Fluid flow control device housed in a thermostatic faucet

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for controlling the flow of a fluid, housed in a thermostatic faucet comprising: housed in the body of the faucet, a device ( 5 ) for controlling the outlet temperature of the water, comprising a thermosensitive element ( 3 ) and a device ( 11 ) for controlling the flow of the faucet, a control knob ( 12 ) for the temperature control device and a control element ( 13 ) for the flow control device. This control device is characterized in that: the flow control device ( 11 ) is disposed downstream from the mixing chamber and controls the flow cross section of the so-called outlet located downstream from the mixing chamber, and the control knob and element are located on the same side of the body of the faucet that houses the control device, and on the opposite side from the outlet.

1 . Device for controlling the flow of a fluid, housed in a thermostatic faucet comprising: 
 housed in the body ( 4 ) of the faucet:    a device ( 5 ) for controlling the outlet temperature of the water, comprising a thermosensitive element ( 3 ) which, plunged into a so-called mixing chamber ( 3 ), adjusts the temperature of the mixed water by modifying the cross-sections ( 7 ,  8 ) of flow to the mixing chamber ( 6 ) of the hot water issuing from a hot water inlet ( 9 ) and the cold water issuing from a cold water inlet ( 10 ) and,    a device ( 11 ) for controlling the flow of the faucet, disposed downstream from the mixing chamber, in order to adjust the flow cross section of the so-called outlet ( 14 ) located downstream from the mixing chamber,    a control knob ( 12 ) for the temperature control device and a control element ( 13 ) for the flow control device, located on the same side of the body of the faucet that houses the control device, and on the opposite side from the outlet ( 14 ), this device being characterized in that the means ( 17 ) for transmitting the rotation of the control element is coaxial to the thermosensitive element and this means ( 17 ) is a rotationally guided jacket ( 19 ) housing the thermosensitive element ( 3 ), this jacket ( 19 ) being rotationally coupled with the control element of the flow control device by a first coupling means ( 20 ), and rotationally coupled with the flow control device ( 11 ) by a second coupling means.    
     
     
         2 . Control device according to    claim 1   , characterized in that: 
 flow control is obtained by means of two washers ( 15 ,  16 ) disposed one on top of the other, each of which has at least one hole, and    one ( 15 ) of the washers ( 15 ,  16 ), called the fixed washer, is rotationally immobilized, while the other washer ( 16 ), called the moving washer, is rotationally guided and rotationally driven, at least indirectly, by the control element ( 13 ) of the flow control device.    
     
     
         3 . Control device according to    claim 1   , characterized in that the jacket ( 19 ) has lateral slots ( 22 ) that allow the water issuing from the hot water and cold water inlets ( 9 ,  10 ) to enter the mixing chamber ( 6 ) via the hot water and cold water passages, whose cross-section depends on the thermosensitive element.  
     
     
         4 . Control device according to    claim 1   , characterized in that the flow control device and the temperature control device form a cartridge.  
     
     
         5 . Control device according to    claim 2   , characterized in that the disk-shaped ceramic washers are mounted in a sleeve ( 27 ), which sleeve, at least indirectly, has means ( 28 ) for detachably connecting with the jacket ( 19 ) housing the temperature control device.  
     
     
         6 . Control device according to    claim 5   , characterized in that a pin ( 29 ) passes through the wall of the sleeve ( 27 ) housing the ceramic disks ( 15 ,  16 ), and one ( 29 A) of the ends ( 29 A,  29 B) of this pin penetrates into a cavity ( 30 ) of the ceramic disk, while the other ( 29 B) projects outward from the sleeve in order to cooperate with the body of the faucet.  
     
     
         7 . Control device according to    claim 2   , characterized in that the link between the moving disk and the jacket is produced by an intermediate ring ( 32 ) that is coupled with the jacket ( 19 ) and with a sleeve ( 27 ).  
     
