JP5006539B2 - Hot water tap - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention is configured to urge a movable valve body provided in the faucet body so as to be movable in the axial direction from both sides in the axial direction by a temperature-sensitive spring and a bias spring made of a shape memory material. It relates to hot and cold water mixing taps.

  This type of hot and cold water mixing valve is composed of a water side valve seat and a hot water side valve seat provided in the faucet body, and an axial line coaxially in the faucet body so as to selectively contact and separate these valve seats. A movable valve body movably provided in the direction, a hot water inflow chamber and a hot water mixing chamber formed in the water faucet body upstream and downstream of the movable valve body, and the movable valve body as a hot water side valve. A temperature-sensitive spring made of a shape memory material provided on the hot water / water mixing chamber side so as to be biased in a direction approaching the seat; and the movable valve body is made to oppose the biasing force of the temperature-sensitive spring to the water-side valve seat And a bias spring provided on the hot water inflow chamber side so as to be biased in a direction approaching the hot water, and a movable valve body is moved in the axial direction via the bias spring provided at one end of the faucet body. And a temperature control handle for adjusting the set temperature of the mixed water. Then, in the conventional general hot-and-water mixing tap, as the bias spring, as shown in FIG. 5, the bias spring is spirally wound at an equal pitch over the entire length in the axial direction, and has a substantially constant spring constant. A single coil spring 70 was used.

However, in the conventional general hot and cold water mixing tap using a single coil spring (bias spring) having a substantially constant spring constant as described above, the spring constant of the bias spring is set to the temperature of the hot and cold water mixture (hereinafter referred to as water discharge temperature). If the spring constant is selected so that the temperature is stable at around 40 ° C, the rotation angle of the temperature control handle is limited. Therefore, the temperature adjustment handle is rotated to the fully open position to set the hot water discharge area, for example, the maximum temperature. However, the biasing force (pushing back force) of the bias spring 70 is insufficient, and the intended maximum water discharge temperature cannot be obtained. That is, when the set temperature is increased, the temperature sensing spring is compressed and the urging force of the temperature sensing spring is increased, and the movable valve body is separated from the water side valve seat as the urging force of the temperature sensing spring increases. As a result, cold water flows into the hot and cold water mixing chamber, and there is a problem that temperature adjustment in the hot water discharge area cannot be performed accurately.
In addition, the bias spring 70 having an equal pitch resonates with the temperature-sensitive spring because the spring constant is almost constant regardless of the rotation angle of the temperature control handle and the movable valve body at any position in the axial direction. When it resonates easily, there is also a problem that hunting is likely to occur at an early timing.

  In order to solve the problems of such a conventional general hot and cold water mixing tap, conventionally, a hot and cold water mixing tap having the following configuration has been proposed. That is, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, a hot water side valve seat 60 and a water side valve seat 61 are provided in the faucet body 66, and water is selectively contacted with and separated from these valve seats 60, 61. A movable valve body 62 that is coaxially movable in the axial direction is provided in the stopper body 66, and a temperature-sensitive spring 63 made of a shape memory material that biases the movable valve body 62 in a direction approaching the hot water side valve seat 60; A pair of bias springs 64 and 65 for biasing the movable valve body 62 in a direction approaching the water-side valve seat 61 so as to oppose the biasing force of the temperature-sensitive spring 63 are provided. A hot water / water mixing tap provided with a temperature adjustment handle (not shown) that adjusts the set temperature of the hot / cold water mixture by moving the movable valve body 62 in the axial direction via 65, the pair of bias springs 64. , 65 are coaxially arranged in the faucet body 66 on the same axis. Made from the outer diameter and different coil springs lengths provided Te. In this conventional proposed hot and cold water mixing tap, when the movable valve body 62 is located in the low temperature water discharge region, the biasing forces of the bias springs 64 and 65 are applied to the movable valve body 62 as shown in FIG. When the movable valve body 62 is located in the middle-temperature water discharge area, the biasing force of only one bias spring 64 acts on the movable valve body 62 as shown in FIG. When 62 is located in the high temperature water discharge region, as shown in FIG. 8, the biasing force of both bias springs 64 and 65 is configured to act on the movable valve body 62 (see, for example, Patent Document 1). ).

