AU2005287634B2

AU2005287634B2 - Concealed sanitary fitting

Info

Publication number: AU2005287634B2
Application number: AU2005287634A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Bernd Assenmacher
Original assignee: Hansa Metallwerke AG
Current assignee: Hansa Metallwerke AG
Priority date: 2004-09-20
Filing date: 2005-08-23
Publication date: 2010-03-04
Anticipated expiration: 2025-08-23
Also published as: DE502005003028D1; DE102004045490B3; AU2005287634A1; EP1794377B1; ATE387546T1; WO2006032339A1; EP1794377A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a concealed sanitary fitting (1), comprising a housing (40) with connectors (9, 10, 11), for connection to at least one domestic water supply, with a bath outlet and a shower head. A valve is arranged in a first housing chamber of the housing (40), controlling at least one water flow. A switching device is arranged in a second housing chamber (41) of the housing (40), by means of which water exiting the valve may be selectively run to the connector (10), for connection to the bath outlet, or to the connector, for connection to the shower head. Said housing chamber (41) is arranged axially (with relation to the housing chamber for the valve) behind the housing chamber for the valve when viewed from outside. The valve shaft (12) for the switching device extends radially out of the housing (40) and the operating mechanism for the switching device is embodied such that the same can connect a manual operating body (23), arranged in the vicinity of a cover rosette (6), to the valve shaft (12) of the switching device with differing separations between the cover rosette (6) and the switching device. The cover rosette (6) can thus be kept small, which is desirable on aesthetic grounds.

