WO2003081100A1

WO2003081100A1 - Mixing device for fluids

Info

Publication number: WO2003081100A1
Application number: PCT/IB2003/001024
Authority: WO
Inventors: Marco Vaiani
Original assignee: Marco Vaiani
Priority date: 2002-03-21
Filing date: 2003-03-20
Publication date: 2003-10-02
Also published as: AU2003215782A1; ITUD20020069A1

Abstract

Mixing device for fluids, comprising a containing body (11) including an aperture associated with a first pipe (14) for a first fluid, an aperture associated with a second pipe (15) for a second fluid, and at least an outlet pipe (16) for the mixture. The device comprises shutter means (21) to close the first (14) and/or the second pipe (15) in adjustable manner. The shutter means comprise a plunger-type valve element (20) associated with each of the pipes (14, 15), and a command member (18, 30) able to be driven from outside which thrusts on one and/or the other of the plunger-type valve elements (20) in order to regulate the delivery of the fluid introduced through the relative pipe (14, 15).

Description

"MIXING DEVICE FOR FLUIDS" * * * * *

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention concerns a mixing device able to mix together two or more fluids, or two or more flows of the same fluid having different temperatures, for example hot and cold water, in the desired proportions.

The mixing device according to the present invention can be advantageously, but not restrictively, applied to sanitary apparatuses, such as washbasins, bidets, bathtubs or suchlike.

The mixing device is inserted between the pipes delivering the hot water and the cold water and is associated with at least an outlet delivering the mixed water to the sanitary apparatus.

The mixing device according to the present invention comprises shutter means associated with drive means and cooperating in thrust with respective valve means associated with the hot water pipe and the cold water pipe, in order to selectively determine the inlet delivery of each of such pipes and hence the outlet temperature of the mixed water.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various types of mixers are known, used in the field of sanitary apparatuses for mixing hot and cold water, by means of which it is possible to obtain at outlet a mixture with the desired delivery and the desired temperature.

Such mixers normally consist of a central body which defines a mixing chamber, with three apertures, two inlet apertures for the respective flows of hot and cold water and an outlet aperture for the mixed water. The inlet pipes for the respective fluids can be selectively closed by means of shutter means which, displaced manually with an external drive lever, allow to regulate the respective flows of hot and cold water, so as to obtain mixed water at a temperature established by the user. Normally the shutter means comprise two platelets made of ceramic material or similar, superimposed one on top of the other, of which one is fixed and the other movable. The two platelets each include three mating through holes, associated respectively with the pipes, for the hot water, the cold water, and the mixed water. By displacing one platelet with respect to the other, the reciprocal alignment of the holes is varied, and thus the area of passage of the respective flows of hot and cold water is also varied, and hence the ratio between the two deliveries.

This known solution allows to regulate, with the same lever, the delivery of the mixed water delivered by the device .

Known devices of this type have various disadvantages. A first disadvantage is that they are very bulky in size since, in order to function correctly, it is necessary to use platelets of a certain diameter so as to make holes thereon which are big enough to allow a sufficient quantity of water to pass. Another disadvantage is that such known devices comprise a large number of components, needed to allow the positioning and a correct reciprocal movement of the platelets. Such components are complex to make, they easily deteriorate and are complex and laborious to replace, which entails long times and high costs to carry out maintenance and repairs.

Another considerable disadvantage is that such devices work through the reciprocal sliding of the components, and this causes problems of rapid wear, water sealing problems and other problems.

The Applicant has devised and embodied the present invention to overcome these shortcomings of the state of the art, and to obtain other advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is set forth and characterized essentially in the main claim, while the dependent claims describe other innovative characteristics of the invention.

The purpose of the invention is to achieve a mixing device for fluids which is of very limited bulk and weight and at the same time guarantees an efficient delivery of the fluid, which consists of a limited number of components, and which is easy to make, so as to have limited production and maintenance costs.

Another purpose of the present invention is to achieve a mixing device which has a hammer-type compression functioning, and not sliding, so as to ensure a longer functioning in conditions of great efficiency, great sensitivity and extreme precision and fluidity.

The mixing device for fluids according to the present invention comprises a containing body with at least an aperture associated with a first pipe for a first fluid, an aperture associated with a second pipe for a second fluid, and at least an outlet aperture for the mixture. The containing body has an inner volume defining the mixing chamber wherein the mixture between the first and the second fluid is formed. The outlet aperture of the mixed fluid can be located on the same plane where the inlets of the first and second fluid are arranged, or on a different plane.

