Flow rate regulator

Abstract

A flow rate regulator s provided that decouples regions (7) of a regulating body (2) of a flow rate regulator (1) such that one of the decoupled regions (7) forms a low-pressure region (9) while another of the decoupled regions (7) defines a high-pressure region (8).

Claims

1. A flow rate regulator (1) comprising: a main body (4); a deformable O-ring regulating body (2) arranged on an inflow side (3) with respect to the main body (4); a control gap (5) formed between the regulating body (2) and the main body (4); at least one drain opening (6) arranged downstream of the control gap (5) formed in the main body (4); the O-ring regulating body (2) being adapted to provide an inflow pressure-dependent deformation that defines a clear opening area of the control gap (5); the control gap (5) is divided into at least two separate regions such that the O-ring regulating body (2) is radially deformable in the at least two regions (7) such that one of the two separate regions (7), which acts as a high-pressure region (8), regulates functioning of the flow rate regulator (1) at a high pressure while another one of the two separate regions (7), which acts as a low-pressure region (9), regulates functioning of the flow rate regulator (1) at a low pressure, wherein the high-pressure region and the low-pressure region are arranged adjacent to each other along an inner circumference of the O-ring regulating body.

2. The flow rate regulator (1) according claim 1, further comprising supporting elements (10) that divide the control gap (5) into the at least two separate regions (7) by the supporting elements (10) supporting the O-ring regulating body (2) at essentially zero inflow pressure.

3. The flow rate regulator (1) according to claim 2, wherein the supporting elements (10) are formed on the main body (4).

4. The flow rate regulator (1) according to claim 2, wherein a distance (12) between supporting elements (10) defining the high-pressure region (8), with the distance (12) being measured within the high-pressure region (8), is smaller than a second distance (13) between supporting elements (10) defining the low-pressure region (9), with the second distance (13) being measured within the low-pressure region (9).

5. The flow rate regulator (1) according to claim 2, further comprising at least one intermediate element (16) in the low-pressure region (9), the at least one intermediate element (16) is disposed which is dimensioned such that the at least one intermediate element (16) does not contact the O-ring regulating body (2) below an intermediate pressure predetermined between the high and low pressures and the at least one intermediate element (16) supports the O-ring regulating body (2) above the intermediate pressure.

6. The flow rate regulator (1) according to claim 5, wherein, the at least one intermediate pressure is below a pressure range in which the high-pressure region (8) regulates the behavior below the pressure threshold.

7. The flow rate regulator (1) according to claim 5, wherein the O-ring regulating body (2) is deformed laterally with respect to a direction of flow (35) on the inflow side (3).

8. The flow rate regulator (1) according to claim 2, wherein the supporting elements (10) are part of an arrangement of protrusions (11, 17) and recessions (20) forming a regulating profile (21) that defines, together with the O-ring regulating body (2), the control gap (5).

9. The flow rate regulator (1) according to claim 8, wherein in the at least one low-pressure region (9), the regulating profile (21) forms a trough (30) with tilted side walls (31, 32).

10. The flow rate regulator (1) according to claim 1, wherein the low-pressure region (9) is configured to be closed above a pressure threshold.

11. The flow rate regulator (1) according to claim 1, wherein the drain opening (6) has at least one of an essentially circular outer periphery (29) or, in the low-pressure region (9), has an outer contour (38) that describes a section of a circle (39) which contains the drain opening (6).

12. A flow rate regulator (1) comprising: a main body (4); a deformable O-ring regulating body (2) arranged on an inflow side (3) with respect to the main body (4); a control gap (5) formed between the regulating body (2) and the main body (4); at least one drain opening (6) arranged downstream of the control gap (5) formed in the main body (4); the O-ring regulating body (2) being adapted to provide an inflow pressure-dependent deformation that defines a clear opening area of the control gap (5); the control gap (5) is divided into at least two separate regions such that the O-ring regulating body (2) is radially deformable in the at least two regions (7) such that one of the two separate regions (7), which acts as a high-pressure region (8), regulates functioning of the flow rate regulator (1) at a high pressure while another one of the two separate regions (7), which acts as a low-pressure region (9), regulates functioning of the flow rate regulator (1) at a low pressure, wherein the high-pressure region (8) is configured to remain at least partially open at all pressures.

