Patent Publication Number: US-2006016912-A1

Title: Spray head for sprayers in general and particularly for manual sprayers for sinks and the like

Description:
The present invention relates to a spray head for sprayers in general and particularly for manual sprayers for sinks and the like.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Currently, especially in the field of manual sprayers for sinks and the like, spray heads are already known which allow to change the type of jet that is dispensed.  
      More specifically, it is possible to have a central or axial dispensing and optionally a sprinkling dispensing by way of one or more rings of holes arranged concentrically on the dispensing portion of the spray head.  
      For transition from one type of dispensing to another and/or vice versa, the background art provides a pushbutton, which is located in the rear part of the tip of the spray head and is actuated in order to shift the jet from the central position to the external position with sprinkling dispensing, whereas to perform the opposite change, i.e., transition from sprinkling dispensing to central dispensing, it is necessary to use a lever that is rotated.  
      This kind of solution has proved to be very complex from a structural standpoint and moreover is not welcomed by the user, since it does not allow for very practical actuation because it is necessary to perform two different types of actuations to change the type of water dispensing.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The aim of the invention is to solve the problem described above by providing a spray head for sprayers in general, particularly for manual sprayers for sinks and the like, that allows to perform the transition from one type of dispensing to the other by always using the same actuation element.  
      Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a spray head that allows to provide actuation rapidly and with a structure that is very compact and simple to provide.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide a spray head that thanks to its particular constructive characteristics is capable of giving the greatest assurances of reliability and safety in use.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide a spray head for sprayers in general and particularly for manual sprayers for sinks and the like that can be easily obtained starting from commonly commercially available elements and materials and is further competitive from a merely economical standpoint.  
      This aim and these and other objects that will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a spray head for sprayers in general and particularly for manual sprayers for sinks and the like, which comprises an external enclosure that accommodates a water inlet duct that leads into a tip, where a diverter valve is located, said diverter valve being arrangeable, by way of positioning means, in at least one first stable position and one second stable position for two different types of water dispensing, characterized in that said positioning means comprise a rocker, which is connected to said diverter valve and can be actuated by means of a pushbutton that can be activated externally with respect to said tip for transition from said first stable position to said second stable position and for transition from said second stable position to said first stable position. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a spray head for sprayers in general and particularly for manual sprayers for sinks and the like, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
       FIG. 1  is a schematic sectional perspective view of the spray head according to the invention;  
       FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the spray head;  
       FIG. 3  is a sectional view of a detail of the tip of the spray head;  
       FIG. 4  is a sectional view of the detail of the tip of the spray head, illustrating the means for connection to the rocker;  
       FIG. 5  is a partially cutout view of the spray head, illustrating the positioning means;  
       FIG. 6  is a schematic view of the step of actuating the pushbutton for passing from the first position to the second position;  
       FIG. 7  is a view of the arrangement of the rocker in the inactive condition and with the valve in the first position;  
       FIG. 8  is a schematic view of the step for transition from the second position to the first position;  
       FIG. 9  is a view of the detail of the positioning means with the valve in the second position. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      With reference to the figures, the spray head for sprayers in general and particularly for manual sprayers for sinks and the like, according to the invention, generally designated by the reference numeral  1 , comprises a handle body inside which there is a water inlet duct  2 , which runs inside the handle and leads into a distribution chamber  3 , formed inside a tip  4 , which is covered externally by the conventional bulb.  
      The tip  4  is provided with a diverter valve, which is generally designated by the reference numeral  10  and is provided with a stem  11  that runs axially inside the tip and protrudes hermetically due to the presence of a lip gasket  12 .  
      On the stem, inside the chamber  3 , there is a diverter piston  13 , which supports an annular gasket  14  that acts on a first abutment seat  15  and on a second abutment seat  16 , so as to be able to define two stable positions, i.e., a first stable position and a second stable position for two different types of water dispensing.  
      In greater detail, when the diverter valve is in the first position, the annular gasket  14  abuts against the first seat  15  and the water that enters the distribution chamber  3  is conveyed axially through a jet breaker, designated by the reference numeral  17 .  
      By means of the stem  11 , as clarified hereinafter, the diverter valve can be positioned so that the annular gasket  14  forms a seal on the second abutment seat  16 , and in this case the water is conveyed to a plurality of holes  18 , which are arranged circumferentially so as to form sprinkler-type jets.  
