Patent Description:
Mixing taps are used for dispensing mixed water. Such a mixing tap comprises a mixing device for dispensing mixed water. The mixing device comprises a first inlet for cold water, a second inlet for hot water and an outlet. By operating the mixing device, a desired ratio of hot and cold water can be set and a desired amount of mixed water can be dispensed to the outlet. Depending on the setting of the mixing device, the mixed water may be a mixture of cold and hot water, but may also be all cold water or all hot water.

The mixing device may have a single operating element to set both the volumetric flow of the mixed water and the mixing ratio between hot and cold water. The mixing device may also have two or more operating elements, for example one for setting the volumetric flow of cold water and one for setting the volumetric flow of hot water, thus defining the mixing ratio and the amount of mixed water.

A certain type of mixing taps is provided with a pull-out nozzle. To this end, the mixing tap comprises an at least partly flexible hose, which comprises a water conduit having an inflow end and an outflow end. The inflow end is connected to the outlet of the mixing device and the outflow end ends in a nozzle for dispensing the mixed water which is provided near a dispensing end of the spout. In this case, the mixing tap is provided with an accommodation duct for receiving at least a portion of the hose which runs from a fitting end of the tap body to a dispensing end of the spout. The hose with nozzle can be displaced with respect to the spout between a pulled-out position, in which the hose protrudes from the dispensing end, and a normal position, in which the hose does not protrude from the dispensing end or to a lesser degree.

With such a mixing tap, the hose with nozzle is thus displaceable from a normal position to a pulled-out position, in which the hose projects from the spout. Due to the flexibility of the hose, the nozzle can be swung with respect to the spout in the pulled-out position, which makes it possible to increase the reach of the water jet flowing out of the nozzle, for example in order also to reach the corners of the sink. These mixing taps are also referred to as mixing taps with pull-out aerator.

<CIT> discloses a mixing tap with pull-out nozzle, comprising two ports for connection to cold and hot water supply lines, and a third port for connection to a special-water supply line. The ports are connected to the pull-out nozzle via a flexible water supply line and mechanical control valves.

<CIT> discloses a mixing tap with pull-out hose. In the tap body a magnetic sensor is provided. When the pull-out hose is pulled out of the tap body, this movement may be detected by the magnetic sensor and dispensing of water from the mixing tap may be activated. Thus, activation of the mixing tap is made more easy.

<CIT> and <CIT> disclose mixing taps in which the dispensing of water may be stopped when the dispensing hose is pulled out of the tap body. Although the water flow is stopped when the hose is pulled out of the tap body, operating means are provided to activate the dispense of water from the dispensing assemblies once the dispensing hose is pulled out of the tap body.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved mixing tap for dispensing water.

The invention provides a mixing tap for dispensing water according to claim <NUM>.

According to the invention, the functionality of the known mixing tap with pull-out nozzle is significantly increased by designing this type of taps for supplying an additional type of water, for example very hot or boiling water, from a single spout with pull-out nozzle.

To this end, a second water conduit is provided in the displaceable hose with nozzle for supplying and dispensing water originating from a water source. The water source may be, for example, a device for dispensing very hot or boiling water, for example water having a temperature of more than <NUM> degrees Celsius, or a device for dispensing cold water and/or cooled water, in which the cold water and/or cooled water is preferably filtered cold and/or cooled water. The water source may also be a water source for dispensing carbonated water.

By providing the second water conduit in the hose, the water originating from the water source which is also dispensed via the nozzle does in this case not come into contact with the water in the first water conduit, or only to a substantially smaller degree. This is particularly advantageous with water which is intended for consumption, such as very hot or boiling water and/or filtered cold or filtered cooled water, because the fresh water is not mixed with other water, in particular hot water which has been present in a boiler or the like at elevated temperature. Further, when the supply of water originating from the water source is opened, no mixed water will initially be dispensed first via the nozzle as a result of using a common water conduit for both mixed water and water originating from the water source to the nozzle of the mixing tap.

The tap body has a fitting end for fitting the tap body in or on a fitting opening. The fitting opening is, for example, an opening provided in a worktop, in which case the water supply for cold and hot water and the water supply conduit coming from the water source can be arranged under the worktop.

After the tap body has been fitted, the dispensing end of the spout is usually situated above the worktop, in particular directly above a sink arranged in the worktop. The spout may have a curved shape. Also, the spout may be pivotable with respect to the worktop, so that the dispensing end and thus the nozzle can be displaced with respect to the worktop/sink.

