Non-freezing water tap

The frost-proof faucet design addresses sealing and durability issues by using a vertically guided shaft and spool valve mechanism with O-rings, enhancing operability and manufacturability.

JP2026135653APending Publication Date: 2026-08-25TAKEMURA
View PDF 4 Cites 0 Cited by

Patent Information

Application Number
JP2025021292
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2025-02-13
Publication Date
2026-08-25

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing frost-proof faucets lack a rational form in terms of sealing performance and durability, and are not easily manufacturable, despite previous innovations for one-touch operation.

Method used

A frost-proof faucet design featuring a valve mechanism with a vertically movable shaft-shaped interlocking part, guided by a spring guide, and a spool valve mechanism for drainage, utilizing O-rings for sealing and a thrust lock mechanism for operation, allowing for smooth, one-touch water flow control and drainage.

Benefits of technology

The design achieves improved sealing performance, durability, and ease of manufacturing, with reduced operational force and efficient water flow control.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

Smart Images

  • Figure 2026135653000001_ABST
    Figure 2026135653000001_ABST
Patent Text Reader

Abstract

To provide a frost-proof faucet that offers smooth operation for opening and closing, a rational design for better sealing and durability, and is easier to manufacture. [Solution] The valve mechanism comprises a main body 10 having a lower water supply channel 11 and an upper water supply channel 12, a valve seat 21 having a water passage hole 22, a valve body 25 that can close the water passage hole 22 and stop water flow by contacting the seal portion 23 of the valve seat 21 from below, a shaft-shaped interlocking unit 30 which is formed in an axial shape and has an operating portion 50 linked to its upper end, with the valve body 25 positioned at the lower end, and a spring 33 which biases the shaft-shaped interlocking unit 30 and the valve body 25 upward, the valve body 25 comprising a guide portion 26 and a valve valve body 27, and the shaft-shaped interlocking unit 30 is provided with a water-stopping diameter expansion portion 32 and a water-flow-reducing diameter reduction portion 33 so that it can switch between a sealed state and a state in which water flows by an O-ring 29 between the shaft hole 28 of the valve valve body 27.
Need to check novelty before this filing date? Find Prior Art

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a non-freezing faucet that opens and closes an embedded water supply pipe and prevents freezing by draining water when water is shut off.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, the opening and closing operation of a water supply pipe related to a non-freezing faucet was to move a spindle forward and backward by a screwing operation (rotation operation of a screw) by an operation unit, and the water supply pipe was opened and closed by a valve body linked to the spindle. In a general non-freezing faucet, the valve body has a structure in which the water supply pipe is blocked by contacting an upper surface with a valve seat of a water passage hole having a seal portion from above (see Patent Document 1).

[0003] On the other hand, a non-freezing faucet (valve device) in which a water passage hole is blocked from the upstream side of the water supply pipe by a valve body has been proposed by the applicant of the present patent application (see Patent Document 2). In this valve device as well, the opening and closing operation is performed by a rotation operation of a screw by an operation unit, and it cannot be done with one touch or automatically.

[0004] In response to this, the present applicant has disclosed a frost-proof faucet equipped with means for easier opening and closing by pressing (see Patent Document 3). According to this frost-proof faucet, it is connected to a water supply pipe of a water source buried underground, such as a water pipe, to open and close the water supply channel, and prevents freezing by draining water when the water is stopped, and comprises a lower water supply channel connected to the pipeline of the water supply pipe, a valve mechanism body which is the base of an upper water supply channel provided above the lower water supply channel, a valve seat portion integrally provided with the valve mechanism body which has a water passage hole that connects the lower water supply channel and the upper water supply channel, and a seal portion on the lower surface side of the water passage hole, and a contact portion below the seal portion of the valve seat portion The valve comprises a valve body that can close the water passage hole to stop water flow, a rod portion provided at the lower end of the valve body and formed in the shape of a rod extending in the vertical direction, which is arranged to be able to move up and down in the axial direction and has an operating part linked to its upper end, which releases the blockage of the water passage hole by the valve body when lowered to allow water to flow, and a spring disposed between the rod portion and the valve body and a spring receiving portion integrally provided on the valve mechanism body, which biases the rod portion and the valve body upward. With this, the opening and closing operation of the frost-proof faucet can be performed with a one-touch pressing operation.

[0005] Furthermore, the applicant has provided a valve body comprising a main valve body and a valve stem, both of which are guided to move up and down within a cylindrical spring guide, which is provided in a cylindrical shape on the lower water supply channel side of the valve mechanism body and has a bottom that serves as a spring receiving portion for the spring (see Patent Document 4). The valve body and the valve stem are formed to be substantially the same diameter and are arranged to slide vertically within the same inner diameter portion inside the spring guide. As a result, both the main valve body and the valve stem are suitably guided by the inner surface of the spring guide cylinder, so that lateral movement is suppressed and they can move up and down smoothly. This improves operability. Furthermore, when the guide portion descends and separates from the valve stem, the upward water pressure on the valve stem is reduced because the valve stem is inside the spring guide cylinder and the water pressure inside the spring guide cylinder is released to the upper water supply channel side through the water passage groove. This makes it possible to press the valve stem with less force, improving operability. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2007-327249 (Abstract, Figure 1) [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 10-259882 (Abstract, Figure 1, Figure 8) [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2010-126935 (Claim 1, Figure 1) [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2013-96101 (Claim 1, Figure 1,

[0024] ) [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] The problem we aim to solve with regard to frost-proof faucets is that, although the present applicant has previously disclosed a means for smoothly switching between a water-flowing state and a drained state using a pressing motion, no more rational form in terms of sealing performance and durability, and which is easier to manufacture, has been proposed.

