GB2177849A - Push button control unit for valve or switch - Google Patents

Abstract

An elongate push button control unit comprising a housing containing a switch or valve mechanism (17), and a push button (7) which can be pushed to actuate the switch or valve mechanism (17), the push button (7) being separated from the housing by an elongate member (28) via which the push button (7) can operate on the switch or valve mechanism (17) to actuate it, and by a tube (30, 31, 32) through which the elongate member (28) extends, the tube (30, 31, 32) having the push button (7) arranged a tone end such as to be able to be operated by being pushed. The push button and housing are mounted on opposite sides of a wall eg to control a timed flow of water to a shower. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to push button control units This invention relates to improvements in or relating to push button control units and is particularly, although notexclusively, applicableto wall-mounted push buttontimercontrol unitsforshowersorthelike.

Thereareknown push button control units for many applications. One type of push button control unit is one in which the button is pushed once to provide a predetermined timed amount of flow. The flow may be of electricity for example, or of water which is of particular but not exclusive interest in the present case. The concept behind such a control unit is that the flow is not left on, and thus energy (either electricity or some form of water heating energy) is saved.

One example of a commercially available push button waterflowtimer control unit isthe Mira TF 503B manufactured by the PRESTO company in France. This is a wall mounted unit for economical waterflow control for showers, handwashing and other ablutionary applications, providing a thirty seconds water flow for each push ofthe button. The button is given a single short push, then released, and the water will flow forthirty seconds and then stop automatically as determined by a valve mechanism which is timed mechanically. The button can be pushed again as manytimes as is required to repeat the water flow.

A problem with the Mira TF 503B and similar units is that they are short from front to back and therefore must be mounted within a cavity dug out of the front of a building wall on which the units are mounted. The cavity must be dug out to the dimensions required, and pipeworkand other connections to the unit must runwithinthe material ofthewall itself. Where extensive pipework, including for example knuckles, runs right upto the unit, the wall cavity must be correspondingly largerto accommodate the pipework, leading to extra work.Also, a front cavity cover of a predetermined size may not even cover the front of a largecivity. Moreover, such a mounting in a wall cavity has been found to bevulnerableto action by vandals, who may find it a relatively easy matter to tearthe unit from the cavity by manipulating the push button.

According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided an elongate push button control unit comprising a housing containing a switch orvalve mechanism, and a push button which can be pushed to actuate the switch orvalve mechanism, the push button being separated from the housing by an elongate membervia which the push button can operate on the switch or valve mechanism to actuate it, and byatubethroughwhichtheelongatemember extends, the tube having the push button arranged at one end such as to be able to be operated by being pushed.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided an adapter for a push button control unit, the adaptercomprisingtheelongatememberandthe tube as defined in the preceding paragraph.

In an embodiment of the invention the provision of the elongate member and the tube may enable the push button control unit to be mounted on a building wall such thatthe housing is mounted substantially on the rear of the wall, and the elongate member and the tube extend through a relatively narrow hole through the wall to the push button projecting atthefront of the wall. In this way no large cavity need be dug out of the front of the wall, and pipeworkand other connections to the unit can run atthe rear ofthe wall instead of within it. The hole in the wall can be relatively small no matter how extensive the pipework running right up to the unit, and a front cavity cover can coverthefrontend of a small hole.

Moreover, itispossibleto mountthe unit more secu rely, thus rendering it more proof against van- dals.

For a better understanding ofthe invention and to show how it may be put into effect reference will now be made by way of example to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 isthesideviewofa known push button water flowtimer control unit; Figure 2 shows howthe unit of Figure 1 is conventionally mounted in a cavity dug out of the frontofa wall; Figure 3 is a front perspective view ofthe mounted unit of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a side sectional view of the push button and valve assembly ofthe unit of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a side sectional view ofthe unit of Figure 4when adapted in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 6 shows howtheadapted unit of Figure 5 may be mounted on a wall.

Figure 1 shows the side view of a known push button water flow timer control unit. This particular unit is a MiraTF503B unit manufactured by the PRESTO company in France, although it could be any appropriate similar unit, or even an electrical switch timercontrol unitinan alternative embodiment.

The unit comprises a valve mechanism housing 1 with a lower water inlet 2 and an upperwateroutlet3.

The valve mechanism itself is inside the housing 1 and is supported on a cylindrical frontsupport4. The support4isthreaded into an internallythreadedfront end 5 ofthe housing 1, and is screwed therein using a large nut 6 fixed on the support 4. A push button 7 is mounted on the support4. Whenthe button 7 is operated by a single short push the valve mechanism operates to allow water to flow through the housing 1 for a predetermined period of approximately 30 seconds. Atthe end of this time the valve mechanism closes automatically. A bracket attachment nut 8 and a collar are provided on the rearface ofthe housing 1.

