Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
FLUID DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR USE WITH WATER DISCHARGE
FIXTURE
DESCRIPTION
[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The invention relates to a fluid delivery assembly that is
installed in a water
discharging fixture, such as a faucet. The fluid delivery assembly includes a
tube
assembly defining a fluid flow path, a housing, and a retaining assembly that
enables the
fluid delivery assembly to be easily removed or replaced.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Fluid delivery assemblies are known, and can be found in both
residential and
commercial settings. In either setting, the fluid delivery assembly provides
fluid flow
from hot and cold water sources. The fluid is dispensed through a discharge
fixture, such
as a kitchen or lavatory faucet. While such fluid delivery assemblies provide
some
benefits, they nevertheless have certain limitations. For example, the water
delivery
lines attached between the water source lines and the faucet typically require
tools for
installation of the faucet assembly. Also, conventional fluid delivery
assemblies
typically have inlet lines molded together or pre-formed with a cartridge
housing, such
that replacing the inlet lines requires replacing the entire faucet assembly.
Examples of
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fluid delivery assemblies having these and other limitations are found in U.S.
Patent Nos.
7,032,260 to Hwang and 6,123,106 to Benstead.
[0004] The present invention is intended to solve the limitations of
conventional
fluid delivery assemblies discussed above and other problems, and to provide
advantages
and aspects not provided by prior fluid delivery assemblies. Some of the
features and
advantages of the present invention are described in the following detailed
description
and the accompanying drawings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present invention is directed to a fluid delivery assembly that
includes a
number of components that interact to define a replaceable fluid flow path
from a fluid
source (such as a hot and cold water source) to a fluid discharge assembly
(such as a
faucet). These interacting components may include a tube assembly (e.g., a
plastic tube
assembly), a housing (e.g., a cartridge housing), and a retaining assembly
(e.g., a
threaded mounting shank and a cooperatively threaded housing). These
components
enable the fluid delivery assembly to be easily attached to or detached from a
faucet
assembly by hand, that is, without the use of tools. These components may be
separate
and distinct such that an individual component may be removed and/or replaced.
[0006] An important feature of the invention is that its fluid delivery
assembly is
mounted completely below its related countertop or deck. It follows that the
installation
or removal of the fluid delivery assembly occurs completely below the
countertop or
deck. This permits such installation or removal of the fluid delivery assembly
without
removing or replacing portions of the faucet assembly above the deck.
[0007] According to one aspect of the invention, the fluid delivery
assembly includes
a tube assembly, a housing and a retaining assembly. The tube assembly
includes a tube
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defining a fluid pathway. The tube is configured at one end to connect with a
fluid
source, such as an angle valve of a hot or cold water supply line. The other
end of the
tube is configured to connect with the housing. The housing is sized and
shaped to
receive at least one tube assembly. For example, the housing may include two
end
bodies. The first end body is connected to a first tube assembly, and the
second end
body connected to a second tube assembly. One tube assembly provides hot water
to the
housing and the faucet from the hot water source. The other tube assembly
provides cold
water to the housing and the faucet from the cold water source.
100081 The
retaining assembly includes a securing member that has a threaded
portion. The securing member is movable up and down a portion of the length of
the
tube, and rotationally around the circumference of the tube. The retaining
assembly also
includes a mounting member that is a threaded portion on the end body. When
the
securing member is rotated by hand, the threaded portions of the securing
member and
the mounting member cooperatively engage with each other to secure the tube
assembly
to the housing. The securing member and the mounting member include sufficient
threading to ensure a precise and well-sealed connection between the tube
assembly and
the end body. Preferably, the securing member is externally threaded and the
end body
is internally threaded. Alternatively, the securing member may be internally
threaded
and the end body may be externally threaded. The housing also has a center
body, which
may receive a cartridge housing. Alternatively, the center body may be a
cartridge
housing. The housing and the mounting member are one component, while the tube
assembly that includes the securing member are another component. As a result,
either
component may be removed and/or replaced, while leaving the other component
installed within the faucet assembly.
