Faucet equipment

Abstract

To provide a faucet device capable of attaching a handle to an operation shaft of a faucet body so as not to spoil its appearance.SOLUTION: A faucet device 1 comprises: a faucet body 10 that is provided with an operation shaft 16A that can be manually rotated; an intermediate member 30 that is attached to the operation shaft 16A; and a handle 20 that is attached to the intermediate member 30. The faucet device 1 also comprises a slide fitting structure S1 in which the intermediate member 30 is integrally fitted in a rotational direction and an axial direction by inserting the intermediate member into the operation shaft 16A in a radial direction. The faucet device 1 further comprises a snap-fit fitting structure S2 that is mounted for snap-fitting to prevent axial slippage with radial deflection by axially inserting the handle 20 into the intermediate member 30, for fixation in the rotational direction to integrally fit in the rotational direction, and slippage prevention to make them face each other in the radial direction and prevent the intermediate member 30 from coming off from the operation shaft 16A in the radial direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a water faucet device, and more particularly to a water faucet device having a water faucet body equipped with an operating shaft that can be manually rotated, and a handle for rotation that is integrally attached to the operating shaft. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a faucet device in which a handle for switching between on and off water discharge is attached to the faucet body. The handle is fitted onto an operating shaft provided on the faucet body and fastened to the operating shaft from the outside with a screw to be integrally connected. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 6-8463 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the configuration described in Patent Document 1, the head of the screw is exposed to the outside from the handle, which is an unsightly configuration. Therefore, the present invention provides a faucet device that allows the handle to be attached to the operating shaft of the faucet body without spoiling the appearance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to solve the above problems, the faucet device of the present invention takes the following measures. That is, the faucet device has a faucet body with an operating shaft that can be rotated manually, and a handle for rotation operation that is attached integrally to the operating shaft. The faucet device also has an intermediate member that is attached to the operating shaft and forms an attachment portion of the handle to the operating shaft. The faucet device also has a slide fitting structure that can fit the intermediate member to the operating shaft by inserting it in the radial direction so that they are integrated in the rotational direction and the axial direction. The faucet device also has a snap fit fitting structure that can attach the handle to the intermediate member by inserting it in the axial direction so that it is snap-fitted to fit the intermediate member so as to prevent it from coming off in the axial direction with radial bending, fixed in the rotational direction so that they are integrated in the rotational direction, and prevented from coming off in the radial direction by opposing each other in the radial direction.

[0006] According to the above configuration, the intermediate member is inserted radially into the operating shaft, and the handle is then inserted axially into the intermediate member, so that the handle can be attached integrally to the operating shaft. Therefore, the handle can be attached integrally to the operating shaft in an attractive manner without using any fastening members such as screws.

[0007] The water faucet device of the present invention may be further configured as follows: The intermediate member has a flexible claw at a position protruding in the axial direction from the operating shaft, which performs the above-mentioned snap fit to be fitted onto the handle with radial bending when the handle is inserted in the axial direction.

[0008] According to the above-mentioned configuration, it is possible to appropriately bend the flexible claws radially inward without interfering with the operating shaft, and therefore it is possible to appropriately ensure the bending margin of the flexible claws without increasing the radial size of the intermediate member.

[0009] The faucet device of the present invention may further be configured as follows: The faucet device further comprises a fixing member that is disposed to surround the operating shaft by being screwed into the faucet body and prevents the operating shaft from coming off in the axial direction. The fixing member prevents the intermediate member from falling off in the radial direction from the operating shaft in the assembled state before the handle of the intermediate member is inserted.

[0010] According to the above-mentioned configuration, the fixing member can temporarily hold the intermediate member before the handle is inserted so that it does not fall off in the radial direction from the operating shaft, thereby improving the ease of assembly of the water faucet device.

[0011] The water faucet device of the present invention may further be configured as follows: The handle has an engagement portion that is arranged so as to be sandwiched radially between the intermediate member and the fixed member by axially inserting the handle into the intermediate member, thereby preventing the intermediate member from coming out in the radial direction.

[0012] According to the above-described configuration, the engaging portion of the handle that prevents the intermediate member from coming off in the radial direction is disposed so as to be surrounded from the radial outside by the fixing member, thereby enabling the engaging portion to more appropriately prevent the intermediate member from coming off in the radial direction.

[0013] The water faucet device of the present invention may be further configured as follows: The abutment surfaces forming the fitting surface formed between the handle and the intermediate member for fixing the rotational direction have a surface abutment structure where flat surfaces face the center point of the operating shaft.

