Abstract:
The sanitary fitting is intended for two different qualities of water and, for this purpose, has outlet connecting branches ( 20, 21 ) which are separate from one another and into which two channel systems ( 50, 56 ), which are routed separately from one another through a common fitting housing ( 1 ), open out. Each channel system ( 50, 56 ) is provided with a valve arrangement ( 53, 17 ), each valve arrangement being functionally separate from the other and of which the top valve arrangement ( 17 ), assigned to the channel system ( 56 ), has a closure body ( 41 ) which executes a lifting movement and of which the actuating element ( 44 ) forms the top termination of the sanitary fitting. In order for it to be possible for the actuating element to be easily operated even with a comparatively high pressure in the channel system ( 56 ) which is to be closed, as is the case, for example, in drinking water enriched with carbon dioxide, a pressure-equalizing channel ( 82 ), which is routed through the valve closure body ( 41 ), connects the channel system ( 56 ) to a pressure-equalizing space ( 80 ), which is provided on the rear end surface ( 81 ) of the valve closure body ( 41 ).

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of Invention  
           [0002]    The invention relates to a sanitary fitting with two outlet connecting branches which are intended for different qualities of water, separate from one another and into which two channel systems, which are routed separately from one another through a common fitting housing, open out, each channel system being provided with at least one valve arrangement, each valve arrangement being functionally separate from the other, and to a lifting-valve arrangement which is suitable for such a sanitary fitting.  
           [0003]    2. Description of Related Art  
           [0004]    Sanitary fittings of this type are known from EP-A-0 501 989 and DE-A-196 08 482. These sanitary fittings have three separate supply lines, on the one hand for cold and hot service water, with a common outlet for mixed water, and on the other hand a supply line for drinking water, which has been prepared in a filter device arranged on the inflow side and/or in a separate apparatus for admixing carbon dioxide. For the separate removal of service water and drinking water, these prior publications have different design solutions, both using a valve arrangement in which an actuating element executes a lever movement and a rotary movement of a closure body brings about continuous opening of the outlet channel. This has the disadvantage that, in particular for the removal of drinking water which is subjected to relatively high pressure, e.g. carbonated, the actuation of the valve arrangement and metering of the quantity of drinking water flowing out require particular care and attention. On the other hand, there is the advantage that the pressure in the channel system which is to be shut off does not have any significant effect on the actuating force of the lever movement.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The object of the invention is to provide a sanitary fitting which is suitable, in particular, for the separate discharge of filtered water or carbonated drinks, in particular water, can be operated easily and with a low level of force being applied and makes it easier for a quantity of water to be metered. Moreover, the sanitary fitting is intended to be easy to produce and/or to assemble. This object is achieved according to the invention by the features of patent claim 1. Preferred configurations of the invention form the subject matter of the dependent patent claims and can be gathered from the following description with reference to the drawings, in which:  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]    [0006]FIG. 1 shows an axial section through a sanitary fitting with a first embodiment of a valve arrangement,  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 2 shows an enlarged illustration of the sanitary fitting according to FIG. 1 with the valve open and a hand spray inserted,  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 3 shows an enlarged illustration of part of the sanitary fitting according to FIGS. 1 and 2 with the valve closed and without the hand spray inserted,  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 4 shows an enlarged illustration of a sanitary fitting with a second embodiment of a valve arrangement and the hand spray inserted, the valve being open, and  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 5 shows an enlarged illustration of part of the sanitary fitting according to FIG. 4 with the valve closed. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0011]    As the illustration of FIG. 1 shows overall, the sanitary fitting has a column-like fitting housing  1  which is assembled from a number of parts and has a base part  3 , a central housing part  4  and a housing head  5 .  
         [0012]    The base part  3  is closed by a screwed-in flange border  37  of a bottom connecting branch  2  and forms, together therewith, a bottom standing surface  6 , which is intended for abutment against an essentially horizontally running sink edge (not illustrated) or a sink unit. The fitting housing  1  is fixed by being secured with clamping action by means of a nut which can be screwed onto the external thread  7  of the connecting branch  2  and is supported on the underside of the sink edge or of the unit top.  