The mixing device may be any device provided in a tap body for mixing cold and hot water and dispensing it. The mixing device may comprise one or more operating elements with operating valves for operating the mixing device. By means of these one or more operating elements, it is possible to adjust both the volumetric flow of mixed water and the mixing ratio between the cold water and the hot water. Preferably, the mixing device comprises an operating element which is configured to adjust both the volumetric flow of mixed water and the ratio between the amount of cold water and hot water to be dispensed. Such operating elements are known per se.

The mixing tap comprises an at least partly flexible hose with a first water conduit which passes the mixed water from the outlet of the mixing device to a nozzle which is provided near the dispensing end of the spout. The nozzle is attached to the hose so that it can move together with the hose with respect to the spout. In the tap body and the spout, an accommodation duct is provided for receiving at least a portion of the hose. The hose is displaceable with respect to the spout between a pulled-out position, in which the hose protrudes with respect to the dispensing end, and a normal position, in which the hose does not protrude, or at least to a lesser degree, with respect to the dispensing end. As a result of the flexibility of the hose or at least a portion of the hose which protrudes with respect to the dispensing end in the pulled-out position of the hose, the nozzle attached to an end of the hose is pivotable with respect to the spout.

The hose may comprise various hose parts, for example a first hose part and a second hose part which is situated in line with the first hose part. The first hose part may comprise only the first water conduit and the second hose part may comprise the first and the second water conduit, with the connection connecting the water supply conduit coming from the water source being provided between the first hose part and the second hose part.

The nozzle is suitable both for dispensing mixed water from the first water conduit and the water coming from the water source from the second water conduit. To this end, the nozzle may be provided with two outflow openings.

The mixing tap of the present invention is configured to dispense water from the water source only when the hose is in the normal position.

In an embodiment, the mixing tap comprises a position sensor for determining the position of the hose with respect to the spout. In certain embodiments, it may be desirable to determine the position of the hose with respect to the spout. For example, when the water source is a source of very hot or boiling water, it may be desired to only dispense very hot or boiling water, when the hose and the nozzle are in the normal position. In order to make this possible, a position sensor may be provided to determine the position of the hose with respect to the spout and allowing very hot or boiling water to be dispensed from the water source in dependence thereof.

Such a position sensor may be any suitable sensor, such as a proximity sensor or a contact sensor. The position sensor is preferably fitted in the tap body.

In an embodiment, the mixing tap comprises an operating element for operating the dispensing of water coming from the water source by the mixing tap. It has to be possible to operate the water source for dispensing water so that it can dispense water via the second water conduit, if desired. To this end, the mixing tap may be provided with an operating element which is preferably fitted on the tap body.

In an embodiment, the operating element is configured to emit an electrical operating signal. An electrical operating signal to be emitted by the operating element can readily be used to operate a valve which can be actuated electrically and is situated at a distance, for example near the water source.

In an alternative embodiment, the operating element is mechanically connected to a valve in the second water conduit and/or in the water supply conduit of the water source to the connection, so that the dispensing of water from the water source can be controlled directly by operating the valve by means of the operating element.

In an embodiment, the operating element is an operating ring extending around the tap body. An operating ring extending around the tap body forms an optically appealing operating element which can easily be operated by a user.

In an embodiment, the hose is provided with a ballast element for pulling the hose with nozzle to the normal position and/or keeping the hose with nozzle in the normal position. Often it is desired to place or keep the hose and nozzle in the normal position when the mixing tap is not being used. In order to allow this to happen automatically, or at least in order to facilitate moving the hose and nozzle to the normal position, a ballast element may be provided on the hose. The ballast element, for example a relatively heavy mass which is attached to the hose, is provided to pull the hose and thus the nozzle in the direction of the normal position, or to keep the hose and nozzle in the normal position if the hose and nozzle are already in the normal position.

In an embodiment, the connection for connecting the water supply conduit coming from the water source is arranged in or near the ballast element. The ballast element is provided in order to take the hose to the normal position after it has been pulled out and to this end hangs freely in space, for example under a worktop. By providing the connection in or near the ballast element, it does not have to be provided in the tap body. This renders the tap body less complicated and makes the connection easily accessible.

Also, there is more space near or in the ballast element for providing the connection, since there is more space available than in the tap body. The connection also contributes to pulling or keeping the hose in the normal position as it provides additional ballast.

In a further embodiment, the ballast element is attached to the hose in such a manner that it is situated close, preferably as close as possible, to the fitting end of the tap body when the hose is in the pulled-out position. This makes the distance between the connection and the nozzle, i.e. the length of the second water conduit, short, so that the water can flow relatively quickly from the water source to the nozzle.