[0014] According to the above-mentioned configuration, the handle can be attached to the intermediate member in a state in which rotational power can be appropriately transmitted to the intermediate member. With this configuration, the surface abutment structure between the handle and the intermediate member can be made compact with little rise in the radial direction. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing the schematic configuration of a water faucet device according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the water faucet device with the handle removed. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a state in which the intermediate member and the fixing member are removed. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an enlarged, partially sectional perspective view of a main portion of FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a view taken along the arrow VI in FIG. 2. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the intermediate member as viewed from the rear side. [Figure 8] FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0017] First Embodiment (Schematic configuration of the faucet device 1) First, the configuration of a water faucet device 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 8. In the following description, directions such as front, back, top, bottom, left, and right refer to the respective directions shown in each figure. The directions shown in each figure are the directions seen by a user standing in front of the water faucet device 1. In the following description, when no specific reference figure is shown or when no reference figure has a corresponding reference symbol, any of Figures 1 to 8 will be referred to as appropriate.

[0018] As shown in Fig. 1, the faucet device 1 according to this embodiment is configured as a washing machine feed faucet for discharging water supplied from a pipe embedded in a back wall (not shown) to a washing machine. The faucet device 1 includes a faucet body 10 that is connected to the pipe (not shown) embedded in the back wall so that water can flow through it, and a resin handle 20 that is attached to the front side of the faucet body 10 (shown) for manually switching between water discharge and water stop.

[0019] 2, the faucet device 1 further includes a resin intermediate member 30 that serves as an intermediary member for attaching the handle 20 to an operating shaft 16A of the faucet body 10, which will be described later. As shown in FIG. 3, the intermediate member 30 is configured to be attached to the operating shaft 16A in a state where it is integrated with the operating shaft 16A in both the rotational and axial directions by being inserted into the tip of the operating shaft 16A from the radial outside (the right side in the figure).

[0020] 2, when the intermediate member 30 is attached to the operating shaft 16A, the handle 20 is inserted axially into the intermediate member 30, so that the intermediate member 30 fits with the handle 20 and integrally connects the handle 20 to the operating shaft 16A. The specific configuration of each part of the faucet device 1 will be described in detail below.

[0021] (Configuration of the faucet body 10) As shown in Fig. 1, the faucet body 10 has a hollow box-shaped main body 11, a connecting pipe 12 extending in a circular pipe shape from the center of the face of the main body 11 on the rear side in the figure to the rear side, and a discharge pipe 13 extending in a circular pipe shape downward from the center of the face of the lower side in the figure of the main body 11. The faucet body 10 also has a protruding tube portion 14 that protrudes in a cylindrical shape from the center of the face of the main body 11 on the front side in the figure to the front side. The connecting pipe 12 and the discharge pipe 13 are configured to communicate with each other via the hollow box-shaped main body 11 so that water can pass through them.

[0022] 2 to 5, the faucet body 10 has a cylindrical fixed tube portion 15 made of resin that is incorporated into the hollow interior of the body portion 11 and forms a water passage within the body portion 11, and a cylindrical movable tube portion 16 made of resin that is incorporated into the interior of the fixed tube portion 15 and rotated by a handle 20. The faucet body 10 also has a cylindrical metal fixing member 17 that is screwed into the interior of the protruding tube portion 14 from the front side in the figure and prevents the fixed tube portion 15 and the movable tube portion 16 from coming off in the axial direction.

[0023] 1, a male thread 12A is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the pipe wall of the connection pipe section 12. The connection pipe section 12 is configured to be connected to a pipe on the wall side so as to allow water to flow therethrough by screwing the male thread 12A onto a connection end portion of a pipe embedded in the back wall (not shown) from the front side in the figure.

[0024] The water discharge pipe 13 also has a male thread 13A formed on the outer circumferential surface of the pipe wall. The water discharge pipe 13 is configured so that a connection end of a water supply hose connected to a washing machine (not shown) is screwed onto the male thread 13A from the underside in the figure, thereby allowing a water supply hose (not shown) to pass water through.

[0025] 3, the protruding tubular portion 14 has a female thread 14A formed on the inner peripheral surface of the tubular wall. The protruding tubular portion 14 also has two upper and lower hollows 14B formed on the tubular wall, each of which extends in the shape of a long hole from the tubular end on the front side of the figure to the rear side in the tubular axial direction.

