WO2003078875A1

WO2003078875A1 - Connection device

Info

Publication number: WO2003078875A1
Application number: PCT/SE2003/000439
Authority: WO
Inventors: Christer Samuelsson; Göran FRISK; Per Nilsson
Original assignee: Gustavsberg Vårgårda Armatur Ab
Priority date: 2002-03-18
Filing date: 2003-03-17
Publication date: 2003-09-25
Also published as: SE521541C2; SE0200834L; AU2003212767A1; SE0200834D0

Abstract

The present invention relates to a connection device (10) at an inlet to a valve, particularly a blender valve, from a member (60a) connected to a water supply system, said connection device (10) comprising at least one housing (12a). The invention is characterized in that the housing (12a) is provided with at least one passage (40a) which at least partially houses a sealing member (16) and a support member (18), that the sealing member (16) is supported by the support member (18), and that the sealing member (16) is adapted to cooperate with a hole periphery (62a) in the member (60a) which is connected to the water supply system, and that the sealing member (16) is provided with an internal chamfer (36) whichis adapted by means of a pressure generated by the water, to press against thehole periphery (62a) and to seal against it.

Description

TITLE Connection Device

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a connection device at an inlet to a valve, particularly a blender valve, from a member connected to a water supply system, said connection device comprising at least one housing.

BACKGROUND AND PROBLEM Current blender fittings comprise a valve unit which is normally manufactured in a ceramic material, the task of which is to blend incoming cold and warm water. This valve unit is connected to a connection or other connection means that are, in turn, connectable to pipes in a water supply system.

Upon connection between a valve unit and for example a connection pipe, various types of connection devices are currently used, the function of which is to form a sealed, solder-free and swiveling connection between the connection pipes and the valve unit, said valve unit normally being housed in the upper portion of the blender housing. Upon connection to other connection means, for example distributors in shower blender fittings, similar types of connection devices are used in order to achieve a sealed connection.

Apart from providing a sealed transition, these types of connection devices shall also ensure that the water passage formed through the same, will not give rise to unnecessary turbulence in the water, but will rather provide a smooth transition between the connection pipes and the valve unit. Turbulence usually arises when water flows through passages with many varying diameters and turbulence may result in noise and pressure shocks that tend to spread to the pipes and result in a disturbing, so called base sound in buildings.

A connection device for a valve unit in a blender fitting, for example a wash basin, according to the above description, is for example known from the document SE-B-460 553. The connection pipes are mounted in a solder-free and swiveling way, since they are provided which a widened end portion which may be joumalled between a connection piece in the device and a seat in the blender housing. The seats are positioned far into the blender housing, in the direct vicinity of the ceramic valve unit which is mounted in the blender housing, which means that the pipes extend up to a spacer portion between two partition walls in the blender housing. A drawback with the use of this connection device is that the blender housing must be provided with several internal partition walls that must be molded in connection with the molding of the blender housing. Such a molding is complicated and molding errors may easily arise due to the fact that the partition walls, that are centrally arranged within the blender housing, solidifies earlier or later than the other part of the blender housing. This can result in cracks in the molding material, which means that parts of the production must be scrapped, which of course makes the production more expensive. Another problem with this known design is that it is very poor at dampening noise which arises in and around the inlet of the ceramic valve unit.

By SE-C-560 367, another connection device is known, which has a similar connection of the connection pipes, but wherein the device comprises a passage element with at least one connection piece forming a connection for a pipe, which pipe in turn is connectable to a water supply system. The connection piece is provided with a pipe portion which is arranged coaxially with the pipe and adapted to the extend a distance into the pipe. The function of the pipe portion is to form a gap between the pipe and the portion, said gap being intended to help dampening noise. Furthermore, this device comprises two transverse walls sealingly cooperating with two collar portions within the blender housing. The blender housing is also provided with a further collar portion being arranged to support the connection piece. The partition walls needed in the blender housing, have thus been reduced to only being collar portions. Eventhough it is easier to mold collar portions than more or less entire partition walls, the molding of a blender housing of this type must still be considered both problematic and expensive in comparison with molding of a blender housing which, for example, only has one or two partition walls or one or two collar portions. There will also be a difference in quality between them. A blender housing with few partition walls, can be manufactured with a considerably higher quality than those manufactured with a plurality of partition walls. This design has, as previously mentioned, been formed to dampen noise, but it has been found that this dampening is not always effective.

Furthermore, it is most of all the assembly of two described connection devices which is relatively complicated, and the latter device also suffers from the drawbacks that it occupies an unnecessarily large space in the valve housing and limits the possibility to manufacture small and compact blender housings.

