Faucet with improved valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11560957-B2
Application number	US-202217708519-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 30, 2022
Priority date	Sep 10, 2018
Publication date	Jan 24, 2023
Grant date	Jan 24, 2023

Abstract

A cartridge valve includes a housing, a stem adapter, and a stem assembly. The stem adapter includes a body defining a first hole, which extends in a longitudinal direction. The stem assembly includes a first stem component and a second stem component. The first stem component includes an arm and a spherical portion that is configured to be at least partially positioned within the first hole and defines an opening. The second stem component has a body that is configured to be at least partially received within the opening of the first stem component. The spherical portion is configured to expand in size in response to the first end inserting a portion of the body of the second stem component into the opening in the first stem component, which increases a frictional resistance induced by relative rotation between the stem assembly and the stem adapter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cartridge valve for a faucet, comprising:
a housing;
a stem adapter configured to be at least partially received in the housing and comprising a body defining a first hole, which extends in a longitudinal direction; and
a stem assembly comprising:
a first stem component comprising an arm and a spherical portion that is configured to be at least partially positioned within the first hole and defines an opening; and
a second stem component comprising a body that is configured to be at least partially received within the opening of the first stem component;

wherein the spherical portion is configured to expand in size in response to inserting a portion of the body of the second stem component into the opening in the first stem component, which increases a frictional resistance induced by relative rotation between the stem assembly and the stem adapter.

2. The cartridge valve of claim 1 , wherein the spherical portion is configured to expand diametrically from a clearance fit into an interference fit with the body of the stem adapter in response to the second stem component being inserted further into the opening of the first stem component.

3. The cartridge valve of claim 2 , wherein the body includes a slit, such that the body expands in size in response to the spherical portion expanding diametrically to increase a friction resistance induced by relative rotation between the stem adapter and the housing.

4. The cartridge valve of claim 1 , wherein the first stem component comprises at least one slit configured to allow the spherical portion to expand in size.

5. The cartridge valve of claim 1 , wherein the second stem component is configured to drive movement of another component within the cartridge valve in response to movement of the stem assembly relative to the stem adapter.

6. The cartridge valve of claim 1 , wherein the stem adapter defines a second hole, extending in a radial direction, and wherein the stem assembly comprises a rotating pin that extends from the spherical portion and is configured to be partially received in the second hole of the stem adapter.

7. The cartridge valve of claim 1 , wherein the stem adapter comprises a first portion and a second portion that are attachable to each other with at least one fastener, and wherein, by tightening or loosening the fastener, the frictional resistance can be changed.

8. A cartridge valve for a faucet, comprising:
a housing;
a stem adapter configured to be at least partially received in the housing and comprising a body defining a hole extending in a longitudinal direction and a bore extending in a radial direction;
a stem assembly comprising an arm and a spherical portion that is configured to be at least partially positioned within the hole; and
a plug assembly comprising:
a plug configured to be located in the bore proximate the stem assembly; and
a screw configured to be threaded in the bore and configured to compress the plug against the stem assembly in response to tightening the screw to increase a normal force between the plug and the stem assembly.

9. The cartridge valve of claim 8 , wherein further tightening of the screw further increases the normal force, and wherein loosening the screw reduces the normal force.

10. The cartridge valve of claim 9 , further comprising a plurality of plug assemblies that comprises the plug assembly, wherein the body defines a plurality of bores that comprises the bore for each of the plurality of plug assemblies.

11. The cartridge valve of claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of plug assemblies is independently adjustable relative to any other plug assembly of the plurality of plug assemblies.

12. The cartridge valve of claim 8 , wherein the plug is located proximate the spherical portion of the stem assembly, and wherein the plug is configured to be compressed against the spherical portion by the screw.

13. The cartridge valve of claim 8 , wherein the screw is configured to retract the plug against the stem assembly in response to loosening the screw to decrease the normal force between the plug and the stem assembly.

14. A cartridge valve for a faucet, comprising:
a housing;
a stem adapter configured to be at least partially received in the housing and comprising a body defining a first hole, which extends in a longitudinal direction; and
a stem assembly at least partially received in the first hole and defining a second hole therethough, the stem assembly comprising:
a first stem component comprising an arm and a spherical portion that is configured to be at least partially positioned within the first hole and defines an opening; and
a second stem component comprising a body that is configured to be at least partially received within the opening of the first stem component;

wherein the spherical portion is diametrically repositionable from a clearance fit and an interference fit within the body of the stem adapter.

15. The cartridge valve of claim 14 , wherein the stem adapter defines a second hole, extending in a radial direction, and wherein the stem assembly comprises a rotating pin that extends from the spherical portion and is configured to be partially received in the second hole of the stem adapter.

16. The cartridge valve of claim 14 , wherein the spherical portion expands from the clearance fit to the interference fit within the body of the stem adapter in response to the body of the second stem adapter being inserted into the opening from the first position to the second position.

17. The cartridge valve of claim 14 , wherein the spherical portion retracts from the interference fit to the clearance fit within the body of the stem adapter in response to the body being removed from the opening of the first stem component from the second position to the first position.

18. The cartridge valve of claim 14 , further comprising a plug assembly comprising:
a screw configured to engage and disengage the plug against the stem assembly in response to repositioning the screw to control a normal force between the plug and the stem assembly; and
a plug positioned between the screw and the spherical portion.

19. The cartridge valve of claim 18 , wherein the plug engages the stem assembly when the screw is tightened to increase a normal force between the plug and the stem assembly.

20. The cartridge valve of claim 18 , wherein the plug disengages the stem assembly when the screw is loosened to decrease a normal force between the plug and the stem assembly.

Assignees

• Kohler Co

Inventors

• Ritter David H
• Core Brian S

Classifications

• F16K31/60

  Handles {(form, features or function of taps or faucet handles for domestic plumbing installations E03C1/04)} · CPC title

• F16K19/006

  Specially adapted for faucets · CPC title

• F16K11/072 Primary

  with pivoted closure members · CPC title

• F16K27/00

  Construction of housing (methods for welding housings B23K); Use of materials therefor · CPC title

• F16K27/044

  slide valves with flat obturating members · CPC title