[0026] 4 and 5, the fixed tube portion 15 is inserted into the tube interior of the protruding tube portion 14 from the front side in the figure, and is assembled in a fixed state inside the hollow interior of the main body portion 11. Specifically, the fixed tube portion 15 has a cylindrical shape with an outer diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the tube of the protruding tube portion 14.

[0027] 3, engagement protrusions 15A protruding outward in the tube diameter direction are formed at two positions, one above and one below, on the tube end portion on the front side of the fixed tube portion 15. These engagement protrusions 15A are formed at positions in the tube circumferential direction corresponding to the hollows 14B formed at two positions, one above and one below, of the protruding tube portion 14 described above.

[0028] The fixed tube portion 15 is inserted into the tube interior of the protruding tube portion 14 from the front side in the figure, and is inserted deeply into the tube interior of the main body portion 11 by passing each engagement protrusion 15A through each corresponding hollowing out 14B of the protruding tube portion 14. By this insertion, the fixed tube portion 15 is inserted into the protruding tube portion 14 to a position where each engagement protrusion 15A abuts and engages with the end portion on the far side in the figure of the corresponding hollowing out 14B of the protruding tube portion 14.

[0029] As a result, the fixed cylinder portion 15 is loosely fitted into the protruding cylinder portion 14 and the main body portion 11, respectively, and is set in a state in which rattling in the cylinder diameter direction relative to these is suppressed. In detail, the fixed cylinder portion 15 is set in a watertight state inside the protruding cylinder portion 14 and the main body portion 11 via an O-ring as a waterproof seal material (not shown) attached to the outer periphery of the fixed cylinder portion 15.

[0030] In addition, the fixed tube portion 15 has each engaging protrusion 15A passing through the corresponding hollowing out 14B of the protruding tube portion 14, so that each engaging protrusion 15A fits into each hollowing out 14B in a state in which rattle in the tube circumferential direction is suppressed. As a result, the fixed tube portion 15 is assembled to the protruding tube portion 14 in a state in which rattle does not occur in the tube radial direction or the tube circumferential direction.

[0031] By the above assembly, the fixed cylinder portion 15 is set in a state in which a connection side communication port (not shown) formed in the cylinder end portion on the inner side in the figure communicates with the connection pipe portion 12 described above in Fig. 1. In addition, the fixed cylinder portion 15 is set in a state in which a discharge side communication port (not shown) formed in the cylinder wall portion on the lower side in the figure communicates with the discharge pipe portion 13 described above in Fig. 1.

[0032] 4 and 5, the movable cylinder portion 16 is assembled in advance into the fixed cylinder portion 15 in a state of being fitted so as to be rotatable in the cylinder circumferential direction, and is configured to be assembled into the cylinder of the main body portion 11 together with the fixed cylinder portion 15. The movable cylinder portion 16, like the fixed cylinder portion 15, is configured to have an open cylinder end on the inner side shown in the figure, and to be provided in a state of communication with the connecting pipe portion 12 described above in FIG. With the above configuration, the movable cylinder portion 16 is configured so that water supplied from the connecting pipe portion 12 flows into its cylinder interior.

[0033] The movable cylinder 16 has a movable-side communication port (not shown) formed in a part of the cylinder wall, which penetrates in the cylinder diameter direction. The movable cylinder 16 is switched to a water discharge state in which water that has flowed into the cylinder flows out from each communication port (not shown) to the water discharge pipe 13 by being moved to a position where the movable-side communication port (not shown) is aligned in the cylinder diameter direction with the water discharge side communication port (not shown) of the fixed cylinder 15 by rotating the movable cylinder 16 relative to the fixed cylinder 15.

[0034] In addition, by rotating the movable cylinder portion 16 relative to the fixed cylinder portion 15, the movable side communication port (not shown) is moved to a position where it is no longer overlapping with the water discharge side communication port (not shown) of the fixed cylinder portion 15 in the cylindrical direction in the cylindrical direction, thereby switching to a water-stopping state in which water that has flowed into the inside of the cylinder is retained inside without flowing out into the water discharge pipe portion 13.

[0035] 3, the movable cylinder portion 16 is integrally provided with an operating shaft 16A that protrudes in a square rod shape toward the front in the cylinder axial direction from a round hole-shaped opening formed in the center of the cylinder end portion on the front side in the figure of the fixed cylinder portion 15. A slide groove 16B is formed on each of the upper and lower surfaces of the operating shaft 16A that protrudes toward the front side in the figure, running transversely in the left-right direction in the figure.

