Pillar sink mixer with hand spray

[0001] This invention relates to pillar faucets (water taps) in which the faucet body is mounted some distance above a work top, and in particular to faucets having a mixing system to mix hot and cold water and a separate manually operated spray nozzle attached to the water mixer by a flexible tube. Such arrangements are often found in domestic kitchens.

[0002] GB2361047 discloses a pillar faucet system that provides a spray nozzle with a separate flexible hose. The water supply to the spray nozzle, and control of the temperature of the water so supplied, comes from the same mixer system as that used for the faucet nozzle via a diverter in the mixing chamber. Whilst this system does provide a spray nozzle, it has a number of disadvantages. One disadvantage is that the mixing chamber is under the mounting surface, occupying a large amount of space. The valves controlling the water flow are housed below the mounting surface and controlled by long spindles extending down from the faucet levers, through the pillars.

[0003] According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a pillar sink mixer comprising a hot faucet pillar, a cold faucet pillar and a mixing chamber situated, in use, above a mounting surface for the mixer. The mixing chamber is in fluid communication with a hand spray via a channel that is partially situated within one of the faucet pillars.

[0004] Faucet housings at the top of the pillar stems house the valve chambers and connect via a bridge. A mixing chamber is positioned on the bridge and an outlet nozzle extends from the mixing chamber.

[0005] The water passage from one faucet housing to the mixing chamber runs alongside a return passage from the mixing chamber to the housing, Within the pillar supporting the faucet housing is a passage supplying water to the valve and another passage delivering the water from the return passage to the hose of a hand spray.

[0006] Other aspects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying claims,

[0010] FIG. 1 shows a pillar mixer faucet forming an embodiment of the present invention. The mixer is mounted on a mounting surface 2, such as a kitchen top or sink rim, in which two holes 4, 6 are formed to receive the two faucet pillars 8, 10. Hot water enters the pillar sink mixer through the faucet pillar 8, and cold water enters the pillar sink mixer through pillar 10. Each pillar 8, 10 has a housing 12, 14 at its top end which houses a valve chamber and valve 16 operated by levers or handles 18, 20. The housings 12, 14 are both in fluid connection with a mixing chamber 22 via passages 24 and 26 respectively in a bridge 28. When the respective faucet valves 16 are opened, water flows into the mixing chamber 22 through the passages 24, 26, and through outlet nozzle 30 which is mounted on the bridge 28 at an outlet 34 of the mixing chamber 22. The arrangement thus far described is well known in the art of pillar sink mixers.

[0011] The mixing chamber 22 houses a diverter valve 32 which determines the direction of flow of the mixed water from the mixing chamber 22. The diverter valve 32 has two outlets 34, 36 which lead respectively to faucet nozzle 30 and a hand spray 38. The diverter valve 32 is an exclusive output system, therefore whilst the hand spray 38 is in operation, substantially no water will pass to the faucet nozzle 30. The operation of diverter valves is well known and is described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,609,006.

[0012] Referring to FIG. 2, the hand spray outlet channel which provides a fluid communication channel for the mixed water from the mixing chamber 22 to the hand spray 38, comprises three portions 40, 42, 44. The first portion comprises a passage 40 from the second outlet 36 of the mixing chamber 22 to the faucet housing 14. Passage 40 is housed within bridge 28, alongside passage 26. The second portion comprises passage 42 that is defined by the wall of faucet pillar 10. Within the pillar 10 is a tube 46 which delivers cold water up through the pillar 10 to valve 16. Tube 46 is sealed at its upper end to a valve seat 50 in partition wall 52. Tube 46 extends down within pillar 10. These two passages 42, 46 are thus housed within pillar 10. The third portion of the hand spray outlet channel is a flexible hose 44 that provides fluid communication from an outlet 48 from the lower end of the faucet pillar 10, beneath the mounting surface 2 to the hand spray 38. A T-shaped union is mounted on the lower end of pillar 10 and tube 46 passes through union 54, with a seal 56 being provided between the tube 46 and union 54 at the lower outlet of the union 54. Flexible hose 44 is coupled to the side outlet of the union 54, in fluid communication with passage 42. The hand spray 38 can be lifted out from the mounting surface 2.

[0013] The operation of the hand spray is well known. Valves 16 are opened by turning handles 18, 20 to give the required water flow through nozzle 30 via mixing chamber 22. Cold water passing through passage 46, via valve 16 to passage 26, chamber 22 and nozzle 30. When a push button valve on hand spray 38 is pressed, water can flow from spray 38. Diverter valve 22 is caused to move to close off the outlet 34 to nozzle 30, by the pressure differential across the valve ends, so that water will then flow out of mixing chamber outlet 36. Water flows through passages 40, 42 and hose 44 to spray 38.

[0014] It will be appreciated that the passage 40 may be directed towards hot faucet housing 12, pillar 8 enclosing the passage 46 and connecting with the hose 44.

[0015] The invention provides a pillar mixer with a hand spray function and yet with minimal additional space requirement.