Hot and cold water mixing tap - has proximity switches to control electromagnets which lift sprung valves off seats

A fitting for liquids, for example hot water, controllable électrcniqement preferably without contact. Optionally, a switch rocker or push-button, protected against the liquid, can be provided for operating the fitting.

Typically, the water installations such as those employed by example wash basins and mainly consist of a mixing valve provided with hot and cold water inlets and arrangements mixture thereof. May be adjusted, by means of valves actuated manually, the amount of water as a whole as well as the proportions of hot and cold water, and thus the temperature of the water.

In wide areas of application of said fittings

water, have a tendency, primarily for sanitary reasons ., to avoid to touch the operating members. The requirements arise in particular in laboratories-, operating theatres, and generally in medicine, but also in the food industry.

Other concerns are directed, more generally,

to save water. Tests have shown that this is possible in a significant degree, with fittings of this type operating without contact, without the need to consume less for use itself. Consumption This relates especially to wash basins, in households, businesses and public services.

Similar conditions exist also in the fittings for other liquids. For example, a fitting operating without contact could also be advantageously used as fuel mixer for two-stroke engines ettout generally, when it is required mixing different liquids.

'' Because considerations above, it has already been proposed by ' example control a water outlet fitting by means of ultrasound. In this case, in the water outlet are placed ' a transmitter and a receiver of the control system to ultrasound, which open, approach, the solenoid valves of the water inlet. Before the device is positioned A thermostat for adjusting the desired temperature of the water and that ' must be actuated manually. Any this arrangement is very bulky and expensive and only for this purpose, it can at most be envisaged for operating theatres andc.

Other proposals are directed to control 1' flow of water by means of sensors that are substantially antennas of an electronic control circuit which switch is approach and can therefore be called approach switches.

In one embodiment comprising such known sensors, approach the right side of the water outlet, a solenoid valve placed in the cold water inlet for example is operated and approach the left side, a solenoid valve placed in the hot water inlet. If the two valves are raanoeuvrées , it flows from the mixed water which is temperature-regulated beforehand using stopcocks separated. This arrangement is also very expensive, it requires a separate arrangement of the electronic system in a special housing and for adjusting the desired temperature of the mixed water, to maneuver the mentioned stop valves, which are not provided on the water outlet or the immediate vicinity thereof.

As the said, the known provisions is extremely important and accordingly expensive, so that they cannot be used for many applications a limited.

Furthermore, it is intended to perform an outlet fixture liquid, preferably controlled by means of an electronic switch approach, further constituting a mixing valve for different liquids, for instance hot water and cold water, which is of compact construction and cost but, especially, satisfies the conditions of a large group of users, such as in particular in households.

To overcome the problem, the invention provides a fitting liquids, constituting a mixing valve, which can preferably be actuated by electronic control of approach and. comprising two solenoid valves for the supply of two liquids, and whose opening and closing travels can be controlled by the electronic system dhpproche_/ fitting characterized in that the solenoid valves are further equipped with manually operable turning knobs for adjusting the flow cross-section. The electronic system approach, a known manner which can be of simple shape, is housed in the base of the fitting, which also has in the front of the antenna of the electronic circuit, acting as switch approach. Instead circuit approach, a simple toggle switch or push button protected against the liquid may be provided.

O" obtained together picked up that contains in the outlet itself all the elements of control and setting, both electronic manual. The structure is not only compact, but also simple and thus cost, because it requires only two solenoid valves being at-. so be controlled electronically adjusted manuellementLes operating possibilities that meet all the conditions usually laid to said fittings, ^ flow of the liquid is preferably triggered without contact, by simple approach, e.g. hands or objects to be cleaned in the case of a water outlet. May be adjusted manually, directly on the fitting, the amount of desired liquid and the mixture ratio desired, that is to say for example the temperature of the water.

