SANITARY INSERT ASSEMBLY

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001]This application is a 371 National Phase of PCT/EP2023/056660, filed Mar. 15, 2023, which claims priority from German Patent Application No. 20 2022 101 389.6, filed Mar. 16, 2022, both of which are incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002]The invention relates to a sanitary insert assembly with a thread and a sealing ring.

[0003]The invention further relates to a sanitary fitting with a fitting thread.

[0004]The invention also relates to a sanitary fitting with a sanitary insert assembly.

BACKGROUND

[0005]Such insert assemblies are known and usually comprise a jet regulator so that it can be detachably inserted into the outlet openings of sanitary fittings in order to shape the jet pattern uniformly. Such insert assemblies can also be referred to as sanitary insert parts.

[0006]In this case, it is necessary to provide at least one sealing ring on the inflow or outflow side of the thread in order to prevent water from escaping from the side of the insert assembly. It has become common practice to provide a groove next to one end of the thread to hold this sealing ring. To ensure that the sealing ring is pressed between the insert assembly and the sanitary fitting, a suitable, cylindrical counter-sealing surface is usually provided on the fitting, which interacts with a sealing surface on a sealing element of the jet regulator. This counter-sealing surface must be designed within small manufacturing tolerances in order to ensure sufficient tightness between the fitting and the insert assembly. This increases the effort involved in machining the fitting.

SUMMARY

[0007]The invention is based on the object of reducing the effort involved in machining the fitting.

[0008]One or more of the features disclosed herein are provided in accordance with the invention for solving said object. In particular, it is thus proposed in accordance with the invention for solving the said object in a sanitary insert assembly of the type described at the beginning that a thickest point of the sealing ring is arranged outside a thread area radially occupied by the thread.

[0009]This means that the insert assembly can also be used for fittings with non-cylindrically shaped counter-sealing surfaces.

[0010]The thickest point of the sealing ring can, for example, be characterized as the point or area in which a dimension in the axial direction is maximum. This can be the sealing ring in its assembled state on the sanitary insert assembly. The axial direction can be the direction of the longitudinal central axis of the sanitary insert assembly. The thickest point of the sealing ring can be determined in an unpressed and/or undeformed state of the sealing ring. The thickest point of the sealing ring can also be determined in a pressed and/or deformed state of the sealing ring. The sealing ring can be provided for sealing against a fitting. The sealing ring can be pressed against a counter-sealing surface of a fitting.

[0011]Alternatively or additionally, it may be provided that one, for example the already mentioned, thickest point of a sealing ring is arranged radially outside or inside a thread tip and/or a thread root of the thread. This makes it easy to avoid the thickest point being located radially in an area that is radially limited by the thread tip and the thread root.

[0012]Alternatively or additionally, it may be provided that at least, in particular more than half of the cross-sectional area of the sealing ring is arranged outside a thread area radially occupied by the thread.

[0013]This means that different types of sealing rings can be used depending on the geometry of the fitting.

[0014]In general, it can be said that the invention enables less tight manufacturing tolerances and can thus reduce the reject rate during manufacturing.

[0015]Alternatively or additionally, it may be provided that a groove base of the thread is arranged outside a sealing ring area radially occupied by the sealing ring.

[0016]The diameter of the sealing ring can therefore be much smaller or much larger than the diameter of the thread so that the radially occupied sealing ring and thread areas do not overlap.

[0017]In an advantageous design, it may be provided that the sealing ring has a round and/or wedge-shaped and/or rectangular cross-sectional area.

[0018]The sealing ring can be an O-ring, for example. However, sealing rings with a different geometry can also be used in order to meet the specific requirements of certain fittings.

[0019]In an advantageous design, it may be provided that the sealing ring is pressed or can be pressed at least partially in the axial direction against a counter-sealing surface of a fitting.

[0020]Additionally or alternatively, it may be provided that a sealing surface on the sealing ring has a curvature. The sealing surface is formed on the sealing ring and can be pressed against a counter-sealing surface of the fitting. This means that the sealing surface of the sealing ring can be adapted to the specific requirements of certain fittings. A curved sealing surface has the advantage that a tight fit can also be achieved on inclined surfaces (which provide a counter-sealing surface) whose angle of inclination is subject to tolerances.

[0021]In an advantageous design, it may be provided that a screw sleeve is formed. The screw sleeve can, for example, be designed as a jet regulator housing or jet regulator support.

[0022]This allows the insert assembly to be detachably inserted into a fitting.

[0023]In an advantageous design, it may be provided that the thread is an external thread. This allows the insert assembly to be simply screwed in. An insert assembly of the hidden type can thus be formed.

[0024]For example, the thread can be formed on a housing of a jet regulator or on a screw sleeve. The screw sleeve can therefore be a screw-in sleeve, for example.

