Sanitary Valve Cartridge Toggle Joint for Durable Eco-Stop
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing eco-stop mechanisms in sanitary fittings, which rely on spring elements, complicate design, are not easily retrofittable, and suffer from wear and loss of elasticity over time, affecting durability.
Innovation Solution
A toggle joint mechanism is used within the valve cartridge, featuring a dead center point that provides a counterforce when swiveling from the eco-stop position to the open position, allowing for a larger flow rate range and improved durability, with the option to easily convert or replace the mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a spring element is used to provide the eco-stop function, then the eco-stop resistance force is achieved, but the durability deteriorates due to wear and loss of elasticity over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the spring element (elastic mechanical system) with a toggle joint mechanism (rigid mechanical system with geometric constraints). The toggle joint uses a dead center point and geometric configuration to generate the eco-stop resistance force, eliminating the need for elastic materials that degrade over time. This substitution of mechanical systems resolves the durability issue while maintaining the eco-stop function.
2Ease of operation
If a spring element is arranged in the handle part of the fitting, then the eco-stop function is provided, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the eco-stop mechanism from the main sanitary fitting body by placing the toggle joint mechanism entirely within the valve cartridge. This segmentation allows the eco-stop function to be provided as a modular component, reducing the complexity of the overall sanitary fitting design while maintaining the desired operational characteristics.
3Ease of operation
If a spring element is used for the eco-stop function, then the resistance force is provided, but the adaptability deteriorates as it cannot be easily retrofitted to existing fittings
Solution Approach 1:
By placing the toggle joint mechanism within the replaceable valve cartridge, the patent enables easy retrofitting. The entire eco-stop mechanism is contained within the cartridge module, which can be removed and replaced as a single unit in existing sanitary fittings, significantly improving adaptability and retrofit capability.
4Strength
If a metal spring element is used with a plastics rip structure, then the elasticity is maintained, but the reliability deteriorates due to the rip structure losing its shape over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the interaction between metal spring element and plastics rip structure by replacing the spring-based system with a toggle joint mechanism. The toggle joint uses rigid components and geometric constraints to generate forces, eliminating tribological wear and shape loss issues that occur in metal-plastic contact systems.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3a~5b
AI summary
A valve cartridge (10) for a sanitary fitting has a housing (12), in which a valve is arranged, and an actuating lever (14) protruding from the housing (12) for opening and closing the valve, wherein the actuating lever (14) is supported in a lever support part (16) of the housing (12) and may be swiveled from a closed position to an open position through a an eco-stop position, in which the valve is only partially opened compared to the open position. In order to provide an alternative to known eco-stop mechanism based on spring elements, the valve cartridge (10) comprises a toggle joint mechanism (14, 42, 30, 50) arranged between the actuating lever (14) and the housing (12), wherein the toggle joint mechanism (14, 42, 30, 50) comprises a dead center point through which the toggle joint mechanism (14, 42, 30, 50) has to move when swiveling the actuating lever (14) from the eco-stop position to the open position.