JP3565389B2 - Automatic faucet - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an automatic faucet that automatically controls water discharge and water stoppage depending on whether or not a user's hand senses, and particularly connects between a sensor for sensing and an electric open / close valve. The present invention relates to a wiring structure that simplifies code wiring.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The automatic faucet provided around the washbasin of the vanity table or around the sink of the kitchen is equipped with a sensor that detects human hands on the main body of the faucet launched from the counter of the washbasin or cabinet. There is a type that opens and closes an electromagnetic valve by detecting the presence or absence of water, and a type that discharges water and stops water by kicking a foot switch provided at the lower end of the cabinet. Each of these automatic faucets has a solenoid valve for opening and closing between the water supply source side and the faucet body, and controls the opening and closing of the flow path by driving a solenoid by a signal from a sensor or a foot switch. Things.
[0003]
In such an automatic faucet, wiring for connecting the cord of the opening / closing solenoid valve to the sensor or the power supply side is provided, but since it is a water circulating device, it is necessary to construct the cord to maintain waterproofness against the cord. Conventionally, in order to maintain the waterproofness and simplify the workability, a case or cover is conventionally provided separately from the main body of the opening / closing solenoid valve, and the connector connected to the end of the cord is placed therein. It was configured to be connected to a connector of a cord from a sensor or power supply.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, if a case or cover is provided separately from the main body of the on-off solenoid valve, the number of these components and the number of assembling steps increase, which hinders improvement in cost and also makes maintenance and inspection troublesome. In addition, although the connector can be protected from external force by covering the connector with a case or cover, these cases and covers are suspended in the middle of the cord. If the position is inadvertently displaced, the cord may be disconnected or the connector may be disconnected.
[0005]
As described above, the conventional automatic faucet has a problem that the wiring of the electric cord around the opening / closing solenoid valve is likely to cause a trouble, and the assembling work is troublesome.
[0006]
The problem to be solved in the present invention is to provide an automatic faucet in which the electric cord around the motor-operated valve can be easily wired and protected.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention provides an electric faucet which includes an electrically driven on-off valve in a flow path to a water outlet main body, and controls the operation of the on-off valve by a separately arranged controller. And an automatic faucet in which a connecting portion for connecting an electric wire from the controller is provided in the main body of the on-off valve, and the main body of the on-off valve guides the electric wire wired from the driving source to the connecting portion. It is characterized by comprising a holding portion for restraining .
[0008]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
In the present invention, the main body of the on-off valve can be provided with a holding portion for guiding and restraining the electric wire wired from the drive source to the connection portion. The holding portion may be, for example, a lead wire. A plurality of guide ribs formed on the surface of the main body can be applied.
[0009]
Also, a cover for covering at least the connection portion of the electric wire and the periphery thereof can be provided. In this case, the cover may be detachable from the main body of the on-off valve. If the bar and the main body of the on-off valve are connected via a guide mechanism for guiding the cover in the attaching / detaching direction, the cover can be easily attached and detached.
[0010]
Further, the cover has a shape capable of covering almost the entire body of the on-off valve and a part of a member such as a joint connected to the upstream side thereof, and is connected to each connection end of the body of the on-off valve and the member such as the joint. Forming flanges that overlap, elastically deformable connecting tools that restrain and join the upper and lower surfaces of these flanges can be extrapolated around the outer periphery of the body of these on-off valves and members such as joints, and the connecting tools are The connection relationship between the connecting member and the cover may be such that the cover is allowed to move in the covering direction only when the cover is mounted at a regular position.
[0011]
【Example】
FIG. 1 is a left side sectional view showing an example of a facility directly connected to a water supply provided with an automatic faucet of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view of a water outlet main body, and FIG. 3 is a main part taken along line AA of FIG. FIG.
[0012]
In the figure, an on-off valve unit 2 is connected to a water stopcock 1 connected to a water supply pipe in a wall, and a connection tube 3 connected to this on-off valve unit 2 is inserted into a water outlet body 4 to reach a discharge end. The flow path is connected.