         [0013]    The base part  3  merges integrally in the upward direction into an inner housing connecting branch  9 , which extends over a considerable part of the central housing part  4  and is thus enclosed by the latter. A lateral opening  10  in the housing connecting branch  9  serves for the hose  11  of a hand spray  12  to be guided out laterally.  
         [0014]    Furthermore, in its top region, the housing connecting branch  9  bears a bottom installation body  14 , which is connected to said connecting branch in a rotationally fixed manner by a radially directed screw  13  and, together with a top installation body  19 , forms an inner housing body  8 . The bottom installation body  14  serves for accommodating and fastening a valve seat body  15  of a valve arrangement  17 , and the top installation body  19  serves for accommodating an actuating means  40  of said valve arrangement  17 .  
         [0015]    The central housing part  4  and the housing head  5  each merge laterally into an integrally formed outlet connecting branch  20 ,  21 . The bottom outlet connecting branch  20  runs obliquely upwards in order, in a manner known per se, for example, from EP-A-0 447 777, to serve for securing and guiding the hand spray  12 . The top outlet connecting branch  21 , which is provided for prepared water, is directed obliquely downward, with the result that the water can be discharged in a specifically directed manner into a drinking vessel which is held up to the connecting branch.  
         [0016]    The housing base  3 , the central housing part  4  and the housing head  5  are plugged telescopically one inside the other and are supported in a form-fitting manner on one another by the contact between encircling shoulders  22 ,  23  and end surfaces  24 ,  25  and, moreover, are mounted, and sealed, in a rotatable manner in relation to one another by sliding rings  26 ,  27  arranged in said regions and by an O-ring  28 . The central housing part  4  is thus fixed axially between the housing base  3  and the housing head  5 .  
         [0017]    The housing base  3  and the housing head  5  are connected axially via the bottom installation body  14 , which is fastened on the housing base  3  and/or the housing connecting branch  9  thereof by the screw  13 . One or more screws  29 , which are countersunk in the top installation body  19 , connect the latter to the head part  5 . In order, despite the rotationally fixed connection, produced by the screw  13 , between the housing base  3  and bottom installation body  14  of the inner housing body  8 , to ensure that the housing head  5  and/or its outlet connecting branch  21  can be rotated into an alterable, ready-for-use position relative to the housing base  3 , the bottom and top installation bodies  14 ,  19  are connected to one another such that they can be rotated in relation to one another. For this purpose, said installation bodies have grooves  32 ,  33  which run round parallel to their abutting radial surfaces  30 ,  31  and into which two cross-sectionally U-shaped half-rings  34 ,  35  are pushed radially from the outside. A sleeve  36  which is pushed on over the latter secures the half-rings  34 ,  35  in the grooves  32 ,  33 .  
         [0018]    It can be gathered from the above description of the construction of the column-like fitting housing  1  that the assembly of the sanitary fitting can easily be executed in a precise manner. For this purpose, the bottom installation body  14 , together with the compensator body  16  screwed into it and the likewise screwed-in valve seat body  15  of the valve arrangement  17 , is pushed into the housing connecting branch  9  of the housing base  3 , with the result that its encircling shoulder  38  stops against the top end surface  39  of the same. Thereafter, the top installation body  19 , together with at least part of the actuating device  40  of the valve arrangement  17  and the valve closure body  41  thereof, is inserted into the bottom installation body  14 , with the result that its connecting branch, together with an O-ring seal  43 , penetrates in a form-fitting and sealing manner into the same. Thereafter, the central housing part  4  along with the accommodating connecting branch  20  for the hand spray  12  and the housing head  5  with the outlet connecting branch  21  for drinking water are pushed from above onto the arrangement thus provided and are secured by the screw  29 . Finally, the actuating button  44  of the actuating device  40  of the valve arrangement  17 , together with an O-ring seal  45  provided on its circumference, is pushed into an inner housing connecting branch  46  of the housing head  5  and connected to the actuating device  40  by being latched in.  