[0008] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a frost-proof water faucet that offers smooth operation in opening and closing, a more rational form in terms of sealing performance and durability, and is easier to manufacture. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To achieve the above objective, the present invention has the following configuration. According to one embodiment of the frost-proof water faucet of the present invention, a frost-proof water faucet that is connected to a water supply pipe buried underground to open and close a water supply channel and prevents freezing by draining water when the water supply is stopped, comprising: a lower water supply channel connected to the pipeline of the water supply pipe, a valve mechanism body that forms the base of an upper water supply channel provided above the lower water supply channel, a valve seat portion integrally provided with the valve mechanism body and having a water passage hole that connects the lower water supply channel and the upper water supply channel, and a seal portion on the lower surface side of the portion that forms the water passage hole, and the water passage hole that abuts against the seal portion of the valve seat portion from below The valve mechanism comprises: a valve body that can block and stop water flow and allow water to flow by being displaced downward; a shaft-shaped interlocking part that is positioned at the lower end of the valve body, is formed in a shaft shape that extends vertically and is movable up and down in the axial direction, and has an operating part linked to its upper end, and releases the blockage of the water passage hole by the valve body when the operating part is lowered, thereby allowing water to flow; and a spring positioned between the shaft-shaped interlocking part and the valve body and a spring receiving part integrally provided on the valve mechanism body, which biases the shaft-shaped interlocking part and the valve body upward. In a frost-proof faucet, the valve body comprises a guide portion fixed to the lower end of the shaft-shaped interlocking portion and whose vertical movement is guided by the valve mechanism body, and a valve body that fits into the shaft-shaped interlocking portion above the guide portion with an axial hole, so as to be able to move vertically within a displacement range between the guide portion and a push-in locking portion provided on the shaft-shaped interlocking portion, and when the guide portion is pushed up together with the shaft-shaped interlocking portion, the valve body is sandwiched between the guide portion and the seal portion of the valve seat portion to close the water passage hole of the valve seat portion, and the valve body is pushed up by the guide portion When the water passage hole is closed, a water-stopping enlarged portion is provided above the part of the shaft-shaped interlocking portion to which the guide portion is fixed, so that the valve body is sealed by the shaft hole and the O-ring. A water-passing reduced diameter portion is provided above the water-stopping enlarged portion of the shaft-shaped interlocking portion so that the valve body can release the seal of the O-ring in the shaft hole and start to pass water when the guide portion has descended and separated from the valve body, before the valve body is pushed down from the sealing portion by the push-in locking portion.

[0010] Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the frost-proof water faucet of the present invention, the drain valve mechanism that operates when draining water is in the form of a spool valve mechanism, and the drain valve mechanism is characterized by comprising: a drain hole provided in the valve mechanism body so as to communicate with the outside from the upper water supply channel; a drain sleeve portion provided vertically on the valve mechanism body as a component of the drain valve mechanism in a form that communicates with the drain hole; and a drain spool valve portion provided as a component of the drain valve mechanism, wherein the axial interlocking portion inserted into the drain sleeve portion has a drain diameter reduction portion provided on the upper part of the push-in locking portion.

[0011] Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the frost-proof water faucet of the present invention, the axial interlocking part is composed of a piston part from the tip to which the guide part is fixed to the part where the drain spool valve part is provided, a rod part that extends in contact with the upper side of the piston part, and a pin part that is positioned in contact with the upper side of the rod part and between it and the lower side of the operating part. In order to eliminate the negative pressure state in the upper water supply passage that occurs when draining water, an intake valve part is provided that allows outside air to be drawn into the upper water supply passage. This intake valve part is provided in a part above the water outlet located at the upper part of the extension of the upper water supply passage, through which the pin part is inserted and guided to move up and down, and sealed by an O-ring, and is provided as part of the spool valve mechanism. The pin part is provided with an intake diameter reduction part that communicates with the outside when the pin part is in the upper position in the draining state, so that the pin part acts as an intake spool valve.

