Device for changing the flow path of a liquid in a sanitary shower head

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for changing the flow path of a liquid of a sanitary shower head according to the preamble of claim 1. Such sanitary shower heads are used in particular on sanitary fittings which serve to provide a liquid as required, for example in showers, bathtubs, sinks or wash basins.

[0002] Sanitary shower heads for sanitary fittings are known, with which a liquid, in particular water, can be dispensed in various jet types, for example normal jet, full jet, massage jet, rain jet, etc. To create the various jet types, the sanitary shower heads usually have different jet formers. To create a specific jet type, the liquid must be directed from an inlet of the sanitary shower head via a pipe system of the sanitary shower head to one of the jet formers of the sanitary shower head. Valves are arranged in the pipe system for this purpose. Such sanitary shower heads are known from DE 41 18 540 A1, US 5,383,604 A, US 2019 / 0388914 A1, KR 20-0445783 Y1 and US 6,869,030 B2. Due to the fluid pressure of the fluid in the sanitary shower heads, high operating forces are usually required to operate the valves. In addition, the actuating forces regularly depend on the fluid pressure of the fluid.This reduces the ease of use of the sanitary showers.

[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 device with which the ease of use of a sanitary shower can be increased.

[0004] This object is achieved with a device according to the features of the independent patent claim. Further advantageous embodiments of the device are specified in the dependent patent claims. Furthermore, the features specified in the patent claims are further specified and explained in the description, with further preferred embodiments of the invention being presented.

[0005] A device for changing the flow path of a liquid in a sanitary shower contributes to this, which device has at least the following components: a housing with at least one inlet and a plurality of outlets, wherein the outlets each have an outlet inlet with a seal, and wherein each seal comprises at least one sealing lip; and a switching element that bears against the sealing lips and is rotatably mounted about a rotation axis for switching the flow path.

[0006] The sanitary shower head can be connected to a sanitary fitting, for example, via a hose and / or pipe. Sanitary fittings serve to provide a liquid, in particular water, as needed, for example, to showers, bathtubs, sinks, or washbasins. The device can in particular be arranged at least partially in a sanitary shower head. The sanitary shower head can be designed, for example, in the manner of a hand shower, overhead shower, and / or shower head.

[0007] The device comprises a housing with at least one inlet, via which the device can be connected to a liquid source, for example a sanitary fitting. The liquid flowing in via the at least one inlet can be fed to a plurality of outlets through the housing, which can be a (single-piece or multi-piece) plastic injection-molded part, for example. For this purpose, at least one flow path is formed in the housing, via which the liquid can be fed from the inlet to the plurality of outlets. The housing can, for example, have two to six outlets, preferably three outlets. The individual outlets can, in particular, each lead to a jet former for a specific jet type of the sanitary shower. Thus, by switching the flow path to a specific outlet, a specific jet type of the sanitary shower can be activated.Furthermore, the individual drains can be designed like a channel and each extend from a drain inlet to a drain outlet in the device. The individual drain inlets can be distributed around the rotational axis of the switching element, in particular evenly and / or circularly. In the case of three drain inlets, these can, for example, be offset by 120° around the rotational axis of the switching element.

[0008] To change the flow path, the device has a changeover element. The changeover element can be designed at least partially in the manner of a (substantially flat and / or circular) changeover disc. Furthermore, the changeover element can bear against a sealing geometry, in particular with one of its flat surfaces and / or an outflow side. The sealing geometry can be, for example, a geometry of the housing.

[0009] The liquid can enter the individual drains via the drain inlets. The drain inlets each have a seal with at least one sealing lip. The seal can therefore be designed in the manner of a lip seal. The seals or the at least one sealing lip can be made at least partially from an elastic material, such as rubber. The at least one sealing lip can extend at least partially parallel, orthogonal and / or obliquely to a center axis of the seal. For example, the at least one sealing lip can extend at an angle of 20° to 70° to the center axis. Furthermore, the at least one sealing lip can have a lip length of, for example, 2 mm (millimeters) to 15 mm and / or a lip thickness of 0.5 mm to 5 mm. Furthermore, the seal can have a width of, for example, 2 mm to 20 mm parallel to its center axis.

[0010] The changeover element rests, in particular with the downstream side, against the sealing lips and is mounted in the housing so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis in order to change the flow path. In particular, the changeover element can be rotated about the rotation axis in such a way that an opening in the changeover element is aligned with the drain inlet of the drain to be opened. This allows the liquid to flow through the opening of the changeover element into the respective drain. The drain inlets of those drains with which the opening of the changeover element is not aligned are closed by the changeover element resting against the sealing lips of the seals, so that no liquid can flow into the respective drains. In particular, only a single drain can be opened by the changeover element, with the remaining drains being closed by the changeover element.

