Spout converter

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6786429
  • Patent Number
    6,786,429
  • Date Filed
    Friday, December 20, 2002
    22 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, September 7, 2004
    20 years ago
Abstract
A converter threaded to the sprout of a classical faucet made of metal to compromise the classical style of the faucet allows water be delivered either in gush or divergence; a separation cover being provided to separate the heat generated from hot water flowing through the converter to avoid burning the user; and a reducing design for the rotation point of the rotation connector to avoid hurting the user.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




(a) Field of the Invention




The present invention is related to a converter threaded to the sprout of a classic faucet to deliver the water either in gush or divergence, and more particularly, to one that prevents the handle from burning and hurting the user.




(b) Description of the Prior Art




A classic faucet without a spout converter delivers water in gush as it comes out of the spout. Even an aerator is adapted to the spout; it delivers water also in gush with added air bubbles. The direction of water delivered is fixed in one direction only. Having direct contact of the spout or the aerator when hot water is delivered may burn the hand of the user.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a spout converter that many deliver the water either in gush or in divergence as desired by the user. To achieve the purpose, the spout converter of the present invention contains a base holder and the base holder is pushed up or pulled down to deliver water either in gush or in divergence.




Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a spout converter that permits changing the direction of the water delivered by deflecting the spout converter.




Another purpose yet of the present invention is to provide a spout converter that prevents the hand of the user from being burnt when hot water flows through the spout converter. To achieve the purpose, a separator cover is provided to prevent direct contact of an adjustment holder provided in the spout converter.




Another purpose yet of the present invention is to provide a spout converter that prevents the fingers of the user from being hurt upon deflecting the spout converter. To achieve the purpose, a rotation connector is completely built in a bonnet of the spout converter.




Another purpose yet of the present invention is to provide a spout converter that allows easy cleaning and service. To achieve the purpose, all components of the spout converter are threaded to one another to permit easy removal.




The foregoing object and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.




Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the prevent invention.





FIG. 2

is an exploded view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 3

is a sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.





FIG. 4

is a schematic view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention in operation.





FIG. 5

is another schematic view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention in operation.





FIG. 6

is a schematic view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention adapted to a faucet.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT




The following descriptions are of exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.




Referring to

FIGS. 1

,


2


and


3


, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is essentially comprised of a base holder


10


, an adjustment holder


20


, a coupling holder


30


, a diverter


40


, a plug


50


, a rotation connector


60


, a rotation holder


70


, a bonnet


80


, and a divergence gasket


90


. Wherein, the base holder


10


indicates a disk shape and has an opening at its top to define a spacious interior. The inner wall of the base holder


10


is threaded and multiple circular holes


101


are arranged in a ring on a base plate in the base holder


10


. A hollow stem


11


in trapezoid rises from the center of the base plate and a guide hole


111


in conic shape upside-down is provided in the upper part of the stem


11


while multiple gaps


112


are cut on the wall of the opening at the top of the stem


11


. A through hole


112


with treaded inner wall in a diameter larger than that of the guide hole


111


is provided in the lower part of the stem


11


. The through hole


112


is further adapted with a strainer holder


12


containing a strainer


13


and a threaded outer wall for the strainer holder


12


to be screwed inside the lower part of the stem


11


.




The divergence gasket


90


made of comparatively resilient material, e.g. rubber, in sheet disk shape has a circular hole provided at its center and multiple conic studs


91


arranged in equal spacing between any two abutted studs. The quantity of those multiple conic studs


91


is the same as that of those circular holes


101


provided in the base holder


10


. A conic water outlet


901


penetrating through the top is provided inside each of those studs


91


. The divergence gasket is placed on the top of the base plate in the base holder


10


so that each stud


91


respectively penetrates its corresponding circular hole


101


in the base plate.




The lower part of the hollow adjustment holder


20


is related to a disk shaped coupling flange


201


. The circumference of the coupling flange


201


is threaded so to engage the inner wall of the base holder


10


for the adjustment holder


20


to be coupled to the base holder


10


. A female circular groove


203


is provided over the coupling flange


201


. The upper part of the adjustment holder


20


in a reducing diameter smaller than that of the lower part defines an insertion part


202


. A separation cover


21


has a thin wall and is made in conic shape. Multiple latches


211


with each inclined upward into the separation cover


21


are provided around the circumference at the bottom of the separation cover


21


to merely lock up the circular groove


203


of the adjustment holder


20


when the separation cover


21


covers up the adjustment holder


20


.