JP 2005-133848 A

  The conventional hot and cold water mixing tap shown in Patent Document 1 uses a pair of bias springs 64 and 65, and operates the springs 64 and 65 irregularly according to the set temperature by rotating the temperature control handle. Thus, in a state where the movable valve body 62 is located in the high temperature water discharge region, a large biasing force by the pair of bias springs 64 and 65 is applied to the movable valve body 62 to sufficiently counter the biasing force of the temperature-sensitive spring 63. Even if the temperature-sensitive spring 63 is greatly compressed and its urging force is increased, the movable valve body 62 is moved away from the water-side valve seat 61 so that cold water flows into the hot and cold water mixing chamber. The problem that the temperature adjustment in the water discharge area cannot be performed accurately, and the pair of bias springs 64 and 65 having different spring constants are less likely to generate vibrations and are caused by resonance with the temperature-sensitive spring 63. It is possible to solve the problem with the conventional ordinary mixer tap that occurred in the ring.

  However, the conventionally proposed hot and cold water mixing tap disclosed in Patent Document 1 requires not only two bias springs 64 and 65 having different outer diameters and lengths, but also the two bias springs in the faucet body 66. In order to hold 64 and 65 on the same axis (concentric), it is also necessary to significantly modify the structure in the faucet body 66, which increases the cost in terms of both the number of parts and the manufacturing process. Assembling work into the plug body 66 also takes time, and in addition, since the two bias springs 64 and 65 having different outer diameters are incorporated into the faucet body 66, the required outer diameter of the faucet body 66 naturally increases. There was a problem that the whole hot and cold water mixing tap was easy to enlarge.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to reduce the cost, facilitate the assembly work, and further adjust the temperature in the high temperature water discharge area while reducing the overall size. An object of the present invention is to provide a hot and cold water mixing tap that can be accurately performed and can prevent occurrence of hunting at an early timing.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a hot and cold water mixing valve according to the present invention includes a water side valve seat and a hot water side valve seat provided in a faucet body, and the above-mentioned valve seats so as to be selectively contacted and separated. A movable valve body provided coaxially in the faucet body so as to be movable in the axial direction, and a hot water inflow chamber and a hot water mixing chamber formed in the water faucet body on the upstream side and downstream side of the movable valve body, respectively A temperature sensitive spring made of a shape memory material provided on the hot water / water mixing chamber side so as to bias the movable valve body in a direction approaching the hot water valve seat, and a biasing force of the temperature sensitive spring A bias spring provided on the hot water inflow chamber side so as to bias the movable valve body in a direction approaching the water side valve seat, and a movable valve body provided at one end of the faucet body via the bias spring. A temperature control handle that adjusts the set temperature of the hot / cold water mixture by moving the In the hot and cold water mixing valve was example, the bias spring, than the spring constant of the through the temperature regulating handle when moving so that the movable valve body to a set temperature of around 40 ° C., the movable valve body to close to the maximum temperature It is characterized in that it is composed of a single spring having at least two stages of large and small spring constants so that the spring constant when moved to a set temperature of

