Patent Publication Number: US-2023160187-A1

Title: Sanitary fitting with a multi-function option and hybrid operation

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/EP2021/071315 filed Jul. 29, 2021, which designated the United States, and claims the benefit under 35 USC § 119(a)-(d) of European Application No. 20189056.3 filed Jul. 31, 2020, the entireties of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a sanitary fitting for dispensing tap water and treated water. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The prior art discloses what are known as multi-function fittings which can dispense not only plain tap water but additionally, for example, also treated water, such as chilled or carbonated water (sparkling water). 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the present invention is to be able to provide a sanitary fitting which allows more convenient operation. 
     The sanitary fitting according to the present invention initially constitutes such a multi-function fitting which allows tap water and treated water, which is of at least one treatment type, to be dispensed. 
     The treatment type may include, for example, the following treatments for water: the water may have been treated, for example, by filtering. Furthermore, the multi-function fitting can optionally also provide boiling water in order to prepare tea or other hot beverages or in order to provide boiling water for cooking processes and preparing food. One typical application in which relatively small quantities of hot water are also specifically required is, for example, pouring the hot water over tomatoes in order to remove the skin from them. The multi-function fitting may optionally also provide chilled and/or carbonated water. In the case of sparkling water, it may be advantageous to serve it chilled, and therefore the multi-function fitting can couple, for example, a carbonator to a chilling device, and the carbonator and chilling device may also be integrated as one structural unit. The water is then, for example, chilled and if required subsequently carbonated. In addition, a treatment type in which the taste of the water is changed by way of, for example, flavorings being added can also be taken into consideration. However, in principle, further treatment types are also feasible and not restricted to the above. A sanitary fitting according to the present invention can provide at least one or else also a selection of different treatment types. 
     Depending on the exemplary embodiment, the following treatment devices, amongst others, can also be taken into consideration:
         a boiler for producing hot, in particular, boiling, water and/or   a chilling device for producing chilled water and/or   a carbonator for producing carbonated water or sparkling water, wherein, in particular, a carbonator can be connected downstream of a chilling device because sparkling water is preferably generally served cold and/or   a filter device for producing filtered water; whereas for washing processes (washing hands, washing fruit or vegetables) the precise degree of hardness of the water generally does not play a role, this is essential for other intended uses, for example, preparing tea, because, for example, soft water is used for this purpose, in particular, so that the tea can develop the desired aroma, and/or   a device for adding substances, in particular, flavorings.       

     The sanitary fitting according to the present invention additionally has a control unit for controlling the respective water flow, both of the tap water and the treated water. Control for the purposes of the present invention means open-loop control and/or closed-loop control. Closed-loop control is performed, for example, by detection using sensors for checking the physical parameters such as temperature, with a control signal or no control signal being fed back to the structural unit to be controlled when a parameter does not lie in a predetermined value range, in order to once again change the properties of the water to be dispensed. For example, a mechanical actuating unit can be actuated, so that the hot water line is opened to a greater extent when the temperature is too low, whereas as the temperature rises and the specified parameter is exceeded, the hot water line is once again increasingly closed. 
     Instead of a single control unit, a plurality of control units, respectively for hot and/or cold and/or mixed tap water and for the treated water, can also be provided. Furthermore, in principle, the control unit can also be designed as an overall control unit for tap water or for treated water. The control unit can be subdivided into partial control units. 
     Furthermore, an operating unit is provided for contactlessly influencing one of the water flows or both water flows and for generating and forwarding control signals to the control unit. Therefore, the sanitary fitting according to the present invention is distinguished, in particular, in that it can be operated in a simple and convenient manner even though it is designed as a multi-function fitting and provides a large number of output options which go well beyond setting the quantity of water. Contactless operation has the advantage, in particular, that it can satisfy extremely high requirements in respect of hygiene because the fitting does not have to be touched. Specifically, when preparing food, the operator/cook&#39;s hands have traces of foodstuffs and these traces of foodstuffs are accordingly wiped on and adhere to the fittings when the fittings are touched. Conventional fittings which have been contaminated in this way have to be cleaned, sometimes at great expense. Furthermore, the operator may have to use both hands, for example, to carry a pot, and therefore may not be able to operate an operating unit, that can be operated via contact and has to be operated manually, or do so only with difficulty. 
