Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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AUTOMATIC WATER DISTRIBUTOR
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic water distributor.
Description of the Prior Art
A conventional automatic water distributor is used in a shower faucet to
distribute water by ways of water pressure so that the water sprays from the
shower faucet or a shower. However, when switching a water spray type, a water
hammer effect will occur to generate shock and noise. In addition, when at a
Therefore, an improved automatic water distributor is developed and
disclosed in CN Patent No. 201186249Y.
However, when a watering function of the faucet is shifted to a spraying
function of the spray shower head, the distributing plug is pushed by a
returning
Besides, the check valve is comprised of a water stop plunger made of a
rubber material, and a size precision of the water stop plunger is quite high,
thus
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fitting size will cause a friction between the water stop plunger and the hole
to
lower water distributing effect at a low water pressure.
Because a working precision of the water stop plunger is high, a smooth
surface of the water stop plunger is difficult to achieve, and a hardness of
the
water stop plunger is high as well, a tight close effect can not be obtained,
so the
automatic water distributor can not pass a backsiphonage test.
A deformation of the peripheral rib of the water stop plunger is variable
greatly, accordingly a watering area becomes large that can not control a
watering amount exactly.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the
afore-described disadvantages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an automatic water distributor which is
capable of overcoming the shortcomings of the conventional automatic water
distributor.
To obtain this, a faucet connecting structure provided by the present
invention contains:
a base including a chamber, a first outlet channel connected with an
upper end of the chamber, a second outlet channel connected with a lower end
of
the chamber, and a first inflow channel communicating with one side of the
chamber; between the chamber and the first outlet channel being defmed a hole;
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a valve member including a valve core, the valve core including a
plunger portion and a shaft portion extending upward from the plunger portion;
the plunger portion moving vertically along the chamber, a top end of the
shaft
portion inserting into the first outlet channel via the hole, and the valve
core also
including a first passage fixed therein, the first passage including a spout
to
spray water downward; a distributing plug retained on the top end of the shaft
portion of the valve core and moving vertically with the valve core to
disengage
upward and open the hole or to move downward to close the hole;
a buffer device fixed in the chamber of the valve member and including
a second passage to communicate with the spout and the second outlet channel,
and including a stop wall disposed thereon and located at a spraying path of
the
spout, wherein the stop wall keeps a buffer distance from the spout so that
after
the water sprayed from the spout flushes the stop wall, a watering reaction is
forced on the plunger portion of the valve core so that a downward movement of
the valve core at a shifting instant is decreased.
Thereby, when the stop wall of the buffer device is flushed by sprayed
water from the spout, a flowing reaction generates and forces on the valve
core
so that after a watering function of the faucet is shifted to a spraying
function of
the spray shower head, an impact between the distributing plug of the valve
core
and the hole of the base is decreased to limiting a water hammer effect.
The check valve is used to replace conventional check valve made of
rubber material, and the C-shaped retaining loop is retained in the slot of
the
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plunger portion of the valve core so that the plunger moves along the chamber
when the C-shaped retaining loop is engaged, hence at a low water
pressure, the water is still capable of being distributed well.
Also, the check valve is capable of providing a checking effect so that
the automatic water distributor passes the backsiphonage test.
