Method for producing a housing for a sanitary fitting, and housing for a sanitary fitting

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a housing (1) for a sanitary fitting, having at least the following steps: a) producing the fitting housing (1) in an injection molding tool, a brush structure (3) being formed at least partly on a surface (2) of the fitting housing (1) by means of the injection molding tool; b) coating the fitting housing (1) with at least one first layer (4) which comprises copper; and c) coating the fitting housing (2) with at least one second layer (5) which comprises a nickel-phosphorus alloy. The invention additionally relates to a housing made of plastic for a sanitary fitting.

Description

[0001] Method for producing a fitting body for a sanitary fitting and fitting body for a sanitary fitting

[0002] The present invention relates to a method for producing a fitting housing for a sanitary fitting, as well as to a fitting housing for a sanitary fitting. Such sanitary fittings, in particular, allow a liquid to be dispensed as needed at a washbasin, sink, shower, and / or bathtub.

[0003] To give a sanitary fitting a visually appealing appearance, the surface of the fitting body can be provided with a brushed texture. The brushed texture can be created by mechanical brushing and / or grinding. Plastic fitting bodies can be coated with at least one layer of copper, nickel, and chromium. To create the brushed texture, plastic fitting bodies must be brushed down into the copper layer. Therefore, such fitting bodies must subsequently be electroplated again. This leads to long production times and high production costs.

[0004] 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 method for producing a valve housing for a sanitary fitting, with which the valve housing can be manufactured with shorter production times and / or lower production costs. Furthermore, a valve housing for a sanitary fitting is to be provided that can be manufactured with shorter production times and / or lower production costs.

[0005] These objects are achieved with a method and a valve housing according to the features of the independent patent claims. Further advantageous embodiments of the invention 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.

[0006] A method for producing a fitting housing for a sanitary fitting contributes to this, which method comprises at least the following steps: a) producing the fitting housing in an injection mold, wherein a brush structure is formed at least partially on a surface of the fitting housing by the injection mold; b) coating the fitting housing with at least a first layer comprising copper; and c) coating the fitting housing with at least a second layer comprising a nickel-phosphorus alloy.

[0007] The fitting body is particularly suitable or usable for a sanitary fitting that is used to mix cold and hot water to create mixed water at a desired mixed water temperature and / or to dose the mixed water. Such sanitary fittings are regularly used for washbasins, sinks, showers, and / or bathtubs. The fitting body can have a (protruding or branching) outlet that is rigidly or movably connected to the fitting body. The fitting body and / or the outlet can be at least partially tubular. The fitting body can be fastened, in particular, to a support, for example a worktop, the sink, the washbasin, the shower, the bathtub, or a wall. The fitting body and / or the outlet can have an outlet opening through which a liquid, in particular (mixed) water, can be dispensed.In step a), the valve housing is produced in an injection mold. In particular, the valve housing can be produced in step a) from plastic and / or by plastic injection molding. During plastic injection molding, a plastic granulate can be melted, for example using an injection molding machine, and injected as a melt into the injection mold. For this purpose, the injection mold can have a cavity, which can be designed, for example, in the manner of a matrix or cavity. The cavity forms, in particular, a negative of an outer shape of the valve housing. The injection mold can, in particular, be designed in several parts. For example, the injection mold can comprise a first mold half and a second mold half, which can be separated from one another for removing the manufactured valve housing. In addition, at least one casting core can be arranged in the cavity.The plastic can be a thermoplastic, such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyamide (PA), polylactate (PLA), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyetheretherketone (PEEK) or polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

[0008] The injection mold partially or completely forms a brushed structure on a surface of the valve body. For this purpose, a mold surface of the injection mold or a mold surface of the cavity of the injection mold can be formed at least partially with a negative of the brushed structure, which is then positively reproduced on the surface of the valve body in step a). The negative of the brushed structure can be created in the mold surface before step a), for example, by laser engraving.The brush structure is a structured surface that is modeled on a visual appearance that can be created by mechanical brushing (for example using a metal brush that has, for example, wire bristles with a bristle diameter of 0.1 mm to 1 mm and / or a bristle length of 10 mm to 50 mm) and / or grinding the valve housing (for example using a longitudinal grinder with a grinding flap wheel that has, for example, a grain size of 20 to 100). The brush structure can comprise (micro)grooves, (small) scores, etc. that are oriented in a directed and / or random / chaotic manner. For example, the brush structure can be designed at least partially in the manner of a longitudinal brush structure. The longitudinal brush structure can imitate a grinding pattern that arises during brushing and / or grinding in a straight direction or in a straight brushing direction.

[0009] In a step b), the valve housing or the (outer and / or inner) surface is partially or completely coated with at least one first layer comprising copper. The first layer can consist of a single layer of copper, which is applied in particular directly to the surface of the valve housing. The first layer can be formed from a plurality of layers, for example two first layers. The individual first layers are formed in particular sequentially. The valve housing can in particular be at least partially immersed in an electrolytic solution. The first layer of copper and / or the individual first layers of copper can be electrolytically deposited on the surface of the valve housing. The at least one first layer can prevent cracking or detachment in the plastic-metal composite.Due to its ductility, copper can serve as a buffer to compensate for different expansion coefficients of the plastic of the valve body and subsequent metallic layers (in particular at least a second layer).