Description

WO 2006/032339 1 PCT/EP2005/009085 CONCEALED SANITARY FITTING The invention relates to a concealed sanitary fitting having a) a housing which has at least a connection for connection to a domestic water pipe, a connection 5 for connection to a bath outlet and a connection for connection to a shower; b) a valve which is arranged in a first receiving space of the housing and controls at least one water flow; c) a switching device which is arranged in a second 10 receiving space of the housing, has a valve stem and by which the water emerging from the valve can be selectively directed to the connection which is connectable to the bath outlet or to the connection which is connectable to the shower; 15 d) a covering rosette which, when the concealed fitting is installed in a wall recess, outwardly closes the wall recess; e) an actuating device for the switching device, which comprises: WO 2006/032339 2 PCT/EP2005/009085 ea) a manual actuating member arranged in the vicinity of the covering rosette; eb) an actuating mechanism connecting the manual actuating member to the valve stem of the 5 switching device. In the present case, the terms "axial" and "radial" are used to denote directions. "axial" is understood to mean a direction running perpendicularly to the plane of extension of the building wall in which the concealed 10 fitting is to be installed. This direction corresponds generally to the axis of the receiving opening for the valve controlling the water flow. Any direction which is perpendicular thereto, and thus runs parallel to the plane of extension of the building wall in the installed is state of the concealed fitting, is referred to here as "radial". In known concealed sanitary fittings of the type mentioned at the beginning, the second receiving space which contains the switching device is situated laterally 20 of the first receiving space in which the water controlling valve is situated. The axes of both receiving spaces run, in the above-mentioned sense, "axially" and parallel to one another. The manual actuating member is a pull knob which is connected to the valve stem of the 25 switching device via a rod serving in this case as the actuating mechanism. To switch the water flow, the pull C:\NRPortb1\DCC\EJL\2683099 1.DOC-21/01/2010 3 knob is pulled away from the rosette in the axial direction; in that direction in which the water flows to the shower, the pull knob has a clear spacing from the outside of the covering rosette. 5 As a result of the fact that the two receiving spaces are offset in the lateral (radial) direction with respect to one another in these known concealed sanitary fittings, the concealed fitting is also of relatively large size in 10 this direction. The inevitable consequence of this is that the covering rosette covering the wall recess is large in area. This, however, is not always desirable for aesthetic reasons. 15 Examples of the present invention seek to configure a concealed sanitary fitting of the type mentioned at the beginning in such a way that it is of small size in the radial direction and can therefore have smaller-area covering rosettes. 20 In accordance with the present invention there is provided a concealed sanitary fitting having a) a housing which has at least a connection for 25 connection to a domestic water pipe, a connection for connection to a bath outlet and a connection for connection to a shower; b) a valve which is arranged in a first receiving 30 space of the housing and controls at least one water flow; C:\NRPortbl\DCC\EJL\2663099_1.DOC-21/01/2010 4 c) a switching device which is arranged in a second receiving space of the housing, has a valve stem and by which the water emerging from the valve can be selectively directed to the 5 connection which is connectable to the bath outlet or to the connection which is connectable to the shower; d) a covering rosette which, when the concealed 10 fitting is installed in a wall recess, outwardly closes the wall recess; e) an actuating device for the switching device, which comprises: 15 ea) a manual actuating member arranged in the vicinity of the covering rosette; eb) an actuating mechanism connecting the 20 manual actuating member to the valve stem of the switching device; wherein f) the receiving space for the switching device 25 lies, seen from the outside, axially behind the receiving space for the valve; g) the valve stem of the switching device is led radially out of the housing; 30 h) the actuating mechanism is designed such that it can connect the manual actuating member, at C:\NRPortbl\DCC\EJL\2683099-I.DOC-21/01/2010 4a different distances between the covering rosette and the switching device, to the valve stem of the switching device. 5 According to the invention, therefore, the previous design in which the two receiving spaces for the water controlling valve and the switching device are offset laterally (radially) with respect to one another is dispensed with. Instead, the "depth" of the building 10 wall installation recess is utilised, in which direction sufficient space is generally available. The utilisation of the "depth" involves arranging the two receiving spaces in the axial direction more or less in alignment, or at any rate "one behind the other" (seen from the 15 outside with the concealed fitting installed). The result of this is that the valve stem for the switching device can no longer run in the axial direction in the above-mentioned sense, but must be led in the radial direction out of the housing of the concealed fitting. A 20 further consequence is that the actuating mechanism must be variably adjustable in accordance with the respective locally prevailing "installation depths", i.e. the distances which exist between the domestic pipes and the respective outer surface of the building wall. 25 In general, the switching device comprises a double valve cone which is movable linearly to and fro between two WO 2006/032339 5 PCT/EP2005/009085 valve seats by means of the valve stem. In this case, according to the invention the concealed fitting is preferably designed in such a way that the receiving space for the switching device runs radially and the 5 valve stem of the switching device is movable in the radial direction. A particularly convenient embodiment of the invention is distinguished in that the manual actuating member is movable in the radial direction. This type of movement is 10 not only found to be particularly pleasant by the user; it is also distinguished by the fact that the manual actuating member is at the same distance from the covering rosette in the axial direction in both positions of the switching device. 15 It is preferred if the manual actuating member is arranged at the edge of the covering rosette. The manual actuating member therefore projects in the radial direction beyond the covering rosette, which in turn permits particularly small dimensions of the covering 20 rosette. If the manual actuating member slides, with at least one region, on the outer surface of the covering rosette, it has particularly good guidance. Compressive forces applied in the axial direction by the user are absorbed 25 by the covering rosette.

