Thermostatic mixer valve assembled in a cartridge body

The invention concerns a thermostatic mixer valve for hot and cold water, which comprises a rotary delivery regulator device (15), a thermostatic bulb (17) positioned coaxially to said regulator device, and a mixer control device (16) working in conjunction with the thermostatic bulb. The delivery regulator device (15) and the mixer control device (16) with relative thermostatic bulb (17) are assembled and housed ready to operate in a cartridge body (10) inserted as a whole in a tap body which has means of transporting hot and cold water towards a mixer chamber and means of delivering the water towards the user point.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention concerns the field of the taps in general and refers in particular to hot and cold mixer valves with a thermostatic unit.

PRIOR ART

Various solutions for hot and cold mixer valves for sanitation and water services including mixer valves with associated a thermostat unit to automatically control the temperature of the mixed water delivered are already well known.

A mixer valve of the type presented here is made up of components combining with each other and assembled in a body which is the same body as the tap in which it is operating. To be more specific, said mixer valve includes, inside a tap body, a rotary delivery regulator device, a thermostatic bulb coaxial to the regulator device and a mixer unit which can move axially relative to the delivery regulator device in response to the dilation of the thermostatic bulb it works in association with. The tap body has two lateral holes for separate input of hot and cold water leading to a mixer chamber which houses the thermostatic bulb with mixer device and which is connected to an output passageway of the mixed water to be delivered for use. The delivery regulator unit and the mixer element are controlled separately; the mixer chamber is positioned between the regulator unit and the bottom of the tap body; the output passageway of the mixed water is at the bottom of the body; the regulator unit has two openings on a level with the mixer chamber, each working in conjunction with one of the input hot and cold water holes, and which can be positioned either far from or in total or partial coincidence with said holes for selective opening and closing of the valve; and around each opening of the delivery regulator unit there is a seal on the internal surface of the external body.

This well-known production, even if functional, has however the drawback of having to assemble the components of the mixer valve directly in the tap body with the necessity of having to machine and configure this body in order to be able to correctly receive these components.

OBJECTIVES AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The objective of this invention on the other hand is to put forward and supply a hot and cold water mixer valve complete with pre-assembled thermostat housed in its own body in the form of a cartridge and which can consequently be inserted as a whole in a tap body. The advantages of this solution are that the tap body does not require specific machining, the thermostatic mixer valve is pre-assembled and can be assembled and disassembled in the tap body facilitating replacement and not least, the possibility of also creating a thermostatic mixer valve which can be used in substitution for those more commonly used mixer valves employed in taps for showers or bathtubs.

This objective and these advantages have been achieved in a thermostatic valve according to at least claim1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown, the operating components of the thermostatic mixer valve under examination are assembled and held in a cartridge body10inserted as a whole in a tap body11.

According to the product inFIGS. 1-6, the cartridge body10is made up of a cup housing12working in conjunction with an external jacket13and a top ring nut14. The components of the mixer valve consist basically in a rotary device15to regulate the delivery of the water, and a mixer element16to control the temperature of the mixed water delivered. This mixer device16is working in conjunction with a thermostatic bulb17, which can move axially in response to the variations in temperature the thermostatic bulb is subjected to, and is positioned with the latter on an axis with the delivery regulator device15.

The cup housing12, and in the same way the external jacket13, have laterally, at different levels, two separate adduction slots18,19respectively for hot and cold water, and a base with a passageway20for the water to flow out to be delivered. The hot and cold water reach the adduction slots or parts18,19through respective ducts21,22machined in the tap body11.

The cup housing12and the external jacket13are constrained by means of a ring nut14. Between the cup housing and the external jacket, there is a seal18′,19′ placed respectively around each side slot18,19. Around the external jacket13and at various levels depending on the position of the adduction slots18,19and the ducts21,22for water delivery, there are radial seals23on the internal surfaces of the tap body11in which the mixer valve is inserted and blocked by a locking ring nut24. At least one further anti-leak seal25is also positioned at the bottom part of the housing12.

The delivery regulator device15is assembled and turns in the cup housing12where it is held axially by the ring nut14and from where it protrudes in a top neck15′. In order to turn, it is fitted with a knob26which fits onto said top neck15′. Furthermore, it has two side openings27,28positioned, respectively at the same level as the adduction slots or parts18,19of said housing12. In this way, by turning the device15, its openings27,28may be moved away from or to correspond partially or totally with the adduction slots18,19to achieve variable or total opening/closing of the hot and cold water flow into the valve. The adduction slots or parts18,19and/or the openings27,28are not diametrally opposite, but form between them, with respect to the rotation axis of the regulator device, an angle of less than 180°, preferably between 120 and 160° so that in order to open/close the valve the regulator device15has only to turn very slightly. There is a seal27′,28′ around each opening27,28of the delivery regulator device15, preferably assembled and held in position in a housing provided in the cup housing12.

The delivery regulator device15is drilled and forms with the bottom of the housing12a mixing chamber29which communicates laterally with the entrance openings27,28and at the bottom with the exit passageway20.

The mixer device16′ is positioned in said chamber on a level with the entrance openings27,28and moves axially with respect to them by means of the thermostatic bulb17. This bulb is in contact with and is influenced by the temperature of the water flowing in the mixer chamber and, by dilating differently depending on the temperature of the water, causes the mixer device to move so as to close/open as a result openings27,28of the hot and cold water delivery and correspondingly the quantities of the two different types of mixed water so as to maintain the temperature of the water delivered constant.

The movements of the regulator device16are contrasted, as is known, by two different opposing springs30,31respectively working in conjunction with the device itself and with a hood32resting on the summit of the thermostatic bulb17.

The temperature of the mixed water can be set as required by using a second knob33fixed to a turning shaft34working in conjunction with the thermostatic bulb17by means of a sliding device35which engages spring31and, by means of the latter, the hood over the bulb itself.

The thermostatic mixer valve set up in the form of a cartridge as described above can be inserted into a housing provided in the body of any tap11, blocking it in position simply by tightening ring nut24. For correct positioning of the mixer valve in the tap body, the housing12containing the operating components can be provided with reference lugs36.

The thermostatic mixer valve, given the operating components and their combination and disposition inside the cartridge body, can also be set up to be used, in a tap body41with water inputs and outputs from the bottom, as replacements for the standard mixer valves without thermostats.

This further mixer valve set up is shown inFIGS. 7-12where the same reference numbers to indicate the same or equivalent parts have been used. In this set up, the cup housing42is integral or working in conjunction with a bottom adaptor43having two reference lugs44, a first inlet passageway for the hot water45, a second inlet passageway for cold water46and an output passageway for mixed water47. The passageway for hot water45is in communication with a first lateral hole45′ with a first duct48with a first lateral slot50for hot water input into the mixer chamber. In the same way the cold water passageway46is in communication with a second lateral hole46′ with a second duct51with a second lateral slot52for cold water input into the mixer chamber. The two ducts48,51are formed by a seal48′ placed diagonally on the outside of the housing and acting on the internal surface of the external jacket49. In this way the hot water and the cold water arriving separately from the bottom, flow up through the respective ducts48,51until they enter the valve through their corresponding lateral slots50,52. After mixing inside the valve, the mixed water is delivered at a preset temperature towards the point of use flowing through the output passageway at the bottom47.