Patent Grant
11732451
The invention relates to a sanitary installation part, having a functional unit and having a diffuser formed downstream of the functional unit, wherein the functional unit forms at least one inlet opening to a diffuser space, wherein the diffuser has a baffle plate which delimits the diffuser space in an incident-flow direction predefined by the at least one inlet opening, which baffle plate diverts water flowing in through the at least one inlet opening in a lateral direction, wherein the diffuser space is formed between the baffle plate and the functional unit and has an outlet opening through which water entering through the at least one inlet opening emerges in its entirety from the diffuser space.
DE 20 2015 000 856 U1 has disclosed a sanitary outlet element in which a flow regulator or a flow restrictor is, by way of a restrictor or regulator housing, guided displaceably in the insert housing and movable from an open position, in which the restrictor or regulator housing is flowed around by at least a partial quantity of the water, counter to a restoring force of at least one restoring element into a closed position, in which the water flowing to the jet regulator flows through the flow regulator or the flow restrictor.
The invention is based on the object of improving the jet pattern of an emerging water jet.
To achieve the stated object, a sanitary installation part with one or more features of the invention is provided. In particular, according to the invention, to achieve the stated object in the case of a sanitary installation part of the type described in the introduction, it is thus provided that an opening cross section of the outlet opening has an area which amounts to 0.9 times to 2 times, preferably 1 times to 1.7 times, an area of an opening cross section of the at least one inlet opening. Thus, restricted space conditions are created in the diffuser space, by which turbulence in a water flow can be prevented. The areas are preferably selected to be approximately or even exactly equal.
If two or more inlet openings arranged separately from one another are provided, then, as an area of the at least one inlet opening, a total area of the two or more inlet openings can be used for the described size proportions.
In an embodiment of the invention which is possibly of independent inventive quality, in the case of a sanitary installation part of the type described in the introduction or in the case of the exemplary embodiment described above, provision may be made whereby the baffle plate is, at a side facing toward the diffuser space, formed so as to be substantially (or even exactly) planar. Thus, undesired turbulence that could be caused by structures on the baffle plate can be avoided.
Alternatively or in addition, provision may be made whereby the baffle plate is, at a side facing toward the diffuser space, formed so as to be substantially (or even entirely) free from obstructions. The invention has recognized that, for good subsequent aeration, jet splitting in the region of the baffle plate can be dispensed with. Thus, the invention can, in a simple manner, realize a substantially or completely obstruction-free diversion of the flowing water after it emerges from the inlet opening.
In an embodiment of the invention which is possibly of independent inventive quality, in the case of a sanitary installation part of the type described in the introduction or in the case of one of the exemplary embodiments described above, provision may be made whereby the diffuser space has at least two inlet openings which are spaced apart from one another along a main flow direction, and whereby the diffuser space has, along the main flow direction, a profile which defines a profile widening between the mutually spaced-apart inlet openings and/or at the downstream one of the at least two inlet openings. Thus, increases in a water flow that arise along the main flow direction as a result of further inlet openings can be easily accommodated by a corresponding increase in a cross-sectional area of the diffuser space. Undesired turbulence at an inlet opening can thus be avoided. Here, the main flow direction can be described as a preferably shortest connecting line between an inlet opening, preferably an inlet opening arranged furthest upstream, and the abovementioned outlet opening of the diffuser space. Due to the straightening effect of the correspondingly dimensioned diffuser space, this may correlate with the average flow velocity direction in angle segment comprising the inlet opening.
The profile widening is preferably in the form of a profile ramp. In this way, a step-free profile can be provided, such that the water can flow with little turbulence or no turbulence in the diffuser space.
Provision may be made here whereby the profile widening defines an enlargement of a cross-sectional area of the diffuser space transversely with respect to the main flow direction, which is adapted to a cross-sectional area of the downstream inlet opening. It can thus be easily achieved that the water entering via this downstream inlet opening can be merged with the least possible turbulence with the water from the upstream inlet opening. From the continuity equation, it follows that speed profiles which vary as a result of the increase in cross-sectional area, and/or sudden increases in speed, can be avoided. Turbulence can thus be reduced.
In one embodiment of the invention, provision may be made whereby the baffle plate is delimited on all sides, that is to say in encircling fashion, by a cross-sectional widening for the flowing water. An obstruction-free limitation of the baffle plate can thus be realized. It can be achieved in particular that the flowing water can thus flow out of the baffle plate in an unobstructed manner.