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100091 The retaining assembly includes a securing member that has a
threaded
portion. The securing member is movable up and down a portion of the length of
the
tube assembly, and is also rotationally movable around the circumference of
the tube
assembly. The retaining assembly also includes a mounting member that has a
threaded
portion. As the securing member is rotated by hand, the threaded portions of
the
securing member and the mounting member cooperatively engage with each other
to
secure the tube assembly to the housing. The securing member and the mounting
member include sufficient threading to ensure a precise and well-sealed
connection
between the tube assembly and the end body. Preferably, the securing member is
externally threaded and the end body is internally threaded. Alternatively,
the securing
member may be internally threaded and the end body may be externally threaded.
The
housing and the tube assembly are separate components that are not integrally
formed
together, such as by over-molding or adhesively bonding. Therefore, any
component
may be removed and/or replaced while keeping the other components as part of
the
faucet assembly.
100101 Other features and advantages of an aspect of the invention will be
apparent
from the following specification, taken in conjunction with the following
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] To understand the present invention, it will now be described by way
of
example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention, connected to a
faucet, to form
an assembly;
[0013] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the assembly of FIG. 1,
with two
fluid delivery assemblies shown positioned for assembly with the faucet;
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[0014] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a
housing;
[0015] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the housing of FIG. 3 and
an
embodiment of a mounting base;
[0016] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an assembly of the components of
FIG. 4;
[0017] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the assembly of FIG. 5 and
an
embodiment of an escutcheon;
[0018] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an assembly of the components of
FIG. 6;
[0019] FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the assembly of FIG. 7 and
an
embodiment of two fluid flow cartridge assemblies;
[0020] FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of an assembly of the
components of
FIG. 8 and an embodiment of a delivery spout;
[0021] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an assembly of the components of
FIG. 9 and
an embodiment of two handles;
[0022] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of the faucet
assembly of
FIG. 1;
[0023] FIG. 12 is a partially cut-away perspective view of an embodiment of
a
delivery spout;
[0024] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional side view of the delivery spout of FIG.
12;
[0025] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of the assembly
of FIG. 10;
[0026] FIG. 15 a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention,
connected to a faucet, to form an assembly;
[0027] FIG. 16 is an exploded perspective view of the assembly of FIG. 15;
[0028] FIG. 17 is a front cross-sectional view of the faucet assembly of
FIG. 1;
[0029] FIG. 18 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a fluid
delivery
assembly;
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[0030] FIG. 19 is a front cross-sectional view of the fluid delivery
assembly of FIG.
18;
[0031] FIG. 20 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the faucet
assembly
of FIG. 1;
[0032] FIG. 21 is another exploded perspective view of a portion of the
faucet
assembly of FIG. 1; and
[0033] FIG. 22 is a partially cut-away perspective view of the assembly of
FIG. 21.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0034] This invention may take many different forms. The current
description and
drawings teach only a few of the many different forms or embodiments of the
invention.
It should be understood that the present disclosure is to be considered as
disclosing only
a few, non-limiting examples of the principles of the invention. This
disclosure is not
intended to limit the broadest aspects of the invention to the illustrated
embodiments.
[0035] FIG. 1 illustrates a faucet system 100 for delivery of water to a
user. The
faucet system 100 includes a faucet assembly 200, a fluid delivery assembly
300 and
fluid inlet valves 400. The faucet assembly 200 includes a delivery spout 210,
two
handles 220 and an escutcheon 230 that are mounted as an assembly on top of a
countertop 150 (shown in broken line form). The fluid delivery assembly 300 is
connected between the faucet assembly 200 and the fluid inlet valves 400. One
inlet
valve 400 may provide hot water from a hot water source (e.g., water heater)
and the
other inlet valve 400 may provide cold water from a cold water source (e.g.,
well or city
water). Alternatively, faucet system 100 may be any other suitable fluid
delivery system
(e.g., a shower system).