      The peculiarity of the invention consists in that in order to transfer the valve  10  from the first position to the second position and from the second position to the first position, a pushbutton  20  is used which can be accessed externally with respect to the tip  4  at its upper part.  
      The pushbutton can slide under the action of, and in contrast with, a pushbutton spring  21 , which acts between the internal part of the pushbutton and the top surface  31  of an actuator, generally designated by the reference numeral  30 , which is connected to the upper end of the stem  11 , externally with respect to the chamber  3 .  
      The actuator  30  is provided with opposite arms  32 , which run axially with respect to the distribution chamber  3  and are substantially parallel to the extension of the stem  11 .  
      The actuator  30  is a part of means for positioning the diverter valve, which comprise two rockers  40 , which are diametrically opposite; each rocker is fitted so that it can oscillate, on the external portion of the chamber  3 , and forms an elongated slot  41  for engagement with connection pins  33  provided at the ends of the arms  32 .  
      The rocker  40  is provided with a fulcrum  45 , which is mounted so that it can oscillate in a seat  46  of the rocker  40  formed on the external portion of the tip  4 .  
      The rocker is provided, in an upward region, with a first ramp  47 , which is inclined toward the end for connection to the pin  33 , and a second ramp  48 , which is inclined on the opposite side up to a retention portion  49  formed at the end of the second ramp.  
      To actuate the rocker  40 , there is an actuation strut, generally designated by the reference numeral  50 , which is provided substantially by means of a Y-shaped lamina, which is provided with an actuation end  51  provided at the central stem, from which branches  52  protrude which end with a respective curled diverging portion  53  and are accommodated in a seat  54  for the oscillating accommodation of the strut  50 .  
      The seat  54  is provided with curved portions  54   a  and  54   b , which are separated one another by means of a central partition  55  and allow the free oscillation of the diverging portions  53 , so as to allow the oscillation of the actuation strut as a function of the portion of ramp with which it engages.  
      The spray head further comprises a return spring  70  for the diverter valve, which acts between the lower face of the top surface  31  and the upper part of the tip  4  and is meant to set a first stable position for the diverter valve, always returning the diverter valve to such position.  
      With the diverter valve  10  in the first stable position, in which the diverter piston  13  is in contact with the first seat  15 , the rocker  46  is in the position shown in  FIG. 7 , and therefore the incoming water jet is directed toward the jet breaker  17 .  
      By acting on the pushbutton  20 , the actuation strut  50  is made to perform a translational motion, and its lower actuation end  51  is arranged at the first ramp  47  of the rocker  40 .  
      As the descent of the pushbutton  20  continues, the strut  50  is arranged as shown in  FIG. 6  and the oscillation of the rocker  40  begins, causing at the same time the descent of the actuator  30  and accordingly the descent of the valve  10 , the flow control piston whereof reaches the second position, forming a seal on the second seat  16 .  
      The rocker is thus positioned as shown in  FIG. 8 .  
      As long as the dispensing of water continues, the pressure applied by the water keeps the valve  10  in the second position, and therefore, if the user wishes to change the jet again, he can act again on the pushbutton  20 , and in this case the strut  50  engages, with its end  51 , the second ramp  48  of the rocker  40 , which by being made to oscillate about its own fulcrum  45  has the other ramp portion arranged below the rocker  40 , so that the pushbutton, in its descent, causes the oscillation of the rocker  40  in the opposite direction and consequently causes the transition from the second position to the first position.  
      If the user interrupts the dispensing of water, the return spring  70  of the valve returns the piston  13  to the first position and at the same time causes the oscillation in the opposite direction of the rocker  40 , so that it is arranged in the first position, shown in  FIG. 7 , and is arranged so that when the pushbutton  20  is actuated the valve  10  can be transferred to the second position.  
      From what has been described above, it is thus evident that the invention achieves the intended aim and objects, and in particular the fact is stressed that the actuation means provide a rocker which is made to oscillate at each movement of the valve, so that the rocker is always in a position that corresponds to the position of the valve and therefore the actuation of the pushbutton always causes transition to the other position.  
      The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims.  
      All the details may further be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.  
      In practice, the materials used, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, may be any according to requirements.  
      The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. MI2004A001472 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.