[0011] Seals with at least one sealing lip have the advantage that a high degree of tightness can be achieved even at low fluid pressure and / or low pressure of the sealing lips against the diverter element. Due to the lower pressure of the sealing lips compared to conventional seals, less torque is required to rotate the diverter element, thereby increasing the ease of use of the sanitary shower heads. Another advantage of seals with sealing lips compared to conventional seals with round or triangular cross-sections is the reduced influence of manufacturing tolerances on the seal pressure, as these can be compensated for by the flexibility of the sealing lips.

[0012] The seals can be ring-shaped. For example, the seals can be designed in the manner of a shaft seal or an axial shaft seal. The seals can, for example, have an inner diameter of 10 mm to 50 mm and / or an outer diameter of 12 mm to 52 mm.

[0013] The sealing lips can be positioned at an angle against the switching element. In particular, the sealing lips can be positioned at an angle against the downstream side of the switching element. This can mean, in particular, that the sealing lips do not lie flat against the switching element, but rather, in particular, with a linear or annular sealing surface.

[0014] The sealing lips can each have a free space within which the sealing lips are bendable. The free space can, for example, be designed in the form of a (circumferential) undercut and / or a (circumferential) groove. Furthermore, the free space can be formed, in particular, in a peripheral surface of the seal.

[0015] The cross-section of the seals may be at least partially V-shaped. This may also mean, in particular, that the cross-section of the seals is not circular or triangular.

[0016] The sealing lips can be pressed against the switching element by the fluid. This can mean, in particular, that the seal or sealing lips are arranged in such a way that they can be in contact with the fluid during use of the device.

[0017] The seals can be arranged on a tubular section of the outlets. In particular, the seals can be arranged on an outer circumferential surface of the tubular sections of the outlets. The tubular sections of the outlets can be designed in the manner of nozzles. Furthermore, the tubular sections can each have a longitudinal end pointing in the direction of the changeover element and / or contacting the downstream side of the changeover element. The tubular sections of the outlets are formed in particular in the region of the drain inlets. Furthermore, the tubular sections can run at least partially parallel to the axis of rotation of the changeover element. The individual tubular sections can be distributed, in particular uniformly and / or circularly, around the axis of rotation of the changeover element.In the case of three tubular sections, these can, for example, be arranged offset by 120° around the axis of rotation of the changeover element.

[0018] The seals can each be arranged in a receiving space that is connected to the at least one inlet. The receiving spaces are, in particular, fluid-conductingly connected to the at least one inlet. This can mean, in particular, that when the device is in use, the fluid can flow from the at least one inlet into the receiving spaces. The receiving spaces of the individual seals can be connected to one another (fluid-conductingly). The receiving spaces are, in particular, formed in the housing or a lower housing section of the housing. Furthermore, the receiving spaces can be at least partially annular.

[0019] The receiving spaces can be connected to the at least one inlet via at least one first gap between the housing and a peripheral surface of the switching element. The at least one first gap is, in particular, annular. During use of the device, fluid can flow into the receiving spaces through the at least one first gap. The fluid flowing into the receiving spaces through the at least one first gap can press the sealing lips, in particular, against the switching element.

[0020] The receiving spaces can be connected to the outlets via at least one second gap between a longitudinal end of the outlets and a downstream side of the changeover element. When the device is in use, liquid can flow into the receiving spaces through the at least one second gap, acting on the sealing lips in particular from a side facing towards the changeover element. Alternatively or additionally, the at least one opening in the changeover element can be designed such that when the device is in use, the liquid can flow into the receiving spaces via the at least one opening in any rotational position of the changeover element. For this purpose, the at least one opening can be designed, for example, as an elongated hole and / or have a diameter that is larger than an outer diameter of the tubular sections of the outlets.This allows the fluid pressure of the fluid to act on the sealing lips on both sides, so that the fluid pressure has at least a smaller influence on the torque required to rotate the changeover element about the axis of rotation.