6 A particularly preferred actuating mechanism which meets the above-mentioned requirements comprises a) a guide bow which is guided linearly displaceably on the inside of the covering rosette; 5 b) a coupling bow which is connected, at one end region, in an articulated manner to the guide bow and cooperates, at the opposite end region, with the valve stem of the switching device. This actuating mechanism bridges different "installation 10 depths" by virtue of the fact that the angle between the guide bow and the coupling bow changes. The invention is described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a concealed sanitary fitting in side is view, partly broken open, at the maximum installation depth and with the switching device in the position in which the water flows to the bath; Figure 2 shows the concealed fitting of Figure 1, but 20 with the switching device in the position in which the water flows to the shower; WO 2006/032339 7 PCT/EP2005/009085 Figure 3 shows the concealed fitting of Figures 1 and 2 at the minimum installation depth with the switching device in the position in which the water flows to the bath; 5 Figure 4 shows the concealed fitting of Figure 3 with the switching device in the position in which the water flows to the shower; Figure 5 shows, in an isometric illustration, seen from below, the covering rosette of the concealed 10 fitting of Figures 1 to 4 with attached actuating device for the switching device; Figure 6 shows, in an isometric illustration, seen from above, a carrier plate which is part of the covering rosette of Figure 5. 15 Reference is made first of all to Figures 1, 5 and 6, with the aid of which the construction of a concealed sanitary fitting identified as a whole by the reference symbol 1 is described. In the present case, the fitting is a single-lever mixer; in principle, however, the 20 fitting could be any other type of concealed sanitary fitting, in particular also a thermostatic mixer. The concealed fitting 1 comprises a cup-shaped, upwardly open installation box 2 made of plastic, in the interior of which there are accommodated, from bottom to top, a WO 2006/032339 8 PCT/EP2005/009085 connecting body 3, an intermediate housing 4 with a switching device, and - partly - a cartridge housing 5. The connecting body 3, the intermediate housing 4 and the cartridge housing 5 can in each case be understood as 5 being parts of a fitting housing 40 of the concealed fitting 1. Lying on the upper edge of the installation box 2 is a covering rosette 6 which has a relatively large, central through-opening 7. Extending outwards through the through-opening 7 is a region of the 10 cartridge housing 5 on the upper end side of which there is placed, in a known manner, a spherical-ring-shaped covering cap 8. The connecting body 3 has four connecting pieces which are angularly offset by 900 with respect to one another 15 and radially penetrate the installation box 2, and three of which, namely the connecting pieces 9, 0 and 11, can be seen in Figure 1. On installation of the concealed fitting 1, the connecting piece 9 is connected to the domestic cold-water pipe; the diametrically opposite 20 connecting piece 11 is connected to the domestic hot water pipe. A water pipe leading to the bath is connected to the connecting piece 10, and a water pipe leading to the shower is connected to the diametrically opposite connecting piece (not illustrated). 25 In a receiving space 41 of the intermediate housing 4 (cf. Figure 2) there is accommodated, as already indicated above, a switching device by which the water WO 2006/032339 9 PCT/EP2005/009085 flow can be selectively directed to the connecting piece 10, i.e. to the bath, or to the connecting piece which is not illustrated, i.e. to the shower. The switching device is constructed, basically, in a s known manner and is therefore not illustrated in the drawing. It comprises a double valve cone which can be moved to and fro in the axial direction between two positions in the receiving space 41 configured in the manner of a cylinder bore. In one position it closes a 10 valve seat in the water path leading to the shower, and in the other position a valve seat in the water path communicating with the bath outlet. A special feature of the switching device of the concealed fitting 1 consists in the fact that the axis of the receiving space 41 in 15 which the double valve cone moves runs radially. The double valve cone (not illustrated in the drawing) is actuated by a valve stem 12 which projects in the radial direction out of the intermediate housing 4 and can be seen in Figure 1. The valve stem 12 bears an enlarged 20 head 13 at its outermost end. The cartridge housing 5 has a receiving space in which a conventional control cartridge is accommodated. The controlling element of this control cartridge, generally a movable ceramic disc, is actuated with the aid of an 25 adjusting stem 14 which projects out of the upper opening of the covering cap 8. In the fully assembled state, an WO 2006/032339 10 PCT/EP2005/009085 operating lever is placed on the adjusting stem 14 in a known manner and with a cap-like portion overlaps the covering cap 8. By rotating and pivoting this operating lever, the temperature and quantity of mixed water 5 flowing out can be adjusted. In order to actuate the switching device accommodated in the intermediate housing 4, the valve stem 12 of the switching device must be moved in the radial direction. An actuating device, bearing as a whole the reference 10 symbol 15, serves this purpose. As shown in particular in Figures 5 and 6, the actuating device 15 comprises an actuating mechanism with an approximately horseshoe shaped guide bow 16 which surrounds the through-opening 7 on one side and, in the manner described below, is guided 15 displaceably on the underside of the covering rosette 6 and parallel thereto. On the outer ends of the legs of the guide bow 16 there are articulated, with the aid of pins 18, the outer ends of the legs of a likewise approximately horseshoe-shaped coupling bow 17. The base 20 of the coupling bow 17 has a through-opening 19, through which the outer end region of the valve stem 12 of the switching device is led. The head 13 of the valve stem 12 is somewhat larger than the diameter of the through opening 19 of the coupling bow 17, so that it cannot slip 25 through this through-opening 19.