[0010] In a step c), the valve body is at least partially coated with the at least one second layer comprising a nickel-phosphorus alloy. The at least one second layer can, in particular, be formed directly on the at least one first layer. The mass fraction of phosphorus in the nickel-phosphorus alloy can, in particular, be at least 8%. The mass fraction of phosphorus in the nickel-phosphorus alloy is preferably 8% to 14%, particularly preferably 10% to 12%. The at least one second layer made of the nickel-phosphorus alloy is deposited onto the valve body, in particular electrolytically. The nickel-phosphorus alloy, in particular, assumes the function of a corrosion-inhibiting layer. The composition also results in the fact that the at least one second layer has no leveling effect. As a result, the brushed structure previously created by injection molding can thus largely be retained.

[0011] The at least one second layer of the nickel-phosphorus alloy has the advantage that it does not (essentially) level or smooth the brush structure.

[0012] In particular, with the exception of the at least one second layer, the fitting housing does not have any further layer comprising nickel.

[0013] In step d), the valve body can be coated with at least one third layer comprising chromium. The third layer is formed, in particular, directly on the second layer. The chromium of the third layer can be deposited from a hexavalent or trivalent chromium electrolyte. Furthermore, the at least one third layer can have a third layer thickness of, for example, 0.1 pm to 2 pm [micrometers]. It can be provided that no further layer is produced on the at least one third layer.

[0014] The at least one first layer can be produced with a first layer thickness of 1 pm to 60 pm [micrometers] and / or the at least one second layer with a second layer thickness of 1 pm to 5 pm [micrometers]. The at least one first layer can be produced with a first layer thickness of preferably 4 pm to 40 pm [micrometers]. This can prevent leveling or smoothing of the brush structure. A total layer thickness of all layers produced on the valve housing can be, for example, 1 pm to 100 pm [micrometers]. The brush structure can be formed with a plurality of grooves. A groove can be formed in the manner of a scratch on the surface of the valve housing. The individual grooves can be formed with (essentially) the same brushing direction. Alternatively, the individual grooves can be formed with different brushing directions and / or with a non-straight course.The individual grooves can be formed in such a way that they at least partially intersect. The brushing directions of the individual grooves can be designed in such a way that no (recurring) pattern is recognizable on the surface of the valve body. The individual grooves can each form a roughness valley of a roughness of the brush structure. Between the individual grooves, there can each be a roughness peak of the roughness of the brush structure.

[0015] The grooves can each have an average length of 5 mm to 200 mm [millimeters]. The length is measured in particular along a longitudinal extension of the grooves and / or parallel to the surface of the valve body.

[0016] The grooves can each be formed with an average depth of a maximum of 1 mm. The grooves can each be formed with an average depth of preferably 0.01 mm to 1 mm [millimeters], particularly preferably 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm. The depth is measured in particular perpendicular to the surface of the valve body.

[0017] The grooves can each be formed with an average width of a maximum of 1 mm [millimeter]. The grooves can each be formed with an average width of preferably 0.01 mm to 1 mm, particularly preferably 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm. The width is measured in particular orthogonal to the longitudinal extent of the grooves and / or parallel to the surface of the valve housing. Adjacent grooves of the plurality of grooves can be formed with an average spacing of a maximum of 1 mm [millimeter]. Adjacent grooves of the plurality of grooves can be formed with an average spacing of preferably 0 mm to 1 mm, particularly preferably 0 mm to 0.5 mm. The spacing is measured in particular parallel to the surface of the valve housing.

[0018] The brush structure can have an average of 10 to 1000 grooves per cm 2 [square centimeters].

[0019] The brush structure can be formed at least partially with a pattern. For example, the brush structure can be formed at least partially in a star shape. This can mean, for example, that the grooves extend from a point, a surface, or a circle in a star shape and / or radially outward. Alternatively or cumulatively, the brush structure can be created at least partially in a spiral, overlapping, and / or cross-shaped manner.

[0020] Following a further aspect, a plastic fitting housing for a sanitary fitting is also proposed, which has at least the following:

[0021] - a surface which at least partially has a brushed structure;

[0022] - at least a first layer comprising copper; and

[0023] - at least a second layer comprising a nickel-phosphorus alloy.

[0024] The valve housing can be produced in particular using the method according to the invention.

[0025] For further details of the valve body, reference is made in full to the description of the method. The features listed therein can also be used to characterize the valve body. 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 a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, but this is not limited thereto. Identical components in the figures are provided with the same reference numerals. They show, by way of example and schematically:

[0026] Fig. 1: a sanitary fitting with a fitting body in a side view;

[0027] Fig. 2: the valve body in a perspective view;

[0028] Fig. 3: a section of the valve body in an enlarged view; and

[0029] Fig. 4: the valve body in a sectional view.