[0013]
The spout body 4 is fixed to the upper surface of a counter around a wash basin or a sink. The spout head 4a is provided on the front surface at the upper end, and a photoelectric sensor 4b capable of detecting human hands is provided below the spout head 4a. The controller 4c is disposed on the back of the device. A power supply cord 5a from an AC adapter 5 inserted into an outlet (not shown) is connected to the controller 4c, and a power supply and signal transmission cord 6 is also wired from the controller 4c to the on-off valve unit 2. are doing.
[0014]
The water stopcock 1 has a valve body 1b attached to a spindle 1a that can be rotated from the front thereof in the same manner as the conventional one, and the valve body 1b is brought into contact with and separated from a valve seat 1c, thereby opening and closing the valve unit 2 from the water supply pipe side. The opening and closing of the flow path can be performed. The on-off valve unit 2 is composed of a main body 7 integrally fixed with a solenoid 8 and a cover 9 covering the solenoid 8 and a portion connecting to the cord 6. The main body 7 is connected to a clip fastener type connector. Reference numeral 10 allows connection to the water stopcock 1.
[0015]
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the water stopcock 1, the main body 7, the cover 9, and the connector 10.
[0016]
The water stopcock 1 has an inverted T-shape, and a cylindrical portion 1d rising upward on the downstream side of the valve seat 1c is used as an insertion portion on the inflow end side of the main body 7, and a flange formed at an upper end of the cylindrical portion 1d. On the upper surface of 1e, a total of four positioning recesses 1f are formed.
[0017]
The main body 7 of the on-off valve unit 2 is configured to connect the flow path with the water stopcock 1 by projecting downward through a cylindrical joint pipe 7a which is inserted into the cylindrical portion 1d of the water stopcock 1 and sealed and joined. A constant flow valve 7b (see FIG. 1) is housed in the joint pipe 7a, and a flange 7c is formed at the upper end. The flange 7c is formed with four convex portions 7c-1 on the lower surface in alignment with the concave portion 1f of the flange 1e of the water stopcock 1 and protrudes in a direction facing the direction in which the cover 9 is covered. A stopper block 7c-2 is provided.
[0018]
The solenoid 8 fixed to the main body 7 has a plunger for opening and closing a valve seat 7d (see FIG. 1) formed in the middle of the internal flow from the joint pipe 7a to the connection tube 3, and has two lead wires 8a, 8b. And a connector 11 is connected to these lead wires 8a and 8b. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the connector 11 is fitted and fixed in a holding hole 7e-1 formed in a rib 7e formed so as to block the main body 7 at the center thereof. As shown in FIG. 6, it can be connected to a connector 12 connected to two lead wires 12a and 12b from a controller 4c. The lead wires 12a, 12b are covered with a rubber sleeve 12c for waterproofing, and a fixing tool 12d is extrapolated at the tip. The fixing device 12d is a semicircular member made of rubber, and is attached to the main body 7 by being inserted into a fixing seat 7f that is cut out in a semicircular shape, and leads to the connector 11 fixed to the holding hole 7e-1. The connectors 12 on the lines 12a and 12b can be connected.
[0019]
In order to stably hold the lead wires 8a, 8b from the solenoid 8, three guide ribs 7g-1, 7g-2, 7g-from the boundary between the solenoid 8 and the main body 7 toward the holding hole 7e-1. 3 are provided in parallel with each other, and two guide rods 7h-1 and 7h-2 are provided below the holding hole 7e-1. The guide ribs 7g-1 to 7g-3 have lead wires 8a and 8b inserted between them so that they can be held by utilizing their own elasticity. As shown in FIGS. By wrapping around 7h-2, it is possible to provide wiring that does not generate excessive tension at the connection point with the connector 11.
