Abstract:
The cartridge comprises two ceramic disks ( 20, 24 ) for regulating the temperature and flow of a mixture (M) of two entering fluids. In order to ensure that the temperature of the mixture remains lower than a predetermined value, the cartridge comprises thermostatic means ( 16 ) designed for, in the event of a high-temperature mixture, automatically shutting off, upstream from these disks, the circulation of the entering fluid (C) of the highest temperature. In order to limit their size, these means comprise: a closure element ( 34 ), which serves to close a passage ( 56 ) of the fluid (C) having the highest temperature and which is delimited by the cartridge, and; a thermostatic element ( 36 ) including a thermosensitive part ( 38 ) placed along the flow path of the mixture and a mobile part ( 40 ) connected in translation to the closure element, said closure element being mounted in a manner that enables it to slide in an area ( 42 A) of the passage of the fluid of the highest temperature, with the interposition of a packing seal ( 58 ), which is joined to this area and which, when the temperature of the mixture is greater than the predetermined value, is capable of forming a sliding tight contact with the closure element.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a cartridge for a mixer faucet and a mixer faucet fitted with such a cartridge, and a thermostatic assembly for regulating a stream of fluid. 
     2. Brief Description of the Related Art 
     The invention relates more particularly to the faucet cartridges supplied with two fluids having different respective temperatures, designed to be mixed inside the cartridge by means of at least two ceramic disks that can be moved relative to one another. To modify the relative configuration of these disks, and thereby control the temperature and the flow of the mixture, the cartridges are usually fitted with a single operating member, consisting, in practice, of a lever more or less inclined relative to the central longitudinal axis of the cartridge. This lever is designed to be operated by the user of the faucet so that, usually, a rotation of the lever about the longitudinal axis of the cartridge modifies the temperature of the mixed fluid while a tilting of the lever, while remaining in the same vertical plane, modifies the flow of the mixture. A composition of these two movements makes it possible to modify both the temperature and the flow. Thus, the proportion of the two mixed fluids may vary from 100%-0% to 0%-100%, which means that the temperature of the mixture may vary from “all cold” to “all hot”. 
     Such faucets are routinely used in the installations for delivering domestic water, in which the hot water is delivered at a temperature that can reach 80° C. approximately, so that the risks of scalding are real. 
     For the purpose of remedying this disadvantage, it has been proposed to provide a stop to block the rotation of the lever before the cold water inlet duct is completely closed off, which makes it possible to limit the temperature of the mixed water on the “hot” side. However, the positioning of this stop depends on the pressure and temperature conditions of the cold water and of the hot water supplying the cartridge. Consequently, when, for example, the cold water pressure falls or the hot water temperature increases, the temperature of the mixed water increases by several degrees and thereby reaches a level at which the risk of scalding subsists. In addition, in the case of a total cut-off of cold water supply, the water coming out of the cartridge has a temperature equal to that of the hot water coming in, which is particularly dangerous. 
     Thermostatic cartridges with a single regulating lever are furthermore known, for example from WO-A-96/26475. They are costly and have a large space requirement which renders them, in practice, unusable in standard size mixer faucets that are usually designed to receive a cartridge of 40 mm in diameter. 
     Another example of a thermostatic cartridge is provided by EP-A-1 048 997. This cartridge includes a bypass duct directly connecting a cold water inlet to a mixed water outlet, the closing of this duct being controlled by a thermostatic element whose heat-sensitive portion is swept over by the flow of mixed water. If the temperature of the mixed water is too high, the cold water is directly admitted at the outlet of the cartridge via the bypass duct. However, in the case of an insufficient supply of cold water, and even in the case of total cut-off, the risks of scalding persist. In addition, the space requirement of the arrangements relating to the bypass duct makes them difficult to install in standard size cartridges. 