In accordance with the purposes mentioned above, the device according to the invention is provided with shutter means able to selectively close, in adjustable manner, the first and/or the second pipe, said shutter means each comprising a plunger-type valve element associated with a relative pipe to deliver the fluid, a command member able to be driven from outside and to thrust on one and/or the other of the plunger-type valve elements in order to regulate the delivery of the fluid introduced through the relative pipe. In a first form of embodiment, at least a terminal part of the plunger-type valve elements faces into the mixing chamber, and the command member comprises a lever- type movement element associated with at least a distributor element, arranged inside the mixing chamber; when the command member is driven, the distributor element is moved to thrust selectively on one and/or the other of the terminal parts of the plunger-type elements, in order to vary the introduction gap of the relative fluid into the mixing chamber . The distributor element is at least partly pivoting at least on a plane substantially orthogonal to the main axis of the pipes which deliver the fluid, so that it can selectively be made to oscillate on the relative pivoting plane, by the lateral drive of the command member, so as to selectively press on one plunger-type valve element and/or the other according to the desired mixing effect to be obtained.

The distributor element can also be displaced in a direction substantially parallel to the axes of the relative pipes which deliver the fluid, in order to increase or reduce the aperture gap of the pipes, and hence the relative delivery, by means of a greater or lesser pressure on the relative valve elements. The distributor element substantially has the shape of a plate and has a first surface in contact with one end of the movement element and a second surface, opposite the first, which can be selectively moved to press on the terminal parts, facing towards the mixing chamber, of one and/or the other of said plunger-type valve elements.

To be more exact, by angularly displacing the lever- type movement element, we vary the point of pressure exerted by its end on the distributor element, and hence we modify the pressing action of the distributor element on the plunger- type valve elements. In fact, the angular displacement of the lever element allows to take its pressing end to at least three positions: a first lateral end position, wherein the distributor element acts on only one of the plunger-type valve elements in order to introduce only one fluid into the mixing chamber, a second, substantially central position wherein the distributor element acts in a substantially equal manner on both the plunger-type elements, and a third lateral end position, opposite the first, wherein the distributor element acts on the other plunger-type element in order to introduce the other fluid. Obviously, all the intermediate positions can be obtained in order to achieve mixtures with corresponding variable proportions.

In a first embodiment, the distributor element has a substantially plane shape. According to a variant, the distributor element is shaped like a convex or concave plate, so as to make the thrust action on the plunger-type valve elements more efficacious, according to the travel of the movement element. According to another variant, the distributor element is substantially polygonal in shape, with protruding lateral fins, each of which is able to cooperate with a relative valve element.

The device according to the invention allows to perform an efficacious regulation of the mixing of fluids, in a simple and extremely precise manner, keeping the size and weight extremely limited, and with a limited number of components. Moreover, in the device according to the invention there are no elements which slide against another, which considerably limits problems of wear and deterioration of the internal components.

According to a variant, at least the terminal segments of the pipes which deliver the fluid have a covering jacket, the function of which is on the one hand to reduce the noise generated by the fluid when moved inside the mixing chamber, and on the other hand to condition the progression of the functioning, making it easier to regulate the temperature.

In one embodiment of the invention, the command member cooperates with the distributor element by means of a spherical articulated joint.

According to a variant, the command member cooperates with the distributor element through toothed track means. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferential form of embodiment, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein: - fig. 1 is a three-dimensional view of a mixing device according to the present invention;

- fig. 2 is a lateral section of the device in fig. 1;

- figs. 3a-3c show three working steps of the device in fig. 1;

- fig. 4 shows a section from A to A of fig. 2;

- fig. 5 shows a variant of fig. 2, in section;

- fig. 6 shows a partial horizontal section of a variant of the distributor element in fig. 2 ; figs. 7 and 8 show a variant of the invention, respectively with a section on a vertical plane and with a section on a horizontal plane from B to B. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME PREFERENTIAL FORMS OF

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION With reference to the attached figures, a mixing device 10 for fluids, for example hot and cold water, according to the present invention, comprises a containing body 11 defining an internal mixing chamber 12, to which a first inlet pipe 14, for example for hot water, a second inlet pipe 15, for example for cold water, and an outlet pipe 16, through which the mixture of hot and cold water is delivered, are connected. In the embodiments shown here, the outlet pipe 16 is located on the same plane as the inlet pipes 14 and 15, that is, on the bottom of the containing body 11, but it comes within the field of the invention that the outlet pipe 16 can be arranged on one side of the containing body 11 or in any other desired position connected to the mixing chamber 12.