[0036] These slide grooves 16B are formed on the upper and lower surfaces of the square rod-shaped operating shaft 16A, which are parallel back-to-back surfaces. Each slide groove 16B is formed in a symmetrical shape extending parallel to each other in the left-right direction. Each slide groove 16B is formed in a straight shape extending in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the operating shaft 16A.

[0037] The operation shaft 16A is configured such that the intermediate member 30 is inserted from the right side in the figure into the tip portion where the slide grooves 16B are formed, so that the intermediate member 30 is attached in a state where it is integrated with the operation shaft 16A in the rotational direction and the axial direction. Specifically, a slide fitting structure S1 is formed between the operation shaft 16A and the intermediate member 30, which allows the operation shaft 16A and the intermediate member 30 to be fitted together in a state where they are integrated with each other in the rotational direction and the axial direction by the insertion. Details will be described later.

[0038] 2, the operating shaft 16A has an intermediate member 30 attached to its tip, and then the handle 20 is inserted into the intermediate member 30 from the front side in the figure, so that the operating shaft 16A is integrally connected to the handle 20 via the intermediate member 30. As a result, the operating shaft 16A can be rotated in the left-right direction integrally with the handle 20 by a user rotating the handle 20 in the left-right direction in the figure.

[0039] As shown in Fig. 3, the fixing member 17 has a male thread 17A formed on the outer circumferential surface of its tubular wall. The fixing member 17 is set in a state inserted into the tubular interior of the protruding tubular portion 14 by screwing the male thread 17A into the female thread 14A of the protruding tubular portion 14 from the front side in the figure. By assembling as described above, the fixing member 17 prevents the fixed tubular portion 15 and the movable tubular portion 16, which were previously inserted into the tubular interior of the protruding tubular portion 14, from coming off in the tubular axial direction from the protruding tubular portion 14 (see Figs. 2 and 4 to 5).

[0040] Furthermore, by the above assembly, the fixing member 17 is set in a state in which it surrounds the entire circumference of the intermediate member 30 previously attached to the operating shaft 16A from the radially outer side, as shown in Fig. 2. This allows the fixing member 17 to temporarily hold the intermediate member 30 before the handle 20 is inserted so as not to fall off the operating shaft 16A in the radial direction.

[0041] (Configuration of handle 20) As shown in Fig. 3, the handle 20 is a cylindrical member with a top plate at the end of the cylinder that is the front side in the figure. The handle 20 is configured such that a finger hook protrusion 21 is formed on part of the outer circumferential direction of the cylinder, protruding in a stripe shape along the axial direction of the cylinder. The finger hook protrusion 21 functions as a protrusion on which a user hooks their finger when gripping the handle 20 and rotating it left and right.

[0042] 8, the handle 20 has a cylindrical mounting tube 22 formed in the center of the rear side of the top plate. The mounting tube 22 is cylindrical and concentric with the handle 20.

[0043] The mounting tube portion 22 has a recessed shape in which the inner peripheral surface narrows in two stages from the rear side to the front side in the figure. Specifically, the mounting tube portion 22 has an inner peripheral surface on the rear side (shallow side) in the figure inside the tube formed as a first recess 22A having a substantially rectangular inner peripheral surface. The first recess 22A has a shape that allows an attachment portion 31 of an intermediate member 30, which will be described later in FIG. 7, to be fitted thereinto in a state in which they are integrated in the rotational direction.

[0044] 8, the mounting tube portion 22 has an inner peripheral surface on the front side (deep side) of the tube interior formed as a second recess 22B having a generally circular inner peripheral surface with a narrower recess width than the first recess 22A. The second recess 22B is shaped so that each flexible claw 32 of the intermediate member 30, which will be described later with reference to FIG. 7, can be snap-fitted into the inside.

[0045] As shown in Fig. 8, an erroneous assembly prevention groove 22C is formed on the inner peripheral surface on the right side of the first recess 22A in the drawing, and is recessed in a stripe shape extending along the axial direction. As shown in Figs. 6 to 7, the erroneous assembly prevention groove 22C functions as a groove portion into which the erroneous assembly prevention protrusion 31B formed on the intermediate member 30 can be inserted and fitted in the axial direction. With the above configuration, the handle 20 (see Fig. 8) can be inserted into the intermediate member 30 only in the orientation in which the erroneous assembly prevention protrusion 31B (see Fig. 7) fits into the erroneous assembly prevention groove 22C, thereby preventing erroneous assembly.

