Faucet generator

• US 7,956,480 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2008
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toto Limited
• Original Assignee: Toto Limited
• Inventors: Onodera, Naoyuki, Kuroishi, Masahiro, Shimizu, Takeshi, Sato, Tomoko
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez; Julio Gonzalez
• Application Number:
  US12/263,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20090146431A1
• Time in Patent Office: 948 Days
• Field of Search: 290/43, 290/54, 603/98, 603/25, 606/71, 415/2.1, 415/3.1, 415/62, 166/66.5, 166/65.1, 310/49.02, 310 4903- 4911, 310/75.C, 310/257
• US Class Current: 290/54
• 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 2220/60 making use of surplus or waste energy
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2220/604 for domestic central heating or production of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 21/12 with stationary armatures and rotating magnets
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1823 structurally associated with turbines or similar engines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/50 Hydropower in dwellings

Abstract

A faucet generator includes a case having water inflow and outflow ports and in which a water supply channel is formed, a rotor vane disposed inside the water supply channel, a magnet which is rotatable integrally with the rotor vane, a bearing which supports a force that the rotor vane receives from a water flow, a coil which produces an electromotive force by a rotation of the magnet, and a yoke having a base part surrounding the coil and a plurality of inductors spaced apart from each other and extending from the base part. The coil is spaced apart from the magnet in an axial direction of a rotation center axis of the magnet and is disposed to face the magnet, the magnet is magnetized on an outer circumferential face which intersects with a plane perpendicular to the rotation center axis, and the inductors are disposed outside the case to face the outer circumferential face of the magnet.

Claims

1. A generator for faucets, the generator comprising:

a case comprising a water inflow port and a water outflow port, wherein a water supply channel is formed inside the case;

a rotor vane disposed inside the water supply channel and configured to rotate by receiving a water flowing inside the water supply channel;

a magnet which is rotatable integrally with the rotor vane;

a bearing which supports a force that the rotor vane receives due to a water flow;

a rotation center shaft comprising one end supported by the bearing and the other end supported in a capped manner;

a coil which produces an electromotive force by a rotation of the magnet; and

a yoke comprising a base part arranged to surround the coil and a plurality of inductors which are spaced apart from each other and extending from the base part,

wherein the coil is spaced apart from the magnet in an axial direction of a rotation center shaft and is disposed to face the magnet,

the magnet is magnetized on an outer circumferential face thereof which intersects with a plane perpendicular to the rotation center shaft, and

the inductors are disposed outside the case to face the outer circumferential face of the magnet.

2. The generator according to claim 1, wherein the coil is arranged on a downstream side of the magnet.

3. The generator according to claim 1, wherein the coil is arranged on an upstream side of the magnet.

4. The generator according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the case is formed of a resin.

5. The generator according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the base part corresponding a gap between the inductors is cut away along a circumferential face of the coil.

6. The generator according to claim 1, wherein the outer circumferential face of the magnet is inclined by 45 degrees or more with respect to the plane perpendicular to the rotation center shaft.

7. The generator according to claim 1, wherein each of the inductors extends along an outer circumferential face of the coil.

8. The generator according to claim 1, wherein the yoke further comprises a bent part between the base part and the inductors.

9. The generator according to claim 8, wherein the bent part comprises a curved surface.

10. The generator according to claim 1, wherein faces of the inductors facing the outer circumferential face of the magnet are flat.

11. The generator according to claim 1, wherein the inductors comprises a side which is inclined with respect to the axial direction of the rotation center shaft.

12. The generator according to claim 1, wherein the base part and the inductors are made of different materials having different magnetization characteristics.

13. The generator according to claim 1, wherein the yoke further comprises an insulating layer which is brought into contact with the coil.

14. The generator according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the inductors is positioned on an upstream side than the magnet.

15. The generator according to claim 1, wherein the rotor vane comprises a rotor vane blade which receives the force from the water flow,

wherein a downstream end face of the rotor vane blade is positioned on an upstream side than a downstream end face of the magnet.

16. The generator according to claim 15, wherein a dimension of the magnet along the axial direction of the rotation center shaft is at least twice or more but ten or less times a dimension of the rotor vane blade along the rotation center axis of the magnet.