OUTLET ELEMENT FOR A SANITARY FITTING

An outlet element (1) for a sanitary fitting which includes a base element (2) and a valve device (3) which is connected to the base element and can be adjusted relative to the base element between at least two switching positions for switching over between at least two separate water conduits (4, 5). In order to seal a passage between an outlet opening (6) of the base element on the outflow side and at least one inlet opening (7, 8) of a connected water conduit on the inflow side, the base element has a sealing element (9) which in each of the at least two switching positions is designed to seal the relevant passage between an outlet opening of the base element on the outflow side and the at least one inlet opening of the connected water conduit on the inflow side.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to an outlet element for a sanitary fitting which comprises a base element, which is designed to be connected to an outlet, and which comprises a valve device which cooperates with the base element and which can be adjusted, in particular can be rotated, relative to the base element between at least two switching positions for switching over between at least two separate water conduits, wherein the base element has at least one outlet opening on the outflow side and in each case at least one inlet opening of the valve device on the inflow side is assigned to each water conduit.

BACKGROUND

Such outlet elements are already known from practice in very different embodiments.

SUMMARY

It is the object of the invention to provide an outlet element of the type mentioned in the introduction which permits efficient sealing of the at least two water conduits between the base element and the valve device.

To achieve this object, an outlet element is proposed having the means and features of the independent claim relating to an outlet element. In order to achieve the object, in particular, it is thus proposed in an outlet element of the type mentioned in the introduction that the base element has a sealing element, in each of the at least two switching positions a passage being able to be sealed thereby between the at least one outlet opening of the base element on the outflow side and the at least one inlet opening of the switched water conduit on the inflow side. In this manner, the at least two separately switchable water conduits of the outlet element can be separated from one another by means of only one sealing element and the passage between the base element and the valve device, through which the respectively switched water conduit runs, can be sealed relative to the base element in each of the at least two switching positions of the valve device.

In one embodiment of the outlet element, the base element has a seal receiver in which the sealing element is arranged. In this manner, it is possible to fix the sealing element in a reliable manner to the base element when the base element and the valve device are adjusted relative to one another for switching over between the at least two switching positions. Due to the relative adjustment of the valve device and the base element to one another, the sealing element which is positioned in the seal receiver can also be moved into different sealing positions assigned to the respective switching positions.

The seal receiver can comprise or be, for example, a receiving groove which is configured in the base element and in which the sealing element can be positively fixed, for example, regarding relative movements between the valve device and the base element.

In one embodiment of the outlet element, it is provided that a seal receiver, for example the seal receiver which has already been mentioned above, and/or the sealing element can be arranged and/or configured such that, in particular, in each of the at least two switching positions projections of the inlet openings at right-angles to the base element are located inside an outer edge of the seal receiver, in particular of the sealing element and/or inside a cross section of the base element defined by the seal receiver. In this manner, it is ensured that in each of the at least two switching positions of the valve devices at least one inlet opening on the inflow side of the at least two water conduits, which are separate from one another, are arranged relative to the sealing element such that a sealed water conduit is produced by the base element, the at least one outlet opening thereof on the outflow side and the at least one inlet opening of the valve device on the inflow side, which in the respective switching position is moved into a throughflow position.

The seal receiver can be configured, for example, on an outflow side of the base element. Moreover, it is possible that inlet openings of at least two of the water conduits differ from one another regarding shape and/or size.

In one embodiment of the outlet element, it is provided that the at least one outlet opening of the base element and the at least one inlet opening of one of the at least two water conduits of the valve device have the same cross section.

At this point it should be mentioned that in an embodiment of the outlet element, two outlet openings can be provided on the base element on the outflow side, the outlet openings preferably have a coinciding opening cross section. Matching the at least two outlet openings of the base element with a coinciding opening cross section, the valve device can also have in each case two inlet openings on the inflow side for each of the at least two switching positions thereof. The inlet openings of the valve devices on the inflow side, which are assigned to a water conduit, can have coinciding opening cross sections.

In one embodiment of the outlet element, it is provided that the seal receiver for the sealing element is endless.

The seal receiver can be, for example, an endless receiving groove.

In one embodiment of the outlet element, the base element can have a threaded pipe connector on its inflow side. In this manner, the base element can be screwed to a corresponding mating thread, for example of a further element of the outlet element, and/or a sanitary fitting.

