Magnetic coupling for sprayheads

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9315975-B2
Application number	US-201414186526-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 21, 2014
Priority date	Jun 17, 2005
Publication date	Apr 19, 2016
Grant date	Apr 19, 2016

Abstract

A faucet including a faucet head, a body and a magnetic coupling releasably coupling the faucet head to the faucet body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A faucet comprising:
a spout hose adapted to supply a liquid;
a dispensing head fluidly coupled to the spout hose and adapted to dispense the liquid;
a faucet body adapted to support the dispensing head including a delivery spout having a passageway receiving the spout hose, an outlet side, an inlet side, and an apex intermediate the outlet side and the inlet side; and
a magnetic coupling to removably couple the dispensing head to the faucet body, the magnetic coupling including a head connector coupled to the spout hose in spaced relation to the dispensing head, the head connector including at least one of a magnet and a magnetically attractive member, and a body connector coupled to the faucet body, the body connector including at least one of a magnet and a magnetically attractive member, wherein the spout hose is slidably received within an opening of the body connector, the magnetic coupling causes tension on the spout hose to pull the dispensing head toward the faucet body, and the body connector is supported on the inlet side of the delivery spout.

2. The faucet of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic coupling requires between 2.0 and 12.0 pounds of force to pull the dispensing head from the faucet body.

3. The faucet of claim 2 , wherein the body connector includes a dipolar magnet.

4. The faucet of claim 1 , wherein the head connector includes one of a metal sleeve and a magnet fixed to the spout hose intermediate an inlet end and an outlet end.

5. The faucet of claim 4 , wherein the body connector includes a magnet secured within a passageway of the faucet body intermediate the outlet end and the inlet end.

6. The faucet of claim 5 , wherein the body connector is concentrically received within the passageway of the faucet body.

7. A faucet comprising:
a spout hose adapted to supply a liquid;
a dispensing head fluidly coupled to the spout hose and adapted to dispense the liquid;
a faucet body adapted to support the dispensing head;
a magnetic coupling to removably couple the dispensing head to the faucet body, the magnetic coupling including a head connector coupled to the spout hose, the head connector including at least one of a magnet and a magnetically attractive member, and a body connector coupled to the faucet body, the body connector including at least one of a magnet and a magnetically attractive member, wherein the spout hose is slidably received within an opening of the body connector, and the magnetic coupling causes tension on the spout hose to pull the dispensing head toward the faucet body,
wherein the head connector includes one of a metal sleeve and a magnet fixed to the spout hose intermediate an inlet end and an outlet end, and
wherein the body connector includes a magnet secured below a sink deck supporting the faucet body.

8. A faucet comprising:
a dispensing head;
a delivery spout including an elongate passageway and an outlet releasably coupled to the dispensing head, the delivery spout further including an outlet side, an inlet side, and an apex intermediate the outlet side and the inlet side;
a spout hose fluidly coupled to the dispensing head and slidably received within the passageway of the delivery spout;
a first magnetically attractive element fixed to the spout hose, in spaced relation to the dispensing head, for axial movement with the spout hose within the passageway of the delivery spout; and
a second magnetically attractive element supported within the passageway of the delivery spout, on the inlet side of the delivery spout and in spaced relation to the outlet of the delivery spout, and configured to releasably couple with the first magnetically attractive element through a magnetic coupling such that the spout hose pulls the dispensing head into coupling engagement with the outlet of the delivery spout.

9. The faucet of claim 8 , wherein the magnetic coupling requires between 2.0 and 12.0 pounds of force to pull the dispensing head from the delivery spout.

10. The faucet of claim 9 , wherein the second magnetically attractive element includes a dipolar magnet.

11. The faucet of claim 8 , wherein the first magnetically attractive element comprises a metal sleeve, and the second magnetically attractive element comprises a magnet.

12. The faucet of claim 8 , wherein the first magnetically attractive element comprises a magnet, and the second magnetically attractive element comprises one of a metal sleeve and a magnet.

13. A faucet comprising:
a delivery spout having an inlet end and an outlet end;
a dispensing head removably coupled to the outlet end of the delivery spout;
a spout hose fluidly coupled to the dispensing head and slidably received within the delivery spout;
a first magnetically attractive element fixed to the spout hose; and
a second magnetically attractive element configured to releasably couple with the first magnetically attractive element through a magnetic coupling;
wherein when the first magnetically attractive element moves within the passageway of the delivery spout between a coupled mode and an uncoupled mode, the first magnetically attractive element moving downwardly from the uncoupled mode to the coupled mode, pulling the spout hose through the delivery spout to cause the dispensing head to move upwardly and couple with the outlet end of the delivery spout.

14. The faucet of claim 13 , wherein the magnetic coupling requires between 2.0 and 12.0 pounds of force to pull the dispensing head from the delivery spout.

15. The faucet of claim 13 , wherein the second magnetically attractive element includes a dipolar magnet.

16. The faucet of claim 13 , wherein the first magnetically attractive element comprises a metal sleeve, and the second magnetically attractive element comprises a magnet.

17. The faucet of claim 13 , wherein the first magnetically attractive element comprises a magnet, and the second magnetically attractive element comprises one of a metal sleeve and a magnet.

18. The faucet of claim 13 , wherein the delivery spout includes a passageway extending between the inlet end and the outlet end, and the second magnetically attractive element is secured within the passageway.

19. The faucet of claim 18 , wherein the second magnetically attractive element is concentrically received within the passageway of the delivery spout.

Assignees

• Delta Faucet Co

Inventors

• Davidson Kyle Robert
• Rosko Michael Scot
• Nelson Charles Alfred

Classifications

• Y10T137/598

  With repair, tapping, assembly, or disassembly means · CPC title

• E03C1/0404 Primary

  Constructional or functional features of the spout · CPC title

• E03C2001/0415

  having an extendable water outlet · CPC title

• E03C1/04 Primary

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