In connection with noise dampening in other, but similar connection devices, there are examples of the use of a flexible rubber sleeve in order to dampen pressure shocks and turbulence. This dampening sleeve has been positioned in a passage in a surrounding housing, which in turn has been placed in the vicinity of the valve unit, so that water on its way to the valve unit is forced through the sleeve. This arrangement provides good noise dampening, but it suffers from the drawback that the rubber sleeve, as consequence of its flexibility, is very hard to assemble in the surrounding housing. Furthermore, the first end of the sleeve is in itself alone not suitable for sealing against a connection member and lacks a suitable guidance and abutment against the inlet opening of the valve unit at its other end. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Current connection devices are thus associated with a number of problems, and the object of the present invention is therefore to eliminate these problems and to provide a connection device, which:

• provides a very tight and reliable connection between the member connected to the water supply system and the valve unit,

• dampens noise which arises at the inlet of the valve unit, due, for example to pressure shocks,

• reduces turbulence of the water at the inlet of the valve unit, • is compact and therefore allows assembly even in small blender housings,

• is simple to assemble,

• is cheap to manufacture,

• reduces the need for partition walls in the blender housing, which simplifies the molding of the blender housing and increases its quality,

• allows use of a turned blender housing without an inner housing, and

• provides a design which, without modification, may be used for sealing, for example, smooth pipes, connections in the shape of for example nipples for connection of threaded pipes hoses, distributors in shower blenders and machines holes in various turned housings.

These tasks have been solved by a connection device comprising a housing, wherein the housing is provided at least one passage, which at least partially houses a sealing member and a support member, wherein the sealing member is supported by the support member, and the sealing member is adapted to cooperate with a hole periphery in the member connection to a water supply system, and wherein the sealing member is provided with an internal chamfer, which is adapted, by means of a pressure generated by the water, to press against the hole periphery and to seal against it.

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described below with reference to exemplary embodiments shown on the appended drawings, in which Fig. la-d diagrammatically shows the support member according to the invention; Fig. 2a-c diagrammatically shows the sealing member according to the invention; Fig. 3 diagrammatically shows a cross-section through a single-lever blender in which a connection device according to first embodiment has been arranged; Fig. 4 diagrammatically shows an explosion view of the internal parts of the first embodiment; Fig. 5 diagrammatically shows a cross-section through the housing, the connected member, the sealing members and the support members in the first embodiments, in an assembled position;

Fig. 6 diagrammatically shows a cross-section through the support member;

Fig. 7 diagrammatically shows an explosion view of a housing, a valve unit and the sealing members and the support members in a connection device according to a second embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 8 diagrammatically shows a cross-section through the second embodiment, in an assembled position;

Fig. 9 diagrammatically shows an explosion of a third embodiment of the invention wherein the connection device is used in a shower blender;

Fig. 10 diagrammatically shows a cross-section through a shower blender housing in which the connection device has been assembled and wherein the housing has been cut open, whilst the sealing members and the support members are not cut open; and

Fig. 11 diagrammatically shows the shower blender from above, before assembly of a valve unit and a maneuvering lever.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

In the following, the connection device according to the invention will be described with reference to a number of preferred embodiments. In the various examples, it is not the connection device as such which has been altered, but rather its surrounding, i.e. the various types of applications wherein the device may preferably be used. It should, however, be noted that the configuration according to the invention is not limited to the one shown in the examples, but that a number other configurations are of course conceivable.

As an introduction, with reference primarily to Fig. la-d, Fig. 2a-c and 6 (but also to the other drawings), the parts included in the connection device will be briefly described. Then, with reference primarily to Fig. 3-5, the connection device according to the first embodiment will be described in conjunction with a so called single-lever blender, which is connected to pipes for warm and cold water, and wherein the member connected to the water supply system is a connection pipe. Furthermore, with reference primarily to Fig. 7-8, the connection device according to a second embodiment will also be described in conjunction with a single-lever blender, but in this case the member connected to the water supply system is a machined hole in a turned blender housing. Finally, with reference primarily to Fig. 9-11, a third embodiment of the invention will be described in conjunction with a shower blender, where the connection member is a machined hole in the shower blender housing.

The connection device according to the invention, which is here in its entirety denoted 10, includes at least one housing which may be configured in many different way depending on the application at hand. Examples of housings will be described in more detail below, for the various embodiments, and in the drawings the various housings are referred to as 12a, 12b and 12c respectively. The housings 12a-c have, however, one thing in common, namely that they are provided with at least one passage being directly or indirectly connected to the water supply system. In each embodiment, a passage is shown, which is referred to in the drawings as 14a, 14b and 14c respectively.

The passage 14a-c preferably has a substantially circular cross-section and is shaped to house at least one sealing member, which is the same in all embodiments and has the reference numeral 16, and a support member, which in the same way has been given the reference numeral 18, it being provided, in its inner peripheral surface, with a rim (which will be described later) against which the support member 18 and the sealing member 16 may abut and be supported by.

