Sanitary fitting

Abstract

Sanitary fitting (1), comprising at least: - a fitting housing (2) with at least one outlet opening (3) for a liquid; - an actuating element (4); and - at least one strain gauge (5) for detecting an actuation of the actuating element (4), wherein a function of the sanitary fitting (1) can be controlled as a function of a sensor signal of the at least one strain gauge (5).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a sanitary fitting which can be used in particular in connection with sinks, wash basins, bathtubs and / or showers.

[0002] Sanitary fittings are used on sinks, wash basins, bathtubs and / or showers to provide a liquid, in particular water, as needed. For this purpose, sanitary fittings can have a fitting housing with an outlet opening for the liquid. The fitting housing of the sanitary fitting can be attached to a fitting support, for example a worktop or a sink or wash basin. Sanitary fittings can also have a mixing valve through which cold water and hot water can be mixed to form mixed water with a desired mixed water temperature. The mixing valve can be actuated by an actuating element, via which the mixed water temperature and / or the discharge of the mixed water via the outlet opening can be controlled. For this purpose, the actuating element can be rotatable about a rotational axis and / or pivotable (in particular orthogonal to the rotational axis) about a pivot axis.To ensure the rotatability of the actuating element, at least one pivot bearing is required, and / or to ensure the pivotability of the actuating element, at least one swivel bearing is required. These bearings are wear parts that must be replaced when a wear limit is exceeded, thus resulting in high maintenance costs.

[0003] The object of the invention is therefore to at least partially solve the problems described with reference to the prior art and, in particular, to provide a sanitary fitting which requires less maintenance.

[0004] This object is achieved with a sanitary fitting according to the features of the independent patent claim. Further advantageous embodiments of the sanitary fitting are specified in the dependent patent claims. It should be noted that the features listed individually in the dependent patent claims can be combined with one another in any technologically expedient manner and define further embodiments of the invention. Furthermore, the features listed in the patent claims are further specified and explained in the description, with further preferred embodiments of the invention being presented.

[0005] A sanitary fitting that has at least the following contributes to this: - a valve body with at least one outlet opening for a liquid; - an actuating element for controlling at least one function of the sanitary fitting; and - at least one strain gauge for detecting an actuation of the actuating element, wherein a function of the sanitary fitting can be controlled in dependence on a sensor signal of the at least one strain gauge.

[0006] The sanitary fitting serves in particular to provide a liquid, such as water, as needed at a sink, washbasin, bathtub and / or shower. The sanitary fitting can be designed as a single-lever mixer tap. The sanitary fitting comprises a fitting housing, which can in particular be made at least partially of plastic and / or (cast) metal, such as brass. The fitting housing can be at least partially tubular. The fitting housing can be fastened to a fitting support, for example a worktop, a wall, the sink, washbasin, bathtub and / or shower, and / or can have a (protruding or branching) outlet that is rigidly or movably connected to the fitting housing. The outlet can be at least partially tubular. The fitting housing or the outlet has at least one outlet opening for the liquid.The at least one outlet opening can, for example, be designed in the manner of a jet former or mousseur or can include one. The liquid can be released, for example, into the surroundings of the sanitary fitting via the at least one outlet opening. Alternatively, at least one shower, for example in the form of a hand shower and / or overhead shower, can be connected to the at least one outlet opening.

[0007] The sanitary fitting can have a mixing valve for mixing cold water at a cold water temperature and hot water at a hot water temperature to form mixed water at a desired mixed water temperature. The cold water temperature is in particular a maximum of 25°C, preferably 1°C to 25°C, particularly preferably 5°C to 20°C and / or the hot water temperature is in particular a maximum of 90°C, preferably 25°C to 90°C, particularly preferably 55°C to 65°C. The mixing valve can, for example, be designed in the manner of a mixing cartridge and / or be arranged at least partially in the fitting housing of the sanitary fitting. The mixing valve can, in particular, be electrically actuated. The mixing valve can be a digital mixing valve.

[0008] The sanitary fitting has an actuating element for controlling at least one function of the sanitary fitting. The actuating element can be, for example, an actuating lever or an actuating knob. The actuating element can be (limitedly) adjustable relative to the fitting housing by a user of the sanitary fitting. For example, the actuating element can be rotatable about a rotation axis and / or pivotable (in particular orthogonal to the rotation axis) about a pivot axis. For example, the actuating element can be rotatable about the rotation axis with a rotation angle of maximum 5° (for example 0.1° to 5°) and / or pivotable about the pivot axis with a pivot angle of maximum 5° (for example 0.1° to 5°).

[0009] The sanitary fitting has at least one strain gauge for detecting actuation of the actuating element. The at least one strain gauge can be a sensor with which a mechanical strain or mechanical compression of a material can be measured. The at least one strain gauge can convert the mechanical strain and / or mechanical compression of the material into electrical sensor signals that can be measured and / or analyzed. The at least one function of the sanitary fitting can be controlled depending on the sensor signal of the at least one strain gauge.