In an embodiment, the hose has a loop part and an spout part, in which the spout part extends at least partly in the accommodation duct and is connected to the nozzle and in which the loop part is connected to the outlet of the mixing device.

After fitting the tap body in an opening, for example a fitting opening provided for this purpose in a worktop, the loop part of the hose may extend under the worktop and the spout part may extend through the accommodation duct from below the worktop as far as the dispensing end of the spout. The loop part is used to facilitate movement of the spout part between the normal position and the pulled-out position.

The first water conduit runs both through the loop part and the spout part. The second water conduit runs through the spout part and may run partly through the loop part. A coupling device is provided between the loop part and the spout part to connect the portions of the first water conduit running through the loop part and the spout part to each other. If the second water conduit runs only through the spout part, the coupling device may comprise the connection for the water supply conduit of the water source. If the second water conduit runs partly through the loop part, the coupling device is also configured to connect the portions of the second water conduit running through the loop part and the spout part to each other.

In an embodiment of the device with a ballast element, the ballast element is provided between the loop part and the spout part of the hose.

In an embodiment, the connection for the water supply conduit coming from the water source is provided at a location of the hose where the hose extends in a direction, in particular in the vertical direction, wherein the connection is configured to connect the water supply conduit coming from the water source in substantially the same direction. When the hose is moved between the pulled-out position and the normal position, the ballast element will move substantially in a vertical direction as a result of the force of gravity acting on the ballast element. In order to ensure that the water supply conduit coming from the water source prevents the movement of the ballast element as little as possible, it is advantageous to configure the connection such that the water supply conduit coming from the water source is connected to the connection so as to run in a substantially vertical direction.

In an embodiment, the first water conduit and the second water conduit in the hose run concentrically with respect to each other. In this case, one of either the first water conduit or the second water conduit for example has a circular cross section and the other of the first water conduit or the second water conduit has a ring-shaped cross section arranged around the circular cross section. Due to the first water conduit and the second water conduit running concentrically, the hose has a cross section which is symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis. As a result thereof, the hose has substantially the same properties in different bending directions and the hose has a round outer circumference, in which a relatively large surface area of the cross section is used for the first and the second water conduit. The cross-sectional area of the hose is thus used efficiently for passing water from the respective inflow openings to the respective outflow openings.

Further, the nozzle is preferably designed to be concentric, with the nozzle having a central circular outflow opening for one of either the first water conduit or the second water conduit and a ring-shaped second outflow opening which is arranged around the circular outflow opening for the other of the first or the second water conduit.

The invention furthermore provides a system for dispensing water, comprising:.

The additional type of water is for example very hot or boiling water, or cold water and/or cooled water, preferably filtered cold and/or cooled water. The additional type of water may also be carbonated water.

Further features and details of the invention will be explained in more detail below by means of the description of an embodiment of the invention, in which reference is made to the attached drawing, in which:.

<FIG> shows a mixing tap for dispensing water, generally denoted by reference numeral <NUM>.

The mixing tap <NUM> comprises a tap body <NUM> with a fitting end <NUM> for fitting the tap body <NUM> in a fitting opening <NUM> of a worktop <NUM>, a spout <NUM> and a dispensing end <NUM> for dispensing the water. <FIG> shows a cross section of the tap body.

The fitting end <NUM> has a threaded mounting bush <NUM> which is arranged in the fitting opening <NUM>. On the underside of the worktop <NUM>, a correspondingly threaded mounting ring <NUM> is fitted on the mounting bush <NUM> to fix the tap body <NUM> to the worktop <NUM>.

The spout <NUM> has a curved shape so that the dispensing end <NUM> is situated over a sink <NUM> which is arranged in the worktop <NUM>.

A mixing device <NUM> is arranged in the tap body <NUM>. The mixing device <NUM> comprises a first inlet <NUM> for cold water, a second inlet <NUM> for hot water, and an outlet <NUM> for dispensing the mixed water.

The mixing device <NUM> comprises a mixing mechanism 5a (see <FIG>) for mixing the cold water and the hot water. The volumetric flow of the water flow dispensed by the mixing device <NUM> at the outlet <NUM> and the ratio between the cold water and the hot water thereof can be adjusted by means of an operating element <NUM>. Using the operating element <NUM>, any desired ratio between cold and hot water can be set. Thus, it is also possible for the mixed water to contain only cold water or only hot water.