[0046] As shown in Fig. 8, a pair of left and right hook protrusions 22D that protrude in an arc shape along the cylindrical circumferential direction are formed on the inner peripheral surface of the second recess 22B. As shown in Fig. 5, these hook protrusions 22D function as hooks that enable a pair of left and right flexible claws 32 formed on the intermediate member 30 to be inserted into the second recess 22B, and the claw portions 32A at the tips of the hook protrusions 22D to be snap-fitted from the inside in the cylindrical radial direction.

[0047] (Configuration of intermediate member 30) 3, the intermediate member 30 has a mounting portion 31 that is U-shaped as viewed from the rear and opens to the left in the figure, and four flexible claws 32 that protrude in a cylindrical shape toward the front from the center of the side plate on the front side of the mounting portion 31 in the figure. The mounting portion 31 is configured such that slide protrusions 31A that protrude in a shape extending in the left-right direction in the figure are formed in the middle parts in the front-rear direction of the lower surface of the top plate and the upper surface of the bottom plate that face each other above and below.

[0048] As shown in Fig. 7, the slide protrusions 31A are formed in a symmetrical shape extending parallel to each other in the left-right direction in the figure. Each slide protrusion 31A is formed in a shape that extends continuously in a straight line in the left-right direction in the figure from the end on the left side in the figure on the lower surface of the top plate and the upper surface of the bottom plate of the mounting part 31 to a position where it connects with the side plate on the right side in the figure.

[0049] 3, the mounting part 31 is inserted from the right side (radially outward) into the tip of the operating shaft 16A where the slide grooves 16B are formed, and assembled in a state in which the mounting part 31 covers the tip of the operating shaft 16A. Specifically, the mounting part 31 is assembled in a state in which the slide protrusions 31A are fitted into the corresponding slide grooves 16B by inserting the operating shaft 16A between the top plate and the bottom plate while passing the slide protrusions 31A through the corresponding slide grooves 16B.

[0050] By the above assembly, the mounting part 31 is set in a state in which its top plate and bottom plate are in face-to-face contact with the upper and lower surfaces of the operating shaft 16A, respectively, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. These face-to-face contact structures are flat surfaces facing the center point of the operating shaft 16A. The mounting part 31 is also set in a state in which its right side plate (see Fig. 7) in the figure is in face-to-face contact with the right side surface of the operating shaft 16A in the figure. The mounting part 31 is also set in a state in which its front side side plate in the figure is in face-to-face contact with the end surface of the front side of the operating shaft 16A in the figure.

[0051] A circular through hole 31C (see FIG. 7) is formed in the center of the side plate on the front side of the mounting part 31. The side plate on the front side of the mounting part 31 is set in a state in which the plate portion around the through hole 31C is in face-to-face contact with the end face of the operating shaft 16A on the front side of the figure.

[0052] As a result, the mounting part 31 is fitted to the operating shaft 16A in a state where they are integrated in the rotational direction. Also, the mounting part 31 is fitted to the operating shaft 16A in a state where they are integrated in the axial direction as well, by fitting each of the slide protrusions 31A into each of the slide grooves 16B. In this manner, a slide fitting structure S1 is formed between the mounting part 31 of the intermediate member 30 and the tip end of the operating shaft 16A, which allows them to be fitted to each other in a state where they are integrated in the rotational direction and the axial direction by the above-mentioned insertion.

[0053] As shown in Fig. 7, a misassembly prevention protrusion 31B that protrudes in a forward / backward direction is formed in the vertical center of the right side surface of the side plate on the right side of the mounting part 31. As described above in Fig. 8, the misassembly prevention protrusion 31B functions as a misassembly prevention part that prevents the handle 20 from being assembled to the intermediate member 30 (see Fig. 7) unless the handle 20 is oriented in such a way that the misassembly prevention groove 22C formed in the handle 20 can be inserted into the misassembly prevention protrusion 31B.

[0054] 3, the four flexible claws 32 are formed to protrude in a cylindrical shape toward the front side in the figure along the periphery of a round through hole 31C (see FIG. 7) formed in a side plate on the front side in the figure of the mounting part 31. In detail, the flexible claws 32 are formed in line at positions on concentric circles in the circumferential direction along the periphery of the through hole 31C of the mounting part 31.

[0055] The flexible claws 32 are identical in shape to each other, and are formed separately at four circumferential positions corresponding to the upper end, lower end, left end, and right end in the figure along the periphery of the through hole 31C. The flexible claws 32 are configured such that adjacent ones arranged in the circumferential direction are separated by slits. As a result, each flexible claw 32 is configured to be able to bend individually inward and outward in the radial direction like a cantilever, with the base end connected to the mounting part 31 as a fulcrum.