[0012] Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the frost-proof water faucet of the present invention, the axial interlocking part is composed of a piston part extending from the tip to which the guide part is fixed to the part where the drain spool valve part is provided, a rod part extending in contact with the upper side of the piston part, and a pin part positioned between the upper side of the rod part and the lower side of the operating part, and in order to eliminate the negative pressure state in the upper water supply passage that occurs when draining water, the intake valve part is configured to allow outside air to be drawn into the upper water supply passage, and the pin part is inserted above the water outlet located at the upper part of the extension of the upper water supply passage and guided to move up and down. The pin portion is characterized by comprising a sleeve-shaped retaining portion that is sealed by an O-ring, an intake vent passage connecting the upper water supply passage to the outside on the shaft portion, an intake valve seat portion that is widened in the middle of the intake vent passage and provided facing downward, an intake valve body portion that abuts against the intake valve seat portion to make an airtight seal, and an intake spring that biases the intake valve body portion upward to abut against the intake valve seat portion and close the intake vent passage, and allows the intake valve body portion to be displaced downward so as to open the intake vent passage when the upper water supply passage is depressurized during water drainage.

[0013] Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the frost-proof water faucet of the present invention, the operating part is characterized by comprising a push button mechanism having a push button positioned above the axial interlocking part and provided to be movable downward so as to be able to push down the valve body via the axial interlocking part, a holding structure that maintains the state in which the push button is pressed down, and a return structure that returns the push button to its initial position when it is not pressed down.

[0014] Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the frost-proof water faucet of the present invention, the push-button mechanism is characterized by being configured with a thrust lock mechanism. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the anti-freezing faucet of the present invention, smooth operability can be realized for opening and closing operations, and particularly advantageous effects can be achieved, such as a more reasonable form in terms of sealing performance and durability, and being easier to manufacture.

Brief Explanation of Drawings

[0016] [Figure 1] It is a cross-sectional view showing the water shut-off and water draining state of a form example of the anti-freezing faucet according to the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a cross-sectional view showing a form example of an intake valve portion that can be used in the form example of FIG. 1, showing the water shut-off and water draining state. [Figure 3] It is a perspective view showing a form example of a spring guide arranged by being integrally attached to the valve mechanism body, which is a component of the form example of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] It is a perspective view showing a form example of a piston portion provided as a lower portion of a shaft-shaped interlocking portion, which is a component of the form example of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] It is a cross-sectional view of a form example of the valve mechanism portion in the start state of the water passing operation of the form example of FIG. 1. [Figure 6] It is a cross-sectional view showing a form example of an intake valve portion that can be used in the form example of FIG. 1, showing the start state of the water passing operation. [Figure 7] It is a cross-sectional view showing a form example of the valve mechanism portion in the completion state of the water passing operation of the form example of FIG. 1. [Figure 8] It is a cross-sectional view showing a form example of an intake valve portion that can be used in the form example of FIG. 1, showing the completion state of the water passing operation. [Figure 9] It is another form example of an intake valve portion that can be used in the form example of FIG. 1, which is a cross-sectional view and a partially enlarged view showing the water shut-off and water draining state. [Figure 10] It is a cross-sectional view showing a form example of a pin portion provided as an upper portion of a shaft-shaped interlocking portion, which is a component of the form example of FIG. 9.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] The following describes in detail an example of the form of the frost-proof water tap according to the present invention, along with the attached drawings (Figures 1 to 10). This frost-proof water tap is connected to a water supply pipe buried underground to open and close the water supply channel, and prevents freezing by draining the water when the water supply is shut off.

[0018] Reference numeral 10 denotes the valve mechanism body, which includes a lower water supply channel 11 connected to the pipeline of a water supply pipe (e.g., a water pipe), and serves as the base of an upper water supply channel 12 provided above the lower water supply channel 11. In this embodiment, the valve mechanism body 10 is formed by connecting a connecting body 13 and a valve box 14 and integrally providing a watertight seal with a packing 16. The lower end of the valve mechanism body 10 is a connecting threaded portion 18 connected to the water supply pipe. The upper end of the valve mechanism body 10 is an upper connecting threaded portion 19 connected to the pipeline of a riser pipe 20, which is an extension of the upper water supply channel 12. The outer cylinder 101 is supported by a back cap 13a fitted onto the connecting body 13 from below and secured with a nut 13b. The riser pipe 20 is held inside the outer cylinder 101.

[0019] 21 is a valve seat portion, integrally provided with the valve mechanism body 10, and includes a water passage 22 that connects the lower water supply passage 11 and the upper water supply passage 12, and a sealing portion 23 on the lower side (below the water passage 22) of the portion that forms the water passage 22. In this embodiment, the valve seat portion 21 is located on the lower side of the valve casing 14 and is formed on its inner circumference.

[0020] 25 is the valve body, which is designed to close the water passage hole 22 by contacting the seal portion 23 of the valve seat portion 21 from below, thereby stopping water flow, and to allow water to flow by displacing downward. In this configuration, the valve body 25 contacts the seal portion 23 of the valve seat portion 21 from below, which is the upstream side of the water supply channel, so that the water passage hole 22 can be reliably and appropriately closed by the action of water pressure and the spring 34 described later. Furthermore, as will be described later, the valve body 25 in this embodiment is composed of a guide portion 26 and a valve body 27, and has a structure that opens and closes the water passage hole 22 in two stages. This configuration, which opens the water passage hole 22 in two stages, allows for smooth operation with little force. The valve body 27 is configured to include a valve body main portion and a packing 27a that contacts the seal portion 23 to create a watertight seal. An inner groove is formed on the inner surface of the axial hole 28 of the valve body 27 (valve body main portion) into which an O-ring 29 fits.