In the present invention having the above-described characteristic configuration, when the movable valve body is moved to a set temperature of about 40 ° C. via the temperature control handle as a bias spring that opposes the biasing force of the temperature-sensitive spring. Using a single spring having at least two stages of spring constants that increase the spring constant when the movable valve body is moved to a set temperature near the maximum temperature rather than the spring constant. Since it operates irregularly according to the set temperature by rotating the temperature control handle, the water discharge temperature can be stably maintained at the set temperature in the vicinity of the medium temperature water discharge area, and in the high temperature water discharge area. , It is possible to sufficiently oppose the urging force of the temperature sensitive spring in which the urging force is increased by compression in the high temperature water discharge region by applying a large urging force by the bias spring to the movable valve body, Therefore, the movable valve body is moved in the direction away from the water side valve seat, preventing cold water from flowing into the hot water mixing chamber, and ensuring the intended maximum water discharge temperature in the high temperature water discharge area easily and accurately. be able to.
Further, since the spring constant of the bias spring changes, it becomes difficult for the bias spring to resonate with the temperature-sensitive spring to cause vibration, and hunting can be prevented from occurring at an early timing.

  In addition, in the present invention, an accurate temperature adjustment function and a hunting prevention function, which are performed by two bias springs having different outer diameters and lengths, which have been used in the conventionally proposed hot and cold mixing tap shown in Patent Document 1, are provided. Since it can be achieved with a single bias spring, it is possible to reduce the number of parts and eliminate the need for special structural modifications in the faucet body. In addition, the space needed to incorporate a single bias spring in the faucet body is sufficient, so the required outer diameter of the faucet body is reduced, and the entire hot-water mixing faucet is downsized. There is an effect that can be done.

Moreover, as a single bias spring having a large and small two-stage spring constant used in the present invention, a coil spring spirally wound at an unequal pitch in the moving direction of the movable valve element (Claim 2 ), or at an equal pitch or substantially equal pitch in the direction of movement of the movable valve body, and the moving direction is gradually changed diameter wound conical spring may be either (claim 3), as described above Considering the coaxial maintenance and manufacturing process surface at the time of a temperature adjustment operation, it is more preferable to use a coil spring wound spirally at an unequal pitch.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.
FIG. 1 shows an overall cross-sectional view of a hot and cold water mixing tap A that is installed on a wall surface of a bathroom, for example, and supplies and discharges water, hot water, or hot water mixed water to a water discharge pipe such as a shower head or a faucet.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a tubular faucet body, which is provided with a switching handle 2 that supplies water, hot water or mixed water to one end thereof and has a discharge / water stop function and a flow rate adjusting function. In addition, a temperature control handle 3 having a function of adjusting the temperature of the hot / cold water is provided. The temperature control handle 3 and the switching handle 2 are configured to be rotatable around the axis X of the faucet body 1 during operation. The faucet body 1 has an insertion opening 1a for a switching unit 4 (described later) at one end, and an insertion opening 1b for a temperature control unit 6 (described later) at the other end.

  The switching unit 4 that can be connected to the switching handle 2 is inserted and arranged in the faucet body 1 through the opening 1 a so as to be coaxial with the axial core X of the faucet body 1. Reference numeral 5 denotes a switching display ring. Further, the temperature control unit 6 that can be connected to the temperature control handle 3 is inserted and arranged in the faucet body 31 through the opening 1b so as to be coaxial with the axis X of the faucet body 1.

  The faucet body 1 is connected to a hot water connection port 8 in which a hot water pipe joint 7 is detachably attached so as to communicate with a hot water pipe (not shown), and water so as to communicate with a water pipe (not shown). A water connection port 10 to which the piping joint 9 is detachably attached and a shower hose connection port 12 to which the L-shaped shower hose joint 11 is detachably attached are formed on the upper surface side, and the lower surface. On the side, there is a water discharge pipe connection port for water, hot water or mixed water to which a water discharge pipe joint (not shown) is detachably attached. In FIG. 1, 111 indicates a water inflow path that flows into the faucet body 1 from the water pipe, and a solid line arrow 112 indicates an annular flow path of water that flows in an annular manner in the faucet body 1, indicated by 113. A dotted line arrow flows from the hot water pipe into the faucet body 1 and passes through a central hole formed in the movable valve body from the hot water inflow chamber S through a gap between a movable valve body described later and a hot water side valve seat described later. 1 shows a hot water inflow passage leading to the hot water mixing chamber R, and an alternate long and short dash line arrow 114 indicates that the hot water mixing chamber R passes through the gap between the movable valve element and a water side valve seat described later from the water annular channel 112. It shows the water inflow path to reach.

