Mixer valve having an adjustment spacer

Abstract

A mixer valve (1) comprising a body (2) and at least one inlet (14) adapted to be connected to a fluid supply, the inlet (14) comprising a connector (6) arranged to be connectable to a fluid supply pipe (10) projecting from a mounting surface, and an adjustment means arranged to adjust a position of the connector (6) relative to the mounting surface.

Claims

1. A plumbing fixture comprising: a body; at least one inlet connected to the body and adapted to be connected to a fluid supply, the inlet comprising a connector arranged to be connectable to a fluid supply pipe projecting from a mounting surface so as to provide a fluid connection between the fluid supply pipe and the inlet; and an adjustment means arranged to adjust a position of the body and thereby the connector relative to the mounting surface, wherein the adjustment means comprises: a mounting plate and at least one spacer, the mounting plate being adapted to be securable to the mounting surface, wherein the body can be attached to and detached from the mounting plate, and wherein the at least one spacer is locatable between the mounting surface and the mounting plate; and an annular collar for concealing the at least one spacer, wherein the annular collar is arranged to encircle and to be slidable over the body of the plumbing fixture.

2. The plumbing fixture of claim 1, wherein the at least one spacer comprises a plurality of spacers that are removable from between the mounting plate and the mounting surface such that a distance between the mounting plate and the mounting surface is configured to be adjusted.

3. The plumbing fixture of claim 2, wherein the distance between the mounting plate and the mounting surface can be adjusted between a minimum distance and a maximum distance.

4. The plumbing fixture of claim 3, wherein the minimum distance is provided when the mounting plate is secured to the mounting surface without any of the plurality of spacers.

5. The plumbing fixture of claim 1, further comprising two inlets, each of the two inlets having a connector with an end arranged to be connectable to a respective fluid supply pipe.

6. A method of adjusting a plumbing fixture on a mounting surface, the plumbing fixture comprising a body and at least one inlet connected to the body and a connector being connectable to a fluid supply pipe projecting from the mounting surface so as to provide a fluid connection between the fluid supply and the inlet, the method comprising: inserting an adjustment means between the body of the plumbing fixture and the mounting surface so as to adjust a position of the body and thereby the connector relative to the mounting surface, the adjustment means comprising: a mounting plate and at least one spacer, the mounting plate being adapted to be securable to the mounting surface, wherein the body can be attached to and detached from the mounting plate, wherein the at least one spacer is locatable between the mounting surface and the mounting plate, the plumbing fixture further comprising an annular collar for concealing the at least one spacer, wherein the annular collar is arranged to encircle and to be slidable over the body of the plumbing fixture.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will now be further described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mixer valve in accordance with the invention.

(3) FIG. 2 is a partial cross sectional view of the mixer valve of FIG. 1 with spacers inserted at the first end of the mixer valve body.

(4) FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the mixer valve with a body thereof positioned on a mounting surface without spacers.

(5) FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the mixer valve body positioned on a mounting surface with a number of spacers inserted at a first end of the body.

(6) FIG. 5 is a mixer valve in accordance with the invention and arranged to be fitted to rear mounted supply pipes having a relatively wider spacing.

(7) FIG. 6 is a view of the mixer valve of FIG. 1 arranged to be fitted to a rear mounted supply pipes having a relatively narrower spacing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(8) FIG. 1 illustrates a mixer valve 1 in accordance with the invention and comprising a body 2 arranged to be securable to a mounting surface and having two ports 4 each located on opposing sides of the body and an adjustable connector 6 connected to each port 4 and extending outwardly from the mixer valve body 2. Each connector 6 comprises a housing 8 in which a fluid delivery pipe 10 (see FIG. 4) is located. The housing 8 has an external opening 12 within which a movable fluid inlet 14 is located. An adjustment means is provided to alter a position of the fluid inlets relative to the mounting surface. In FIG. 1 the fluid inlets 14 are positioned within the respective external openings 12 such that a spacing between the fluid inlets is relatively wide. The spacing A can be adjusted so that the mixer valve can be connected to supply pipes having a spacing of from 108 mm to 155 mm. An example of a wide spacing can be seen in FIG. 5 and a narrower spacing in FIG. 6.

(9) FIG. 1 illustrates the mixer valve 1 in which the spacing between the fluid inlets 4 is relatively wide.

(10) The external opening 12 in the housing 8 is arranged to extend a distance such that the nipple 14 can move freely within the opening 12 between a maximum and a minimum adjustment so allowing the valve mixer to be connected to inlet supply pipes which may have variable spacings.

(11) The mixer valve can have two inlets as described with each inlet having a connector with a nipple 14 arranged to be connectable to a respective fluid supply pipe. In a preferred embodiment as described in more detail in our co pending application of the same date the connectors are adjustable such that a distance between the connectors can be adjusted to fix to fluid supply pipes having a range of spacings. Further details of the connector and the sliding arrangement of the connector is described in our co-pending application of even date and will not be described in detail herein.

(12) FIG. 2 illustrates a partial cross-section of a first or rear end of the body 2 of the mixer valve 1. The rear end of the body 2 forms a mounting portion comprising a base 16 having a recess 18 for reception of a mounting plate 42 to which the rear end of the body 2 can be releasably secured. The mounting plate 42 is adapted to be attached to a mounting surface. In this embodiment, the position of the body 2 and thus the position of the fluid inlets 14 can be adjusted relative to the mounting surface. Adjustment is provided by one or more spacers 20 which are configured to be located between the mounting plate 42 and the mounting surface to vary the distance of the mounting plate 42 from the mounting surface. Each spacer 20 has a substantially circular diameter and has a thickness D1, D2, D3 etc. The spacers may have the same thickness. Alternatively, the spacers may have different thicknesses. For example, spacers can be provided each of which typically have thicknesses of 1 mm, 2 mm, and 4 mm. By choosing a suitable number and combination of spacers a total thickness provided by the spacers can be varied, for example from 1 mm to 8 mm. A collar 22 may be provided on the body of the mixer valve and can be slid into place over the spacers in order to provide a more aesthetic appearance. In this embodiment the collar 22 has a chrome finish that matches a chrome finish on the body of the mixer valve.

