METHOD FOR REDUCING ADHESION OF LIMESCALE TO FAUCET COMPONENTS, PARTICULARLY FOR HYGIENIC-SANITARY SYSTEMS Technical Field The present invention relates to a method for reducing adhesion of limescale to faucet components, particularly for hygienic-sanitary systems.

Background Art

As is known, one of the main problems which can be observed in the use of faucet components, particularly in regions where the water mains is supplied with very hard water, is constituted by the limescale deposits that form on the parts of faucet components which come into contact with the water as a consequence of its evaporation. Limescale deposits reduce progressively the passage section of the water, penalizing the efficiency of the component until its operation is compromised, and force maintenance interventions which are increasingly frequent as the hardness of the water increases, in order to remove them and restore the correct operation of the component.

This problem is particularly critical in water dispensers which divide the water stream into several jets having a small diameter, such as for example in diffusers, aerators, shower heads, in which the individual passages, by having a small diameter, are rapidly clogged by limescale deposits, but is also present in any case in other faucet components.

Limescale deposits, besides having a negative effect on the operation of the faucet component, alter considerably the aesthetics of the component, giving it a neglected and old appearance and, due to their porous nature, facilitate deposition of germs and dirt, also compromising the hygiene of the component.

Removal of the limescale, particularly when the high hardness of the water is combined with infrequent specific cleaning, is not easy to perform, since the use of acid products to dissolve it can have harmful effects on the

faucet component, altering the integrity of coatings which have an aesthetic purpose, such as for example chromium plating, which are particularly sensitive to acids.

In order to solve these problems, faucet components have been proposed in which the parts of the components that are most exposed to the phenomenon of limescale deposition are made of special materials, such as for example silicone rubbers, from which it is easier to separate the limescale.

Although this refinement significantly facilitates limescale removal, it does not solve the problem completely, since it does not hinder the progressive accumulation of limescale and therefore forces in any case periodic interventions in order to remove it and restore the functionality of the faucet component.

Moreover, the provision of parts made of special materials can increase considerably the complexity of the production and assembly of the faucet component, increasing significantly its production cost.

Moreover, although limescale separation is facilitated, limescale removal can be difficult, because the pieces of separated limescale can remain trapped within the faucet component, hindering in any case the correct flow of the water.

Moreover, the provision of parts of the faucet component by using special materials, such as for example silicone rubbers, which must be deformed by mechanical action in order to achieve limescale separation, can reduce significantly the total duration of the faucet component. Disclosure of the Invention

The aim of the present invention is to solve the problems described above by providing a method which reduces significantly the degree of adhesion of the limescale to faucet components and facilitates its separation from the faucet component during its normal use, making interventions for its removal unnecessary or in any case making these interventions

considerably simpler and quicker.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a method which does not complicate the structure of the faucet component so as to not increase significantly its production costs. Another object of the invention is to provide a method which can be performed simply and is compatible with ordinary faucet component production techniques.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method which can be applied to a wide range of faucet components, such as for example diffusers, aerators, economizers, flow limiters, shower heads, multifunctional dispensers, et cetera, made of metallic and synthetic material.

This aim and these and other objects, which will become better apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a method for reducing adhesion of limescale to faucet components, particularly for hygienic-sanitary systems, characterized in that it consists in covering with a layer of non-stick material the parts of the faucet component which are susceptible of coming into contact with water.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the method according to the invention, described hereinafter by way of non-limiting example. Ways of carrying out the Invention

The method consists substantially in covering with a layer of nonstick material the parts of the faucet component which are susceptible of coming into contact with water.

Such non-stick material is preferably constituted by PTFE

(polytetrafluoroethylene) and can be applied to the faucet component by means of known coating processes which use PTFE to cover other products, such as for example cooking appliances or mechanical components, in which PTFE is generally used to reduce friction between two elements in

mutual contact. In particular, PTFE can be applied to the surface of the faucet component to be covered by means of spray, roller, or immersion coating processes.

Preferably, the thickness of the layer of PTFE ranges substantially from 2 to 50 μm.

The application of the layer of non-stick material according to the invention can be performed on faucet components made of metal, such as for example aluminum and alloys thereof, copper and alloys thereof, iron and alloys thereof, or on components made of synthetic material. In practice, the application of the layer of non-stick material, in particular PTFE, according to the invention, does not hinder the deposition of the limescale on the covered parts, as a consequence of the evaporation of water from said parts when the flow of water is interrupted, but reduces considerably the degree of adhesion of the limescale to such covered parts. The degree of adhesion of the limescale that is obtained with the method according to the invention is so low that the ordinary flow of water on such parts, during a subsequent use of the faucet component, is sufficient in itself to cause the substantially total separation and removal of the limescale that has deposited between one use and the next. In this manner, the method according to the invention avoids, or at least slows considerably, the progressive accumulation of limescale on the parts of the faucet component which come into contact with water, keeping practically unchanged over time the functionality and aesthetics of the faucet component. Moreover, the limited adhesion of limescale to the faucet component that is obtained with the method according to the invention makes any periodic component cleaning interventions extremely simple and quick, without requiring the use of aggressive substances or of mechanical actions which might damage the component. In practice it has been found that the method according to the

invention fully achieves the intended aim, since it reduces significantly the degree of adhesion of limescale to the faucet component and facilitates its separation from the faucet component during its normal use, making it unnecessary to perform interventions to remove it or in any case making such interventions extremely simple and quick.

The method thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims; all the details may further be replaced with other technically equivalent elements. The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. MI2006A000568 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.