     A control signal is understood to mean, in principle, an item of information which the operating unit forwards to the control unit. This control signal may be a purely mechanical signal, for example, rotation about a specific angle, a translational movement, a helical movement or the like. However, furthermore, the control signal may also be an electrical signal (digital or analog), an optical signal (for example, an infrared signal) or some other electromagnetic signal, a change in magnetic field or a combination of any signals. The information content is also freely selectable in principle and may, for example, include: a quantity of water per unit time, temperature, type of treatment, mixing ratio etc. The operating logic which can be carried out using the control signal is generally also freely definable, is optionally also reprogrammable and can be matched to the water inflow conditions. 
     Both water flows, specifically the water flow for plain tap water and the water flow for treated water, can particularly advantageously be subjected to open-loop control or closed-loop control via the operating unit which forwards control signals to the control unit. The water flow of the treated water can, in turn, also be subdivided into a plurality of water flows or a plurality of water flows (connected in parallel) when the fitting allows water to be dispensed by several treatment types. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, it is also conceivable for a water flow which is also operated only purely mechanically, for example, the tap water actuating member for mixing hot and cold water, to be branched off. 
     The contactless operating unit can work in different ways depending on the exemplary embodiment. In principle, it comprises a sensor which allows processes in which the fitting is not handled and which can then be interpreted as commands and can be forwarded on to the control unit as control signals to be recognized. For example, an infrared sensor can be used for this purpose. On account of the thermal radiation which originates from the operator, the sensor reacts in a corresponding manner when the operator is at a certain distance from, or closer than this distance to, the sensor. 
     In principle, (other) motion detectors can be used in addition or as an alternative to this. In addition to optical sensors, acoustic sensors, in particular, voice recognition units, can also be used, these reacting to noises (for example, clapping noises, whistles or the like) or comprising a voice recognition unit which understands and implements specific voice commands. 
     Voice recognition generally provides the advantage that the commands can be recognized and implemented very precisely. Furthermore, there is generally no confusion because the commands are not encoded or are encoded only to a limited extent: the operator can directly vocalize which command he wants to make and does not have to remember any codes, for example “clap once” for turning on the water flow, “clap twice” for turning off the water flow. Therefore, in the case of voice control, it is, in principle, also easier to be able to implement a fundamentally unlimited number of multi-function options. 
     Furthermore, numerous optical sensors can advantageously also be used, for example, distance sensors such as time-of-flight sensors (TOF sensors). These sensors can determine the distance between the operator and the sensor, and therefore this function can also be used for operating purposes. Therefore, it is also possible to distinguish between whether a person is only coincidently in the vicinity of the fitting or actually wants to operate the fitting. Furthermore, for example, inductive or capacitive sensors with which the presence of an operator can likewise be detected can also be used. 
     At least two sensors can also be used in principle, so that, in particular, a combination or a sequence of operating signals can lead to corresponding open-loop control or closed-loop control of the sanitary fitting. In this way, operation can be performed not only in a particularly convenient manner but it can also be expediently matched to specific situations. 
     Furthermore, it should be taken into consideration that fundamental risks may also be associated with different treatment variants. If the sanitary fitting comprises, for example, the option of outputting boiling water, it is advantageous to implement a safety function, so that boiling water is not accidentally dispensed and the operator is not injured. Above all, the safety function can be designed such that it is also suitable as a child protection means. For this purpose, a command signal or a combination of command signals is used in order to convey boiling water, which command signal or combination of command signals can be replicated by children only with difficulty and above all is generated by coincidence only with difficulty. All of these options can be assisted by using the abovementioned sensors. 