(13) Varying the total thickness provide by the spacers allows the distance of the mounting plate 42 from the mounting surface. In this way the position of the mixer valve relative to the mounting surface and thus the distance between the mounting surface and the fluid inlets 14 can be adjusted, for example of from 7 mm up to 15 mm. Accordingly, the mixer valve is able to provide flexibility in adjusting for both a distance of the inlet supply pipes from the mounting surface and also a distance between inlet supply pipes such as hot and cold water supplies.

(14) FIG. 3 shows the mounting plate attached to the mounting surface without any spacers and the body of the mixer valve secured to mounting plate so that the rear end of the body of the mixer valve is adjacent to and preferably in direct contact with the mounting surface. In this position the mounting plate is received in the recess in the rear end of the body so as to be concealed by the body of the mixer valve and a distance from the nipple 14 to the mounting surface is Hmin. In this embodiment Hmin is 7 mm. It will be appreciated that Hmin is dependent on the shape and arrangement of the mixer valve assembly.

(15) FIG. 4 shows the mounting plate attached to the mounting surface with a set of spacers between the mounting plate and the mounting surface in order to adjust the distance from the nipple 14 to the mounting surface. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4 the set of spacers comprises four spacers 20 each having a predetermined depth. In FIG. 4 the distance from the nipple to the mounting surface is Hmax. In this embodiment Hmax is 15 mm. It will be appreciated that Hmax is dependent on the number and thickness of the spacers used and it may be desired to have additional spacers available in order to connect the mixer valve to fluid supply pipes protruding an unusually long distance from the mounting surface. It will also be appreciated that the distance from the nipple to the mounting surface may be varied between Hmin and Hmax by section and fitment of one or more spacers to provide the required depth from the mounting surface.

(16) The spacers will now be described in more detail with particular reference to FIG. 2 of the accompanying drawings.

(17) The set of spacers comprises a number of spacers each having a different thickness. In this embodiment the set of spacers comprises two spacers having a thickness of 1 mm, one spacer having a thickness of 2 mm and one spacer having a thickness of 4 mm. It will be appreciated that it is possible to use a combination of thicknesses and a selected number of spacers to achieve the desired distance from the or each nipple to the mounting surface.

(18) A first and a second spacer D1 and D2 are in the form of an annular ring and have a thickness of 1 mm. A third spacer D3 has a disc form and a thickness of 2 mm. A fourth spacer D4 has a disc form and a thickness of 4 mm. A diameter of the spacer discs or rings is substantially the same as a diameter of the body of the mixer valve.

(19) The third disc D3 has a central portion 24 that is cranked and offset 25 relative to an outer portion 26. Preferably a diameter of the cranked portion is such as to allow one or more of the annular spacers to be located over the cranked portion. The offset 25 may be such that a combination of the disc and an annular spacer D2 has an intermediate thickness such as 1.5 mm. The offset is about 0.5 mm.

(20) The offset 25 and cranked portion 26 form a recess 28 on an opposing side of the third spacer D3. The recess is adapted to engage with a projecting portion 30 of another spacer D4.

(21) The fourth spacer D4 has a disk form with an annular outer portion 32 and an offset 34 forming the cranked projecting portion 30. The cranked portion forms a recess 36 on an opposing side of the fourth spacer D4.

(22) Also provided is an optional annular collar 22. In this embodiment the annular collar encircles and is slidable over the body of the mixer valve. The collar may be used to cover the spacers used to achieve the desired depth from the mounting surface and provide a suitable aesthetic appearance. The collar in this embodiment has a depth of 10 mm. The collar is arranged to be slidable over the body of the mixer valve. A retaining ring can be provided but in this embodiment the collar can be slid off the body if it is not required. The collar is a push fit over the spacers. The collar 22 encircles the spacers between the first end and the mounting surface.

(23) In use the collar 22 is slid over the first end of a body of a mixer valve to be mounted and a distance that the mixer valve has to be adjusted is estimated. A suitable number and combination of spacers is selected and inserted in the collar and the fitting checked. Once the spacing of the nipple on the connector is confirmed to be satisfactory relative to the fluid supply pipes the mixer valve can be securely mounted.

(24) Each of the spacers has a first and a second aperture 38 extending through the spacer and arranged to co-locate with corresponding countersunk apertures 40 in the mounting plate 42. Suitable screws (not illustrated) can be located within the apertures 40 of the mounting plate 42 and the apertures 38 of the spacers such that the mounting plate 42 can be fixed to the mounting surface by the screws. The spacers are sandwiched between the mounting plate 42 and the mounting surface and are held in position by the two screws extending through the mounting surface and the spacers.

(25) Once the mounting plate 42 has been secured in place the body of the mixer valve can be secured to the mounting plate by any suitable means such as a grub screw passing through a locating hole 44 in the body and into the mounting plate.

(26) The collar 22 can then be slid into positon over the spacers, providing a suitably aesthetic appearance. A locating slot 46 may be provided in the collar 22 such that the collar can be positioned over the spacers in use and the grub screw can be located in the slot in use.