         [0019]    Of course, the insertion of the top installation body  19  into the bottom installation body  14  together with the valve closure body  41  requires a valve design in which the valve closure body  41  can be pushed through the valve seat body  15  in order to be moved into an open valve position and, accordingly, assumes its sealing position corresponding to the illustration in FIG. 3 against a cylindrical inner surface  47  of the valve seat body  15 . In contrast, in the case of a valve arrangement  17  (according to FIGS. 4 and 5) with a sealing position against an inflow-side/surface  48  of the valve seat body  15 , it is necessary to provide the valve closure body  41  together with the valve seat body  15  beforehand on the bottom installation body  14 , with the result that it can only be connected to the associated actuating device  40  during or following the insertion of the top installation body  19 .  
         [0020]    The channel system  50  of the sanitary fitting which is provided for service water is configured in a manner similar to that shown in FIG. 1 of EP-A-0 477 777 by a cold-water and hot-water line  51 ,  52 , routed through the connecting branch  2  being connected to a mixing cartridge  53 , from which a mixed-water line  54  is routed outward through the connecting branch  2  in order to open out in the hose  11  of the hand spray  12  via a supply loop, which hangs beneath the sanitary fitting. The mixing cartridge  53  is actuated from the outside by an actuating device which is arranged laterally on the fitting housing  1 , on the rear side in the drawings, and thus cannot be seen in the latter, and comprises a rotary knob or a lever.  
         [0021]    The channel system  56  provided for prepared water or drinking water has a connection line  57  which is introduced through the bottom connecting branch  2  and is connected to the funnel-shaped compensator housing  16 . The position of the spindle-like regulating body  58 , which serves as a pressure compensator, is determined by the abutment position against the conical oblique surface  59  of an adjusting screw  60  screwed laterally into the inner housing body  8 . Lateral centering protrusions  61  serve for securing the central position of the regulating body  58 , around which flow takes place, in the funnel-shaped compensator housing  16 . Since the pressure compensation is only necessary for water which has been carbonated, and correspondingly is subjected to a relatively high pressure of approximately 5 bar, or other carbonated drinks, the spindle-like regulating body  58  may be omitted and/or removed for water which is prepared merely by filtering.  
         [0022]    The drawings show two exemplary embodiments of the lifting-valve-containing valve arrangement  17 . Since these have a number of common features, corresponding parts have the same designations. A first exemplary embodiment is explained in more detail hereinbelow with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.  
         [0023]    The housing  8  of the valve arrangement  17  comprises a bottom housing body  14  and a top housing body  19 , which engage in a form-fitting manner one inside the other via a connecting branch  42  and are sealed in relation to one another by an O-ring  43  provided on the connecting branch. In order for it to be possible to alter the circumferential position of the outlet connecting branch  21  relative to the bottom housing body  14 , which is provided for a fixed arrangement, they are fastened on one another in the axial direction such that they can be rotated in relation to one another. For this purpose, use is made of two cross-sectionally u-shaped half-rings  34 ,  35 , which are inserted into encircling grooves  32 ,  33  radially from the outside. A sleeve  36  which is pushed on over the half-rings  34 ,  35  secures the latter in this position. It is possible to dispense with the sleeve  36  and, as appropriate, to design the half-rings  34 ,  35  such that they can be snapped in in a self-retaining manner.  
         [0024]    The valve seat body  15  is screwed to the inner wall  49  of the bottom housing body  14  and enclosed between an inner shoulder  62  and the end side  63  of the connecting branch  42 , with the result that it is retained in a fixed manner together with the bottom housing body  14 .  
         [0025]    The valve closure body  41  is elongate and narrowed centrally and forms, by way of one end, a closure part  65  which interacts with a sealing ring  64 , while its other end forms a guide piston  66 , from which a valve stem  67  extends away in the manner of a piston rod. This guide piston  66  of the valve closure body  41  and the valve stem  67  are guided in bores  68 ,  69  which are graduated in relation to one another and belong to a sealing body  70  provided in the top housing body  19 , with the result that said sealing body assisted by sealing rings  71 ,  72 , seals the valve space  73  in the outward direction. The sealing body  70  is accommodated, with thread engagement, by the top part of a central bore  74  of the top housing body  19  and butts, by way of a shoulder surface  75 , against a planar radial surface  76  of the same.  
         [0026]    Fastened at the outer end of the valve stem  67  is an actuating button  44 , which is enclosed by part of the top installation body  19  and by the head part  5  of the housing, with the result that it projects in an easily reachable manner beyond the same. A helical spring  77  arranged between the actuating button  44  and the sealing body  70  resiliently cushions the actuating button  44  as it is pressed down from its uppermost position illustrated in FIG. 3, and assists the rearward movement of the valve closure body  41  into the closure position once the actuating button  44  has been released.  
