Composite Body Faucet Connection

This invention relates to a composite body faucet connection, more particularly relates to a composite body faucet connection which uses plastic components that will be mechanically connected to each other to form a leakproof, no lead or low lead connection therebetween.

In the prior art, various methods of connection were used, for example: metal component could be interconnected by soldering or brazing; plastic components could be glued together; metal or plastic components could be threadedly or mechanically interconnected. However, these methods and others were deficient in that the connecting joints had measurable lead, or were prone to leakage, or were complex, or, though easy to connect, were subject to accidental disconnection.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a composite body faucet connection which is simple in construction, economical to produce and reliable in operation.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a composite body faucet connection that is quick and easy to make, is a no lead or low lead connection and is a mechanical connection that guards against accidental disconnection.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a composite body faucet connection that can be made without tools and which can, when desired, be quickly disassembled for repairs or replacement of components.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a kitchen type faucet assembly including the composite body of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an assembled front elevational view, partly in section with the spout and handle in left profiles, of the preferred embodiment of the composite body of the present invention shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the components of the composite body of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a view taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 3 showing a plan view looking upwardly into the bottom of the faucet body.

FIG. 5 is a view taken along line 5--5 of FIG. 3 showing a plan view looking downwardly into the top of the shank.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the connection of the water supply line to the support plate with the dotted line representation showing the recess of the shaft of the line entering the small opening of the radial slot of the support plate and the solid line representation showing the shaft of the line in the large opening of the radial slot of the support plate.

FIG. 7 is a view taken along line 7--7 of FIG. 6 showing a side elevational view of the recess of the shaft of the line in the small opening of the radial slot of the support plate.

FIG. 8 is a view taken along line 8--8 of FIG. 6 showing a side elevational view of the shaft of the line in the large opening of the radial slot of the support plate.

FIG. 9 is a view taken along line 9--9 of FIG. 8 showing a top plan view of the shaft of the line in the large opening of the radial slot of the support plate.

FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the shank mounted in the deck with the water supply lines disposed therein and aligned with the receptors of the faucet body, and the retaining ring mounted in the faucet body which is unconnected to the shank.

FIG. 11 is a front elevational view of the assembled composite body of the present invention, partly in section, showing the connection between the faucet body and the shank.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of the encircled portion of FIG. 11 showing the details of the connection between the water supply line and the receptor of the faucet body.

FIG. 13 is a front elevational view of the assembled composite body of the present invention, partly in section, illustrating the first position of the connection between the faucet body and the shank.

FIG. 14 is a view taken along line 14--14 of FIG. 13 showing a plan view looking upwardly into the bottom of the faucet body with the retaining ring disposed on the faucet body and the connecting arms of the shank disposed in the mating grooves of the faucet body, but not yet locked in assembled position.

FIG. 15 is a view similar to FIG. 14 except that the shank and the retaining ring have been rotated clockwise to an intermediate position showing the locking tabs of the shank partly disposed in the recess of the faucet body.

FIG. 16 is a front elevational view of the assembled composite body of the present invention, partly in section, showing the locking tab of the shank fully disposed in the recess of the faucet body.

FIG. 17 is a view taken along line 17--17 of FIG. 16 showing the assembled position of the composite body of the present invention with the locking tabs of the shank fully disposed in the recess of the faucet body and the retaining ring engaged with the faucet body and covering the connecting arms of the shank.

FIG. 18 is an enlarged sectional view taken of the encircled portion of FIG. 16 showing the details of the final assembled position of the composite body of the present invention with the locking tabs of the shank fully disposed in the recess of the faucet body and the retaining ring covering the connecting arm of the shank.