Figure 2 is a top view ofthe unit of Figure 1 when mounted atthefront of a wall 9. Acavity 10 is dug into thefrontsurface ofthewall 9, and there is placed therein an assembly comprising the unit as shown in Figure 1, a rear bracket 11 secured by the nut 8 and collartothe housing land a front plate assembly 12 which slides onto the push button 7 and is secured to the housing 1 by being bolted to the free ends ofthe bracket 11 via bolts 13 and 14. The assembly is secured in the cavity by screws through holes in the back wall of the bracket 11, these screws being screwed into plugs previously inserted in the material ofthe wall at the backsurface ofthe cavity 10.This type of securement is notshown, and will becleartotheman skilled in the art.

The front plate assembth 12 comprises a rear plate 15 through which the bolts 13 and 14 extend, and a front plate 16 which is releasably pushed onto the rear plate 15 to provide an attractive frontface for the assembly. A soft plastics ring is sandwiched between the front and rear plates 16 and 15 to provide a close-fitting sleeve around the push button 7.

Figure 3 shows the assembly when mounted, and indicates the attractive view provided by the front plate 16with the push button 7 protruding through its centre. The plate 16 has a raised rim as shown.

It will be apparent that digging the cavity 10 out of the front face ofthewall 9 is time consuming, and making the cavity 10 with accurate dimensions is difficult. Pipeworkto the inlet and outlet ofthe housing 1 must run within the material of the wall 9 itself, and where extensive pipework, including for example knuckles, runs right uptothe unitthewall cavity 10 may be so large thatthefront plate assembly 16 will not cover it, leading to great difficulty in fitting the unit properly. Also, the only connection to the wall is via screws at the rearofthebracketl 1, a type of fixing which may enablethe unitto be pulled from the wall.

Moreover, work on the housing and in securing the unitto the wall is difficult, because access to the inside ofthe cavity 10 is very restricted.

Figure4shows the valve mechanism of Figure 1 when screwed out ofthe housing 1. The cylindrical front support 4 and push button 7 are combined with the valve mechanism 17, and an outerthread 18 integtral with the support 4 is clearly visible. A rear part 19 ofthevalve mechanism is coupled rigidlyto the push button 7 via a threaded bolt 20 which at its front end is securely screwed into a threaded socket 21 extanding axially within the push button 7. At its rear end the bolt 20 is secured to the rear part 19 ofthe valve mechanism 17.

Thethreaded socket21 has an hexagonal external cross-section and extends from an internal annular wall 22 within the push button 7. A rear cylindrical wall 23 ofthe push button 7 rests closely on a front annular lip 24On the cylindrical support 4.

The support 4 is integral with a body 25 through which extends the bolt 20. At the front of the body 25 there extends within the support 4 a tube 26 having an internal hexagonal section which mates with the external hexagonal section ofthe socket 21, preventins the push button 7 rotating.

A compression spring 27 is arranged between the body 25 and the wall 22 ofthe push button 7, and is disposed in an annular space between the cylindrical support4andthetube26.

When the button 7 is given a single short push it slides rearwards onthe lip 24until thewall 22 abuts againstthefront ends ofthe lip 24 and the tube 26. The bolt 20 pushes the rear part 19 ofthe valve mechanism backwards and the valve mechanism operates to be open for a preset time of approximately 30 seconds.

The details of the valve mechanism are well known in the art, and are not discussed in detail here. The push button 7 returnsto its illustrated position with the aid ofthe return spring 27.

Figure 5 is a side sectional view of the unit of Figure 4when adapted by the present invention. In this embodimentthepush button 7 and the spring 27 are removed from the remainder of the assembly shown in Figure 4.

An extension spindle 28 is provided between the bolt 20 and the socket 21 to connect the push button 7 to the remainder of the assembly. The spindle 28 has a threaded socket 29 at its rear end to receive the bolt 20, and a threaded extension 30 at its front end to engage the threaded socket 21.

Athree partstationarytube has a rear section 30 engaged between the cylindrical support4andthe tube 26, a long central part31 ofsmallerwidth, and a front section 32 which is wider to allow the rear cylindrical wall 23 ofthe push button 7to beslidably mounted on it, with greater clearance than on the lip 24. All three sections may be commercially available copperfitments, and the rear section 30may include projections as shown to fitsnugly between support4 and tube 26.

Aflanged collar33fitsslidably onthefrontend of the spindle 28 and abuts againstthe front end 34 ofthe central tubular part 31 which extendswithinthefront section 32.

The spring 27 extends between the flange ofthe collar33 and the wall 22 of the push button 7.

The rear end socket 29 ofthe spindle 28 is smooth on the outside and can rotate within the hexagonal tube 26. This allows the push button 7 itself to rotate freely, which is itself an anti-vandal feature.