The embodiments to be described illustrates blender valves being connected to two conduits, one for warm water and one for cold water, and it should be briefly noted that such applications require two support members 18 and two sealing members 16, respectively. Thus, in Fig. la-d, two parallelly connected support members 18 are shown, and Fig. 2a-c show, in a similar way, two parallelly connected sealing members 16. However, in the introductory description of the sealing member and the support member, only one member of each kind is described.

The sealing member 16 is adapted to be supported by the support member 18 by means of the sealing member 16 and the support member 18 each being provided with a through-hole 20 and 22, respectively, and that the support member 18 is adapted to entirely or partially be inserted into the hole 20 in the sealing member 16. The sealing member 16 and the support member 18 thus form a unit, which is positioned in the water passage, i.e. the passage 14a-c, and the through hole 22 in the support member is oriented substantially axially with the longitudinal axis of the passage 14a-c, in such a way that water will be led to it.

As understood from the above, the sealing member 16 has the shape of a sleeve, i.e. a cylinder with an axial through-hole 20 and the sleeve is basically substantially circular with an outer diameter being of substantially the same size as that of the passage 14a-c. Similarly, the support member 18 has a substantially circular cross-section and includes a first end which consists of a first substantially circular sleeve portion 24, i.e. a cylindrical portion through which the axial through-hole 22 extends, and a second end which consists of a second substantially circular sleeve portion 26, which according to the above discussion is also run through by the axial through-hole 22. Both sleeve portions 24, 26 are positioned coaxially relative to each other, and have essentially the same outer diameters. Furthermore, the first sleeve portion 24 is connected to the second sleeve portion 26 by means of axial connection waist 28. The connection waists 28 are preferably one or two in number, and consist of slender beams, whereby the through-hole which forms the water passage in this mid- portion will be to the major part limited by the inner wall of the sealing member, i.e. its hole 20. The idea behind this relates to noise dampening and will be described further on.

In order for the support member 18 to be inserted into the sealing member 16, the outer diameter of the sleeve portions 24, 26 of the support member is equal to, or is slightly less then the inner diameter of the sealing member 16, i.e. of its hole 20,

The first sleeve portion 24 is adapted to radially support a first end 30 of the sealing member 16 from the inside, said first end 30 having a substantially circular cross-section. Furthermore, the second sleeve portion 26 is adapted to radially support a second end 32 of the sealing member 16 from the inside, said second end 32 also having a substantially circular cross-section. The task of the support member 18 is thus to ensure that the sealing member 16 maintains its shape and also to contribute to facilitating the insertion of the sealing member 16 in the passage 14a-c.

The sealing member 16 is, as mentioned above, a sleeve, and in the first axial end 30 of the sleeve, there is an outer portion where the sleeve has a somewhat lesser outer diameter, i.e. is reduced, and where the material thickness of the sleeve is slightly thicker than in the rest of the sleeve, which means that the inner diameter of the sleeve is thus less than in other parts of the sleeve. In this portion, the sealing member 16 is provided with an internal chamfer 36. Preferably, the chamfer 36 has a slightly rounded shape, see Fig. 5 and extends from the end of the sleeve and inwards, thus forming a sealing lip, also denoted 34, at the very end of the sleeve. Furthermore, this sealing lip 34 is preferably shaped in such a way that when the support member 18 is inserted into the sealing member 16, the lip 34 will extend a distance outside of the first sleeve portion 34 of the support member 18, see for example Fig. 5. In order to obtain a smooth transition, which does not give rise to unnecessary turbulence, it is preferable if the internal chamfer 36 of the sealing member 16 ends where the first sleeve portion 24 of the support member 18 is positioned, and that the sealing member 16 and the support member 18 at this point have equally sized inner diameters, i.e. the first sleeve portion 24 of the support member 18 shall have an inner diameter equalling the inner end of the chamfer 36, see Fig. 5 also in this case.

The through-hole 20 in the sealing member 16 is adapted in such a way that the support member 18, when mounted in the sealing member 16, together with the sealing member 16, forms a substantially smooth water passage, i.e. where the "inner peripheral surface" of the water passage is smooth. Thus, the inner diameter of the sealing member 16 varies in such a way that the portions where both sleeve portions 24, 26 of the support member 18 is to function as supports, there are corresponding recesses in the inner surface of the sealing member 16, i.e. the wall of the hole 20. Similarly, there are axial recesses in the inner surface of the hole 20, corresponding the shape of the connection waists 28 of the support member 18. In the outer peripheral surface of the sealing member 16, there are elevated portions 38, corresponding to the inner recesses, said elevated portions 38 forming the outer diameter of the sealing member 16, i.e. the diameter which earlier in this text has been referred to as the outer diameter of the sealing member 16, which is the diameter including the elevated portions 38 and which is equal to, or slightly lesser than the diameter of the passage 14a-c. Thus, there are also portions 40 of the outer peripheral surface of the sealing member 16, that have not been provided with elevated portions 38, and that thus have a lesser outer diameter than the elevated portions 38. These portions 40 cannot abut against the inner peripheral surface 14a-c, and thus gaps (not shown) are formed between the inner peripheral surface of the channel and the outer peripheral surface of the sealing member, at these portions 40. The function of these gaps will be described further on.