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100361 FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded view of the faucet assembly 200 and
the fluid
delivery assembly 300. As explained in greater detail below, the fluid
delivery assembly
300 includes at least one tube assembly 310 defining a flow path for hot or
cold water, a
housing 320 and a retaining assembly 330. The tube assembly 310 has a first
portion
340 configured to be connected to a fluid source, such as a hot or cold water
inlet line.
The first portion 340 may be connected to the fluid source inlet line by a
connection
member 390, such as a threaded pressure fitting nut. The tube assembly 310 may
preferably be comprised of PERT plastic tubing, and the housing 320 may be
comprised
of plastic.
100371 As may also be seen in FIG. 2, a second portion 350 of the tube
assembly 310
is configured to connect with the housing 320. This second portion 350 is
sized and
shaped to fit tightly within the housing 320. The second portion 350 also
includes
sealing member 360, such as one or more 0-rings, to seal the connection
between the
second portion 350 and the housing 320 and prevent fluid leakage through that
connection. The retaining assembly 330 includes a securing member 375 having a
tube
threaded portion 370 and a housing threaded portion 380 (see FIG. 22). The
securing
member 375 is slidably movable along the length of a portion of a tube 315 and
rotationally movable about the circumference of the tube 315.
100381 The fluid delivery assembly 300 is assembled by sliding the tube
assembly
310 into the housing 320, such that the second portion 350 fits into the
housing 320. The
securing member 375 is then rotated by hand so that the tube threaded portion
370 and
the housing threaded portion 380 are threadably secured to each other. This in
turn
secures the tube assembly 310 to the housing 320.
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100391 At the other end of the fluid delivery assembly 300, the first
portion 340 is
connected to the fluid source inlet valve 400. A sealed connection is effected
by
tightening the connection member 390 to the inlet valve 400 with a wrench.
[0040] The fluid delivery assembly 300 may be connected to various types of
faucets. For example, FIG. 1 illustrates connecting two tube assemblies 310 to
a two
handled lavatory sink fixture. Alternatively, the fluid delivery assembly 300
may be
used in any other suitable faucet system, such as a single handled faucet
fixture or a two
handled kitchen sink fixture with a side sprayer.
[0041] Each faucet assembly 200 may have one or more fluid flow cartridge
assemblies 500. For example, the faucet assembly 200 shown in FIG. 2 has two
fluid
flow cartridge assemblies 500, one for the hot water and one for the cold
water. Each
fluid flow cartridge 500 is configured to control the flow rate of a single
fluid source,
such as a range of fluid flow from no fluid flow at all (e.g., hot water off)
to maximum
fluid flow (e.g., hot water on all the way). Alternatively, a single fluid
flow cartridge
assembly may be configured to mix fluids from two fluid sources (e.g., hot and
cold
water), such as in a single handle faucet, for example.
[0042] FIG. 3 illustrates housing 320, which includes a pair of end bodies
(each
designated as end body 322). These end bodies 322 are connected to the
opposite ends
of a center body 324. Center body 324 forms a waterway for supplying the hot
and cold
water from the tube assemblies 310 into a water discharge fixture, such as
delivery spout
210 shown in FIG. 2. Each end body 322 includes sealing member 326, such as
one or
more 0-rings or gaskets, to seal the connection between the end body 322 and
the center
body 324 and prevent fluid leakage through that connection. The end body 322
includes
a threaded cartridge sealing portion 321 that is threaded on the outside and
that is
configured to receive a cartridge sealing nut 222 as shown in FIG. 2. The
cartridge
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sealing portion 321 also includes a cartridge housing 325 on the inside that
is configured
to receive a fluid flow cartridge assembly 500 (see FIG. 8). The end body 322
also
includes a mounting base insert portion 323 that is configured to be slidably
inserted into
a portion of a mounting base 227. As shown in FIGs. 4 and 5, the housing 320
is seated
in the mounting base 227. The mounting base 227 is attached to a countertop or
deck,
such as the countertop 150 shown in broken line form in FIG. 1. For example,
the
mounting base 227 has two threaded mounting spindles 228 connected to a center
base
229. The threaded mounting spindles 228 may be inserted into holes in the
countertop
150 such that the center base 229 rests flush against the top of the
countertop 150.