Moreover, the base element can have on its outflow side an extension via which the valve device can be connected or is connected to the base element. By means of the extension, the base element and the valve device can be connected together to form a unit. In this context it can be advantageous if the valve device on its inflow side has a corresponding plug receiver for the extension of the base element.

At this point it should be mentioned that the reverse arrangement of the extension and the plug receiver is also conceivable. Thus in one embodiment of the outlet element the valve device can have an extension on its inflow side for connecting to the base element. Accordingly, the base element can then have a plug receiver for the extension of the valve device.

The aforementioned extensions can be configured in an annular manner. Moreover, it is possible that the extension of the base element is integrally formed on the base element. It is also possible that the valve device has an extension which is annular and/or is integrally formed on the valve device. The element which has no extension, i.e. either the valve device or the base element, can then be plugged or is plugged onto the extension for the purpose of connecting the valve device to the base element.

The outlet element can have an actuating element, the valve device being able to be adjusted thereby relative to the base element. Preferably, the valve device can be rotated relative to the base element by means of the actuating element of the outlet element in order to switch the valve device and the base element relative to one another between the at least two switching positions of the at least two water conduits which are separate from one another.

The valve device and/or at least one part of the base element, in particular an extension, for example the extension already mentioned above, of the base element, can be arranged at least partially inside a receiving space defined by the actuating element. To this end, the actuating element can be configured as an actuating sleeve which receives therein at least one part of the base element and/or the valve device. In one embodiment of the actuating element, it has an actuating wing which can protrude, for example, in particular radially outwardly from a base body of the actuating element in order to be easily accessible for a user of the outlet element.

The actuating element can be designed to actuate the valve device such that one of the at least two separate water conduits is switched on and remains switched on until the user switches back to the other water conduit.

In one embodiment of the outlet element it is provided that the base element has at least two outlet openings on the outflow side. In this context it is possible that each water conduit has in each case a corresponding number of inlet openings on the inflow side.

When the water conduit is switched, projections of the inlet openings of the switched water conduit on the inflow side at right-angles to the base element can be located inside the outlet openings of the base element.

The sealing element can have a number of through-openings which are separated from one another, the number corresponding to a number of outlet openings of the base element on the outflow side. In a preferred embodiment, the base element has two through-openings on the outflow side. Accordingly, the sealing element then has two through-openings which are separated from one another and in each case one thereof is assigned to one of the two outlet openings of the base element on the outflow side. The sealing element can be configured in the shape of an hour glass or figure of eight. For example, this shape can be formed by a constriction of the sealing element between two through-openings.

The through-openings of the sealing element and the outlet openings of the base element on the outflow side can have in each case corresponding geometries in pairs. In this manner, it is possible to seal in a reliable manner the outlet openings of the base element on the outflow side by means of the sealing element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description of different embodiments of the invention, elements which coincide in terms of their function are also provided with corresponding reference signs, even in the case of a different design or shape.

All of the figures show at least parts of an outlet element denoted by1as a whole. The outlet elements1are suitable for use in or on a sanitary fitting. Each outlet element1has a base element2which is designed for connecting to an outlet of the sanitary fitting. Moreover, each outlet element1comprises a valve device3which cooperates with the base element2and which can be adjusted, in the specific exemplary embodiments of the outlet element1can be rotated, relative to the base element2between at least two switching positions for switching over between at least two separate water conduits4and5.

Each base element2has at least one outlet opening6on the outflow side. In the specifically shown embodiments of the outlet element1, two outlet openings6are provided and in each case two inlet openings7and8of the valve device3on the inflow side are assigned to each water conduit4and5.

The figures show that the base element2has two outlet openings6on the outflow side. Accordingly, each of the two water conduits4and5also has in each case a corresponding number of inlet openings7and8on the inflow side, namely in each case two inlet openings7or8on the inflow side in the exemplary embodiment shown.

In all of the outlet elements1shown, it is provided that the respective base element2has a sealing element9, a passage between the two outlet openings6of the base element2on the outflow side and the two inlet openings7or8of the respectively switched water conduit4or5on the inflow side being able to be sealed thereby, in each of the at least two switching positions.

The figures show that the respective base element2has a seal receiver10in which the sealing element9is arranged. It is clear by way ofFIGS.21and22, for example, that the seal receiver10and the sealing element9are arranged and configured such that in each of the at least two switching positions projections of two of the inlet openings7and8at right-angles to the base element2are located inside an outer edge of the seal receiver10and also of the sealing element9and additionally inside a cross section of the base element2defined by the seal receiver10.