The cross-sectional widening is preferably formed by a (descending) step. Desired turbulence downstream of the baffle plate, by which air is admixed, can thus be easily realized.
In one embodiment of the invention, provision may be made whereby the at least one inlet opening is arranged opposite the baffle plate. A flow directly incident on the baffle plate for a diversion of the flow direction toward the outside can thus be realized. The at least one inlet opening is preferably oriented along a longitudinal direction of the sanitary installation part.
In one embodiment of the invention, provision may be made whereby the at least one inlet opening is arranged in the middle with respect to the baffle plate. Thus, rotationally symmetrical flow conditions can be realized. Swirl formation can thus be avoided or at least reduced.
In one embodiment of the invention, provision may be made whereby a carrier plate of the functional unit is supported on the baffle plate. Forces introduced onto the functional unit by the flowing water can thus be dissipated. The support is preferably realized in the middle on the baffle plate. This permits a symmetrical, in particular rotationally symmetrical, design of the diffuser space.
In one embodiment of the invention, provision may be made whereby a flow divider is formed on the baffle plate centrally with respect to the inlet opening, which flow divider can serve as a filling element and thus prevent undesired flow effects. Thus, a reference point can be formed, relative to which a flow in the diffuser space is aligned. Circular flows or turbulence at a first point of impingement of the water against the baffle plate can thus be avoided. The impinging jet naturally already has a cross section of a (possibly deformed) circular disk, in which water in each circular disk segment can be easily diverted outward in a particular direction. For example, the flow divider may be formed by the support already mentioned. The structural design can thus be kept simple.
In one embodiment of the invention, provision may be made whereby the functional unit has at least one flow regulator. It is advantageous here that a required or desired throughflow rate can be provided within a working range irrespective of pressure. The flow conditions in the diffuser space can thus be easily controlled.
Alternatively or in addition, the functional unit may have at least one restrictor. Throughflow rates in the diffuser space can thus be reduced in relation to an unhindered throughflow.
In one embodiment of the invention, provision may be made whereby the functional unit has two flow regulators which are positioned in parallel in a flow direction. It is thus possible to provide greater throughflow rates irrespective of pressure. The flow regulators are preferably arranged concentrically with respect to one another. Structural space can thus be saved without the need for control elements of the flow regulators to be of very small dimensions. Here, the two flow regulators may form in each case one inlet opening into the diffuser space. Here, for example if the flow regulators are arranged concentrically with respect to one another, the inlet openings may be arranged spaced apart from one another along the abovementioned main flow direction, and thus form an upstream and a downstream inlet opening.
In one embodiment of the invention, provision may be made whereby a jet aerating device is positioned downstream of the diffuser. An aerated jet can thus be provided. The uniform or turbulence low-flow, according to the invention, in the diffuser space has proven to be particularly expedient for a downstream air enrichment.
In one embodiment of the invention, provision may be made whereby the diffuser space has a substantially (or even exactly) constant height. Turbulence can thus be avoided or at least reduced also in a vertical direction (in relation to the baffle plate and/or an extent of the diffuser space). The height of the diffuser space may be characterized for example as a dimension transversely with respect to the flow direction in the diffuser space and/or transversely with respect to an extent direction of the baffle plate.
In one embodiment of the invention, provision may be made whereby the diffuser space forms a flow straightener. It is thus possible to realize uniform, in each case for example radially oriented partial flows at the outlet opening, which are expedient for a downstream jet forming process. For this purpose, the diffuser space is preferably designed to have few obstructions or even be free from obstructions, in order to as far as possible avoid undesired turbulence. Here, the invention makes use of the fact that the flow straightening effect is generated by virtue of the delimiting walls of the diffuser space, which forms a channel, being oriented and dimensioned in the described manner.
In one embodiment of the invention, provision may be made whereby a height of the diffuser space amounts to less than half of the height of a collecting chamber positioned downstream. A relatively narrow diffuser space has proven to be expedient for the generation of a straightened flow. Here, the expression “straightened” may also encompass flow patterns in which the partial flows are oriented not parallel but radially in relation to a center.
The invention generally has the advantage that, due to the constricted embodiment, an as far as possible uniform flow pattern in the diffuser space can be realized.
