Faucet device

Abstract

To provide a faucet device that is compact in design while offering excellent durability in its oscillation function. [Solution] A faucet device S comprising a mounting base 2 that is inserted and fixed to the part to be installed, and a spout 1 that is positioned adjacent to the upper part of the mounting base 2 so as to be rotatable relative to it, wherein the mounting base 2 has a base flange 21 that abuts against the upper surface of the part to be installed, and a contact portion f1 formed integrally with the base flange 21, and a contacted portion f2 provided at the lower end of the spout 1 so as to abut against the contact portion f1, thereby forming a swing angle setting portion F for setting the swing angle of the spout 1.

Description

【Technical Field】 【0001】 The present invention relates to a faucet device including a mounting base portion that is inserted and fixed to an installation target portion, and a spout having a discharge portion at its tip and disposed adjacent to the upper portion of the mounting base portion so as to be relatively rotatable. The spout is rotatable over a predetermined angle in the horizontal direction. 【Background Art】 【0002】 Conventionally, as a technique related to such a faucet device, for example, there is one shown in Patent Document 1 below (see paragraphs

[0029] to

[0042] of the specification, FIGS. 3, 7, 10, 11, etc.). 【0003】 The technique according to Patent Document 1 determines the rotation range of the water discharge member 20 with respect to the faucet body 10 and the pedestal member 30, and a cylindrical regulating member 50 is provided between the faucet body 10, the pedestal member 30, and the water discharge member 20 so that the rotation operation of the water discharge member 20 becomes smooth. 【0004】 The regulating member 50 includes an annular spacer portion 51, a thin plate-like engaging portion 52 extending from the spacer portion 51 toward the axial tip side, and a thin plate-like rotation regulating portion 53 extending toward the axial base end side. The regulating member 50 rotates integrally with the water discharge member 20. 【0005】 Among these, the spacer portion 51 smooths the rotation of the water discharge member 20. The spacer portion 51 includes a flat plate cylindrical standing wall 51b extending in the axial direction and a sliding wall 51a extending in a flange shape in the radial direction from the standing wall 51b. The standing wall 51b is located between the inner faucet body 10 and the outer water discharge member 20, and the thickness of the standing wall 51b is slightly thinner than the gap between the water discharge member 20 and the faucet body 10. Further, the sliding wall 51a is disposed in a state of being sandwiched between the accommodating portion 21 adjacent in the axial direction and the pedestal member 30. The regulating member 50 is formed of a resin material. 【0006】 With this configuration, the surface of the regulating member 50 exhibits good sliding properties with respect to the water discharge member 20 and the base member 30, allowing the water discharge member 20 to rotate smoothly relative to the faucet body 10 and the base member 30. Furthermore, because the dimensions of the regulating member 50 are made slightly thinner than the gap between the water discharge member 20 and the faucet body 10, radial play of the water discharge member 20 is suppressed. 【0007】 On the other hand, the rotation restricting portion 53 extends axially toward the base end from a position displaced radially inward from the vertical wall 51b. The rotation restricting portion 53 engages with a recess 16 formed on the outer surface of the faucet body 10 and is rotatable within the range in which it contacts the contact portions 17a and 17b formed at both ends of the recess 16. This rotation angle becomes the swing angle of the water discharge member 20. 【0008】 Thus, according to the faucet device described in Patent Document 1, the restricting member 50 is equipped with a rotation restricting member 53 in addition to the spacer part 51, which allows the operation of the water discharge member 20 to be smoother and reduces the number of parts that restrict the range of rotation, thereby simplifying the faucet structure. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents] 【0009】 [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2024-11305 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve] 【0010】 In the device described in Patent Document 1, a predetermined space must be secured between the faucet body 10 and the water discharge member 20 in order to interpose the spacer portion 51. In this case, if the faucet body 10 is made larger, it will require more installation space, and the water discharge member 20 will be more likely to interfere with other objects during use. On the other hand, if the internal space of the faucet body 10 is reduced, the diameter of the piping installed inside will be reduced, or the components of various valves will become smaller, which is likely to cause problems such as insufficient discharge function. 【0011】 Furthermore, the need for the spacer portion 51 increases the number of parts and assembly steps, and there is a possibility that looseness may occur when changing the oscillation angle of the water discharge member 20 due to manufacturing tolerances of the spacer portion 51 or wear during use. 