A diameter of the axial second orifice is less than 1/3 diameter of the
spout so that the stop wall on the spraying path of the spout is capable of
providing enough stopping area to generate sufficient flowing reaction to
control
water flow stably.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the assembly of an automatic
water distributor according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along the line A-A of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the exploded
components of the automatic water distributor according to the first
embodiment
of the present invention;
Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view showing the assembly of a base of the
automatic water distributor according to the first embodiment of the present
invention;
Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the exploded components of a
valve holder, a valve member, and a buffer device of the automatic water
distributor according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
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Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view showing the assembly of the valve holder,
the valve member, and the buffer device of the automatic water distributor
according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the assembly of the
valve member of the automatic water distributor according to the first
embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the assembly of the
buffer device of the automatic water distributor according to the first
embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing the buffer device of the automatic
water distributor according to the first embodiment of the present invention
being fixed onto a bath faucet device;
Fig. 10 is a cross sectional view showing the operation of the automatic
water distributor according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 11 is another cross sectional view showing the operation of the
automatic water distributor according to the first embodiment of the present
invention;
Fig. 12 is another cross sectional view showing the operation of the
automatic water distributor according to the first embodiment of the present
invention;
Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the assembly of a
buffer device of an automatic water distributor according to a second
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embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 14 is a cross sectional view showing the assembly of a valve holder, a
valve member, and the buffer device of the automatic water distributor
according to the second embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 15 is a cross sectional view showing the assembly of a valve holder, a
valve member, and a buffer device of an automatic water distributor according
to a third embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 16 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the assembly of a
stopping component and a valve core of the automatic water distributor
according to the third embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 17 is a cross sectional view showing the assembly of a valve holder, a
valve member, and a buffer device of an automatic water distributor according
to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 18 is a cross sectional view showing the assembly of a valve holder, a
valve member, and a buffer device of an automatic water distributor according
to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention will be clearer from the following description when
viewed together with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of
illustrations only, the preferred embodiment in accordance with the present
invention.
Referring to Figs. 1-3, an automatic water distributor 1 according to a first
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embodiment of the present invention comprises a base 10, a valve member 20,
and a buffer device 30.
The base 10, as shown in Fig. 4, includes a chamber 101, a first outlet
channel 102 connected with an upper end of the chamber 101, a second outlet
channel 103 connected with a lower end of the chamber 101, and two inflow
channels 104 communicating with two sides of the chamber 101 respectively;
between the chamber 101 and the first outlet channel 102 is defmed a hole 105.
The base 10 also includes a fixing seat 10a, a valve holder 10b, an
internal outlet tube 10c, an external outlet tube 10d, and an outflow
connector
10e.
The fixing seat 10a is formed in a cross shape and includes a cross first
tunnel 11 to define the two inflow channels 104, and the first tunnel 11
includes
a screwing portion 111 disposed on an upper end thereof, the second outlet
channel 103 fixed on a lower end thereof, and a first positioning fringe 112
formed on an inner wall of the first tunnel 11 thereof.
The valve holder 10b, as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, is formed in a tube
shape and fixed in the first tunnel 11 of the fixing seat 10a, and a bottom
end of
the valve holder 10b is limited by the first positioning fringe 112.
The valve holder 10b also includes a second tunnel 12 arranged therein,
the second tunnel 12 includes a first compartment 121, a groove 122, a second
compartment 123 between the first compartment 121 and the groove 122, a
guiding bore 124 between the second compartment 123 and the first
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compartment 121, and the hole 105 between the second compartment 123 and
the groove 122; the first compartment 121, the guiding bore 124, and the
second
compartment 123 are provided to define the chamber 101. The groove 122 is
used to define a small part of the first outlet channel 102.
The valve holder 10b further includes two opposite first inlets 125
disposed on a peripheral wall of the second compartment 123 to communicate
with the inflow channels 104 and the second compartment 123 and includes two
opposite second inlets 126 fixed on a top end of the first compartment 121 to
communicate with the inflow channels 104 and the first compartment 121
individually.
The internal outlet tube 10c engages with the groove 122 of the valve
holder 10b and is applied to define most part of the first outlet channel 102
therein.
The external outlet tube 10d is fitted on the internal outlet tube 10c and
screwed with the screwing portion 111 of the fixing seat 10a.
The outflow connector 10e is screwed with a top end of the external outlet
tube 10d and is biased against an outer peripheral wall of an upper side of
the
internal outlet tube 10c so that the internal outlet tube 10c and the valve
holder
10b are received and limited among the outflow connector 10e, the external
outlet tube 10d, and the fixing seat 10a. The outflow connector 10e is capable
of
defining a small part of the first outlet channel 102.
The valve member 20, as shown in Figs. 5-7, includes a valve core 20a, a
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distributing plug 20b, and a resilient element 20c.