     In another field, namely that of conventional valves, that is to say whose faucet body is not designed to receive interchangeable cartridges, particularly cartridges with ceramic disks, FR-A-2 424 459 proposes a mixer faucet whose body incorporates a thermostatic element whose heat-sensitive portion is swept over by the flow of mixed water coming out of the faucet, while its piston operates a valve element for closing off the flow of hot water entering the faucet. The hot water inlet channel is furnished for this purpose with a sealing ring against which the valve element presses in its direction of translation by the piston when the temperature of the mixed water reaches a predetermined value. If this temperature is exceeded, the valve element presses on the ring and moves it in translation along the channel, compressing a dedicated spring inserted between the ring and a wall of the faucet body. This spring makes it possible to push the ring back to its initial position along the hot water channel when the temperature of the mixed water reduces. This spring, which therefore serves as an overtravel spring for the thermostatic element and which is indispensable to the correct operation of the faucet, occupies a significant space within the faucet body and substantially increases its space requirement in the longitudinal direction of the thermostatic element. The faucet body consequently has a longitudinal dimension much greater than that of standard faucets and hence very much greater than the diameter of the interchangeable cartridges capable of being fitted into such standard faucets. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the invention is to propose a cartridge that guarantees better anti-scalding safety, without requiring complex and bulky arrangements relative to existing cartridges, in particular by retaining an arrangement with two ceramic regulating disks and making it possible to comply with the dimensional standard of 40 mm for the diameter of the cartridge. 
     Accordingly, the subject of the invention is a cartridge for a mixer faucet, comprising two ceramic disks for regulating the temperature and flow of a mixture of two fluids entering the cartridge at different respective temperatures and thermostatic means suitable for, when the temperature of the mixture is greater than a predetermined threshold value, automatically cutting off, upstream of the disks, at least a portion of the circulation, in the cartridge, of the hottest entering fluid, which thermostatic means comprise:
         a stopper of a passageway of the hottest fluid delimited by the cartridge upstream of the disks, and   a thermostatic element including both a heat-sensitive portion placed, at least partly, in the flow path of the mixture in the cartridge and downstream of the two disks, and a movable portion that can move in translation relative to the heat-sensitive portion, linked in translation to the stopper,
 
the stopper being mounted so as to slide, in the direction of translation of the movable portion, in a zone of the cartridge delimiting the passageway of the hottest fluid, with interposition of a packing seal that is fixedly attached either to this zone, or to the stopper and that, when the temperature of the mixture is greater than the predetermined threshold value, is capable of forming a sliding sealed contact with the stopper or the aforesaid zone respectively.
       

     The cartridge according to the invention therefore has a function of thermostatically limiting the temperature of the mixture coming out of the cartridge, which thereby prevents the risks of scalding. The arrangement of the corresponding thermostatic means does not compromise the use of most of the components of the existing cartridges, in particular of the ceramic regulating disks, that are both reliable and costly components, and of a single lever for controlling the flow and temperature of the mixture, this type of “monocontrol” lever being particularly widely used and liked by the users. In addition, thanks to the packing seal which makes it possible both to provide a watertight closure of the passageway of the hottest fluid and to accommodate the potential overtravel of the piston of the thermostatic element, the space requirement of these thermostatic means may be planned to be sufficiently small for the cartridge according to the invention to be able to be mounted in place of an existing cartridge and, in particular, of a cartridge with an external diameter of the order of 40 mm. 