13. The flow rate regulator (1) according to claim 12, wherein, in the high-pressure region (8), the main body (4) forms a groove (14) which has a depth such that the O-ring regulating body (2) remains at a distance from a base (15) of the groove (14) at all pressures.

14. A flow rate regulator (1) comprising: a main body (4); a deformable O-ring regulating body (2) arranged on an inflow side (3) with respect to the main body (4); a control gap (5) formed between the regulating body (2) and the main body (4); at least one drain opening (6) arranged downstream of the control gap (5) formed in the main body (4); the O-ring regulating body (2) being adapted to provide an inflow pressure-dependent deformation that defines a clear opening area of the control gap (5); the control gap (5) is divided into at least two separate regions such that the O-ring regulating body (2) is radially deformable in the at least two regions (7) such that one of the two separate regions (7), which acts as a high-pressure region (8), regulates functioning of the flow rate regulator (1) at a high pressure while another one of the two separate regions (7), which acts as a low-pressure region (9), regulates functioning of the flow rate regulator (1) at a low pressure, wherein a control curve (22) of the flow rate regulator (1) is formed by a sum of at least a control curve (23) of the high-pressure region (8) and a control curve (24) of the low-pressure region (9), a maximum of the control curve (23) of the high-pressure region (8) lies at a pressure above a pressure of an intersection point (40) of the control curve (23) of the high-pressure region (8) with the control curve (24) of the low-pressure region (9), or a maximum of the control curve (24) of the low-pressure region (9) lies at a pressure below a pressure of an intersection point (40) of the control curve (23) of the high-pressure region (8) with the control curve (24) of the low-pressure region (9) or both.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will now be described in more detail on the basis of exemplary embodiments, but is not limited to these exemplary embodiments. Further exemplary embodiments result from combining the features of individual claims or a plurality of claims with one another and/or with individual features or a plurality of features of the exemplary embodiments. In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a first example of a flow rate regulator according to the invention,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a second example of a flow rate regulator according to the invention,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a third example of a flow rate regulator according to the invention,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a control curve for the flow rate regulator of FIG. 1,

(6) FIG. 5A to 5D show the flow rate regulator of FIG. 1 at different pressures a to d of FIG. 4,

(7) FIG. 6 shows a detail of FIG. 5D,

(8) FIG. 7 shows a fourth example of a flow rate regulator according to the invention,

(9) FIG. 8 shows the flow rate regulator of FIG. 7 with regulating body removed,

(10) FIG. 9 shows the flow rate regulator of FIG. 7 without regulating body in a view from above in the direction of flow,

(11) FIG. 10 shows a control curve for the flow rate regulator of FIG. 7,

(12) FIG. 11A to 11D show the flow rate regulator of FIG. 7 at different pressures a to d of FIG. 10 in order to illustrate deformation of the regulating body in the low-pressure region,

(13) FIG. 12 shows the control curve of FIG. 10 for the flow rate regulator of FIG. 7, and

(14) FIG. 13A to 13D show the flow rate regulator of FIG. 7 at different pressures a to d of FIG. 12 in order to illustrate deformation of the regulating body in the low-pressure region.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(15) FIG. 1 shows a flow rate regulator 1 according to the invention. The flow rate regulator 1 has a regulating body 2 that is deformable under water pressure. The regulating body 2 is made of an elastic material, e.g. rubber.

(16) The regulating body 2 is mounted on the inflow side 3 of a main body 4.

(17) Between the main body 4 and the regulating body 2, a control gap 5 is formed.

(18) Downstream of the control gap 5, an essentially circular drain opening 6 is formed through which the water will flow out of the flow rate regulator 1.

(19) Depending on the pressure applied on the regulating body 2, i.e. the inflow pressure or a pressure difference across the flow rate regulator 1, the regulating body 2 will be deformed. This results in a change of the area of the control gap 5, measured perpendicularly with respect to the direction of flow in the control gap 5.