Advantageously, according to one aspect of the invention, the two valves are provided with a drive member between the stem and the stop pin magnet such that they can also manually opening the liquid supply itself, in the event the current, required for the electronic control circuit would defect.

The solenoid valve provided with a shutter which is applied to

a seat can also be advantageously replaced by a solenoid valve having a diaphragm which is subjected to the action of the rod magnet do operating.

Thereby, yet significantly the operation of. such fitting. The valves having a shutter that is applied to a seat require a non-negligible force to actuate them. Or precisely, the force or energy expenditure is a factor which significantly influence the construction and the operability of solenoid valves. In the diaphragm provided in an embodiment of the invention, the opening and closing takes place with the aid of the pressure of water. The circuit of the magnet is triggered in each process of opening and closing, which means significant relief.

The flow regulation is provided by an adjusting member in the form of a tubular sleeve provided with a thread rotated at one side ;; and fiohtaux manoeuvnd which is provided in the ' magnet with its spring. By sliding longitudinally the flow regulating member by means of a rotary knob manoeuvrablç manually to engage with the thread, it is possible to limit the mobility of the diaphragm and thus determine the flow rate of liquid. The tubular sleeve has a longitudinal slot in which engages a sliding lug so as to provide longitudinal movement of the tubular sleeve healthy rotational movement.

For is again an emergency operation of the fitting in the event of failure of the solenoid valve, the tubular sleeve which forms the flow regulating member may have, at its end which overlaps the valve stem magnet, an inwardly directed flange and cooperating with corresponding unsépauleraent the valve stem magnet. By these means, can be manually lift the operating rod magnet, for example in the event of a power failure, so that even then the fitting remains fully operable.

More precisely the invention is explain below about embodiments represented schematically and as an example by the accompanying drawings on which:

figure 1 mounted in elevation from the front and partially in section, an outlet fitting on the water in the form of mixing valve;

figure 2 is a side elevation of the fitting, again partially sectional;

figure 3 is a variant.

The water outlet fitting of Figure 1 has

an output of water itself that forms the extension 1, upwardly, of the body 2 of the fitting. In the central region 3 body 2, there is a place sufficient to accommodate an electronic system operating and its antenna 4. The electronic system of manoeuvres itself comprises the components which are themselves known and operates on a voltage of 24 V, which can for example be provided for all fittings, centrally, by the counter coffet and fuse which exists anyway in a house or an apartment.

Further " and other output-d ' la. water 1 are arranged two solenoid valves 5 and 6 which can also be operated manually by turning knobs 7-and 8. A bond between the magnet coil 9 of the^r solenoid valve and the electronic system 3 is provided by suitable leads through a perforation 10 of the housing 11 of 1' éléctrovalve.

The body 2 of the fitting has, in addition to the interior cavity 3, two water chambers 13 and lh destiénes with hot water and cold water. For example, the chamber 13 can be the hot water chamber provided with an inlet connection 15 and the chamber water lh may be the cold water chamber provided with a cold water connection 16. Below the water outlet 1, in the upper region of the body 2, the chamber 17 which is recess tnélangeuse separate first chamber of the hot water and the cold water chamber. A link may be provided by the valves as seen clearly in the left side of Figure 1, which shows in cutting the hot water valve.

Here, the transition between the hot water chamber 13 and the mixing chamber 17 is first closed by the shutter 19 which bears in a sealing manner against the seat 18. The structure of the cold water valve corresponds in all details to that of ■ the valve d ' hot water.

In 1' solenoid valve is arranged a drive shaft of a front side magnet 20 which forms the shutter 19. A return spring 21 is further provided, the usual way. This also may be provided (not shown) within the operating rod magnet 20, on the end face of a drive member 25En addition, inside the valve is provided a stop pin magnet 22 integral with the rotary knob 7 · In the region of the stop pin magnet 22 also has a seal 23" The rotary knob 7 is connected by a quick-acting screw thread 2:00 the housing 11 of 1' solenoid valve.

