Reversible adapter for symmetrical mixer tap cartridge and mixer tap incorporating it

• US 5,893,386 A
• Filed: 04/28/1997
• Issued: 04/13/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Norton Desmarquest Fine Ceramics (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Original Assignee: Norton Desmarquest Fine Ceramics (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Inventors: Caria, Bernard, Delaisement, Yves
• Primary Examiner(s): Rivell, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHOENFELD, MEREDITH HOPE
• Application Number:
  US08/842,099
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 137/270, 137/271, 137/625.4, 137/625.41, 137/625.17
• US Class Current: 137/271
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/0787 with both the supply and the discharge passages being on the same side of the closure members F16K11/0785 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 27/045 with pivotal obturating members
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/5283 Units interchangeable between alternate locations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86549 Selective reciprocation or rotation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86815 Multiple inlet with single outlet

Abstract

A reversible adapter designed to be disposed between the bottom of a standard mixer tap cartridge and the bottom of a standard mixer tap body chamber, said bottoms conforming to a substantially circular common design, with two inlet locations disposed symmetrically about a diameter, includes:

a rigid part (10) having a transverse surface (11) flanked by a skirt (12) and including two inlet locations, two half-moon shape openings (17, 18) respectively radially inside and radially outside a half-circle,

one of two elastic material seals, the first of which includes two angularly offset chambers respectively surrounding the inlet locations and the second (40) of which includes two concentric circumferential chambers disposed on radially opposite sides of this semicircle, and each of which includes, at its end axially aligned with one of the half-moons, a web (40F, 40G) defining, facing that half-moon, a cup the depth of which increases in the direction towards the other end.

Claims

1. A reversible adapter intended to be disposed between the bottom of a standard mixer tap cartridge and the bottom of a chamber of a standard mixer tap body, said bottoms conforming to a substantially circular common design, with two inlet locations symmetrically disposed about a diameter and one outlet location centered on that diameter, said locations being disposed in a globally triangular configuration, said reversible adapter including, for either direct or crossed communication between the bottom of the cartridge and the bottom of the chamber at said inlet locations and direct communication at the outlet location:

a rigid part (10) having a transverse surface (11) adapted to be in contact with the bottom of the cartridge and a skirt (12) flanking said transverse surface and adapted to extend towards the bottom of the chamber, defining a cavity, said transverse surface including, at the inlet locations, two half-moon shape openings (17,

     18) respectively radially inside and radially outside a semicircle (100) having a radius substantially equal to the distance between the center of the inlet locations and the center of the transverse surface,

one of two elastic material seals, the first of which (30) includes two angularly offset chambers through its entire thickness respectively surrounding the inlet locations and the second of which (40) includes two concentric circumferential chambers on opposite radial sides of said semicircle extending angularly from one of the inlet locations to the other, each of said chambers including, at its end axially aligned with one of the half-moons, a transverse web (40F, 40G) having an angular amplitude at least equal to that of said half-moon and defining a cup facing said half-moon the depth of which increases in the direction towards the other end.

2. The reversible adapter according to claim 1 characterized in that the rigid part (11) includes ribs (19, 20) flanking the half-moon shape openings along the semicircle.

3. The reversible adapter according to claim 2 characterized in that the second seal includes, between the two concentric chambers, a semicircular portion (40C) including slots adapted to cooperate with the ribs on the rigid part.

4. The reversible adapter according to claim 1 characterized in that the half-moon shape openings (17, 18) are flanked at least along the semicircle by bevels widening in the direction away from the seal.

5. The reversible adapter according to claim 1 characterized in that the second seal (40) includes, between the two concentric chambers, a portion (40C) having near each cup disposed near each half-moon a bevel widening in the direction towards the outside of the adapter.

6. The reversible adapter according to claim 1 characterized in that the second seal (40) includes, opposite each cup, a bevel converging in the direction towards the interior of the rigid part.

7. The reversible adapter according to claim 1 characterized in that the second seal includes, axially opposite each half-moon, a projection (41, 42) the cross-section of which is at least equal to that of the half-moon and merging through an inclined surface with that of the concentric chambers communicating with the other half-moon.

8. A reversible adapter according to claim 1, the transverse surface of the rigid part being in contact with the bottom of the cartridge, the half-moon shape openings axially facing the inlet openings and the inlet passages.