[0020]
Further, guide ribs 7i for attaching the cover 9 are provided on both side surfaces of the main body 7 so as to protrude outward, and projections 7i-1 for positioning the cover 9 are formed at one end of the guide ribs 7i. I have. A flat rib 7j is formed on the upper surface of the main body 7 except for the connecting portion side of the solenoid 8, and an annular upper surface of the rib 7j corresponding to the periphery of a flow path hole for communicating with the connection tube 3 is formed. A flange 7k is formed. The lower surface of the flange 7k is provided such that a gap is formed between the lower surface of the flange 7k and the upper surface of the main body 7.
[0021]
The clip fastener type connecting tool 10 is formed by bending a metal plate and using the elasticity thereof to be detachable from the connecting portion between the main body 7 and the water stopcock 1. As shown in FIG. Is a base 10a bent substantially in a U-shape, and two arms 10b protrude from the base 10a. These arms 10b are shaped to be line-symmetrical with respect to the base 10a in plan view. The arms 10b serve as a release operation portion 10d that extends outward from the distal end side of the bent portion 10c that is bent into a square shape halfway. The slits 10e are incised with the portion 10c interposed therebetween. The opening dimension of these slits 10e in the height direction is such that when the flange 1e of the water stopcock 1 and the flange 7c of the main body 7 are overlapped, the lower and upper surfaces of the flanges 1e and 7c can be restrained. Things.
[0022]
One end of the connector 10 has a shape in which the release operation portion 10d is opened outward, and has a relationship such that the stopper block 7c-2 of the flange 7c can enter the base 10a of the connector 10 in FIG. In some cases, it is possible to pass through the root portion of the release operation portion 10d while fitting the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion 1d of the water stopcock 1 and the outer periphery of the joint pipe 7a of the main body 7. For example, when the connecting tool 10 is rotated clockwise by about 90 ° in FIG. 4, the stopper block 7 c-2 of the flange 7 c is connected to the connecting tool 10 even if it is attempted to extrapolate the outer circumference of the joint pipe 7 a of the main body 7. The stopper block 7c-2 interferes with the connecting tool 10, and the connecting tool 10 cannot be mounted.
[0023]
As described above, by providing the stopper block 7c-2 protruding outward on the flange 7c, the mounting posture of the connecting tool 10 with respect to the main body 7 can be regulated, and the base 10a corresponds to the stopper block 7c-2. If the installer is thoroughly instructed to assemble in a proper posture, the mounting position and posture of the connecting tool 10 with respect to the water stopcock 1 and the main body 7 will not be erroneous.
[0024]
The upper half of the cover 9 is a first storage portion 9a covering the solenoid 8 and the electric wiring portion, and the lower half is a second storage portion 9b covering the connection portion with the water stopcock 1. is there. The first storage portion 9a is slightly larger than the width of the main body 7 of the on-off valve unit 2, and the width of the second storage portion 9b is slightly larger than the distance between the outer contours of the bent portions 10c of the coupling tool 19. And it is shorter than the distance between the base 10a and the tip of the release operation unit 10d. Then, a notch 9c into which the guide rib 7i of the main body 7 fits tightly is opened in the upper surface wall of the cover 9 forming the upper end of the first storage portion 9a, and the lower end surface of the second storage portion 9b is formed. Also, a cutout 9d having an opening width capable of externally inserting the cylindrical portion 1d of the water stopcock 1 is provided. Further, two guides 9e for inserting the guide rib 7i of the main body 7 are provided on the inner peripheral wall of the first storage portion 9a, and a positioning hole 9f into which the projection 7i-1 is fitted and a screw hole 7m of the main body 7 are provided. 9 g of insertion holes for screws 9 h to be screwed into the holes are respectively formed.
[0025]
In the above configuration, the procedure from the connection of the on-off valve unit 2 to the water stopcock 1 previously fixed to the pipe in the wall to the connection of the water outlet body 4 to the connection tube 3 is as follows.
