Fluid sprinkling – spraying – and diffusing – Combining of separately supplied fluids – Liquid flow induces atmospheric air
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-14
2002-03-19
Evans, Robin O. (Department: 3752)
Fluid sprinkling, spraying, and diffusing
Combining of separately supplied fluids
Liquid flow induces atmospheric air
C239S311000, C239S369000, C239S361000, C239S419500, C239S569000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06357675
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to a sanitary article or object, particularly a hand-operated shower, having a changeover device for controlling a liquid flow.
It is known in the case of liquid-conducting sanitary articles to use the principle of a water jet pump in order to admix sucked-in air with liquid flowing from a liquid inlet to a liquid outlet. An air suction or intake device provided for this purpose has at least one pump jet opening connectable to the liquid inlet and which issues into a pump chamber connectable by at least one air supply channel to the environment. The liquid passing out through the pump jet opening entrains air, which is mixed with the liquid and together with the latter passes out at the outlet side e.g. as a gentle, bubbling water jet. A vacuum is produced in the pump chamber or air supply channel which brings about the suction of the air for as long as liquid flows at an adequate speed through the pump jet opening and the air supply channel is open.
Permanently operating devices of this type e.g. exist in so-called water jet aerators or jet regulators, which are fitted to the outlet end of water taps. Also in the case of head showers air suction devices are known, such as e.g. the head showers described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,111,994 and 5 154 355.
CH-A-473 573 discloses a hand-operated shower, in which a water jet pump is so combined with a device for injecting additional substances into the flowing liquid that both devices can be simultaneously turned on or off. In the grip or handle of the hand-operated shower is provided a displaceable water supply pipe, which has a venturi tube-like constriction, into which issues an injection line, which can be linked with a storage chamber for a cleaning medium. The displaceable water supply pipe forms with the outlet-side end thereof the pump jet opening. It is displaceably guided in a cylindrical channel of the grip, which in the vicinity of the pump jet opening has radial air supply openings, which can be covered or freed as required through an axial displacement of the displaceable water supply pipe. In one position with the air supply openings freed the injection channel is connected to the cleaning medium supply, so that cleaning medium is sucked into the area of the constriction. In the vicinity of the following water jet pump air is supplied for foaming purposes.
The hand-operated shower known from CH-A-686 409 is provided in the grip with a water supply pipe with a flow limiting nozzle forming a pump jet opening and which issues into a widening pump chamber, to which is connected a conically widened pressure build-up and mixing chamber. Into the pump chamber also issues an air supply pipe coming from the outside, whose inlet opening located on the grip underside can be closed manually or by means of a slide or slide valve. The hand-operated shower is intended, despite the reduced water consumption, to form a powerful, effervescing water-air jet, whose water flow quantity is to remain relatively constant independently of the air quantity supplied in regulatable manner by a slide.
The problem of the invention is to provide a sanitary article, particularly a hand-operated shower with a changeover device and which leads to improved use.
To solve this problem the invention proposes a changeover device having the features of claim 1.
A sanitary article according to the invention is characterized in that a passage cross-section for the liquid formed between the liquid inlet and liquid outlet of the changeover device can be widened or extended on turning off the air suction device. Thus, when the water jet pump or air suction is switched on a smaller overall passage cross-section can be set than when the air suction device is switched off. Thus, in the suction position a water economizing effect can be obtained. The smaller passage cross-section compared with the off position can also be used for speeding up the flow of the liquid flowing through, which permits a strong pumping or suction action. Thus, on the outlet side in the suction position it is possible to produce a powerful, air-mixed, soft-feeling liquid flow. However, in the position with the air suction device completely turned off a much greater passage cross-section is available, so that on the outlet side can be delivered a substantially air-free, powerful flow, which is e.g. usable for massaging purposes.
The ratio of the large to the small passage cross-section can be more than 1.1 or 1.2 and can in particular be between approximately 1.3 and approximately 3, the flow paths and passage cross-sections preferably being dimensioned in such a way that with the water jet pump switched on less than approximately 60 to 80%, e.g. approximately only half the water quantity flowing through when the water jet pump is switched off then flows. Such a changeover possibility between a possibly hard massaging jet and a water-economizing, relaxing, bubbling soft jet can greatly increase the shower comfort particularly with hand-operated showers or showers installed in a fixed manner because, as a function of mood or needs, a user can choose between two completely different jet hardnesses, without it being simultaneously necessary to modify the jet type. The changeover device is in particular positioned upstream of jet forming means and in particular any adjusting devices for the jet type. The changeover device can be the sole changeover device for a sanitary article or can be provided in addition to further adjusting devices, e.g. in the shower head, so that additional combination possibilities are provided.
In a preferred embodiment the passage cross-section of the preferably circular pump jet opening is smaller than the passage cross-section of the preferably also circular liquid inlet and it is preferably less than 30%, particularly between approximately 5 and approximately 20% of the passage cross-section of the liquid inlet. Thus, in the case of a liquid-tight water conduction between the liquid inlet and the pump jet opening, a considerable acceleration of the through-flowing liquid is obtained, which even with a weak inlet pressure passes at a high speed out of the pump jet opening, so that a powerful pumping action is achieved even with an only moderately opened supply pipe. To further increase the suction or pumping action, in an embodiment a flow calming device is provided for standardizing or rendering uniform the flow passing through the pump jet opening. Upstream of the pump jet opening it can have several, preferably crosswise-arranged, axial guide rails, which encourage a laminar flow and prevent turbulence over an appropriate axial length of e.g. several millimetres to centimetres.
It is possible to design the changeover device in such a way that the water jet pump is turned off in deferred manner compared with the widening of the passage cross-section. Preferably the disconnection of the air intake and the widening of the passage cross-section take place simultaneously. In particular, on disconnecting the suction device at least one further passage channel provided in addition to the pump jet opening can b e opened. It can have a larger passage cross-section than the pump jet opening, which can then optionally be closed. However, preferably, with the air suction device disconnected both the pump jet opening and also the further passage channel can have a flow through them, so that also the passage cross-section of the pump jet opening remains usable. Thus, in cross-section particularly compact solutions are possible.
The at least one further passage channel can be positioned eccentrically to or laterally displaced with respect to the pump jet opening. A particularly effective use of limited cross-sections, e.g. in the grip of a hand-operated shower, is possible in a preferred embodiment in that the further passage channel is arranged substantially concentrically with the pump jet opening. It can in particular be constructed as an annular channel surrounding the pump jet opening.
The boundary walls of the individual passage cross-sections can be in a
Blessing Gerd
Schorn Franz
Duane Morris LLP
Evans Robin O.
Hansgrohe AG
LandOfFree
Sanitary article, particularly hand-operated shower, with a... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Sanitary article, particularly hand-operated shower, with a..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Sanitary article, particularly hand-operated shower, with a... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2838677