Faucet with integrated valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11274761-B2
Application number	US-201916560697-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 4, 2019
Priority date	Sep 6, 2018
Publication date	Mar 15, 2022
Grant date	Mar 15, 2022

Abstract

A faucet that includes an external body having a base and a spout extending from the base; a unitary valve structure having a cup disposed in the external body and a tubular mount extending downwardly beyond the external body; a valve supported in the cup of the valve structure; and a locking assembly that detachably locks to the mount of the valve structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A faucet comprising:
an external body having a base and a spout extending from the base;
a valve structure comprising:
a cup disposed in the external body; and
a mount having a tubular shape and extending downwardly beyond the external body;
a valve cartridge supported in the cup of the valve structure; and
a locking assembly that detachably locks to the mount of the valve structure;
wherein the mount comprises a first plurality of corrugations that are aligned in a first row in a longitudinal direction, and wherein the first plurality of corrugations cooperate with the locking assembly in a first rotational position to secure the valve structure in place relative to a support; and
wherein the plurality of corrugations are aligned such that the locking assembly is slidable along an entire length of the first plurality of corrugations of the mount in a second rotational position.

2. The faucet of claim 1 , wherein the mount includes a second plurality of corrugations spaced apart circumferentially from the first plurality of corrugations, the second plurality of corrugations are aligned in a second row in the longitudinal direction, and the second plurality of corrugations cooperate with the locking assembly to secure the valve structure in place.

3. The faucet of claim 2 , wherein the mount includes a first smooth section and a second smooth section that are separated from one another and separate the first row and the second row.

4. The faucet of claim 3 , wherein the locking assembly includes a lock plate comprising an annular body with a central opening that receives the mount.

5. The faucet of claim 4 , wherein the lock plate locks with the mount in the first position and unlocks from the mount in the second position, and wherein the first position is a quarter turn from the second position.

6. The faucet of claim 1 , wherein the valve structure is unitary and the cup is integral with the tubular mount.

7. The faucet of claim 1 , wherein the cup is formed separately from and coupled to the tubular mount.

8. The faucet of claim 1 , wherein the locking assembly includes a nut, which locks to the mount in the first position and does not lock to the mount in the second position, wherein the first and second positions are separated by ninety degrees or less.

9. The faucet of claim 8 , wherein in the second position, the locking assembly can slide along and relative to the mount and relock in a third position, in which the locking assembly is at a different distance from the base than in the first or second positions.

10. The faucet of claim 1 , wherein the faucet is a swing spout faucet, a pull out faucet, or a pull down faucet.

11. A faucet comprising:
an external body having a base, which is configured to mount to a support, and a spout, which extends from the base;
a valve cartridge configured to control a flow of water to the spout;
a valve structure configured to support the valve cartridge and comprising a mount having a tubular portion that extends downwardly beyond a bottom of the base, the tubular portion comprising a first plurality of corrugations that are aligned in a first row in a longitudinal direction of the tubular portion; and
a locking assembly that detachably locks to the tubular portion through at least one corrugation of the first plurality of corrugations in a first rotational position and that is slidable along an entire length of the first plurality of corrugations of the tubular portion in the longitudinal direction relative to the first plurality of corrugations in a second rotational position.

12. The faucet of claim 11 , wherein the tubular portion comprises a second plurality of corrugations spaced apart circumferentially from the first plurality of corrugations, the second plurality of corrugations are aligned in a second row in the longitudinal direction, the locking assembly detachably locks to the tubular portion through at least one corrugation of the second plurality of corrugations in the first rotational position, and the locking assembly is slidable in the longitudinal direction relative to the second plurality of corrugations in the second rotational position.

13. The faucet of claim 12 , wherein the tubular portion comprises at least one smooth section extending in the longitudinal direction between the first and second pluralities of corrugations.

14. The faucet of claim 13 , wherein the at least one smooth surface comprises:
a first smooth section extending in the longitudinal direction between a first side of the first plurality of corrugations and a first side of the second plurality of corrugations; and
a second smooth section extending in the longitudinal direction between a second side of the first plurality of corrugations and a second side of the second plurality of corrugations, such that the first and second smooth sections are separated from one another.

15. The faucet of claim 11 , wherein the valve structure comprises a cup that is disposed in the external body, extends from a top of the mount, and receives and supports the valve cartridge therein.

16. The faucet of claim 15 , wherein the cup and the mount are a unitary one-piece component.

17. The faucet of claim 11 , further comprising a base mount disposed between the external body and the valve structure, wherein the base mount comprises an annular body having at least one notch, the mount of the valve structure comprises a finger extending outwardly and in the longitudinal direction relative to a wall comprising the first plurality of corrugations, and the finger engages the at least one notch to set a height of the valve structure relative to the support.

18. The faucet of claim 17 , wherein the at least one notch of the base mount comprises:
a first notch extending a first depth in the longitudinal direction from a top of the annular body; and
a second notch offset radially around the annular body from the first notch and extending a second depth in the longitudinal direction from the top of the annular body,
wherein the valve structure extends a first height above the support with the finger engaging the first notch, the valve structure extends a second height above the support with the finger engaging the second notch, and the first height is different than the second height.

Assignees

• Kohler Co

Inventors

• Erickson Perry

Classifications

• E03C1/04

  Water-basin installations specially adapted to wash-basins or baths (valves, faucets, mixing valves, taps F16K) · CPC title

• F16K19/006 Primary

  Specially adapted for faucets · CPC title

• F16K27/045

  with pivotal obturating members · CPC title

• E03C2001/0415

  having an extendable water outlet · CPC title

• E03C1/0404

  Constructional or functional features of the spout · CPC title