[0021] The invention and the technical environment are explained in more detail below with reference to the figures. It should be noted that the figures show particularly preferred embodiments of the invention, but the invention is not limited thereto. Identical components in the figures are provided with the same reference numerals. They show, by way of example and schematically: Fig. 1: a sanitary shower head with a device for switching a flow path in a longitudinal section; Fig. 2: the device in a first perspective view; Fig. 3: the device in a second perspective view; Fig. 4: the device with a first embodiment of a seal in a longitudinal section; Fig. 5: a second embodiment of the seal in a longitudinal section; Fig. 6: a third embodiment of the seal in a longitudinal section; Fig. 7: a fourth embodiment of the seal in a longitudinal section; and Fig. 8: a fifth embodiment of the seal in a perspective view.

[0022] The Fig. 1shows a sanitary shower head 3 in a perspective longitudinal section. The sanitary shower head 3 has a shower housing 23 with a liquid inlet 24, to which a liquid supply line or a liquid supply hose can be connected. Arranged within the shower housing 23 is a device 1 which is connected to the liquid inlet 24 via a flow path 2 in the form of a liquid channel, so that the liquid can be supplied to the device 1. The device 1 enables the flow path 2 to be switched such that the liquid can be selectively supplied to a first jet former 25, second jet former 26, or third jet former 27, so that the liquid can be delivered by the sanitary shower head 3 in three different jet types.To change the flow path 2, the device 1 has a changeover element 12 which is coupled to a rotating element 28, so that the changeover element 12 can be rotated about a rotation axis 13 by a user of the sanitary shower 3 via the rotating element 28.

[0023] The Fig. 2 shows the device 1 in a first perspective view. The device 1 comprises a housing 4 with a (here shown transparent) lower housing part 29 and an upper housing part 30 in the form of a housing cover. The housing 4 comprises an inlet 5 for supplying the liquid and a first outlet 6 for conveying the liquid to the Fig. 1 shown first jet former 25, a second outlet 7 for forwarding the liquid to the second jet former 26 and a third outlet 8 for forwarding the liquid to the third jet former 27.

[0024] The Fig. 3shows the device 1 in a second perspective view. In the Fig. 3 is that in the Fig. 2 The upper housing part 30 shown is not shown, so that the switching element 12 is visible. The switching element 12 is shown in the Fig. 3 shown transparently and is in a first switching position 31, in which an opening 32 of the switching element 12 is aligned with a first drain inlet 9 of the first drain 6, so that the first drain 6 is open. The second drain 7 and the third drain 8 are closed in the first switching position 31 by the switching element 12. The second drain 7 has a second drain inlet 33 and the third drain 8 has a third drain inlet 34, which in the Fig. 3are covered by the changeover element 12. The drain inlets 9, 33, 34 are offset from one another in the housing 4 by 120° about the axis of rotation 13. The changeover element 12 is rotatable about the axis of rotation 13, so that the opening 32 of the changeover element 12 is aligned with the second drain inlet 33 in a second changeover position (not shown here) and with the second drain inlet 33 in a third changeover position (not shown here). In the second changeover position, the second drain 7 is open and the other drains 6, 8 are closed. Accordingly, in the third changeover position, the third drain 8 is open and the other drains 6, 7 are closed.

[0025] The Fig. 4 shows the device 1 in a longitudinal section. Fig. 4the first drain 6 can be seen, which extends from the first drain inlet 9 to a first drain outlet 35 of the lower housing part 29 of the housing 4. The first drain 6 has a tubular section 16 in the region of the first drain inlet 9, against the longitudinal end 21 of which the changeover element 12 rests with its outflow side 22. A first embodiment of a first seal 10, which is annular in shape, is arranged on an outer circumferential surface 36 of the first tubular section 16. A receiving space 17 is formed in the housing 4 for the first seal 10. The first seal 10 has a sealing lip 11 which rests obliquely against the outflow side 22 of the changeover element 12, such that the first drain inlet 9 can be tightly closed by the changeover element 12 when the changeover element 12 is not in the first switching position 31. In the operation of the Fig. 1In the sanitary shower 3 shown, the liquid flows via the inlet 5 or the flow path 2 into the device 1 and there encounters an inflow side 37 of the switching element 12. In the first switching position 31 of the switching element 12 shown here, the liquid passes through the opening 32 of the switching element 12 and then flows through the first outlet 6. The opening 32 extends from an inflow side 37 of the switching element 12 parallel to the axis of rotation 13 to the outflow side 22 of the switching element 12. The inflow side 37 of the switching element 12 is subjected to a liquid pressure of the liquid over a larger area than the outflow side 22 of the switching element 12, so that the switching element 12 is pressed by the liquid pressure of the liquid against the longitudinal end 21 of the first outlet 6 and the sealing lip 11 of the first seal 10 is pressed.The receiving space 17 of the first seal 10 is connected to the inlet 5 or the flow path 2 via a first gap 18 between the housing 4 and a circumferential surface 19 of the switching element 12, such that the liquid enters the receiving space 17 through the first gap 18 and the sealing lip 11 of the first seal 10 presses against the outflow side 22 of the switching element 12. Furthermore, the receiving space 17 is connected to the first outlet 6 via a second gap 20 between the longitudinal end 21 of the first outlet 6 and the outflow side 22 of the switching element 12, such that when the first outlet 6 is open, the liquid can flow to the sealing lip 11 of the first seal 10 through a second gap 20 between the longitudinal end 21 of the first outlet 6 and the outflow side 22 of the switching element 12.As a result, the fluid pressure of the fluid can act on the sealing lip 11 on both sides, so that the contact pressure of the sealing lip 11 against the downstream side 22 of the switching element 12 can be reduced, and the switching element 12 can be rotated about the rotation axis 13 with a lower torque. The remaining outlets 7, 8 are designed in a similar way to the first outlet 6. In particular, the remaining outlets 7, 8 have corresponding tubular sections 16 and seals 38, 39 (cf. ). Fig. 3 ), which are identical to the first seal 10.