The first end 30 of the sealing member 16 is further provided with at least one radial sealing flange 42 arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve inside of the sealing lip 34. The sealing flange 42 will, in an assembled state, abut the inside of the passage 14a-c. The number of sealing flanges 42 is two in the exemplary embodiment, but is should be understood that the number may of course be varied and that another number may be suitable in another embodiment.

The other sleeve portion 26 of the support member 18 is provided with means for cooperation with an inlet opening 44 in a valve unit 46. These means include a radial flange 48, being arranged in the outer end of the sleeve portion 26, and which is adapted to abut - with a first side 50 - against a surface around the inlet opening 44, as well as against a guide member 52 being arranged to extend a distance into the inlet opening 44. The guide member 52 is really not a continuation of the second sleeve portion 26, but is positioned on the second side of the flange 48, and the through-hole 22 - which extend through the second sleeve portion - extends further through the guide member 52 and forms a continuous hole with the latter. The function of the guide member 52 is to lead in the water into a small kidney-shaped opening (not shown) at the bottom of the inlet opening 44 of the valve unit 46. Since this kidney-shaped opening is smaller than the inlet opening 44, and also has another shape, the hole 22 has s cross-section on a portion 54 at the guide member 52 and the sleeve portion 26, which is continuously reduced and changes shape, i.e. from a circular to a kidney-shape, towards the kidney-shaped opening, see Fig. 6. Since the cross-section is continuously changed, a smooth transition between the various shapes is obtained and turbulence may be maintained at a low level. It should be understood that the shape of the hole in the portion 54 at the second sleeve portion 26 and the guide member 52, is adapted to the opening in the bottom of the inlet 44 of the valve unit 46. Thus, if the opening of the valve unit 46 has another form than a kidney-form, it is suitable to adjust the shape of the hole in this portion 52 so that the will coincide with each other. When the support member 18 is assembled in the sealing member 16, the second end 32 of the sealing member 16 substantially extends to the radial flange 48 of the support member 18, and the sealing member 16 is provided, at its end 32, with a corresponding radial flange 56 adapted to abut a second opposing side 58 of the radial flange 48 of the support member 18.

Upon assembly in the passage 14a-c, both these flanges 48 and 56, that are arranged on top of each other, will abut a rim in the passage 14a-c. This will be shown in conjunction with the embodiments.

The support member 18 is preferably manufactured in a relatively stiff polymer material, for example by injection molding. The choice of polymer material may take place due to the desired purpose. If one has a connection device 10 through which water with high temperature will pass, it is suitable to chose a temperature-resistant material. An example of such a material is polyphenylene sulfide (PPS).

By manufacturing the sealing member 16 in a flexible and noise dampening material, pressure shocks and sound waves may be absorbed and prevented from spreading to the pipes. This is achieved due to the fact that the water passage in the connection device 10 according to the invention, in the mid-portion between the sleeve portions 24, 26 of the support member 18, to the largest extent is limited by the inner way of the sealing member 16, and that this wall to the largest extent does not abut the inner peripheral surface of the passage 14a-c, there being a gap allowing the wall to move somewhat in a radial direction, i.e. inwards towards the center of the hole 20 of the sealing member 16 and outwards towards the inner peripheral surface of the passage 14a-c.

Thus, the sealing member 16 is preferably manufactured from a flexible and noise dampening material, such as for example rubber, may preferably be injection molded. Here to, one may choose the type of material after the relevant purpose. At high water temperatures, ethylenepropylene rubber (EPDM) may for example be used.

