Multi-channel plumbing products

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10106962-B2
Application number	US-201514850561-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 10, 2015
Priority date	Sep 10, 2014
Publication date	Oct 23, 2018
Grant date	Oct 23, 2018

Abstract

Novel plumbing products, including faucets, are fabricated, e.g., using metallic 3-dimensional or other 3-D printing techniques, to have complex geometries, such as multiple channels that may diverge and re-converge near the spout. The geometries of the various channels can resemble interwoven net-like patterns that define various shapes between the channels. The plumbing fixtures may be formed from one or more of stainless steels, INCONEL, brass, bronze, polycarbonate, PVC, acrylics, rigid polyolefins, PET, carbon fiber, AES, or other plumbing fitting suitable corrosion resistant materials. In some embodiments, the handles of an exemplary faucet can include the same or a similar multiple channel configuration as the spout, providing an advantageously, aesthetically pleasing faucet system. In exemplary embodiments, faucet spouts and their handles are formed so as to couple to standard faucet underbodies, standard valve platforms, or standard threaded hose/waterway connections.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A faucet, comprising:
a water chamber;
a base portion comprising multiple water channels communicably connected to the water chamber; and
a spout portion communicably connected to at least one of the multiple water channels comprising a single tubular structure,
wherein the multiple water channels are configured to allow water to flow from the water chamber through the multiple water channels to the spout portion, and
two channels of the multiple water channels extend upwardly at less than about 90 degree angles from horizontal and converge and re-diverge in a bow-like shape.

2. The faucet of claim 1 , wherein in the base portion the multiple channels diverge at defined angles to each other.

3. The faucet of claim 2 , wherein:
the faucet is formed of one or more of stainless steels, INCONEL, brass, or bronze, by 3-D printing, and the 3-D printing is one of direct metal laser printing or EBAM.

4. The faucet of claim 1 , wherein the faucet is formed of metal by 3-D printing.

5. The faucet of claim 1 , further comprising two handles, for controlling each of hot and cold water sources connected to the faucet, said handles each including a bow shaped attachment.

6. The faucet of claim 1 , wherein a diameter of each of the multiple channels is greater than or equal to about 1mm.

7. The faucet of claim 2 , wherein
the faucet is formed of one or more of stainless steels, INCONEL, brass, bronze, polycarbonate, PVC, acrylics, rigid polyolefins, PET, carbon fiber, or AES.

8. The faucet of claim 7 , wherein the faucet is formed using a 3-D printing process.

9. The faucet of claim 2 , wherein the faucet is formed of one or more of stainless steels, INCONEL, brass, bronze, polycarbonate, PVC, acrylics, rigid polyolefins, PET, carbon fiber, or AES using a 3-D printing process, and wherein the 3-D printing process is one of direct metal laser printing, EBAM, SLA, or multi-media 3-D printing.

10. The faucet of claim 1 , wherein components of the faucet are formed so as to couple to standard faucet underbodies, standard valve platforms, or standard threaded hose/waterway connections.

11. The faucet of claim 5 , wherein the faucet is configured to be used with existing valving and mounting fixations.

Assignees

• As Ip Holdco Llc

Inventors

• Mchale James
• Ientile Joseph
• Pitsch Walter
• L'Henaff Jean-Jacques

Classifications

• B22F10/28

  Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM] · CPC title

• B29C64/153

  using layers of powder being selectively joined, e.g. by selective laser sintering or melting · CPC title

• Y10T137/87684

  Valve in each inlet · CPC title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B22F5/10

  of articles with cavities or holes, not otherwise provided for in the preceding subgroups · CPC title