GB2216239A

GB2216239A - Ventilating device for fittings

Info

Publication number: GB2216239A
Application number: GB8903856A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Werner Gnauert
Original assignee: Friedrich Grohe Armaturenfabrik GmbH and Co
Current assignee: Grohe Water Technology AG and Co KG
Priority date: 1988-02-22
Filing date: 1989-02-21
Publication date: 1989-10-04
Also published as: FI890239A; GB8903856D0; DE3805462A1; FI890239A0; DE3805462C2

Description

Ventilating device for fittings Th.isinvention relates to a fitting

ventilator for water fittings.

Such a device is known from DE-OS 36 03 503. In order to prevent dirty water from being sucked back via the outlet, which is constructed in the form of a hose shower, this ventilating device is of very sensitive construction. Ventilation of the interior of the mixing assembly takes place even at slightly reduced pressures of a 3 to 5 cm water column, so that the sucking back of dirty water is very reliably prevented.

It has been shown, however, that when the fitting is shut off relatively quickly at the end of a waterdrawing operation, for example as may occur with one-lever mixing valves, small amounts of water can emerge from the ventilating device. This drop of water is probably caused by the fact that when the fitting is shut off quickly, the water flowing in the shower hose produces a brief period of suction or reduced pressure in the region of the shut-off member and therefore lifts the closure member of the ventilating device, so that a drop of water is able to emerge. This drop of water is undesirable since, on the one hand, it produces an unpleasant appearance when drips from the fitting fall on to the surface of the washbasin or sink and, on the other hand, when the fitting is supplied with hard water, evaporation of the water droplet in the region of the valve seat of the ventilating device can cause limescale deposits which may impair the operation of the ventilating device.

Furthermore, it is known from German Patent Application W 10524 V/85d in a pipe ventilator having a float valve to arrange a flow-control valve upstream. However, the flow-control valve is intended only to prevent the float valve from jamming as the pipe system is filled or to prevent the operation of the float valve from being impaired by particles entrained in the water. It has no function during normal operation.

The Problem underlying the invention is to provide a ventilating device with which it is possible to prevent water from emerging from the ventilating device.

According to the present invention, there is provided a fitting ventilator for water fittings, having a housing that has at least one opening for connection to the fitting and one opening for connection to the atmosphere, a valve closure device being mounted in the housing in such a manner that in the normal operating state it is in the closed position, whilst in the event of slightly reduced pressure in the fitting the connection to the atmosphere is opened, characterised in that two valve closure members (A, B,) arranged one behind the other are provided, each valve closure member (A, B) being movable into its open position by reduced pressure.

The arrangement of two ventilating devices connected in series in a ventilating channel effectively prevents the emergence of water droplets or water spray. Furthermore, the water that has penetrated into the chamber between the two valve closure members can be sucked out again when the valve closure member facing the fitting is opened. Moreover, a relative humidity of 100% is produced relatively quickly in the chamber between the two valve closure members, so that limescale deposits and encrustation do not occur as a result of further evaporation of water in the region of the chamber. After reduced pressure has occurred and the inner valve closure member has opened, the outer valve closure member, which is connected to the atmosphere, is opened after a delay. The delay is designed to be such that during the brief period of suction that is produced when the fitting is shut off quickly, the outer valve closure member does not open. If, however, sucking back takes place from the supply line via the fitting, then, with the necessary sensitivity, the outer valve closure member too is opened and ventilation is effected. 20 The delayed actuation of the outer valve closure member occurs as a result of the valve closure members being coupled via the fluid volume of the chamber between them. The delay can be determined by suitable selection of the closing force (for example gravity), the volume of the chamber, the effective pressure working surface of the valve closure members and the magnitude of the pressure gradients.

Further embodiments of the invention are given in claims 2 to 9. When the ventilator is arranged vertically, the two valve closure members can advantageously be provided with suitable weights so that they are pressed into the closed position by gravity. If, however, the ventilator is to be operable in any installation position, then suitable closure springs can be provided which press the two valve closure members into the closed position independently of one another. The valve closure members can be constructed as plate valves, diaphragm valves or as sealing balls with equal effectiveness. Advantageously, the valve seats with which the valve closure members co-operate can be arranged coaxially one behind the other in a housing. The two valve closure members can advantageously be accommodated together with the associated valve seats in a sleeve-shaped housing which can be inserted as a unit directly into a receiving bore or a receiving channel of a water fitting. For the purpose of insertion into a water pipe leading, for example, to a shower fitting, the ventilator can also advantageously be accommodated in a housing which has a through bore for the inlet and outlet, the two valve closure members being arranged parallel to the through bore in a chamber which is connected on the one hand to the through bore and on the other hand to the atmosphere.

Embodiments of the invention are shown on an enlarged scale in the drawing and are described in more detail below:

Figure 1 shows, partly in section, a fitting ventilator installed vertically in a fitting, Figure 2 shows, in longitudinal section, a further embodiment of a fitting ventilator which can be arranged in any position in the fitting, and Figure 3 shows, in longitudinal section, a fitting ventilator having diaphragms as valve closure members.