     According to advantageous features of this cartridge, taken in isolation or in all the technically possible combinations:
         the packing seal is made of an elastically deformable material;   the packing seal has an annular shape suitable for maintaining the sliding sealed contact when the temperature of the mixture exceeds the temperature associated with the beginning of the total cut-off of the circulation of the hottest entering fluid;   the stopper is tubular and, if the seal is fixedly attached to the aforesaid zone, the seal is capable of forming the sliding sealed contact on the whole periphery of the outer face of the stopper, while, if the seal is fixedly attached to the stopper, the seal extends over the whole periphery of the outer face of the stopper;   the two ceramic disks are joined by one of their faces and the direction of translation of the movable portion of the thermostatic element relative to the heat-sensitive portion is substantially parallel to the joining plane of the disks;   the thermostatic means comprise a socket body for supporting the thermostatic element and the stopper, delimiting, at least in part, the passageway of the hottest fluid and suitable for being fitted removably to a case of the cartridge, in which the ceramic disks are arranged;   the aforesaid zone is delimited by the socket body;   the socket body also delimits a freely traversing passageway for the coldest entering fluid;   in the direction of translation of the movable portion of the thermostatic element, the maximum dimension of the socket body fitted with the thermostatic element and the stopper is less than 40 mm;   the thermostatic means comprise a return means for returning the movable portion to the heat-sensitive portion of the thermostatic element, this return means pressing both on a wall of the socket body and on the stopper.       

     A further subject of the invention is a mixer faucet fitted with a cartridge as defined hereinabove. 
     Another subject of the invention is a thermostatic assembly for regulating a stream of fluid, capable of being incorporated into a mixer faucet cartridge as defined hereinabove, comprising a thermostatic element including a heat-sensitive portion and a movable portion that can move in translation relative to the heat-sensitive portion, a stopper connected in translation to the movable portion of the thermostatic element, and a socket body for supporting the thermostatic element and the stopper, delimiting a passageway for the stream of fluid capable of being closed off by the stopper, wherein the socket body is suitable for being fitted removably to a case of a mixer faucet cartridge, in which at least two ceramic disks are arranged for regulating the temperature and the flow of a mixture of the stream of fluid with another stream of fluid whose temperature is below that of the stream of fluid regulated by the thermostatic assembly, so that, on the one hand, the fluid passageway delimited by the socket body emerges upstream of the ceramic disks and, on the other hand, the heat-sensitive portion of the thermostatic element is placed, at least in part, in the flow path of the mixture downstream of the two disks, the stopper closing off at least partially the fluid passageway when the temperature of the mixture is greater than a predetermined threshold value and being mounted so as to slide, in the direction of translation of the movable portion, in a zone of the cartridge delimiting the fluid passageway, with interposition of a packing seal that is fixedly attached either to this zone, or to the stopper and that, when the temperature of the mixture is greater than the predetermined threshold value, is capable of forming a sliding sealed contact with the stopper or the aforesaid zone respectively. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be better understood on reading the following description, given only as an example and made with reference to the drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a view in elevation of one end of a mixer faucet cartridge according to the invention; 
         FIGS. 2 and 3  are sections respectively along the planes II-II and III-III of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a view similar to  FIG. 3 , illustrating a different operating state of the cartridge; 
         FIG. 5  is a view in elevation, taken in the direction of the arrow V indicated in  FIG. 2 , of a thermostatic regulating assembly according to the invention fitted to the cartridge of  FIGS. 1 to 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded view in elevation of the assembly of  FIG. 5 ; and 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic longitudinal section along the plane of  FIG. 3 , of a variant of the regulating assembly of  FIGS. 5 and 6 . 
     
    
    
       FIGS. 1 to 4  represent a mixer faucet cartridge designed to be fitted to a water supply faucet, particularly for a domestic installation. For convenience, the rest of the description will be oriented considering the term “top” to relate to the top portion of  FIGS. 2 to 4  while the term “bottom” relates to an opposite direction. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     This cartridge comprises a rigid body  1  forming a case, with a generally cylindrical outer face with an axis X-X. This case comprises a bottom base  2  above which a tubular skirt  4  centered on the axis X-X extends. This defines an internal volume  6 , delimited, at the bottom, by the base  2 , and, at the top, by a cover  8  fixedly attached to the top end of the skirt  4 , for example by clips. The cover  8  has a central opening inside which is guided a bush  10  furnished with a collar  10 A pressed against the bottom face of the cover  8 , so that the bush  10  can be moved in rotation about the axis X-X relative to the fixed cover. This rotation is limited by a system of stops that is not shown, over an angle of approximately a quarter turn. 