[0025]In an advantageous design, it may be provided that the screw sleeve, for example a screw-in sleeve, is snapped, welded, pressed and/or manufactured in one piece with a jet regulator. A jet regulator can thus be part of the sanitary insert assembly in order to produce an advantageous jet pattern.

[0026]Depending on the intended use, the jet regulator can be more or less detachably connected to the screw sleeve. In particular, the jet regulator can therefore be easily removable or replaceable.

[0027]In an advantageous design, it may be provided that the screw sleeve has, at its end on the outflow side in the installation position, formed tool engagement surfaces in the axial and/or radial direction, in particular indentations and/or preferably evenly distributed and/or two or at least three formations in the circumferential direction, which are so formed that they can interact with a tool in such a way that a screwing movement of the sanitary insert assembly can be driven by it. It is particularly advantageous here to form twelve indentations and/or formations.

[0028]This makes it easy to detachably fix the sanitary insert assembly in a sanitary fitting. The insert assembly can also be manufactured in such a way that no special tools need to be used. For example, the insert assembly can be manufactured in such a way that a conventional or standardized ring wrench can be used for assembly.

[0029]Alternatively or additionally, the features disclosed herein directed to a sanitary fitting with a fitting thread are provided according to the invention for solving the said problem. In particular, it is thus proposed in accordance with the invention for solving the said problem in the case of sanitary fittings of the type described at the beginning that an obliquely oriented counter-sealing surface preferably directly adjoins the fitting thread.

[0030]This simplifies the processing of the fitting. The inclination of the counter-sealing surface can, for example, be freely selected within a tolerance range. Larger manufacturing tolerances may be permitted.

[0031]An obliquely oriented counter-sealing surface results in a linear contact between the counter-sealing surface and the sealing element, wherein the contact line can extend at different points on the sealing element depending on the pitch of the counter-sealing surface.

[0032]In an advantageous design, it may be provided that a fitting thread area radially occupied by the fitting thread is less than half as large as a sealing surface area radially occupied by a counter-sealing surface, for example the counter-sealing surface already mentioned. The fitting thread area can be defined by the distance between the root and tip in the thread profile. The sealing surface area can be defined by the inner and outer limits of the counter-sealing surface in the radial direction.

[0033]This means that sealing rings used do not have to be precisely aligned with the diameter of a counter-sealing surface intended for them on the fitting. Sealing rings with different cross-sectional areas can even be used. For example, O-rings but also sealing rings with a wedge-shaped cross-sectional area can be used.

[0034]Alternatively or additionally, the features of the alternative independent claim directed to a sanitary fitting with a sanitary insert assembly are provided according to the invention for solving the said object. In particular, it is thus proposed in accordance with the invention for solving the said object in sanitary fittings of the type described at the beginning that a counter-sealing surface between the fitting and the sealing ring of the sanitary insert assembly in the assembly position is arranged on the outflow side of a thread and is designed such that the sealing ring contacts the fitting at at least two points axially and radially spaced apart from one another and/or is angled obliquely in the screw-in direction such that the diameter of the contact area varies in the screw-in direction, in particular wherein a chamfer is formed.

[0035]This allows the size of the contact area between the sealing ring and the fitting to be varied by varying the contact pressure. A particularly tight seal can be achieved. Fitting machining can be simplified by applying a chamfer. Radial tolerances can thus be compensated for by the axial positioning of the insert assembly, by screwing the insert assembly in more or less.

[0036]In an advantageous design, it may be provided that the fitting has at least one, in particular cylindrical and/or conical, shoulder on the outflow side to the sealing ring, in particular to the chamfer.

[0037]This allows the counter-sealing surface to be protected during a polishing process, for example. Compression of the sealing ring can also be avoided when inserting the insert assembly into the fitting, as the diameter of the cylindrical shoulder can be sufficiently large. This makes insertion easier and the threads can find each other more easily. In addition, the circular shape of the outflow-side end of the insert assembly remains the same even if tolerances or deviations occur during grinding or polishing.

[0038]The invention makes it possible to arrange a counter-sealing surface at a distance from a casting path end of a melt flow during the manufacture of a fitting, where impurities are concentrated and where blowholes and similar irregularities tend to form.

[0039]This reduces the reject rate, as blowholes, for example, are not torn open or other defective areas are not created during reworking.