The first inlet <NUM> of the mixing device is connected to a cold-water conduit <NUM> and the second inlet <NUM> is connected to a hot-water conduit <NUM>.

The outlet <NUM> is connected to an at least partly flexible hose <NUM> which is composed of a loop part <NUM>, a ballast element <NUM>, and a spout part <NUM> (see also <FIG>). The loop part <NUM> and the spout part <NUM> are made, for example, of flexible plastic in order to make the hose at least partly flexible.

An end of the loop part <NUM> is connected to the outlet <NUM>. The spout part <NUM> runs through an accommodation duct <NUM> which extends from the fitting end <NUM> of the tap body <NUM> to the dispensing end <NUM> of the spout <NUM>. The nozzle <NUM> is provided at the dispensing end <NUM> of the spout <NUM> and is fixedly connected to the hose <NUM>.

The spout part <NUM> of the hose <NUM> and nozzle <NUM> connected thereto are accommodated in the accommodation duct <NUM> so as to be displaceable, in particular slidable, between a normal position and a pulled-out position. <FIG> shows the spout part <NUM> and the nozzle <NUM> in a normal position, in which the nozzle <NUM> is largely pulled back into the spout <NUM>.

<FIG> shows the hose <NUM> and the nozzle <NUM> in the pulled-out position. Hose <NUM> and nozzle <NUM> may be moved from the normal position to the pulled-out position by manually pulling on the nozzle <NUM>. To this end, the nozzle <NUM> is provided with a protruding part 14a by means of which the nozzle <NUM> can easily be moved downwards, out of the spout <NUM>.

A ballast element <NUM> is provided between the loop part <NUM> and the spout part <NUM>. The ballast element <NUM> is a relatively heavy element which is provided in order to exert a downward force on the spout part <NUM>. As a result of this downward force, the hose <NUM> and the nozzle <NUM> are pulled into the normal position. This downward force may be sufficient to pull back the hose <NUM> with nozzle <NUM> automatically into the normal position, or helps to move the hose <NUM> and nozzle <NUM> into the normal position when the nozzle <NUM> is pushed upwards into the spout <NUM>.

The mixing tap <NUM> is part of a system for dispensing water. The system furthermore comprises boiling-water device <NUM> for dispensing very hot or boiling water, i.e. water at a temperature equal to or higher than <NUM> degrees Celsius. Such a boiling-water device <NUM> for dispensing boiling water is known per se.

The boiling-water device <NUM> comprises a container in order to keep water pressurized at a temperature of more than <NUM> degrees Celsius. The container comprises an outlet <NUM> where the water may, if desired, be dispensed to a water supply conduit <NUM>. The container is connected to the cold-water conduit <NUM> to fill the container with fresh water when boiling water is dispensed.

The mixing tap <NUM> is configured to dispense the boiling water via the nozzle <NUM>. To this end, the ballast element <NUM> is provided with a connection <NUM>, by means of which the water supply conduit <NUM> can be connected to the hose <NUM>.

The loop part <NUM> and the spout part <NUM> define, see also <FIG>, a first water conduit <NUM> with an inflow end which is connected to the outlet <NUM> of the mixing device <NUM> and an outflow end which is connected to the nozzle <NUM> to pass mixed water from the mixing device <NUM> to the nozzle <NUM> via the loop part <NUM> and the spout part <NUM>.

The spout part <NUM> furthermore comprises a second water conduit <NUM> with an inflow end which is connected to the connection <NUM> via ballast element <NUM> and an outflow end which is connected to the nozzle <NUM> to pass very hot or boiling water from the water supply conduit <NUM> to the nozzle <NUM>.

The first water conduit <NUM> thus runs through the loop part <NUM> and the spout part <NUM> and the second water conduit <NUM> runs only through the spout part <NUM>. In the spout part <NUM>, the first water conduit <NUM> and second water conduit <NUM> run concentrically with respect to each other, with the second water conduit <NUM> having a circular cross section and the first water conduit <NUM> a ring-shaped cross section surrounding the former.

The nozzle <NUM> is provided with a common aerator, in which the second water conduit <NUM> ends in a circular outflow opening 19b and the first water conduit <NUM> in a ring-shaped outflow opening 19a surrounding the former. Any other suitable configuration of the first and second water conduit and associated outflow openings can also be used.