[0021] 30 is a shaft-shaped interlocking part, with a valve body 25 positioned at its lower end. It is formed in the shape of a rod extending vertically and is arranged to move up and down in the axial direction. An operating part 50 is linked to its upper end. When the operating part 50 lowers the part, the blockage of the water passage hole 22 by the valve body 25 is released, allowing water to flow. In this embodiment, the shaft-shaped interlocking part 30 is composed of a piston part 30a, a rod part 30b, and a pin part 30c, as will be described later.

[0022] 34 is a spring, positioned between the axial interlocking part 30 and the valve body 25 and the spring receiving part 35a integrally provided on the valve mechanism body 10, biasing the axial interlocking part 30 and the valve body 25 upward. In this embodiment, the spring guide 35 (see Figures 1, 3, 5, and 7) is screwed into the lower end of the valve casing 14 (see Figures 1, 5, and 7), which constitutes the upper part of the valve mechanism body 10, thereby providing the spring receiving part 35a on the valve mechanism body 10. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the spring guide 35. The spring 34 is positioned inside the cylindrical pocket 35b of the spring guide 35, which facilitates its expansion and contraction. 35c is a notch, four of which are intermittently provided on the upper part of the spring guide 35, in the threaded portion that screws into the valve casing 14, and serves as a water passage so that the lower water supply passage 11 communicates with the water passage hole 22. Furthermore, 14a is a notch, provided in the female threaded portion on the valve body 14 side where the valve body 14 and the spring guide 35 are screwed together, and together with the aforementioned notch 35c, it forms a water passage so that the lower water supply passage 11 can communicate with the water passage hole 22.

[0023] Furthermore, in the frost-proof faucet according to the present invention, the valve body 25 includes a guide portion 26 fixed to the lower end of the shaft-shaped interlocking portion 30 and whose vertical movement is guided by the valve mechanism body 10, and a valve body 27 that fits into the upper side of the guide portion 26 of the shaft-shaped interlocking portion 30 with an axial hole 28, so as to be able to move vertically within the displacement range between the guide portion 26 and a push-in locking portion 31 provided on the shaft-shaped interlocking portion 30, and when the guide portion 26 is pushed up together with the shaft-shaped interlocking portion 30, it is sandwiched between the guide portion 26 and the seal portion 23 of the valve seat portion 21 to close the water passage hole 22 of the valve seat portion 21. In this embodiment, the guide portion 26 is fixed to a tip threaded portion 26a provided at the tip of the piston portion 30a which constitutes the lower part of the shaft-shaped interlocking portion 30, and the portion of the piston portion 30a above the tip threaded portion 26a is inserted through the shaft hole 28 of the valve body 27, so that the valve body 27 is arranged to move up and down as described above.

[0024] Furthermore, when the valve body 27 is pushed up by the guide portion 26 and the water passage hole 22 is closed, a water-stopping enlarged diameter portion 32 is provided above the part of the shaft-shaped interlocking portion 30 to which the guide portion 26 is fixed, so that a seal is formed between the shaft hole 28 of the valve body 27 and the O-ring 29.

[0025] Furthermore, before the valve body 27 is pushed down by the push-in locking portion 31 so as to separate it from the seal portion 23, a water-passing diameter-reducing portion 33 is provided above the water-stopping diameter-enlargement portion 32 of the shaft-shaped interlocking portion 30 so that when the guide portion 26 descends and separates from the valve body 27, the valve body 27 can release the seal of the O-ring 29 in the shaft hole 28 and begin to pass water.

[0026] According to this, smooth operation can be achieved for opening and closing operations, and it has the particularly advantageous effect of being a more rational form in terms of sealing performance and durability, and easier to manufacture. In other words, similar to the configuration of the conventional Patent Document 4, opening and closing operations can be performed lightly and smoothly, but compared to the configuration of the conventional Patent Document 4 in which water flow is initiated by a water passage groove, in the present invention, an O-ring 29 is used to switch between the sealed state and the state in which water flow is initiated in the shaft hole 28 of the valve body 27. Therefore, a highly versatile O-ring 29 can be used, resulting in a more rational form in terms of sealing performance and durability, and an easier form to manufacture.

[0027] Furthermore, in this embodiment, similar to the configuration in the conventional Patent Document 4, both the guide portion 26 and the valve body 27 are guided to move up and down within the cylinder of a spring guide 35, which is cylindrically provided on the lower water supply channel 11 side of the valve mechanism body 10 and has a bottom portion that serves as the spring receiving portion 35a of the spring 34. In this embodiment, the guide portion 26 and the valve body 27 are formed to substantially the same diameter and are provided to slide vertically within the same inner diameter portion of the pocket interior 35b. In addition, the inside of the spring guide 35 is in communication with the lower water supply channel 11 through a small hole provided at the bottom.