【0012】 Thus, there is still room for improvement in conventional faucet devices, and there is a need for a faucet device that is compact in design while also having excellent durability in terms of oscillation angle function. [Means for solving the problem] 【0013】 (Feature composition) The characteristic configuration of the faucet device according to the present invention is: A mounting base that is inserted and fixed to the part to be installed, The mounting base comprises a spout positioned adjacent to the upper part of the mounting base so as to be rotatable relative to it, The mounting base is provided with a base flange that abuts against the upper surface of the part to be installed, and a swing angle setting part is formed by a contact portion formed integrally with the base flange and a contacted portion provided at the lower end of the spout so as to abut against the contact portion, thereby setting the swing angle of the spout. 【0014】 (effect) As described above, by forming the spout's swing angle setting section with a contact portion integrally formed on a part of the base flange of the mounting base and a contacted portion formed on the lower end of the spout, a faucet device with a high-quality user experience and excellent durability can be obtained. 【0015】 For example, when a faucet is installed on a surface, the base flange of the mounting base comes into strong contact with the surface of the surface. This reduces the elastic deformation function near the base flange. In this configuration, a contact portion is provided on a part of the base flange, so that when the user operates the spout to its maximum swing angle, a more rigid stopping sensation can be obtained. Thus, a faucet with a high-quality user experience can be obtained. 【0016】 The mounting base can be constructed from either metal or resin materials, but as described above, forming a contact portion on a part of the base flange offers advantages in both cases. For example, when constructed from metal, the increased rigidity of the base flange allows for thinner metal materials. This allows for a larger internal space in the mounting base, increasing the design flexibility of the faucet's internal configuration. However, when forming the mounting base from metal, spacers or the like may be used to obtain the precise shape of the angle setting section. 【0017】 On the other hand, when the mounting base is made of resin material, the machinability of the mounting base is improved. Therefore, it becomes easier to construct parts of arbitrary shapes, such as integrally forming the contact part of the oscillation angle setting part on a part of the base flange. As a result, separate components such as spacers are not required, and the rigidity and strength of the base flange are increased, improving the durability of the oscillation angle setting part. 【0018】 (Feature composition) In the faucet device according to the present invention, an annular wall portion can be integrally erected in the base flange along the rotation axis of the spout, and the contact portion can be formed in a part of the wall portion. 【0019】 (effect) As shown in this configuration, by erecting an annular wall portion on the base flange, the base flange and the wall portion reinforce each other, improving the strength and rigidity of this part. Therefore, by providing a contact portion in this area, the strength of the contact portion is also increased, further enhancing the durability of the faucet device. 【0020】 (Feature composition) In the faucet device according to the present invention, it is advantageous that a plurality of the oscillation angle setting sections are formed at equal intervals along the rotation axis of the spout. 【0021】 (effect) The spout rotates through a predetermined angle around the rotation axis, and the rotation is restricted at the swing angle end. At this time, since the contact portions are formed at equal intervals along the circumference of the rotation axis, the resultant forces of the contact reaction forces generated at each contact portion are balanced with each other. Therefore, no unexpected twisting or bending occurs between the spout and the mounting base, and the rotation of the spout is restricted without being displaced from the rotation axis. 【0022】 In this way, with this configuration, excessive external forces do not act on local parts of the mounting base or the spout during the operation of the spout or during the installation work of the faucet device while holding the spout, etc., and the durability of the faucet device can be enhanced. 【0023】 (Characteristic configuration) In the faucet device according to the present invention, the shank can be used as the mounting base. 【0024】 (Effect) The shank is a member for fixing the faucet device to the top plate of the kitchen sink. By fixing the shank to the top plate, the rigidity, particularly of the base flange of the shank, etc., is increased. Therefore, by providing the swing angle setting portion on the shank, the allowable value of the external force borne by the swing angle setting portion can be increased, and the durability of the faucet device can be further enhanced. 