     A lever  12 , designed to be operated by the user of the faucet to control the flow and temperature of the water delivered at the outlet of the cartridge, hence delivered by the faucet, is housed in the bush  10 , a shaft  14 , of longitudinal axis Y-Y perpendicular to the axis X-X, linking these two parts. The lever  12  can therefore be tilted about the axis Y-Y relative to the bush  10 , through a limited angle of approximately 25° by means of a system of stops, not shown. 
     The base  2  of the case  1  delimits, in its bottom end portion, a generally cylindrical cavity  2 A with an axis X-X and receiving a thermostatic assembly  16  detailed below. This cavity  2 A communicates with the internal volume  6  via three through-orifices delimited by the base  2 , namely:
         a first inlet orifice  2 F designed to supply the volume  6  with water, hereinafter called “cold water F”, originating from the cavity  2 A and having a first temperature,   a second inlet orifice  2 C designed to supply the volume  6  with water, hereinafter called “hot water C”, originating from the cavity  2 A and having a second temperature higher than the first temperature, and   an outlet orifice  2 M designed to discharge, from the volume  6  to the cavity  2 A, water, hereinafter called “mixed water M”, having a temperature controlled in the range from the first to the second temperature.       

     The regulation by the user of the temperature and of the flow of the mixed water M is carried out inside the volume  6  by means of the following elements:
         a bottom ceramic disk  20 , centered on the axis X-X, and fixedly linked to the case  1 , for example by means of a system of lugs; this fixed disk comprises a cold water through passageway  20 F, a hot water through passageway  20 C and a mixed water through passageway  20 M, these three passageways being in correspondence respectively with the orifices  2 F,  2 C and  2 M of the base  2  of the case, with interposition of a seal  22 ;   a top ceramic disk  24  pressed movably against the top surface of the bottom disk  20 , forming with the latter a flat pressing connection perpendicular to the axis X-X; the facing faces of the disks  20  and  24 , thus joined along a plane marked P, are capable of providing the seal between the disks, including during movements of the disk  24  relative to the fixed disk  20 ; the bottom face of the disk  24  makes, above the plane P, a cavity  24 A which, on the one hand, is in permanent fluid communication with the mixed water passageway  20 M of the disk  20  and, on the other hand, may or may not be connected with the cold water passageway  20 F and hot water passageway  20 C depending on the relative position of the disk  24  relative to the disk  20 ; and   an operating disk  28  pressed, on the one hand, against the bottom face of the collar  10 A of the bush  10  and, on the other hand, against the top face of the movable disk  24 ; this operating disk  28  is therefore connected, via flat bearing faces perpendicular to the axis X-X, to the bush  10  and to the disk  24 ; the disk  28  is also connected to the lever  12  by a tooth gear system  30  consisting of a pivot link along an axis parallel to the axis Y-Y.       

     The stacking of the disks  20 ,  24  and  28  is maintained by the seal  22  which generates a sufficient force to press these disks against the collar  10 A of the bush  10 . 
     Except for the cavity  2 A in the bottom base  2  of the case  1  and for the thermostatic assembly  16 , the arrangements of the cartridge described hitherto are standard arrangements for a cartridge with a single control lever and with ceramic disks. The use of such disks is liked because of their excellent sealing capability at their joining plane P, the risks of leakage between these disks, even after a long period of use, being very slight. 
     According to the invention, the cartridge of  FIGS. 1 to 4  is fitted with the thermostatic assembly  16  shown alone in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . This assembly essentially comprises a socket body  32  made of a plastic, for example similar to that of the case  1 , a tubular valve element  34  and a thermostatic element  36  comprising a heat-sensitive portion  38 , that contains an expandable wax, and a piston  40  which, under the effect of the expansion of the wax, is moved in translation relative to the portion  38  along an axis Z-Z about which the thermostatic element extends lengthwise. 
