Water fitting for sanitary installations

• US 5,043,592 A
• Filed: 09/25/1989
• Issued: 08/27/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: KWC AG Hauptstrasse 130 5726 Unterkulm/Switzerland
• Original Assignee: KWC AG (Michael Pieper, MBA)
• Inventors: Hochstrasser, Ferdinand
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Duncanson, Jr., W. E.
• Application Number:
  US07/412,099
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 290/52, 290/43, 290/54, 310/92, 310/103, 310/104, 4/623
• US Class Current: 290/52
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 13/00 Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of machines or engines with driving or driven apparatus if the apparatus aspects are predominant, see the relevant subclasses for such apparatus, e.g. H02K7/18; Power stations or aggregates incorporating only machines or engines of positive-displacement type F03C; hydraulic engineering aspects E02B; combinations with wind energy converters F03D9/008
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2220/20 within closed fluid conduits, e.g. pipes
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2220/602 with energy recovery turbines
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/11 with dynamo-electric clutches
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1823 structurally associated with turbines or similar engines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/50 Hydropower in dwellings

Abstract

The water fitting (10) has a substantially tubular casing (12) which is closed at one end by the partition element (16). The turbine wheel (24) which is acted upon in the axial direction by the water supplied through the inlet connection (14), is rotatably supported within the casing (12). The first coupling part (28), which has an annular permanent magnet (62), is rotationally solidly connected to the turbine wheel (24). The second coupling part (30), which is seated on the rotor shaft (70) of the direct current generator (20), is provided on the other side of the partition element (16). The second coupling part (30) also has an annular permanent magnet (62). The rotational motion of the turbine wheel (24) is transmitted magnetically to the rotor (74) of the direct current generator (20) by means of the two coupling parts (28, 30), this direct current generator supplying the electricity for charging the storage element (32) of the electrical control arrangement (36). The valve (38) is opened and closed by means of the control arrangement (36).

Claims

1. Water fitting, particularly for domestic sanitary installations, having a flow duct, having a turbine wheel arranged in this flow duct and acted on by flowing water and having an electrical generator driven by the turbine wheel and sealed against the flow duct, wherein a wall part (58) in a non-magnetizable material and separating the flow duct (22) from the generator (20) is provided, wherein a first coupling part (28) connected to the turbine wheel (240 is arranged on one side of the wall part (48) and a second coupling part (30) connected to the generator is arranged on the other side, the coupling parts (28, 30) being magnetically coupled with one another, wherein the turbine wheel is supported on a shaft, one end of which is rotatably supported on the partition element, which is fixed to the cylindrical casing part after the introduction of the first coupling part, turbine wheel and shaft into the casing part.

4. Water fitting as claimed in claim 1, having an essentially hollow cylindrical casing part, with an inlet connection provided in a first end region of the casing part protruding towards the outside in a radial direction, the inlet connection end of the casing part being closed by a thin-walled partition element formed from a non-magnetizing material, the partition element including a protruding hollow cylindrical tube part at its end opposite to the casing part, the protruding hollow cylindrical part being generally aligned with the casing part and receiving a direct current generator therein.

5. Water fitting according to claim 1, wherein the turbine wheel and the first coupling part are provided on a common shaft rotatably supported at one end of the partition element in the region of the first coupling part and, at the other end, on a support partition provided within the casing part.

6. A water fitting for use in domestic sanitary installations comprising:

a flow duct defined at least in part by a wall of a non-magnetizable material, a turbine wheel arranged in the flow duct so as to be acted on by water flowing through the duct, an electrical generator situated outside the flow duct and separated from the turbine wheel by the wall of a non-magnetizable material, and magnetic coupling means for magnetically coupling the turbine wheel and the electrical generator to permit the electrical generator to be driven by the turbine wheel when acted on by water flowing through the duct, the magnetic coupling means comprising a first coupling part fixed to the electrical generator, wherein at least one of the coupling parts includes a permanent magnet having field penetrating the wall of non-magnetizable material, control means including electrical storage means connected to the electrical generator and valve means for controlling the flow of water through the flow duct, the turbine wheel supported on a shaft, one end of which is rotatably supported on the partition element, which is fixed to the cylindrical casing part after the introduction of the first coupling part, turbine wheel and shaft into the casing part.

7. A water fitting as claimed in claim 6 wherein the magnetic coupling means comprises a first coupling part fixed to the turbine wheel, a second coupling part fixed to the electrical generator, and wherein at least one of the coupling parts includes a permanent magnet having a field penetrating the wall of non-magnetizable material.

8. A water fitting as claimed in claim 6 wherein the turbine wheel and electrical generator are aligned along a common axis of rotation, and wherein the wall of non-magnetizable material is situated perpendicularly to the axis of rotation.

9. A water fitting as claimed in claim 6 further comprising control means including electrical storage means connected to the electrical generator and valve means for controlling the flow of water through the flow duct.

10. Water fitting, particularly for domestic sanitary installations, having a flow duct, having a turbine wheel arranged in this flow duct and acted on by flowing water and having an electrical generator driven by the turbine wheel and sealed against the flow duct, wherein a wall part (48) in a non-magnetizable material and separating the flow duct (22) from the generator (20) is provided, wherein a first coupling part (28) connected to the turbine wheel (24) is arranged on one side of the wall part (48) and a second coupling part (30) connected to the generator is arranged on the other side, the coupling parts (28, 30) being magnetically coupled with one another, wherein the first coupling part is disposed near the inlet and has a reduced diameter region to deflect the water flowing into the inlet axially toward the turbine wheel.

2. Water fitting as claimed in claim 14, wherein at least one of the coupling parts (28, 30) has a permanent magnet arrangement (62) for generating a magnetic field penetrating the wall part (48) and wherein the other coupling part (30, 28) is coupled with the first coupling part by means of the magnetic field.

3. Water fitting as claimed in claim 2, wherein both coupling parts (28, 30) each have one permanent magnet arrangement (62).

11. Water fitting according to claim 10 wherein the first coupling part comprises a cylindrical part downstream of the deflection region, the turbine wheel having a substantially cylindrical turbine body which has the same diameter as the cylindrical part of the first coupling part, the turbine body and the cylindrical part being arranged in end-to-end relation.

12. Water fitting as claimed in claim 10, wherein the axes of rotation (26) of the turbine wheel (24) and of the generator (20) are mutually aligned and the wall part (48) extends substantially at right angles to these axes of rotation (26).

13. Water fitting as claimed in claim 12, wherein the coupling parts (28, 30) provided on each side of the wall part (38) are designed disc-shaped and are arranged essentially parallel to the wall part (48).

14. Water fitting as claimed in claim 13, wherein both coupling parts (28, 30) have a cylindrical or hollow cylindrical permanent magnet (62) laterally magnetized on the end surface facing towards the wall element (48).

15. Water fitting as claimed in claim 10, wherein the generator (20) is connected to an electrical control arrangement (36) which has a storage element (42), preferably an accumulator, which can be charged with the electricity generated by the generator (20) and wherein a valve arrangement (38) electrically controllable by means of the control arrangement (36) is provided for the regulation of the water flow.