The noise dampening of the connection device 10 is, however, not the most important function of the invention, the most important function instead being the sealing between the device 10 and the member connected to he water supply system, which member in the various embodiments will be denoted 60a, 60a, 60b and 60c respectively. The principle for the sealing is that the sealing member 16 is adapted to cooperate with at least one hole periphery 62a, 62b and 62c respectively, in the member 60a-c connected to the water supply system, and that the internal chamfer 36 in the sealing member 16 is adapted, by means of a pressure generated by the water, to press against the hole periphery 62a-c and to seal against it. Cooperation thus takes place by means of the sealing lip 34 and the internal chamfer 36, which abuts the hole periphery 62a-c of the member 60a-c. The support member

18, the sealing member 16 and the passage 14a-c in the housing 12a-c, are thus suitably dimensioned relative to the hold periphery 62a-c of the connecting member 60a-c, in such a way that the inner diameter of the hole periphery 62a-c equals or is slightly less than the outer diameter of the sealing lip 34. When the sealing lip 34 has been inserted into the hole 62a-c, the internal chamfer 36 in the lip 34, will - by means of the pressure generated by the water - be pressed substantially radially, i.e. outwards, against the hole periphery 62a-c and effectively seal against it. No water may then find its way in between the hole periphery 62a- c and the outer surface of the sealing member 16.

In applications such as the following exemplary embodiments, including single-lever blenders and shower blenders that are connected to pipes for both warm and cold water, there are two inlet openings 44 in the valve unit 46, and thus two connection devices 10 are required, that in most cases may be parallelly arranged in relation to each other. In order to avoid too many lose parts that is to be assembled, the sealing member 16 may, as previously mentioned, preferably be parallelly connected to a further corresponding sealing member 16 by means of its flange 56, and the support member 18 may in the same way be parallelly connected to a further corresponding support member 18 by means of its flange 48. Preferably, this connection is made already upon manufacture of the parts, and there is of course no theoretical limitation on how many support members 18 and sealing members 16, respectively, that may be connected in this way.

The reference now primarily to Fig. 3-5, the connection device 10 according to a first embodiment will now be described in conjunction with a so called single-lever blender, which is connected to pipes for both water- and cold water. The connection device 10 is thus adapted to lead warm and cold water, respectively, to the valve unit 46 from two member connected to a water supply system, that in the embodiment consist of two connection pipes 60a. The connection pipes 60a, that are usually manufactured from copper or stainless steel, are provided with a widened end 62, which will constitute the hole periphery in this embodiment.

The single-lever blender is in itself substantially conventional and includes a blender housing 66 with a spout and a maneuvering lever, see Fig. 3. The lever may, according to known prior art, be considered as a two-armed lever, which is joumalled about a vertical axis as well as about a horizontal axis, the shorter lever arm of which being adapted to affect a moveable valve plate which cooperates with a fixed valve plate in a valve unit, said valve unit being provided with two inlet openings 44 for cold and warm water, respectively, and an outlet opening, which communicates with the spout. The valve unit 46 is assembled in the blender housing 66 by means of two screws extending on respective sides of the valve unit 46, said screws being tightened in screw-holes in the blender housing 66. Hereby, the screws extend through a flange portion 68 of a housing 12a in the connection device 10 according to the invention, in the shape of a partially known so called inlet portion, which flange portion 68 abuts a collar portion in the blender housing 66.

The valve unit 46 is consequently fixed against the housing 66 in such a way that a fluid-tight connection is formed between these two components. This connection will be described in greater detail further on.

The connection device 10 according to a first embodiment of the invention thus includes a housing 12a in the shape of a partially known so called inlet portion. The flange portion 68 of the inlet portion 12a comprises an upper central sealing portion 72 being provided with a rubber sealing ring and forming a transverse wall which cooperates with the collar portion 70. Furthermore, the inlet portion 12a is provided with a lower sealing portion 74 in the shape of a transverse wall being connected to the upper sealing portion 72 via a spacer portion 76. The lower sealing portion 74 is provided with a rubber sealing ring and cooperates with a second collar portion 78 in the blender housing 66. The space between the two transverse walls, i.e. the spacer portion 76, comprises two through-going passages 14a for passage of water, see Fig. 5, that are aligned with and communicate with the inlet openings 44 of the valve unit 46.

In the lower transverse wall 74, on a side opposite to the spacer portion 76, two passage elements 80 are arranged in line with the through-going passages 14a and these form an axial extension of the passages 14a. Thus, the through-going passages and the passage elements are denoted with a single reference numeral 14a, when the entire passage is referred to. In each formed passage 14a, a sealing member 16, a support member 18 and a connection pipe 60a is arranged. In order to maintain the connection pipe 60a in the passage 14a, the connection pipe 60a is widened at the end and each passage 14a is provided with a rim 82 formed by the lower, projecting passage element 80 having a diameter which is less than the upper diameter of the spacer portion 76. The passage 14a in the spacer portion has an inner diameter being equal to, or slightly less than the outer diameter of the sealing member 16, and the outer diameter of the connection pipes 60a in the widened portion 62a. Furthermore, the lower passage element 80 has an inner diameter which is equal to, or slightly larger than the outer diameter of the connection pipes 60a below the widened 62a.