In operation, the button 7 is pushed as before to actuate the valve mechanism 17. The wall 22 will abut against the front end of the front tube section 32. The spring27,which is always under some compression to urge the tube 30,31,32 up against the front surface of the body 25 to be stationary thereon, aids the push button 7 to return as before. The valve mechanism 17 operates exactly as previously.

Figure 6 shows the unit of Figure 5 when secured to a wall. Here a 3mmthick bracket 35 is used to secure the units toe rear of the wall, and the front plate assembly 12 is secured to the front of the wall.

As can be seen from Figure 6 as compared with Figure 2,the extension provided by the invention enables a much better and secure fixing ofthe unitto be achieved. Thus, a simple hole can be drilled through the wall quickly, instead of time consuming cavity having to be made.

Pipework runs atthe rearofthewall, notwithin it, and any extent of pipework, including knuckles, can run right unto the housing 1 without affecting the hole in the wall.The hole need be only small in diameter, so that the front plate assembly 12 will always cover it.

The fixed assembly is secure against vandals because ofthe rigid fixing by bracket 35. Also, the front plate assembly 16 is screwed to the front ofthe wall itself, and not onlyto the unit, adding greater strength.

Since all work done in securing the unit to the wall is done at a face of the wall, and not in the hole, work access is free and not restricted, unlike in Figure 2.

The invention can be manufactured and sold as a valve unit as a whole, including optionally front plate assembly 12 and/or bracket 35.

On the other hand, it could be manufactured and sold as an adapter kitforan already manufactured valve unit, such as the Mira unit described. The kit could comprise spindle, tube and optionally collar, and could optionally also comprise bracket 35.

It will be appreciated that the lengths of spindle and tube can be provided as required in order to suit a particular site, depending on wall thickness.

In a variation ofthe arrangement shown in Figure 5, the collar33 can be omitted and the spring 27 replaced by a longer and stronger spring acting directly on the conical radially extending wall portion between the tube parts 31 and 32, and being self locating thereon.

Claims (21)

1. An elongate push button control unit comprising a housing containing a switch orvalve mechanism, and a push button which can be pushed to actuate the switch or valve mechanism, the push button being separated from the housing by an elongate memberviawhich the push button can operate on the switch or valve mechanism to actuate it, and bya tube through which the elongate member extends, the tube having the push button arranged at one end such as to be able to be operated by being pushed.

2. A unit according to claim 1, wherein the valve mechanism comprises a threaded actuating member and the corresponding end ofthe elongate member is screwed to it.

3. Aunitaccording to claim 1 or2,whereinthe push button comprises a threaded part and the corresponding end of the elongate member is screwed to it.

4. A unit according to any preceding claim,wherein the valve mechanism comprises two external cylindrical portions which extendsubstantiallycoax- ially towards the push button, and the corresponding end ofthetube rests between these two external cylindrical portions.

5. A unit according to claim 4, wherein the end of the tube between the two external cylindrical portions iswiderthan a central region ofthetube.

6. A unit according to any preceding claim, where- in the push-button end ofthetube acts as a stop against which a face of the push button abuts when it is pushed.

7. A unit according to any preceding claim,where- in the push button end of the tube acts as a sleeve along which a cylindrical partofthe push button can move.

8. A unit according to any preceding claim,where- in the push button is urged by a spring into an unpushed position.

9. A unit according to any preceding claim,where- in the spring is arranged to act directly on the push button.

10. Aunitaccordingto claim S,whereinthespring is arranged to act between the tube and the push button at the end region ofthetube at which is located the push button.

11. A unit according to any preceding claim, wherein the tube is stationary relative to the housing.

12. A unit according to claim 11 when appended to claim 10,whereinthespring urgesthetube up against a part of the valve mechanism.

13. Aunitaccording to any preceding claim, wherein the push button end region ofthetube is widerthan a central region ofthe tube.

14. A unit according to claim 13when appended to claim 12, wherein the spring is contained within the push button end region ofthetube.

15. A unitaccordingto claim 14,wherein one end of the spring acts directly on a radially extending wall portion ofthetube.

16. A unit according to any preceding claim, wherein the push button is rotatable relative to the housing.

17. A push button control unit substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to FigureS of the accompanying drawings.

18. A unit according to any preceding claim, when mounted on a wall with the housing at one side of the wall and the push button at the other side ofthe wall.

19. An adapter kit for extending a push button control unit, comprising an elongate member and a tube which are adapted to provide the elongate memberandthetube in the unit of claim 1.

20. An adapter kit according to claim 19,wherein the tube is wider at its ends than at a central region.

21. An adapter kit according to claim 20, wherein the elongate member and the tube are substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 5.