An electrical operating element <NUM> for operating the boiling-water device <NUM> for dispensing boiling water is provided on the tap body <NUM>. The operating element <NUM> is connected to a valve (not shown) of the boiling-water device <NUM> by means of an electrical operating connection <NUM>. By pushing down and/or turning the operating element <NUM>, the boiling-water device <NUM> can thus be actuated to dispense boiling water via the water supply conduit <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a cross section of the ballast element <NUM>. A ballast mass <NUM>, for example made of metal, is provided in a housing <NUM> of the ballast element <NUM> to give the ballast element <NUM> a desired mass for exerting a downward force on the hose <NUM>.

<FIG> shows how the water supply conduit <NUM> is attached to the connection <NUM> in the same vertical direction as that in which the loop part <NUM> and the spout part <NUM> extend at the ballast element <NUM>. This significantly reduces the risk of blocking the movement of the loop part <NUM> and the ballast element <NUM> due to the presence of the connection <NUM> and the water supply conduit <NUM> attached thereto.

The ballast element <NUM> is furthermore configured to allow the mixed water from the water conduit <NUM> in the loop part <NUM> and the boiling water from the water supply conduit <NUM> to flow in such a manner that, in the spout part <NUM>, the boiling water will flow centrally in the second water conduit <NUM> and the mixed water will flow in the concentric first water conduit <NUM> surrounding it.

<FIG> shows a cross section of a portion of the tap body <NUM>. A ring <NUM> made of an electrically conductive material is fitted around the spout part <NUM> of the hose <NUM>. This ring <NUM> is detectable by means of a sensor <NUM> which is fitted to a control unit <NUM>. The sensor <NUM> is configured to detect the presence of the electrically conductive ring <NUM> via an electromagnetic field.

The control unit <NUM> is configured to send an operating signal to the boiling-water device <NUM> via the operating connection <NUM> when the operating element <NUM> is being operated in order to cause boiling water to be dispensed. In addition, control unit <NUM> sends the signal from sensor <NUM> to boiling-water device <NUM>.

In <FIG>, the hose <NUM>, in particular the spout part <NUM> thereof, is shown in the normal position. When the spout part <NUM> is moved to the pulled-out position, the ring <NUM> and the spout part <NUM> will move upwards through the accommodation duct <NUM> and will not, or in another way, be detectable by the sensor <NUM>. By means of sensor <NUM>, it is thus possible to determine whether the hose <NUM> is in the normal position or the pulled-out position.

Because the nozzle <NUM> is pulled out of the spout <NUM> by hand, it may be undesirable for boiling water to be dispensed when the nozzle is not in its normal position. To this end, the position determination of the hose <NUM> by means of the sensor <NUM> can be used. In this case, the control unit <NUM> will only send an operating signal to the boiling-water device <NUM> via the operating connection <NUM>, for example when the operating element <NUM> is being operated, if the sensor <NUM> has detected that the ring <NUM> is in the position shown in <FIG>, i.e. the normal position.

It will be clear to those skilled in the art that any other position sensor which is suitable to determine the position of the hose <NUM> with respect to the spout <NUM> can also be used to dispense boiling water only if the hose <NUM> and the nozzle <NUM> are in the normal position.

Claim 1:
Mixing tap (<NUM>) for dispensing water, comprising
a tap body (<NUM>) having a fitting end (<NUM>) for fitting the tap body in or on a fitting opening,
a spout (<NUM>) fitted in or on the tap body and provided with a dispensing end,
a mixing device (<NUM>) arranged in the tap body, in which the mixing device comprises a first inlet (<NUM>) for cold water, a second inlet (<NUM>) for hot water and an outlet (<NUM>) for mixed water, and
an at least partly flexible hose (<NUM>), in which the flexible hose comprises a first water conduit with an inflow end and an outflow end, in which the inflow end is connected to the outlet and in which the outflow end ends in a nozzle (<NUM>) provided near the dispensing end of the spout for dispensing the mixed water,
wherein the mixing tap has an accommodation duct (<NUM>) which runs from the fitting end to the dispensing end for receiving at least a portion of the hose,
wherein the hose with nozzle is displaceable with respect to the spout between a pulled-out position, in which the hose protrudes with respect to the dispensing end, and a normal position, in which the hose does not extend with respect to the dispensing end or to a lesser degree,
wherein the hose (<NUM>) has a second water conduit with a second inflow end and a second outflow end, in which the second inflow end is connected to a connection for connecting a water supply conduit (<NUM>) coming from a water source (<NUM>) , and the second outflow end ends in the nozzle,
characterized in that the mixing tap (<NUM>) is configured to dispense water from the water source (<NUM>) only when the hose (<NUM>) is in the normal position.