     The socket body  32  delimits a generally cylindrical internal volume  42 , inside which the thermostatic element  36  is fitted coaxially with interposition of an annular seal  44 . The body of the thermostatic element, that includes the heat-sensitive portion  38 , is immobilized relative to the socket body  32  by means of a nut  46  threaded about the heat-sensitive portion  38 , with interposition, along the axis Z-Z, of a sealing washer  48 . In the assembled state, the piston  40  of the thermostatic element is situated inside the internal volume  42  of the socket body  32  while its heat-sensitive portion  38  is essentially placed outside this volume. 
     On the side opposite to the heat-sensitive portion  38 , along the axis Z-Z, the internal volume  42  of the socket body  32  opens radially onto the outside at a bottom orifice  32 A and a top orifice  32 B delimited by the socket body  32 . 
     The valve element  34  is mounted so as to slide in the internal volume  42  of the socket body  32 , along the axis Z-Z. Accordingly, the valve element is furnished, at its end turned toward the thermostatic element  36 , with a flange  50  making a sliding and sealed contact with the cylindrical wall of the socket body delimiting the volume  42 . 
     The movements in translation of the valve element are controlled by the piston  40  of the thermostatic element  36 . Accordingly, the valve element  34  comprises, in its intermediate portion, an internal transverse wall  34 A pressing on the piston  40  when the latter is deployed against the body of the thermostatic element  36 , as in  FIG. 4 , or, when this piston is fully retracted, pressing directly against the fixed body of the element, as in  FIG. 3 . To press the valve element  34  against the thermostatic element  36 , a compression spring  52  is interposed between the valve element and the socket body  32 , on the side of the wall  34 A opposite to that of the thermostatic element. This spring advantageously extends about the axis Z-Z, with one of its ends pressing against the wall  34 A while its opposite end is pressing against a wall  54  of the socket body  32  perpendicular to the axis Z-Z. 
     The orifices  32 A and  32 B open into a portion of the sealed volume  42 , facing the thermostatic element  36 , via the flange  50  of the wall  34 A of the valve element  34 . This portion of the volume  42  and the orifices  32 A and  32 B thereby define a fluid passageway  56  passing through the socket body  32  in a direction generally radial to the axis Z-Z. The circulation of a fluid in this passageway however depends on the position of the valve element  34  relative to the socket body  32 . When the valve element is pressing against the body of the thermostatic element  36 , as in  FIG. 3 , the valve element is axially at a distance from the zone  42 A of junction between the internal volume  42  and the bottom orifice  32 A, the corresponding axial distance being marked e, so that this orifice  32 A and the volume  42  are in fluid communication. Since the volume is in permanent fluid communication with the top orifice  32 B, the passageway  56  is then open to circulation. On the other hand, when the valve element  34  is moved in the direction of the wall  54  of the socket body over a distance greater than e, as in  FIG. 4 , the zone of junction  42 A is closed off and the fluid passageway  56  is cut off. 
     To minimize the risks of fluid leaks at the zone of junction  42 A when the valve element is moved as in  FIG. 4 , this zone is furnished with a sealing ring  58  fixedly attached to the socket body  32 . This ring is made of an elastically deformable material and has an internal diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the outer cylindrical face  34 B of the valve element  34 . The ring  58  thereby maintains a sealed contact over the whole periphery of the valve element  34  when the latter is moved sufficiently toward the wall of the socket body  54 , even if the valve element undergoes translation movements and slides against the ring. In other words, when the valve element is moved sufficiently toward the wall  54 , as in  FIG. 4 , the ring  58 , immobile relative to the socket body  32 , is interposed between the stopper and the zone  42 A of the socket body in a direction substantially radial to the axis Z-Z. 
     The socket body  32  also delimits a second fluid passageway  60 , distinct from the passageway  56  and oriented in a direction generally parallel to that of the passageway  56 . 
