movement of the lever formed by the finger.

Advantageously, the rigid disk is an insert passing through the membrane so as to form a contact surface above and below the flexible membrane.

This design minimizes the wear of the flexible membrane in contact with the drain plug.

According to an advantageous solution, the flexible membrane is coupled to the wall via a holding ring in position adapted to grip the periphery of the flexible membrane and to establish a tight connection between the flexible membrane and the wall.

Preferably, the retaining ring is screwed onto the wall.

Such a design is economical and easy to manufacture to be able to couple the flexible membrane on the bung body. Also, the flexible membrane can be extracted from the bung body to be changed or cleaned during a maintenance operation. Other features and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention, given by way of illustrative and non-limiting examples, and the appended drawings in which: Figures 1 and 2 are diagrammatic representations in a sectional view, of a bung body and a drain plug, respectively in a closed position and in an evacuation position, an evacuation device sanitary water according to the invention; - Figure 3 is a schematic representation of an exploded view of a sanitary water evacuation device according to the invention; - Figure 4 is a schematic representation of a secondary body of a sanitary water evacuation device according to the invention; - Figure 5 is a schematic representation in a sectional view of a bung body with a flexible membrane in a high position according to a first embodiment of a sanitary water evacuation device according to the invention; - Figure 6 is a schematic representation in a sectional view of a bung body with a flexible membrane in a low position according to a second embodiment of a sanitary water evacuation device according to the invention; - Figure 7 is a schematic representation in a sectional view of a bung body and a secondary body having a remote part, a sanitary water evacuation device according to the invention; - Figure 8 is a schematic representation in a view from below of a sanitary water evacuation device according to the invention.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the sanitary water evacuation device according to the invention comprises: a bung body 1; a secondary body 4; - A drain plug 2 movable relative to the bung body between a closed position (Figure 1) and an evacuation position (Figure 2); - Control means of the position of the cap (not shown).

As can be seen in Figures 1, 2, 5 and 6, the bung body 1 has a cavity 10 formed by a wall 11. The cavity of the bung body is intended to be traversed by water Sanitary in the direction of an evacuation pipe. The bung body thus has an outlet 12 adapted to be connected to a sanitary water evacuation network.

The bung body may be of the monobloc type or may be composed of several parts. In the case where the bung body is composed of several parts, one of which can be rotated relative to another so as to easily adapt the position of the outlet towards the exhaust duct with respect to a part of the body of bung fixed on a support. In any case, the term "bung body" means a part that includes the evacuation cavity and the evacuation outlet intended to be connected to a sanitary water evacuation network.

The water discharge device according to the invention is intended to be mounted on a sanitary appliance to allow the flow of water from this device. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the device includes: a tubular piece 7, one end of which has a collar 70 and an outlet orifice 700 intended to open into the apparatus in order to collect the water to be evacuated; a nut 14 integrated in the bung body, the nut being intended to cooperate with the tubular piece to secure the evacuation assembly to the sanitary apparatus.

In a conventional manner, the nut of the bung body is intended to be screwed to tighten the sanitary appliance between the flange 70 of the tubular piece and the nut of the bung body 1.

According to the solution illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, 5 and 6, a wall 11 of the bung body 1 is provided with a flexible membrane 3 which is elastically deformable.

This flexible membrane 3 is in particular coupled to the wall 11 by means of a retaining ring 31 in position. This ring encloses the periphery of the flexible membrane and establishes a tight connection between the bung body and the flexible membrane. According to the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, 5 and 6, the retaining ring is more precisely screwed onto an inner face of the wall, inside the bung body. Of course, the retaining ring can be screwed onto an outer face of the wall.

According to the present embodiment, the wall which is provided with the flexible membrane corresponds to the wall which forms the bottom of the bung body. The bottom of the bung body thus has a circular groove 110 in which a peripheral lip 32 of the flexible membrane is intended to be inserted. The retaining ring then compresses the peripheral lip to maintain in position the flexible membrane at the bottom of the bung body and establish a tight connection.