[0010] The at least one strain gauge can comprise at least one metal wire or at least one metallic foil strip, which can be attached to a non-conductive substrate material of the strain gauge, such as paper or plastic. When the material to which the at least one strain gauge is attached is stretched or compressed, the length of the at least one metal wire or of the at least one metallic foil strip changes. This change in length causes a change in the electrical resistance of the metal wire or of the foil strip. The change in resistance can, in particular, be proportional to the stretching or compression, which means that the stretching or compression of the material can be determined by measuring a change in resistance.

[0011] For example, an actuation of the actuating element, in particular the rotation of the actuating element about the rotation axis and / or the pivoting of the actuating element about the pivot axis, can be measured or determined by the at least one strain gauge. The sanitary fitting can have at least one strain gauge for determining the rotation of the actuating element about the rotation axis and / or at least one strain gauge for determining the pivoting of the actuating element about the pivot axis. A degree of rotation and / or a degree of pivoting of the actuating element can be determined by the at least one strain gauge. The at least one function of the sanitary fitting can be controllable depending on the degree of rotation and / or the degree of pivoting of the actuating element. The sanitary fitting can have at least two strain gauges. Depending on the measured or determined actuation of the actuating element, ieAt least one function of the sanitary fitting can be controlled, in particular depending on the measured or determined rotation of the actuating element about the rotation axis and / or the measured or determined pivoting of the actuating element about the pivot axis. The at least one strain gauge serves, in particular, not (only) to detect an unintentional actuation of the actuating element and / or not (only) to perform a plausibility check of an actuation of the actuating element.

[0012] The at least one strain gauge enables control of at least one function of the sanitary fitting by a slight actuation or slight movement of the actuating element, whereby wear caused by the movement can be reduced.

[0013] The at least one strain gauge can be deformed upon actuation of the actuating element. The at least one strain gauge is deformable, in particular, upon rotation of the actuating element about the rotation axis and / or upon pivoting of the actuating element about the pivot axis. The at least one function of the sanitary fitting can be controlled depending on the deformation of the at least one strain gauge.

[0014] The actuating element can be used to control the discharge of the liquid via the at least one outlet opening. In particular, the actuating element can be used to control the volume flow of the liquid or mixed water discharged via the at least one outlet opening. The control of the discharge of the liquid can be achieved using a valve and / or the mixing valve. Control of the discharge of the liquid is, in particular, a function of the sanitary fitting.

[0015] The actuating element can be used to control the temperature of the fluid. In particular, the actuating element can be used to control or adjust the temperature of the mixed water. The temperature of the fluid can be controlled, in particular, using the mixing valve. Controlling the temperature of the fluid is, in particular, a function of the sanitary fitting.

[0016] The at least one strain gauge can be attached to a carrier that can be deformed by the actuating element. The carrier can be made at least partially of metal and / or plastic. The carrier is in particular (only) elastically deformable by the actuating element. The carrier can, for example, be twistable when the actuating element rotates about the rotation axis and / or be bendable when the actuating element pivots about the pivot axis. The twisting and / or bending of the carrier can be detected by the at least one strain gauge. For example, the strain gauge can be connected to the carrier by an adhesive bond. The carrier can be arranged at least partially in the valve housing.

[0017] The support can be rod-shaped. The support can be a bar, torsion bar and / or a bending bar. The support can be straight and / or extend along a longitudinal axis. The support can extend from a first longitudinal end to a second longitudinal end. The support can be fastened to the actuating element by the first longitudinal end. The support can be rotatable about its longitudinal axis. The support can have a length of, for example, 20 mm [millimeters] to 100 mm, in particular along its longitudinal axis. The support can have a diameter of, for example, 1 mm to 10 mm, in particular orthogonal to its longitudinal axis. The support can be twistable, warpable and / or bendable via the first longitudinal end by the actuating element.

[0018] The carrier can be connected to the actuating element. The carrier can be connected to the actuating element via the first longitudinal end or fastened to the actuating element via the first longitudinal end. The carrier can be connected to the actuating element via an overload device. The overload device can limit a torque that can be transmitted to the carrier via the actuating element. The overload device can prevent plastic deformation of the carrier and / or damage to the carrier. The overload device can be a slip clutch.

[0019] The support can be connected to the valve body. The support can be connected to the valve body via the second longitudinal end or can be attached to the valve body via the second longitudinal end. The second longitudinal end can be attached to the valve body such that the second longitudinal end is not movable or rotatable relative to the valve body.

[0020] The at least one strain gauge can be connected to a controller of the sanitary fitting (signal-conducting and / or data-conducting). The controller can comprise a microprocessor. The controller can be arranged in the fitting housing. With the help of the controller, in particular the at least one function of the sanitary fitting can be controlled as a function of the sensor signal of the at least one strain gauge. In particular, the controller can be designed and / or provided to control the at least one function of the sanitary fitting as a function of the sensor signal of the at least one strain gauge. To control the at least one function, the controller can be connected to at least one actuator and / or to at least one electric drive of the sanitary fitting.