WO 2006/032339 11 PCT/EP2005/009085 Two legs of the two bows 16 and 17 forming the actuating mechanism are connected to one another in their outer end regions by a tension spring 19. The covering rosette 6 is composed of two parts, namely a 5 carrier plate 6a, shown on its own in Figure 6, and a decorative cover 6b which covers the carrier plate 6a and is attached thereto. The base of the guide bow 16 is connected in one piece to a slide 20 which is laterally guided by two guide io profiles 21, 22 integrally formed on the underside of the carrier plate 6a of the covering rosette 6. The slide 20 penetrates in the radial direction through the hollow cylindrical structures provided in the edge region of the covering rosette 6 and projects radially beyond the outer 15 edge of the covering rosette 6. Here, an operating button 23 serving as a manual actuating member is fitted onto the correspondingly profiled slide 20, which, with a region 23a which can be seen in Figure 1, lies displaceably on the upper side of the covering rosette 6 20 and is likewise part of the actuating device 15. A spring 50, illustrated in Figure 6, which is accommodated in a cutout of the carrier plate 6a and clamped between the slide 20 and the edge of the cutout, seeks to pull the actuating button 23 into the position shown in 25 Figure 1, in which the water is directed by the switching device to the bath outlet.

WO 2006/032339 12 PCT/EP2005/009085 The above-described concealed fitting 1 is mounted in a wall recess in accordance with the local circumstances in the following manner: The entire concealed fitting 1 is inserted into the wall 5 recess 1 until the connecting pieces 9, 10, 11 and the connecting piece which is not illustrated are aligned with the corresponding connections of the domestic pipes and can be connected to them. The installation position of the concealed fitting 1 is thus fixed. Now it is 10 ascertained how far the cup-shaped installation box 2 protrudes from the outer surface, for example the tiling, of the building wall and the protruding region is cut off. The carrier plate 6a covering rosette 6 can be placed on the upper edge of the installation box 2 and 15 attached with the aid of screws to the installation box 2. The decorative cover 6b is then engaged on the carrier plate 6a. By placing the operating handle on the adjusting stem 14 of the control cartridge, the mounting procedure is completed. The concealed sanitary fitting 1 20 is now ready for operation. Normally, the actuating button 23 is in the position illustrated in Figure 1, in which the switching device inside the intermediate housing 4 directs the water to the bath outlet, i.e. to the connecting piece 10 pointing 25 forwards in Figure 1. This position is preferred because of the various springs. If the user wishes to switch the water flow to the shower, he/she pushes the actuating WO 2006/032339 13 PCT/EP2005/009085 button 23 radially outwards with his/her finger and in doing so moves the slide 20 and the actuating bow 16 connected thereto linearly along the underside of the covering rosette 6. The coupling bow 17 also participates 5 in this movement. The position illustrated in Figure 2 is now reached, in which the valve stem 12 of the switching device in the intermediate housing 4 is pulled out radially and the double valve cone connected thereto closes the valve seat 10 leading to the bath and, on the other hand, opens the valve seat leading to the shower. Owing to the water pressure, the double valve cone in a known manner remains in this position, even if the user takes his/her finger off the actuating button 23. Only when the water is 15 turned off with the aid of the control cartridge, does the water pressure acting on the double valve cone drop to such a degree that, under the action of the various springs, the double valve cone is returned to the preferred position again, in which the bath is supplied 20 with water. Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a situation in which the domestic pipes are laid relatively deeply beneath the wall surface. In this situation, the guide bow 16 and the coupling bow 17 enclose a relatively large angle. The 25 cartridge housing 5 projects only a little beyond the upper side of the covering rosette 6. The actuating button 23 is situated at the level of the covering WO 2006/032339 14 PCT/EP2005/009085 rosette 6, with its region 23a, as described above, lying on the upper side of the covering rosette 6. Figures 3 and 4 illustrate an installation situation in which the domestic pipes are laid relatively close to the 5 surface of the building wall. This is referred to as a "shallow installation depth". The cylinder wall of the installation box 2 has, as can be seen from the figures, been cut off to a relatively large degree, so that the depth of the installation box 2 is small compared with 10 Figures 1 and 2. The guide bow 16 and the coupling bow 17 enclose a small, in the exemplary embodiment illustrated even negative, angle with one another. The cartridge housing 5 projects to a relatively large degree beyond the covering rosette 6. The operating button 23 is, 15 however, situated in the same relative position with respect to the covering rosette 6 as in the installation situation of Figures 1 and 2. By arranging the switching device in the intermediate housing 4 axially behind (in the drawing below) the 20 cartridge housing 5 and in front of (in the drawing above) the connecting housing 3, the concealed fitting 1 described is of relatively small size in the radial direction. This makes it possible also to keep the covering rosette 6 small in area, which is advantageous 25 from the aesthetic point of view. Despite the different installation depths, the switching device is always 15 actuated in the same way by a radial movement of the corresponding actuating button 23. While various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not by way of limitation. It will be apparent to a person skilled in the relevant art that various changes in form and detail can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention should not be limited by any of the above described exemplary embodiments. Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps. The reference in this specification to any prior publication (or information derived from it), or to any matter which is known, is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or admission or any form of suggestion that that prior ,publication (or information derived from it) or known matter forms part of the common general knowledge in the field of endeavour to which this specification relates.