[0040]In addition, the invention makes it possible to form the counter-sealing surface with fewer work steps and more simply, as it can be milled with a conventional countersunk head.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041]The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to exemplary embodiments, but is not limited to the exemplary embodiments. Further exemplary embodiments are obtained by combining the features of individual or multiple claims with one another and/or with individual or multiple features of the exemplary embodiment, wherein:

[0042]FIG. 1 shows the outlet end of a sanitary fitting according to the invention with a sanitary insert assembly according to the invention in an axial section,

[0043]FIG. 2 shows an enlargement of the area marked in FIG. 1 of a counter-sealing surface, a wedge-shaped seal and a section of a screw sleeve,

[0044]FIG. 3 shows a wedge-shaped sealing ring,

[0045]FIG. 4 shows the outlet end of a sanitary fitting according to the invention with a sanitary insert assembly according to the invention in an axial section from the outflow direction,

[0046]FIG. 5 shows a screw sleeve of a sanitary insert assembly according to the invention from the outflow direction,

[0047]FIG. 6 shows a screw sleeve of a sanitary insert assembly according to the invention from the inflow direction,

[0048]FIG. 7 shows the outlet end of a sanitary fitting according to the invention with a second sanitary insert assembly according to the invention in an axial section,

[0049]FIG. 8 shows the outlet end of a sanitary fitting according to the invention with a third sanitary insert assembly according to the invention in an axial section,

[0050]FIG. 9 shows the outlet end of a sanitary fitting according to the invention with a sanitary insert assembly according to the invention with crown-shaped tool engagement surfaces from the outflow direction,

[0051]FIG. 10 shows a screw sleeve according to the invention with crown-shaped tool engagement surfaces,

[0052]FIG. 11 shows the cross-sectional areas of various sealing rings,

[0053]FIG. 12 shows the outlet end of a sanitary fitting according to the invention with a fourth sanitary insert assembly according to the invention in an axial section,

[0054]FIG. 13 shows the outlet end of a sanitary fitting according to the invention with a sanitary insert assembly according to the invention with indentations as tool engagement surfaces from the outflow direction,

[0055]FIG. 14 shows a sanitary insert assembly according to the invention with indentations as tool-engaging surfaces from the inflow direction,

[0056]FIG. 15 shows the outlet end of a sanitary fitting according to the invention with a fifth sanitary insert assembly according to the invention in an axial section,

[0057]FIG. 16 shows an exploded view of the outlet end of a sanitary fitting according to the invention with a sanitary insert assembly according to the invention,

[0058]FIG. 17 shows the outlet end of a sanitary fitting according to the invention with a sanitary insert assembly according to the invention in an axial section,

[0059]FIG. 18 shows the outlet ends of a sanitary fitting according to the invention with a sanitary insert assembly according to the invention in an axial section when using different sealing rings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0060]In the following description of various exemplary embodiments of the invention, elements with the same function are given the same reference numbers even if their design or shape differs.

[0061]For the sake of clarity, not all reference signs are used in the figures, although the elements may very well be present in the figures. However, identical reference signs denote functionally and/or structurally identical components and functional units.

[0062]FIG. 1 shows an axial sectional view of a sanitary insert assembly 1 according to the invention, which is inserted into a sanitary fitting 20. The direction of flow of the water is marked 34. The insert assembly 1 comprises a diffuser 3 inserted into a diffuser ring 2 and an outlet structure 5 inserted into or molded onto a housing part 4. Furthermore, the insert assembly 1 has a thread 6 and, in this case, a wedge-shaped sealing ring 7. The sealing ring 7 is positioned in front of the thread 6 in the screw-in direction. The thickest point 8 of the sealing ring 7 is located outside the radially occupied thread area 9. This also applies to at least half of the cross-sectional area 10 of the sealing ring 7. Furthermore, a groove base 11 of the thread 6 is located outside a radially occupied sealing ring area 12. A screw sleeve 13 is also shown, into which the jet regulator 14 is inserted.

[0063]FIG. 2 shows a magnified view of the contact area 31 between the sealing ring 7 on the screw sleeve 13 and the fitting 20. The sealing ring 7 makes contact with the fitting 20 at a counter-sealing surface 21, which forms a chamfer 23. A cylindrical shoulder 22 is also visible.

[0064]FIG. 3 shows a wedge-shaped sealing ring 7, i.e. with a wedge-shaped cross-sectional area 10.

[0065]FIG. 4 shows a sanitary insert assembly 1 according to the invention in axial section, which is inserted into a sanitary fitting 20, as seen from the outflow-side end 25 of the screw sleeve 13.

[0066]FIG. 5 shows a screw sleeve 13 with tool engagement surfaces 15 in the form of indentations 16 as seen from the outflow-side end 25.

[0067]FIG. 6 shows the screw sleeve 13 of FIG. 5 as seen from the inflow-side end 17.

