[0001] The invention relates to a faucet combination based on a manually operated mixing
faucet assembly, said mixing faucet assembly comprising: mixing closing-opening-elements,
feed water pipes leading thereto and ejector elements following the feed water pipes
in the flowing direction, said ejector elements being provided with an extension flow
channel and a side flow channel leading to the first usage target; as well as a conduit
that is in flow connection with said extension flow channel, said conduit being provided
with an closing-opening-element for the second usage target.
[0002] Conventionally, the water needed in various targets of usage is taken from the pipeline
network by using separate and independent faucets or valves, in which case the faucets
or valves are coupled in parallel. This means that if water is needed in one target,
exactly the faucet or faucets leading to said target are opened, and again closed
after the use is terminated, whereas all other faucets leading to other targets may
be closed or open completely irrespective of said first target. The mixing faucet
assembly mentioned above in the introduction constitutes a clear exception to this
common and general principle. In this assembly, known as such, the cold and hot water
obtained from the feed water pipes can be mixed when lifting the lever of the manually
operated lever faucet, i.e. when the lever faucet is in the open position. Now the
mixed water flows to the ejector elements of the faucet. If the closing-opening member
of the handshower element is closed, water flows in the lever faucet through the side
flow channel to the supply pipe space and further to the wet area, for instance to
a hand washing basin. On the other hand, if the closing-opening member of the handshower
element is open, water flows through the extension flow channel of the lever faucet
to the conduit and further to the handshower element to its area of operation, whereas
water does not flow through the side flow channel anymore. Here water needed in two
different targets is thus extracted from faucets arranged in cooperation, which faucets
are interconnected through a conduit independent of the pipeline network. Consequently,
the arrangement includes, in the lever structure itself, mixing closing-opening elements
that are common for both targets of usage, as well as a closing-opening member for
selecting the target in which the water is finally fed. In this case the closing-opening
elements and the closing-opening member are thus coupled in series.
[0003] It is also known to start the flowing of water to a desired target by intermediation
of an electric or electronic device. In these arrangements, the electric energy given
by the electric or electronic device opens and respectively closes valves provided
with electric actuators, thus resulting in the flowing of water in the target and
then in stopping the flow. This kind of electric or electronic device receives the
excitation for opening and closing the valves either through push-buttons or by means
of sensors, such as photocells or the like, positioned at suitable locations. One
of several different photocell sensors is described in the publication US 6,294,786,
and a pushbutton solution for feeding water into a washing machine is explained in
the publication EP-0 387 396.
[0004] The object of the invention is to realize an arrangement by which the taking of water
needed in two different targets from cooperating faucets that are interconnected through
a conduit independent of the pipeline network can be controlled in a way specifically
designed for the usage in question, either mechanically, electrically or electronically
from outside. A second object of the invention is to realize such an arrangement,
where a possible excitation for electric or electronic control can be generated in
a location chosen in each case. A third object of the invention is to realize such
an arrangement, where already existing structures can be utilized to a maximum degree.
[0005] Said objects can be achieved by means of the faucet combination according to the
invention, which is characterized by what is set forth in the characterizing part
of claim 1.
[0006] It has surprisingly been found out that the controlling of the feeding of water to
two targets, for example to a wash basin and a handshower, can be arranged in a simple
and effective way by using a mixing faucet assembly provided with an ejector, including
a handshower element provided with a closing-opening element, and by adding in this
arrangement only one electrically or electronically controlled or manual-mechanically
controlled, i.e. manually operated valve. In this arrangement, the sensor element
and/or operating switch of the electric or electronic control circuit of the valve
can be located at any desired spot.
[0007] The invention is explained with more detail below, with reference to the appended
drawing depicting a preferred embodiment of the invention, where the mixing faucet
assembly is illustrated in longitudinal section, so that the mixing closing-opening
elements and connected ejector elements provided with the respective channels can
be seen; the handshower element and the conduit are described as seen from the side,
the closing-opening member of the handshower element is indicated by dotted lines,
and the electric/electronic parts are illustrated schematically.