Along the two inlet pipes 14, 15 relative plunger-type valve elements 20 are arranged, able to selectively close, in adjustable manner, the passage of the fluid through the relative inlet pipe 14, 15. The plunger-type valve elements 20 comprise a rod 21 arranged axially to the inlet pipe 14, 15 and having a first end 22, or inner end, which extends inside the mixing chamber 12, and a second end 23, or outer end, shaped like a flattened bottom so as to close the relative inlet pipe 14, 15. The first end 22 can have any shape whatsoever, for example, like a mushroom, substantially spherical, cylindrical, slightly conical or other suitable shape. The shape can be optimized, for example, to reduce to a minimum the noise generated by the water entering the mixing chamber 12 when the relative pipe 14 and/or 15 is at least partly open.

According to the variant shown in fig. 6, the inner face of the end 23 shaped like a bottom has grooves or furrows 37, advantageously distributed uniformly in an angular manner, the function of which is to reduce the noise of the fluid entering the mixing chamber 12. There are advantageously between 2 and 12 or more grooves 37. A relative elastic element is associated with the rod 21 of every valve element 20, in this case, a helical spring 25, able to keep the rod 21 normally in an inactive position wherein it keeps the relative pipe 14, 15 closed, preventing the introduction of water into the mixing chamber 12.

The containing body 11 comprises, on one side of the mixing chamber 12, a support 26 consisting of a block 27 inside which a housing seating 35 is made, inside which a sphere 28 is located, free to rotate with friction. The friction effect can be obtained, for example, by using elastic means which hold the sphere 28 thrust at least slightly against the inner walls of the seating 35, or by using means also functioning as packing means, for example 0-rings or similar, which partly constrain the sphere 28 inside the seating 35, allowing it to rotate with interference .

It comes within the field of the invention that the sphere 28 can be replaced by an at least partly cylindrical element inserted in an appropriate seating which allows it to rotate, or by another suitable element able to rotate inside a seating.

The sphere 28 is passed through diametrically by a rod 29 connected at one end to a command lever 30, which can be driven manually, and having the other end provided with a pressure element conformed as a foot 24, arranged inside the mixing chamber 12.

In the variant shown in figs. 7 and 8, the function of the sphere is performed by a rack-type toothed coupling between a toothed sector 38 associated with the rod 29 and a toothed track 39 solidly associated with a pressure element 124 of the little cylinder type. The rod 29 is coupled, by means of a pin 43, with a bushing 44 which, on its upper face, has a hole 45 with a width greater than the section of the rod 29, so as to allow a lateral oscillation travel thereof, imparted by means of the command lever 30, which determines the linear movement of the toothed track 39 and hence of the little pressure cylinder 124. The combination consisting of the toothed track 39, the rod 29 and the bushing 44 is mounted inside a fixed box 46, with respect to which the three elements 39, 29 and 44 can rotate when an angular movement is imparted to the command lever in order to modify the mixing conditions. For this purpose, the fixed box 46 has inside a suitable circular guide, not shown here, which allows this rotation.

Returning to the solution which provides the sphere 28, on one side of the block 27 (fig. 4), in this case, an end-of-travel element 33 is mounted, one end of which is inserted in a corresponding notch 34 made on the outer surface of the sphere 28, so that, when said sphere 28 is rotated by the command lever 30, the rotation has a limited amplitude.

Moreover, the block 27 is provided, on its front surfaces, with two eyelets, respectively upper 31 and lower 32, which allow the rod 29 to move linearly in the field of travel of the sphere 28 defined by the cooperation between the end-of-travel element 33 and the notch 34. At least the lower eyelet 32 includes linear guide means for the rod 29, while both the eyelets 31, 32 are advantageously associated with sealing means, not shown here.

Inside the mixing chamber 12 there is a distributor element 18 (figs. 3a-3c) substantially shaped like a plate. In a preferential embodiment, the distributor element 18 is shaped so as to have, along its longitudinal median axis, an obtuse angle with the vertex facing towards the inlet pipes 14, 15 and the outlet pipe 16, in order to optimize the pressure action on the plunger-type elements 20.

The upper surface of the distributor element 18 is in contact with the foot 24, while its lower surface is in contact with the ends 22 of the rods 21 of the plunger- type elements 20.

Advantageously, the lower surface of the foot 24 is at least partly rounded so as to reduce the number of points of contact with the upper surface of the distributor element 18 and hence make the regulation of the valve elements 20 more precise. In the variant shown in fig. 5, in fact, the pressure element 124 is conformed as a little cylinder and is associated with the relative movement rod 29 by means of a joint 40 which allows pivoting thereof during its movement on the upper surface of the distributor element 18. Such pivoting allows the pressure element 124 to keep a constant and uniform contact on the distributor element 18 whatever its position may be with respect thereto.