The valve core 20a includes a plunger portion 21 and a shaft portion 22
extending upward from the plunger portion 21; the plunger portion 21 moves
vertically along the chamber 101, a top end of the shaft portion 22 inserts
into
the first outlet channel 102 via the hole 105, and the valve core 20a also
includes
a first passage 23 fixed therein, wherein the first passage 23 is formed in a
Tee
shape and includes a radial first aperture 231 formed adjacent to a bottom end
thereof so as to communicate with the shaft portion 22, an axial second
aperture
232 arranged at a central position of a bottom end of the plunger portion 21
to
communicate with the first aperture 231 so that water in the chamber 101 and
above the plunger portion 21 is guided to flow below the plunger portion 21
along the first aperture 231 and the second aperture 232. It is to be noted
that the
second aperture 232 includes a spout 230 defmed on a bottom end thereof to
spray water downward.
The plunger portion 21 of the valve core 20a includes a slot 211 formed
on an outer peripheral surface thereof to retain a C-shaped retaining loop 212
so
that the plunger 21 moves along the chamber 101 when the C-shaped
retaining loop 212 is engaged.
The distributing plug 20b is formed in a upside-down cone shape to be
retained on the top end of the shaft portion 22 of the valve core 20a and
moves
vertically with the valve core 20a; when the distributing plug 20b moves
upward
to disengage upward and open the hole 105, the water flowing into the first
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inlets 125 further flows toward the first outlet channel 102; and when the
distributing plug 20b moves downward, it closes the hole 105 to stop the
water.
The resilient element 20c is a compression spring to abut against the
valve core 20a so that the distributing plug 20b moves downward to close the
hole 105.
The buffer device 30, as illustrated in Figs. 5, 6, and 8, is fixed in the
chamber 101 of the valve member 20 and includes a second passage 31 to
communicate with the spout 230 and the second outlet channel 103, and
includes a stop wall 32 disposed thereon and located at a spraying path of the
spout 230, the stop wall 32 keeps a buffer distance d from the spout 230 so
that
after the water sprayed from the spout 230 flushes the stop wall 32, a
watering
reaction is forced upward to a bottom face 213 of the plunger portion 21 of
the
valve core 20a so that a downward movement of the valve core 20a at a shifting
instant is decreased.
It is to be noted that the buffer distance increases or decreases with an
upper or a downward movement of the valve core 20a, and it is limited from 0.5
mm to 5 mm.
The buffer device 30 also includes a limiting component 30a, a stopping
component 30b, and a check valve 30c.
The limiting component 30a is screwed with a bottom end of the first
compartment 121 and includes a first recess 33 secured on a top end thereof,
the
first recess 33 includes a first orifice 331 disposed on a central position of
a
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bottom wall thereof.
The stopping component 30b includes an opening facing downward and
is formed in a cylinder shape, an outer wall to screw with the first recess 33
of
the positioning component 30a, and a cylindrical room 34 defined therein, the
cylindrical room 34 includes a second positioning fringe 341 disposed on an
inner wall thereof and two opposite third apertures 342 fixed on a peripheral
side thereof to guide the water from the spout 230 to further flow into the
cylindrical room 34; the stop wall 32 is comprised of a top face 343 of the
stopping component 30b, and the buffer distance d is formed from the top face
343 of the stopping component 30b to the bottom face 213 of the plunger
portion 21.
The check valve 30c is fixed in the first recess 33 of the limiting
component 30a and the cylindrical room 34 of the stopping component 30b and
is limited by the second positioning fringe 341 of the stopping component 30b
and includes a third passage 35 formed therein.
The second passage 31 of the buffer device 30 is defined by the third
apertures 342, a part of the cylindrical room 34, the third passage 35 of the
check valve 30c, and the first orifice 331 of the limiting component 30a and
is
capable of guiding the water from the spout 230 to further flow into the
second
outlet channel 103.
In assembly, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the valve core 20a fitted with the
resilient element 20c is fixed in the chamber 101 from the bottom end of the
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valve holder 10b so that the shaft portion 22 of the valve core 20a is
inserted
upward via the guiding bore 124 and the hole 105, and then the distributing
plug
20b is positioned on the top end of the shaft portion 22 from the hole 105,
thereafter the limiting component 30a of the buffer device 30 is screwed with
the
bottom end of the valve holder 10b so that the valve holder 10b, the valve
core
20a, and the buffer device 30 are fixed from the fixing seat 10a, then the
internal
outlet tube 10c is retained on the top end of the valve holder 10b, the
external
outlet tube 10d is screwed with the top end of the fixing seat 10a, the top
end of
the outflow connector 10e is limited, thereby assembling the automatic water
distributor 1.