FIG.21shows the seal receiver10with the sealing element9in a valve device3located in a first switching position. It can be clearly identified that the inlet openings7of the valve device3on the inflow side are arranged such that vertical projections of the inlet openings7onto the base element2are located inside the outer edge of the seal receiver10and the outer edge of the sealing element9and additionally inside a cross section of the base element2defined by the seal receiver10.

The same applies when the valve device3is located in the second switching position, with the inlet openings8of the second water conduit5of the valve device3on the inflow side. This can be clearly identified by way ofFIG.22.

According toFIGS.8-10the seal receiver10is configured on an outflow side11of the base element2. The inlet openings7of the water conduit4noticeably differ regarding their shape and size from the inlet openings8of the second water conduit5of the valve device3.

The two outlet openings6of the base element2and at least one of the inlet openings7or8of one of the at least two water conduits4,5of the valve device3have the same cross section or at least approximately the same cross section. According toFIGS.21and22these are the inlet openings8of the second water conduit on the inflow side.

When the water conduit4,5is switched, projections of the inlet openings7,8of the respectively switched water conduit4,5on the inflow side at right-angles to the base element2are arranged inside the outlet openings6. The seal receiver10is configured as an endless receiving groove and receives the sealing element9therein. The sealing element9can be denoted as a sealing ring in a figure of eight or as a sealing ring having an hour glass shape. The sealing element9is configured such that it can seal the passage between the outlet openings6of the base element2on the outflow side and the inlet openings7or8of the respectively switched water conduits4and5on the inflow side.

To this end, the sealing element9has a number of through-openings19which are separated from one another, the number corresponding to a number of outlet openings6of the base element2on the outflow side and a number of inlet openings7or8of a water conduit4,5on the inflow side. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the sealing element9has two through-openings19which are separated from one another and, as already set forth above, are configured as an hour glass shape or figure of eight. The through-openings19of the sealing element9and the outlet openings6of the base element2on the outflow side respectively have corresponding geometries in pairs. The through-openings19are separated from one another by a constriction20of the sealing element9. Thus the space outside the through-openings19is usable. The figures illustrate that the base element2on its inflow side12has a threaded pipe connector13by which it can be screwed, for example, onto an outlet piece of a sanitary fitting.

The base element2has on its outlet side11an extension14via which the valve device3is connected to the base element2. The extension14is configured in an annular manner and integrally formed on the base element2, namely on the outflow side11. In the position of use, the valve device3is plugged onto the extension14of the base element2.

The outlet element1has an actuating element15, the valve device3being able to be adjusted, namely rotated, relative to the base element2in order to switch over between the two separate water conduits4and5.

In both outlet elements1shown in the figures, the actuating elements15are configured such that valve device3and the extension14of the base element2are at least partially arranged inside a receiving space16defined by the actuating element15. The actuating elements15are thus actuating sleeves which can at least partially receive therein the valve device3and the extension14of the base element2.

The outlet elements1shown inFIGS.1-22, on the one hand, andFIGS.23-28, on the other hand, differ significantly by the shape of their actuating elements15.

Each of the actuating elements15has at least one actuating wing17. In the exemplary embodiment of the outlet element1shown inFIGS.23-28, the actuating element15has three actuating wings17which are arranged so as to be distributed evenly about a longitudinal central axis of the actuating element15, as contact surfaces for easy actuation of the valve device3which is connected to the actuating element15.

The respective actuating element15is designed to actuate the valve device3, which is connected thereto, such that one of the at least two separate water conduits4,5is switched on and remains switched on until the user switches back to the other water conduit4or5.

FIGS.3and4also show a jet divider18which is part of the valve device3of the outlet element1according to the exploded views of the outlet element1ofFIGS.3and4.

The invention relates to improvements in the field of sanitary technology. Thus an outlet element1is proposed for a sanitary fitting which has a base element2and a valve device3which is connected to the base element2and can be adjusted relative to the base element2between at least two switching positions for switching over between at least two separate water conduits4,5. In order to seal a passage between an outlet opening6of the base element2on the outflow side and at least one inlet opening7or8of a switched water conduit4or5on the inflow side, the base element2has a sealing element9. This sealing element in each of the at least two switching positions is designed to seal the respective passage between an outlet opening6of the base element2on the outflow side and the at least one inlet opening7or8of the switched water conduit4,5on the inlet side.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS