Abstract:
This invention relates to a hot and cold water mixer tap for bath tubs, showers and the like which incorporates a multi-functional group comprising a thermostatic unit ( 14 ) to control mixing and temperature of the water, and of a flow diverter unit ( 15 ) to selectively deliver water to one or at least two outlets. The thermostatic unit ( 14 ) and the flow diverter unit ( 15 ) are pre-assembled in a cartridge configuration and one part of the thermostatic unit forms a means for controlling the flow deviator.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention concerns the bathroom finishing, both for external and recessed installations, for bath tubs, showers and the like, and refer in particular to a hot and cold mixer tap, housing a thermostatic unit for regulating the temperature of the water delivered and means for selectively diverting the water flow towards at least two different outlets.  
           [0002]    2. State of the Art  
           [0003]    In the field of bathroom finishing hot and cold water mixer valves are known which incorporate a cartridge system and consequently mixer taps housing these mixer valves are already known. The latter usually have two separate hot or cold water entrances and a single water exit towards the outlet.  
           [0004]    Also well known are the thermostatic mixer taps, that is to say equipped with a thermostatic system which enables the water temperature in output to be set and then automatically regulated, by adjusting the ratio of cold water to hot water to be mixed.  
           [0005]    In tap fittings for bath tubs and showers flow diverter systems towards at least two different outlets are also used. These diverter systems however usually form a unit of their own, associated but not integrated with the valve fittings and/or thermostatic control of the mixing and temperature of the water.  
         OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    One object of the present invention is to provide a thermostatic, mixer tap also incorporating a flow diverter unit for selective feed of at least two different outlets.  
           [0007]    Another object of the invention is to supply a cold and hot water mixer tap incorporating an integrated thermostatic unit and a flow diverter system in a group configured like a cartridge and therefore easy to manipulate, easy to place in position in the body of a tap and easy to remove and to maintain.  
           [0008]    A further object of the invention is to achieve a thermostatic mixer tap, complete with a flow diverter system with two aligned and easy to access control means, one for the thermostatic unit and the other for opening/closing the water and the flow diverter system, and where a part of the thermostatic unit is used as a means for operating the flow diverter.  
           [0009]    These objects and implicit advantages which derive from them are reached, in compliance with the present invention, with a thermostatic tap according to at least claim  1 . 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    The invention will be described more in detail following the present specification made in reference to the enclosed indicative and not limiting drawings, in which:  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is an exploded view and cross-section of the components in the cartridge group made up of the thermostatic mixer unit and flow diverter unit;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIGS. 2 and 3 are two external views from opposite sides of the assembled cartridge group;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 is the cartridge group seen from below;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 5 is a cross-section of the group in FIGS. 2 and 3 inserted in a bath tub group;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIGS. 6 and 7 are a view from the side and overhead of the bath tub group in FIG. 5;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 8 is a cartridge group to form part of a tap for a shower;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 9 is a cross-section of the group in FIG. 8 inserted into the said tap: and FIG. 10 is a recessed tap housing a cartridge group according to the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0018]    As illustrated in FIGS.  1 - 5 , the tap comprises a body  11  having a housing  12  in which there is assembled and axially blocked by a ring nut  13 , with an interposed anti-friction ring  13 ′, a group configured as a cartridge made up of a thermostatic unit  14  and a flow diverter unit  15 .  
         [0019]    The tap body  11  has an entrance for hot water  16 , an entrance for cold water  17 , each with a one way valve, a first exit  18  to an outlet, such as the bath tub, and a second exit  19  towards another outlet, such as a shower.  
         [0020]    The cartridge group includes a cartridge body  20 , substantially cylindrical and hollow, equipped with outer seals  21  at different levels, closed at the bottom by a base  22  and supporting at the top a coupling  23 , screwed to it with a seal  23 ′ inserted between them.  
         [0021]    On the side wall of the cartridge body  20 , which can be turned in its housing  12 , there is a first water inlet  24  and a second water inlet  25 , at two different heights, in zones between the outer seals  21 . The first inlet  24  is in fluid communication with the hot water entrance  16 ; the second inlet  25  is in fluid communication with the cold water entrance  17  of the tap body  11 . The first and second inlets  24 ,  25  are enclosed by filters  24 ′,  25 ′ and lead into a mixing chamber  26  inside the cartridge body  20 .  
         [0022]    The base  22  has at least one reference pin  22 ′ for positioning the cartridge group in the tap body  11  and to prevent the bottom of the same from turning. The bottom has two holes  22 ″ each of which receives a pin  27 ,  27 ′ with an elastomeric material ring  28  positioned between them. Said pins, preferably ceramic, enclose two ports  29 ,  29 ′ coinciding with the water exits  18 ,  19 , each feeding its respective output.  
         [0023]    A distributor plate  30  resting hard against a seal  30 ′ and turning on the pins  27 ,  27 ′ is positioned in the cartridge body  20 . This plate  30 , preferably ceramic, has a hole or out of centre opening  31  running width wise through it, positioning itself in line with each of the output ports  29 ,  29 ′ following rotation of the plate itself.  
         [0024]    The rotation of the distributor plate  30  is enabled by its tooth  20 ′ engaging the cartridge body  20 , and the cartridge body is turned by a handle or lever  32  fixed to the sleeve  23  and connected to a ring  33  to a position index indicating the closed position of the tap. The handle or lever  32  can be marked with references or icons to show which port  29 , 29 ′ and therefore which output is being supplied by opening the tap. Rotation of the cartridge body  20 , and therefore lining up of the hole or opening  31  to be in line with one or the other output port, is limited by a stop dowel  20   a  fixed to the body and moving in a slot  22   a  cut in the base  22 .  
         [0025]    Inside the cartridge body  20 , that is in the mixing chamber  26 , opposite the two hot and cold water inlets  24  and  25  and moving axially to the latter, there is a control piston  34  to control the delivery of the two types of water in input. The control piston  34  is connected and moves, as is known, by means of a heat sensitive bulb placed in the centre of the mixing chamber  26  so as to change the ratio of hot and cold water to be mixed and to maintain the temperature of the water delivered constant. The water entering the mixing chamber  26  flows from the latter to the distributor plate  30  to exit towards a user depending on which hole or opening  31  of the plate is in line with one or the other of the two exit ports  29 , 29 ′.  
         [0026]    The heat sensitive bulb  35  is connected by means of springs  36 ,  37 . One end being connected to the cartridge body  20  and the other to a turning regulating rod  38  by means of a cap  39  and a slider  40 . This slider  40  is guided in the sleeve  23  and in  38 ′ screwed to the rod  38  which is itself attached to a control knob  41 , by turning which it is possible to position the heat sensitive bulb  35 , and by means of the latter the control piston  34  of the delivery of the two types of water entering, so as to set or change the temperature of the water being delivered to the outputs. The temperature selected may be set by blocking the position of the control knob by means of a pushbutton  42  with connected spring  42 ′ and pin  42 ″.  
         [0027]    In this way, once the temperature of the water has been selected, simply turn the handle or lever  32 , starting from the closed position, to send the water either to one or the other of the provided outlets.  
         [0028]    Furthermore, by introducing an insert  43  into the slot  22   a , so as to partially fill it, it will be possible to limit the rotation of the cartridge body and consequently the distributor plate  30  so as to deliver to one output only, excluding the other.  
         [0029]    The group made up of a thermostatic unit and a pre-assembled flow diverter unit in the form of a cartridge may be used both in bath tub groups and as taps for shower cubicles, both as external or recessed fixtures.  
         [0030]    FIGS.  5 - 7  show an application for a bath tub group to deliver water to the tub and to the shower.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIGS. 8 and 9 are a cartridge group  44  for shower tap and a tap  45  housing this group, where the same or similar components as those described above are indicated with the same reference numbers.  
         [0032]    Finally, in FIG. 10 we have a recessed tap  45  housing a cartridge group, which includes a thermostatic unit  14  with relative control knob  41  and a diverter  15  with respective control handle or lever  32 , and where the cartridge group is enclosed in a container  46  to adapt to the size of the group so as to enable this to be used instead of mixer valves which have standard sizes.