【Brief description of the drawings】 【0025】 [Figure 1] Cross-sectional view showing the structure of the faucet device according to the first embodiment [Figure 2] Exploded perspective view showing the main part structure of the faucet device according to the first embodiment [Figure 3] Exploded perspective view showing the details of the swing angle setting portion according to the first embodiment [Figure 4] Planar cross-sectional view showing the details of the swing angle setting portion according to the first embodiment 【Mode for carrying out the invention】 【0026】 〔First embodiment〕 Figures 1 to 4 show the faucet device S of this embodiment. The faucet device S is used in a variety of living environments and comes in various configurations. The most typical installation location is the kitchen sink, but even sinks have various requirements. In particular, many sinks in apartment buildings are designed to be compact, and the faucet device S must be able to accommodate this. Furthermore, the demand for faucet devices S equipped with water purification functions is increasing, so there is a need to provide appropriate faucet devices S. 【0027】 In this embodiment, the faucet device S is designed to meet these requirements by integrating an arm portion 1a with a discharge portion 6 at its tip and a main body cover 1b that contains a valve 5 for switching the discharge state of the faucet device S, thereby achieving an overall compact design. In this embodiment, the integrated arm portion 1a and main body cover 1b are referred to as the spout 1. 【0028】 To shorten the height and the extension length to the discharge section 6, the spout 1 is integrally formed by resin molding. By integrally forming it, the connection structure between the main body cover 1b and the arm section 1a, which was previously required, can be omitted. Therefore, when a water purification cartridge 8 is installed inside the arm section 1a, the water purification cartridge 8 can be brought closer to the internal valve 5, and the length of the arm section 1a is shortened. 【0029】 However, changing the spout 1 from a metal material to a resin material necessitates new considerations from a strength standpoint and other perspectives. For example, the spout 1 is frequently rotated to change the position of the discharge section 6. The spout 1 and the mounting base 2 described later are provided with a swing angle setting section F having a stopper, and the swing angle range is defined to prevent the discharge section 6 from coming into contact with other objects when the spout 1 is rotated. Therefore, if a strong impact is continuously applied to the stopper during the swing operation, the regulating function may be impaired. 【0030】 Furthermore, when installing the faucet device S, the worker may hold the spout 1 and install it onto the countertop 7 of the sink. If the angle setting part F is in contact with the spout 1 at that time, the rotational moment applied to the spout 1 may cause excessive external force to act on the stopper, potentially damaging it. Therefore, as in this configuration, the angle setting part F is integrally formed with the mounting base 2, which is one of the components of the faucet device S and is relatively large in size and easily provides high strength. 【0031】 In view of the above circumstances, the faucet device S of this embodiment is designed to be durable and less prone to damage when the oscillation angle is restricted, even when the spout 1 and the member supporting the spout 1 are made of resin. 【0032】 (Mounting base) In this embodiment, the mounting base 2 is a shank 2a that fixes the faucet device S to, for example, the countertop 7 of a sink. The shank 2a in this embodiment is integrally formed using resin. As shown in Figure 1, the shank 2a has a base flange 21 that abuts against the upper surface of the countertop 7, and also integrally has a cylindrical threaded portion 22 that extends downward from the base flange 21. A fixing nut 23 is screwed onto the threaded portion 22, and the shank 2a is fixed by clamping the countertop 7 of the sink between the base flange 21 and the fixing nut 23. 【0033】 When the shank 2a is attached to the countertop 7, the base flange 21 comes into strong contact with the surface of the countertop 7. As a result, the elastic deformation function in the vicinity of the base flange 21 is reduced. In this configuration, a pivot angle setting section F is provided on a part of the base flange 21, so when the user operates the spout 1 to the pivot angle limit, a more rigid stopping sensation can be obtained. Therefore, the user experience of the faucet device S becomes higher quality. 【0034】 The base flange 21 extends into the interior of the shank 2a, forming a partition wall 24 that divides the interior of the shank 2a vertically. Below the partition wall 24, a cylindrical connection portion 25 is formed through which cold water pipes and hot water pipes are connected, and above the partition wall 24, an upper pipe 26 is formed to supply the fluid received from the connection portion 25 to the faucet body 3, which will be described later. A substantially cylindrical wall portion 27 is integrally formed, protruding upward from the boundary between the base flange 21 and the partition wall 24 and extending around its entire circumference. 