[0056] Each flexible claw 32 has a claw portion 32A formed on the outer periphery of the protruding end thereof, the claw portion 32A extending in the circumferential direction. As shown in FIG. 5, each flexible claw 32 forms a cylinder whose outer diameter is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the second recess 22B of the handle 20.

[0057] However, each flexible claw 32 has a shape in which the outer diameter of a cylindrical portion formed by the tip portion from which the claw portion 32A protrudes is substantially the same as the inner diameter of the second recess 22B of the handle 20. Each claw portion 32A has a tapered shape inclined radially inward toward the front side in the figure at the front end. Also, each claw portion 32A has a tapered shape inclined radially inward toward the rear side in the figure at the rear end in the figure.

[0058] As shown in Fig. 3, the intermediate member 30 is attached to the operating shaft 16A, and then the mounting cylinder portion 22 (see Fig. 8) of the handle 20 is inserted from the front side in the figure, so that the intermediate member 30 is assembled in a state of being integrally fitted to the mounting cylinder portion 22. Specifically, as shown in Figs. 5 to 6, by inserting the handle 20, the flexible claws 32 of the intermediate member 30 are passed through the second recesses 22B of the mounting cylinder portion 22.

[0059] As a result, although the illustration of the specific behavior of each flexible claw 32 is omitted, the inclined surfaces on the tip side of the claw portions 32A of the two flexible claws 32 on the left and right sides of the flexible claws 32 come into contact with the corresponding hook projections 22D protruding from two positions on the left and right sides of the inner peripheral surface of the second recess 22B, and are bent radially inward. After that, as the handle 20 is further inserted, the claw portions 32A of the two flexible claws 32 on the left and right sides of the flexible claws 32 climb over the hook projections 22D toward the front side in the illustration, and snap-fit ​​into the end faces of the hook projections 22D on the front side in the illustration due to the elastic force caused by the restoration. As a result, the two flexible claws 32 on the left and right sides are fitted into the hook projections 22D of the handle 20 in a state where they cannot come out in the axial direction.

[0060] Furthermore, by the above-mentioned insertion, the mounting portion 31 of the intermediate member 30 is passed through the first recess 22A of the mounting cylinder portion 22 of the handle 20, and is set in a state in which the upper and lower surfaces and the right side surface as shown in the figure are in face contact with the first recess 22A. As a result, the mounting portion 31 of the intermediate member 30 is fitted to the mounting cylinder portion 22 of the handle 20 in a state in which it is integrated with the mounting cylinder portion 22 of the handle 20 in the rotational direction.

[0061] In addition, the mounting portion 31 of the intermediate member 30 is prevented from coming off the operating shaft 16A to the right in the figure due to a radial contact between the side plate on the right side in the figure and the right side surface of the first recess 22A of the mounting cylinder 22. Here, the mounting cylinder 22 corresponds to the "engagement portion" of the present invention. Furthermore, the erroneous assembly prevention protrusion 31B (see FIG. 7) formed on the mounting portion 31 of the intermediate member 30 is inserted into and fitted into the erroneous assembly prevention groove 22C formed on the right side surface in the figure of the first recess 22A shown in FIG. 8.

[0062] 5 and 6, the above assembly allows the mounting cylinder 22 of the handle 20 to be attached to the intermediate member 30 in a state in which it is prevented from coming off in the axial direction and is integrally fitted in the radial and rotational directions. With the above attachment, the mounting cylinder 22 of the handle 20 is connected to the operating shaft 16A via the intermediate member 30 in a state in which rotational power can be appropriately transmitted.

[0063] More specifically, by the above-mentioned attachment, the mounting tube portion 22 of the handle 20 is set in a state in which it is inserted into the cylindrical interior of the fixed member 17 with a small gap in the radial direction. As a result, even if the mounting tube portion 22 of the handle 20 receives a reaction force from the intermediate member 30 during rotational operation of the handle 20 and is pushed and bent radially outward, the mounting tube portion 22 of the handle 20 is firmly supported from the outer periphery by the fixed member 17.

[0064] Therefore, the mounting cylinder portion 22 of the handle 20 is connected to the operating shaft 16A in a state in which rotational power can be appropriately transmitted. The handle 20 is inserted into the intermediate member 30 and locked to a position where the peripheral portion of the side plate on the front side in the figure of the mounting portion 31 of the intermediate member 30 abuts in the axial direction against the step surface between the first recess 22A and the second recess 22B of the mounting cylinder portion 22.

