Patent Application
20160138253
The present invention relates to a faucet handle base of a faucet, and more particularly to a quick assembly structure of the faucet handle base.
A conventional faucet, such as a two-handle faucet, contains a body, a decorative cover, an outlet member, two valve assemblies, and two handle mounts. The body is formed in a H shape and includes two inlet seats disposed on two sides thereof, at least one outlet connector mounted on a middle section thereof, a cold-water support and a hot-water support extending outwardly from a bottom end thereof and screwing with two screwing elements via a basin, thus fixing the body on the basin. The decorative cover is covered on the basin so that the body is hidden between the decorative cover and the basin, and the body includes two first orifices defined on the two sides thereof and a second orifice formed on a middle section thereof opposite to the two inlet seats and the outlet connector. The outlet member is joined with the outlet connector of the body and flows water therefrom. The two valve assemblies are fixed on the inlet seats of the body. The two handle mounts are disposed on and rotate the two valve assemblies, thus controlling a water supply.
A conventional quick assembly structure of the faucet handle base is disclosed in TW Utility Model No. M271998 and M472141 and contains a handle mount through which a screw is inserted to screw and contact with a valve assembly, such that the handle mount is fixed on the valve assembly. However, the handle mount has a hole drilled thereon to cause poor appearance even though a plug is inserted into the hole.
In addition, in operation, a plug and the screw are unscrewed by a tool to remove the handle mount. The screw is inserted through the handle mount and the valve assembly by ways of the tool, and the plug is retained into the hole, thus causing troublesome operation by using the tool. To insert the plug into the hole smoothly, it is made of plastic material. But the handle mount is made of metal material to have inconsistent appearance. Furthermore, water will leak from the hole to rust the screw.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages.
One aspect of the present invention is to provide a quick assembly structure of a faucet handle base which is capable of manually assembling and disassembling the faucet handle base quickly.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a quick assembly structure of a faucet handle base which obtains esthetics appearance and waterproof purpose of the faucet handle base.
To obtain the above aspect(s), a quick assembly structure of a faucet handle base provided by the present invention which is fixed in each of at least one valve assembly; each valve assembly is mounted in each of at least one inlet valve seat of a body and includes a valve core, an angle limiting holder fitted with the valve core, and an affixing nut screwed on each inlet valve seat to lock the angle limiting holder and the valve core in each inlet valve seat.
Each of at least one screwing member includes inner threads and outer threads, wherein the inner threads screw with each inlet valve seat of the body so that each screwing member is defined between the affixing nut and each inlet valve seat.
Each of at least one handle mount includes:
a housing formed in a bell shape and having an orifice defined therein and a receiving chamber formed below and communicating with the orifice; the receiving chamber having a threaded connecting section arranged on an inner wall thereof to screw with or unscrew from each screwing member;
a handle bar having an operating portion and a first extension one piece extending downwardly from the operating portion; the first extension being inserted into and coupled with the orifice of the housing;
a connector having a second extension formed on an upper side thereof and a coupling portion arranged on a lower side thereof; the second extension being inserted to and connected with the orifice of the housing to further join with the first extension; the coupling portion being fitted with the valve core, such that the valve core is driven by the coupling portion, and the coupling portion is stopped by the angle limiting holder, thus limiting a rotation of the valve core with in an angular range.
The quick assembly structure of the faucet handle base further contains: each of at least one upper sleeve mounted between a top end of the orifice of the housing and the first extension of the handle bar; each of at least one lower sleeve fixed between a bottom end of the orifice of the housing and the second extension of the connector; wherein the housing is rotated on the first extension of the handle bar and the second extension of the connector by ways of each upper sleeve and each lower sleeve.
Preferably, the first extension of the handle bar also has a recess being non-circular and defined on a bottom end thereof, and the second extension of the connector has a retaining block being non-circular and extending outwardly from a top end thereof to retain with the recess.
Preferably, the coupling portion of the connector has a defining protrusion; and the angle limiting holder has a shoulder formed thereon, such that when the connector rotates with the handle bar, it is stopped by the shoulder of the angle limiting holder, thus limiting a rotation of the connector; the recess of the handle bar has a fixing notch defined therein; and the retaining block of the connector has a rib extending outwardly around an outer wall thereof to retain with the fixing notch, such that the operating portion of the handle bar is aligned with the retaining block of the connector.