As can be seen in Figures 1 and 2, the drain plug 2 is movable along an axis X relative to the bung body. This drain plug 2 overcomes a rod 20 which extends along the X axis in the cavity 10 of the bung body 1.

The control means (not shown) can take many forms. It is intended to trigger the displacement of the drain plug. To move the drain plug, the control means is coupled to a transmission mechanism.

As illustrated by FIGS. 3 and 4, the transmission mechanism comprises: a cam 6; a means for actuating the cam; a flexible drive cable.

The cam 6 is intended to actuate the drain plug.

More precisely and as can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cam 6 is underlying the flexible membrane 3 which is elastically deformable along the X axis and situated on the bottom of the bung body 1.

The means for actuating the cam makes it movable between a first position in which the cap is in the closed position (FIG. 1) and a second position in which the cam deforms the flexible membrane towards the inside. the bung body so as to bring the cap into the evacuation position (Figure 2).

The cam then allows to actuate the drain plug 2 by cooperating with the rod 20 which extends to the flexible membrane and comes into contact with the latter.

As can be seen in Figures 1 and 6, in the first position of the cam, the flexible membrane 3 extends in the plane formed by the wall adjacent to the flexible membrane, and in particular, according to the present mode in the plane formed by the bottom of the bung body.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, a rigid disk 30 is coupled to a central portion of the flexible membrane 3. The cam is then intended to bear against this disk to deform the flexible membrane.

More specifically, the rigid disk 30 has a concave face 300 facing the cam. As can be seen in Figure 4, the cam 6 has the shape of a finger 60 having an end of a convex shape adapted to slide on the concave face of the rigid disk.

As can be seen in FIG. 5, the flexible membrane 3 takes the form of a frustoconical stud when it is deformed towards the inside of the cavity 10 of the bung body 1. This form is particularly suitable for lifting the drain plug by interacting with the stem. Indeed, the flexible membrane forms a base perpendicular to the X axis and thus perpendicular to the rod with which it must interact.

According to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, the rigid disk 30 is an insert passing through the flexible membrane 3. The rigid disk then makes it possible to form a contact surface 301 above the flexible membrane, intended to come into direct contact with the stem of the drain plug.

As can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the flexible drive cable has a first end 51 and a second end 52. The first end of the cable is coupled to the control means (not shown) and the second end of the cable is coupled to the actuating means of the cam.

The drive cable 5 is in particular a cable of the type known as the "Bowden cable" allowing thrust and traction movements, of the type comprising a rope (for example a wire rope) surrounded in a sheath. This type of drive cable is relatively flexible and can therefore be bent under the action of an external stress. It may be noted that such a cable has, by its nature, a stiffness giving it a rest position rectilinear, not bent.

The cable 5 thus has a mobile rope inside a sheath 50 and has at its first end a first connecting head 510 and at its second end 52 a second connecting head 520.

According to the operating principle of this type of cable, the ends of the sheath serve as reference points vis-à-vis the displacement of the connecting heads. Thus, the control means must tow the first connecting head or push the first connecting head inside the sheath. The control means comprise a means for holding the end of the sheath in position relative to the connection head in order to be able to pull or push it.

The secondary body 4 is rotatably coupled to the bung body 1 about an axis parallel to or coincident with the X axis and in particular, according to the present embodiment, about the X axis.

More specifically, the secondary body is coupled to the bung body by means of clipping means. For this purpose, as illustrated by FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6, the bung body 1 has a circular groove 13 and, according to FIGS. 3 and 4, the secondary body 4 has complementary hooks 400 of the throat circular. The hooks are then clipped into the circular groove to couple the secondary body on the bung body. Subsequently, these hooks are movable inside the circular groove to allow the secondary body to be rotatable relative to the bung body.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the secondary body 4 incorporates: the cam 6; the means for actuating the cam; the second end 52 of the cable 5.

The cable 5 is received by the secondary body 4 in a direction transverse to the axis X.

