TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure relates generally to sinks and faucets.
BACKGROUND
A sink unit, such as a kitchen sink, a bathroom sink, an industrial sink, or the like, typically includes at least one faucet configured to dispense water from a water supply. In addition to the main faucet, many kitchen sinks include a separate sprayer unit coupled to a flexible hose, wherein the increased range-of-motion is configured to provide the user with greater control over washing tasks. Because the sizes of faucets and spray heads are frequently limited based on size of components and an ability to couple them within the faucet body, it would be advantageous to provide a spray head or faucet assembly having components that are configured to interlock and fit within the faucet body, thereby enabling a reduction in the sizes of faucet parts and thus, the cost of the faucet assembly.
SUMMARY
The present disclosure relates to a faucet having a body configured to house two waterways, wherein the first waterway is configured to interlock with the second waterway. In various examples, the first waterway is a diverter and includes a valve assembly configured to control water flow through the first waterway. In some examples, the second waterway is curved. In some examples, an interior surface of the body defines one or more ridges configured to retain the first waterway, the second waterway, or both. In some examples, a distal end of the first waterway includes a ramped feature defining a circumferential slot configured to engage with a lip disposed on the interior surface of the body, where rotation of the first waterway relative to the second waterway engages the ramped feature and the slot with the lip. In other examples, the ramped feature includes a stop disposed at an end of the circumferential slot, wherein the stop defines a rotational limit of the first waterway relative to the second waterway. In yet other examples, the valve assembly is coupled to a button configured to change an operational state of the valve assembly. In various examples, a second end of the first waterway is configured to be coupled to a hose. In some examples, a second end of the second waterway is configured to couple to a spray face. This summary is illustrative only and should not be regarded as limiting.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The disclosure will become more fully understood from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a faucet system including a faucet assembly and a hose.
FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the faucet assembly of FIG. 1, the cross-section taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of an outer faucet body of the faucet assembly of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a distal portion of the faucet body of FIG. 3, the cross-section taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a first waterway of the faucet assembly of FIG. 2.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a distal portion of the first waterway of FIG. 5.
FIG. 7 is an end view of a proximal end of the first waterway of FIG. 5.
FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of a distal portion of the faucet assembly of FIG. 2, the cross-section taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a proximal portion of the faucet assembly of FIG. 1, the cross-section taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional side view of the faucet assembly of FIG. 2, the cross-section taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1, with the first waterway removed, and with the second waterway not yet engaged with the faucet body.
FIG. 11 is a partial cross-sectional side view of the faucet assembly of FIG. 2, the cross-section taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1, with the first waterway removed, and with the second waterway engaged with the faucet body.
FIG. 12 is a transparent exploded view of the faucet assembly of FIG. 2.
FIG. 13 is a transparent perspective view of the faucet assembly of FIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Before turning to the figures, which illustrate certain examples in detail, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the details or methodology set forth in the description or illustrated in the figures. It should also be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description only and should not be regarded as limiting.
FIG. 1 shows a faucet system 10. Faucet system 10 may include, or may be, a kitchen faucet, a shower spray head, or any other faucet system compatible with a plumbing assembly. Faucet system 10 includes a faucet assembly 100, which is fluidly coupled to a hose 105 configured to provide water to faucet assembly 100, e.g., from a water supply.
FIG. 2 shows a side cross-sectional view of faucet assembly 100 of FIG. 1, as taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1. Faucet assembly 100 includes a faucet body 110 (or “shell”), which has a substantially linear proximal portion 115 and a curved distal portion 120, which are defined between a proximal end 125 (e.g., adjacent linear proximal portion 115) and a distal end 130 (e.g., adjacent curved distal portion 120). A first tubular waterway 135 disposed within linear proximal portion 115, and a second tubular waterway 140 disposed within curved distal portion 120, collectively enable water to flow through faucet assembly 100. That is, a distal end 180 of first waterway 135 is configured to operably and fluidically couple to a proximal end of second waterway 140, thereby defining a common fluid pathway therethrough.