[0065] In this way, a snap fit engagement structure S2 is formed between the intermediate member 30 and the handle 20, which can be attached so as to provide a snap fit that engages with each other by the above-mentioned insertion with radial bending to prevent axial slippage, a rotational fixation that engages with the intermediate member 30 so that they are integrated in the rotational direction, and a slip-out prevention structure that prevents the intermediate member 30 from slipping out radially from the operating shaft 16A by opposing them in the radial direction.

[0066] By assembling via the intermediate member 30, the handle 20 can be attached integrally to the operating shaft 16A without using fastening members such as screws. Therefore, since fastening members such as screws are not exposed to the outside from the handle 20, the handle 20 can be attached integrally to the operating shaft 16A with a good appearance.

[0067] The handle 20 attached to the intermediate member 30 is removed from the intermediate member 30 by the user pulling the handle 20 toward the front in the figure with a force greater than the engagement force of the snap fit, which causes the flexible claws 32 to bend. Therefore, the handle 20 can be easily removed without using any tools.

[0068] To summarise the above, the water faucet device 1 according to the first embodiment has the following configuration: Note that in the following, the reference characters in parentheses correspond to the respective components shown in the above embodiment.

[0069] That is, the faucet device (1) has a faucet body (10) equipped with an operating shaft (16A) that can be rotated manually, and a handle (20) for rotation operation that is attached integrally to the operating shaft (16A). The faucet device (1) also has an intermediate member (30) that is attached to the operating shaft (16A) and forms an attachment portion of the handle (20) relative to the operating shaft (16A). The faucet device (1) also has a slide fitting structure (S1) that allows the intermediate member (30) to be fitted integrally with the operating shaft (16A) in the rotational and axial directions by radially inserting it therein.

[0070] The faucet device (1) also has a snap-fit ​​engagement structure (S2) that can attach the handle (20) to the intermediate member (30) by inserting it in the axial direction, thereby engaging it with radial bending to prevent it from coming out in the axial direction, by fixing it in the rotational direction by engaging it so that they are integrated in the rotational direction, and by opposing it in the radial direction to prevent the intermediate member (30) from coming out in the radial direction from the operating shaft (16A).

[0071] According to the above configuration, it is possible to attach the handle (20) integrally to the operating shaft (16A) by inserting the intermediate member (30) radially into the operating shaft (16A) and then attaching the handle (20) axially into the intermediate member (30). Therefore, the handle (20) can be attached integrally to the operating shaft (16A) with a good appearance without using any fastening members such as screws.

[0072] The intermediate member (30) has a flexible claw (32) at a position protruding in the axial direction from the operating shaft (16A) that performs the snap fit to be fitted to the handle (20) with radial bending when the handle (20) is inserted in the axial direction. With the above configuration, the flexible claw (32) can be appropriately bent radially inward without interfering with the operating shaft (16A). Therefore, it is possible to appropriately ensure the bending allowance of the flexible claw (32) without increasing the radial size of the intermediate member (30).

[0073] The faucet device (1) further includes a fixing member (17) that is disposed to surround the operating shaft (16A) by screwing into the faucet body (10) and prevents the operating shaft (16A) from coming off in the axial direction. The fixing member (17) prevents the intermediate member (30) from falling off in the radial direction from the operating shaft (16A) in the assembled state before the handle (20) is inserted. With the above configuration, the fixing member (17) can temporarily hold the intermediate member (30) before the handle (20) is inserted so that it does not fall off in the radial direction from the operating shaft (16A). This improves the ease of assembly of the faucet device (1).

[0074] The handle (20) also has an engagement portion (22) that is disposed so as to be sandwiched radially between the intermediate member (30) and the fixed member (17) by axially inserting the handle (20) into the intermediate member (30) and prevents the intermediate member (30) from coming out in the radial direction. According to the above configuration, the engagement portion (22) of the handle (20) that prevents the intermediate member (30) from coming out in the radial direction is disposed so as to be surrounded from the radial outside by the fixed member (17). This makes it possible to more appropriately prevent the intermediate member (30) from coming out in the radial direction by the engagement portion (22).

[0075] In addition, the abutment surfaces of the handle (20) and the intermediate member (30) that form the fitting surfaces for fixing the rotational direction are made of a surface abutment structure with flat surfaces facing the center point of the operating shaft (16A). With this configuration, the handle (20) can be attached to the intermediate member (30) in a state in which rotational power can be appropriately transmitted. With this configuration, the surface abutment structure between the handle (20) and the intermediate member (30) can be made compact with little rise in the radial direction.