[0026]
First, the posture of the main body 7 with respect to the water stopcock 1 as shown in FIG. 4 is set, the joint pipe 7a at the lower end of the main body 7 is inserted into the cylindrical portion 1d of the water stopcock 1, and the respective flanges 1e and 7c are connected. Overlap. At this time, the main body 7 is set in a correct posture with respect to the water stopcock 1 by the concave portion 1f and the convex portion 7c-1 formed by providing the flanges 1e and 7c with an alignment relationship. That is, the main body 7 is set so that the direction in which the stopper block 7c-2 of the flange 7c protrudes is parallel to the axis of the spindle 1a of the water stopcock 1 and faces the front as shown in FIG. Assembled to the water stopcock 1 with the solenoid 8 facing the front as viewed from the user.
[0027]
After setting the posture of the main body 7, the connector 10 is pushed into the posture of FIG. 4 so as to be able to be extrapolated around the flanges 1e and 7c, whereby each of the pair of arms 10b is inserted as shown in FIG. The flanges 1e and 7c are connected to each other in a state where these flanges 1e and 7c are fitted into slits 10e opened at a total of four places. As a result, movement of the main body 7 and the water stopcock 1 in the pulling-out direction is restricted by the connecting member 10, and the joint pipe 7a and the cylindrical portion 1d are joined by sealing with the sealant.
[0028]
When removing the main body 7 from the water stopcock 1, the connector 10 can be removed by pulling the base 10 a to the left in FIG. Therefore, there is no need to rotate the main body 7 with respect to the water stopcock 1 or to rotate the main body 7 as in the case of using a cap nut or the like, thereby simplifying the construction.
[0029]
As described above, since the stopper block 7c-2 is formed on the flange 7c, the posture of the connector 10 that can be mounted on the flange 7c is in the state shown in FIG. It can only respond within the changed range. For this reason, the connecting tool 10 can be set in the correct posture with respect to the water stopcock 1 and the main body 7, and can be assembled. For example, assembling such that the base 10a protrudes left or right cannot be performed.
[0030]
After the connection of the main body 7 to the water stopcock 1, the connectors 12 of the lead wires 12a and 12b from the controller 4c are connected to the connector 11 fixed to the holding hole 7e-1. As described with reference to FIG. 6, this connection is performed by elastically fitting a fixture 12d extrapolated so as to be movable with respect to the lead wires 12a and 12b to a fixing seat 7f of the main body 7 and determining the position. Is inserted into the mating connector 11.
[0031]
In this manner, wiring for power supply and signal input to the solenoid 8 can be performed by using a part of the main body 7 of the on-off valve unit 2, and a member for holding a connector as in the related art is required. And not. Further, since the connectors 11 and 12 are fixed and held by the ribs 7e of the main body 7, the connection of the connectors 11 and 12 is stabilized as compared with a wiring suspended in the middle of the lead wires 8a, 8b, 12a and 12b. Thus, the connectors 11 and 12 can be securely prevented from coming off. Since the lead wires 8a and 8b of the solenoid 8 are guided and held by the guide ribs 7g-1 to 7g-3 and the guide rods 7h-1 and 7h-2 and are attached to the main body 1, these lead wires 8a and 8b are attached. The wiring 8b does not bend or sag, and there is no possibility that the wiring 8b is caught between, for example, the cover 9 and disconnected during wiring work.
[0032]
After the connectors 11 and 12 are connected, the cover 9 is put on as shown in FIG. 1 so as to cover almost the entire body 1 and the upper end of the cylindrical portion 1d of the water stopcock 1. In this assembling, due to the relationship between the width of the second storage portion 9b and the length of the connecting member 10 as described above, the base 10a must be in the posture shown in FIG. 9 cannot be overlaid. That is, if the connecting tool 10 is attached to the water stopcock side 1 at 90 ° clockwise or counterclockwise from the posture of FIG. 4, the base 10a and the release operating section 10d are provided at the entrance end of the second storage section 9b. Interfere with each other, and the cover 9 cannot be inserted. Even if the cover 9 is not turned to 90 °, even if the length between the base portion 10a and the distal end portion of the release operation portion 10d is longer than the width of the first storage portion 9b, the cover 9 is similarly turned. Cannot be mounted.