In general, it can be stated that the described features individually or in combination with one another can serve for generating an extremely homogenous speed profile. Large differences in speeds between adjacent partial flows have a tendency to generate turbulence. The invention provides measures for preventing the occurrence of large speed differences.
To achieve the stated object in a manner which is possibly of independent quality, the invention provides a sanitary installation part in which an annular chamber is positioned downstream, in a flow direction, of a diffuser, which annular chamber opens into at least one outlet nozzle, wherein, downstream of the at least one outlet nozzle, there is formed at least one aeration opening via which air from the outside can be supplied for the purposes of generating an aerated water jet, that the annular chamber has, above the at least one outlet nozzle, in one longitudinal portion, a contour into which there can fit an ellipse which has a side ratio of greater than 0.433 of a semi-minor axis in relation to a semi-major axis. It is advantageous here that the annular chamber provides a space for inflowing water, which permits a flow pattern which is approximately circular in a longitudinal section, and at the same time allows for the constricted space conditions of a sanitary installation part. Such a flow pattern is particularly expedient for effective admixing of air.
An ellipse that fits may for example be characterized as being the preferably largest ellipse in terms of area which, at four points, makes contact with a contour or boundary line, approximated in particular as a tetragon, of a cross section transverse with respect to the encircling chamber of the annular chamber.
In general, it can be stated that the flow pattern is all the more expedient for effective admixing of air the closer the ratio of the semi-axes is to 1. Further conditions must however also be taken into consideration here, for example the requirement for the smallest possible outer dimension of the installation part transversely with respect to the longitudinal or flow direction. In many cases, these make it impossible to actually attain the side length ratio of 1.
The numeric ratio preferably amounts to more than or equal to 0.45, 0.5 or even 0.6. It is thus possible for even approximately or exactly circular flow patterns to be realized.
To achieve the stated object in a manner which is possibly of independent inventive quality, the invention provides alternatively or in addition to the solution described above, a sanitary installation part in which an annular chamber is positioned downstream, in a flow direction, of a diffuser, which annular chamber opens into at least one outlet nozzle, wherein, downstream of the at least one outlet nozzle, there is formed at least one aeration opening via which air from the outside can be supplied for the purposes of generating an aerated water jet, wherein, between the diffuser and the annular chamber, there is formed a guide surface which guides inflowing water into the annular chamber, that the annular chamber has, in an annular chamber part situated above an elongation of the guide surface into the annular chamber, in one longitudinal portion, a contour into which there can fit an ellipse which has a side ratio of greater than 0.52 of a semi-minor axis in relation to a semi-major axis. The invention has recognized that the water flows from the guide surface into the annular chamber, such that the described geometrical cross-sectional shape is expedient in order to force this water into an approximately circular path.
It is preferable if the side ratio amounts to more than 0.55, or is equal to 0.55. It is particularly preferable if the side ratio amounts to more than 0.6, or is equal to 0.6. It is very particularly preferable if the side ratio amounts to more than 0.69, or is equal to 0.69. This permits an even better approximation to the circular path, and thus further improved aeration.
In one embodiment of the invention, provision may be made whereby the annular chamber has a tetragonal, in particular (substantially or even exactly) parallelogram-shaped, longitudinal section. A parallelogram-shaped cross-sectional form can be realized particularly easily and can provide sufficient space for good swirling of the water with inflowing air. The longitudinal section may thus be selected to be transverse with respect to a (for example circular) extent dimension of the annular chamber.
In general, an annular chamber enlarged in accordance with the invention may be realized for example by virtue of a step-like constriction being formed upstream of the outlet nozzle.
In one embodiment of the invention, provision may be made whereby an upper cover is placed onto projections which project into the annular chamber. The annular chamber can thus be formed with a maximum extent radially with respect to the longitudinal direction of the installation part, without being limited by a cover situated above it and supported thereby. The functional unit is preferably formed on the cover. Thus, the diffuser bears the functional unit. Here, the projections may be of plate-like form. This can improve turbulence by virtue of a water flow running in the extent direction or along the annular chamber being deflected laterally.
In one embodiment of the invention, provision may be made whereby, downstream of the outlet nozzle, multiple aeration openings are arranged so as to be distributed over a circumference of the installation part. It is thus possible to provide a supply of air on all sides. The invention has recognized that the admixing of air takes place already in the annular chamber upstream of the outlet nozzle, wherein the air enters the annular chamber through the outlet nozzle—counter to the flow direction of the water.