[0021] In particular, the mixing valve of the sanitary fitting can be actuated by the actuating element and / or the control, for example in order to control the mixed water temperature of the mixed water and / or the discharge of the mixed water via the at least one outlet opening.

[0022] The invention and the technical environment are explained in more detail below with reference to the figure. It should be noted that the figure shows a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, but is not limited thereto. It shows, by way of example and schematically: Fig. 1: a sanitary fitting in a longitudinal section.

[0023] Fig.1 shows a sanitary fitting 1 in a longitudinal section. The sanitary fitting 1 has a fitting housing 2 which comprises an outlet 9 which is rotatably mounted relative to the fitting housing 2 and has an outlet opening 3. The fitting housing 2 can be fastened to a fitting support (not shown here) via a lower mounting opening 15. Arranged in the fitting housing 2 is a mixing valve 8 for mixing cold water and hot water to produce mixed water with a desired mixed water temperature. The cold water can be supplied to the mixing valve 8 via a cold water supply line (not shown here), and the hot water can be supplied to the mixing valve 8 via a hot water supply line (likewise not shown here). The mixing valve 8 can be actuated by a user of the sanitary fitting 1 via an actuating element 4 of the sanitary fitting 1. The actuating element 4 is designed here, for example, as a knob.

[0024] The actuating element 4 is connected via an overload device 10 to a first longitudinal end 11 of a support 6. The support 6 is rod-shaped and extends along a (straight) longitudinal axis 13 from the first longitudinal end 11 to a second longitudinal end 12. The second longitudinal end 12 of the support 6 is attached to the fitting housing 2. A strain gauge 5 is arranged on the support 6 and is connected to a control unit 7 of the sanitary fitting 1.

[0025] The actuating element 4 can be rotated by the user about a rotation axis 14, which runs parallel or coaxial with the longitudinal axis 13 of the support 6, to adjust the mixed water temperature. By rotating the actuating element 4 about the rotation axis 14, a torsional moment can be generated on the support 6, by which the support 6 can be rotated about its longitudinal axis 13. The rotation of the support 6 can be measured by the strain gauge 5, so that the controller 7 can control the mixing valve 8 to adjust the mixed water temperature depending on the rotation of the support 6. The overload device 10 can prevent the support 6 from being subjected to a torsional moment that lies above a limit value. The overload device 10 can prevent damage, in particular plastic deformation, of the support 6.The actuating element 4 can be pivoted by the user about a pivot axis (not shown here) that runs orthogonal to the rotational axis 14 of the actuating element 4 to adjust the volume flow of the mixed water or liquid delivered via the outlet opening 3. By pivoting the actuating element 4 about the pivot axis, the support 6 can be bent (orthogonal to the longitudinal axis 13). The bending of the support 6 can be measured by the strain gauge 5, so that the controller 7 can control the mixing valve 8 to adjust the volume flow depending on the bending of the support 6.

[0026] The present invention makes it possible to reduce the maintenance effort of the sanitary fitting 1. List of reference symbols 1 sanitary fitting 2 valve bodies 3 Outlet opening 4 Actuating element 5 strain gauges 6 carriers 7 Control 8 Mixing valve 9 Outlet 10 Overload device 11 first longitudinal end 12 second longitudinal end 13 Longitudinal axis 14 axis of rotation 15 Mounting opening

Claims

[1] Sanitary fitting (1), comprising at least: - a fitting housing (2) with at least one outlet opening (3) for a liquid; - an actuating element (4); and - at least one strain gauge (5) for detecting an actuation of the actuating element (4), wherein a function of the sanitary fitting (1) can be controlled as a function of a sensor signal of the at least one strain gauge (5). [2] Sanitary fitting (1) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one strain gauge (5) is deformable upon actuation of the actuating element (4). [3] Sanitary fitting (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the actuating element (4) can be used to control the discharge of the liquid via the at least one outlet opening (3). [4] Sanitary fitting (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a temperature of the liquid can be controlled with the actuating element (4). [5] Sanitary fitting (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one strain gauge (5) is attached to a carrier (6) which is deformable by the actuating element (4). [6] Sanitary fitting (1) according to claim 5, wherein the support (6) is rod-shaped. [7] Sanitary fitting (1) according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the support (6) is connected to the actuating element (4). [8] Sanitary fitting (1) according to one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the support (6) is connected to the fitting housing (2). [9] Sanitary fitting (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one strain gauge (5) is connected to a control (7) of the sanitary fitting (1). [10] Sanitary fitting (1) according to claim 9, wherein a mixing valve (8) of the sanitary fitting (1) can be controlled by the control (7).

Images