Patent Application
20110174403
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a faucet and, more particularly, to a water inlet/outlet assembly for a faucet with mixed cold and hot water.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional water inlet/outlet assembly for a faucet comprises a first connecting line that is formed by a first injection molding process and a second connecting line that is formed by a second injection molding process. The second connecting line is combined with the first connecting line during the second injection molding process to construct the water inlet/outlet assembly. Thus, the water inlet/outlet assembly is made by two injection molding processes. However, the second connecting line is not combined with the first connecting line solidly and exactly so that the second connecting line is easily rotatable relative to the first connecting line. In addition, the second connecting line is not combined with the first connecting line tightly so that a clearance is defined between the second connecting line and the first connecting line, thereby easily producing a leakage due to a larger water pressure.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a water inlet/outlet assembly for a faucet, comprising a fore-injection molding dividing unit and a post-injection molding connecting unit coating the fore-injection molding dividing unit. The fore-injection molding dividing unit includes at least one water inlet pipe and a water outlet pipe connected with the water inlet pipe. The water inlet pipe of the fore-injection molding dividing unit has an outer periphery provided with at least one protruding catch portion and at least one limit opening connected with the catch portion. The water inlet pipe of the fore-injection molding dividing unit has an outer surface provided with at least one retaining slot spaced from the catch portion. The post-injection molding connecting unit coats the water inlet pipe of the fore-injection molding dividing unit. The post-injection molding connecting unit is combined with the catch portion, the limit opening and the retaining slot of the water inlet pipe.
The water inlet/outlet assembly further comprises at least one supply pipe combined with the post-injection molding connecting unit and connected to the fore-injection molding dividing unit through the post-injection molding connecting unit. The supply pipe has an upper end having a periphery provided with at least one axial breach and having an inner wall provided with at least one mortise. The supply pipe has two opposite sides each having an inner wall provided with a journal. The post-injection molding connecting unit coats the supply pipe. The post-injection molding connecting unit is combined with the axial breach, the mortise and the journal of the supply pipe.
According to the primary objective of the present invention, the post-injection molding connecting unit is provided with at least one stop portion locked in the limit opening of the water inlet pipe and abutting the catch portion of the water inlet pipe and at least one retaining flange locked in the retaining slot of the water inlet pipe to enhance the axial and radial combination strength between the post-injection molding connecting unit and the fore-injection molding dividing unit.
According to another objective of the present invention, the post-injection molding connecting unit is provided with at least one sealing groove integrally combined with the sealing ring of the water inlet pipe to provide an excellent sealing effect between the post-injection molding connecting unit and the fore-injection molding dividing unit and to prevent from producing a leakage between the post-injection molding connecting unit and the fore-injection molding dividing unit due to an excessive pressure.
According to a further objective of the present invention, the post-injection molding connecting unit is provided with at least one axial lug locked in the axial breach of the supply pipe, at least one tenon locked in the mortise of the supply pipe and at least one collar locked in the journal of the supply pipe to enhance the axial and radial combination strength between the post-injection molding connecting unit and the supply pipe.
According to a further objective of the present invention, when the fore-injection molding dividing unit is placed and molded in the die, the fore-injection molding dividing unit is positioned in the die cavity of the die solidly and stably by provision of the catch portion of the water inlet pipe.
According to a further objective of the present invention, the limit opening of the water inlet pipe allows passage of the fused plastic liquid during the injection molding process.
Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.
Referring to the drawings and initially to
The fore-injection molding dividing unit 10 is made of plastic material and is formed by a fore-injection molding process. The fore-injection molding dividing unit 10 includes at least one water inlet pipe 11 and a water outlet pipe 12 connected with the water inlet pipe 11. The water inlet pipe 11 of the fore-injection molding dividing unit 10 has an outer periphery provided with at least one protruding catch portion 111 and at least one limit opening 112 connected with the catch portion 111. The water inlet pipe 11 of the fore-injection molding dividing unit 10 has an outer surface provided with at least one retaining slot 113 spaced from the catch portion 111. The water inlet pipe 11 of the fore-injection molding dividing unit 10 has an outer side provided with at least one sealing ring 114. The sealing ring 114 of the water inlet pipe 11 has a pointed shape. The catch portion 111 and the limit opening 112 of the water inlet pipe 11 are located between the retaining slot 113 and the sealing ring 114 of the water inlet pipe 11.
The spout unit 20 is made of plastic material and is formed by a fore-injection molding process. The spout unit 20 is connected with the water outlet pipe 12 of the fore-injection molding dividing unit 10.
The supply pipe 30 is made of metallic material. The supply pipe 30 has an outer wall provided with an outer thread 34. The supply pipe 30 has an upper end having a periphery provided with at least one axial breach 32 and having an inner wall provided with at least one mortise 33. The supply pipe 30 has two opposite sides each having an inner wall provided with a journal 31. The journal 31 of the supply pipe 30 has a diameter greater than an inner diameter of the supply pipe 30.
The post-injection molding connecting unit 40 is made of plastic material and is formed by a post-injection molding process. The post-injection molding connecting unit 40 coats the water inlet pipe 11 and the water outlet pipe 12 of the fore-injection molding dividing unit 10 and is combined with the catch portion 111, the limit opening 112 and the retaining slot 113 of the water inlet pipe 11. The post-injection molding connecting unit 40 is also combined with the sealing ring 114 of the water inlet pipe 11. The post-injection molding connecting unit 40 also coats the supply pipe 30 and is combined with the axial breach 32, the mortise 33 and the journal 31 of the supply pipe 30.
