Fluid handling – Systems – Multiple inlet with single outlet
Patent
1998-12-09
2000-04-04
Hepperle, Stephen M.
Fluid handling
Systems
Multiple inlet with single outlet
251 65, 25112903, 25112904, F16K 3108, E03C 105
Patent
active
060448652
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention concerns a sanitary fitting in the form of a single-lever mixer in accordance with the features of the classifying portion of claim 1.
Sanitary fittings in the form of single-lever mixers are known. They have substantially replaced the previously usual mixer taps or faucets having two manually adjustable valves for cold and hot water, and usually comprise a mixer tap or faucet with only one actuating lever which, by way of a control bar, actuates a control plunger arranged in the mixer tap. The actuating lever is both laterally and also vertically pivotable. While the mixing of cold and hot water is effected by the lateral pivotal movement, regulation of the amount of water is implemented by the vertical pivotal movement.
In the known single-lever mixers, both turning the fitting on and off and also temperature selection and quantitative regulation of the water are effected manually. That has been found to be disadvantageous because an optimum water temperature, once adjusted, or a volume flow which has once been adjusted as being the optimum flow, has to be repeatedly re-set after each time that the fitting is turned off, and that is a troublesome and laborious procedure. A considerable amount of water which is not put to a useful purpose is required for such adjustment operations.
In particular for reasons of hygiene (very dirty hands, the risk of transmitting pathogens in public toilets etc.), it is also desirable to be able to actuate the single-lever mixer without touching it.
DE 25 33 527 A1 discloses a sanitary fitting having two manually adjustable valves for cold and hot water, wherein a solenoid valve is incorporated into the outlet duct. The solenoid valve is actuated by way of a proximity switch by means of an electronic control system as soon as an article passes into the monitoring range of the proximity switch. Apart from the not very attractive configuration of a sanitary fitting of that kind which is controlled in a touch-free manner, in which parts of the solenoid valve and electric lines are fitted on the outlet portion in such a way that they are clearly visible, that fitting suffers from the disadvantage that it is no longer possible for the fitting to be turned on and off manually, as in the case of conventional, manually actuable fittings. If therefore the power supply for the solenoid valve fails for any reason, it is no longer possible to draw water from the fitting.
The object of the present invention is to provide a sanitary fitting which is in the form of a single-lever mixer and which can be turned on and off both in a touch-free manner and also manually.
According to the invention that object is attained by the features of the characterising portion of claim 1. Further, particularly advantageous embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the appendant claims.
The invention is essentially based on the notion of connecting on the downstream side of the mixing unit of the single-lever mixer an electrically controllable valve, the function of which depends not only on the switching signals of the electronic control system but also the position of the actuating lever of the fitting. For that purpose preferably the control bar which is connected to the actuating lever and the electrically controllable valve are mechanically coupled together in such a way that on the one hand the valve remains closed in spite of corresponding opening signals etc. produced by the proximity sensor, if the mixing unit is also closed (the actuating lever of the fitting is generally in its lower position). On the other hand the electrically controllable valve also remains opened without corresponding opening signals from the proximity sensor if the mixing unit is totally opened by actuation of the control bar (the lever of the fitting is generally in its upper position).
In a predeterminable region between the closed and the completely opened positions of the mixing unit, opening and closing of the electrically controllable valve is effected solely by the control signals which are generat
REFERENCES:
patent: 3212751 (1965-10-01), Hassa
patent: 4583709 (1986-04-01), Ward
patent: 5358213 (1994-10-01), Pilolla
patent: 5529281 (1996-06-01), Brudnicki
Eicheldinger Martin
Kreitmayr Lorenz
Hepperle Stephen M.
Santech GmbH
LandOfFree
Sanitary fitting in the form of a single-lever mixer tap 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 fitting in the form of a single-lever mixer tap, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Sanitary fitting in the form of a single-lever mixer tap will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-356597