METAL STRUCTURE OF VALVE BODY AND VALVE COMPRISING SAME

Abstract

METALLIC STRUCTURE OF A TAP BODY AND TAP COMPRISING IT The invention relates to a metallic structure of a tap body, where said structure forms an overall part comprising at least one water outlet conduit, means for receiving the control or handle for adjusting the flow rate and / or the temperature, as well as a main body comprising at least the housing configured for the installation of means for mixing and / or adjusting the water, where said main body also comprises means configured for the connection of at least one hydraulic pipe connecting it to the mixing and / or adjusting means and to the water outlet conduit. Figure for the abstract: 1

Description

Title of the invention: METALLIC STRUCTURE OF A TAP BODY AND TAP COMPRISING IT

[0001] The present invention relates to a metal structure of a tap body, of the type forming an assembly part comprising a coupling and lifting body part on the installation surface, as well as a water outlet conduit part and a coupling part of the handle or adjustment control, so as to be able to integrate the internal elements such as the means for mixing and / or adjusting the water and the coupling of one or more hydraulic pipes to form a complete tap.

[0002] The present invention also relates to the faucet comprising said structure. Background of the invention

[0003] Taps with a metal structure usually manufactured by introducing a molten metallic material, such as for example brass, into molds giving the external shape of the tap and containing sand cores in order to give the shape of the internal spaces of the tap, are known and therefore form part of the state of the art.

[0004] This process involves the generation of molds and cores for each faucet model, as well as the casting of the metal intended to form the faucet structure. The manufacturing process of this mold structure is thus affected, said process having quite high costs both for the preparation of the molds and for energy consumption, in addition to a long manufacturing time.

[0005] The configuration of a new structure allowing its manufacture in a reduced production time and with costs associated with the molds and production equipment also lower than those of the state of the art appears necessary in this sense. Description of the invention

[0006] The objective of the present invention is to provide, on the one hand, a metal faucet body structure, and on the other hand, a faucet containing said structure, which make it possible to resolve the aforementioned drawbacks, while presenting other advantages described below.

[0007] In accordance with this objective and with respect to a first aspect, the present invention is based on a metal structure of a tap body, where said structure forms an overall part comprising at least one water outlet conduit, means for receiving the control or handle for adjusting the flow rate and / or the temperature, as well as a main body comprising at least the housing configured for installation of water mixing and / or adjusting means, wherein said main body also comprises means configured for connecting at least one hydraulic line to the mixing and / or adjusting means.

[0008] In the present invention and in a characteristic manner, the tap structure forming said assembly part comprises at least two metal parts configured to give the shape of the tap structure. A first metal part is configured by stamping or drawing to form at least part of the main body and the conduit, and where, a second metal part is configured to form at least the closing surface of the first part, leaving free between them or integrating in one of them at least two metal parts, at least, a first opening configured as means for receiving the coupling of the control or handle and a second opening configured for the entry of at least one hydraulic pipe inside the metal structure of the tap body and mixing and / or flow adjustment means. These first and second parts are configured so as to remain joined together by welding.

[0009] Also advantageously, the metal structure comprises a third part in the form of an inner insert, which is fixed to the first and / or second metal part, this third part being configured as an inner disc in order, on the one hand, to couple at least one hydraulic pipe, and on the other hand, to position the mixing and / or adjustment means. The shape of this third part is configured so as to couple internally in a sealed manner to the metal structure, maintaining the interior wet zone of the tap structure, relative to the interior dry zone of said tap structure, this third part comprising at least one passage for the sealed coupling of the water supply hydraulic pipe, connected to the mixing and / or adjustment means.

[0010] This configuration allows for a faucet structure manufactured without having to melt metal or mold it using internal cores. The faucet structure is configured from a manufacturing process conventionally starting from sheets / plates of metal, preferably stainless steel, which pass through stamping / drawing equipment to create the shapes of the faucet in at least two pieces and including in said structure, a third piece for watertight separation of the wet and dry areas of the structure itself, which also allows the positioning of the mixing and / or water adjustment means.This third insert-like part with a preferably discoid shape, configured to fit the interior shape of the faucet structure and create a substantially transverse separation between said wet and dry zones, is also fixed to at least one of the two previous parts, thus constituting a structure optimized to be manufactured more quickly and at lower cost.

