Faucet device for aircraft lavatory unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10365012-B2
Application number	US-201414775579-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 11, 2014
Priority date	Mar 11, 2013
Publication date	Jul 30, 2019
Grant date	Jul 30, 2019

Abstract

Provided is a faucet device for an aircraft lavatory unit, wherein a second joint and a third joint are joined by inserting the third joint of a heater module into a second joint of a valve module, and screw members are used to fasten a first case and a second case. As a result, the valve module and the heater module are joined in series via the second joint and the third joint. A first connector of a controller module is joined to a third connector of the valve module and a second connector of the controller module is joined to a fourth connector of the heater module. The first joint of the valve module is joined to a water supply pipe. A fourth joint of the heater module and a faucet main body are joined via a pipe.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A faucet device for an aircraft lavatory unit comprising:
a faucet main body;
a water supply pipe;
a water supply channel that connects the water supply pipe and the faucet main body;
a water supply valve disposed in the water supply channel;
a heater for heating water supplied from the water supply channel; and
a controller for performing control of an opening and closing operation of the water supply valve and a heating operation of the heater, the faucet device for the aircraft lavatory unit further comprising:
a valve module and a heater module that are disposed in series in a section of the water supply channel,
the valve module including a first case, a first joint that is provided in a surface of the first case and is removably joined to the water supply channel as a first quick-release joint comprising one of an O-ring or a groove and configured to join to another one of the O-ring or the groove on the water supply channel, a second joint that is provided in the surface of the first case at a different location from that of the first joint, and the water supply valve that is integrated in the first case and connects the first joint and the second joint, and
the heater module including a second case, a third joint that is provided in a surface of the second case and is removably joined to the second joint as a second quick-release joint comprising one of an O-ring or a groove and configured to join to another one of the O-ring or the groove on the second joint, a fourth joint that is provided in the surface of the second case at a different location from that of the third joint and removably joined to the water supply channel as a third quick-release joint comprising one of an O-ring or a groove and configured to join to another one of the O-ring or the groove on the water supply channel, a water channel for heating that is integrated in the second case and connects the third joint and the fourth joint, and the heater that is integrated in the second case and heats water flowing in the water channel for heating,
the controller having a fifth joint for removably joining to the first case and a sixth joint for removably joining to the second case, the fifth and sixth joints each omitting a wiring member passing from the controller to the first and second cases, respectively, wherein
in a state that the valve module and the heater module are joined in series via the second joint and the third joint, a portion of the first case in which the second joint is provided and a portion of the second case in which the third joint is provided abut against each other,
the first case having screw holes and the second case having screw through holes at a first end and a second end opposing the first end of the second case,
the faucet device further comprises screw members configured to be inserted from the screw through holes at the first end of the second case through the screw through holes at the second end of the second case and screwed into the screw holes of the first case to fasten and hold the first case and the second case together in the state that the valve module and the heater module are joined, and
the valve module and the heater module are directly connected via the second and third joints.

2. A faucet device for an aircraft lavatory unit, comprising:
a faucet main body;
a water supply pipe;
a water supply channel that connects the water supply pipe and the faucet main body;
a water supply valve disposed in the water supply channel;
a heater for heating water supplied from the water supply channel; and
a controller for performing control of an opening and closing operation of the water supply valve and a heating operation of the heater, the faucet device for the aircraft lavatory unit further comprising:
a valve module and a heater module that are disposed in series in a section of the water supply channel,
the valve module including a first case, a first joint that is provided in a surface of the first case and is removably joined to the water supply channel as a first quick-release joint comprising one of an O-ring or a groove and configured to join to another one of the O-ring or the groove on the water supply channel, a second joint that is provided in the surface of the first case at a different location from that of the first joint, and the water supply valve that is integrated in the first case and connects the first joint and the second joint, and
the heater module including a second case, a third joint that is provided in a surface of the second case and is removably joined to the second joint as a second quick-release joint comprising one of an O-ring or a groove and configured to join to another one of the O-ring or the groove on the second joint, a fourth joint that is provided in the surface of the second case at a different location from that of the third joint and removably joined to the water supply channel as a third quick-release joint comprising one of an O-ring or a groove and configured to join to another one of the O-ring or the groove on the water supply channel, a water channel for heating that is integrated in the second case and connects the third joint and the fourth joint, and the heater that is integrated in the second case and heats water flowing in the water channel for heating,
the faucet device further comprises holding members each having L-shaped cross-sections at both ends thereof, the holding members being configured to hold connection between the first case and the second case together at the ends in a state in which the valve module and the heater module are joined in series via the second joint and the third joint; and
the controller having a fifth joint for removably joining to the first case and a sixth joint for removably joining to the second case, the fifth and sixth joints each omitting a wiring member passing from the controller to the first and second cases, respectively;
wherein the valve module and the heater module are directly connected via the second and third joints.

3. The faucet device for the aircraft lavatory unit according to claim 2 further comprising: a first connector that outputs a first control signal from the controller to the valve module; a second connector that outputs a second control signal from the controller to the heater module; and a controller module that is integrated into a third case, wherein
a third connector that is removably joined to the first connector is integrated into the first case, and
a fourth connector that is removably joined to the second connector is integrated into the second case.

4. The faucet device for the aircraft lavatory unit according to claim 2 , further comprising: a water purification module that is disposed in a section of the water supply channel and in series with the valve module and the heater module, wherein
the water purification module includes a fourth case, two fifth and sixth joints that are provided in a surface of the fourth case at different locations from each other and are removably joined to the water supply channel or any one of the first to fourth joints, a water purification water channel that is integrated into the fourth case and connects the fifth joint and sixth joint, and water purifier that is integrated into the fourth case and purifies water flowing in the water purification water channel.

5. The faucet device for the aircraft lavatory unit according to claim 4 , wherein in a state in which the valve module, the heater module, and the water purification module are joined in series via the joints, portions of the cases in which the joints are located abut against one another, the joints being joined together while joining adjacent modules, and
screw members are provided that fasten the cases in a direction that causes the port

Assignees

• Yokohama Rubber Co Ltd

Inventors

• Koyama Takashi

Classifications

• F24D17/0026

  with conventional heating means (F24D17/0036 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E03C1/044

  having a heating or cooling apparatus in the supply line (water heaters, e.g. with continuous flow, F24H) · CPC title

• B64D11/02

  Toilet fittings · CPC title

• F24H9/14

  Arrangements for connecting different sections, e.g. in water heaters  (arrangements for connecting heaters to circulation pipes F24H9/12) · CPC title

• F24H9/2028

  Continuous-flow heaters · CPC title