Flow self-adjusting faucet aerator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10697162-B2
Application number	US-201816055141-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 5, 2018
Priority date	May 29, 2018
Publication date	Jun 30, 2020
Grant date	Jun 30, 2020

Abstract

A flow self-adjusting faucet aerator includes an aerator unit. Upper and lower ends of the aerator unit have a water inlet and a water outlet, respectively. A flow regulator is fitted in the water inlet of the aerator unit. The flow regulator can automatically adjust the discharge area according to the change of the water pressure of the influent water flow to maintain the stability of the water outflow.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flow self-adjusting faucet aerator, comprising an aerator unit, upper and lower ends of the aerator unit having a water inlet and a water outlet respectively; a flow regulator being fitted in the water inlet of the aerator unit;
the flow regulator including a base, an adjustment member and an upper cover;
the base being fitted in the water inlet, the base being provided with a mounting trough that is recessed downwardly, an influent hole being provided in a center of the mounting trough; the adjustment member including an elastic plate that abuts against a bottom of the mounting trough and at least two ribs that are disposed on an upper end surface of the elastic plate and spaced apart from each other, a center of the elastic plate being provided with a through hole facing the influent hole, a lower end surface of the elastic plate being provided with deformation troughs that are recessed upwardly and correspond to the respective ribs; the upper cover being movably fitted in the mounting trough and in contact with the ribs, the upper cover being provided with a plurality of water inlet holes; between every adjacent two of the ribs in cooperation with the upper cover and the elastic plate being formed with a water chamber communicating with the water inlet holes; between inner ends of the ribs at two sides of the water chamber in cooperation with the upper cover and the elastic plate being formed with a water opening communicating with the water chamber and the influent hole;
wherein the adjustment member has pressure relief holes corresponding to the ribs respectively, and each of the pressure relief holes extending through a corresponding one of the ribs and a corresponding one of the deformation troughs.

2. The flow self-adjusting faucet aerator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the ribs are elastic ribs.

3. The flow self-adjusting faucet aerator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the ribs is disposed on the upper end surface of the elastic plate along a radial direction of the through hole.

4. The flow self-adjusting faucet aerator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the respective inner ends of the ribs are located on an edge of the through hole of the elastic plate.

5. The flow self-adjusting faucet aerator as claimed in claim 4 , wherein a middle portion of the base is formed with a hollow cylinder placed inside the through hole of the elastic plate, and a center of the hollow cylinder is provided with the influent hole.

6. The flow self-adjusting faucet aerator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the upper cover has a conical shape, an upper end surface and a lower end surface of the upper cover are conical surfaces, and the upper end surface of the elastic plate is a conical surface.

7. The flow self-adjusting faucet aerator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a middle portion of the upper cover is provided with a sealing block facing the through hole.

8. The flow self-adjusting faucet aerator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the upper cover is movably fitted in the mounting trough, a wall of the mounting trough is provided with an engaging flange to movably engage an edge of the upper cover.

9. The flow self-adjusting faucet aerator as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the aerator unit includes a water divider, a water outlet disc, a screen, and a main body; the main body is a cylinder having openings at upper and lower ends thereof, the upper and lower ends of the main body are provided with the water inlet and the water outlet respectively; the water divider is a cover having an open top and a closed bottom, the water divider is fitted in the main body, the open top of the water divider communicates with the influent hole of the base; a side wall of the water divider is provided with a plurality of dividing holes communicating with an inner cavity of the main body; the water outlet disc is a perforated disc having a plurality of perforations, the water outlet disc is fitted in the main body and located below the water divider; the screen is fixed to an upper end surface of the water outlet disc, a side wall of the main body is provided with a plurality of vent holes along a circumferential direction thereof, and the vent holes are higher than the water outlet disc and lower than the water divider.

10. The flow self-adjusting faucet aerator as claimed in claim 9 , wherein an inner wall of the main body is provided with a first annular groove, a first stopping edge protruding inwardly, a second stopping edge protruding inwardly and a second annular groove arranged sequentially from top to bottom; the base is provided with a first flange that is engaged with the first annular groove; the water divider is provided with a ledge protruding outwardly, the ledge is sandwiched between the first stopping edge and the base; the water outlet disc is provided with a second flange that is engaged with the second annular groove; and the screen is sandwiched between the second flange and the water outlet disc.

11. The flow self-adjusting faucet aerator as claimed in claim 9 , wherein a lower end surface of the base is provided with an annular edge that protrudes downwardly and surrounds the influent hole, an outer wall of the annular edge is provided with a plurality of engaging bars, and an inner wall of the water divider is provided with engaging grooves for engagement of the engaging bars.

Assignees

• Xiamen Lota Int Co Ltd
• Lota Xiamen Ind Co Ltd

Inventors

• Li Keping
• Ye Jinqing
• Zhu Chuanbao

Classifications

• E03C1/084 Primary

  Jet regulators with aerating means · CPC title

• B05B7/0425

  without any source of compressed gas, e.g. the air being sucked by the pressurised liquid · CPC title

• G05D7/012

  the sensing element being deformable and acting as a valve · CPC title

• B05B1/18

  Roses; Shower heads · CPC title

• B05B1/3006

  the controlling element being actuated by the pressure of the fluid to be sprayed (B05B1/323 takes precedence; single-unit outlet valves actuated by the pressure of the fluid to be sprayed B05B11/0062) · CPC title