[0011] For the sake of clarity, the term "wet zone" should be understood to mean the zone comprising spaces containing at least the means for mixing and / or adjusting the water flow rate, from which the mixed and / or adjusted water flows towards the water outlet pipe. The term "dry zone" should be understood to mean the zone upstream of this wet zone and separated by the third part in the manner of an insert.

[0012] It is to be understood that more metal parts may be used in addition to the first and second parts to form the shape of this metal structure of the body. At least one of these will be formed by stamping / deep-drawing, although other methods of plastic transformation of the metal, such as bending, flaring, cutting, punching or the like, are to be considered analogous in the sense of the same advantageous configuration of the invention and in that they simply require this joining by welding of parts mechanically transformed from sheets of metallic material. Alternatively and also preferably, the second metal part is also formed by stamping or deep-drawing, or as has been said, by another mechanical transformation operation such as bending, flaring, cutting, punching or the like.

[0013] The creation of openings on the structure of the tap will be carried out by openings made on one of the metal parts or by leaving open spaces between these parts, in order to then be able to carry out machining for the coupling of parts and elements of the tap, such as threads, for example.

[0014] According to an optional although preferred embodiment of the invention, the third metal part in the form of an insert comprises, on its face for positioning the mixing and / or adjustment means, at least one housing or protuberance for centering / positioning said mixing and / or adjustment means on which it is housed.

[0015] This feature allows correct positioning and fixing of the mixing and / or adjustment means on the third part in the manner of an insert, with respect to the connection to the hydraulic pipe and the connection to the area of ​​the water outlet pipe.

[0016] Also optionally, although preferably, the third metal part, in the form of an insert, is joined in a sealed manner to the first and / or second metal parts by at least peripheral welding.

[0017] This sealed welded junction ensures the sealed separation between the wet zone and the dry zone at the time of installation of the mixing and / or adjustment means on said third part, with their corresponding sealing joints on the internal walls of the tap body structure.

[0018] According to an optional embodiment, the structure of the faucet has a fourth metal part configured to give greater height to the body. of the faucet, and configured by joining, at least, one of the first and / or second metal parts, such that this fourth part remains joined to the faucet structure by welding as well.

[0019] This configuration makes it possible to have different shapes of the tap structure in height, while retaining the principle of constituting said tap structure by mechanical operations and by welding.

[0020] In accordance with the objectives of the invention, and with respect to a second aspect, the present invention is also based on a tap of the type consisting of a metal structure forming an overall part comprising at least one water outlet conduit, means for receiving the control or handle for adjusting the flow rate and / or the temperature, as well as a coupling body on an installation surface, where the tap comprises inside, means for mixing and / or adjusting one or more hydraulic inlet conduits, governed by a control or handle.

[0021] Advantageously, the tap is characterized by the fact that it comprises a metal structure such as that described in the first aspect of the invention.

[0022] This configuration makes it possible to obtain a faucet having the previous faucet structure advantages indicated above and thus potentially to reduce production costs and times. Brief description of the figures

[0023] In order to facilitate understanding of the presentation, attached are drawings representing, schematically and solely by way of non-limiting example, a practical case of embodiment.

[0024] [Fig-1] [Fig. 1] is a perspective view of a faucet structure.

[0025] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] is a sectional perspective view of the faucet structure appearing in [Fig.l].

[0026] [Fig.3] [Fig.3] is a sectional perspective view of a faucet, showing its handle and the hydraulic lines in dotted lines, with the faucet structure of Figures 1 and 2.