         [0027]    The pressure of the water in the channel part  78  which is to be closed acts on the end surface  79  of the closure part  65 , said end surface being directed toward said channel part, and thus counteracts a pressure on the actuating button  44 . Since this pressure, in particular for shutting off water enriched with carbon dioxide, would be too great in order to press down the button with a force which is limited for comfortable operation, a pressure-equalizing channel  82  is provided, this connecting the channel part  78  which is to be closed to a pressure-equalizing space  80  provided on the rear end surface  81  of the valve closure body  41 .  
         [0028]    By virtue of the guidance of the guide piston  66  in the sealing body  70 , the pressure-equalizing space  80  is bounded by the bore  69 , provided for the guidance, and its inner transverse surface  83 , which runs radially as far as the valve stem  67 . The magnitude of the counterpressure force is thus proportional to the magnitude of said transverse surface  83  and/or proportional to the equally sized end surface  81  of the guide piston  66 , said end surface bounding the pressure-equalizing space  80 .  
         [0029]    The pressure-equalizing channel  82 , corresponding to the illustration in FIG. 2 or  3 , is preferably routed axially, as a bore, through the valve closure body  41  and part of the valve stem  67  and has at least one transverse bore  84  in the valve stem  67 , with the result that said axial bore is connected to the pressure-equalizing space  80  in order to complete the pressure-equalizing channel  82 .  
         [0030]    Provided on the end surface  81  of the guide piston  66  of the valve closure body  41  are spacer protuberances  85 , which prevent the magnitude of the pressure-equalizing space  80  being reduced to zero, and consequently the transverse bore  84 , and thus the pressure-equalizing channel  82 , is closed by the wall of the bore  68 , which guides the valve stem  67 .  
         [0031]    The centrally narrowed valve closure body  41  is produced, for example, by diecasting from a material suitable for this purpose, e.g. plastic, and is provided in the process with a slightly conical, central pressure-equalizing channel  82 . In the region of its guide piston  66 , said pressure-equalizing channel merges into an accommodating bore  86  for the valve stem  67 , the latter being retained in said bore by a press fit, which facilitates assembly. A surface profiling  87  in the relevant region of the valve stem improves the anchoring of the press fit.  
         [0032]    The O-ring  71 , which performs the task of sealing the valve stem  67  in the sealing body  70 , can easily, in the state in which it is pushed over the valve stem  67 , be pushed into a recess  88  of the sealing body  70 , where it is then secured by a pressed-in washer  89 .  
         [0033]    The actuating button  44  at the outer end of the valve stem  67  comprises a cylindrical inner button body  90  and a cap-like button housing  91  enclosing the same. The inner button body  90  is screwed onto the valve-stem end  93 , which is provided with a screw thread, until it stops against a circlip ring or securing ring  92  which engages in a groove of the valve stem  67 . The valve-stem end  93  encloses a screwed-in closure pin  94 , which closes the continuous central channel  95 . The closure pin  94  allows venting of the pressure-equalizing channel  82  and of the pressure-equalizing space  80 . Provided for fastening the cap-like button housing  91  on the inner button body  90  is a latching connection which comprises a cross-sectionally hook-shaped inner latching sleeve  96 , having a number of longitudinal slots, and is integrally formed concentrically on the button housing  91 . It is thus possible for the button housing  91  to latch in the manner of a push-button onto the button body  90 , fastened on the valve stem  67 .  
         [0034]    A further exemplary embodiment of a top, lifting-valve-containing valve arrangement  17  is explained in more detail hereinbelow, with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.  
         [0035]    The housing  8  of the valve arrangement  17  comprises a bottom housing body  14  and a top housing body  19 , which engage in a form-fitting manner one inside the other via a connecting branch  42  and are sealed in relation to one another by an O-ring  43  provided on the connecting branch  42 . In order for it to be possible to alter the circumferential position of the outlet connecting branch  21  relative to the bottom housing body  14 , which is provided for a fixed arrangement, they are fastened on one another in the axial direction such that they can be rotated in relation to one another. For this purpose, use is made of two cross-sectionally u-shaped half-rings  34 ,  35 , which are inserted into encircling grooves  32 ,  33  radially from the outside. A sleeve  36  which is pushed on over them secures the latter in this position. As has been described above, it is possible to dispense with the sleeve  36 .  
