Patent Publication Number: US-11021856-B2

Title: Water mixer with lever handle

Description:
This application is a divisional application of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/032,374 filed Apr. 27, 2016, which is a continuation from PCT/AU2014/050313, filed Oct. 28, 2014, which claims priority from AU 2013904154, filed Oct. 28, 2013, all of which are incorporated herein by reference 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to water mixers, in particular those of a kind in which there is a lever handle mounted for rotation to left and right from a central position to control water temperature, and vertically to control rate of flow. In one common application of particular interest such mixers are referred to as basin mixers. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Basin mixers of the aforementioned kind typically have a mixer cartridge within a central post with a control element operated by the lever handle. The arm or spout of the mixer protrudes from the top of the post and the usual arrangement has the lever handle sitting proud of the top of the post and anti to allow the front of the lever handle to clear the edge of the post in the fully on position, in which the lever handle is most commonly inclined at 22° to horizontal. Thus, the usual mixer design has a lever handle assembly sitting on top of the mixer body. This necessary structural configuration has proven a limitation on the range of designs that can be offered by manufacturers. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide alternative options in the layout of water mixers that facilitate designs not hitherto feasible. 
     Reference to any prior art in the specification is not an acknowledgment or suggestion that this prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in any jurisdiction or that this prior art could reasonably be expected to be understood, regarded as relevant, and/or combined with other pieces of prior art by a skilled person in the art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention addresses the limitation discussed above in one aspect by reconfiguring the arrangement between the mixer body and the lever handle and, in another aspect, by re-arranging the operative relationship between the lever handle and the control element of the mixer cartridge. 
     In a first aspect, the invention provides a water mixer comprising a mixer cartridge having a control element operable to control water flow from respective hot and cold water intakes to a single water outlet so as to vary the proportions of hot and cold water at the outlet, and a lever handle operably coupled to the control element of the mixer cartridge, which lever handle is mounted for rotation to left and right from a central position to control water temperature and about a transverse axis to control rate of flow, wherein the water mixer further includes a mixer body that defines a post and, at an end of the post, a protruding arm that includes said water outlet, and the body further defines, at said end of the post and extending into the arm, a rim about a recess that receives part of the lever handle in a central off position thereof. 
     In a second aspect, the invention provides a water mixer including a mixer cartridge having a control element operable to control water flow from respective hot and cold water intakes to a single water outlet so as to vary the proportions of hot and cold water at the outlet, and a lever handle operably coupled to the control element of the mixer cartridge, which lever handle is mounted for rotation to left and right from a central position to control water temperature and about a transverse axis to control rate of flow, wherein the lever handle is pivotally mounted to a support for the lever handle at a first pivot that is fixed against translation and to the control element of the mixer cartridge at a second pivot that is slidable in a slot with respect to the lever handle and/or the control element. 
     A particularly preferred embodiment of the invention includes the features of both aspects. 
     The lever handle preferably includes a boss structure and a blade that lies atop and projects from the boss structure, and at least partially curves upwardly with respect to the mixer body to form a finger graspable part of the handle. 
     In a preferred arrangement of the second aspect of the invention, the slidable pivot is slidable in a slot in the lever handle. In this arrangement it may be provided by laterally protruding pins on the control element, for example on a cap of the control element. 
     In a preferred arrangement, the fixed first pivot defines an axis of handle rotation that is parallel to an axis of rotation of the control element on the mixer cartridge, and both axes intersect a central axis of the post of the mixer body. 
     The aforesaid rim of the mixer body may include parallel sides and a curved portion on the side of the post opposite the protruding arm, the dimensions of the rim and lever handle being such that the recess defined by the rim snugly bounds the blade of the lever handle at the boss member. 
     In a preferred arrangement, the support for the lever including the boss member is provided by an annular support member that accommodates said rotation to left and right and vertically. Preferably, there is provided a cam mechanism by which the lever handle is progressively raised as it is rotated to left or right whereby the handle blade clears the aforesaid rim of the mixer body. This cam mechanism may comprise, for example, a cam lobe projecting from the handle co-operable with a rising cam surface as the lever handle is rotated. 
     As used herein, except where the context requires otherwise, the term “comprise” and variations of the term, such as “comprising”, “comprises” and “comprised”, are not intended to exclude further additives, components, integers or steps. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a basin mixer according to one embodiment of the invention, with the lever handle in the central off position; 
         FIGS. 2 and 3  are respective plan and side elevations of the basin mixer depicted in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a vertical axial cross-section of the basin mixer, with the lever handle in its central off position; 
         FIG. 5  is a view corresponding to  FIG. 4  but with the lever handle in its central on position; 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded view of the basin mixer assembly; 
         FIG. 7  is a sequence of fragmentary side views showing the manner in which the lever handle is operably coupled to the control element of the mixer cartridge; 
         FIG. 8  is a set of views illustrating the operation of the mix control mechanism; 
         FIG. 9  depicts the cam mechanism by which the lever handle is lifted as it is rotated left or right; and 
         FIG. 10  is a view similar to  FIG. 6  of a modified embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     The illustrated basin mixer  10 , as seen its normal in situ orientation ( FIGS. 1-3 ), includes a mixer body  20  configured to define a hollow upright post  22  and, at the top of the post, a laterally protruding arm  24 . The upper edge of the mixer body  20  is defined by a rim  25  comprising parallel sides and semi-circular ends about a transversely concave shallow recess or channel  26 . The inner end of recess  26  opens into the hollow interior of post  22 . The end of rim  25  opposite arm  24  snugly receives one end of a lever handle  30  including a relatively thin blade  31 . 