【0035】 As shown in Figure 3, when the shank 2a is divided into regions at 90-degree intervals around its entire circumference, a cylindrical wall portion 27 is formed in each region. This wall portion 27 faces the inner surface of the spout 1, which will be described later, and serves as a guide surface for the swing angle movement of the spout 1. Therefore, the cylindrical wall portion 27 has a predetermined height and is configured to prevent the rotating spout 1 from axially wobbling. 【0036】 As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the wall portion 27 of this embodiment has a protrusion f1a formed at a position 180 degrees opposite to the rotation axis X of the spout 1, which serves as a contact portion f1 for regulating the oscillation angle. This protrusion f1a contacts a recess f1b, which serves as a contact portion f1 formed on the spout 1, as described later. The protrusion f1a is a cubic shape having a predetermined volume of the shank 2a and is integrally formed across the erected wall portion 27 and the partition wall 24 perpendicular to it. As a result, the protrusion f1a has sufficient strength. 【0037】 Furthermore, the number of protrusions f1a is not limited to two, and there may be more. However, if the protrusions f1a are installed at equal intervals along the circumferential direction, the restricting force will be generated at equal positions along the circumferential direction of the spout 1 when the swing angle of the spout 1 is restricted. Therefore, the attitude of the spout 1 will be less likely to fluctuate. Also, in Figure 4, viewed in the direction along the rotation axis X, the cross-sectional shape of the protrusions f1a is formed in a U-shape. By providing these recesses for the resin material, shape changes due to sink marks during resin molding are prevented. 【0038】 As described above, constructing the shank 2a from a resin material improves its machinability. Therefore, it becomes easier to construct parts of arbitrary shapes, such as integrally forming the contact portion f1 of the amplitude setting portion F with a part of the base flange 21, as in the present configuration. This further increases the rigidity and strength of the base flange 21 and improves the durability of the amplitude setting portion F. 【0039】 (Spout) As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the spout 1 is the outermost component of the faucet device S. In this embodiment, the spout 1 integrally comprises a cylindrical main body cover 1b attached to the wall portion 27 of the mounting base 2, and an arm portion 1a extending laterally from the main body cover 1b and having a discharge portion 6 at its tip. 【0040】 The spout 1 is fitted onto the wall portion 27 of the mounting base 2 and encloses the faucet body 3 and valve 5, etc. The faucet body 3 has a hole 31 into which the upper pipe 26, which is formed to protrude above the mounting base 2, can be inserted. In this way, the mounting base 2 and the faucet body 3 are connected without any misalignment in their relative positions. 【0041】 The faucet body 3 has an integrated valve case 4, and a valve 5 is fixed to the valve case 4 using fixing screws (not shown). Inside the valve case 4 is a valve 5 that switches between discharging cold water and hot water, or mixes them. For example, two grooves 33 are formed on the outer surface of the valve case 4, and a seal ring 34 is fitted to each of them. This seal ring 34 abuts against the inner surface of the upper part of the spout 1. Therefore, the rotational position of the spout 1 is stabilized by the valve case 4, and in cooperation with the seal ring 34, water is prevented from entering the interior of the spout 1 from above. 【0042】 A recess f1b is integrally formed on the inner surface of the spout 1 at its lowest position, serving as a contact portion f2 (vibration angle setting portion F) that abuts against the convex portion f1a. As shown in Figure 3, two recesses f1b are formed, corresponding to the number of convex portions f1a. The recess f1b is formed at the lower end of the spout 1 by creating a thin-walled portion 11 with a low wall thickness, while making the boundary between the thin-walled portion 11 and the thick-walled portion 12 with a high wall thickness rectangular. The side surface of this rectangular region f1c abuts against the side surface of the convex portion f1a. 【0043】 In the mounting base 2, the outer surface of the wall portion 27 and the outer surface of the protrusion f1a form the same cylindrical surface. The inner surface of the thin-walled portion 11 of the spout 1 faces this cylindrical surface with a small gap between them. On the other hand, the rectangular region f1c formed on the inner surface of the spout 1 protrudes inward above the wall portion 27 without interfering with the wall portion 27. As shown in Figure 2, the sides of the rectangular region f1c are formed at four locations. Since the thickness near the lower end of the spout 1 is greater than that of the upper end, sufficient strength is ensured in the lower region of the spout 1. Therefore, even if the spout 1 is made of resin, its rigidity is increased and the oscillation angle setting function is not impaired. 【0044】 When restricting the swing angle of the spout 1, the side surface of the convex portion f1a and the side surface of the rectangular region f1c come into contact simultaneously. This disperses the impact of the contact, preventing damage to the convex portion f1a and the rectangular region f1c. Furthermore, because the contact occurs simultaneously, the posture of the spout 1 is stabilized, preventing the spout 1 from rotating and tipping over. 