With reference to Fig. 9, the automatic water distributor 1 is fixed onto a
bath faucet device, and the bath faucet device includes a cold-water switch 2,
a
hot-water switch 3, a cold-water inflow pipe 4 connected with the cold-water
switch 2 and one of the two inflow channels 104, a hot-water inflow pipe 5
connected between the hot-water switch 3 and the other inflow channel 104, a
faucet 6 retained with the outflow connector 10e, a hose 7 coupled with the
second outlet channel 103 of the fixing seat 10a, and a spray shower head 8
fixed on another end of the hose 7 and having a controlling button 8a, such
that
when the cold-water switch 2 and the hot-water switch 3 are not turned on,
since
there is no water pressure existing in the automatic water distributor 1, the
resilient element 20c moves downward to abut against the valve core 20 so that
the distributing plug 20b contacts with the hole 105 completely, thus closing
the
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hole 105 as shown in Fig. 10.
It is to be noted that because an area of a top surface of the plunger
portion 21 of the valve core 20a to bear the water pressure is more than an
area
of the distributing plug 20b to bear the water pressure, when the automatic
water
distributor 1 generates a water-pressure action therein, the valve core 20a
and
the distributing plug 20b are pressed by the resilient element 20c, and a
pressure
difference between the area of the top surface of the plunger portion 21 to
bear
the water pressure and the area of the distributing plug 20b to bear the water
pressure actuates the valve core 20a and the distributing plug 20b to move
downward so that the distributing plug 20b closes the hole 105 tightly.
When the cold-water switch 2 and/or the hot-water switch 3 are/is turned
on, the water from the cold-water inflow pipe 4 and/or the hot-water inflow
pipe
5 flows into the chamber 101 via the fixing seat 10a and/or the inflow
channels
104. It is to be noted that when the water flows into the second outlet
channel
103 via the first passage 23 and the second passage 31 of the buffer device 30
from the second inlets 126 of the valve holder 10b, it is full of the hose 7
and the
spray shower head 8, and a water pressure generates in the automatic water
distributor 1 so that the distributing plug 20b engages with the hole 105,
therefore when the controlling button 8a of the spray shower head 8 is not
turned
on, the water from the spray shower head 8 can not flow, and water flowing
into
the automatic water distributor 1 constantly is forced to further flow toward
the
faucet 6 and acts against the pressure difference and the resilient element
20c,
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hence the distributing plug 20b and the valve core 20a are pushed to move
upward as illustrated in Fig. 11 so that the distributing plug 20b disengages
from
the hole 105, and then the water flows out of the faucet 6 through the hole
105
and the first outlet channel 102.
In addition, when the controlling button 8a of the spray shower head 8 is
pressed, the water in the automatic water distributor 1 sprays out of the
spray
shower head 8 along the hose 7, accordingly the water pressure generates in
the
automatic water distributor 1 so that the valve core 20a and the distributing
plug
20b are acted by the Pressure difference and the resilient element 20c to move
downward as illustrated in Fig. 12 so as to close the hole 105, thereby
shifting
water flow between a watering function of the faucet and a spraying function
of
the spray shower head.
However, at a high water pressure, e.g., when the water pressure from the
inflow channels 104 is enough, although the resilient element 20c does not
act, a
sufficient pressure difference between the valve core 20a and the distributing
plug 20b is still generated to shift watering and spraying function. But at a
low
water pressure, the hole 105 is not closed completely, so water leaks from the
faucet 6 or a watering function of the faucet and the spraying function of the
spray shower head 8 are not sifted smoothly, hence the resilient element 20c
has
to be used to overcome above-mentioned problem, but a water hammer effect
will occur.
The buffer device 30 is served in the automatic water distributor 1 so that
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when the watering function of the faucet is shifted to the spraying function
of
the spray shower head, even though the distributing plug 20b still moves
downward with the valve core 20a to impact and close the hole 105, the plunger
portion 21 of the valve core 20a moves downward, and the water sprays out of
the spout 230 of the plunger portion 21, then an acting force generates
because
the water flushing the stop wall 32 of the buffer device 30 forces on the
plunger
portion 21 so that a downward movement of the valve core 20a is lowered to
greatly decrease an impact between the distributing plug 20b and the hole 105,
limiting the water hammer effect.