The aeration openings are preferably formed at uniform intervals. The annular chamber can thus be supplied with air uniformly.
In one embodiment of the invention, provision may be made whereby the outlet nozzle is formed by an annular gap. It is thus possible to avoid further subdivisions of the aerated jet.
In one embodiment of the invention, provision may be made whereby the annular chamber is, in a longitudinal section, arranged so as to be offset downward in relation to a collecting chamber positioned upstream. This permits an inflow of the water approximately into a vertically middle region of the annular chamber. This is expedient for good admixing of air.
In one embodiment of the invention, provision may be made whereby the annular chamber extends above and below a or the guide surface. It can thus be achieved that the water enters in a manner spaced apart from a boundary of the annular chamber. This is expedient for good turbulence for admixing of air.
In one embodiment of the invention, provision may be made whereby multiple mutually spaced-apart passage openings are formed between the collecting chamber and the annular chamber. It can thus be achieved that mutually spatially separate partial flows enter the annular chamber. This can be utilized, in the case of a lateral deflection along the annular chamber, for a generation of partial flows which impinge on one another. Yet further improved turbulence for the purposes of jet aeration can thus be achieved. The described passage openings are ideally combinable with the likewise described guide surface and/or with the likewise described offset arrangement of annular chamber and collecting chamber, in order to achieve that partial flows of the water enter the annular chamber approximately in the middle or only slightly eccentrically. Particularly effective admixing of air can be achieved in this way.
The invention will now be discussed in more detail on the basis of exemplary embodiments, but is not restricted to these exemplary embodiments. Further exemplary embodiments will emerge from combination of the features of individual or several patent claims with one another and/or with individual or several features of the exemplary embodiments.
In the figures:
Here, the functional unit 2 opens via a circular inlet opening 5 into the diffuser space 6 of the diffuser 3.
The diffuser space 6 is delimited by a baffle plate 7, on which flow can be incident through the inlet opening 5.
This baffle plate 7 diverts the entering water in a lateral, radial direction.
The diffuser space 6 is arranged between the baffle plate 7 and the functional unit 2 and is delimited in a radial direction, defined in relation to a central axis 8, by an outlet opening 9. This outlet opening 9 encircles the diffuser space 6 on a cylinder envelope.
In an outflow direction predefined by the inlet opening 5, the baffle plate 7 delimits the diffuser space 6.
On the baffle plate 7, there are formed multiple flow obstructions 10 each with a triangular horizontal section, which flow obstructions divide the water diverted at the baffle plate 7 into multiple individual partial flows.
Here, the flow obstructions 10 are arranged spaced apart from the functional unit 2, such that it is also possible for water to flow over the flow obstructions 10.
Components and functional units which are similar or identical in terms of construction and/or function to the installation part as per
The exemplary embodiment according to the invention differs from the prior art as per
By contrast to the variant as per
This has the result that the outlet opening 9 is formed so as to be open in an encircling manner at the outer edge 11 of the baffle plate 7.
Situated radially outside the edge 11 is a step 12 which slopes downward. This step 12 thus forms a cross-sectional widening in relation to the opening cross section of the outlet opening 9.
The cross-sectional widening formed in this way is formed in an encircling manner around the entire baffle plate 7.
By use of the step 12, the outer edge 11 forms an encircling separation edge over which the water flow flows downward.
This is particularly expedient for the initiation of the turbulence, which will be described further below.
It can be seen in
On the baffle plate 7, there is formed a central support 13 which supports the functional unit 2. In further exemplary embodiments, the central support 13 may also be formed integrally on the functional unit 2 and seated on the baffle plate 7 or may engage into a recess formed there.
This support 13 forms a flow divider 14 which prevents water flowing from the inlet opening 5 from being able to flow to the central axis 8 and across the central axis 8. Rather, the flow divider 14 has the effect that the inflowing water is diverted radially substantially rectilinearly outward from the inlet openings 5. The flow divider 14 furthermore fills a central region, which is not required and in which there is a risk of turbulence forming, of the diffuser space 6.
By the support 13, the housing, formed as a carrier plate 37, of the flow regulators 15, 16 is also supported centrally on the baffle plate 7.