(20) As already mentioned, behind the control gap 5 there is the drain opening 6. Water or the like fluid will enter the flow rate regulator 1 through control gap 5 and leave the flow rate regulator 1 through the drain opening 6.

(21) As explained in more detail below, the regulating body 2 is divided into regions 7 that are adjacent to each other.

(22) The regions 7 can be grouped as high-pressure regions 8 and low-pressure regions 9.

(23) Between two adjacent regions 7, a supporting element 10 is arranged to support the regulating body 2 at low pressures even below 0.1 bar. This is achieved by letting the supporting element 10 contact the regulating body 2 at zero pressure. This contact effectively decouples the portions of the regulating body 2 in adjacent regions 7.

(24) The supporting elements 10 are formed integrally with the main body 2 as fixed protrusions 11.

(25) The supporting elements 10 which define a high-pressure region 8 are arranged closer together than supporting elements 10 which define a low-pressure region 9. Thus, a distance 12, in this case measured as an angular distance, between supporting elements 10 confining a high-pressure region 8, is considerably shorter than a distance 13, also in this case measured as an angular distance, between supporting elements 10 confining a low-pressure region 9. In other embodiments, the distances 12, 13 may be measured along straight lines.

(26) Hence, in FIG. 1, the regulating body 2 spans a smaller distance 12 in a high-pressure region 8 while it spans a larger distance 13 in a low-pressure region 9.

(27) As will be described in more detail below, the high-pressure region 8 is formed by a groove 14. The depth of this groove 14 is such that the regulation body 2 will not, even at very high pressures achievable in sanitary systems, touch its ground 15.

(28) In this example, this is achieved by a rectangular cross section of the groove 14 wherein the width is much smaller than the height of the groove 14.

(29) The supporting elements 10 that define the low-pressure region 9 as a boundary are spaced apart such that the regulating body 2 will, above a certain pressure threshold, contact the main body 4 along the full or essentially full size of the low-pressure region 9. Thus, no water will flow through the control gap 5 in the low-pressure region 9 above said pressure threshold.

(30) To achieve this, the supporting elements 10 fall off less rapidly on the low-pressure side than they do in the high-pressure side. Thus, the contour forming the control gap 5 describes a trough 30 with tilted side walls 31, 32.

(31) In the low-pressure region 9, there is an intermediate element 16 in addition. This is formed by a protrusion 17 of smaller size compared to the supporting elements 10. The height of the intermediate element 16 may be, for example, less than half or less than one third the height of the supporting elements 10.

(32) The height of the intermediate element 16 is such that it does not contact the regulating body 2 at zero pressure, i.e. in an undeformed state of the regulating body 2.

(33) FIG. 2 shows a further exemplary embodiment according to the invention. Components and functional units that are structurally and/or functionally similar or identical to the preceding exemplary embodiment are denoted by the same reference signs and not described separately. The information given with respect to FIG. 1 therefore applies, mutatis mutandis, to FIG. 2.

(34) While in the embodiment of FIG. 1, high-pressure regions 8 and low-pressure regions 9 are arranged such that they form an alternating sequence, in the embodiment of FIG. 2 there is a sequence of several consecutive high-pressure regions 8 that are adjacent to each other. In other words, the apparent fourfold symmetry of the arrangement of FIG. 1 is not necessary to achieve the benefits of the invention. However, the arrangement of FIG. 1 is preferred for most case due to its simplicity in design.

(35) Further, in the embodiment of FIG. 2, one single low-pressure region is formed that stretches as far as possible, i.e. more than 270°.

(36) Other embodiments may have more or less than three high-pressure regions.

(37) FIG. 3 shows a third exemplary embodiment according to the invention. Components and functional units that are structurally and/or functionally similar or identical to the preceding exemplary embodiment are denoted by the same reference signs and not described separately. The information given with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2 therefore applies, mutatis mutandis, to FIG. 3.

(38) While in the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2 the protrusions 11, 17 are projecting in a radially outward manner, in the embodiment of FIG. 3 they project inwardly.

