Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02933323 2016-06-15
SINGLE WATERWAY SHAFT STRUCTURE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shower device, and more particularly to a
single
waterway shaft structure used for a dual-handle faucet.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A wall-mounted shower faucet doesn't occupy much space, so it is widely used.
The
main body of the faucet is embedded in the wall. There is a distance from the
main body
of the faucet to the wall. An existing wall-mounted shower faucet is provided
with a
normal shaft and an elongate connecting rod in order to ensure the space for
the faucet
handle mounted on the wall. The shaft having a stainless steel water stopper
is
cost-effective relative to the shaft having a ceramic plate, so the former is
used
increasingly. The main body of the shower faucet shaft having a water stopper
must be
processed for an eccentric hole. As shown in FIG. 11, in a conventional faucet
structure,
an eccentric hole of a main body is provided with a gasket 50' and a spring
40', a shaft A
is assembled to the faucet, a connecting shaft B is fitted on the shaft, and a
press cover is
locked tightly. This faucet has some drawbacks. If there is an anomaly when
finished
products are assembled or when in use, it is required to replace the shaft.
The main body
is embedded in the wall. The gasket 50' and the spring 40' don't be
restrained, so they
may drop out of the main body when the shaft is replaced. Sometimes, they may
be lost.
Even though the shaft is replaced with a new one, the faucet is still leaking.
Besides, the
shaft and the main body don't have a fool-proofing configuration. The shaft
may be
installed reversely when replaced. Thus, the faucet is still leaking. These
situations bring
many troubles and problems for use. Accordingly, the inventor of the present
invention
has devoted himself based on his many years of practical experiences to solve
these
problems.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a single waterway
shaft
structure. The single waterway shaft structure can be assembled conveniently
and
prevent its parts from losing.
In order to achieve the aforesaid object, the single waterway shaft structure
of the
present invention comprises a valve housing, a valve cover, a temperature
control rod
assembly composed of a water stopper and a temperature adjustment rod, a
spring, and
a gasket. The bottom of the valve housing is formed with an eccentric water
inlet. A side
wall of the valve housing is formed with a water outlet. A lower portion of
the temperature
control rod assembly is formed with an eccentric water hole. A side portion of
the
temperature control rod assembly is formed with an opening in communication
with the
water hole. The gasket and the spring are placed in the eccentric water inlet
of the valve
housing in order and are pressed by the water stopper at the lower portion of
the
temperature control rod assembly. Through the valve cover to cooperate with
the valve
housing, the gasket, the spring, and the temperature control rod assembly are
confined in
the valve housing. A rear portion of the temperature adjustment rod of the
temperature
control rod assembly passes through the valve cover and extends out of the
valve cover
to form a guide end to mate with a faucet handle. A one-way connecting
structure is
provided between the valve cover and the valve housing. An upper end of the
valve cover
is provided with a fan-shaped limit block for limiting the turning angle of
the temperature
control rod assembly.
Preferably, the one-way connecting structure includes at least two sunken
troughs
formed in a lower portion of the valve cover, at least two through troughs in
communication with an outer side wall of the valve cover, positioning shoulder
blocks
provided on the valve housing and corresponding in number to the sunken
troughs so as
to engage with the sunken troughs, and engaging buckles provided on the valve
housing
and corresponding in number to the through troughs so as to engage with the
through
troughs.
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Preferably, one pair or more of the sunken troughs or the through troughs are
guide
troughs, and one pair or more of the positioning shoulder blocks and the
engaging
buckles are guide configurations.
Preferably, the sunken troughs and the through troughs are disposed on the
valve
housing, and the positioning shoulder blocks and the engaging buckles are
disposed on
the valve cover to constitute the one-way connecting structure.
Preferably, one pair or more of the sunken troughs or the through troughs are
guide
troughs, and one pair or more of the positioning shoulder blocks and the
engaging
buckles are guide configurations.
Preferably, a lower surface of the valve housing is provided with an eccentric
cylinder.