     Nevertheless, the situation that the sanitary fitting furthermore also comprises an operating unit, that can be operated via contact, for manual operation with which control signals can be generated and forwarded to the control unit is not precluded. Such an operating unit may be, for example, a rotary knob or a one-hand-operation lever or some other mechanical operating device which converts a mechanical gesture into a mechanical actuating process. It is also conceivable for a mechanical process to be triggered by contact and, in turn, to be detected by an electronic sensor which forwards the operating signal. The operating unit is then a mechatronic operating unit and not a purely mechanically working operating unit. Such an additional operating unit that can be operated via contact can provide several advantages. 
     Firstly, the operating unit that can be operated via contact can optionally be used in order to be able to still operate the fitting even when operation via the contactless operating unit is currently not possible. This does not necessarily have to be a technical defect. It is conceivable, for example, for an optical sensor to be blocked because it is possible when preparing food for the optical sensor to be covered, for example, with residues of sauce and for its sensory function to be adversely affected as a result. If the operator has overlooked this circumstance or does not have the option of effectively cleaning the sensor, it is still possible to perform manual operation. 
     Furthermore, it may also be expedient for third parties, for example, people not in a household, to nevertheless be able to operate the sanitary fitting even if they are unfamiliar with contactless operation, particularly with non-intuitively understandable commands for conveying specially treated water. 
     Furthermore, it is possible to provide operation via a combination of mechanical and contactless signals. This may be expedient, for example, if it is intended to be made difficult for a dispensing function to be triggered, such as that for boiling water for example. 
     In an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the control unit can comprise a hydraulic unit for influencing one or both water flows, which hydraulic unit is arranged within the fitting body, in particular, above a water collection basin. In this way, an extremely compact sanitary fitting which requires little installation space is formed. A sanitary fitting of this kind is generally arranged above a wash basin, sink or some other water collection device. 
     In one variant embodiment of the present invention, a mixing cartridge, in particular, a cartridge with an open output, or another actuating member can further be provided in order to premix one or both water flows to a predefined temperature. In principle, a mixing cartridge of this kind can also be arranged above or level with or possibly even below the water collection basin. The cartridge may be, for example, a cartridge with an open output, that is to say the cartridge is not separately shut off in the direction of the conveying capacity by means of a dedicated valve. Moreover, in an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the sanitary fitting can initially have a common conveying line for tap water and treated water. The conveying line leads directly to the output of the sanitary fitting. Depending on the selection made by the operator, tap water or else one of the treated waters is conducted by the conveying line. This measure substantially simplifies the design of the fitting and, in particular, increases the compactness because parallel lines do not have to be provided over the entire length of the fitting. 
     As already described, in one development of the present invention, the operating unit that can be operated via contact or the contactless operating unit can be designed for exerting a further control function, preferably canceling or establishing a safety lock, specifically in the case of boiling water. In a development of this kind, for example, at least one sensor can be used to generate control signals for different uses and functions by combining the control signals or by combining the sensors. In order to form a safety lock, provision can be made, for example, for a specific code to be forwarded to the sensor. In the case of an operating unit which can be operated purely via contact, this can be achieved, for example, by way of the operating unit being pushed and simultaneously rotated, this making, in particular, operation by children difficult. It is also conceivable for, for example, contactlessly working sensors to be combined with one another in this way by way of a proximity sensor (IR sensor, a TOF sensor, a photoelectric barrier or the like) being addressed/triggered, but at the same time an acoustic command being required in parallel in order to be able to convey boiling water, for example. 
     It is also conceivable in principle for acoustic signals to be encoded. A command can involve, for example, repeated or rhythmic tapping or clapping being carried out. Furthermore, an operating unit that can be operated via contact and a contactless operating unit can be combined for forming a safety lock: for example, for the purpose of triggering the function, a mechanical lever has to be operated and at the same time a contactlessly working sensor has to be addressed (acoustically, by proximity of the hand to the sensor etc.). 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are illustrated in the drawings and will be explained in more detail below indicating further details and advantages. 
         FIG.  1    shows a schematic section through a sanitary fitting according to the present invention; and 
         FIG.  2    shows a schematic illustration of a further sanitary fitting according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG.  1    shows a schematic section through a sanitary fitting  1  according to the present invention having a fitting body  2  (water tap) to which a water outlet  3  is attached. A conveying capacity  4  leads to this water outlet  3 , the conveying capacity being able to be fed from two water flows, specifically the line  5  for plain tap water (water without further treatment, filtered or prefiltered) and the line  6  for treated water. For this purpose, the line  6  for treated water is schematically connected to a water treatment device  7 , not specified in any detail. 
     The water treatment device may be, for example, a boiler with which water up to boiling water can be produced. However, it may also be a carbonator which is coupled to a chilling device and with which sparkling water is produced. It is also conceivable for a plurality of treatment devices for several treatment types to be connected in parallel and provide a large number of treatment functions. 
     The treatment device  7  is fed by a water supply line  8  which can coincide, for example, with the line  5 . 
     The fitting  1  initially comprises an operating unit  9  which can be operated purely via contact and which comprises a one-hand-operation lever  9 . 1  and a rotary knob  9 . 2 . The one-hand-operation lever  9 . 1  can be used to control the conveyed quantity of water or the volumetric flow rate, and the rotary knob  9 . 2  can be used to control the water temperature. 
     Furthermore, further sensors  10 . 1  and  10 . 2  are also provided, which together form the contactless operating unit  10 . The sensor  10 . 1  is integrated directly in the sanitary fitting  1 . The sensor  10 . 1  may be, for example, an infrared sensor or a TOF sensor which recognizes when a person is in the immediate vicinity of the sanitary fitting, in particular, the hands are moving in the direction of the fitting  1 . The sensor  10 . 2  is a voice recognition box which can be placed at a central point in the area. 
     The operating unit  9  that can be operated via contact can forward control signals in principle also in the form of mechanical control signals by way of, for example, valves being directly actuated. According to the present exemplary embodiment from  FIG.  1   , an electronics signal is forwarded to a control unit  11  via the lines  11 . 1  and  11 . 2  by the mechanical operation, and the control unit can, in turn, conduct control signals to a mixing unit  12  or to the treatment device  7  via the lines  11 . 3 ,  11 . 4 . 
     Analogously to this, the sensors  10 . 1  and  10 . 2  pass on signals to the control unit  13  via corresponding lines  13 . 1 ,  13 . 2 . The line  13 . 2  may be, in particular, a wireless connection, such as a Bluetooth™ connection for example. The control unit  13  generates control signals which are forwarded to the mixing unit  12  and, respectively, to the treatment unit  7  via the lines  13 . 3  and, respectively,  13 . 4 . 
     In the present exemplary embodiment according to  FIG.  1   , the interconnection of the control units  11 ,  13  is provided such that, in particular, the signals can also be coupled to one another since the control units  11 ,  13  are linked to one another or interconnected via the line  14 . This allows control signals from the operating unit  9  that can be operated via contact and from the contactlessly working operating unit  10  to be combined and therefore for the command spectrum for different functions to be able to be extended. 
     One of the sensors may trigger, for example, in the case of a brief (&lt;1 second) recognition signal of an object, such as the hand for example, the flow of plain tap water. In the case of a renewed recognition signal, the flow of plain tap water is stopped, this corresponding to an ON/OFF function. At the same time, a hybrid function of the fitting  1  is therefore identified. If the sensor is activated for longer than 1 second, for example, that is to say is exposed to a recognition signal which lasts for longer than 1 second, the hot water function of the multi-function fitting is enabled (for example, also possible by a specific rotation/push combination of a rotary/push knob). As long as the recognition signal is present, a hot water function can be operated. Safety functions such as child protection against boiling water, for example, can be implemented using this or a similar combination. 
     The control units  11 ,  13  can be combined, for example, by a logic circuit by way of the different signals from the sensors being linked via logic links and therefore the corresponding control signals being produced. 
     The water outlet  3  is located directly above a water collection basin  15  which is situated beneath the level of the mixing cartridge  12 . 
