The present application claims the benefit of and priority to Chinese Patent Application 201110361857.2, filed Nov. 15, 2011, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
The present disclosure relates generally to the field of telescoping water jet devices (e.g., telescoping or moving bidet wands) for use with sanitary or bath products.
Water jet devices (i.e. a device having a nozzle for spraying liquid) in sanitary and bath products are often used to spray water and to clean parts of the body. Water jet devices may be connected to bidets or intelligent toilets (e.g. having a bidet feature). Conventional water jet devices are powered for a telescoping movement by a drive assembly having a motor. The motor in the drive assembly is often small, and not capable of providing a large amount of torque for the telescoping feature of the water jet device. It is challenging and difficult to develop small drive assemblies capable of providing such torque.
An embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a drive assembly for a telescoping wand of water jet device. The drive assembly includes an internally engaged rotary disk. With rotation of the internally engaged rotary disk, the telescoping wand of the water jet device is caused to retract or expand. This configuration can advantageously reduce the size of the gearing required to drive the telescoping feature while still providing sufficient torque.
A drive assembly for a telescoping water jet device includes a motor configured to drive a pinion disk via a gearing system. The assembly further includes an internally engaged rotary disk having internal teeth. The internally engaged rotary disk and the pinion disk are located such that the pinion disk engages with the internal teeth of the internally engaged rotary disk. The pinion disk provides rotational torque from the motor to the internally engaged rotary disk. The internally engaged rotary disk is coupled to the telescoping feature such that rotation of the internally engaged rotary disk controllably extends or retracts the telescoping feature. The assembly may include a motor shaft connected to the motor. The assembly may further include motor gears fixed on the motor shaft, the motor gears configured to engage with a gearwheel disk of the gearing system. The gearwheel disk and the pinion disk may be coaxially and fixedly connected. The gearwheel disk and the pinion disk may be integrally formed.
Another embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a drive assembly for a water jet device. The drive assembly includes a motor having a side face and configured to drive a gearwheel disk, and an internally engaged rotary disk having internal teeth. The drive assembly also includes a fixed shaft positioned at the approximate center of the internally engaged rotary disk. The fixed shaft is configured to provide an axis for the internally engaged rotary disk. Connecting gear of the assembly may include a pinion disk configured to engage with the internal teeth of the internally engaged rotary disk. The pinion disk may therefore drive the internally engaged rotary disk to rotate around the fixed shaft. The gearwheel disk and/or a system of intermediate gears may be configured to drive the pinion disk. The drive assembly provides power to a telescoping feature of a water jet device.
Another embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a water jet device having a drive assembly. The water jet device includes a body, which includes a nozzle having a plurality of water jet holes, at least one tube section, and a base. The water jet device also includes a drive assembly. The drive assembly includes a motor having a side face and is configured to drive a gearwheel disk. The drive assembly further includes an internally engaged rotary disk having internal teeth and a fixed shaft positioned at the approximate center of the internally engaged rotary disk. The fixed shaft is configured to provide an axis for the internally engaged rotary disk. The drive assembly may include connecting gear between the gearwheel disk and the internally engaged rotary disk. The connecting gear may include a pinion disk configured to engage with the internal teeth of the internally engaged rotary disk. Driving rotation of the pinion disk drives the internally engaged rotary disk to rotate around the fixed shaft.
In this embodiment, the water jet device also includes a steel strip (or a strip of other material) having two ends, a first end of the steel strip being coupled to at least one telescoping tube section of a bidet wand. A second end of the steel strip is coupled (for being pushed or pulled by) the internally engaged rotary disk. The steel strip is configured to move at least one tube section as the internally engaged rotary disk rotates. In this embodiment, the drive assembly provides mechanical power to the telescoping feature of the water jet device.
Another embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a method for providing a water jet device (e.g., telescoping bidet wand) having a drive assembly. The method includes providing a body (e.g., for the bidet wand). The body includes a nozzle (e.g., bidet nozzle) having a plurality of water jet holes, at least one telescoping tube section, and a base. The method also includes providing a drive assembly for the telescoping tube section. The drive assembly includes a motor having a side face and configured to drive a gearwheel disk. The drive assembly further includes an internally engaged rotary disk having internal teeth and a fixed shaft positioned at the approximate center of the internally engaged rotary disk. The fixed shaft is configured to provide an axis for the internally engaged rotary disk. The drive assembly further includes one or more connecting gear. The connecting gear includes a pinion disk configured to engage with the internal teeth of the internally engaged rotary disk. The motor can drive the internally engaged rotary disk to rotate around the fixed shaft via the gearwheel disk and the pinion disk, wherein the gearwheel disk is configured to drive the pinion disk.