(39) In this case, the high-pressure regions have inwardly tilted side walls 31, 32 in order to further prevent the regulating body 2 from fully closing the control gap 5.

(40) Such inwardly tilted side walls 31, 32 may be used in the other designs as well.

(41) In other embodiments, some of the projections 11, 17 may be projecting outwardly while others may project inwardly.

(42) Also, in other embodiments, there may be more than one low-pressure region 9, although in many case it suffices to have one low-pressure region 9.

(43) Between adjacent protrusions 11, 17, there are formed recessions 20. The sequence of protrusions 11, 17 and recessions 20 define a regulating profile 21.

(44) The flow rate regulators 1 of FIGS. 1 to 3 are of the ring type. The regulating bodies 2 are form as rings 18. In these examples, the rings 18 have a circular shape, so that the regulating bodies 2 can be O-rings 19.

(45) Hence, the regulating body 2 is deformed in a direction perpendicular or laterally to the main direction of flow 35 (which is itself is parallel to the direction of view in FIGS. 1 to 3).

(46) FIG. 2 shows webs 33 in the drain opening 6 on which the regulating body 2 rests. A similar construction is present in the other embodiments as well, although not shown there.

(47) FIG. 4 shows a control curve 22 of the flow rate regulator 1 of FIG. 1. Similar curves will apply for the flow rate regulators of FIGS. 2 and 3.

(48) The control curve 22 shows the dependence of the flow rate through the drain opening 6 on the pressure difference across the flow rate regulator 1.

(49) The control curve 22 is the sum of the control curve 23 of the high-pressure regions 8 and the control curve 24 of the high-pressure regions 9. The control curve 23 of the high-pressure region 8 intersects the control curve 24 of the low-pressure region 9 at an intersection point 40.

(50) Control curve 23 shows that the low-pressure region 9 does not contribute in an essential way above a pressure threshold approximately at c.

(51) Thus, it can be seen that a maximum—here a limit value approximately at the constant flow level—of the control curve 23 of the high-pressure region 8 lies at a pressure above a pressure of the intersection point 40.

(52) Likewise, a maximum—here the kink 34—of the control curve 24 of the low-pressure region 9 lies at a pressure below the pressure of said intersection point 40.

(53) FIGS. 5A through 5D show the corresponding deformation of the regulating body 2 at the respective pressures a (FIG. 5A), b (FIG. 5B), c (FIG. 5C), d (FIG. 5D) of FIG. 4.

(54) It is apparent that at pressure c (FIG. 5C), the control gap 5 is essentially closed in the low-pressure regions 9. The remaining area in the low-pressure regions 9 may be less than one third of the total cross sectional area of the control gap 5 at this pressure. Hence, essentially all flow is going through the high-pressure regions 8.

(55) In FIG. 6 it is shown that the regulating body 2 is deformed to intrude in the cross section area of the high-pressure regions 8 in order to achieve a constant flow rate at high pressure values.

(56) In FIG. 5B, at pressure b, the intermediate element 16 contacts the regulating body 2 whereas in FIG. 5A, at pressure a, it does not. This additional support modifies the control curve 24 in such a way that the slope is less steep for higher pressures. This in turn allows to adjust the high-pressure end of the control curve 24 such that it matches that of control curve 23 in order to yield a constant flow rate while at the same time being able to achieve a steep slope at the intermediate pressure ranges (above the kink 34) in order to achieve that constant flow rate also at such pressure levels.

(57) At pressure levels below the kink 34 the regulating body 2 is not deformed.

(58) FIGS. 7 to 9 show a forth exemplary embodiment according to the invention. Components and functional units that are structurally and/or functionally similar or identical to the preceding exemplary embodiment are denoted by the same reference signs and not described separately. The information given with respect to FIGS. 1 to 3 therefore applies, mutatis mutandis, to FIGS. 7 to 9.

(59) The flow rate regulator 1 of FIGS. 7 to 9 is of the disc type. The regulating body 2 is shaped like a washer and made of elastically deformable material like rubber.