The eccentric water inlet is disposed in the eccentric cylinder in
communication with the
interior of the valve housing. An inner side wall and a bottom side wall of
the valve
housing define a circular space therebetween. The circular space has an
eccentric
cylinder hole therein. The eccentric water inlet is disposed at the bottom of
the eccentric
cylinder hole. The gasket and the spring are installed in the eccentric
cylinder hole. The
water outlet is disposed between the inner side wall and an outer side wall of
the valve
housing to communicate with the inner side wall and the outer side wall.
Preferably, a lower portion of the valve cover is formed with a first chamber.
An upper
portion of the valve cover is formed with a second chamber. The first chamber
is placed
and sealed in the valve housing or fitted on the valve housing in a sealing
way. The
second chamber is adapted for insertion of the temperature adjustment rod.
Preferably, the water stopper of the temperature control rod assembly is
provided
with the water hole in a crescent shape and hooks at two sides thereof to
cooperate with
the temperature adjustment rod. The water stopper is attached to the gasket to
form a
water flow switch. The temperature control rod assembly passes through the
circular
space of the valve housing and the first chamber and the second chamber of the
valve
cover to form a sealing match.
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Preferably, the water stopper is one of a stainless steel plate, a plastic
plate, a
composite plate, and a ceramic plate.
Accordingly, the spring and the gasket of the present invention are assembled
to the
valve housing through the valve cover and the temperature control rod assembly
to
become one-piece, such that the parts become a unit to ensure the assembly and
replacement of the parts. It is not easy to lose the parts. The one-way
connecting
structure of the valve cover and the valve housing can ensure the uniqueness
of the shaft
to be assembled to the faucet, so that the shaft won't be installed reversely.
The
assembly of the shaft is quick and convenient. The present invention can solve
the
problems of the prior art.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an exploded view in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
present
invention;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the
present
invention;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the valve housing in accordance with the
preferred
embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing the interior of the valve housing in
accordance with
the preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing the interior of the valve cover in
accordance with the
preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing the interior of the valve cover in
accordance with the
preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the valve cover in accordance with the
preferred
embodiment of the present invention;
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FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the temperature control rod assembly in
accordance with
the preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing the water route in accordance with the
preferred
embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 10A to FIG. 10D are schematic views showing the operation of the
preferred
embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 11 is an exploded view of a conventional shaft structure for a single
handle faucet.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example
only,
to with reference to the accompanying drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1 through FIG. 10D, the present invention discloses a single
waterway shaft structure. The single waterway shaft structure comprises a
valve housing
10, a valve cover 20, a temperature control rod assembly 30 composed of a
water
stopper 31 and a temperature adjustment rod 32, a spring 40, and a gasket 50.
A bottom
of the valve housing 10 is formed with an eccentric water inlet 111. A side
wall of the valve
housing 10 is formed with a water outlet 147. A lower portion of the
temperature control
rod assembly 30 is formed with an eccentric water hole 310. A side portion of
the
temperature control rod assembly 30 is formed with an opening 313 in
communication
with the water hole 310. The feature of the present invention is described
hereinafter.
The gasket 50 and the spring 40 are placed in the eccentric water inlet 111 of
the
valve housing 10 in order and are pressed by the water stopper 31 at the lower
portion of
the temperature control rod assembly 30. Through the valve cover 20 in
cooperation with
the valve housing 10, the gasket 50, the spring 40, and the temperature
control rod
assembly 30 are confined in the valve housing 10. A rear portion of the
temperature
adjustment rod 32 of the temperature control rod assembly 30 passes through
the valve
cover 20 and extends out of the valve cover 20 to form a guide end 321 to mate
with a
faucet handle. A one-way connecting structure is provided between the valve
cover 20
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and the valve housing 10.
As shown in FIG. 4, FIG. 5, FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the one-way connecting
structure
includes at least two sunken troughs 211, 212 formed in a first chamber 21 at
a lower
portion of the valve cover 20, at least two through troughs 213, 214 in
communication
with an outer side wall of the valve cover 20, at least two positioning
shoulder blocks 145,
146 provided on the valve housing 10 to engage with the sunken troughs 211,
212, and at
least two engaging buckles 143, 144 provided on the valve housing 10 to engage
with the
through troughs 213, 214. Thus, a one-way fitting relationship is formed
between the
valve cover 20 and the valve housing 10 to ensure the precision of the turning
of the
temperature control rod assembly 30.