The coupling holder


30


has its outer diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the insertion part


202


of the adjustment holder


20


and a female circular groove at the bottom to accommodate a leak-proof ring


31


. A trapezoid through hole is formed inside the coupling holder


30


and the inner wall of the upper part of the coupling holder


30


is threaded to engage the insertion part


202


of the adjustment holder


20


.




The diverter


40


has its outer diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the larger end of the through hole inside the coupling holder


30


. A conic shaped divergence block


401


protrudes from the center of the top of the diverter


40


and multiple circular holes


402


arranged at equal spacing between any two abutted holes are provided in circular with the divergence block


401


as the center. The base of the diverter


40


is formed with a flange


41


with its outer diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the smaller end of the through hole in the coupling holder


30


. The flange


41


is used to guide airflow and has a down slope facing outwardly on its inner wall. A connection tube


42


internally threaded protrudes below the center of the bottom of the diverter


40


for the diverter


40


to be placed into the trapezoid through hole in the coupling holder


30


.




The upper part of the plug


50


relates to a threaded rod


501


with its outer diameter equal to that of the connection pipe


42


of the diverter


40


; and the lower part of the plug


50


relates to a head


502


with its outer diameter greater than the guide hole


111


in the stem


11


of the base holder


10


. The plug


50


is inserted through the bottom of the stein


11


, the guide hole


111


and finally engaged to the connection pipe of the diverter


40


.




The rotation holder


70


relates to a hollow body and has it both ends open with the upper open end in smaller diameter than that of the lower open end. The inner wall of the rotation holder


70


at where approximately in middle is threaded. The upper part of the rotation holder


70


is made in a conic shape and arc surface to define a passive rotation part


701


and the lower part of the rotation holder


70


related to a coupling part


702


with its outer wall threaded is made in an outer diameter equal to the inner diameter of the coupling holder


30


for the rotation holder


70


to be engaged to the coupling holder


30


.




The lower part of the rotation connector


60


relates to a rotation ball


601


, and the upper part of the rotation connector


60


relates to a hollow threaded rod


602


containing a water way


603


. The threaded rod


603


is first inserted with a leak-proof ring


63


before being placed into the bottom of the rotation holder


70


so that the rotation ball


601


and the leak-proof ring


63


hold against the upper open end of the rotation holder


70


while the threaded rod


602


is exposed. A positioning ring


61


made of resilient material and provided with a central hole is placed at the bottom of the rotation ball


601


. A slope


611


cut at a certain inclination from the top of the central hole of the positioning ring


61


holds against the spherical surface of the rotation ball


601


. Furthermore, a hollow positioning washer


62


having a threaded outer circumference is engaged to the threaded inner wall of the rotation holder


70


is used to lock up the rotation connector


60


to secure the positioning ring


61


. In turn, the positioning ring


61


produces a proper compression against the rotation ball


601


.




A threaded pivoting hole


801


to be engaged to the faucet is formed inside the upper part of the bonnet


80


. Inside the lower part of the bonnet


80


is formed a rotation space


802


in a radius slightly greater than that of the top of the rotation holder


70


. The rotation space


802


is made in an approximately semi-spherical shape. A threaded hole


803


is provided upward in the center of the rotation space


802


to be engaged to the threaded rod


602


of the rotation connector


60


with the rotation point connected to the rotation holder


70


falling within the rotation space


802


. A water inlet


804


is formed over the threaded hole


803


and is connected through the pivoting hole


801


in the bonnet


80


.




Now referring to

FIGS. 4 and 5

, the bonnet


80


of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is pivoted to the spout of a faucet


1


. Deflecting the spout converter as desired in conjunction with the rotation connector


60


and the rotation holder


70


may change the direction of the water delivered. As illustrated in

FIG. 4

, the base holder


10


of the spout converter is in a position when it is pushed up. Wherein, the stem


11


, the adjustment holder and the separation cover


21


are all at their repective upper dead points to open up an area between the guide hole


111


in the stem


11


and the head


502


of the plug


50


. The water from the faucet


1


flows through those circular hole


402


in the diverter


40


and turns into pressurized jet to enter into the guide hole


111


and a spacing is formed between those gaps provided in the upper inner wall of the guide hole


111


and the slope on the inner wall of the air guide flange


41


of the diverter


40


. Accordingly, the air is sucked in by the spacing to mix the water flowing through the guide hole


111


at high pressure and high speed, thus to create more air bubbles for the water flowing through the strainer holder


12


. On the other hand, as illustrated in

FIG. 5

, when the base holder


10


is pulled down, the stem


11


, the adjustment holder


20


and the separation cover


21


all descend together with the base holder


10


. However, the plug


50


is not displaced, thus to close up the exit of the guide hole


111


with the head


501


of the plug


50


. Meanwhile, an opening is formed as the top of the stem descends to clear away from the diverter


40


to admit the water flowing through the opening into the adjustment holder


20


, then through the divergence gasket


90


and outlets


901


of those studs


91


, and finally to be delivered in divergence.