[0028] According to this, both the guide portion 26 and the valve body 27 are suitably guided by the inner surface of the cylinder inside the spring guide 35, so that lateral movement is suppressed and they can move up and down smoothly. This improves operability. Furthermore, when the guide portion 26 descends and separates from the valve body 27, the upward water pressure on the valve body 27 is reduced because the valve body 27 is inside the cylinder of the spring guide 35, and the water pressure inside the cylinder of the spring guide 35 is released to the upper water supply passage 12 side through the shaft hole 28. As a result, it becomes possible to press the valve body 27 with less force, improving operability.

[0029] 37 is a drain hole, and is provided integrally with the valve mechanism body 10 and is part of the peripheral wall 12a that forms the base of the upper water supply channel 12. It has a drain port 37a that is provided facing upward to open to the outside (atmosphere) for drainage, and a communication port 37b for the drain hole that is provided to communicate from the side with a drain sleeve portion 41, which will be described later, provided inside the peripheral wall 12a. In addition, the drain hole 37 in this embodiment is provided in the valve casing 14 that constitutes the upper part of the valve mechanism body 10 (see Figures 1, 5, 7, etc.).

[0030] In this embodiment, the drain valve mechanism 40 that operates during water drainage is in the form of a spool valve mechanism. The drain valve mechanism 40 includes a drain hole 37 provided in the valve mechanism body 10 so as to communicate with the outside from the upper water supply channel 12 as described above, a drain sleeve portion 41 provided in the valve mechanism body 10 as a component of the drain valve mechanism 40 and communicating with the drain hole 37, and a drain diameter reduction portion 43 provided in the upper part of the push-in locking portion 31 of the shaft-shaped interlocking portion 30 inserted into the drain sleeve portion 41, thereby providing a drain spool valve portion 42 as a component of the drain valve mechanism 40. As shown in Figures 1, 4, 5, and 7, the drain spool valve portion 42 is provided with an outer circumferential groove 42a for mounting the lower O-ring 44 and an outer circumferential groove 42b for mounting the upper O-ring 45. Furthermore, the periphery portion that forms the outer circumferential groove 42a is provided in the shape of an upper ring wall, and one side of the groove that forms the drainage diameter reduction portion 43 is provided in the shape of a slope, and a plurality of communication holes 42c leading to the outer circumferential groove 42a are provided on this slope. These communication holes 42c are provided to prevent the O-ring 44 from coming off the outer circumferential groove 42a.

[0031] Furthermore, the drain hole 37 is equipped with a check-stop sphere 46 that allows drainage from the inside to the outside of the peripheral wall 12a forming the upper water supply channel 12, but prevents entry from the outside to the inside. In addition, a drain port 37a is provided inside the outer cylinder 101, and the drainage is discharged into the ground through a drain hole provided in the back cap 13a, which the lower end of the outer cylinder 101 abuts against. This allows for smooth drainage during water removal and effectively prevents backflow of soil and sand.

[0032] This design allows for smooth operation for water drainage, and offers particularly advantageous effects such as a more rational form in terms of sealing performance and durability, as well as being easier to manufacture. In other words, compared to the conventional design described in Patent Document 4, which uses a packing balanced by two upper and lower springs to open and close the drain hole, the present invention uses a spool valve mechanism to switch between a sealed state and a drained state. Therefore, springs are unnecessary, and highly versatile O-rings 44 and 45 can be used in the drain spool valve section 42, resulting in a more rational form in terms of sealing performance and durability, as well as being easier to manufacture.

[0033] Furthermore, in an embodiment of the present invention, the axial interlocking section 30 is composed of a piston section 30a (see Figures 1, 4, 5, and 7) extending from the tip where the guide section 26 is fixed to the section where the drain spool valve section 42 is provided, a rod section 30b extending in contact with the upper side of the piston section, and a pin section 30c (see Figures 2, 6, and 8) positioned in contact with the upper side of the rod section 30b and between it and the lower side of the operating section 50.

[0034] In this example configuration, to eliminate the negative pressure in the upper water supply passage 12 that occurs when draining water, the intake valve section 70 is configured to allow outside air to be drawn into the upper water supply passage 12 (see arrow in Figure 2). Above the water supply outlet 51 (faucet connection) located at the upper part of the extension of the upper water supply passage 12, the intake sleeve section 71 is provided as part of the spool valve mechanism. This section is guided so as to be vertically movable by a pin section 30c and sealed by an O-ring 72. The pin section 30c is provided with an intake diameter reduction section 73 that communicates with the outside (atmosphere) when the pin section 30c is in the upper position during water draining, so that the pin section 30c acts as an intake spool valve. The intake sleeve section 71 is provided with a port-shaped communication hole 71a that can communicate with the outside.

[0035] According to this, the intake valve section 70 can be rationally constructed with a simple configuration, such as an intake sleeve section 71 and an intake diameter reduction section 73 provided on the pin section 30c, resulting in a form that is easy to manufacture.

[0036] In another embodiment of the present invention, the axial interlocking section 30 is composed of a piston section 30a (see Figures 1, 4, 5, and 7) extending from the tip where the guide section 26 is fixed to the section where the drain spool valve section 42 is provided, a rod section 30b extending in contact with the upper side of the piston section 30a, and a pin section 30c (see Figures 9 and 10) positioned in contact with the upper side of the rod section 30b and between it and the lower side of the operating section 50.