Claims

1. Concealed sanitary fitting having 5 a) a housing which has at least a connection for connection to a domestic water pipe, a connection for connection to a bath outlet and a connection for connection to a shower; 10 b) a valve which is arranged in a first receiving space of the housing and controls at least one water flow; c) a switching device which is arranged in a 15 second receiving space of the housing, has a valve stem and by which the water emerging from the valve can be selectively directed to the connection which is connectable to the bath outlet or to the connection which is 20 connectable to the shower; d) a covering rosette which, when the concealed fitting is installed in a wall recess, outwardly closes the wall recess; 25 e) an actuating device for the switching device, which comprises: ea) a manual actuating member arranged in 30 the vicinity of the covering rosette; eb) an actuating mechanism connecting the C:\NRPortbl\DCC\EJL\2683099 _.DOC-21/01/2010 17 manual actuating member to the valve stem of the switching device; wherein 5 f) the receiving space for the switching device lies, seen from the outside, axially behind the receiving space for the valve; g) the valve stem of the switching device is led 10 radially out of the housing; h) the actuating mechanism is designed such that it can connect the manual actuating member, at different distances between the covering 15 rosette and the switching device, to the valve stem of the switching device.

2. Concealed fitting according to Claim 1, in which the switching device comprises a double valve cone which 20 is movable linearly to and fro between two valve seats by means of the valve stem, wherein 25 the receiving space for the switching device runs radially and the valve stem of the switching device is movable in the radial direction.

3. Concealed fitting according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein 30 the manual actuating member is movable in the radial direction. C:\NRPortbl\DCC\EJL\2683099_1.DOC-21/01/2010 18

4. Concealed fitting according to Claim 3, wherein the manual actuating member is arranged at the edge of the covering rosette.

5 5. Concealed fitting according to Claim 3 or 4, wherein the manual actuating member slides, with at least one region, on the outer surface of the covering rosette. 10

6. Concealed fitting according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the actuating mechanism comprises: a) a guide bow which is guided linearly displaceably on the inside of the covering 15 rosette; b) a coupling bow which is connected, at one end region, in an articulated manner to the guide bow and cooperates, at the opposite end region, 20 with the valve stem of the switching device.

7. A concealed sanitary fitting substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings and/or Examples.