     The socket body  32  is suitable for being fitted removably into the cavity  2 A delimited by the base  2  of the case  1  of the cartridge. As shown in  FIGS. 1 to 4 , the socket body  32  is then pressed against the bottom of the cavity  2 A, so that its top orifice  32 B opens directly into the hot water inlet orifice  2 C of the base  2  ( FIG. 3 ), while the top orifice  60 B of the passageway  60  opens directly into the cold water inlet orifice  2 F ( FIG. 2 ). The mixed water outlet orifice  2 M opens, for its part, level with the nut  46  and the heat-sensitive portion  38  of the thermostatic element. In this fitted configuration of the socket body  32 , the axis Z-Z extends perpendicular to the axis X-X of the cartridge, these axes however not intersecting. The junction of the passageway  56  with the orifice  2 C and that of the passageway  60  with the orifice  2 F are sealed by a double seal  62 . 
     The cartridge fitted with the thermostatic assembly  16  is designed to be arranged in a faucet body whose hot water supply C and cold water supply F are in correspondence respectively with the orifice  32 A and the bottom orifice  60 A of the passageway  60 , with interposition of seals  64  and  66 , while the mixed water discharge duct M of the faucet is in fluid communication with the outflow zone of the orifice  2 M in the cavity  2 A, with interposition of a seal  68 . 
     The operation of the cartridge is as follows: 
     In normal operation shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , that is to say when the faucet is supplied simultaneously with cold water F and with hot water C and the lever  12  occupies a position controlling a mixed temperature that is in principle not very high, the cold water F rises in the passageway  60  of the socket body  32 , then successively in the orifices  2 F and  20 F to terminate in the cavity  24 A of the top disk  24 . In parallel, the hot water C rises in the orifice  32 A of the socket body  32 , enters the volume  42  by flowing round the valve element  34 , passes through the space e defined between the free end of the valve element and the sealing ring  58 , then rises successively through the top orifice  32 B of the socket body, through the orifice  2 C of the case  1  and through the orifice  20 C of the disk  20  to terminate in the cavity  24 A. The hot water C and the cold water F then mix in the cavity  24 A to form the mixed water M. This mixed water M descends again successively through the orifices  20 M of the disk  20  and  2 M of the case  2  to come out of the cartridge and then travel toward the outlet of the faucet, a portion of the mixed water, downstream of the disk  20 , then flowing around the heat-sensitive portion  38  of the thermostatic element  36 . The cold water F, hot water C and mixed water M flows are respectively indicated by the arrows E F , E C  and E M . 
     While the temperature of the heat-sensitive portion  38  is less than the predetermined threshold value T d  corresponding to the temperature of the beginning of movement of the piston  40  out of the fixed portion of the thermostatic element  36  induced by the expansion of the wax contained in this fixed portion, the flow and temperature of the mixed water M are regulated by adjusting the passageway cross sections of hot water C and cold water F between the top disk  24  and bottom disk  20 , these passageway cross sections corresponding to the cross sections resulting respectively from the conjunction of the hot water inlet orifice  20 C of the disk  20  with the mixture cavity  24 A of the disk  24  and of the conjunction of the cold water inlet orifice  20 F of the disk  20  with this mixture cavity. These cross sections are adjusted by moving, parallel to the plane P, the top disk  24  over the bottom disk  20  with the aid of the lever  12 , by means of the operating disk  28 . The flow of mixed water M is regulated from closed to fully open by tilting the lever  12  about the axis Y-Y while the temperature of this mixed water is regulated from all cold to all hot by rotating the lever about the axis X-X. 