       FIG.  2    shows a schematic illustration of a further sanitary fitting according to the present invention. The entire fitting  1  is fed by a cold water line  8 . 1  and a hot water line  8 . 2 . The cold water line  8 . 1  branches:
         either in order to be treated by means of the water treatment device  7  (be it by a carbonator or a chilling device or a filter or else by a boiler)   or in order to be conducted through without treatment or to be mixed with hot water  8 . 2 .       

     The branch which is not provided with the treatment device  7  branches for a second time here, specifically:
         in one case the cold water from the supply line  8 . 1  is conducted directly to an actuating member  20  for tap water, which actuating member is regulated or controlled via a control unit  21  for tap water. The control unit  21  is operated via a contactless operating unit which, as already shown in  FIG.  1   , as a sensor, parallel I/O, as a voice control means, as is available under the trade name “Alexa” for example.   The other branch leads to an actuating member  18  for tap water, which actuating member causes hot water from the supply line  8 . 2  to be admixed in order to obtain a desired water temperature. The actuating member  18  is integrated into a mechanical overall operating unit  23  here, with the actuating member  18  being directly controlled via a control unit  11  which, in turn, can be operated by the user by way of an operating unit that can be operated via contact.       

     The branch which is provided with the treatment device  7  can likewise be operated contactlessly via the operating unit  10 . The water treatment device  7  is controlled via an actuating member  19  which, for its part, is controlled by the control unit  13 . The control unit  13  is operated either contactlessly, as already explained, via the operating unit  10 , but may also be operated mechanically via the operating unit  22 . Prioritization of mechanical as opposed to contactless operation may be provided in the control unit  13 , or a decision is made on the basis of the chronological order of the signals. 
     All the exemplary embodiments and developments of the present invention share the common feature that a sanitary fitting in the form of a multi-function fitting can be combined with a contactless operating unit and therefore can also be extended, in particular, to the hybrid fitting, primarily for tap water. 
     In a particularly preferred exemplary embodiment, the flow of tap water (that is to say the cold water and/or hot water from the regular water line without treatment) can be influenced by means of operating units which are combined with one another for contactless influencing and/or for influencing with contact. Therefore, specifically for the water flow which is to be used fundamentally most frequently, a broad operating spectrum is available which can be conveniently adapted in an optimal manner to the given situations, for example, in the case of the operator having sticky hands requiring cleaning when cooking/baking, or in the case of a change in operator in the event of which operation should proceed in as self-explanatory a manner as possible. In the case of parallel operation of the operating unit working contactlessly or the operating unit working with contact, prioritization can be predetermined via the control units, so that one overrides the other, with it advantageously being possible for the operating unit which works with contact to be granted preference in order to avoid incorrect operation. 
     REFERENCE SIGNS 
     
         
           1  Sanitary fitting 
           2  Fitting body/water tap 
           3  Water outlet 
           4  Conveying line 
           5  Line for plain tap water 
           6  Line for treated water 
           7  Water treatment device 
           8  Water supply line 
           8 . 1  Supply line for cold water 
           8 . 2  Supply line for hot water 
           9  Operating unit that can be operated via contact 
           9 . 1  One-hand-operation lever 
           9 . 2  Rotary knob 
           10  Contactless operating unit 
           10 . 1  Contactless sensor 
           10 . 2  Contactless sensor (voice control means) 
           11  Control unit 
           11 . 1  Signal line 
           11 . 2  Signal line 
           11 . 3  Line for control signal 
           11 . 4  Line for control signal 
           12  Mixing unit 
           13  Control unit 
           13 . 1  Signal line 
           13 . 2  Signal line 
           13 . 3  Line for control signal 
           13 . 4  Line for control signal 
           14  Line for linking the control units 
           15  Water collection basin 
           18  Actuating member for tap water 
           19  Actuating member for treated water 
           20  Actuating member for tap water 
           21  Control unit for tap water 
           22  Operating unit for treated water 
           23  Mechanical overall operating unit