[0027] Description of a preferred embodiment of the invention

[0028] In the present preferred embodiment of the invention, and as shown in Figures 1 to 3, the metal structure (10) of the tap body (100) forms an overall part comprising a water outlet conduit (11), a first threaded opening as receiving means (12) for the control or handle (101) for adjusting the flow rate and / or the temperature, as well as a main body (13) comprising at least the housing (14) configured for the installation of mixing and / or water adjustment means (102), and a connection opening (25) for the hydraulic lines (103), which will be internally placed in sealed communication with the water mixing and / or adjustment means (102).

[0029] To form these parts of the metal structure (10) of the tap body (100), a first (15) and a second (16) metal parts are provided, which have been configured by stamping stainless steel plates giving the first metal part (15) the shape of the main body (13), lifting and lower shape of the conduit (11), while the second metal part (16) comprises the closure of this first metal part (15), closing the conduit (11) at the top, and comprising the first threaded opening as receiving means (12) of the control or handle (101) for adjusting the flow and / or the temperature and through which the mixing and / or water adjustment means (102) will be introduced and positioned up to their internal housing (14).

[0030] Alternatively, another configuration of the first and second metal parts is possible, giving rise to the same areas of the metal structure, but for example, the two parts forming part of both the body and the conduit, on opposite faces throughout the structure or other alternative combinations. It is even possible to have more mechanically configured parts joined by welding in order to give the desired geometric shape of the described areas of the faucet structure.

[0031] In the interior space of the main body (13) is installed a third part (17) in the manner of a metal insert, as an internal metal disc configured so as to divide in a sealed manner, the wet zone (H) and the dry zone (S) of the interior space of the metal structure (10). To achieve this, the shape of the third part (17) is configured to couple internally to the metal structure in a sealed manner, which is achieved in the present embodiment by means of a disc with a shape substantially identical to the free cross-section of the main body (13) of the metal structure (10), perimeter welded so that this junction between the third part (17) and the rest of the metal structure (10) remains sealed.

[0032] This third part can be configured with other materials, shapes and types of sealed junction with the metal structure (10) of the tap body (100), as long as a sealed division is obtained between the dry zone and the wet zone of the interior zone of the metal structure and the connection can be made between the hydraulic pipes and the water mixing and / or adjustment means (102).

[0033] The third part (17) comprises, in this embodiment, on the side of the dry zone (S), two passages (18), only one of which is shown in [Fig. 3], for the connection of the hydraulic pipes (103), where these passages (18) are made right through the third part (17) and can form a sealed junction with said hydraulic water supply pipes and connect to the means of mixing and / or adjusting the water (102). On the face of the third part (17) located in the wet zone (H), there is a housing (19) acting as a centering device for positioning the nipple (102.1) of the mixing and / or adjusting means of the water (102). This configuration can be reversed without further alteration of the assembly or its operation, by alternately arranging the nipple on the third part and the positioning housing on the mixing and / or adjusting means of the water.

[0034] Alternatively and without changing the main configuration of the invention, as well as without changing the functionality of the assembly described above, it is possible to have a single hydraulic pipe coupling to the third part, if mixed water is already supplied and only the flow rate adjustment is carried out inside the tap.

[0035] In the present embodiment of the metal structure (10), a fourth piece (20) is included as an extension guide of the main body (13) to give it a greater height in cases where the design requires it, this fourth piece remaining joined to the rest of the metal structure (10) by welding. This fourth piece (20) maintains the opening for the coupling of the hydraulic lines (103) and would comprise the means for fixing the metal structure (10) to the installation surface, which would in this case be a perimeter thread. Alternatively, depending on the design of the faucet, this fourth piece may be omitted, or even, made up of a set of two or more pieces allowing the final shape of the metal structure of the faucet body to be achieved.In the event that this fourth part (20) is omitted, these means of fixing to the installation surface would be arranged on the final section of the metal structure of the valve body where the coupling opening of the hydraulic pipes is located.

[0036] The threads of the first opening as receiving means (12) of the control or handle (101), as well as of the second opening (25) for inlet and connection of the hydraulic lines (103) to the water mixing and / or adjusting means (102) as fixing means on the installation surface, are not shown in the schematic figures 1 and 2, and can be seen at the schematic level in [Fig.3]. Alternatively, these threads serving as receiving and fixing means can be configured differently from the thread by conventional coupling means allowing fixing of the / to the necessary elements.