(60) The regulating body 2 is set on a pin 36 and rests on a shoulder 37. The pin 36 penetrates the regulation body 2 at a central hole.

(61) Hence, the deformation of the regulating body 2 is—unlike to FIGS. 1 to 6—in or longitudinally to the main direction of the flow 35 (i.e. the direction of view in FIG. 9).

(62) The supporting elements 10 are of identical height at or above the position of the shoulder 37. Thus, the supporting elements 10 contact the regulating body 2 already at zero pressure.

(63) In FIG. 9, it is shown that the centers 26 of the supporting elements 10 and the intermediate elements 16 define a disc-like region 27 which contains the drain opening 6.

(64) The regulating body 2 extends somewhat beyond that disc-like region 27 so that it covers the drain opening 6.

(65) The drain opening 6, in turn, has an essentially (where the supporting elements 10 and the intermediate elements 16 are neglected) circular outer periphery 29.

(66) Moreover, it can be seen that in the low-pressure region 9 an outer contour 38 of the drain opening 6 describes a section of a circle 39. In this example, the circle 39 coincides with a boundary of the disc-like region 27. The drain opening 6 is fully contained within said circle 39, while the contact surface 38 extends beyond it.

(67) Between two adjacent supporting elements 10, a continuous surface 28 is formed on the main body 4.

(68) The height of supporting elements 10 in relation to the distance 12 is such that the regulating body 2 cannot reach the continuous surface 28. Hence, the control gap 5 remains at least partially open at all pressure levels.

(69) It can be seen from the drawings that there are two intermediate elements 16 in one low-pressure region 9. In other embodiments, other numbers of intermediate elements 16 are arrange within each low-pressure region 9.

(70) FIG. 10 shows a control curve 22 of the flow rate regulator 1 of FIGS. 7 to 9. The explanations given to FIG. 4 also apply here.

(71) FIGS. 11A through 11D show the corresponding deformation of the regulating body 2 at the respective pressures a (FIG. 11A), b (FIG. 11B), c (FIG. 11C), d (FIG. 11D) of FIG. 10 when the low-pressure region 9 of flow rate regulator 1 is viewed.

(72) It can be seen that the effect of the intermediate elements 16 starts between pressures b and c. Beyond pressure level c, there is no substantial change in the cross sectional area of the control gap 5 in the low-pressure region 9. That part of the control gap 5 does not contribute to the overall flow rate at this pressure level.

(73) FIGS. 13A through 13D show the corresponding deformation of the regulating body 2 at the respective pressures a (FIG. 13A), b (FIG. 13B), c (FIG. 13C), d (FIG. 13D) of FIG. 10 when the high-pressure region 8 of flow rate regulator 1 is viewed. To assist in reading, the content of FIG. 10 is repeated as FIG. 12.

(74) It can be seen read of the control curve 23 that there are deformations of the regulating body 2 in the high-pressure regions 8 although they are barely visible. FIG. 13D indicates that at very high-pressure levels, substantial deformations will occur. Those deformations, however, will not lead to a contact between the regulating body 2 and the continuous surface 28.

(75) FIG. 11A clearly shows that the height of the intermediate element 16 is less than ⅕ of the height of the supporting elements 10.

(76) According to the invention, it is proposed to decouple regions 7 of a regulating body 2 of a flow rate regulator 1 such that one of the decoupled regions 7 forms a low-pressure region 9 while another of the decoupled regions 7 defines a high-pressure region 8.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(77) 1 flow rate regulator 2 regulating body 3 inflow side 4 main body 5 control gap 6 drain opening 7 region 8 high-pressure region 9 low-pressure region 10 supporting element 11 protrusion 12 distance 13 distance 14 groove 15 ground of 14 16 intermediate element 17 protrusion 18 ring 19 O-ring 20 recessions 21 regulating profile 22 control curve 23 control curve of the high-pressure regions 24 control curve of the low-pressure regions 25 disc 26 center 27 disc-like region 28 continuous surface 29 periphery 30 trough 31 side wall 32 side wall 33 web 34 kink 35 main direction of flow 36 pin 37 shoulder 38 contour 39 circle 40 intersection point