  Reference numeral 15 denotes a cylindrical outer case of the switching unit 4, which is provided in the faucet body 1 in a horizontally placed state coaxial with the faucet body 1. The outer case 15 is made of resin and is fixed to the inner wall of the tubular faucet body 1 in a watertight state via a seal member 16 such as an O-ring, and the water is between the outer case 15 and the faucet body 1. An annular channel 112 is formed. The outer case 15 has a communication hole that communicates the hot / cold water mixing chamber R and the water discharge pipe connection port, and a communication hole that communicates the hot / water mixing chamber R and the shower hose connection port.

  Reference numeral 17 denotes a cylindrical inner case of the switching unit 4, which is provided in the outer case 15 in a horizontally placed state coaxial with the faucet body 1. The inner case 17 is formed with a water discharge pipe communicating notch and a shower hose communicating notch, and a metallic switching valve 18 as a cylindrical rotating member provided in the inner case 17 is used to switch the switching handle 2. Is switched around the axis X of the faucet body 1 to the water discharge pipe side or the shower hose side via the switching plug bar 19 via the water discharge pipe communication notch or the shower hose communication notch of the inner case 17. It is configured.

  On the other hand, the temperature control unit 6 has an end portion that comes into contact with the end portion of the outer case 15 of the switching unit 4 so as to be sealable, and forms the annular channel 112 of the water with the faucet body 1. The outer case 20 and a cylindrical housing 21 provided in the outer case 20 are mainly provided. The tubular housing 21 includes a tubular valve body housing member 23 for housing the movable valve body 22 so as to be movable in the axial direction, and a horizontal axis coaxial with the faucet body 1 between the temperature control handle 3 and the movable valve body 22. A cylindrical fixed guide member 24 provided in a standing state and a cylindrical connection member 25 provided so as to connect both the members 23 and 24 in a sealable manner from the inside. The valve body housing member 23 has a part of the hot / cold water mixing chamber R formed on the switching unit 4 side via the movable valve body 22 and is formed on the temperature control unit 6 side via the movable valve body 22. And a temperature-sensitive spring 27 made of a shape memory material for biasing the movable valve body 22 in a direction approaching the ring-shaped hot water side valve seat 26, and a part of the hot water mixing chamber R. Have. The hot water side valve seat 26 is formed on one end face of the connecting member 25 on the side where the movable valve body 22 faces.

  On the other hand, the fixed guide member 24 has a temperature control plug rod 28 that is rotated in conjunction with the rotation operation of the temperature control handle 3, and the movable valve body 22 and the fixed guide member 24 together with the rotation of the temperature control plug rod 28. A moving member 29 that is moved in the axial direction to be in contact with and separated from the housing is accommodated, and a screw rod 30 that moves the moving member 29 in the axial direction in accordance with the rotation of the temperature control plug rod 28 is provided inside. And in the hot water inflow chamber S on the opposite side to the temperature-sensitive spring 27 of the movable valve body 22 to urge the movable valve body 22 toward the water side valve seat 31, specifically, the fixed guide member 24 and the connection member A bias spring 32 is provided between 25. The bias spring 32 is interposed between one end surface of the moving member 29 and a spring receiving member 33 attached to the inside of the distal end surface of the movable valve body 22. The water-side valve seat 31 is formed at the inner peripheral small diameter position which is a step portion of the valve body housing member 23. Then, each time the set temperature of the hot / cold mixed water is adjusted, the temperature adjustment handle 3 is rotated to expand / contract the bias spring 32 in the axial direction so as to adjust and set the discharge temperature of the hot / cold water that is the set temperature. A temperature control rod 28 and a moving member 29 are provided.