[0037] The tap (100) of the present invention, as shown in [Fig. 3], is formed by the preceding metal structure (10), which forms an assembly part comprising at least one water outlet conduit (11), means for receiving (12) the control or handle (101) for adjusting the flow rate and / or the temperature, as well as a main body (13) fixed on an installation surface and comprising the spaces of positioning of the water mixing and / or adjustment means (102) and access for coupling the hydraulic pipes (103).

[0038] Although reference is made to a concrete embodiment of the invention, it is obvious to a person skilled in the art that the metal faucet body structure and the faucet comprising it described are subject to numerous modifications and variations, and that all the details indicated may be replaced by other technically equivalent elements, without departing from the scope of protection defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. Claims Metal structure of a tap body, wherein said structure forms an overall part comprising at least one water outlet conduit, means for receiving the control or handle for adjusting the flow rate and / or the temperature, as well as a main body comprising at least the housing configured for the installation of means for mixing and / or adjusting the water, wherein said main body also comprises means configured for the connection of at least one hydraulic pipe connecting it to the mixing and / or adjusting means and to the water outlet conduit, characterized in that the metal structure (10) of the tap body (100) forming an overall part comprises at least two metal parts (15, 16) configured to give the shape of the metal structure (10) of the tap body (100); wherein at least one first metal part (15) is configured by stamping or drawing forming at least a part of the main body (13) and the conduit (11) and, wherein, a second metal part (16) is configured to form at least the closing surface of the first part (15), leaving free between them or integrating in one of them at least two metal parts (15, 16), at least, a first opening configured as receiving means (12) of the coupling of the control or handle (101) and a second opening (25) configured for the entry of at least one hydraulic conduit (103) inside the metal structure (10) of the tap body (100) and mixing and / or flow adjustment means (102); wherein the first and second parts (15, 16) are configured to remain joined by welding; and wherein the metal structure (10) comprises a third part (17) in the manner of an inner insert, which is fixed to the first and / or second metal part (15, 16), this third part (17) being configured as an inner disc in order, on the one hand, to couple at least one hydraulic pipe (103), and on the other hand, to position the mixing and / or adjustment means (102). This third part (17) also having a shape configured to couple internally to the metal structure (10) in a sealed manner, maintaining the interior wet zone (H) of the tap structure (10) sealed with respect to the internal dry zone (S) of said tap structure (10), this third part (17) comprising at least one passage (18) for the sealed coupling of the hydraulic water supply pipe (103), connected to the mixing and / or adjustment means (102).

2. Metal structure of a tap body, according to claim 1, wherein the third part (17) in the form of an insert comprises, on its face for positioning the mixing and / or regulating means (102), at least one housing or protuberance (19) configured for the centering / positioning of said mixing and / or regulating means (102) on which it is housed.

3. Metallic structure of a tap body, according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the third part (17) in the form of an insert is metallic and sealed to the first and / or second metallic parts by at least peripheral welding.

4. A metal faucet body structure according to any preceding claim, wherein the metal faucet body structure (10) (100) has a fourth metal part (20) configured to give a greater height to the main body (13) of the faucet (100) and configured by joining, at least, one of the first and / or second metal parts (15, 16), so that this fourth part (20) remains joined to the metal faucet body structure (10) (100) by welding as well.

5. A metal faucet body structure according to any preceding claim, wherein the second metal part (16) is also formed by stamping or drawing.

6. Tap, of the type consisting of a metal structure forming an overall part comprising at least one water outlet conduit, means for receiving the control or handle for adjusting the flow rate and / or temperature, as well as a coupling body on an installation surface, where the tap comprises inside, means for mixing and / or adjusting one or more hydraulic inlet conduits, governed by a control or handle, characterized in that the tap (100) comprises a metal structure (10) such as that described in claims 1 to 5.

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