As already described in the introduction, there is a further rim in the passage 14a, this being a rim adapted to maintain the support member 18 and the sealing member 16 in place. In this embodiment, the rim is a countersink 84 in the upper sealing portion 72 over the housing 12a, said countersink 84 extending around the outlet of the passages 14a and the valve unit 46. The countersink 84 suitably has a shape corresponding to the flanges 48 and 56 of the support member 18 and the sealing member 16, and its depth is suitably such that the first side 50 of the flange 48 of the support member 18, is aligned with the upper axial side of the housing 12a. The guide members 52 of the support member 18, will then be able to extend into the inlet openings 44 on the valve unit 46.

As seen in Fig. 5, the housing 12a, according to the first embodiment, forms an integrated part in one piece, which may preferably be injection molded from a polymer material suitable for the purpose, for example polyphenylesulfide (PPS), if it is to withstand high water temperatures.

The assembly of the parts in the first embodiment is carried our in the following way: The support member 18 are pressed into the sealing members 16 and the sealing lips 34 of the sealing members 16 are inserted into the widened 62a of the connection pipes 60a. The widened end 62 of the pipe 60a thus constitutes the hole periphery against which the sealing will take place. The connection pipes 60a are inserted from above in the passages 14a in the housing 12a and the widened portion 62 of the pipes 60a will abut the rim 82 within the passage and the flange 56 of the sealing member s 16 will abut the countersink 84 in the housing 12a. As is understood, it is suitable in this embodiment to have support members 18 and sealing members 16, respectively, that are connected two by two via a common flange 48 and 56, respectively.

The housing 12a is then inserted into the blender housing 66 and the valve unit 46 is placed on the housing 12a in such a way that the guide members 52 in the support members 18 are placed in the inlet openings 44 with the kidney-shaped openings aligned with each other. The screws that will connect the valve housing 46, the housing 12a and the blender housing 66, are screwed into the blender housing 66 and the maneuvering lever is screwed into the valve unit 46. Thus, a sealed water passage is formed from the connection pipes 60a, via the housing 12a with the support member 18 and sealing member 16, into the valve unit 46. The connection pipes 60a are joined with pipes in the water supply system (not shown) and when water is led into the connection pipes 60a the chamfer 36 in each sealing member 16 will, by means of the water pressure, be pressed against the inner peripheral surface of the widened end 62 of the pipe 60a and seal against it.

In a second embodiment, shown in Fig. 7-8, the connection device 10 will be described also in conjunction with a single-lever blender which is connected to pipes with both warm and cold water, but wherein the member 60b connected to the water supply system is constituted of other passage elements in machined holes in a turned blender housing. The same blender housing constitutes the housing 12b in the connection device and the machined holes thus also include first passage elements 14b that are adapted to surround the support members 18 and sealing members 16. This type of embodiment is suitable for blender valves of the kitchen zink blender-type, i.e. a blender exhibiting a blender housing in the shape of an essentially circular cylinder, see 12b, with an elongated slender spout (not shown) which is soldered in a radial hole in the cylinder and which extends in a wide arc up over the blender. On top of the cylinder, a conventional maneuvering lever is mounted (not shown). In this type of blender, the blender housing 12b may be turned instead of molded and it is normally manufactured from a solid brass rod which is chromed on the outside.

This embodiment is largely identical with the previously described embodiment and only the differences will be described.

In this second embodiment, no inner housing is needed as an inlet part, but the blender housing 12b is instead turned so that it may work as a housing 12b for the valve unit 46, the support members 18 and the sealing member 16 and work as a "connection pipe". The housing 12b thus has, at its first upper end, a substantially circular recess 86 in the shape of a chamber intended for the valve unit 46. In the bottom of the recess, in line with the inlet openings 44 of the valve unit 46, two holes are arranged, that are each formed by two passage elements, namely a first upper passage element 14b and a second lower passage element 60, see Fig. 8. The holes extend from the bottom of the recess 86 through the housing 12b to a recess 88 in the second end where the housing 12b, in a known manner, is joined with pipes in the water supply system.

The first passage elements 14b are, at the bottom at the recess 86 provided with a countersink 90 for the flanges 48 and 56 of the support members 18 and the sealing members 16, which corresponds to the countersink 84 in the first embodiment. Further, the passage elements 14b have an inner diameter which is equal to, or slightly larger than the outer diameter of the sealing member 16, i.e. in the elevated portion 38. The length of the passage elements 14b corresponds to the distance between the flange 48 of the support members 18 and the rim at the transition between the outer diameter of the sealing members 16 and the diameter of the reduced portion 34, where the internal chamfer 36 is positioned. After the first passage elements 14b, follows the second passage elements 60b. These have a considerably lesser diameter, but are - in the transition to the first passage elements - each provided with a widened portion 62b having a diameter with is equal to, or slightly larger than the diameter of the reduced portion 34, and thus constitute the hole periphery against which the reduced portion 34 is intended to seal. The sealing in this embodiment, thus takes place by pressing the reduced portion - by means of the internal chamfer 36 - against the inner peripheral surface of the widened portion 62 of the passage elements 60b in the blender housing 12b. The valve unit 46 is screwed into the housing 12b, in a known manner and the guide members 52 are then arranged in the inlet openings 44 just like in the first embodiment.