For the sake of clarity, in the embodiments shown in the drawings, the same or corresponding elements have been given the same reference numerals. The ventilator shown in Figure 1 can be inserted into a receiving bore 10 of a water fitting 1, for example as known from DE-OS 36 03 503, and can be secured in the inserted position with a retaining ring 11. For the purpose of sealing the cylindrical housing 2, the outer surface is provided with an annular groove 20 in which there is arranged a sealing ring 23 constructed in the form of an 0-ring. Two valve closure members A, B are arranged coaxially one behind the other in the housing 2. Valve closure member A is connected to the atmosphere whilst valve closure member B is connected with the interior of the water fitting 1. The two valve closure members A and B are each formed by a plate 21 on which a guide rod 22 is coaxially located and each carries a sealing ring 28, -6which sealing rings cooperate with correspondingly constructed valve seats 24 in the housing 2. For the purpose of mounting the guide rod 22 of valve closure member B, a housing bearing 25 is arranged concentrically in the housing 2. In contrast, the guide rod 22 of valve closure member A is displaceably mounted-coaxially in a bearing formed as a blind bore 210 in the plate 21 of valve closure member B. The two valve closure members A, B are returned to their closed position by annular weights 31 with the aid of gravity. The two valve closure members A, B are arranged relative to one another in such a manner that the suction or reduced pressure that is produced when a water-drawing operation is ended abruptly acts only on valve closure member B. As a result of the delay in the chamber between the two valve closure members, valve closure member A is not opened, so that the emergence of water is avoided.

The embodiment shown in Figure 2 differs from the embodiment above essentially in that it can be arranged in any position. The two valve closure members A, B are brought into their closed positions independently of one another by means of accurately stressed closure spring S 3. In addition, for the reliable guiding and holding of the two valve closure members A, B in the housing 2, two separate housing bearings 25 and two star-shaped guide supports 29 are provided. In this embodiment, the valve closure members A, B are reset essentially by the closure springs 3. Otherwise the mode of operation corresponds to that of the embodiment shown in Figure 1.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, diaphragms 26 are provided as the valve closure members A, B. In a cylindrical housing 2, two valve seats 24 are constructed at the necessary distance from one another. In the region of each of the valve seats 24, a diaphragm constructed in the form of a flap is attached by means of a securing ring 27. In the region of the through opening in the valve seats 24, the diaphragm is of domed and reinforced construction, so that the internal pressure normally present in the fitting can be accommodated by the domed flap of the diaphragm. During a ventilation operation, the flap is raised via a film hinge and assumes the position shown by dotted lines, so that the fitting can be ventilated. After a ventilation operation, the flapshaped part of the diaphragm 26 is returned to the valve' seat 24 by gravity and additionally by the spring action of the film hinge and thus the passageway is blocked.

otherwise the mode of operation corresponds to that of the embodiment shown in Figure 1. instead of the diaphragm 26 it is also possible to use sealing balls of elastomer, for example plastics etc.. When the ventilator is arranged vertically, these sealing balls can be returned to the closed position by gravity or they can be returned to the closed position by conical springs supported in the housing 2.

Claims

Claims:

Fitting ventilator for water fittings, having a housing that has at least one opening for connection to the fitting and one opening for connection to the atmosphere, a valve closure device being mounted in the housing in such a manner that in the normal operating state it is in the closed position, whilst in the event of slightly reduced pressure in the fitting the connection to the atmosphere is opened, characterised in that two valve closure members arranged one behind the other are provided, each valve closure member being movable into its open position by reduced pressure.
2. Fitting ventilator according to claim 1, characterised in that the two valve closure members are held in the closed position independently of one another by gravity and/or closure springs.
3. Fitting ventilator according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the valve closure members are constructed in the form of plates on guides that are mounted in the housing so as to be displaceable independently of one another.
4. Fitting ventilator according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that diaphragms are provided as valve closure members. 25
5. Fitting ventilator according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that sealing balls are provided as valve closure members.
6. Fitting ventilator according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the valve seats are arranged coaxially one behind the other in the housing and can be closed with correspondingly positioned valve connection members in housing bearings.
7. Fitting ventilator according to claim 6, characterised in that one valve closure member is guided with the guide in a housing bearing whilst the other valve closure member is guided with a guide in a bearing, constructed as a blind bore, in the first valve closure member.
8. Fitting ventilator according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that there is provided a sleeve-shaped housing having a cylindrical outer wall, in which an annular groove for receiving a sealing ring is provided, so that the fitting ventilator can be inserted as a unit into a receiving bore in the water fitting.
9. Fitting ventilator according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the housing has a through bore for insertion into a pipe or between a pipe and a water fitting, the two valve closure members being arranged parallel to the through bore in a chamber which is connected on the one hand to the through bore and on the other hand to the atmosphere.
10. Fitting ventilator substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated by Fig. 1 or Fig. 2 or Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.

Published 19% at The Patent omoe, state House, 66.171 High HolbornLondonWC1111 4TP. Purtber copies maybe obtainedfromThe PatentOffice. sees Branca), st mLry cray, orpington, Kent BRS ZILD. Printed by Multiplex teobnlques ltd, st Cray, Kent, con. 1,87