In this embodiment, the method can also include providing a strip (e.g., steel, plastic, etc.) having two ends, a first end of the strip being coupled to at least one tube section, a second end of the strip being coupled for movement with the internally engaged rotary disk. When the internally engaged rotary disk rotates, the strip moves laterally and causes the at least one tube section to telescope (i.e., expand or retract, depending on the direction of the rotation of the internally engaged rotary disk).
Before turning to the figures, which illustrate the exemplary embodiments in detail, it should be understood that the present application is not limited to the details or methodology set forth in the description or illustrated in the figures. It should also be understood that the terminology is for the purpose of description only and should not be regarded as limiting.
Referring to
Still referring to the conventional water jet device illustrated in
According to the conventional water jet device shown in
In this conventional water jet device, the rotary disk 241′ is a flat cylinder with openings at the top and bottom, and its shape aligns with that of the base 24′. The rotary disk 241′ may thus be disposed inside the base 24′, and is configured to engage with the base 24′, in order to rotate along with the motor 1′. The outer edge of the rotary disk 241′ extends radially and includes a side ring 245′ with a certain width. The rotary disk 241′ is arranged in this manner so that after the rotary disk 241′ is mounted into the base 24′, a space is formed between the outside face of the rotary disk 241′ and the inside face of the base 24′ to accommodate the steel strip 25′. A circular drive block 244′ is mounted in the approximate center of the rotary disk 241′, and the drive block 244′ is connected to the rotary disk 241′ at multiple points. The drive block 244′ is connected to the rotary disk 241′, such that the drive block 244′ may force the rotary disk 241′ to rotate.
When the rotary disk 241′ is disposed within the base 24′, the drive block 244′ likewise enters the circular ring 243′ of the base 24′. The inside face of the circular ring 243′ then contacts the outside face of the drive block 244′. An opening 242′ is arranged at the approximate center of the drive block 244′, and the shape of the opening 242′ corresponds to the shape of the driving post 12′ of the stepper motor 1′. To prevent rotation of the driving post 12′ relative to the opening 242′, the shape is not circular. After the driving post 12′ of the stepper motor 1′ is inserted into the opening 242′ of the drive block 244′, the rotary disk 241′ may be driven to rotate. The steel strip 25′ that is connected to the rotary disk 241′ is configured to controllably force the first tube section 22′ to move in a telescopic fashion.
Referring now to
In exemplary embodiments, the drive assembly 1 includes a motor 11, connecting gear 13 and an internally engaged rotary disk 15. The connecting gear 13 includes a gearwheel disk 132 and a pinion disk 133. The motor 11 is configured to drive the gearwheel disk 132, which is configured to drive the pinion disk 133 to rotate. The pinion disk 133 is configured to engage with internal teeth 153 of the internally engaged rotary disk 15. A fixed shaft 151 is positioned approximately at the center of the internally engaged rotary disk 15, and is configured to provide an axis for the rotary disk 15. The fixed shaft 151 is connected to the internally engaged rotary disk 15, and the internally engaged rotary disk 15 rotates around the axis. The rotary disk 15 thus may drive the steel strip to pull the tube sections 22 and 23 to move. In exemplary embodiments, one end of the steel strip is connected to the first tube section 22 and the other end of the steel strip is connected to the outside face of the fixed shaft 151. Thus, as the steel strip moves, the first tube section 22 may also move in a telescoping manner, e.g., in a direction toward or away from the water jet device body 2.
When the water jet device of the present disclosure is transitioning for non-use (i.e. when the first tube section 22 retracted within second tube section 23, and not spraying water), the motor 11 rotates and then drives the gearwheel disk 132 in the connecting gear 13 to rotate, in exemplary embodiments. In these embodiments, the gearwheel disk 132 may then drive the pinion disk 133 to rotate. The pinion disk 133 may be engaged by the internal teeth 153 of the rotary disk 15, transmitting power to the rotary disk 15. The rotary disk 15 may then rotate, pulling the steel strip mounted at the outside face of the rotary disk 15 to move. As the rotary disk 15 moves, the steel strip pulls the first tube section 22 toward the body 2, such that the first tube section 22 enters the second tube section 23. The second tube section 23 may be further driven to enter the base 24 until the nozzle 21 is fully disposed within the base 24.