As previously mentioned, the second passage element 60b of the blender housing 12b, is directly connected to pipes in the water supply system, but one may of course consider a variant of this embodiment, in which connection pipes are used (not shown). In the latter case, these pipes are connected in the same way as in the first embodiment, i.e. where the sealing takes place against the hole periphery of the pipes and not against the passage elements. The passage elements 60b must then be machined to such an extent that the pipes may extend through these.

Finally, with reference to Fig. 9-11, a third embodiment of the invention will be described in conjunction with a shower blender, wherein the connection member 60c is a machined hole in a shower blender housing 92. This embodiment is a mix of the first and the second embodiment, since a housing 12c is used, which is similar to an inlet portion, but wherein the sealing takes place against a hole periphery 62c in the hole 60c in the shower blender housing 92. Large parts of the invention is thus identical to the previously shown embodiments and therefore, only the differences will be illustrated below.

The shower blender housing 92 is of a known type, having the shape of a formed box and which normally includes two chambers, namely a first chamber 94 with an inlet for cold water and a second chamber 96 with an inlet for warm water. Between these chambers 94 and 96 the shower blender housing 92 is provided with a substantially circular recess 98 arranged from the outside of the box, and which extends from a first, upper side of the housing and down into the box where it is ended by a flat bottom 100. The bottom 100 of the recess 98 is substantially parallel to a second, lower side of the box, and between the bottom 100 of the recess 98 and the lower side of the box, there is a wall 102 which separates the chamber 94 for cold water from the chamber 96 for warm water. A part of the wall 102 also consists of the outer limitation surfaces for an outlet passage (not shown) for blended water, one end of which is in communication with the valve unit 46 via the connection device 10 according to the invention and the second end of which is in communication with a shower hose of similar. In the bottom surface 100 of the recess 98, two through-holes 60c have been arranged, one of which is in communication with the chamber 94 for cold water and the hole being in communication with the chamber 96 for warm water. Thus, the holes 60c are placed on each side of the wall 102.

A housing 12c is arranged in the recess 98, said housing 12c having the shape of a so called distributor, being a detail which in this embodiment has a configuration which to large extents is similar to the previous inlet portion 12a in the first embodiment, and the passages 14c is the housing 12c are of course aligned the holes 60c in the bottom 100 of the recess 98. A conventional valve unit 46 will, in the previously described way, be arranged on the housing 12c, and this will in turn be provided with a covering outer sleeve 104 and a maneuver lever (not shown).

The housing 12c, i.e. the so called distributor, is principally identical to the housing 12a in the first embodiment, but with the one difference in that the passage elements 80 are removed and the lower, reduced portions 34 with the internal chamfer 36 of the sealing members 16, are allowed to project in their place when the sealing members 16 and the support members 18 have been placed in the housing 12c. The housing 12c is, as previously described, arranged in the circular recess 98, and the recess 98 has, as seen in the drawings, a diameter which substantially corresponds to the diameter of the distributor 12c and the valve unit 46.

The support members 18 and the sealing members 16 are arranged in a previously described way in the distributor 12c, but with the difference that the reduced portions 34 - as previously mentioned - projects in the lower part of the distributor 12c and will abut the hole periphery 62c of the holes 60c in the bottom 100 of the recess 98. The sealing thus takes place against the hole periphery 62c, i.e. the inner peripheral surface of these holes 60c. It should be understood that the holes 60c in the bottom 100 thus have a diameter which is equal to, or slightly larger than the outer diameter of the reduced portions 34 of the sealing members 16.

The invention is not limited to the above described exemplary embodiments, but a number variants are conceivable within the scope of the appended claims. For example, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to use in conjunction with the shown type of valve unit. This connection device may of course also be applied on a simple valve without a blending function, for only one flow. Nor is the invention limited to use in the shown type of wash basin- and kitchen zink-blender or the shown type of shower blender. It should also be understood that the invention is not limited only to connection and sealing against the connection members of the exemplary embodiments such as distributors and pipes with a widened end portion, but that connection may also be made to, for example nipples for further connection to threaded pipes of copper or plastic, or to rubber hoses.

Furthermore, the passages, the support member and the sealing member has been presented in the description with a substantially, circular-section, and it should be noted that the cross- section is not limited to having a circular shape, but may, for example, as well have a square shape.