In various examples, first waterway 135 may be, or may include, a diverter configured to control water flow through the inner lumen thereof. For instance, as shown in FIG. 2, first waterway 135 includes a valve assembly 150 configured to permit, prevent, or adjust a rate of a flow of water through the inner lumen of first waterway 135 (and thus, through faucet assembly 100). In some examples, valve assembly 150 is operable to divert the flow of water through faucet assembly 100 (e.g., through different flow paths, to different sets of water outlets, etc.) to change the spray pattern of the water flowing out of faucet assembly 100. In some examples, valve assembly 150 is operable to enable or disable water flow through a single flow path, and thus functions as an on/off switch for the flow of water. Valve assembly 150 may be operably coupled to, or disposed adjacent to, a button 145 configured to change an operational state of valve assembly 150. As shown, valve assembly 150 is disposed between a base portion 155 and an outermost wall of first waterway 135. A spring 160 biases valve assembly 150 toward the outermost wall of first waterway 135 (i.e., in the upward direction, from the perspective of FIG. 2), e.g., to prevent flow of water therethrough. As shown, button 145 includes a piston or shaft 165 coupled to or integrally formed with an interior portion of button 145, where shaft 165 is configured to engage with or contact a portion of valve body 150. Accordingly, to change an operational state of valve body 150, a user can depress button 145 relative to faucet body 110 to forcibly displace valve body 150 within first waterway 135 and allow water flow therethrough.
As shown in FIG. 2, first waterway 135 may be configured to fluidically couple to second waterway 140, wherein first and second waterways 135, 140 may be further retained within an interior volume of faucet body 110 via one or more placement features disposed within the interior volume of faucet body 110. As shown, faucet body 110 may include a first placement feature 170 (e.g., ridge, lip, etc.) and a second placement feature 175 (e.g., ridge, lip, etc.), wherein first placement feature 170 is configured to engage with a counterpart placement feature 190 (e.g., ridge, lip, etc.) of second waterway 140, wherein second placement feature 175 is configured to engage with a counterpart placement feature 185 (e.g., ridge, lip, slot, ramp, etc.) of first waterway 135, and wherein a distal end 180 of first waterway 135 engages with (e.g., concentrically fits around) a proximal end of second waterway 140.
Button 145 may also be configured to operably couple to first waterway 135 to facilitate depression of valve body 150 as desired. As shown, a distal end of button 145 may include an engagement feature 195 (e.g., hook, ridge, barb, latch, etc.) configured to engage with a counterpart engagement feature 200 (e.g., hook, barb, ridge, lip, latch, etc.) disposed on first waterway 135.
As further shown in FIG. 2, faucet assembly 100 includes a spray face 205, which is configured couple to distal end 130 of faucet body 110, and which is fluidly coupled to first and second waterways 135, 140. In various examples, spray face 205 may be configured to couple faucet body 110 (e.g., the outer shell), second waterway 140 (e.g., disposed within the shell), or both. For instance, faucet body 110, second waterway 140, or both may include a threaded surface configured to engage with a corresponding threaded surface of spray face 205.
FIG. 3 shows a side perspective view of faucet body 110 of FIG. 2. As previously described, first and second waterways 135, 140 (FIG. 2) are configured to be inserted and retained within an interior volume of faucet body 110. For instance, as shown in FIG. 3, faucet body 110 forms a shell that defines a central, inner bore 215 (or “lumen”), which is configured to receive first and second waterways 135, 140. A sidewall of faucet body 110 also defines at least one aperture 210 configured to receive button 145 (FIG. 2) such that button 145 may be coupled to first waterway 135 and protrude radially outward through opening 210 to facilitate user-access to button 145.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of faucet body 110 of FIGS. 2 and 3, as taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3. As described above with respect to FIG. 2, faucet body 110 includes first placement feature 170 and second placement feature 175. As shown in FIG. 4, first placement feature 175 and second placement feature 170 may be disposed in an opposing arrangement along an interior surface 220 of inner bore 215 of faucet body 110. As shown, first and second placement features 170, 175 may be disposed between or adjacent a transition region between linear proximal portion 115 and curved distal portion 120 of faucet body 110. In various examples, either or both of first and second placement features 170, 175 may be substantially rectangular-prism shaped.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an example of first waterway 135 of FIG. 2. As described above, first waterway 135 may be a “diverter.” For instance, as shown in FIG. 5, first waterway 135 may include a generally tubular elongated body 225, wherein valve body 150 extends radially inward through elongated body 225 in a direction substantially perpendicular to a primary axis of elongated body 225. In various examples, engagement feature 200 may be disposed near or adjacent to valve body 150. Engagement feature 200 may also be disposed near or adjacent to a slot 240 defined by an outer surface of elongated body 225. In addition, placement feature 185 of first waterway 135 may include a protrusion that extends distally outward from distal end 180 along an axial direction such that, when first and second waterways 135, 140 are disposed within faucet body 110 (FIG. 2), placement feature 185 extends distally toward second waterway 140 to facilitate coupling of first waterway 135 to second waterway 140.