     Following an action on the control lever  12 , a drop in the pressure or temperature of cold water F supplying the faucet and/or an increase in pressure or temperature of the hot water C supplying the faucet, the temperature of the mixed water M coming out of the cartridge may exceed the temperature threshold value T d . In this case, the wax contained in the heat-sensitive portion  38  expands and moves the piston  40  along the axis Z-Z relative to the body of the thermostatic element  36 , moving the valve element  34  in the direction of the sealing ring  58 , thus reducing the space e and partially cutting off the circulation of hot water E C  in the passageway  56 . If the temperature of mixed water reaches a temperature value hereinafter called T f , the translation movement imposed on the valve element  34  by the piston  40  is such that the valve element comes into contact with the sealing ring  58 . The circulation of hot water E C  along the passageway  56  is then totally stopped. If the temperature of mixed water M continues to increase and exceeds the temperature T f  associated with the beginning of the total cut-off of circulation of hot water E C , the piston  40  continues to move the valve element  34  in translation that then slides inside the sealing ring  58 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . The circulation of hot water E C  remains totally cut off. 
     In other words, when the temperature of the mixed water M coming out of the cartridge has a value lying between T d  and T f , the thermostatic assembly  16  reduces the flow of hot water C upstream of the disks  20  and  24  by moving the valve  34  closer to the sealing ring  58 , thereby lowering the temperature of the mixed water. When the temperature of the mixed water M coming out of the cartridge is equal to or greater than the threshold value T f , the thermostatic assembly  16  totally cuts off the hot water passageway  56  and the hot water C no longer reaches the inlet orifice  2 C of the case  1 , so that the water coming out of the cartridge then consists only of the cold water F supplying the cartridge. 
     While the piston  40  is deployed, the drop in temperature of the mixed water M, where necessary to the temperature of cold water F, causes the piston to retract and, under the effect of the spring  52 , the return of the valve element to its initial position. Therefore, when the temperature of the mixed water M returns below the value T f , the valve element  34  withdraws from the sealing ring  58 , reestablishing, at least partially, the circulation E C  of hot water C in the passageway  56 . 
     The thermostatic assembly  16  therefore stabilizes the temperature of the mixed water M at a value lying between T d  and T f  when the control conditions or the variations in pressure and/or temperature of the hot water or cold water supply would cause, in the absence of this assembly  16 , a temperature higher than T f . In practice, the temperature values T d  and T f  may be relatively close. 
     Furthermore, if a break in supply of cold water F occurs and if the temperature of the hot water C supplying the cartridge is greater than T f , no water flows out of the cartridge until the cold water supply is reestablished. 
     Therefore, in all situations, the temperature of the mixed water M is limited to the temperature value T f , chosen to prevent scalding. 
     The use of the sealing ring  58 , that makes it possible both to seal closed the passageway  56  and to slide the element  34  beyond its translated position associated with the temperature value T f , avoids the incorporation into the thermostatic assembly  16  of complex and more costly systems designed to make up for the overtravel of the piston  40  of the thermostatic element  36 . The space requirement of the thermostatic element  16  is consequently particularly small, allowing the cartridge according to the invention to be able to be mounted in a faucet body having an internal diameter of less than 40 mm. In other words, the maximum dimension D along the axis Z-Z, of the assembly  16  is advantageously less than 40 mm. 
       FIG. 7  shows a variant  16 ′ of the thermostatic assembly  16  of the preceding figures. According to this variant, the seal between the zone of junction  42 A of the socket body  32  and the outer cylindrical surface  34 B of the valve element  34  is provided by a sealing ring  58 ′ which, unlike the ring  58  of the preceding figures, is fixedly attached to the surface  34 B of the valve element  34 . In operation, when the valve element  34  is moved toward the wall  54  of the socket body  32 , the ring  58 ′ slides against the wall of the socket body that delimits the zone of junction  42 A. 
     Various arrangements and variants to the cartridge and its thermostatic assembly described above can also be envisaged. In particular, the geometry of the socket body  32  may be adapted to the faucet in which the cartridge is designed to be installed (and/or to the case  1  of the cartridge to be fitted with the thermostatic assembly  16 ,  16 ′. Furthermore, as a variant not shown, the socket body  32  may be made of the same material and in one piece with the base  2  of the case  1 .