The post-injection molding connecting unit 40 includes at least one first coating layer 41 coating the water inlet pipe 11 of the fore-injection molding dividing unit 10, a second coating layer 42 connected with the first coating layer 41 and coating the water outlet pipe 12 of the fore-injection molding dividing unit 10, and at least one connecting pipe 43 connected between the first coating layer 41 and the supply pipe 30 to connect the water inlet pipe 11 of the fore-injection molding dividing unit 10 to the supply pipe 30.
The first coating layer 41 of the post-injection molding connecting unit 40 has an inner periphery provided with at least one protruding stop portion 411 locked in the limit opening 112 of the water inlet pipe 11 and abutting the catch portion 111 of the water inlet pipe 11. The first coating layer 41 of the post-injection molding connecting unit 40 has an inner periphery provided with at least one protruding retaining flange 413 locked in the retaining slot 113 of the water inlet pipe 11. The first coating layer 41 of the post-injection molding connecting unit 40 has an inner side provided with at least one sealing groove 414 integrally combined with the sealing ring 114 of the water inlet pipe 11. The second coating layer 42 of the post-injection molding connecting unit 40 is detachably connected with the spout unit 20.
The connecting pipe 43 of the post-injection molding connecting unit 40 has a lower end provided with a reduced inner tube 430 insert into the supply pipe 30. The inner tube 430 of the connecting pipe 43 has a periphery provided with at least one protruding axial lug 432 locked in the axial breach 32 of the supply pipe 30 and has an outer wall provided with at least one protruding tenon 433 locked in the mortise 33 of the supply pipe 30. The inner tube 430 of the connecting pipe 43 has two opposite sides each having an outer wall provided with a collar 431 locked in the journal 31 of the supply pipe 30. The collar 431 of the connecting pipe 43 has a diameter greater than an outer diameter of the inner tube 430.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the fore-injection molding dividing unit 10 has a T-shaped profile and includes two water inlet pipes 11 and a water outlet pipe 12 connected with the water inlet pipes 11. In addition, the water inlet/outlet assembly comprises two supply pipes 30 each combined with the post-injection molding connecting unit 40 and each connected to a respective one of the water inlet pipes 11 of the fore-injection molding dividing unit 10 through the post-injection molding connecting unit 40. In addition, the post-injection molding connecting unit 40 includes two first coating layers 41 coating the two water inlet pipes 11 of the fore-injection molding dividing unit 10 respectively, a second coating layer 42 connected with the first coating layers 41 respectively, and two connecting tubes 43 each connected between a respective one of the first coating layers 41 and a respective one of the supply pipes 30 to connect the respective water inlet pipe 11 of the fore-injection molding dividing unit 10 to the respective supply pipe 30.
In fabrication of the water inlet/outlet assembly for a faucet, the fore-injection molding dividing unit 10, the spout unit 20 and the supply pipe 30 are formed individually. Then, the fore-injection molding dividing unit 10 and the supply pipe 30 are placed and molded in a die so as to form the post-injection molding connecting unit 40 in an embedded injection manner so that the post-injection molding connecting unit 40 coats the water inlet pipe 11 and the water outlet pipe 12 of the fore-injection molding dividing unit 10 and also coats the supply pipe 30. Finally, the spout unit 20 is combined with the post-injection molding connecting unit 40 to construct the water inlet/outlet assembly.
In such a manner, the post-injection molding connecting unit 40 is provided in the injection molding process with the stop portion 411 locked in the limit opening 112 of the water inlet pipe 11 and abutting the catch portion 111 of the water inlet pipe 11, the retaining flange 413 locked in the retaining slot 113 of the water inlet pipe 11 and the sealing groove 414 locked onto the sealing ring 114 of the water inlet pipe 11. In addition, the post-injection molding connecting unit 40 is also provided in the injection molding process with the inner tube 430 insert into the supply pipe 30, the axial lug 432 locked in the axial breach 32 of the supply pipe 30, the tenon 433 locked in the mortise 33 of the supply pipe 30 and the collar 431 locked in the journal 31 of the supply pipe 30.
At this time, when the fore-injection molding dividing unit 10 is placed and molded in the die, the fore-injection molding dividing unit 10 is positioned in the die cavity of the die solidly and stably by provision of the catch portion 111 of the water inlet pipe 11. In addition, the limit opening 112 of the water inlet pipe 11 allows passage of the fused plastic liquid during the injection molding process.
As shown in
As shown in
Accordingly, the post-injection molding connecting unit 40 is provided with at least one stop portion 411 locked in the limit opening 112 of the water inlet pipe 11 and abutting the catch portion 111 of the water inlet pipe 11 and at least one retaining flange 413 locked in the retaining slot 113 of the water inlet pipe 11 to enhance the axial and radial combination strength between the post-injection molding connecting unit 40 and the fore-injection molding dividing unit 10. In addition, the post-injection molding connecting unit 40 is provided with at least one sealing groove 414 integrally combined with the sealing ring 114 of the water inlet pipe 11 to provide an excellent sealing effect between the post-injection molding connecting unit 40 and the fore-injection molding dividing unit 10 and to prevent from producing a leakage between the post-injection molding connecting unit 40 and the fore-injection molding dividing unit 10 due to an excessive pressure. Further, the post-injection molding connecting unit 40 is provided with at least one axial lug 432 locked in the axial breach 32 of the supply pipe 30, at least one tenon 433 locked in the mortise 33 of the supply pipe 30 and at least one collar 431 locked in the journal 31 of the supply pipe 30 to enhance the axial and radial combination strength between the post-injection molding connecting unit 40 and the supply pipe 30. Further, when the fore-injection molding dividing unit 10 is placed and molded in the die, the fore-injection molding dividing unit 10 is positioned in the die cavity of the die solidly and stably by provision of the catch portion 111 of the water inlet pipe 11. Further, the limit opening 112 of the water inlet pipe 11 allows passage of the fused plastic liquid during the injection molding process.
Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention.