When the electronic circuit is operated via its antenna acting as a proximity switch or when a corresponding switch is actuated, it opens first, via the magnet coils of the solenoid valves that.' controls, the flow passages thereof, because under the influence of the magnet coil, the valve stem magnet is attracted so that the seal moves away from the seat and that the flow opens. Thus It exits, through the outlet, a jet mixed hot and cold water, corresponding to the momentary position of the buttons of the solenoid valves.

The can further deflect the section ' flow valves by operating the turning knobs. The invention can adjust the total water sortië and the * proportion of hot and cold water. This means that is may first control the output of water by the proximity switch or other switch. Therefore, since it is a proximity switch, the hygiene requirements are first resjectées fully. After the service If it appears that the water outlet has need for flow adjustment and/or temperature, can be effected by the manual rotary knobs, precleaned with the hands. Therefore, the conditions laid down quite preponderant in practice are filled and there is no need for expensive circuits and constructs, e.g. thermostats, of special operating, stopcock separated from the fitting for the hot water inlet and cold water andc.

Between the operating rod magnet 20 and the stop pin magnet 22 may be provided a drive means connected to the stop pin magnet 22 and by a head 26 against a shoulder 27 of within the drive shaft 20. The drive 25 controls operation of the fitting even if the current fails and if thereby the electronic system is inoperable. Through of said drive member, is operable using the rotary knob 7 the valve stem so that magnet 20 by the rotary knob 7, can be not only vary the flow area of the fitting, but also in principle cause the flow by moving the shutter of the seat. Therefore, a great advantage, in other words that the fitting remains in state of operation even in the event of a power failure.

Furthermore, in itself known, the valve stem magnet can have in its lateral surface a longitudinal groove so that its end side which faces away from the shutter is subjected to the pressure of water when the valve is closed and the action of the return spring 21 is thus assisted.

Figure 3i According in the body 2 of the fitting, provided with the inlet 15 and the outlet 1, is screwed a solenoid valve 5 which, as well as in the first embodiment, may also be operated manually by means of a rotary knob 7 and constitutes a diaphragm valve. The rotary knob 7 covers the magnet coil 9 * In the spacing defined by the coil magnet 9 slides a tubular sleeve 31 which cooperates with the rotatable knob 7 rotates by a thread 32 provided on one of its end sides. In the tubular sleeve 31 is disposed an operating rod with magnet 20 return spring 21. By sliding the tubular sleeve 31^at means of a rotary knob 7, it is possible to limit the freedom of movement of a diaphragm 33"^the qni also allows to determine in each case the flow of liquid.

The diaphragm 33 is formed so as in itself known of a piece of ;-;" containing synthetic 33^has and a rubber piece 33b clamped in place. Furthermore, it is provided with a perforation 33^e which, when 1' clectrovalve has been deactivated, provides a water stream on the side, opposite the diaphragm so. that the water pressure keeps the valve closed. A cylindrical perforation 33d provides flow of water upon actuation of the valve, when the magnet rod 20 deviates. The diaphragm 33, clamped at its circumference but otherwise freely movable, can therefore arch upwardly and releases the flow.

The tubular sleeve 31 is enclosed by a sealing tube 3k ; further, in the wall of the tubular sleeve 31 is provided an annular seal 35 which cooperates with the swing tube-* chéxté 3k. The doût -lle tubular 31 further has a longitudinal slot 36 in which slides a sliding lug 37 the sealing tube jk . Therefore, a purely longitudinal tubular sleeve 31 is provided, without rotation.

For herein, emergency manual manipulation of the fitting, the tubular sleeve 31 is provided, at its end facing the diaphragm 33, a flange 38 inwardly directed and cooperating with a corresponding shoulder 39 of the drive shaft magnet 20. By these ' means, can be lifted manually the valve stem and magnet 20 therewith, the diaphragm 33" by example in the event of the failure

current, via the rotary knob of the flow regulating member, so that the fitting remains fully operable.