Referring to Figs. 13 and 14, a difference of an automatic water
distributor 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention from
that of the first embodiment comprises:
a buffer device 30 including a stop wall 32, and the stop wall 32 including
an axial second orifice 344 to form one part of a second passage 31 disposed
on
a spraying path of a spout 230, a diameter of the axial second orifice 344 is
less
than 1/3 diameter of the spout 230 so that the stop wall 32 on the spraying
path
of the spout 230 is capable of providing enough stopping area to generate
sufficient flowing reaction.
Referring to Figs. 15 and 16, a difference of an automatic water
distributor 1 according to a third embodiment of the present invention from
that
of the first embodiment comprises:
a valve core 20a including a plunger portion 21, and the plunger portion
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21 including a second recess 214 fixed on a bottom end thereof;
a buffer device 30 including a stopping component 30b, the stopping
component 30b including a stop wall 32 secured on a top end thereof, and the
stop wall 32 including a peripheral fence 321 extending upward therefrom so
that the stopping component 30b is fitted into the second recess 214, and the
stop wall 32 also including two axial third orifices 345 spaced apart a
predetermined distance from each other, wherein only one part of each axial
third orifice 345 is located at a spraying path of the spout 230 so that a
water
stopping area is formed on the stop wall 32 between the two axial third
orifices
345 to generate a flowing reaction when the stop wall 32 is flushed by the
sprayed water.
Thereby, when a watering function of the faucet is shifted to a spraying
function of the spray shower head, the second recess 214 engages with the
peripheral fence 321 because the valve core 20a moves downward so that a
damping cavity a forms around the two third apertures 342 to be against a
damping force of a downward movement of the plunger portion 21, hence a
buffer effect is obtained, and the third apertures 342 are used to release
water
pressure.
With reference to Fig. 17, a difference of an automatic water distributor 1
according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention from that of the
third
embodiment comprises:
a buffer device 30 including a check valve 30c, and the check valve 30c
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including a stopping component 30b integrally formed on a top end thereof to
lower assembly cost.
As illustrated in Fig. 18, a difference of an automatic water distributor 1
according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention from that of the
third
embodiment comprises:
a buffer device 30 without the check valve 30c of the fourth embodiment
so that the limiting component 30a includes a stopping component 30b directly
formed thereon to lower assembly cost.
Appendix 1 shows a compared chart of a water hammer effect under a test
of a conventional automatic water distributor with a check valve made of a
rubber material and the automatic water distributors 1 of the first and the
second
embodiments, wherein a vertical coordinate represents a displacement of the
valve core 20a and its unit is cm, i.e., when the watering function of the
faucet is
shifted to the spraying function of the spray shower head, the distributing
plug
20b of the valve core 20a disengages and moves to close the hole 105; and a
horizontal coordinate means a time of the movement of the valve core 20a and
its unit is sec.
Therefore, at the same displacement, when the time becomes shorter, a
stronger impact will generate between the distributing plug 20b of the valve
core
20a and the hole 105 to obtain an obvious water hammer effect. But when the
time becomes longer, the impact will decrease to lower the water hammer
effect.
A first curve line 1 denotes an experiment result of the conventional
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automatic water distributor, wherein at the same displacement, the time is
shorter, such as around 0.005 sec, and a second curve line 2 and a third curve
line 3 represent experiment results of the automatic water distributors 1 of
the
first and the second embodiments respectively, wherein at the same
displacement, the times are longer, such as around 0.018 sec and 0.011 sec
respectively which are 2.2 to 3.6 times longer than that of the conventional
automatic water distributor. Accordingly, the time is prolonged. i.e., the
displacement speed of the valve core 20a is decreased so that the impact
between the distributing plug 20b of the valve core 20a and the hole 105 is
lowered greatly to decrease water hammer and noise.
While we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance
with the present invention, it is clear to those skilled in the art that
further
embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present
invention.
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