[0030] Fig. 1 shows a side view of a sanitary fitting 13. The sanitary fitting 13 has a fitting housing 1 with an outlet 15 having an outlet opening 14. The fitting housing 1 is attached to a support 16, which in this case can be a washbasin. Arranged in the fitting housing 1 is a mixing cartridge 17, to which cold water and hot water can be supplied separately via supply lines 18. By means of the mixing cartridge 17, the cold water and hot water can be mixed proportionally to form mixed water with a desired mixed water temperature. The mixing cartridge 17 is fluidly connected to the outlet opening 14 so that the mixed water can be dispensed via the outlet opening 14. The mixing cartridge 17 can be actuated by a lever 19, by means of which the mixed water temperature and the discharge quantity of the mixed water via the outlet opening 14 can be adjusted.

[0031] Fig. 2 shows the fitting housing 1 of the sanitary fitting 13 shown in Fig. 1 in a perspective view. During the manufacture of the fitting housing 1, the fitting housing 1 was produced from plastic in a step a) in an injection molding tool (not shown here) of an injection molding machine. A brush structure 3, which is shown enlarged in Fig. 2, was formed on an outer surface 2 of the fitting housing 1 by the injection molding tool.

[0032] Fig. 3 shows a section 21 of the fitting housing 1, marked in Fig. 2 with a first rectangle 20, in an enlarged view after step a). In Fig. 3, a first groove 7 and a second groove 8 of a plurality of grooves 7, 8 of the brushing structure 3 shown in Fig. 2 can be seen, which extend in a brushing direction 22 shown in Fig. 2. The grooves 7, 8 have a length 9 in the brushing direction 22, a width 11 orthogonal to the length 9 and a depth 10 perpendicular to the surface 2 of the fitting housing 1. The first groove 7 and the second groove 8 are spaced 12 apart from one another.

[0033] Fig. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of a region of the valve housing 1, indicated in Fig. 3 by a second rectangle 23, after the surface 2 of the valve housing 1 was coated with a first layer 4 of copper in a step b) and with a second layer 5 of a nickel-phosphorus alloy in a step c). The first layer 4 was produced with a first layer thickness 24 and the second layer 5 with a second layer thickness 25, so that the first layer 4 and the second layer 5 have a total layer thickness 6.

[0034] The present invention enables the manufacture of the valve body 1 in a shorter production time and with lower production costs.

[0035] List of reference symbols

[0036] 1 valve body

[0037] 2 Surface

[0038] 3 Brush structure

[0039] 4 first layer

[0040] 5 second layer

[0041] 6 Total layer thickness

[0042] 7 first grooves

[0043] 8 second groove

[0044] 9 Length

[0045] 10 depth

[0046] 11 Width

[0047] 12 distance

[0048] 13 Sanitary fittings

[0049] 14 Outlet opening

[0050] 15 Outlet

[0051] 16 carriers

[0052] 17 Mixing cartridge

[0053] 18 Supply line

[0054] 19 levers

[0055] 20 first rectangle

[0056] 21 Excerpt

[0057] 22 Brushing direction

[0058] 23 second rectangle

[0059] 24 first layer thickness

[0060] 25 second layer thickness

Claims

Claims: A method for manufacturing a valve body (1) for a sanitary fitting (13), comprising at least the following steps: a) producing the valve body (1) in an injection mold, wherein the injection mold forms at least a partial brushed structure (3) on a surface (2) of the valve body (1); b) coating the valve body (1) with at least one first layer (4) comprising copper; and c) coating the valve body (1) with at least one second layer (5) comprising a nickel-phosphorus alloy. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first layer (4) is produced with a first layer thickness (24) of 1 pm to 60 pm, or the at least one second layer (5) is produced with a second layer thickness (25) of 1 pm to 5 pm. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the brushed structure (3) is formed with a plurality of grooves (7, 8).A method according to claim 3, wherein the grooves (7, 8) are each formed with an average length (9) of 5 mm to 200 mm. A method according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the grooves (7, 8) are each formed with an average depth (10) of a maximum of 1 mm. A method according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the grooves (7, 8) are each formed with an average width (11) of a maximum of 1 mm.

7. A method according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein adjacent grooves (7, 8) of the plurality of grooves (7, 8) are formed with a mean spacing (12) of a maximum of 1 mm.

8. A method according to any one of claims 3 to 7, wherein the brush structure (3) has an average of 10 to 1,000 grooves (7, 8) per cm². 2 is being trained.

9. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the brush structure (3) is at least partially formed with a pattern.

10. Fitting housing (1) made of plastic for a sanitary fitting (13), comprising at least: - a surface (2) which at least partially has a brushed structure (3); - at least a first layer (4) comprising copper; and - at least a second layer (5) comprising a nickel-phosphorus alloy.

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