Friedrich Grohe Aktiengesellschaft

Friedrich Grohe Ag & Co. Kg

Grohe Ag

Wolfgang Gebhardt

Manfred Pawelzik

Hartwig Philipps-Liebich

Rainer Smieja

Hans-J&uuml;rgen Ludewig

A manually-operated valve is provided in series with an electromagnetically-operated valve and the manually-operated valve is provided with a proximity detector connected to the electronic controller whereby a switch in the manually-operated valve, in one position of the single control lever therefor, corresponding to about 50% of maximum supply rate, is operated to activate the proximity sensor and enable the water flow to be controlled by an object within its detection range. Removal of the object, e.g. the hand of the user from the range, will shut off the water through the manually-operated valve. Outside the position of the lever at which the switch is operated, the proximity detector is ineffective and control is effected exclusively by swinging the lever.

Valve system especially for a sanitary fixture

A valve having an input and two outputs is provided with a stem extending radially from and pivotal about a transverse axis from a middle position to one end position directing flow from the input to one of the outputs and to an opposite end position directing flow from the input to the other of the outputs. A valve actuator assembly has a sleeve fixed to the valve and having a rim annularly surrounding and spaced from the stem and lying in a plane generally parallel to the axis and a handle fixed to the stem above the rim and forming a guide extending substantially parallel to the stem. A latch element having an outwardly projecting arm is displaceable in the guide between a rest position with the arm engageable with the rim and blocking displacement of the stem into the one end position and an actuated position unengageable with the rim and permitting displacement of the stem into the one end position. A spring operatively braced between the latch element and the handle urges the latch element into the rest position.

Actuating assembly for dual-output valve

A diverter valve has a housing forming an inlet for pressurized fluid and a pair of separate outlets connectable to respective users. A valve disk fixed in the housing is centered on an axis and has to one side of a diameter through the axis two axially throughgoing outlet ports each communicating with a respective one of the outlets and to the other side of the diameter an axially throughgoing inlet port communicating with the inlet. The ports are spaced about the axis and centered on a circle itself centered on the axis. A valve disk sitting on the fixed valve disk is movable in the housing about the axis. This movable valve disk is formed with a pair of axially throughgoing holes spaced about the axis and centered on the circle. A spindle rotatable in the housing about the axis is connected to the movable valve disk for displacing the movable valve disk from a central blocking position in which the holes overlap only the inlet port and between one end position in which one of the holes overlaps one of the outlet ports and the inlet port and permits fluid communication therebetween and another end position in which the other of the holes overlaps the other of the outlet ports and the inlet port and permits fluid communication therebetween.

Growing community of inventors

Menden, Germany

Wolfgang Gebhardt