On the other hand, when the water jet device transitioning for use (i.e. extending out from the body 2 and for spraying water), the motor 11 may rotate in the opposite direction from when the water jet device is not in use, in exemplary embodiments. In these embodiments, the fixed shaft 151 may push the steel strip, rather than pulling it, and the steel strip may push, pull or drag the first tube section 22 to extend towards the far end of the water jet device until the nozzle 21, the first tube section 22, and the second tube section 23 are stretched to their maximum length.
When the water jet device is in operation, in exemplary embodiments, the motor 11 may drive the gearwheel disk 132 in the connecting gear 13. In these embodiments, the speed of the motor 11 is reduced and the torque is increased through the use of multiple stages of gears. A motor shaft 113 is configured to mate with the gearwheel disk 132, as shown in
In the illustrated exemplary embodiments, deceleration of the motor 11 may increase the output torque. In these embodiments, the output torque may advantageously be more than the torque outputted on the driving post 12′ by the stepper motor 1′ (e.g., via a gear reduction mechanism in the conventional water jet device). In exemplary embodiments, the pinion disk 133 further drives the internally engaged rotary disk 15 to rotate, thus pulling the steel strip. The arm of force is the sum of the radius of the pinion disk 133 and the gear thickness of the internally engaged rotary disk 15. This arm of force is less than the radius of the rotary disk 241′ of the conventional water jet device. The smaller radius may advantageously increase the force available to tangentially pull the steel strip, and may advantageously improves the telescopic reliability of the water jet device.
The water jet device of the present disclosure may advantageously allow the removal of the reducing mechanism in the motor 11, and therefore reduce the thickness of the motor 11 compared to the motor 11′ of the conventional water jet device.
In exemplary embodiments, motor gears 112 are fixed on the motor shaft 113 of the motor 11. The motor gears 112 are configured to engage with the gearwheel disk 132. The motor shaft 113 is coupled to the motor gears 112, which are then engaged with the gearwheel disk 132. The position of the connecting gear 13 is moved upward as compared to the conventional water jet device, thus the pinion disk 133 matches the internal teeth 153 of the internally engaged rotary disk 15.
In other exemplary embodiments, the gearwheel disk 132 and the pinion disk 133 are coaxially and fixedly connected. The gearwheel disk 132 and the pinion disk 133 also may be integrally formed in other exemplary embodiments.
Referring now to
In exemplary embodiments, the number of first fixing plates 111 may be more than three, but may be any number suitable for the particular application. The number of fixing motor throughholes 122 may match that of the first bolt hole 114, but may also be any number suitable for the particular application.
In other exemplary embodiments, one side face on the motor bracket 12 that is facing the connecting gear 13 includes a first bolt post 124 and a first mounting hole 125 for mounting a connecting gear shaft 131. In these embodiments, the drive assembly 1 may also include a connecting gear bracket 14, configured to mount the connecting gear 13 onto the motor bracket 12. The connecting gear bracket 14 is positioned to face the connecting gear 13. The connecting gear bracket includes a second mounting hole 141 for mounting the connecting gear shaft 131, and a second bolt hole 142 configured to match the first bolt post 124. The connecting gear bracket 14 is configured to fix the connecting gear 13 onto the motor bracket 12 by mating the first bolt post 124 and the second bolt hole 142.
The connecting gear shaft 131 and the connecting gear 13 are also configured to fixedly connect, in exemplary embodiments. In these embodiments, the connecting gear shaft 131 passes through the connecting gear 13. One end is rotatably inserted into the first mounting hole 125 of the motor bracket 12, and the other end is rotatably inserted into the corresponding second mounting hole 141 of the connecting gear bracket 14. The connecting gear bracket 14 and the motor bracket 12 may be cooperatively clamped such that the connecting gear 13 is fixed between the motor bracket 12 and the connecting gear bracket 14, is engaged with the motor gears 112 in the motor 11, and can rotate along with the motor gears 112.
In other exemplary embodiments, the base 24 includes at least two second bolt posts 241. The side face of the motor bracket 12 includes a second fixing plate 123 with at least two third bolt holes 126, and the third bolt holes 126 are configured to mate to the second bolt posts 241 to mount the motor bracket 12 onto the base 24. By mating the third bolt holes 126 and the second bolt posts 241, the motor 11, the connecting gear 13 and the connecting gear bracket 14 assembled in the motor bracket 12 are fixedly coupled to the base 24. As shown in
The water jet device of the present disclosure may be used in automatic toilets, but is not limited to that application, and may also be used for any other devices or products that need to spray liquid matter via a telescoping wand. Also, although the water jet device of the present disclosure is a structure with two tube sections, the water jet device may also include any other number of sections, including but not limited to a single tube section.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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201110361857.2 | Nov 2011 | CN | national |