In its inactive condition, the foot 24, or the little cylinder-type pressure element 124, is normally arranged along the longitudinal median axis of the distributor element 18, and advantageously slightly raised with respect thereto, so as not to exert pressure on either of the two plunger-type elements 20.

The distributor element 18 is provided at the rear with an oscillation pin 18a which constrains it to a hole made in a wall 19 arranged inside the mixing chamber 12, also allowing a partial inclination of the distributor element 18 with respect to the plane on which it lies; at the front, the distributor element 18 has a slider 18b free to slide inside a relative guide or vertical eyelet 17, made on a vertical wall of the containing body 11.

Inside the vertical guide 17, in the embodiment shown in fig. 2, there is a spring 36 suitable to contrast the movements of downward oscillation of the distributor element 18. The presence of such spring 36, exerting an upward thrust on the distributor element 18, when one of the two valve elements 20 is loaded, prevents the other from also being subjected to pressure from the distributor element 18. The spring 36 allows to make the thrust action of the distributor element 18 on the ends 22 of the valve elements 20 more precise, accurate and selective.

In the variant shown in fig. 5, the terminal part of the pipes 14, 15 which deliver the fluid is covered with a jacket 41, which also defines the positioning seating of the spring 25 and the outer abutment for the lower end of the rod 21. The function of the jacket 41 is to reduce the noise generated by the fluid entering the pipes 14, 15, and to make the proportioning of the fluid more progressive, thus facilitating the regulation of the temperature .

The mixing device 10 as described heretofore functions as follows. By acting manually on the command lever 30, moving it only on one plane which, in the representation shown here, is substantially vertical, the sphere 28 is made to rotate inside the block 27 and the rod 29 is displaced linearly along the upper eyelet 31. The friction to which the sphere 28 is subjected during its rotation inside the seating 35, or the friction generated by the engaging of teeth in the solution shown in fig. 7, with a toothed coupling, makes the movement at least partly contrasted, so that the lever 30 has to overcome a slight resistance which makes the movement extremely precise and ensures that the position reached by displacing the lever 30 is maintained correctly and stably.

In this way the foot 24, or the little pressure cylinder 124, is moved to press on the upper surface of the distributor element 18. This pressure, with the foot 24 or little cylinder 124 centered on the axis of the distributor element 18, causes the downward oscillation, contrasted by the spring 36 and with respect to the constraint of the pin 18a, of the distributor element 18 itself, and the consequent lowering by an equal entity of both the rods 21 (fig. 3a) . In this way, we obtain the introduction of an equal quantity of hot and cold water into the mixing chamber 12, and the delivery of mixed water . If, on the contrary, the lever 30 is displaced angularly to the right or left, for example to a corresponding extreme position defined by the end-of- travel element 33 in cooperation with the notch 34, or by the last tooth of the toothed sector 38, the foot 24 or little cylinder 124 is displaced in a corresponding manner to the left or right (figs. 3b, 3c), displacing its pressure point onto the distributor element 18, with a consequent pivoting and oscillation on the pin 18a of the distributor element 18.

Then, driving the lever 30 in a vertical direction determines thrust only on one of the two rods 21, determining the selective opening of one of the pipes 14 or 15, while the other stays closed due to the presence of the elastic element 25. In this way we obtain the selective introduction of one flow or the other, of hot water or cold water, which is delivered by the outlet aperture 16. By moving the lever 30 manually it is also possible to obtain all the intermediate positions of the foot 24 or the little cylinder 124, with respect to the distributor element 18, with which we achieve corresponding combinations of simultaneous openings of both pipes 14, 15, with different values of the relative flows introduced, so as to find the desired delivery temperature of the water.

Modifications and/or additions of parts may be made to the mixing device 10 as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention .

For example, the shaping of the obtuse angle of the distributor element 18 could be replaced by a convex or concave shape, or by the combination given by a segment with an obtuse angle and a flat, convex or concave segment. The distributor element 18 could also be an entirely flat disk. For example, the variant shown in fig. 6 shows a distributor element 18 conformed as a pentagon with a vertex facing towards the slider 18b and lateral fins 42 associated with said vertex, each of which is suitable to press on a relative rod 21 of a plunger-type valve element when the distributor element 18 is made to oscillate on its pivoting plane.

It also comes within the field of the invention to provide packings or other sealing means associated with the mixing chamber 12, with the pipes 14, 15, with the housing seating 35 or with other elements of the mixing device 10.

With regard to the constructional embodiment adopted, auxiliary assembly elements can also be used, such as screws, pins, pegs or otherwise, in order to complete the assembly of the components of the mixing device 10. The regulation element, consisting here of the lever 30 and the rod 29, could be replaced by a screw element, by an element like a joystick or any other element suitable for the purpose.

