Operator control device for a water-conducting sanitary fitting

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10895067-B2
Application number	US-202016812198-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2020
Priority date	Mar 8, 2019
Publication date	Jan 19, 2021
Grant date	Jan 19, 2021

Abstract

An operator control device for a water conducting sanitary fitting including a basic holder with an operating toggle disposed thereon, which toggle has a rotating operating part and a fixed operating part which are rotatable in relation to each other, wherein the rotating operating part is rotatable about a rotation axis on the basic holder. The operating toggle can be pushed in towards the basic holder along the rotation axis. At least one pusher magnet is disposed in the basic holder, and at least one magnetic field sensor is disposed in the operating toggle. An evaluation device for the magnetic field sensor is provided, in order to detect whether the sensor approaches the pusher magnet during pushing-in. At least one magnetic element is disposed in the rotating operating part. The pusher magnet is rotatably mounted for rotation about the rotation axis of the rotating operating part of the operating toggle, wherein the pusher magnet is operable for interaction with the magnetic element such that the pusher magnet co-rotates upon rotation of the magnetic element together with the rotating operating part of the operating toggle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An operator control device for a water-conducting sanitary fitting, the operator control device comprising:
a basic holder fastenable to be fixed in location; and
an operating toggle disposed on the basic holder, the operating toggle being composed of at least two parts, including at least one rotating operating part and at least one fixed operating part, wherein the rotating operating part and the fixed operating part are rotatable in relation to each other;
wherein:
at least the rotating operating part of the operating toggle is rotatable about a rotation axis,
at least one part of the operating toggle can be pushed in towards the basic holder to a pushed-in position from a normal position along the rotation axis against a spring force of a spring,
the spring urges the operating toggle with the spring force from the pushed-in position to the normal position,
at least one pusher magnet is disposed in the basic holder,
at least one magnetic field sensor is disposed in the part of the operating toggle that can be pushed in,
an evaluation device for the magnetic field sensor is provided, which evaluation device is configured to detect whether the magnetic field sensor approaches the pusher magnet during pushing-in of the pushable part of the operating toggle,
at least one magnetic element is disposed in the rotating operating part of the operating toggle,
the pusher magnet is rotatably mounted for rotation about the rotation axis of the rotating operating part of the operating toggle, and
the pusher magnet is operable for interaction with the magnetic element such that the pusher magnet co-rotates upon rotation of the magnetic element together with the rotating operating part of the operating toggle.

2. The operator control device according to claim 1 , wherein the pusher magnet has a rotation-symmetric design.

3. The operator control device according to claim 2 , wherein the rotation axis extends through a center point and a rotation-symmetry point of the pusher magnet.

4. The operator control device according to claim 1 , wherein the pusher magnet, in the direction along the rotation axis, is movable at a maximum of 1 mm or 25% of the movement path of the operating toggle during pushing towards the basic holder.

5. The operator control device according to claim 4 , wherein the pusher magnet is not movable in the direction along the rotation axis.

6. The operator control device according to claim 1 , wherein the pusher magnet is diametrically magnetized with a north-south direction in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis.

7. The operator control device according to claim 1 , wherein the magnetic element in the rotating operating part is a permanent magnet, with a north-south direction in a direction parallel to the rotation axis.

8. The operator control device according to claim 7 , wherein a plurality of magnetic elements are disposed in the operating toggle.

9. The operator control device according to claim 7 , wherein the at least one magnetic element in the rotating operating part is disposed in the vicinity of an outer edge of the rotating operating part, preferably along a circle, with the rotation axis passing through the center point thereof.

10. The operator control device according to claim 1 , wherein the spring extends in a ring shape, preferably with a center point on the rotation axis.

11. The operator control device according to claim 10 , wherein the spring is an ondular washer composed of two mirror-symmetrically ondulated rings made of spring-elastic material with a mirror plane perpendicular to the rotation axis.

12. The operator control device according to claim 1 , wherein the pusher magnet is disposed in a recess corresponding to its shape and/or is disposed sitting on a projection of the basic holder.

13. The operator control device according to claim 12 , wherein a water-tight cover holds the pusher magnet and covers it in a water-tight manner towards the outside.

14. The operator control device according to claim 1 , wherein the magnetic field sensor is disposed in the fixed operating part and non-rotatably retained by the basic holder.

15. The operator control device according to claim 14 , wherein the operating toggle is composed of two parts, with the fixed operating part as an interior part which is non-rotatably retained by the basic holder, wherein the rotating operating part which is rotatable in relation to the fixed operating part is provided as an actuation ring around the fixed operating part, the outer edge of said actuation ring forming an outer edge of the operating toggle.

16. The operator control device according to claim 14 , wherein the at least one magnetic element is retained in or on the rotating operating part.

17. The operator control device according to claim 1 , wherein the operating toggle includes only the rotatable rotating operating part and the fixed operating part, wherein the entire operating toggle can be pushed in.

18. The operator control device according to claim 1 , wherein the fixed operating part includes a display.

19. The operator control device according to claim 1 , wherein the magnetic field sensor is an assembly unit having further magnetic field sensors for detecting a rotation of the rotating operating part relative to the basic holder.

20. The operator control device according to claim 19 , wherein the magnetic field sensor is a 3D magnetic field sensor or a 3D Hall-effect sensor.

21. The operator control device according to claim 1 , wherein in the operating toggle a signal evaluation for the magnetic field sensor is provided.

22. The operator control device according to claim 21 , wherein the signal evaluation has a transmission device for wireless sending or transmitting of data on the rotated and/or pushed position of the operating toggle relative to the basic holder to a control unit for controlling the water-conducting sanitary fitting.

23. The operator control device according to claim 1 , wherein the operating toggle has a distinct energy supply.

24. The operator control device according to claim 23 , wherein the distinct energy supply is a battery pack disposed in the fixed operating part.

Assignees

• Hansgrohe Se

Inventors

• Baumstark Lars
• Gebert Aline

Classifications

• E03C1/05

  Arrangements of devices on wash-basins, baths, sinks, or the like for remote control of taps (remote control of taps or the like per se F16K) · CPC title

• G05G1/10 Primary

  Details, e.g. of discs, knobs, wheels or handles {(G05G1/085 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• H03K2217/94068

  with magnetic detection · CPC title

• H03K17/97

  using a magnetic movable element · CPC title

• G01D5/145

  influenced by the relative movement between the Hall device and magnetic fields (see G01R33/06) · CPC title