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, engagement feature 200 may include an inclined proximal portion and a straight distal portion such that engagement feature 200 forms a hook, barb, or latch configured to engage with (e.g., “catch,” or form an interference fit with) corresponding hooked engagement feature 195 of button 145 (FIG. 2). Slot 240 may be disposed adjacent (e.g., distal to) engagement feature 200 and may be configured to receive a portion of engagement feature 195 of button 145 (FIG. 2).
In various examples, placement feature 185 protruding from distal end 180 may be configured to limit an amount of axial and/or rotational motion of first waterway 135 relative to second waterway 140. For instance, as shown in FIG. 6, placement feature 185 includes a circumferential first ridge 250 and an axial second ridge 245, collectively defining a circumferential slot therebetween. First ridge 250 is disposed along a portion of the circumference of distal end 180 and extends radially outward from elongated body 225. Accordingly, first ridge 250 is configured to engage with second placement feature 175 of faucet body 110 to inhibit or prevent axial motion of first waterway 135 relative to second waterway 140 and/or faucet body 110.
Second ridge 245 may be oriented in a direction substantially perpendicular to first ridge 250. For instance, as shown in FIG. 6, second ridge 245 may be substantially axially aligned with the longitudinal axis of first waterway 135 (e.g., of elongated body 225), and may extend radially outward from elongated body 225. As described above, second placement feature 175 of faucet body 110 (FIG. 2) is configured to be received within the circumferential slot defined by placement feature 185. Accordingly, while first ridge 250 is configured to engage with second placement feature 175 to prevent axial movement of first waterway 135 relative to second waterway 140, second ridge 245 is configured to engage with second placement feature 175 to limit rotational movement of first waterway 135 relative to second waterway 140.
In various examples, such as the example shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, a proximal end of first waterway 135 also defines a threaded outer surface 230 and a flange or lip 235. Threaded surface 230 is configured to facilitate coupling of hose 105 (FIG. 1) to faucet assembly 100. In addition, first waterway 135 may include a keyway or key slot 255 disposed within the proximal end of elongated body 225. In various examples, key slot 255 may define a rectangular cross-section, may be substantially axially aligned with elongated body 225, and may be configured to facilitate placement and/or adjustment (e.g., rotation) of first waterway 135 within faucet body 110 (FIG. 2). For instance, key slot 255 may be configured to receive a tool configured to help axially and/or rotationally adjust first waterway 135 relative to faucet body 110.
FIG. 8 is a transparent cross-sectional view of a distal portion of faucet assembly 100, the cross-section taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 1, in which first and second waterways 135, 140 are retained within the inner volume of faucet body 110. As shown in FIG. 8, first waterway 135 is operably coupled to second waterway 140 in a concentrically overlapping arrangement. When in the overlapping arrangement shown in FIG. 8, placement feature 185 (FIGS. 5 and 6) engages with second placement feature 175 (FIGS. 2 and 4), and placement feature 190 engages with first placement feature 170 (FIGS. 2 and 4), as described above.
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a proximal portion of faucet assembly 100, the cross-section taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 1, in which faucet assembly 100 is assembled, such that valve assembly 150 is engaged with shaft 165 of button 145. Accordingly, as described previously, a user can depress button 145 by applying a downward (from the perspective of FIG. 9) force onto a top surface 260 of button 145 to displace (e.g., actuate) valve assembly 150. Displacement of valve assembly 150 may constitute a relative sliding motion of valve assembly 150 relative to elongated body 225 of first waterway 135 and base portion 155 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of first waterway 135. As shown in FIG. 9, valve assembly 150 may include a valve body 262 configured to obstruct a fluid pathway 264 through first waterway 135 while spring 160 biases valve assembly 150 upward (e.g., in the absence of a user-applied counterforce). Accordingly, when valve assembly 150 is displaced in response to user-actuation of button 145, valve body 262 may shift so as to permit flow of water through fluid pathway 264.
In various examples, second waterway 140 may be secured within faucet body 110 upon insertion and coupling of first waterway 135 within faucet body 110. For instance, as shown in FIG. 10, a proximal end 265 of second waterway 140 may be inserted proximally through distal end 130 (FIGS. 2 and 3) of faucet body 110, such that a radial gap 270 is formed between a lower side of the outer surface of second waterway 140 and inner surface 220 of faucet body 110, which allows placement feature 190 to clear (e.g., not interfere or not engage with) first placement feature 170 during insertion. As shown in FIG. 11, once proximal end 265 of second waterway 140 and placement feature 190 are both disposed proximal to placement feature 170 (i.e., disposed further inward from distal end 130 of faucet body 110 than placement feature 170), second waterway 140 may be shifted downward (from the perspective shown in FIGS. 10 and 11) within faucet body 110 such that radial gap 270 is reduced or eliminated, and a different radial gap 275 is formed between an upper side of the outer surface of second waterway 140 (e.g., opposite the first, lower side of the outer wall of the second waterway 140) and inner surface 220 of faucet body 110. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 11, upon shifting of second waterway 140, placement feature 190 engages with placement feature 170, and placement feature 175 may be separated from second waterway 140.