         [0036]    The valve seat body  15  is screwed to the inner wall  61  of the bottom housing body  14  and enclosed between an inner shoulder  62  and the end side  63  of the connecting branch  42 , with the result that it is retained in a fixed manner together with the bottom housing body  14 .  
         [0037]    The valve closure body  41  is elongate and narrowed centrally and forms, by way of one end, a closure part  65  which interacts with a sealing ring  64 , while its other end forms a guide piston  66 , from which a valve stem  67  extends away in the manner of a piston rod. This guide piston  66  of the valve closure body  41  and the valve stem  67  are guided in bores  68 ,  69  which are graduated in relation to one another and belong to a sealing body  70  provided in the top housing body  19 , with the result that said sealing body assisted by sealing rings  71 ,  72 , seals the valve space  73  in the outward direction. The sealing body  70  is accommodated, with thread engagement, by the top part of a central bore  74  of the top housing body  19  and butts, by way of a shoulder surface  75 , against a planar radial surface  76  of the same.  
         [0038]    Fastened at the outer end of the valve stem  67  is an actuating button  44 , which is enclosed by part of the top installation body  19 , with the result that it projects in an easily reachable manner beyond the same. A helical spring  77  arranged between the actuating button  44  and the sealing body  70  resiliently cushions the actuating button  44  as it is pressed down from its uppermost position illustrated in FIG. 5.  
         [0039]    The pressure of the water in the channel part  78  which is to be closed acts on the end surface  79  of the closure part  65 , said end surface being directed toward said channel part, and thus counteracts a pressure on the actuating button  44 . Since this pressure, in particular for shutting off water enriched with carbon dioxide, would be too great in order to press down the button  44  with a force which is limited for comfortable operation, a pressure-equalizing channel  82  is provided, this connecting the channel part  78  which is to be closed to a pressure-equalizing space  80  provided on the rear end surface  81  of the valve closure body  41 .  
         [0040]    By virtue of the guidance of the guide piston  66  in the sealing body  70 , the pressure-equalizing space  80  is bounded by the bore  69 , provided for the guidance, and its inner transverse surface  83 , which runs radially as far as the valve stem  67 . The magnitude of the counterpressure force is thus proportional to the magnitude of said transverse surface  83  and/or proportional to the equally sized end surface  81  of the guide piston  66 , said end surface bounding the pressure-equalizing space  80 .  
         [0041]    The pressure-equalizing channel  82 , corresponding to the illustration in FIG. 4 or  5 , is preferably routed axially, as a bore, through the valve closure body  41  and part of the valve stem  67  and has at least one transverse bore  84  in the valve stem  67 , with the result that said axial bore may be connected to the pressure-equalizing space  80  in order to complete the pressure-equalizing channel  82 .  
         [0042]    However, corresponding to the illustration in FIG. 5 with the valve closed, i.e. when the closure part  65  is located in the closure position on the valve seat body  15 , the connection to the pressure-equalizing space  80  is likewise closed. This is achieved by a pilot-valve system, of which the control element is formed by the valve stem  67 . For this purpose, the latter is guided such that it can be displaced to a limited extent in the valve closure body  41 , and is provided with a closure device  97 ,  98  at each of its two ends. These closure devices  97 ,  98  each have a respective O-ring  99 ,  100  which is retained in a groove of the valve closure body  41  and with which, respectively, a circumferential part  101  of the valve stem  67  and the cylindrical circumferential surface  102  of a sealing seat body  103 , fastened at the end of the valve stem  67 , come into sealing contact.  
         [0043]    The closure devices  97 ,  98  come into action alternately. As the valve closure position according to FIG. 5 shows, the valve stem  67  has been displaced upward relative to the valve closure body  41 , with the result that the end closure body  103  is in sealing contact with the O-ring  100 , while the circumferential part  101  is spaced apart from the associated  0 ring  97  by a distance  104 , with the result that the pressure-equalizing space  80  is connected, past the O-ring  99 , to a venting channel  105 , which runs through the guide piston  66  and is routed outward to the outlet connecting branch  21 . As a result, the closure part  65  of the valve closure body  41  is subjected to a closure force which is proportional to the difference in pressure between the channel part  78  which is to be shut off and the atmospheric pressure present in the outlet connecting branch  21 .  