The composite body 20 of the present invention may be formed of a suitable material, such as plastic, and is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 as embodied in a single operator water mixing faucet assembly 21. The composite body 20 includes a casing or faucet body 22 having a hollow upper end 24 which receives a conventional ceramic-disk type cartridge 26. The lower end of the faucet body 22 is solid. An upper sleeve 28 is threaded to the faucet body 22 on the external side of the hollow upper end 24 thereof. The upper end of the upper sleeve 28 provides a seat for the operator which may take the form of a lever type control handle 30 that controls the operation of the cartridge valve 26. A retaining nut 32 is affixed to the inside of the sleeve 28 to mount the cartridge valve 26 in the faucet body 22. The control handle 30 is secured by means of a screw 34 to a lever 36 which is rotatable and shiftable up and down to control the flow of water from the cartridge valve 26 responsive to the movement of the lever handle 30. The screw 34 is enclosed by a cover 35 connected to the lever handle 30. The movement of the lever handle 30 operates to cause the valve cartridge 26 to mix incoming hot and cold water received through water supply lines or tubes 38, with the line shown on the right in FIG. 1 nominally designated for cold water and the line on the left nominally designated for hot water, but it will be understood that one of the lines 38 delivers hot water and the other of the lines 38 will deliver cold water therein. The resulting water mixture (as explained hereinafter) is directed to an outlet port 40 shown best in FIG. 2 at the top of the solid part of faucet body 22.

A lower sleeve 42 is rotatably supported on the faucet body 22 below the upper sleeve 28, and a spout 44 is mounted on the lower sleeve 42 to communicate with an annular chamber 46 located between the lower sleeve 42 and the faucet body 22. A check valve 50 is mounted adjacent to the outlet port 40 to avoid backflow in the event of a pressure loss. A non-functioning diverter valve 52 is shown in FIG. 2 as mounted in the faucet body 22 downstream of the check valve 50 for use with a sprayhead (not shown) if one were to be added. The water supply line 38 shown best in FIGS. 1, 3 and 11 has a flexible conduit 54 that extends between an upper fitting 56 and a lower fitting 58. The lower fitting 58 is connected to a conventional valve assembly 60, only one of which is shown in FIG. 1, to which the nominally designated cold water supply line is connected thereto.

The faucet assembly 21 is mounted to a deck 62 which may be a kitchen sink and is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The deck 62 has a center opening 64 in which is disposed a shank 66 having the lines 38 mounted therein, and spaced on opposite sides of the opening 64 are identical mounting holes 68. A putty plate 70 has two threaded members 72 formed thereon to pass through holes 68 for connection to the deck 62 as by nuts 74. The shank 66 has an enlarged head 76 that sits atop the deck 62 and is formed with a cylindrical body 78 that extends downwardly therethrough. A connecting member 80 disposed on the underside of the deck 62 engages the body 78 and the deck 62 to secure the shank 66 to the deck 62. A deck plate 86 is sized to cover the putty plate 70 and in assembled position, is disposed outwardly of the putty plate 70 wherein the edges of the deck plate 86 rest on the deck 62. The deck plate 86 has a predetermined height at its center with a central opening 88 therein shown best in FIGS. 2 and 11. A split retaining ring 90 shown in FIGS. 2, 11 and 12 sits atop the enlarged head 76 of the shank 66 for purposes to be explained hereinafter and has an annular external recess 92 formed at its top above an annular rim 94 to terminate at an annular vertical flange 96. In assembled position, the deck plate 86 at the opening 88 engages the recess 92 to be sandwiched between the lower end of the lower sleeve 42 and the split retaining ring 90.

Turning now to FIG. 3 the shank 66 has a central opening 98 that runs through both the enlarged head 76 and the body 78 thereof. An annular recess 100 is formed at the top of the enlarged head 76 in communication with the opening 98. A support plate 102 having an outer diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the recess 100 is disposed in the recess 100 of the shank 66. The support plate 102 has a pair of mirror image keyhole type openings or radial slots 104. Each of the slots 104 has a small straight sided opening 106 extending radially inwardly from the outer circumference of the support plate 102 to run into a larger circular opening 108 having a larger diameter than the distance between the opposite straight sides of the opening 106. The support plate 102 may also have a diverter line opening 110 shown in FIGS. 3 and 10 which is not used in the present embodiment, but, if a diverter line (not shown) were to be added, could be.

