Flow-Through Type Washing Device

Abstract

A flow-through type washing device includes a connecting tube assembly, a brush assembly and a handle assembly connected to the connecting tube assembly. The handle assembly includes a tubular handle that defines a fluid passage and that has a disc fitting tubular end, a partition disc non-rotatably fitted to the disc fitting tubular end and having a port such that a valve is operated to engage and disengage from the port, and a tubular tightening member with an inner threaded surface. The inner threaded surface is threadedably engaged with an outer threaded surface of the handle to bring an annular shoulder of the tightening member to abut against the partition disc so as to counteract a pressing force applied to the partition disc when the valve is moved to engage the port.

1 . A flow-through type washing device comprising:
 a tubular handle which has an upstream tubular end that is adapted to be matably engaged with a fitting of a washing water supply, and a tubular wall that extends from said upstream tubular end in a lengthwise direction to terminate at a disc fitting tubular end, and that defines a fluid passage communicating said upstream tubular end with said disc fitting tubular end, said tubular wall including a tightened segment which is adjacent to said disc fitting tubular end, and which has an outer threaded surface surrounding a tightening axis, and a passage accessing segment which is adjacent to said tightened segment, and which is distal from said disc fitting tubular end, said passage accessing segment having an access opening which extends in a transverse direction relative to the lengthwise direction to be communicated with said fluid passage;   a partition disc having outer and inner major surfaces opposite to each other, said partition disc being configured such that said partition disc is non-rotatably fitted to said disc fitting tubular end with said inner major surface confronting said fluid passage, said inner major surface having a valve seat which defines a port that extends through said outer major surface;   a valve stem mounted in said fluid passage, and having a mount end which is shiftable substantially in a plane transverse to the lengthwise direction between an aligned position, where said mount end is aligned with said port, and a non-aligned position, where said mount end is remote from said port;   a valve head which is disposed on said mount end, and which is configured to be fully engaged with said valve seat when said mount is in the aligned position, and to be disengaged from said valve seat when said mount end is in the non-aligned positions;   an actuator coupled with said valve stem to move said mount end between the aligned and non-aligned positions, and having an operated end which is externally accessible via said access opening; and   a tubular tightening member which has a smaller-diameter segment and a larger-diameter segment opposite to each other in the lengthwise direction, and an annular shoulder interposed therebetween and confronting said partition disc, said larger-diameter segment having an inner threaded surface which is configured to threadedly engage said outer threaded surface such that, by virtue of threaded engagement between said outer and inner threaded surfaces, said annular shoulder is brought to abut against said partition disc so as to counteract a pressing force applied to said partition disc when said mount end is moved from the non-aligned position to the aligned position.   
   
   
       2 . The flow-through type washing device according to  claim 1 , wherein said valve stem has a pivoted end which is opposite to said mount end in the transverse direction and which is pivotally mounted in said fluid passage about a pivot axis in the lengthwise direction such that said mount end is turnable about the pivot axis between the aligned and non-aligned positions;
 said washing device further comprising an actuated member which is disposed opposite to said pivoted end in the lengthwise direction, and which is revolvable with said pivoted end about the pivot axis;   said actuator having an actuating end which is opposite to said operated end in the transverse direction, and which is configured to move said actuated member to revolve about the pivot axis to thereby couple said actuator with said valve stem.   
   
   
       3 . The flow-through type washing device according to  claim 2 , wherein said partition disc has a post which extends from said inner major surface along the pivot axis such that, said pivoted end is revolvable about said post when said partition disc is fitted to said disc fitting tubular end, a water-tight seal which is disposed on said valve seat to ensure a water-tight engagement between said valve seat and said valve head when said mount end is in the aligned position, and a recess which is disposed in said inner major surface to accommodate said valve head when said mount end is in the non-aligned position. 
   
   
       4 . The flow-through type washing device according to  claim 3 , wherein said tightened segment of said tubular wall has an inner annular surface which has at least one lengthwise extending protuberance that extends toward said disc fitting tubular end to terminate at a ledge surface, said partition disc having a cutout which extends from said inner major surface towards said outer major surface in the lengthwise direction to terminate at a marginal surface that is configured to mate with said ledge surface such that, once said partition disc is fitted to said disc fitting tubular end, said marginal surface is brought to abut against said ledge surface to thereby ensure non-rotation of said partition disc relative to said disc fitting tubular end. 
   
   
       5 . The flow-through type washing device according to  claim 4 , further comprising a biasing spring which is disposed on said mount end, and which biases said valve head towards said inner major surface to apply the pressing force to said partition disc. 
   
   
       6 . The flow-through type washing device according to  claim 1 , wherein said annular shoulder of said tubular tightening member has an O-ring which is disposed to abut against said outer major surface of said partition disc so as to ensure a fluid tight engagement between said annular shoulder and said partition disc. 
   
   
       7 . The flow-through type washing device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an elongated outer tube having opposite outer first and second ends;   a tubular coupler which is disposed to connect said outer first end of said outer tube to said smaller-diameter segment of said tubular tightening member;   an elongated inner tube having opposite inner first and second ends, and an inner intermediate segment interposed between said inner first and second ends, said inner first end being configured to be insertable into said outer tube through said outer second end with said inner intermediate segment extending beyond said outer second end, and to be slidable along said outer tube so as to permit varying of a distance between said inner second end and said outer second end;   a tubular connector having a large-diameter wall and a small-diameter wall opposite to each other in the lengthwise direction, and an annular shoulder wall interposed therebetween, said large-diameter wall being configured to be insertable into said outer tube, said small-diameter wall being configured to be insertable into said inner first end, and to permit an end edge of said inner first end to abut against said annular shoulder wall such that said inner tube can be maintained in a retained and water-tight engagement with said outer tube; and   a tubular lock which is disposed to releasably guard said inner intermediate segment against possible drifting movement relative to said outer second end so as to ensure the retained and water-tight engagement.   
   
   
       8 . The flow-through type washing device according to  claim 7 , wherein said tubular lock includes
 a tubular joint having a lower tubular segment which is sleeved on said outer second end, and which is configured to abut against a tubular edge of said outer second end, and an upper tubular segment which is opposite to said lower tubular segment in the lengthwise direction, and which has an externally threaded surface;   a collet member which has a tubular insert that is insertable into said upper tubular segment, and a collet portion that is opposite to said tubular insert in the lengthwise direction, and that is sleevable on said inner intermediate segment; and   a tubular socket member having a lower tightening segment which has an internally threaded surface that is configured to mate with said externally threaded surface, and an upper conical socket segment which is opposite to said lower tightening segment, and which is configured to mate with said collet portion such that, when said internally threaded surface is engaged with said externally threaded surface, said collet portion is brought into tight engagement with said inner intermediate segment so as to ensure the retained and water-tight engagement.   
   
   
       9 . The flow-through type washing device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a scrubbing brush which includes a brush head which has a discharging port; and   a tubular connector which is connected to said discharging port, said tubular connector having a surrounding wall which defines therein a passage that is fluidly communicated with said discharging port, and which is configured to be sleeved on said inner second end of said inner tube, an annular inner abutment which extends radially from said surrounding wall and which abuts against an end edge of said inner second end, and an annular inner clamping wall which extends from said annular inner abutment and which is spaced apart from said surrounding wall to define an annular space for insertion of said inner second end thereinto.