[0076] Other embodiments Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention can be embodied in various forms as described below in addition to the above embodiment.

[0077] 1. The faucet device of the present invention can be applied to various faucet devices having a faucet body with an operating shaft that can be manually rotated, and a handle for rotation that is attached integrally to the operating shaft. For example, the faucet device of the present invention may be a washing machine feed faucet, a vertical or horizontal single faucet, or a wall or countertop mixer faucet. The handle may be a switching handle for switching between water discharge and water stop, or a temperature adjustment handle for adjusting the water discharge temperature.

[0078] The operating shaft may be configured to extend in any direction from the faucet body. The operating shaft may be in a shape other than a square rod, or may be in a shape that protrudes like a round rod.

[0079] 2. The slide fitting structure, in which the intermediate member is fitted to the operating shaft in the radial direction so as to be integral in the rotational and axial directions, may be configured so that a slide groove is formed in the intermediate member and a slide protrusion is formed on the operating shaft.

[0080] 3. The flexible claw of the intermediate member, i.e., the flexible claw that snaps into the handle by bending radially when the handle is inserted in the axial direction, may be formed in a portion where its axial arrangement overlaps with that of the operating shaft of the intermediate member.

[0081] 4. The rotational fixation in which the handle is fitted into the intermediate member by axial insertion so that they are integrated in the rotational direction may also be achieved by fitting the handle and the intermediate member together in the rotational direction by a serration fit or spline fit.

[0082] 5. The engaging portion of the handle, i.e., the engaging portion which is arranged so as to be radially sandwiched between the intermediate member and the fixed member by axially inserting it into the intermediate member to prevent the intermediate member from coming out radially, does not necessarily have to surround the entire intermediate member, but must be provided in a portion which can at least prevent the intermediate member from coming out radially from the operating shaft. [Explanation of symbols]

[0083] 1 Faucet equipment 10 Faucet body 11 Main body 12 Connection pipe section 12A male thread 13 Water discharge pipe section 13A Male thread 14 Overhang tube part 14A Female thread 14B Hollowing 15 Fixed cylinder part 15A Engagement protrusion 16 Movable cylinder part 16A operation axis 16B Slide groove 17 Fixing member 17A Male thread 20 Handle 21 Finger rest protrusion 22 Mounting tube portion (engagement portion) 22A First recess 22B Second recess 22C Misassembly prevention groove 22D hanging protrusion 30 Intermediate parts 31 Mounting part 31A Slide protrusion 31B Misassembly prevention protrusion 31C through hole 32 Flexible claw 32A Claw part S1 Slide fitting structure S2 Snap-fit ​​mating structure

Claims

1. A faucet device having a faucet body with an operating shaft that can be manually rotated, and a handle for rotation that is integrally attached to the operating shaft, an intermediate member attached to the operating shaft to form a mounting portion of the handle relative to the operating shaft; a slide fitting structure that can fit the intermediate member to the operation shaft so as to be integral with the operation shaft in both the rotational direction and the axial direction by inserting the intermediate member in the radial direction; A faucet device having a snap fit engagement structure that can attach the handle to the intermediate member by inserting it in the axial direction, engaging it with radial bending to prevent it from coming out in the axial direction, fixing it in the rotational direction by engaging it so that they are integrated in the rotational direction, and preventing the intermediate member from coming out in the radial direction by opposing it in the radial direction.

2. The water faucet device according to claim 1, A water faucet device in which the intermediate member has flexible claws at a position protruding axially from the operating shaft, which perform the snap fit by engaging with the handle with radial bending when the handle is inserted axially.

3. The water faucet device according to claim 1 or 2, The water faucet further includes a fixing member that is arranged to surround the operating shaft by being screwed to the water faucet body and prevents the operating shaft from coming off in the axial direction, The fixing member prevents the intermediate member from falling off radially from the operating shaft in the assembled state before the handle is inserted.

4. The water faucet device according to claim 3, A faucet device having an engagement portion in which the handle is positioned so that it is radially sandwiched between the intermediate member and the fixed member by axially inserting it into the intermediate member, thereby preventing the intermediate member from coming out radially.

5. A water faucet device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, A water faucet device in which the abutment surfaces that form a fitting surface for fixing the rotational direction formed between the handle and the intermediate member have a surface abutment structure with flat surfaces facing the center point of the operating shaft.

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