[0008] The manually operated mixing faucet assembly 2 that serves as the starting point
first of all comprises mixing closing-opening elements 5 to which the feed water pipes
15, 16 lead in regular flowing directions F1, F2. The feed water pipes are a hot water
pipe 15 and a cold water pipe 16, and in this embodiment, the closing-opening elements
5 are lever faucet elements. It should be understood that said closing-opening elements
5 can also be for instance corresponding valve elements of thermostat faucets, or
elements of separate hot and cold water closing valves. Thus the employed closing-opening
elements 5 can constitute any kind of known or new faucet structure that is suited
in the purpose, by which faucet structure the connection to the feed water pipes can
be opened and the mixing of hot and cold water can be realized. Both the lever faucets
and the thermostat faucets, as well as separate hot and cold water faucets, are known
as such and shall not be explained in more detail. In the mixing faucet assembly 2,
after the closing-opening elements 5, there are provided, in the flowing direction,
ejector elements 6, also including an extension flow channel 3 and a side flow channel
4. The ejector elements comprise an ejector nozzle 26 proper, so that said extension
flow channel 3 is arranged in parallel and as an extension to it. In between the ejector
nozzle 26 and the extension flow channel 3, there is arranged said side flow channel
4, so that a small aperture is left between the ejector nozzle and the extension flow
channel. Moreover, the mixing faucet assembly 2 includes a conduit 19 that is in flowing
connection with the extension flow channel 3, and a closing-opening member 9 arranged
at the outer end of said conduit. When the closing-opening member 9 is closed and
the closing-opening elements 5 of the assembly are open, water flows through the closing-opening
elements to the ejector elements, more precisely through the ejector nozzle 26 to
the side flow channel 4 - because the flow into the extension flow channel 3 is blocked,
when the closing-opening member 9 is closed - and further to the supply pipe space
13 and via the outlet nozzle 24 to the user, i.e. to the first target of usage. When
the closing-opening member 9 is open and the closing-opening elements 5 of the assembly
are open, water flows through the closing-opening elements to the ejector elements,
more precisely via the ejector nozzle 26 to the extension flow channel 3 - because
the flow resistance in that direction is smaller than in the direction of the side
flow channel, where a sudden bend is required - and thence to the conduit 19 and further
out through the closing-opening member 9, i.e. to the second target of usage. In said
first usage mode, water has the flowing direction F4 in the conduit 19. For the second
target of usage, the assembly may contain for instance a handshower element 8 or other
water intake point, inside which the closing-opening member 9 is located. The sole
purpose of the closing-opening member 9 is the closing and opening function, which
means that he employed closing-opening member can be any known or new valve or faucet
that is suitable in said purpose. Therefore it is now explained in more detail.
[0009] According to the invention, the faucet combination 1 includes, in addition to said
mixing faucet assembly 2, a branching element 7 arranged in the conduit 19. The branching
element 7 can be for instance a regular T-branching, where the straight part belongs
to the conduit in the way illustrated in the drawing, and the side branch is in flowing
connection to the additional water pipe 14. The additional water pipe 14 is not used
for intaking water, but for feeding additional water to the mixing faucet assembly
2 of the faucet combination 1, as is indicated by arrow F3 in the drawing. For controlling
the additional water feed, the additional water pipe 14 is provided with a controlled
valve 11. In a simpler embodiment, the controlled valve 11 is used directly manually,
i.e. it is a simple manually operated valve, as is indicated by dotted lines in the
drawing. In a preferred embodiment, the faucet combination 1 also comprises an electric
control unit 12 provided with a sensor element 21 and/or a switch 22, and said control
unit 12 is connected to the controlled valve 11 for its closing-opening function.
In this case the controlled valve can be controlled from a planned/designed area and
distance and with a planned/designed excitation. When the mixing closing-opening elements
5 are closed, and likewise the closing-opening member 9 is closed, water can be conducted
to enter the first target of usage via the supply pipe space 13 and through the outlet
nozzle 24 to the first target of usage by opening the controlled valve 11 without
the user needing to touch the closing-opening elements 5 of the mixing faucet assembly
2. In this second usage mode, water has the flowing direction F5 in the conduit 19,
which direction is thus opposite to the flowing direction F4 of the first usage mode.