[0033]
As described above, the insertion direction of the connecting tool 10 is regulated by the stopper block 7c of the main body 7, so that the connecting tool 10 can be assembled not only in the correct posture with respect to the main body 7 and the water stopcock 1, but also when the cover 9 is put on. Also, the cover 9 cannot be mounted unless the connecting tool 10 is correctly assembled. Therefore, it is possible to know whether or not the coupling device 10 is properly assembled during the assembly up to the cover 9 by assembling the cover 9 itself. If the cover 9 cannot be inserted, it is determined that the coupling device 10 is incorrectly assembled. The installer can easily know.
[0034]
When the cover 9 is mounted, the guide rib 7i of the main body 7 is inserted between the guides 9e formed on the inner periphery thereof as shown in FIG. Can be extrapolated to When the opening edge of the notch 9c comes into contact with the peripheral wall of the rib 7j formed on the upper surface of the main body 1 and cannot move in the insertion direction, the projection 7i-1 is fitted into the positioning hole 9f and the insertion hole 9g is screwed at the same time. The cover 9 can be fixed to the main body 7 by setting the relationship so as to match the hole 7m, and then screwing the screw 9h through the insertion hole 9g and screwing into the screw hole 7m. In such fixing, the cover 9 inserts the guide rib 7i into the guide 9e and simultaneously the projection 7i-1 enters the positioning hole 9f, so that the cover 9 is restrained to the main body 7 at a plurality of points including the screw 9h. Thus, the cover 9 can be more stably fixed to the main body 7.
[0035]
After the cover 9 is fixed, the connection tube 3 is connected via the screw-type socket 3a so as to communicate with the flow path hole opened at the upper end of the main body 7, thereby completing a series of work.
[0036]
In such a construction, since the connectors 11 and 12 are fixedly held using a part of the main body 7, stable connection is maintained as described above. The cover 9 including the connectors 11 and 12 as well as the cover 9 covering the connection portion of the main body 7 and the water stopcock 1 can also be covered. Therefore, the cover 9 also plays a role in waterproofing the connection portions of the connectors 11 and 12 and the lead wires 8a and 8b from the solenoid 8, so that the connection of the connectors 11 and 12 can be performed in a compact space.
[0037]
FIGS. 7 and 8 show another embodiment in which the on-off valve unit 2 is incorporated in the flow path from the hot and cold water mixing faucet to the water outlet main body 4, and the on-off valve unit 2 and the cover 9 are the same as those in the previous embodiment. And the wiring connection structure including the connectors 11 and 12 is the same.
[0038]
The hot and cold water mixing faucet 21 has a lower end connected to a water supply pipe 22a and a hot water supply pipe 22b connected to the water supply and hot water supply pipes on the building side, respectively, and a single-axis operation type mixing valve 21a is disposed inside the water mixing pipe 21a. Can be operated by a rotary operation-type temperature adjustment handle 21b arranged in the first position. An outflow cylinder 21c of the mixed water is integrally attached downstream of the mixing valve 21a, and the main body 7 of the on-off valve unit 2 is connected to the outflow cylinder 21c via a joint 23.
[0039]
Like the flange 1f of the water stopcock 1 in the previous example, the joint 23 has a concave portion 23b into which the convex portion 7c-1 of the flange 7c of the main body 7 is fitted is formed on the lower surface of the lower flange 23a (FIG. 8). Then, by adjusting the screwing angle of the joint 23 with respect to the hot and cold water mixing faucet 21, the solenoid 8 attached to the main body 7 is oriented toward the front when the flange 7 c of the main body 7 is connected to the flange 23 a. .
[0040]
As shown in FIG. 8, the main body 7 is connected to the joint 23 in an upside-down posture with respect to the previous example. This connection procedure is the same as in the previous example. After the flange 7c of the main body 7 abuts against the lower surface of the flange 23a of the joint 23, these flanges 7c and 23a are sandwiched by the slit 10e of the connector 10. The same is true for the wiring of the connectors 11 and 12.