  In the hot and cold water mixing tap A having the above-described basic configuration, the bias spring 32 is unequal pitch (P1 ≠ P2 ≠ P3 ≠ P4 ≠ P5) in the moving direction of the movable valve body 22 as clearly shown in FIG. ≠ P6 ≠ P7), which consists of a single coil spring that is spirally wound. This makes it the highest temperature in the water discharge region that is higher than 40 ° C than the spring constant at the set temperature around 40 ° C. The spring constant at the set temperature in the vicinity is increased. Specifically, the bias spring (coil spring) 32 used in this embodiment is a SUS wire having a wire diameter of 1.6 mm, the effective pitch of the fine pitch portion at both ends in the length direction is 1.25 T, and the intermediate coarse pitch The coil is spirally wound so that the effective number of turns is 2.50 T, the total number of turns is 5.75 T (each seat is 1 T), the coil outer diameter D is Φ12.4 ± 0.1 mm, and the total length L is 20.67 mm. It is made by turning.

  By the way, in the hot-water mixing tap A, as the set temperature of the hot-water mixed water increases, the rotation angle of the temperature adjustment handle 3 is increased, and the load applied to the bias spring 32 due to the increase in the rotation amount of the temperature adjustment handle 3. The larger the is, the shorter the spring length L becomes, and accordingly, the biasing force generated by the bias spring 32 also increases.

  FIG. 3 is a characteristic diagram of the spring length versus spring load of the bias spring 32 produced as described above. As is apparent from FIG. 3, for example, a low temperature water discharge region where the water discharge temperature is lower than 40 ° C. When the load applied to the bias spring 32 by rotation of the temperature control handle 3 is 38 (N), the spring length is 17.5 mm. However, when the water discharge temperature is a mid-temperature water discharge region around 40 ° C., the temperature is The load applied to the bias spring 32 by the rotation of the adjusting handle 3 is 50.0 (N), and the spring length is 16.5 mm. Thus, in the low temperature and medium temperature water discharge areas, the spring length and load measurement values are spring constants located on the straight line B having substantially the same gradient, and the water discharge temperature is higher than 40 ° C. When the temperature control handle 3 rotates, the load applied to the bias spring 32 is 115.0 (N) and the spring length is 12.7 mm. That is, in the hot water discharge region, the measured values of the spring length and the load have substantially the same gradient, and the spring constant is located on the straight line C having a larger gradient than the straight line B.

  In this way, a single bias spring 32 having a two-stage spring constant is used so that the spring constant near the maximum water temperature is larger (stronger) than the spring constant near the water discharge temperature of 40 ° C., for example. As a result, the biasing force (pushing back force) of the bias spring 32 when the temperature control handle 3 is fully opened can be made larger than the biasing force of the temperature sensing spring 27 while maintaining the stability of the water discharge temperature around 40 ° C. The intended maximum water discharge temperature can be ensured. Further, since the bias constant of the bias spring 32 changes with the temperature adjustment operation, vibration due to resonance with the temperature-sensitive spring 27 can be suppressed, and the occurrence of hunting can be prevented.

  Further, in the previously proposed hot and cold water mixing tap, the single bias spring 32 can perform the accurate temperature adjustment function that has been achieved by using two bias springs and the anti-hunting function at an early timing. By reducing the number of points and eliminating the need for special structural modifications in the faucet body 1, it is possible to reduce the cost of the hot-water mixing faucet A as a whole and improve the assembly workability. Since it is sufficient if there is a space in which one bias spring 32 can be incorporated, the required outer diameter of the faucet body 1 is also reduced, and the overall size of the hot and cold water mixing tap A can be reduced.

  Further, the outer case 20 of the temperature control unit 6 and the faucet body 1 form an annular flow path 112 of water. Therefore, even if heat from the hot water is conducted to the outer case 20 through the valve body housing member 23 by the hot water in the hot water inflow chamber S, the heat is not transmitted to the outermost faucet body 1 by the water annular channel 11. Can prevent burns and other burns, and can increase the safety of use.