     From above, blade  31  exhibits parallel sides and semi-circular ends and snugly fits within rim  25  but is shorter than the rim at the outer end of the arm. In fact, as seen in the side view of  FIG. 2 , when lever handle  30  is in its central lowermost position blade  31  has a horizontal portion  31   a  atop post  22  and substantially flush with rim  25  and an upwardly turned grip portion  31   b  that is inclined at an angle between 20 and 25°, for example 22°, to the horizontal so as to leave a comfortable space between its underside and recess  26  in which to place a finger to manipulate the handle. 
     In operation, lever handle  30  is rotated vertically (i.e. about a transverse horizontal axis) to control the rate of flow of water from a water outlet  15  onto the outer part of recess  26 , and left or right from a central position ( FIG. 1 ) to control water temperature by varying the hot/cold water mix. During this motion, the curved end of the lever arm at portion  31   a  drops into post  22  below rim  25 —in sharp contrast to conventional arrangements in which the lever handle sits proud of the mixer body and when rotated upwardly protrudes over the edge of the post  22 . The mechanism by which this advance is achieved will now be described in greater detail, with reference to  FIGS. 4 to 9 . 
     In the conventional manner, the internal water control element of the mixer is a mixer cartridge  40  mounted within post  22  with an upwardly projecting control element  42  pivoted to the cartridge body at a horizontal axis  43  ( FIG. 5 ). The mixer cartridge is retained in place by a lock nut  49 . The rate of flow is adjustable by pivoting control element  42  from a vertically aligned off position to a forwardly inclined fully on position. The proportions of hot and cold water are varied by rotating the control element about the vertical axis of the cartridge and post to vary the proportions of hot and cold water delivered from intake ports in respective pipes to water outlet nozzle  15 . Outlet nozzle  15  opens onto the recess  26  so that the water flows along the recess and over its front lip  29 . In this manner the recess and its front lip form a single water outlet or spout  18 . 
     Lever handle  30  is pivotally mounted within an annular support in the form of a rotatable bowl-shaped gimbal  50  that accommodates rotation of the handle to left and right and vertically, by means of laterally protruding pins  52  ( FIG. 6 ) on a boss structure  38  of the handle engaging complementary holes  54  on opposite sides of the gimbal. The engagement of pins  52  and holes  54  defines a pair of coaxial first pivots that are fixed against translation. Gimbal  50  rotationally rests on a swivel bearing surface  55 . Surface  55  forms part of a fixed partition member  60  that also provides a lever camming function, as will be described later. It is the rotation of the gimbal about the vertical axis of the post that permits the earlier described left and right rotation of the lever handle: depending snaps  51  on the gimbal interact with corresponding stops to define the limits of rotation. 
     Cartridge control element  42  has an end cap  45  with integral oppositely laterally protruding pins  47  that engage the opposed slots  39  ( FIG. 7 ) within boss structure  38  of the lever handle.  FIG. 7  illustrates how the resultant pair of sliding pivots  48 , a “second” pivot with respect to first pivot  52 , 54 , that is slidable with respect to lever handle  30 , allows upward rotation of the lever handle  30  about its translationally fixed pivots  52 , to effect rotation of the mixer cartridge control element  42 . It will be seen that this arrangement permits the handle pivot to be fixed and thereby allows the handle to be mounted at or below the rim of the mixer body rather than sitting above the body and rotating over its front edge, as in a conventional construction. It will of course be understood that pivots  48  can be slidable with respect to the lever handle and/or the control element. 
     It will be seen that the first, fixed, pivots  52 , 54  define an axis of handle rotation that is parallel to an axis of rotation of the control element on the mixer cartridge, and both axes intersect a central vertical axis of the post of the mixer body. 
     It has already been mentioned that rotation of the lever handle  30  left and right with its mounting gimbal  50  controls the proportional mix of hot and cold water in the usual manner. Partition member  60  has an upstanding land  62  facing arm  24  with a shaped cut-out  64  ( FIG. 9 ). This shaped cut-out in turn defines a pair of cam surfaces  65   a ,  65   b  that are engaged by a cam lobe  68  on the underside of the lever handle to guide the lever handle gently and progressively upwardly as it is rotated left or right, whereby the lever handle can clear the straight side segments of rim  25 . This movement of course opens the water flow to a certain extent, which can be further increased by using the fingers to further lift the lever handle. 
       FIG. 8  depicts in side view and plan view one of the extreme positions of the lever handle  30 , in which the handle has rotated left 45° and been lifted the full 22° to obtain a full hot water mix. It will be seen that the end  31   a  of the lever handle  30  opposite the spout or arm  24  has descended below rim  25  and furthermore below the rim of gimbal  50 . 
       FIG. 10  depicts an alternative embodiment in which like parts are indicated by like reference numerals preceded by a “1”. Modifications include replacement of the gimbal  50  by a simple ring  150  that has integral, opposed inwardly projecting pins  152  on which lever handle  130  rotates about a horizontal axis. Ring  150  internally retains a sealing washer  200  to prevent ingress into the mechanism of water carried by a wet hand of a user grasping the lever handle. 
     Partition member  60  with its camming action is here provided by a top fixture  160  with a circular opening that receives handle lever boss structure  138 . Fixture  160  further has a forwardly projecting ledge  162  with an upper face transversely shaped as a shaped cam surface  165  to engage a cam lobe (not visible) on the underside of the lever handle to guide the lever handle gently and progressively upwardly as it is rotated left or right, whereby the lever handle can clear the straight side segments of rim  125 . The subassembly of lever handle  130 , fixture  160 , ring  150  and sealing washer  200  is fastened down by screws  202  that engaged threaded holes  204  on mixer body  120 .