[0037] In this other embodiment, to eliminate the negative pressure in the upper water supply passage 12 that occurs when draining water, the intake valve section 80 is configured to allow outside air to be drawn into the upper water supply passage 12 (see arrow in Figure 9). Above the water supply outlet 51 located at the upper part of the extension of the upper water supply passage 12, a pin portion 30c is inserted and guided to move up and down, and a sleeve-shaped holding portion 81 is provided, which is sealed by an O-ring 82. The pin portion 30c has a shaft portion that connects the upper water supply passage 12 to the outside (atmosphere). An intake vent passage 83 is provided, and an intake valve seat portion 84 is provided facing downward, which is widened in the middle of the intake vent passage 83, and an intake valve body portion 85 is provided that abuts against the intake valve seat portion 84 to make an airtight seal, and an intake spring 86 is provided that biases the intake valve body portion 85 upward to abut against the intake valve seat portion 84 and close the intake vent passage 83, and allows the intake valve body portion 84 to be displaced downward so as to open the intake vent passage 83 when the upper water supply passage 12 is depressurized during water draining.

[0038] The intake valve body 85 is composed of a valve body 85a and an O-ring 85b which is provided as a packing. Furthermore, 87 is a spring retaining plug that receives and holds the intake spring 86 and functions as a stopper to restrict the downward displacement of the valve body 85a. The pin portion 30c is provided with a communication hole 83a that connects the intake air passage 83 to the extension of the upper water supply passage 12, and a communication hole 83b that connects the intake air passage 83 to the outside.

[0039] According to this, a general-purpose O-ring 85b can be used as the packing for the intake valve body 85, allowing for a simple configuration of the intake valve section 80, which has a check valve structure, and making it easy to manufacture.

[0040] Next, the operating unit 50, which is linked to the upper end of the shaft-shaped interlocking unit 30, will be described. The operating unit 50 in this embodiment includes a push button 61 positioned above the shaft-shaped interlocking unit 30 and provided to be movable downward so as to be able to push down the valve body 25 via the shaft-shaped interlocking unit 30, a holding structure that maintains the pushed-down state of the push button 61, and a return structure that returns the push button 61 to its initial position where it is not pressed down. With this, the opening and closing operation of the frost-proof water faucet can be suitably performed with a one-touch pressing operation.

[0041] The push-button mechanism 60 in this embodiment employs a thrust lock mechanism 62, similar to the invention described in Patent Document 4. As shown in Figure 1, 62a is an upper cam ring, 62b is an intermediate rotating cam ring, and 62c is a lower fixed cam ring. This thrust lock mechanism 62 is configured in conjunction with the push button 61, spring 34, shaft-shaped interlocking part 30, and riser pipe 20. With this configuration, a single press of the push button 61 can push down the valve body 25 via the shaft-shaped interlocking part 30, and a subsequent press of the push button 61 can return it to its initial position. This thrust lock mechanism 62 has a simple configuration, yet it operates reliably, reducing manufacturing costs and improving reliability.

[0042] Next, the operation and function of the frost-proof faucet having the above configuration will be explained based on Figures 1, 2, and 5-8. First, Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the entire frost-proof faucet showing the state in which the water has been shut off and drained. The arrows in Figure 1 indicate the flow of drainage, and the arrows in Figure 2 indicate the flow of intake air. Once the water drainage is complete, the operating state of each valve (the guide part 26 of the valve body 25, the valve body 27, and the drain spool valve part 42) is maintained, resulting in the normal shut-off state. This is because the valve body 25 is pressed upward by the action of water pressure and the spring 34, ensuring that the water passage hole 22 is reliably closed.

[0043] Next, we will explain the operation of switching to a water-flow state with a single touch by pressing the push button 61. Figure 5 shows the state inside the valve mechanism body 10 when the water-flow operation begins, and Figure 6 shows the state of the operating unit 50 including the intake valve 70 when the water-flow operation begins. Furthermore, Figure 7 shows the state inside the valve mechanism body 10 when the water-flow operation is completed, and Figure 8 shows the state of the operating unit 50 including the intake valve 70 when the water-flow operation is completed.

[0044] First, when the push button 61 is pressed slightly manually, the piston portion 30a is pushed down to the state shown in the cross-sectional detail view of Figure 5, causing the drain spool valve portion 42 to close the communication port 37b of the drain hole. In other words, the lower O-ring 44 and the upper O-ring 45 provided on the drain spool valve portion 42 create a watertight seal between the drain sleeve portion 41 and the drain hole 37, preventing communication between the upper water supply channel 12 and the drain hole 37.