As disclosed above, a spout converter of the present invention by pushing up or pulling down the base holder converts the water to be delivered either in gush or in convergence and the direction of the water delivered may be changed by deflecting the spout converter. The design of the separation cover


21


prevents direct of the adjustment holder


20


upon puff up or pulling down the base holder


10


; therefore, the hand of the user will not be burnt by the hot water flowing through the adjustment holder


20


. As the rotation connector


60


is completely built in the bonnet


80


, again, fingers of the user are prevented from being hurt when deflecting the spout converter. Furthermore, all the components of the present invention are threaded to one another to allow easy removal for cleaning and service purposes.




It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above.




While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.



Claims
  • 1. A spout converter for a classical faucet, made of metal, is comprised of:a base holder, in disk shape, having an open top to define a space, inner wall threaded inside the space, multiple circular holes being provided on a base plate of the base holder, a trapezoid hollow stem being formed at a center of the base plate; a guide hole in a smaller diameter being formed on an upper part inside the stem and multiple gaps being cut at the top of the stem, and the lower part being related to a threaded hole in a greater diameter; a divergence gasket, in sheet disk; a circular hole being provided at the center of the gasket and placed on the base plate of the base holder, multiple studs as water outlets being formed at the bottom, and each stud penetrating through its corresponding circular hole in the base plate of the base holder; an adjustment holder, hollow, a coupling flange being provided with a threaded disk at a lower part and engaged into the base holder with its base edge contacting the divergence gasket, having its upper part formed as an insertion part in a smaller diameter, a female circular groove being provided to the coupling flange at where close to a top of the adjustment holder; a separation cover having a thin wall, made in conic shape, multiple latches being provided around the circumference at a bottom to lock up the circular groove of the adjustment holder; a coupling holder, in pillar shape, being placed in the insertion part of the adjustment holder, formed inside a trapezoid through hole, and inner wall being threaded; a diverter, in disk shape, a conic shaped divergence block protruding from a center of a top, multiple circular holes arranged around the divergence block at equal spacing between any two abutted holes, a connection tube internally threaded protruding below the center of a bottom of the diverter, an air guide flange with an inner slop being formed at where close to a disk circumference, the diverter being placed in an upper hole of the coupling holder, and the air guide flange being accommodated in a lower hole of the coupling holder; a plug, its upper part related to a threaded rod, its lower part related to a head in outer diameter greater than that of the guide hole of the stem from the base holder, the plug being inserted through a bottom of the stem, the guide hole and finally to the connection tube of the diverter, a rotation holder, hollow body, having both ends open, an upper open end in smaller diameter than that of a lower open end, inner wall being threaded, an upper part of the rotation holder being made in a conic shape and arc surface to define a passive rotation part, and the rotation holder being engaged to the coupling holder; a rotation connector, including a rotation ball, a hollow threaded rod containing a water way, a leak-proof ring being provided at a top, a positioning ring being provided at a bottom, the rotation connector being placed into the bottom of the rotation holder, the threaded rod penetrating and being exposed out of a top of a through hole in the rotation holder, a positioning washer being engaged to the threaded inner wall of the rotation holder to lock up the rotation connector in position; a pivoting bonnet, in cylindrical, a threaded pivoting hole in its top, a rotation shape in approximately semi-spherical shape being provided in a bottom, a threaded hole being provided upward in the center of the rotation space to be engaged to the threaded rod of the rotation connector, and a water inlet being formed connecting through the pivoting hole in the bonnet; and a stainer holder, related to a hollow pillar, having an opening in smaller diameter provided at its bottom, a strainer being placed in the bottom, an outer wall of an upper part of the holder being threaded, the strainer holder being engaged to the threaded hole at the bottom of the stem from the base holder.
US Referenced Citations (3)
Number Name Date Kind
4190207 Fienhold et al. Feb 1980 A
4303201 Elkins et al. Dec 1981 A
4588130 Trenary et al. May 1986 A