In order to connect the water supply lines 38 to the support plate 102 the lines 38 as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 11 will be disposed through the opening 98 of the shank 66 prior to connection to the support plate 102. Since the connection is the same for both lines 38 only one will be shown and described with reference to FIGS. 6, 7, 8 and 9. FIGS. 6 and 7 show the upper fitting 56 has an enlarged head 112 formed atop a shaft 114 having a recess 116 that reduces the diameter of the recessed portion to a size just slightly smaller than the small opening 106 to permit the shaft recess 116 of the upper fitting 56 to be inserted into the small opening 106 represented by the dotted line showing of the fitting 56 of FIG. 6 and to be slid into the large opening 108 represented by the solid line showing of the fitting 56 of FIG. 6. Once the shaft recess 11 6 has entered the larger opening represented by the dotted line showing of the fitting 56 of FIG. 8 the fitting 56 will be moved downwardly to seat the shaft 114 in the larger opening 108 which has substantially the same diameter as that of the shaft 114. In this position the enlarged head 112 sits upon the upper surface of the support plate 102 represented by the solid line showing of the fitting 56 of FIG. 8 in which position the fitting 56 is in assembled position in the support plate 102 and, because the diameter of the shaft 114 is larger than the small opening 106, it will stay in the larger opening 106, wherein it is non-removable from the slot 104 of the support plate 102. An internal opening 118 shown best in FIG. 12 is formed above the shaft recess 116 of substantially the same diameter as the outer diameter of a cylindrical receptor 120 formed integrally with the faucet body 22 and extending outwardly from the bottom 122 thereof. The upper end of the opening 118 flares outwardly to form a tapered section 124 whose taper increases upwardly to define a wide mouth opening large enough to fit an O-ring 154 between the tapered section 124 and the receptor 120 and insure a sealing engagement therebetween as described more fully hereinafter.

The shank 66 illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3, 5, 10, 11 and 12 has two diametrically opposed connecting arms 128 that extend vertically upwardly from the top of the enlarged head 76 a short distance and are formed inwardly of the outer circumference thereof adjacent to the recess 100. The upper end of the arms 128 is turned radially inwardly to form a locking tab 130 that extends substantially horizontal from each of the arms 128. The connecting arms 128 and the locking tabs 130 define inverted "L" shaped members.

As explained above, the valve cartridge 26 is received the hollow upper end 24 (FIG. 2) of the faucet body 22. The water supply lines 38 pass water through the faucet body 22 through inlets 132 and 134, respectively, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Since the structure is the same for both inlets 132 and 134, for convenience, only inlet 132 will be referred to and is illustrated as in FIGS. 2, 11 and 12. The inlet 132 best shown in FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 extends from the cylindrical receptor 120 upwardly through the faucet body 22 to deliver the water to the valve cartridge 26. At the bottom 122 of the faucet body 22, an annular ring 136 is formed about the receptor 120 for purposes more fully explained hereinafter. The lower section 138 of the faucet body 22 below the annular chamber 46 is sealed by O-ring 140 best shown in FIGS. 3, 11 and 12 on the bottom end of which is an annular platform 142. The platform 142 serves as an underside of a shallow groove or circumferential recess 144 the upper side of which is formed by a circular ledge 146 disposed inwardly of the outer circumference of the platform 142 and having a horizontal end 148. The inner wall 150 (FIG. 3) of the recess 144 is circular and extends to the end 148 at two diametrically opposed sites to define circumferential openings or mating grooves 152 that communicate with the recess 144 and serve to divide the ledge 146 into two portions, each of which extend radially outwardly from the wall 150 and have circular outer circumferences that extend a short distance over the annular platform 142 on the upper side of the recess 144. The inside of the wall 150 adjacent the end 148 limits the boundary of the bottom 122 of the faucet body 22. A pair of O-rings 154 are sized to be slidingly engaged on the receptors 120 for purposes more fully explained hereinafter.

The split retaining ring 90 illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 has a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the faucet body 22 on which it will be engaged. The rim 94 extends outwardly from the outer circumference of the ring 90 interrupted only by the split opening 158 therein. The recess 92 is formed on the side of the rim 94 facing the body 22 in which the deck plate 86 is mounted (FIGS. 11 and 12) between the sleeve 42 and the ring 90. The retaining ring 90 has a flat surface 162 that engages the platform 142, and a flat surface 164 that engages the top of the enlarged head 76 of the shank 66, each in the assembled position shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. The ring 90 has a large substantially open inside in which a pair of diametrically opposed detents 166 extend. The detents 166 each have circular inner surfaces of substantially equal curvature as that of the corresponding circular outer circumferences of the ledges 146.