[0045] At the same time, as shown in the detailed cross-sectional view of Figure 5, the guide portion 26 moves downward away from the valve body 27. This breaks the watertight seal provided by the O-ring 29, and water begins to flow through the shaft hole 28 (see the arrow shown in Figure 5). When the watertight seal provided by the O-ring 29 is released, the gap between the shaft hole 28 and the reduced diameter portion 33 for water passage opens it slightly, and only a small amount of water flows through the water passage hole 22. The water pressure resistance is small, and the force required to press the push button 61 is small. The valve body 27 is still pressed against the seal portion 23 of the valve seat portion 21 by the water pressure, but the upward water pressure acting on the valve body 27 is reduced because the valve body 27 is inside the cylinder of the spring guide 35, and the water pressure inside the cylinder of the spring guide 35 is released to the upper water supply passage 12 side through the gap between the shaft hole 28 and the reduced diameter portion 33 for water passage.

[0046] Furthermore, as shown in the cross-sectional detail view of Figure 5, by pushing the push button 61 partway, water flows towards the upper water supply channel 12, thereby reducing the pressure difference between the lower water supply channel 11 and the upper water supply channel 12 with respect to the water passage hole 22.

[0047] Therefore, as shown in the cross-sectional detail view of Figure 7, when the push button 61 is pushed down all the way, the force required to push the valve body 27 by the push-in locking part 31 is reduced, allowing the push button 61 to be operated appropriately with light pressure. Furthermore, as shown in the cross-sectional detail view of Figure 7, when the valve body 27 is pushed down to its lowest point, the water passage hole 22 opens wide, and water flows through as indicated by the arrow in Figure 7.

[0048] Although various preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and many modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0049] 10 Valve mechanism body 11 Lower water supply channel 12 Upper water supply channel 12a Peripheral wall 13. Connection Unit 13a Back cap 13b Nut 14 valve box 14a Notch 16 Gasket 18. Connection screw part 19 Upper connecting screw part 20 riser pipes 21 Valve seat 22 Water passage holes 23 Seal part 25 Valve body 26 Guide section 26a Threaded tip 27 valve body 27a Packing 28 shaft holes 29 O-rings 30 Shaft-shaped interlocking section 30a Piston section 30b Rod section 30c pin section 31 Push-in locking part 32 Expanded diameter part for water stop 33 Reduced diameter section for water flow 34 Spring 35 Spring Guide 35a Spring receiving part 35b Inside the pocket 35c Notch 37 Drain hole 37a Drain 37b Drainage hole communication port 40 Drainage valve mechanism 41 Drainage sleeve section 42 Drain spool valve section 42a Outer groove 42b Outer groove 42c communication hole 43 Reduced diameter part for drainage 44 O-rings 45 O-rings 46 spheres 50 Control section 51 Water supply outlet 60 Push button mechanism 61 Push Buttons 62 Thrust Lock Mechanism 62a Upper cam ring 62b Intermediate rotating cam ring 62c Lower fixed cam ring 70 Intake valve section 71 Intake sleeve section 71a Communication hole 72 O-rings 73 Intake diameter reduction section 80 Intake valve section 81 Sleeve-shaped retaining part 82 O-rings 83 Intake ventilation passage 83a Communication hole 83b Communication hole 84 Intake valve seat 85 Intake valve body 85a Valve body 85b O-ring 86 Intake Spring 87 Spring retaining plug 101 Outer cylinder

Claims

1. A frost-proof water tap that connects to a water supply pipe buried underground, opens and closes the water supply channel, and prevents freezing by draining water when the water supply is shut off, A valve mechanism body that forms the base of an upper water supply channel, which is provided above the lower water supply channel and is connected to the pipeline of the water supply pipe, A valve seat portion is integrally provided with the valve mechanism body and has a water passage hole that connects the lower water passage and the upper water passage, and a sealing portion on the lower surface side of the portion that forms the water passage hole, A valve body that can block the water passage hole and stop water flow by contacting the sealing portion of the valve seat from below, and allow water to flow by being displaced downward, The valve body is positioned at the lower end, formed in a shaft shape extending vertically and arranged to be vertically movable, with an operating part linked to the upper end, and when lowered by the operating part, the blockage of the water passage hole by the valve body is released, thereby creating a water flow state, In a frost-proof water faucet comprising a spring disposed between the axial interlocking part and the valve body and a spring receiving part integrally provided on the valve mechanism body, the spring biases the axial interlocking part and the valve body upward, The valve body comprises a guide portion fixed to the lower end of the shaft-shaped interlocking portion and whose vertical movement is guided by the valve mechanism body, and a valve body that fits into the shaft hole above the guide portion of the shaft-shaped interlocking portion, so as to be able to move vertically within a displacement range between the guide portion and a push-in locking portion provided on the shaft-shaped interlocking portion, and when the guide portion is pushed up together with the shaft-shaped interlocking portion, is sandwiched between the guide portion and the seal portion of the valve seat portion to close the water passage hole of the valve seat portion. When the valve body is pushed up by the guide portion and the water passage hole is closed, a water-stopping enlarged portion is provided above the part of the shaft-shaped interlocking portion to which the guide portion is fixed, so that a seal is formed between the axial hole of the valve body and the O-ring. A frost-proof faucet characterized in that, before the valve body is pushed down from the sealing portion by the push-in locking portion and when the guide portion descends and separates from the valve body, the valve body can release the seal of the O-ring in the shaft hole and begin to allow water to flow, by having a water-passing diameter reduction portion provided above the water-stopping diameter expansion portion of the shaft-shaped interlocking portion.