Finally, the shown embodiments have only shown one hole periphery, the sealing member may of course also be adapted to abut several hole peripheries. LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

10 connection device

12a-c housing

14a-c passage

16 sealing member

18 support member

20 hole (sealing member)

22 hole (support member)

24 first sleeve portion/end (support member)

26 second sleeve portion/end (support member)

28 connection waists

30 first end (sealing means)

32 second end (sealing means)

34 outer reduced portion/sealing lip

36 internal chamfer

38 elevated portion

40 non-elevated portion

42 sealing flange

44 inlet opening

46 valve unit

48 flange (support member)

50 first side (flange of support member)

52 guide member

54 portion with varying cross-section

56 flange (sealing member)

58 second side (flange of support member)

60a-c second side (flange of support member)

62a-c hole/hole periphery

66 blender housing

68 flange portion first collar portion

72 upper sealing portion/transverse wall

74 lower sealing portion/transverse wall

76 spacer portion

78 second collar portion

80 passage element

82 rim (passage)

84 countersink

86 recess 88 recess

90 countersink

92 shower blender housing

94 first chamber

96 second chamber

98 recess

100 bottom of recess

102 wall

104 sleeve

Claims

1. Connection device (10) at an inlet to a valve (46) particularly a blender valve, from a member (60a; 60b; 60c) connected to a water supply system, said connection device (10) comprising at least one housing (12a; 12b; 12c), characterized in that the housing (12a; 12b; 12c) is provided with at least one passage (14a; 14b; 14c) which at least partially houses a sealing member (16) and a support member (18), that the sealing member (16) is supported by the support member (18), that the sealing member (16) is adapted to cooperate with at least one hole periphery (62a; 62b; 62c) in said member (60a; 60b; 60c) which is connected to the water supply system, that the sealing member (16) is provided with an internal chamfer (36) which is adapted, by means of a pressure generated by the water, to press against the hole periphery (62a; 62b; 62c) and to seal against it.

2. Device (10) according to claim 1, c h a ra ct e r i z e d i n that each of the sealing member (16) and the support member (18) is provided with a through hole (20) and that the support member (18) is adapted to be entirely or partially inserted into the hole (20) in the sealing member (16).

3. Device (10) according to claim 1, ch a racteri zed i n that the support member (18) comprises a first end consisting of a first substantially circular sleeve portion (24) being adapted to support a first end (30) of the sealing member (16) from the inside, and that the support member (18) comprises a second end consisting of a second substantially circular sleeve portion (26) being adapted to support a second end (32) of the sealing member (16) from the inside.

4. Device (10) according to claim 3, c h a ra ct e r i z e d i n that the first sleeve portion (24) in the first end of the support member (18) is connected to the second sleeve portion (26) of the second end of the support member (18) by means of axial connection waists (28).

5. Device (10) according to claim 3, ch a racteri ze d i n that the second sleeve portion (26) of the support member (18) is provided with means (48, 52) adapted to cooperate with an inlet opening in the valve unit (46).

6. Device (10) according to claim 5, ch a ra cteri zed i n that the means (48, 52), that are adapted for cooperation with the inlet opening (44) of the valve unit (46), comprises a radial flange (48) adapted to abut a surface around the inlet opening (44) with a first side (50) thereof, and a guide member (52) which is adapted to extend a distance into the inlet opening.

7. Device (10) according to claim 3, ch a racterized i n that the sealing member (16) is a sleeve and the internal chamfer (36) is arranged in the first end (30) of the sleeve in its inner peripheral surface.

8. Device (10) according to claim 7, c h a ra cte r i z e d i n that the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve in the first end is provided with at least one radial sealing flange (42).

9. Device (10) according to claims 6 and 7/ c h a ra cte r i z e d i n that a second side (58) of the radial flange (48) of the support member (18), is adapted to abut a corresponding flange (56) arranged in the second end (32) of the sleeve.

10. Device (10) according to claim 1, c h a ra ct e r i z e d i n that the sealing member (16) is manufactured from a flexible material, such as rubber.

11. Device (10) according to claim 7, ch a ra cte ri zed i n that the internal chamfer (36) in the first end (30) of the sealing member (16) is arranged to extend with a portion outside of the first sleeve portion (24) of the support member (18).

12. Device (10) according to claims 6 and 9, ch a ra cte ri ze d i n that the sealing member (16) is parallelly connected with at least one further corresponding sealing member by means of the flange (56), and that the support member is parallelly connected to at least one further corresponding support member by means of the flange (48).

13. Device (10) according to claim 1, ch a racteri zed i n that the housing (12b) and the member (60b), that are connected to the water supply system, may form an integrated unit.