In the exemplary embodiment as per
In further exemplary embodiments, other flow regulators or combinations of flow regulators and restrictors, or only restrictors, are provided.
A jet aerating device 17 is positioned downstream of the diffuser 3 in a flow direction in
Positioned downstream of the annular chamber 24 is an outlet nozzle 25 which is formed as an annular gap and which follows the profile of the annular chamber 24.
Below the outlet nozzle 25, there are formed outwardly leading aeration openings 32 which extend in a uniformly distributed manner along the circumference.
Through this aeration opening 32, air from the outside enters via the outlet nozzle 25—that is to say counter to the flow direction of the water—into the annular chamber 24, in which said air is mixed with the water sputtering past.
On the other side of the flow divider 14, the diffuser space 6 has a constant height, that is to say vertical dimension, and thus forms a flow straightener which has few obstructions, and which is preferably free from obstructions.
Here, the height of the diffuser space 6, that is to say its extent along the central axis 8 or in the longitudinal direction, is smaller than half of the height of the downstream collecting chamber 18, that is to say of the extent thereof along the central axis 8.
Into the cross section of the annular chamber 24 there is fitted or inscribed an ellipse 26, whose side ratio of the length of the semi-minor axis to the semi-major axis is equal to 0.53 and thus amounts to more than 0.433. In further exemplary embodiments, ellipses can be fitted whose side ratio of semi-minor axis to semi-major axis is more than 0.45, 0.5, 0.6 or even 0.69.
The fitted ellipse 26 thus fills the annular chamber 24 in the most effective possible manner.
It can be seen in
If the guide surface 27 is elongated into the annular chamber 24, it can be seen that, in the annular chamber part 31 thus formed above the guide surface 27, there can be fitted an ellipse 26 whose side ratio of the semi-minor axis to the semi-major axis is approximately 0.69 and thus greater than 0.52 and even greater than 0.55 and greater than 0.6.
This ellipse 28 describes, as a close approximation, the profile of the water flow downstream of the inlet into the annular chamber 24 from the guide surface 27.
This approximately circular path configuration leads to aeration and thus air enrichment before the water emerges to the outlet nozzle 25.
In the illustrations as per
The outlet nozzle 25 is formed by an encircling annular gap 20 between the diffuser insert 4 and a housing sleeve 33.
It can also be seen in
It is achieved in this way that, in this longitudinal section, the annular chamber 24 extends both above and below the guide surface 27.
The exemplary embodiment as per
The exemplary embodiment as per
Rather, here, a trapezoidal form is at least approximately realized, in the case of which the upper end of the annular chamber 24 is widened such that the diffuser insert 4 is no longer supported by solid material of the housing sleeve 33. For the support of the diffuser insert 4, plate-like projections 36 are formed here, which project into the annular chamber 24.
These projections 36 serve firstly for holding the diffuser insert 4 and secondly for diverting water flows, which flow along the extent direction of the circular annular chamber 24, in a radially inward direction. This further improves the mixing of the water flows.
These projections 36 are preferably formed correspondingly to the position of the passage openings 19.
It can be seen that, due to the particular shaping of the annular chamber 24, the fitted ellipses 26, 28 are oriented obliquely in relation to the central axis 8 which predefines the longitudinal direction of the installation part 1. In the present case, the ellipse 26 has a side ratio of 0.55 of semi-minor axis to semi-major axis, that is to say lies above a ratio of 0.52. By contrast, the ellipse 28 has a side ratio of approximately 0.69 of semi-minor axis to semi-major axis.
In
The installation part 1 as per
The exemplary embodiment as per
In the case of the sanitary installation part 1 with a diffuser 3 arranged downstream of a functional unit 2 and with an annular chamber 24 arranged downstream of the diffuser 3, it is provided that an area of an opening cross section of an outlet opening 9 of the diffuser 3 be configured to be at most 10% larger than an area of an opening cross section of an inlet opening 5, 5′ of the diffuser 3, and/or that the annular chamber 24 be formed with a contour which, in a longitudinal section of the installation part 1, permits the inscribing of an ellipse 26, 28 with the smallest possible eccentricity.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 202017101442.8 | Mar 2017 | DE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2018/056206 | 3/13/2018 | WO |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2018/167042 | 9/20/2018 | WO | A |
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| 20210388586 A1 | Dec 2021 | US |