         [0044]    In order to open the valve, in contrast, it is not necessary for a force corresponding to such a pressure to be applied to the actuating button  44 , because, by means of the pilot-valve system, a corresponding counterpressure is built up beforehand in the pressure-equalizing space  80 . During the pressing-down operation, the actuating button  44  first of all only moves the valve stem  67  downward, until the latter has stopped, by way of a shoulder  106  adjacent to its sealing circumferential part  101 , against an inner shoulder  107  of the valve closure body  41 , said inner shoulder being adjacent to the O-ring  99 . Upon reaching this position, the circumferential part  101  of the valve stem  67  moves into sealing contact with the O-ring  99 , and the sealing seat body  103  at the bottom of the valve stem  67  is released from sealing contact with the O-ring  100 . At the same time, the top transverse bore  84  of the pressure-equalizing channel  82  moves downward into the pressure-equalizing space  80 , while another transverse bore  108  in the region of the bottom end of the valve stem  67 , said end being closed by a pin  109 , moves to a gap  110  which, by way of the detachment of the sealing seat body  103  from the O-ring  100 , fully forms past the same, this resulting in the opening of a connection between the pressurized channel part  78  and the pressure-equalizing space  80 . The counterpressure which thus builds up there in a slowed-down manner on account of the numerous narrowings makes it easier for the valve closure body  41  then to be pressed down as far as a fully open valve position corresponding to the illustration in FIG. 4.  
         [0045]    The centrally narrowed valve closure body  41  is produced, for example, by diecasting from a material suitable for this purpose, e.g. plastic, and provided with a continuous axial bore  111  for the guidance of the valve stem  67 , which is designed as a valve-control element. Said valve stem encloses the pressure-equalizing channel  82 , configured as an axial bore, in the region of the valve closure body  41 , while it is of solid configuration in its top region, connected to the actuating button  44 .  
         [0046]    The O-ring  71 , which performs the task of sealing the valve stem  67  in the sealing body  70 , can easily, in the state in which it is pushed over the valve stem  67 , be pushed into a recess  88  of the sealing body  70 , where it is then secured by a pressed-in washer  89 .  
         [0047]    The actuating button  44  at the outer end of the valve stem  67  comprises a cylindrical inner button body  90  and a cap-like button housing  91  enclosing the same. The inner button body  90  is screwed onto the valve-stem end  93 , which is provided with a screw thread  112 , until it stops against a securing ring  92  which engages in a groove of the valve stem  67 . Provided for fastening the cap-like button housing  91  on the inner button body  90  is a latching connection which is formed by a cross-sectionally hook-shaped inner latching sleeve  96 , having a number of longitudinal slots, and is integrally formed concentrically on the button housing  91 . It is thus possible for the button housing  91  to latch in the manner of a push-button onto the button body  90 , fastened on the valve stem  67 .  
         [0048]    It is also possible, in the case of the fitting according to FIGS. 4 and 5, for the venting channel  105  to be replaced by a radial through-passage in the central region of the valve closure body  41 , said through-passage permanently connecting the valve space  73 , connected to the outlet connecting branch  21 , to a preferably annular cavity which is bounded by the valve stem  67  in the radially inward direction and extends axially from said radial through-passage as far as the sealing seat body  103 . By means of the transverse bore  108 , the pressure-equalizing channel  82  is then permanently connected to the outlet connecting branch  21  and thus to the surroundings.  
         [0049]    Furthermore, it is also conceivable, in the case of a valve body/valve seat arrangement according to FIGS. 4 and 5, for the pressure-equalizing space  80  to be kept permanently in connection with the supply-line-side channel part  78 , for example via a pressure-equalizing channel  82  according to FIGS.  1  to  3 . The pressure-active surface of the valve closure body  41  which bounds the pressure-compensating space is smaller than the pressure-active surface of the valve closure body  41  which is directed toward the channel part  78 .