  In the above embodiment, the coil springs 32 having unequal pitches are used as a single bias spring. Instead, as shown in FIG. 4, the pitches or substantially the same in the moving direction of the movable valve element 22 are used. You may use the conical spring 42 wound by pitch and changing the diameter gradually in the moving direction. In this case, the conical spring 42 can be obtained from a spring constant at a set temperature of around 40 ° C., similarly to the coil springs (bias springs) 32 of unequal pitch shown in the above embodiment, by devising the rate of change in diameter. However, it is configured to have a two-stage spring constant such that the spring constant at a set temperature near the maximum temperature in a water discharge region higher than 40 ° C. becomes large.

  In the present invention, the single bias spring whose spring constant is changed is not limited to the coil spring 32 and the conical spring 42 having the unequal pitch. Further, the bias spring 32 is configured so that the spring constant is larger (stronger) at the set temperature near the maximum temperature than at the set temperature near 40 ° C. It may be configured to have two or more different spring constants in the water discharge area, and in this case, of course, it is configured to have a stronger spring constant at higher temperatures.

It is a whole sectional view showing an embodiment of a hot-and-water mixing tap concerning the present invention. It is an expanded side view of the bias spring which is the main structures of the hot-water and water mixing tap which concerns on this invention. FIG. 3 is a spring length vs. spring load characteristic diagram of the bias spring shown in FIG. 2. It is an enlarged side view which shows the other example of the bias spring which is the main structures of the hot / cold mixing tap concerning this invention. It is an enlarged side view which shows the bias spring conventionally used with the hot and cold water mixing tap. It is an expanded sectional view of the principal part which shows the operation | movement of the low temperature water discharge area in the conventionally proposed hot-water and water mixing tap. It is an expanded sectional view of the principal part which shows operation | movement of the middle temperature water discharge area in the said hot water mixing tap of the said proposal. It is an expanded sectional view of the principal part which shows the operation | movement of the high temperature water discharge area in the said hot water mixing tap of the said proposal.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Water faucet body 3 Temperature control handle 22 Movable valve body 26 Hot water side valve seat 27 Temperature-sensitive spring 31 Water side valve seat 32 Bias spring S Hot water inflow chamber R Hot water mixing chamber

Claims (3)

A water side valve seat and a hot water side valve seat provided in the faucet body, and provided so as to be movable in the axial direction on the same axis in the faucet body so as to selectively contact with and separate from both valve seats. Movable valve body, hot water inflow chamber and hot water mixing chamber formed in the faucet body on the upstream side and downstream side of the movable valve body, respectively, and biasing the movable valve body in a direction approaching the hot water side valve seat The temperature sensing spring made of a shape memory material provided on the hot water / water mixing chamber side and the movable valve body is biased in the direction approaching the water side valve seat against the biasing force of the temperature sensing spring. As described above, the set temperature of the hot / cold water mixture is adjusted by moving the movable valve body in the axial direction via the bias spring provided on the hot water inflow chamber side and the bias spring provided at one end of the faucet body. In a hot and cold water mixing tap provided with a temperature control handle, the bias spring includes the temperature control valve. Spring constant when than the spring constant when moving so that the movable valve body to a set temperature of around 40 ° C. through the handle is moved so that the movable valve body setting temperature near the maximum temperature A hot and cold water mixing tap characterized by comprising a single spring having at least two stages of large and small spring constants so as to increase. The hot and cold water mixing plug according to claim 1, wherein the bias spring is a coil spring wound spirally at an unequal pitch in the moving direction of the movable valve body . The hot and cold water mixing plug according to claim 1 , wherein the bias spring is a conical spring wound at an equal pitch or substantially an equal pitch in the moving direction of the movable valve body and gradually changing the diameter in the moving direction .

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