T-joint having push-button switch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10935146-B2
Application number	US-201916405755-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 7, 2019
Priority date	May 7, 2019
Publication date	Mar 2, 2021
Grant date	Mar 2, 2021

Abstract

A T-joint includes a pipe body and a switch. The pipe body includes an inlet opening, a first outlet opening, a second outlet opening and a switch accommodating space communicating with each other. The switch is positioned into the switch accommodating space of the pipe body, and includes a pressed member and an outlet-selecting member. The pressed member and the outlet-selecting member are connected to each other. By pressing either a first pressed portion or a second pressed portion of the pressed member, the isolating member of the switch could be positioned to lead the inlet opening to communicate with a corresponding one of the first outlet opening and the second outlet opening.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A T-joint, comprising:
a pipe body, comprising an inlet opening, a first outlet opening, a second outlet opening and a switch accommodating space, wherein the inlet opening, the first outlet opening, the second outlet opening and the switch accommodating space communicate with each other; and
a switch, positioned into the switch accommodating space of the pipe body, and comprising a pressed member and an outlet-selecting member, wherein the pressed member and the outlet-selecting member are connected to each other; the switch comprises an isolating member positioned on the outlet-selecting member;
when a first pressed portion of the pressed member is pressed, the isolating member of the switch is positioned to isolate the inlet opening from the second outlet opening, but the first outlet opening communicates with the inlet opening, whereby a water flow merely outlets from the first outlet opening;
when a second pressed portion of the pressed member is pressed, the isolating member of the switch is positioned to isolate the inlet opening from the first outlet opening, but the second outlet opening communicates with the inlet opening, whereby the water flow merely outlets from the second outlet opening;
wherein the switch comprises a first reset member connected to the first pressed portion of the pressed member, when the first pressed portion of the pressed member stops being pressed, the pressed member is moved to a horizontal position by the first reset member.

2. The T-joint of claim 1 , wherein the first reset member is a spring connected to the first pressed portion of the pressed member, when the first pressed portion of the pressed member is pressed, the pressed member is tilted; when the first pressed portion of the pressed member stops being pressed, the pressed member is returned to the horizontal position by the spring.

3. The T-joint of claim 1 , wherein when the pressed member is returned to the horizontal position, the pressed member does not protrude from the switch accommodating space.

4. The T-joint of claim 1 , wherein the switch comprises a second reset member connected to the second pressed portion of the pressed member, when the second pressed portion of the pressed member stops being pressed, the pressed member is moved to a horizontal position by the second reset member.

5. The T-joint of claim 4 , wherein the second reset member is a spring connected to the second pressed portion of the pressed member, when the second pressed portion of the pressed member is pressed, the pressed member is tilted; when the second pressed portion of the pressed member stops being pressed, the pressed member is returned to the horizontal position by the spring.

6. The T-joint of claim 4 , wherein when the pressed member is returned to the horizontal position, the pressed member does not protrude from the switch accommodating space.

7. The T-joint of claim 1 , wherein the outlet-selecting member is connected to the pressed member, and can be driven by the pressed member to move; when the first pressed portion of the pressed member is pressed, the first pressed portion abuts against the outlet-selecting member to move in a first direction; when the second pressed portion of the pressed member is pressed, the first pressed portion pulls the outlet-selecting member to move in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

8. The T-joint of claim 7 , wherein the pipe body comprises a first flow way and a second flow way, the first flow way communicates with the first outlet opening and the inlet opening, and the second flow way communicates with the second outlet opening and the inlet opening, one part of the first flow way is isolated from the second flow way.

9. The T-joint of claim 8 , wherein when the first pressed portion abuts against the outlet-selecting member to move in the first direction, the isolating member is driven by the outlet-selecting member to plug the second flow way, so that the water flow merely outlets from the first outlet opening.

10. The T-joint of claim 9 , wherein the second flow way has a blocking bore, when the first pressed portion abuts against the outlet-selecting member to move in the first direction, the isolating member is driven by the outlet-selecting member to plug the blocking bore of the second flow way, so that the water flow merely outlets from the first outlet opening.

11. The T-joint of claim 8 , wherein when the first pressed portion pulls the outlet-selecting member to move in the second direction, the isolating member is driven by the outlet-selecting member to plug the first flow way, so that the water flow merely outlets from the second outlet opening.

12. The T-joint of claim 9 , wherein the first flow way has a blocking bore, when the first pressed portion pulls the outlet-selecting member to move in the second direction, the isolating member is driven by the outlet-selecting member to plug the blocking bore of the first flow way, so that the water flow merely outlets from the second outlet opening.

13. The T-joint of claim 8 , wherein the switch comprises a third reset member connected to the outlet-selecting member, when the second pressed portion of the pressed member is pressed, and the first pressed portion pulls the outlet-selecting member to moving in the second direction, the third reset member is compressed to store a reset force.

14. The T-joint of claim 13 , wherein when the first pressed portion pulls the outlet-selecting member to move in the second direction, whereby the water flow merely outlets from the second outlet opening, the water flow would resist the reset force stored by the third reset member, so that the third reset member cannot drive the isolating member to plug the second flow way.

15. The T-joint of claim 14 , wherein when the water flow stops, the reset force stored by the third reset member drives the isolating member to move in the first direction, whereby to plug the second flow way.

16. The T-joint of claim 15 , wherein when the water flow is started to flow, the water flow merely outlets from the first outlet opening, for the isolating member plugs the second flow way, and the inlet opening communicates with the first outlet opening.

17. The T-joint of claim 13 , wherein the third reset member comprises a spring.

18. The T-joint of claim 1 , wherein the switch comprises a pivot axis connected to the pressed member, when the first pressed portion or the second pressed portion of the pressed member is pressed, the pressed member is pivoted to be tilted.

19. The T-joint of claim 18 , wherein the pivot axis is positioned between the first pressed portion and the second pressed portion.

20. The T-joint of claim 1 , wherein the isolating member comprises a sealing ring and an end cap, the sealing ring is wound around the end cap, and the end cap is sleeved to one end of the outlet-selecting member while another end of the outlet-selecting member is connected to the pressed member.

21. A T-joint, comprising:
a pipe body, comprising an inlet opening, a first outlet opening, a second outlet opening and a switch accommodating space, wherein the inlet opening, the first outlet opening, the second outlet opening and the switch accommodating space communicate with each other; and
a switch, positioned into the switch accommodating space of the pipe body, and comprising a pressed member and an outlet-selecting member, wherein the pressed member and the outlet-selecting member are connected to each other; the swi

Assignees

• Purity Xiamen Sanitary Ware Co Ltd

Inventors

• Wu James
• Wu Alex
• Yang Ce-Wen

Classifications

• F16L41/021

  T- or cross-pieces (F16L41/025, F16L41/026, F16L41/028 take precedence) · CPC title

• F16K31/56 Primary

  without stable intermediate position, e.g. with snap action · CPC title

• F16K11/044 Primary

  with movable valve members positioned between valve seats · CPC title

• B05B1/1618

  where said valve is a double-seat lift valve · CPC title

• E03C1/0408

  Water installations especially for showers (E03C1/06 takes precedence; shower heads B05B1/18) · CPC title