[0041]
As described above, when the main body 7 is connected to the hot and cold water mixing faucet 21, the main body 7 is in an upside-down orientation, but the connectors 11 and 12 are collectively fixed to the main body 7 and these connectors 11 and 12 are connected. In addition, it is covered with the cover 9 to achieve compact and stable wiring and waterproof.
[0042]
【The invention's effect】
In the present invention, since the connecting portion for connecting the electric wire to the electric drive portion to the electric wire from the controller or the like is provided on the main body of the on-off valve, a housing or the like for accommodating the electric wire connector is separately provided as in the related art. There is no necessity, and the number of parts and the number of assembling steps can be reduced.
[0043]
In addition, since the wire can be wired in a state where the wire is stabilized by providing the wire holding portion, the wire is not pinched or broken between members, and further covered with the cover including the connection portion. Also, good waterproofness is maintained.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a left cutaway side view showing a main part of a wiring structure in an automatic faucet of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a front view of a spout main body.
FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a water stopcock, a main body of an on-off valve unit, a connector, and a cover.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a main body of the on-off valve unit as viewed from a side where a solenoid is mounted.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the main body of the on-off valve unit in which the water stopcock is connected by a connecting tool, as viewed from the side opposite to FIG.
FIG. 7 is a cutaway front view showing an example in which a hot and cold water mixing faucet is provided with an on-off valve unit.
FIG. 8 is a right cutaway side view of a main part showing a built-in structure of the on-off valve unit in the example of FIG. 7;
[Explanation of symbols]
1: water stopcock 1d: cylindrical portion 1e: flange 1f: concave portion 2: opening / closing valve unit 3: connecting tube 4: water outlet body 4a: water discharging head 4b: sensor 4c: controller 5: AC adapter 6: code 7, body 7a : Joint pipe 7c: Flange 7c-1: Convex part 7c-2: Stopper block 7d: Valve seat 7e: Rib 7e-1: Holding hole 7f: Fixed seat 7g-1, 7g-2, 7g-3: Guide rib 7h- 1, 7h-2: Guide rod 7i: Guide rib 7i-1: Projection 8: Solenoid 8a, 8b: Lead wire 9: Cover 9a: First storage section 9b: Second storage section 9e: Guide 9f: Positioning hole 9g: insertion hole 9h: screw 10: connector 10a: base 10b: arm 10c: bent portion 10d: release operation portion 10e: slit 11: connector 12: connectors 12a, 12b: lead wire 12 : Slit 12d: fastener 21: mixing valve 21a: mixing valve 21c: outflow tube 23: Joint 23a: Flange 23b: recess

Claims (5)

In the automatic faucet, which is provided with an electrically driven on-off valve in the flow path to the water outlet body and controls the operation of this on-off valve by a separately arranged controller, an electric wire connected to a drive source for driving the on-off valve, In an automatic faucet provided with a connection portion for connecting to the electric wire of the on-off valve body ,
An automatic water faucet comprising a holding portion for guiding and restraining an electric wire laid between a driving source and a connection portion on a main body of the on-off valve . 2. The automatic faucet according to claim 1, further comprising a cover for covering at least a connection portion of the electric wire and a periphery thereof . 3. The automatic faucet according to claim 2, wherein the cover is detachable from the body of the on-off valve . 4. The automatic faucet according to claim 3, wherein the cover and the main body of the on-off valve are connected via a guide mechanism for guiding the cover in the attaching / detaching direction . The cover has a shape capable of covering substantially the entire body of the on-off valve and a part of a member such as a joint connected to the upstream side thereof, and is overlapped with each connection end of the body of the on-off valve and the member such as the joint. A flange is formed, and an elastically deformable connecting member that restrains and joins the upper and lower surfaces of these flanges can be extrapolated around the periphery of members such as a main body and a joint of the on-off valve, and the connecting member is connected to its regular The automatic faucet according to any one of claims 2 to 4 , wherein the connecting member and the cover have such a shape relationship as to allow the cover to move in the covering direction only when the cover is attached to the position .

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