Adjacent the detents 166 and having a greater radius measured from the center of the ring 90 than that of the detents 166 are a pair of diametrically opposed recesses 168 at the center of each is a second deeper pair of diametrical recess 170 and 172 best shown in FIGS. 3 and 14 with the recess 172 being formed at the split opening 158 of equal radius but slightly wider than the recess 170 which is formed opposite thereof. The recess 170 has opposed edges 174 which terminate in the recesses 168. The radius of the edges 174 will overlap the radius of connecting arms 128 to cause abutting contact therebetween for purposes more fully explained hereinafter.

In order to assemble the composite body 20 the faucet body 22 and the shank 66 will be relatively rotated to align the connecting arms 128 of the shank 66 with the mating grooves 152 of the faucet body 22. Also aligned are the water supply lines 138 with the receptors 120. The support plate 102 which carries the water supply lines 138 rotatably sits in the recess 100 and will be rotated to enable the required alignment to be made since the spacing between the respective lines 138 and receptors 120 is preset to be equal. Placing the connecting arms 128 into the mating grooves 152 as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 serves the dual function of positioning the locking tabs 130 adjacent the recesses 144, and connecting the lines 38 in the receptors 1 20 as best shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. Upon placing the lines 38 in the receptors 120 the support plate engages the end 148 of the ledge 146, and the enlarged head 112 engages the bottom 122 of the faucet body 22 with the upper end of the tapered section 124 providing room for the annular ring 136 that engages to squeeze to O-ring 126 between the receptor 120 and the tapered section 124 to both seal and resiliently connect the line 38 and the receptor 120. Also, relative rotation between the faucet body 22 and the shank 66 does not disturb the connection of the line 38 and the receptor 120 since the support plate 102 is free to hold its position during relative rotation of the faucet body 22 and the shank 66.

For ease of assembly, the split retaining ring 90 as shown in FIGS. 10 and 14 will be mounted on the lower section 138 of the faucet body 22 by mounting the detents 166 on the ledges 146. Because the outer diameter of the ledges 146 is slightly larger than diameter between the opposing detents 166 the split opening 158 will be slightly expanded, but this is a temporary change as the ring 90 is resilient. Insertion of the connecting arms 128 of the shank 66 into the mating grooves 152 of the faucet body 22 shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrates a first position in the assembly of the composite body 20. An intermediate position is illustrated in FIG. 15 wherein the solid line arrows on both the retention ring 90 and the connecting arms 128 of the shank 66 indicate clockwise rotation of these components. It will be understood that other components could have been rotated to assemble the composite body 20 and the rotation could have been counter clockwise rather than clockwise, but in the present instance this description of the assembly will suffice. Accordingly, clockwise rotation of the shank 66 will shift the connecting arms 128 into engagement with the edge 174 of the recess 170 to force a likewise clockwise movement of the retention ring 90 by shifting the detent 166 on the ledge 146, while placing the locking tabs 130 partially within the circumferential recess 144 as shown in FIG. 15. Continued clockwise rotation of the shank 66 will the place the connecting arms 128 in the 6 and 12 o'clock positions shown in FIG. 17 wherein the detents 166 of the retaining ring 90 will snap into the mating grooves 152 upon reaching the 3 and 9 o'clock positions. In this position the retaining ring 90 is restored to its unexpanded position and the opening 158 returns to its normal (smaller) size, as best shown in FIG. 17. The detents 166 of the retention ring 90 are close fitting in the mating grooves 152, and the ledges 146 of the faucet body 22 will be disposed in the recesses 168 wherein a small radial distance exists therebetween. Also, the connecting arms 128 are disposed in the recesses 170 and 172 with a similar small radial distance therebetween, but the retention ring 90 acts to cover the connecting arms 128 to prevent accidental removal of the locking tabs 130 from their engagement within the recess 144.

It will be seen that the assembly of the composite body 20 is completed by the simple mechanical connection of the components, without the need of tools, as by insertion and the twist to lock movement between the faucet body 22 and the shank 66, with the retention ring 90 covering the connection and limiting relative movement therebetween to insure against accidental disconnection thereof. Such a connection is no or low lead, low cost and promotes easy installation and reparability. As noted earlier, the material of the components of the composite body 20 can be made of any suitable plastic.

It will be appreciated that while a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, modifications may be made. The appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications which come within the true spirit and scope of the invention.