     
         8 . Control device according to    claim 1   , characterized in that, for the driving of the moving disk ( 16 ), which is located as close as possible to the mixing chamber ( 6 ), the disk has, in its side ( 16 A) that faces the mixing chamber, a recess ( 16 B) that receives a boss ( 31 ) presented at least indirectly by the jacket ( 19 ), which drives it in rotation.  
     
     
         9 . A control device for controlling the flow of a fluid through a thermostatic faucet having a body ( 4 ) with a cold fluid inlet ( 10 ) and a hot fluid inlet ( 9 ) comprising: 
 a temperature control device ( 5 ) within the body ( 4 ) for controlling outlet temperature of the fluid, said device ( 5 ) comprising a mixing chamber ( 3 ) and a thermosensitive element ( 3 ) adapted to be plunged into the mixing chamber ( 3 ) to adjust the temperature of mixed fluid by modifying the cross-sections ( 7 ,  8 ) of flow to the mixing chamber ( 6 ) of hot fluid issuing from the hot fluid inlet ( 9 ) and the cold fluid issuing from a cold fluid inlet ( 10 ) and,    a flow control device ( 11 ) disposed downstream from the mixing chamber and adapted to adjust the flow cross section of an outlet ( 14 ) downstream from the mixing chamber for controlling the flow of the faucet,    a control knob ( 12 ) connected to the temperature control device and a control element ( 13 ) connected to the flow control device and located on the same side of the body of the faucet that houses the control device, and on the opposite side from the outlet ( 14 ),    a rotationally guided jacket ( 17 ) coaxial to the thermosensitive element for transmitting rotation of the control element ( 13 ), said rotationally guided jacket ( 19 ) housing the thermosensitive element ( 3 ), and    first and second coupling means, said jacket ( 19 ) being rotationally coupled with the control element of the flow control device by a first coupling means ( 20 ), and rotationally coupled with the flow control device ( 11 ) by a second coupling means.    
     
     
         10 . A control device according to    claim 9   , further comprising: 
 a fixed washer ( 15 ) and a moveable washer ( 16 ) disposed within the flow control device ( 11 ), one on top of the other, each of which has at least one hole, and    the fixed washer being rotationally immobilized, while the moving washer ( 16 ), is rotationally guided and rotationally driven, at least indirectly, by the control element ( 13 ) of the flow control device so as to control flow.    
     
     
         11 . A control device according to    claim 9   , characterized in that the jacket ( 19 ) has lateral slots ( 22 ) that allow the fluid issuing from the hot fluid and cold fluid inlets ( 9 ,  10 ) to enter the mixing chamber ( 6 ) via hot fluid and cold fluid passages, whose flow cross-section depends on the thermosensitive element ( 3 ).  
     
     
         12 . A control device according to    claim 9   , characterized in that the flow control device and the temperature control device form a cartridge.  
     
     
         13 . A control device according to    claim 10   , characterized in that the washers are ceramic disks ( 15 ,  16 ) mounted in a sleeve ( 27 ), said sleeve including, at least indirectly, means ( 28 ) for detachably connecting the temperature control device with the jacket ( 19 ) housing.  
     
     
         14 . A control device according to    claim 13   , further comprising a pin ( 29 ) extending through the sleeve ( 27 ), said sleeve ( 27 ) housing the ceramic disks ( 15 ,  16 ), one first end ( 29 A) of the pin ( 29 ) penetrating into a cavity ( 30 ) of a ceramic disk, and a second other end ( 29 B) of the pin ( 29 ) projecting outward from the sleeve so as to cooperate with the body ( 4 ) of the faucet.  
     
     
         15 . A control device according to    claim 10   , characterized in that an intermediate ring ( 32 ) coupled with the jacket ( 19 ) and with a sleeve ( 27 ) provides a link between the moving washer and the jacket.  
     
     
         16 . A control device according to    claim 9   , characterized in that the moving washer ( 16 ) has in a side ( 16 A) that faces the mixing chamber, a recess ( 16 B) that receives a boss ( 31 ) presented at least indirectly by the jacket ( 19 ), which rotatably drives the washer of the moving washer ( 16 ) being located adjacent to the mixing chamber ( 6 ).