2. The drain valve mechanism that operates during water drainage is in the form of a spool valve mechanism, and this drain valve mechanism is The valve mechanism body is provided with a drainage hole that communicates with the outside from the upper water supply channel, In a configuration that communicates with the drain hole, the drain valve mechanism includes a vertically elongated drain sleeve portion provided on the main body of the valve mechanism, The frost-proof faucet according to claim 1, characterized in that the axial interlocking part inserted through the drainage sleeve portion has a drainage diameter reduction portion provided on the upper part of the push-in locking portion, thereby comprising a drainage spool valve portion provided as part of the drainage valve mechanism.

3. A frost-proof water tap that connects to a water supply pipe buried underground, opens and closes the water supply channel, and prevents freezing by draining water when the water supply is shut off, A valve mechanism body that forms the base of an upper water supply channel, which is provided above the lower water supply channel and is connected to the pipeline of the water supply pipe, A valve seat portion is integrally provided with the valve mechanism body and has a water passage hole that connects the lower water passage and the upper water passage, and a sealing portion on the lower surface side of the portion that forms the water passage hole, A valve body that can block the water passage hole and stop water flow by contacting the sealing portion of the valve seat from below, and allow water to flow by being displaced downward, The valve body is positioned at the lower end, formed in a shaft shape extending vertically and arranged to be vertically movable, with an operating part linked to the upper end, and when lowered by the operating part, the blockage of the water passage hole by the valve body is released, thereby creating a water flow state, In a frost-proof water faucet comprising a spring disposed between the axial interlocking part and the valve body and a spring receiving part integrally provided on the valve mechanism body, the spring biases the axial interlocking part and the valve body upward, The drain valve mechanism that operates during water drainage is in the form of a spool valve mechanism, and this drain valve mechanism is The valve mechanism body is provided with a drainage hole that communicates with the outside from the upper water supply channel, In a configuration that communicates with the drain hole, the drain valve mechanism includes a vertically elongated drain sleeve portion provided on the main body of the valve mechanism, A frost-proof water tap characterized by comprising a drain spool valve section provided as part of the drain valve mechanism, wherein the axial interlocking section inserted through the drain sleeve section has a drain diameter reduction section provided on the upper part of the push-in locking section.

4. The aforementioned shaft-shaped interlocking section is composed of a piston section extending from the tip to which the guide section is fixed to the portion where the drain spool valve section is provided, a rod section extending in contact with the upper side of the piston section, and a pin section positioned in contact with the upper side of the rod section and between it and the lower side of the operating section. In order to eliminate the negative pressure state in the upper water supply passage that occurs when draining water, the intake valve section is configured to allow outside air to be drawn into the upper water supply passage, Above the water supply outlet located at the upper part of the extension of the upper water supply channel, the pin portion is inserted and guided to move up and down, and is sealed by an O-ring, and is provided as part of the spool valve mechanism, The frost-proof water faucet according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the pin portion is provided with an intake diameter reduction portion that communicates with the outside when the pin portion is in the upper position in the drained state, so that the pin portion acts as an intake spool valve.

5. The aforementioned shaft-shaped interlocking section is composed of a piston section extending from the tip to which the guide section is fixed to the portion where the drain spool valve section is provided, a rod section extending in contact with the upper side of the piston section, and a pin section positioned in contact with the upper side of the rod section and between it and the lower side of the operating section. In order to eliminate the negative pressure state in the upper water supply passage that occurs when draining water, the intake valve section is configured to allow outside air to be drawn into the upper water supply passage, Above the water outlet located at the upper part of the extension of the upper water supply channel, there is a sleeve-shaped retaining portion through which the pin portion is inserted and guided to move up and down, and which is sealed by an O-ring. The pin portion is provided with an intake vent passage in the shaft portion that connects the upper water supply passage to the outside. The intake valve seat portion is widened in the middle of the intake vent and is positioned facing downward, An intake valve body that abuts against the intake valve seat and creates an airtight seal, A frost-proof water faucet according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises an intake valve body that biases upward to close the intake vent passage by contacting the intake valve seat, and an intake spring that allows downward displacement of the intake valve body so as to open the intake vent passage when the upper water supply passage is depressurized during draining.

6. The frost-proof water faucet according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the operating part comprises a push button mechanism having a push button positioned above the shaft-shaped interlocking part and provided to be movable downward so as to be able to push down the valve body via the shaft-shaped interlocking part, a holding structure for holding down the push button, and a return structure for returning the push button to its initial position when it is not pressed down.

7. The frost-proof faucet according to claim 6, characterized in that the push-button mechanism is configured by a thrust lock mechanism.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Valve device

    JP1998259882A

  • Drain plug

    JP2007327249A

  • Antifreezing faucet

    JP2010126935A

  • Anti-freeze faucet

    JP2013096101A