[0026] The Fig. 5 to 8show further design variants of the seals 10, 38, 39. The seals 10, 38, 39 have a sealing lip 11 with a lip length 40 and a lip thickness 41. In addition, the seals 10, 38, 39 have a V-shaped cross-section 15. On a side opposite a sealing surface 42 of the sealing lips 11, the seals 10, 38, 39 have a free space 14 so that the sealing lips 11 can be bent into the free space 14 parallel to a center axis 43. The seals 10, 38, 39 have an inner diameter 44, an outer diameter 45, and a width 46 parallel to the center axis 43.

[0027] The present invention makes it possible to improve the ease of use of a sanitary shower. List of reference symbols

[0028] 1 Device 2 Flow path 3 Sanitary shower 4 Housing 5 Inlet 6 First drain 7 Second drain 8 Third drain 9 First drain inlet 10 First seal 11 Sealing lip 12 Diverter element 13 Rotation axis 14 Free space 15 Cross section 16 Tubular section 17 Receiving space 18 First gap 19 Circumferential surface 20 Second gap 21 Longitudinal end 22 Downstream side 23 Shower housing 24 Liquid inlet 25 First jet former 26 Second jet former 27 Third jet former 28 Rotating element 29 Housing base 30 Housing top 31 First switching position 32 Opening 33 Second drain inlet 34 Third drain inlet 35 First drain outlet 36 Outer circumferential surface 37Inflow side 38Second seal 39Third seal 40Lip length 41Lip thickness 42Sealing surface 43Center axis 44Inner diameter 45Outer diameter 46Width

Claims

1. A device (1) for diverting a flow path (2) of a liquid of a sanitary shower (3), comprising at least: - a housing (4) having at least one feed (5) and a plurality of drains (6, 7, 8), wherein the drains (6, 7, 8) each have a drain inlet (9, 33, 34) with a seal (10, 38, 39); and - a diverting element (12) which is mounted to be rotatable about an axis of rotation (13) in order to divert the flow path (2), characterized in that each seal (10, 38, 39) comprises at least one sealing lip (11) and in that the diverting element (12) rests against the sealing lips (11).

2. The device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the seals (10, 38, 39) are annular in shape.

3. The device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sealing lips (11) rest obliquely against the diverting element (12).

4. The device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the seals (10, 38, 39) each have a free space (14) into which the sealing lips (11) can be bent.

5. The device (1) according to any one of the preceding patent claims, wherein a cross-section (15) of the seals (10, 38, 39) is V-shaped.

6. The device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sealing lips (11) can be pressed against the diverting element (12) by the liquid.

7. The device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the seals (10, 38, 39) are arranged on a tubular section (16) of the drains (6, 7, 8).

8. The device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the seals (10, 38, 39) are each arranged in a receiving space (17) which is connected to the at least one feed (5).

9. The device (1) according to claim 8, wherein the receiving spaces (17) are connected to the at least one feed (5) via at least one first gap (18) between the housing (4) and a circumferential surface (19) of the diverting element (12).

10. The device (1) according to claim 9, wherein the receiving spaces (17) are connected to the drains (6, 7, 8) via at least one second gap (20) between a longitudinal end (21) of the drains (6, 7, 8) and an outflow side (22) of the diverting element (12).