Preferably, the recess of the handle bar further has a first aperture formed on a central position thereof; the second extension of the connector also has a second aperture defined thereon; such that a locking bolt is inserted through the second aperture to screw with the first aperture, and the first extension of the handle bar is connected with the second extension of the connector.
Preferably, the coupling portion of the connector has a non-circular trough defined therein, communicating with the second aperture, and fitted with the valve core.
Preferably, each screwing member also includes an annular fence and a lip horizontally extending around a bottom end of an inner wall thereof; and the annular fence has the outer threads formed around an outer wall thereof; the lip has the inner threads arranged around an inner wall thereof
Preferably, a decorative cover is covered on the body; the lip of each screwing member is defined between the affixing nut and the decorative cover.
It is to be noted that each valve assembly and each handle mount are assembled completely, before fixing the faucet handle base in the two-handle faucet, so each handle mount is aligned and retained with each valve assembly easily, and the housing is screwed with each screwing member quickly, thus fixing each handle mount and each valve assembly easily. As desiring to replace or maintain the faucet handle base, the housing is rotated counterclockwise to manually remove each handle mount and each valve assembly easily and quickly. In other words, the handle mount of the conventional quick assembly structure has the hole drilled thereon so that the tool is inserted into the hole to rotate the screw, thus damaging an appearance of the handle mount.
Accordingly, the hole drilled on each handle mount of the present invention is eliminated to avoid water leakage from each handle mount.
With reference to
Referring to
Preferably, each screwing member 10 also includes an annular fence 101 and a lip 102 horizontally extending around a bottom end of an inner wall thereof; and the annular fence 101 has the outer threads 12 formed around an outer wall thereof; the lip 102 has the inner threads 11 arranged around an inner wall thereof, such that the affixing nut 2c is fixed on the top end of the decorative cover 6 by using the lip 102.
As shown in
As illustrated in
With reference to
Each of at least one upper sleeve 50, as illustrated in
Each of at least one lower sleeve 60, as shown in
Preferably, the first extension 32 of each handle bar 30 has a closing ring 33 fitted on an outer wall thereof and contacting with an inner wall of the housing 20, as shown in
With reference to
The recess 34 of each handle bar 30 further has a first aperture 35 formed on a central position thereof, and the second extension 41 of each connector 40 also has a second aperture 44 defined thereon, such that a locking bolt 401 is inserted through the second aperture 44 to screw with the first aperture 35, and the first extension 32 of each handle bar 30 is connected with the second extension 41 of each connector 40.
It is to be noted that the coupling portion 42 is stopped by the angle limiting holder 2b to limit the rotation of each valve core 2a between the opening position and the closing position. Referring to
As shown in
To drive each valve core 2a to rotate by ways of each connector 40, the coupling portion 42 of each connector 40 has a non-circular trough 45 defined therein, communicating with the second aperture 44, and fitted with each valve core 2a, as shown in
With reference to
As shown in
In operation, the trough 45 of each connector 40 is aligned and retained with each valve core 2a, and the housing 20 is rotated clockwise so that the threaded connecting section 221 of the receiving chamber 22 screws with the outer threads 12 of each screwing member 10, and the housing 20 presses the top end of the decorative cover 6, thus fixing each handle mount 7 as illustrated in
It is to be noted that each valve assembly 2 and each handle mount 7 are assembled completely, before fixing the faucet handle base in the two-handle faucet, so each handle mount 7 is aligned and retained with each valve assembly 2 easily, and the housing 20 is screwed with each screwing member 10 quickly, thus fixing each handle mount 7 and each valve assembly 2 easily. As desiring to replace or maintain the faucet handle base, the housing 20 is rotated counterclockwise to manually remove each handle mount 7 and each valve assembly 2 easily and quickly. In other words, the handle mount of the conventional quick assembly structure has the hole drilled thereon so that the tool is inserted into the hole to rotate the screw, thus damaging an appearance of the handle mount.
Accordingly, the hole drilled on each handle mount of the present invention is eliminated to avoid water leakage from each handle mount.
While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been set forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiments of the invention as well as other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. The scope of the claims should not be limited by the preferred embodiments set forth in the examples, but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the description as a whole.
