Faucet assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9958086-B2
Application number	US-201715414755-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 25, 2017
Priority date	Jan 26, 2016
Publication date	May 1, 2018
Grant date	May 1, 2018

Abstract

A faucet assembly includes a non-metallic valve body, a valve, a handle adapter, and a retaining clip. The non-metallic valve body includes a longitudinal opening disposed therein and a slot disposed within a side portion thereof. The valve is at least partially disposed within the longitudinal opening. The valve includes a body and a stem extending upwardly from the body, and the stem is configured to rotate relative to the body. The handle adapter is removably coupled to the stem and is rotatably coupled to the non-metallic valve body. The retaining clip is removably inserted into the slot of the non-metallic valve body to limit longitudinal movement of the valve within the non-metallic valve body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A faucet assembly, comprising:
a non-metallic valve body having a longitudinal opening disposed therein, a slot disposed within a side portion thereof, and a receiving channel disposed within an upper portion thereof;
a valve at least partially disposed within the longitudinal opening, wherein the valve includes a body and a stem extending upwardly from the body, wherein the stem is configured to rotate relative to the body;
a handle adapter removably coupled to the stem and rotatably coupled to the non-metallic valve body, wherein the handle adapter includes an end stop extending laterally outward therefrom; and
a retaining clip removably inserted into the slot of the non-metallic valve body to limit longitudinal movement of the valve within the non-metallic valve body;
wherein the end stop is configured to be received within the receiving channel to establish a rotational end point for the stem.

2. The faucet assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a bonnet removably coupled to the valve body.

3. The faucet assembly of claim 2 , wherein the valve body includes a snap profile, and wherein the bonnet includes a locking mechanism configured to engage the snap profile of the valve body to removably couple the bonnet to the valve body.

4. The faucet assembly of claim 3 , wherein the locking mechanism includes an inner ring and a plurality of locking features extending radially inward from the inner ring toward a center of the bonnet, and wherein the plurality of locking features are configured to engage the snap profile of the valve body.

5. The faucet assembly of claim 1 , wherein the retaining clip is slidably received within the slot of the non-metallic valve body, and wherein the retaining clip is accessible at an outer surface of the non-metallic valve body.

6. The faucet assembly of claim 1 , wherein the retaining clip has a generally U-shaped configuration.

7. The faucet assembly of claim 1 , wherein the body of the valve is disposed below the retaining clip within the longitudinal opening of the non-metallic valve body.

8. The faucet assembly of claim 1 , wherein the valve is one of a bottom discharge valve or a side discharge valve.

9. A faucet assembly, comprising:
a non-metallic valve body having a longitudinal opening disposed therein and a slot disposed within a side portion thereof;
a valve at least partially disposed within the longitudinal opening, wherein the valve includes a body and a stem extending upwardly from the body, wherein the stem is configured to rotate relative to the body;
a handle adapter removably coupled to the stem and rotatably coupled to the non-metallic valve body; and
a retaining clip removably inserted into the slot of the non-metallic valve body to limit longitudinal movement of the valve within the non-metallic valve body;
wherein the non-metallic valve body further includes a receiving channel disposed within an upper portion thereof, wherein the handle adapter includes at least two end stops extending laterally outward therefrom that are diametrically opposed and are substantially coplanar, and wherein the at least two end stops are configured to be received within the receiving channel to establish rotational end points for the stem.

10. A faucet assembly, comprising:
a non-metallic valve body having a central longitudinal opening disposed therein, a slot disposed within a side portion thereof, and a receiving channel disposed within an upper portion thereof;
a valve at least partially disposed within the central longitudinal opening, wherein the valve includes a body and a stem extending upwardly from the body, wherein the stem is configured to rotate relative to the body;
a handle adapter removably coupled to the stem and rotatably coupled to the non-metallic valve body, wherein the handle adapter includes an end stop extending laterally outward therefrom, and wherein the handle adapter is configured to control rotational movement of the stem; and
a retaining clip slidably received within the slot of the non-metallic valve body to retain the valve along a longitudinal direction within the non-metallic valve body;
wherein the retaining clip is accessible at an outer surface of the valve body; and
wherein the end stop is configured to be received within the receiving channel to establish a rotational end point for the stem.

11. The faucet assembly of claim 10 , further comprising a bonnet including a locking mechanism, wherein the valve body includes a snap profile, and wherein the locking mechanism is configured to engage the snap profile of the valve body to removably couple the bonnet to the valve body.

12. The faucet assembly of claim 11 , wherein the locking mechanism includes a ring disposed along an inner wall of the bonnet and a plurality of locking features extending radially inward from the inner ring toward a center of the bonnet, and wherein the plurality of locking features are configured to engage the snap profile of the valve body.

13. The faucet assembly of claim 10 , wherein the retaining clip has a generally U-shaped configuration.

14. The faucet assembly of claim 10 , wherein the body of the valve is disposed below the retaining clip within the central longitudinal opening of the non-metallic valve body.

15. A faucet assembly, comprising:
a non-metallic valve body having a central longitudinal opening disposed therein and a slot disposed within a side portion thereof;
a valve at least partially disposed within the central longitudinal opening, wherein the valve includes a body and a stem extending upwardly from the body, wherein the stem is configured to rotate relative to the body;
a handle adapter removably coupled to the stem and rotatably coupled to the non-metallic valve body, wherein the handle adapter is configured to control rotational movement of the stem; and
a retaining clip slidably received within the slot of the non-metallic valve body to retain the valve along a longitudinal direction within the non-metallic valve body;
wherein the retaining clip is accessible at an outer surface of the valve body;
wherein the non-metallic valve body further includes a receiving channel disposed within an upper portion thereof, wherein the handle adapter includes at least two end stops extending laterally outward away from the handle adapter, wherein the at least two end stops are diametrically opposed and are substantially coplanar, and wherein the at least two end stops are configured to be received within the receiving channel to establish rotational end points for the stem.

16. A faucet assembly, comprising:
a non-metallic valve body having a longitudinal opening disposed therein, a slot disposed within a side portion thereof, and a receiving channel disposed within an upper portion thereof;
a valve at least partially disposed within the longitudinal opening, wherein the valve includes a body and a stem extending upwardly from the body, wherein the stem is configured to rotate relative to the body;
a handle adapter removably coupled to the stem and rotatably coupled to the non-metallic valve body, wherein the handle adapter includes an end stop extending laterally outward therefrom; and
a retaining clip removably inserted into the slot of the non-metallic valve body to retain the valve within the non-metallic valve body, wherein the body of the valve is disposed below the retaining clip so as to limit longitudinal movement of the valve relative to the non-metallic valve body;
wherein the end stop is configured to be received within the receiving channel to establish a rotational end point

Assignees

• Kohler Co

Inventors

• Ritter David H
• Core Brian S

Classifications

• F16K27/045

  with pivotal obturating members · CPC title

• F16K31/602 Primary

  Pivoting levers, e.g. single-sided (F16K31/605 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16K3/08

  with circular plates rotatable around their centres · CPC title

• E03C1/0412

  Constructional or functional features of the faucet handle (valve actuating members as such F16K31/60) · CPC title

• F16K3/0272

  permitting easy assembly or disassembly · CPC title