The invention relates to a sanitary outlet insert, which can be mounted on the water outlet of a sanitary outlet fitting, having a flow rate regulator or flow limiter that has an adjusting element which regulates or limits the flow cross section of the flow rate regulator or flow limiter in interaction with a counterelement, wherein a handle is provided on the outlet end of the outlet insert for the purpose of changing the relative position of the adjusting element and the counterelement, said handle being designed as a pushbutton, and wherein an adjusting movement at the handle can be converted into a relative movement of the adjusting element and the counterelement by means of a pushbutton mechanism.
Many standards already envisage limiting the quantity of water flowing out of an outlet fitting per unit time. Moreover, it may also be necessary to limit the flow line in order to ensure that the jet of water flowing out of the outlet fitting does not splash. Sanitary outlet inserts of the type mentioned at the outset which have a flow rate regulator or a flow limiter have therefore already been provided.
However, since the manufacturers of outlet fittings do not know the water pressure at the site of installation, and since this water pressure depends on the type of installation, e.g. on the use of pressure-increasing “booster pumps” or on water tanks installed on the roof, it is often necessary to supply a number of spare jet regulators designed for different flow rates for the outlet fittings, which are generally supplied on a trans-regional basis, it being possible to use these regulators selectively, depending on the on-site water pressure. However, providing a number of spare jet regulators, of which ultimately only one will be used, is associated with a considerable outlay.
Since many standards stipulate limiting the flow rate and since limiting the flow rate may also be necessary in order to ensure that the jet of water flowing out does not splash, omitting such jet regulators is not a solution either.
The prior art already includes various outlet inserts that can be used in the water outlet of a sanitary outlet fitting and, in addition to a jet regulator and/or a screen attachment, comprise a flow rate regulator or a flow limiter, the function of which is to limit the flow rate or to regulate the flow rate to a maximum value depending on the pressure. Although it is possible to reduce water consumption effectively with the aid of such outlet inserts, rapid filling and a correspondingly high volume flow is desirable for certain applications, e.g. when filling a pot or a water bucket.
FR 2 907 874 A has already disclosed a sanitary outlet insert of the type mentioned at the outset which can be mounted on the water outlet of a sanitary outlet fitting. In the housing interior of its housing, the previously known outlet insert has a rotatably mounted valve body, which has three intersecting channels opening at the circumference of the valve body. The previously known outlet insert has an annular pushbutton, which projects beyond the outlet end of the housing. In this arrangement, a manual pressure actuation of the pushbutton can be converted by means of a pushbutton mechanism into a stepwise turning movement of the valve body, such that the channel openings opening at the circumference of the valve body can be brought into overlap with an inflow-side inlet opening or with closed segments of the housing. Through the stepwise preselectability of the channel openings, which are oriented in the inflow or outflow direction, the flow cross section can be reduced in steps or completely shut off with the aid of the previously known outlet insert. However, regulation of the quantity of water flowing through per unit time to a maximum flow rate in a pressure-dependent manner is neither envisaged nor possible in the previously known outlet insert.
WO 2009/079821 A has already disclosed a shutoff valve which can be inserted instead of a commercially available jet regulator into a sleeve-shaped outlet nozzle that can be mounted on the water outlet of a sanitary outlet fitting. The shutoff valve already known from WO 2009/079821 A has a pushbutton which projects beyond the outlet end of the shutoff valve and with the aid of which a pushrod guided in an axially movable manner in the interior of the housing of the shutoff valve can be moved counter to the force of a restoring spring. The pushrod is of two-part design and has an inner rod part and an outer rod part, which are screwed together by means of a screw thread in such a way that the axial length of the pushrod can be changed. A water accumulation ring designed as a flexible hollow body, which can be filled with water via a bypass channel by the water flowing through the shutoff valve, is held on the pushrod. By means of manual pressure actuation of the pushbutton, which projects on the outflow side, the previously known shutoff valve is moved into the open position thereof. In the open position, the water accumulation ring is increasingly filled as time progresses, until the amount of water in the water accumulation ring is such that the change in hydraulic forces triggers the actuating movement of the shutoff valve back into the closed position. The shutoff valve already known from WO 2009/079821 A is provided for public washrooms. In that context, the previously known shutoff valve offers not only the advantage that the pushbutton, which is situated in the outflowing stream of water, is thus continuously cleaned but also that the shutoff valve moves into its shutoff position automatically after a preselectable time interval. Here, the time interval specified for the open position of the shutoff valve can be preselected by changing the length of the pushrod.