【0045】 At this time, the spout 1 is at the maximum position within the swing angle range, and a part of the spout 1 may be in contact with a part of the mounting base 2. In that case, the rotational moment applied to the spout 1 acts on the contact portion f1, which may cause damage to a part of the mounting base 2. In this embodiment, the mounting base 2 is made of a resin material, and the strength of the mounting base 2 is particularly important. Therefore, as in this configuration, by integrally forming the swing angle setting portion F with the mounting base 2, which is one of the larger and stronger components of the faucet device S, the durability of the faucet device S can be increased. 【0046】 As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the durability of the oscillation angle setting section F can be further improved by modifying its configuration. Specifically, multiple sets of contact portion f1 and contacted portion f2 are provided, and each set is formed at equal intervals along the rotation axis X of the spout 1. For example, if two sets are provided, they should be placed every 180 degrees along the circumferential direction with respect to the rotation axis X, and if three sets are provided, they should be placed every 120 degrees. Furthermore, the convex portion f1a and the protruding portion can be provided on either side, as long as they are distributed and formed on the shank 2a and the spout 1. 【0047】 (Material of the mounting base and spout) The mounting base 2 can be made of a resin material. For example, preferred materials include PPS (polyphenylene sulfide), PA6T (semi-aromatic nylon) / 6I (polyamide), or POM (polyacetal resin). PA6T / 6I or POM are preferred due to their excellent impact resistance, and PA6T / 6I is particularly preferred when high strength is required. In this example, PA6T / 6I was used. 【0048】 Spout 1 can also be constructed from various resin materials. In particular, since spout 1 is an aesthetic component, it is advantageous if it can be plated. Therefore, ABS resin (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene resin) is suitable. Furthermore, to increase strength, mineral-reinforced resin materials such as GM-4H (semi-aromatic polyamide) from among PA (polyamide resins) can be used. 【0049】 In this embodiment, the shank 2a, which serves as the mounting base 2, is attached to the countertop 7 of a sink in combination with the spout 1. In this case, only the side surface of the base flange 21 is exposed to the outside, but no special plating treatment is applied, and the natural resin color is utilized. Since PA6T / 6I, the material of the shank 2a, is a high-sliding member, using it in its natural resin state prevents abnormal noise and excessive wear between it and the spout 1, resulting in smooth operation of changing the swing angle of the spout 1. Of course, the shank 2a may also be plated. 【0050】 Furthermore, since no particular problems arise even if the two slide against each other, it is acceptable for the gap between the wall portion 27 and the inner circumferential surface or protruding portion of the spout 1 to be somewhat narrow. Therefore, it is possible to ensure contact between the two without excessively protruding the protruding portion to abut against the convex portion f1a, and to provide a swing angle setting portion F with sufficient strength. 【0051】 Furthermore, if the volume of the protrusion f1a and the overhang can be reduced, shrinkage during cooling in resin molding will be less likely to occur, and manufacturing errors of the mounting base 2 and spout 1 can be reduced. [Industrial applicability] 【0052】 The faucet device according to the present invention can be widely applied to devices in which the spout is rotatably held relative to the shank. [Explanation of Symbols] 【0053】 1 Spout 2 Mounting base 2a Shank 21 Base flange 27 Wall F Swing angle setting section f1 Contact part f2 Contacted part S Faucet device X Rotation axis

Claims

[Claim 1] A mounting base that is inserted and fixed to the part to be installed, The mounting base comprises a spout positioned adjacent to the upper part of the mounting base so as to be rotatable relative to it, A faucet device comprising a base flange that abuts against the upper surface of the part to be installed, a contact portion formed integrally with the base flange, and a contacted portion provided at the lower end of the spout so as to abut against the contact portion, thereby forming a swing angle setting portion for setting the swing angle of the spout. [Claim 2] In the base flange, an annular wall portion is integrally erected along the rotation axis of the spout. The faucet device according to claim 1, wherein the contact portion is formed on a part of the wall portion. [Claim 3] The faucet device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the oscillation angle setting sections are formed at equal intervals along the rotation axis of the spout. [Claim 4] The faucet device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the mounting base is a shank.

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