That is to say, a fan-shaped limit block 23 is provided at an upper end of the
valve
cover 20 to limit the turning angle of the temperature control rod assembly 30
precisely.
The sunken troughs and the through troughs may be disposed on the valve
housing
10, and the positioning shoulder blocks and the engaging buckles may be
disposed on
the valve cover 20 to achieve the one-way connecting structure.
The sunken troughs 211, 212 may be changed to through troughs having a width
different from that of the through troughs 213, 214, and the positioning
shoulder blocks
145, 146 may be changed to engaging hooks having a width different from that
of the
engaging buckles 143, 144 to achieve the one-way connecting structure. That is
to say,
one pair or more of the sunken troughs 211, 212 or the through troughs 213,
214 are
guide troughs, and one pair or more of the positioning shoulder blocks 145,
146 and the
engaging buckles 143, 144 are guide configurations to achieve the one-way
connecting
structure.
As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, a lower surface of the valve housing 10 is
provided
with an eccentric cylinder 11. The eccentric water inlet 111 is disposed in
the eccentric
cylinder 11 in communication with the interior of the valve housing 10. An
inner side wall
141 and a bottom side wall 121 of the valve housing 10 define a circular space
12
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therebetween. The circular space 12 has an eccentric cylinder hole 13 therein.
The
eccentric water inlet 111 is disposed at the bottom of the eccentric cylinder
hole 13. The
gasket 50 and the spring 40 are installed in the eccentric cylinder hole 13.
The water
outlet 147 is disposed between the inner side wall 141 and an outer side wall
142 of the
valve housing 10 to communicate with the inner side wall 141 and the outer
side wall
142.
As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the lower portion of the valve cover 20 is
formed with
the first chamber 21, and an upper portion of the valve cover 20 is formed
with a second
chamber 21. The first chamber 21 is placed and sealed in the valve housing 10,
and the
second chamber 22 is adapted for insertion of the temperature adjustment rod
32.
As shown in FIG. 8, the water stopper 31 at the bottom of the temperature
control rod
assembly 30 is provided with the crescent water hole 310 and hooks 311, 312 at
two
sides thereof to cooperate with the temperature adjustment rod 32. The water
stopper 31
is attached to the gasket 50 to form a water flow switch. The temperature
control rod
assembly 30 passes through the circular space 12 of the valve housing 10 and
the first
chamber 21 and the second chamber 22 of the valve cover 20. The portion of the
temperature control rod assembly 30, embedded in the circular space of the
valve
housing 10, forms a sealing match. The portion of the temperature control rod
assembly
30, embedded in the second chamber 22 of the valve cover 20, is mated with the
inner
side wall of the second chamber 22.
Referring to FIG. 9 to FIG. 10D, through the one-way connecting structure of
the
valve cover 20 and the valve housing 10, the temperature control rod assembly
30, the
valve cover 20, and the valve housing 10 are assembled together. The fan-
shaped limit
block 23 of the valve cover 20 is to ensure the working area of the
temperature control
rod assembly 30. The uniqueness of the installation position of the eccentric
water inlet of
the valve housing 10 and the dual-handle faucet main body enables the shaft to
be
installed at a unique position no matter at a cold water pipe or a hot water
pipe, and the
turning directions are disposed symmetrically.
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The water stopper 31 can be a stainless steel plate, a plastic plate, a
composite
plate, or a precise ceramic plate.
The spring 40 and the gasket 50 of the present invention are assembled to the
valve
housing 10 through the valve cover 20 and the temperature control rod assembly
30 to
become one-piece, such that the parts become a unit to ensure the assembly and
replacement of the parts. It is not easy to lose the parts. The one-way
connecting
structure of the valve cover 20 and the valve housing 10 can ensure the
uniqueness of
the shaft to be assembled to the faucet, so that the shat won't be installed
reversely. The
assembly of the shaft is quick and convenient. The present invention can solve
the
problems of the prior art.
Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been described
in
detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements
may be made
without departing from the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the
present
invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.
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