Precisely the above explained situation, i.e. that both the closing-opening elements
5 and the closing-opening member 9 are closed, and the feeding of water is controlled
by the controlled valve 11, is the most essential feature of the invention. It should
be understood that the opening of the closing-opening member 9 makes the additional
water flow also to the second target of usage. The faucet combination 1 according
to the invention functions with several types of closing-opening elements and closing-opening
members, as long as the mixing faucet assembly includes ejector elements, and the
closing-opening elements and the closing-opening member are coupled in series.
[0010] The sensor element 21 of the control element 12, such as a user-identifying photocell
arrangement or some other sensor arrangement, can be located to be activated in the
wet area A1 of the outlet nozzle, but preferably the sensor element 21 is placed in
some other location, i.e. arranged to be activated in some other area than the water
area A1 of the first target of usage, i.e. of the outlet nozzle 24. This wet area
means the area where the user may move his hands while washing them in the water flow
supplied through the outlet nozzle 24. In similar fashion, the switch 22 is advantageously
placed nearer to the wet area A2 of the second target of usage, such as the handheld
area of the handshower element 8, than the mixing faucet assembly 2. In that case
the user may open the controlled valve 11 either by touching the switch 22 or by moving
something without contact in the detection area of the sensor element 21. The closing
of the controlled valve 11 can be carried out by a timer arranged in the control unit
12, or by some other action of the user.
[0011] In addition, the faucet combination 1 may comprise, in said additional water pipe
14 prior to the controlled valve 11, a mixing faucet 17' that has a standard mixing
ratio, or is operated thermostatically or in a corresponding fashion, in which case
in said faucet 17', there is brought both a hot water pipe 15 and a cold water pipe
16. As an alternative, the additional water pipe 14 is connected 17" to either one
of the feed water pipes 15, 16, preferably to the cold water pipe 16, in which case
the whole structure is remarkably simple. The use of cold water can be defended, because
in most situations a short-time water intake is in any case not sufficient for bringing
water having the correct temperature from the pipework. The above described functions
of the mixing faucet assembly 2, controlled by the closing-opening elements 5 and
closing-opening member 9, remain in their original form.
1. A faucet combination (1) based on a manually operated mixing faucet assembly, said
mixing faucet assembly (2) comprising:
- mixing closing-opening elements (5), feed water pipes (15, 16) leading thereto,
and in succession after them, in the downstream direction, ejector elements (6) provided
with an extension flow channel (3) and a side flow channel (4) leading to a first
usage target; as well as
- a conduit (19) that is in flow connection with said extension flow channel, and
a closing-opening member (9) arranged in said conduit for a second usage target,
characterized in that the faucet combination (1) further comprises an additional water pipe (14) that is
in flow connection to said conduit (19) through a branching element (7), and a controlled
valve (11) in said additional water pipe (14).
2. A faucet combination according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises an electric control unit (12) with a sensor element (21) and/or
with a switch (22), which control unit is connected to the controlled valve (11) for
its closing-opening function.
3. A faucet combination according to claim 2, characterized in that the mixing faucet (2) has a supply pipe (13) provided with an outlet nozzle (24),
and that said sensor element (21) is arranged in a location other than in the wet
area (A1) of the outlet nozzle.
4. A faucet combination according to claim 2, characterized in that said switch (22) is placed nearer to the wet area (A2) of the second usage target
than the mixing faucet assembly (2).
5. A faucet combination according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a mixing faucet (17') that is connected from the feed water
pipes (15, 16) to the additional water pipe (14), prior to said controlled valve (11).
6. A faucet combination according to claim 1, characterized in that said additional water pipe (14) is connected (17") to either one of the feed water
pipes (15, 16).
7. A faucet combination according to claim 1, characterized in that said closing-opening member (9) is arranged in the handshower element (8).