According to the present embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the means for actuating the cam comprises: a lever 62; an axis 61.

The lever 62 is rotatably mounted and is intended to cooperate with the second end 52 of the cable 5. More specifically, the lever has a capture member 620 for holding the second connecting head 520 of the cable 5 in a complementary housing. This capture member 620 and this housing take in particular a shape that can be pushed or pulled by the second connecting head. The axis 61 connects the lever 62 and the cam 6. The cam is thus integral in rotation with the lever.

As explained above, the cam 6 takes the form of a finger 60 having an end having a convex shape. Thus, the base of the finger 60 is integral with the axis 61, and is thus integral in rotation with the lever 62 to allow the end of the finger to bear and to slide on the rigid disk.

As can be seen in Figures 3, 7 and 8, the secondary body 4 has a central portion 40 and a remote portion 41 of the central portion relative to the axis X.

The central portion 40 is rotatably mounted on the bung body 1, in alignment with the X axis. As can be seen in FIG. 3, this central part has the hooks 400 and houses the cam 6.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the remote part 41 houses the lever 62. This remote part takes the form of a housing 610 which has a hood 411. This hood makes it possible to keep the second end 52 cable 5 inserted into the housing of the secondary body, and more particularly to maintain in position the end of the sheath from which extends the second connecting head.

According to the present embodiment and as can be seen in Figures 4 and 7, the secondary body 4 is designed so that the second end 52 of the cable 5 acts on the lever 62 in an area at above the axis of rotation of the lever. The housing then takes a shape that extends to the side of the bung body. According to this embodiment, the lever of the actuating means of the cam can thus extend to the side of the bung body, thereby reducing the overall height of the sanitary water discharge device according to the invention.

Claims (7)

1. Sanitary water evacuation device comprising: - a bung body (1); - A drain plug (2) movable along an axis X relative to the bung body between a closed position and an evacuation position; a transmission mechanism comprising: a cam (6) intended to actuate the plug; a means for actuating the cam; a flexible drive cable (5) coupled at one of its ends to the actuating means of the cam, characterized in that it comprises a secondary body (4) integrating the cam, the means for actuating the cam and the end of the cable, and in that the secondary body is coupled on the bung body rotatably about an axis parallel to or coincident with the X axis and receives the cable in a direction transverse to the X axis, and in that the secondary body (4) is coupled to the bung body (1) by means of clipping means. 2. Device for discharging sanitary water according to claim 1, characterized in that the clipping means take the form of a circular groove (13) and complementary hooks (400), one of the bung body ( 1) or the secondary body (4) having the circular groove and the other of the bung body or the secondary body having the hooks. 3. Device for discharging sanitary water according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means for actuating the cam comprises: - a lever (62) rotatably mounted for cooperating with the end of the cable (5); - An axis (61) connecting the lever and the cam (6), the cam being integral in rotation with the lever. 4. Device for discharging sanitary water according to claim 3, characterized in that the secondary body (4) has two parts, including: - a central portion (40) rotatably mounted on the bung body (1), the central part housing the cam (6); - a remote part (41) of the central portion relative to the X axis, the offset portion housing the lever (62). 5. sanitary water discharge device according to claim 4, characterized in that the end of the cable (5) acts on the lever (62) in an area above the axis of rotation of the lever. 6. Sanitary water discharging device according to any one of claims 4 and 5, characterized in that the remote part (41) takes the form of a housing (410) having a cover (411) intended to keep captive the end of the cable (5) in the remote part of the secondary body (4). 7. Device for discharging sanitary water according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that: - the bung body (1) has a wall (11) provided with a flexible membrane (3) elastically deformable; - The cap (2) overcomes a rod (20) extending to the flexible membrane; the cam (6) is underlying the flexible membrane, the cam being movable between a first position in which the cap is in the closed position and a second position in which the cam deforms the flexible membrane towards the inside of the bung body so as to bring the cap into the evacuation position.