[0068]FIG. 7 shows a further sanitary insert assembly 1 according to the invention in axial section, which is inserted into a sanitary fitting 20. The insert assembly 1 comprises a diffuser 3 inserted into a diffuser ring 2 and an outlet structure 5 inserted into a housing part 4 or molded onto a housing part 4. Furthermore, the insert assembly 1 has a thread 6 and a sealing ring 7 designed as an O-ring. The thickest point 8 of the sealing ring 7 is located outside the radially occupied threaded area 9. A screw sleeve 13 is also shown, which in this exemplary embodiment is made in one piece with the housing part 4. In addition, a strainer attachment 18 and a flow regulator 19 are formed.

[0069]FIG. 8 shows a further sanitary insert assembly 1 according to the invention in axial section, which is inserted into a sanitary fitting 20. In this exemplary embodiment, no cylindrical shoulder 22 adjoins the counter-sealing surface 21 formed as a chamfer 23. The diameter 30 of the contact area 31 between the sealing ring 7 and the fitting 20 is shown.

[0070]The thickest point 8 is located radially outside the thread tips 36 of the thread 6.

[0071]FIG. 9 shows the outflow-side end 25 of a sanitary fitting 20 according to the invention with a sanitary insert assembly 1 according to the invention, on the screw sleeve 13 of which crown-shaped formations 24 are formed as tool engagement surfaces 15.

[0072]FIG. 10 shows a screw sleeve 13 according to the invention with crown- shaped formations 24 as tool-engaging surfaces 15 from the outflow-side end 25.

[0073]FIG. 11 shows sealing rings 7 with differently shaped cross-sectional surfaces 10. These can, for example, be circular in the case of an O-ring, triangular in the case of a wedge-shaped ring or even square. The thickest point 8 of the respective sealing ring is shown.

[0074]FIG. 12 shows a further sanitary insert assembly 1 according to the invention in axial section, which is inserted into a sanitary fitting 20. The insert assembly 1 in this exemplary embodiment has a coarse thread 6 and is of a more compact design, so that it does not fill the entire fitting thread 27. The radially occupied fitting thread area 28 is less than half the size of the radially occupied sealing surface area 29. Furthermore, in this exemplary embodiment, the screw sleeve 13 is welded to the housing part 4.

[0075]FIG. 13 shows the outflow-side end 25 of a sanitary fitting 20 according to the invention with a sanitary insert assembly 1 according to the invention, on the screw sleeve 13 of which indentations 16 are formed as tool engagement surfaces 15.

[0076]FIG. 14 shows a screw sleeve 13 according to the invention with indentations 16 as tool engagement surfaces 15 from the inflow-side end 17.

[0077]FIG. 15 shows a further sanitary insert assembly 1 according to the invention in axial section, which is inserted into a sanitary fitting 20. The insert assembly 1 in this exemplary embodiment again has a finer thread 6 and is constructed in a similarly compact manner to the insert assembly in FIG. 12, so that it does not fill the entire fitting thread 27. In this exemplary embodiment, several cylindrical and conical shoulders 22 are formed at the outflow-side end 25 of the fitting 20. The sealing ring 7 contacts the fitting 20 at two axially and radially spaced points 32 and 33.

[0078]FIG. 16 shows an exploded view of a sanitary fitting 20 according to the invention with a sanitary insert assembly 1 according to the invention. The sanitary fitting 20 comprises the fitting thread 27, to which a chamfer 23 and a cylindrical shoulder 22 are connected on the outflow side. The diffuser ring 2, the sealing ring 7 and the screw sleeve 13 with its thread 6 and the tool engagement surfaces 15 are also shown.

[0079]FIG. 17 shows an axial section of a sanitary fitting 20 according to the invention with a sanitary insert assembly 1 according to the invention, wherein the sealing ring 7 is positioned downstream of the thread 6 in the screw-in direction. On the sanitary fitting 20, the fitting thread 27, a further cylindrical shoulder 22 and the chamfer 23 are connected to a cylindrical shoulder 22 in the screw-in direction.

[0080]FIG. 17 also shows that the thickest point 8 of the sealing ring 7 is located radially inside the thread base 37 (and therefore, as the thread 6 is an external thread here, also radially inside the thread tip 36).

[0081]By screwing the thread 6, the sealing ring 7 is at least partially pressed axially against the counter-sealing surface 21.

[0082]The sealing ring 7 forms a curved sealing surface 26, which lies against the counter-sealing surface 21.

[0083]FIG. 18 shows sanitary fittings 20 according to the invention with sanitary insert assemblies 1 according to the invention in an axial section in comparison when different sealing rings 7 are used. A magnification shows how the effect of the chamfer 23 with sealing rings 7, in this case O-rings, of different cord thicknesses leads to different positions of the end 35 of the sanitary insert assembly 1 which is located in front of the thread 6 in the screw-in direction. Similarly, variations in the angle between the chamfer 23 and the screw-in direction 34 and the immersion depth of the chamfer 23 result in different positions of the end 35 in front of the thread 6 in the screw-in direction.

List of Reference Signs