Once second waterway 140 has been shifted within faucet body 110 to form upper radial gap 275, as shown in FIG. 12, the distal end 180 (FIGS. 2 and 5) of first waterway 135 may be inserted distally into proximal end 125 of faucet body 110, such that placement feature 185 of first waterway 135 extends distally toward second waterway 140. Upon insertion, first waterway 135 may be positioned such that placement feature 185 extends into radial gap 275 (FIG. 11) formed between second waterway 140 and faucet body 110, and such that first ridge 250 (FIGS. 6 and 8) engages (i.e., forms an interference fit) with placement feature 175 and distal end 180 of first waterway 135 surrounds proximal end 265 (FIGS. 10 and 11) of second waterway 140. Following placement of first waterway 135 within faucet body 110, and after engagement of first ridge 250 of placement feature 185 with placement feature 175, key slot 255 (FIG. 7) of first waterway 135 may be used to rotate first waterway 135 relative to second waterway 140 until placement feature 175 engages with second ridge 245.
Finally, as shown in FIG. 13, after first and second waterways 135, 140 are inserted within faucet body 110 and are mutually coupled via placement features 185, 190, 170, and 175, spray face 205 may be coupled to the distal end 130 of faucet body 110 and/or second waterway 140, as described above with respect to FIG. 2. Accordingly, because first and second waterways 135, 140 may mutually engage and may be retained by placement features 170, 175 within faucet body 110, faucet assembly 100 may be assembled using relatively few, or even zero, designated fasteners (e.g., screws, pins, clips, etc.), which would otherwise require additional space within faucet assembly 100. In this manner, the arrangements of faucet assembly 100 described herein allow for a substantial reduction in size and/or weight of the assembly 100, and reduces the number of parts (and thus, the associated costs) required for manufacturing and assembly.
As utilized herein with respect to numerical ranges, the terms “approximately,” “about,” “substantially,” and similar terms generally mean +/−10% of the disclosed values, unless specified otherwise. As utilized herein with respect to structural features (e.g., to describe shape, size, orientation, direction, relative position, etc.), the terms “approximately,” “about,” “substantially,” and similar terms are meant to cover minor variations in structure that may result from, for example, the manufacturing or assembly process and are intended to have a broad meaning in harmony with the common and accepted usage by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the subject matter of this disclosure pertains. Accordingly, these terms should be interpreted as indicating that insubstantial or inconsequential modifications or alterations of the subject matter described and claimed are considered to be within the scope of the disclosure as recited in the appended claims.
It should be noted that the term “exemplary” and variations thereof, as used herein to describe various described examples, are intended to indicate that such descriptions are possible examples, representations, or illustrations of possible embodiments (and such terms are not intended to connote that such embodiments are necessarily extraordinary or superlative examples).
The term “coupled” and variations thereof, as used herein, means the joining of two members, directly or indirectly, to one another. Such joining may be stationary (e.g., permanent or fixed) or moveable (e.g., removable or releasable). Such joining may be achieved with the two members coupled directly to each other, with the two members coupled to each other using a separate intervening member and any additional intermediate members coupled with one another, or with the two members coupled to each other using an intervening member that is integrally formed as a single unitary body with one of the two members. If “coupled” or variations thereof are modified by an additional term (e.g., directly coupled), the generic definition of “coupled” provided above is modified by the plain language meaning of the additional term (e.g., “directly coupled” means the joining of two members without any separate intervening member), resulting in a narrower definition than the generic definition of “coupled” provided above. Such coupling may be mechanical, electrical, or fluidic.
References herein to the positions of elements (e.g., “top,” “bottom,” “above,” “below”) are merely used to describe the orientation of various elements in the FIGURES. It should be noted that the orientation of various elements may differ according to other exemplary embodiments, and that such variations are intended to be encompassed by the present disclosure.
Although the figures and description may illustrate a specific order of method steps, the order of such steps may differ from what is depicted and described, unless specified differently above. Also, two or more steps may be performed concurrently or with partial concurrence, unless specified differently above.
It is important to note that any element disclosed in one embodiment may be incorporated or utilized with any other embodiment disclosed herein. Although only one example of an element from one embodiment that can be incorporated or utilized in another embodiment has been described above, it should be appreciated that other elements of the various embodiments may be incorporated or utilized with any of the other embodiments disclosed herein.
Patent Application
20230323644