Claims

1 - Mixing device for fluids, comprising a containing body (11) including at least an aperture associated with a first pipe (14) for a first fluid, at least an aperture associated with a second pipe (15) for a second fluid, and at least an outlet pipe (16) for the mixture, shutter means (21) being provided to selectively close said first

(14) and/or said second pipe (15) in adjustable manner, said pipes (14, 15) communicating with a mixing chamber (12) provided in said containing body (11), characterized in that said shutter means comprise a plunger- type valve element (20) associated with each of said pipes (14, 15), and a command member (18, 30) able to be driven from outside and able to thrust on one and/or the other of said plunger- ype valve elements (20) in order to regulate the delivery of the fluid introduced through the relative pipe (14, 15) .

2 - Device as in claim 1, characterized in that said command member comprises a lever- type movement element (30) terminally including at least a pressure element (24, 124), and a distributor element (18) associated with said pressure element (24, 124) and able to be moved to thrust on one and/or the other of said plunger-type valve elements (20) . 3 - Device as in claim 1, characterized in that said plunger-type valve element (20) comprises a rod (21) arranged axially inside the respective pipe (14, 15), at least one end (22) of said rod (21) facing into said mixing chamber (12), in order to cooperate with said distributor element (18).

4 - Device as in claim 3, characterized in that the other end (23) of said rod (21) is conformed as a plate in order to close, when said plunger-type valve element (20) is in the inactive condition, the passage of said fluid through the relative pipe (14, 15) .

5 - Device as in claims 3 and 4, characterized in that elastic means (25) are provided in association with said rod (21) in order to keep said rod (21) , in the inactive condition, in a position to substantially close the passage of said fluid through said pipe (14, 15) .

6 - Device as in any claim from 2 to 5 inclusive, characterized in that said distributor element (18) is substantially plate shaped.

7 - Device as in any claim from 3 to 6 inclusive, characterized in that said distributor element (18) is at least partly pivoting on a plane substantially orthogonal to the main axis of said rods (21) of said plunger- type valve elements (20) .

8 - Device as in claim 6, characterized in that said distributor element (18) is shaped so as to have, along the median axis, the vertex facing towards said plunger- type valve elements (20) . 9 - Device as in claim 6, characterized in that said distributor element (18) has a flat, concave or convex shape .

10 - Device as in claim 6, characterized in that said distributor element (18) has a substantially polygonal shape with lateral fins (42) each one able to cooperate with a rod (21) of a relative plunger-type valve element (20) .

11 - Device as in claim 6, characterized in that said distributor element (18) has a shape given by the combination of an obtuse angle shaping and at least a flat, concave or convex segment.

12 - Device as in claim any claim from 2 to 11 inclusive, characterized in that said distributor element (18) has a first surface in contact with said pressure element (24, 124) of said movement element (30) and a second surface, opposite the first, able to be thrust against at least one of said plunger-type valve elements (20) . 13 - Device as in claim any claim from 2 to 12 inclusive, characterized in that said distributor element (18) comprises on one side an oscillation pin (18a) constrained to one wall (19) of said mixing chamber (12) and, on a substantially opposite side, a slider (18b) able to slide vertically inside a mating guide or eyelet (17) also arranged inside said mixing chamber (12) .

14 - Device as in claim 13, characterized in that it includes elastic means (36) arranged inside said guide (17) and able to contrast the movement of vertical oscillation of said distributor element (18) .

15 - Device as in claim any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that said containing body (11) comprises a support (26) associated with one side of said mixing chamber (12) and provided with a block (27) inside which a rotary element (28) is arranged, associated with said lever-type movement element (30).

16 - Device as in claim 15, characterized in that said rotary element (28) is free to rotate with friction inside a mating seating (35) made in said support (26) . 17 - Mixing device as in any claim from 1 to 14 inclusive, characterized in that said lever-type movement element (30) is associated with said distributor element (18) by means of a toothed coupling (38, 39).

18 - Mixing device as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that at least the terminal part of said pipes (14, 15) which deliver the fluid is associated with a jacket (41) to reduce the noise.

19 - Mixing device as in claim 4, characterized in that the upper face of said end (23) of said rod (21) conformed as a plate includes furrows (37) to reduce the noise.

20 - Mixing device as in claim 19, characterized in that said furrows (37) are distributed uniformly on the perimeter of said end (23) and there are from 2 to 12 thereof .

21 - Mixing device as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that the pressure element is conformed as a little cylinder (124) associated with the relative command member by means of an oscillation joint (40) .