Mounting base securing nuts 225 (shown in FIG. 2) may then be threaded onto
the
threaded mounting spindles 228 from underneath the countertop 150 and
tightened until
the tops of the mounting base securing nuts 225 are flush against the bottom
of the
countertop 150, thereby securing the mounting base 227 to the countertop 150.
[0043] The threaded mounting spindles 228 are hollow and are configured to
slidably
receive the mounting base insert portions 323 of the housing 320. Portions of
the end
bodies 322 and the center body 324 are configured to fit within the center
base 229. The
assembled housing 320 and mounting base 227 may then be secured together to
escutcheon 230 with securing members 232, such as screws (as shown in FIG. 6),
thereby securing the escutcheon 230 onto the mounting base 227 on top of the
countertop
150 as shown in FIGs. 1 and 7.
[0044] As illustrated in FIG. 8, fluid flow cartridges 500 may be inserted
into the
cartridge housing 325 of the housing 320 and secured with the cartridge
sealing nut 222.
The delivery spout 210 may be attached to the escutcheon 230 and the center
body 324
using securing members 234, such as screws (see FIG. 9). Handles 220 may be
attached
to the fluid flow cartridges 500 and/or the cartridge sealing nut 222 to
complete the
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faucet assembly 200 as shown in FIG. 10. FIG. 11 shows a cross-sectional view
of the
faucet system 100.
[0045] FIGS. 12-14 illustrate features of the delivery spout 210. Delivery
spout 210
includes a fluid delivery tube 212 that extends through at least a portion of
a spout
housing 214. The base of the spout housing 214 includes a first end 216 that
is
configured to be attached to a faucet assembly. This first end 216 includes a
tube
positioning member 215 that is sized and shaped to receive a first end portion
211 of the
fluid delivery tube 212.
[0046] For example, as best seen in FIG. 13, the tube positioning member
215 may
have a first end 217 that has a tube receiving member 218. In this embodiment,
the tube
receiving member 218 is a generally U-shaped channel. This U-shaped tube
receiving
member 218 may be sized and shaped to receive and retain, as for example by a
friction
fit, a portion of the fluid delivery tube 212.
[0047] The tube positioning member 215 is configured to position the first
end
portion 211 in a manner that ensures proper alignment of the first end portion
211 with a
fluid delivery connection in the center body 324 as shown in FIG. 14. Such
alignment
and connection arises when the delivery spout 210 is connected to escutcheon
230 as part
of the faucet assembly 200.
[0048] Proper alignment of the first end portion 211 allows the delivery
spout 210 to
be quickly connected to the escutcheon 230 of the faucet assembly 200, while
ensuring
that the first end portion 211 is properly and sealingly connected to that
center body 324
of the fluid housing 320. This avoids the need to disconnect and then
reconnect the
delivery spout 210 as a result of an improper connection of the fluid delivery
tube 212.
This reduces labor and assembly costs.
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[0049] To assemble the fluid delivery assembly 300, the housing 320 is
inserted into
the mounting base 227 (FIG. 4), which has already been secured to the
countertop 150.
Each tube assembly 310 is then inserted into an end body 322, and the securing
member
375 is then rotated by hand to cooperatively engage the tube threaded portion
370 and a
housing threaded portion 380. This secures the tube assemblies 310 to the
housing 320.
Next, the first portions 340 of the tube assemblies 310 are connected to the
hot and cold
water source lines via the inlet valves 400, respectively. In this way, the
entire fluid
delivery assembly 300, or any portion of the fluid delivery assembly 300 (such
as the
tube assembly 310), may be easily removed and replaced as needed.
[0050] As can be seen in FIGS. 15 and 16, a faucet system 600 is similar to
faucet
system 100 with the exception of different tube assemblies 610 that have a
longer tube
615. FIG. 16 illustrates how easily the tube assembly 610 may be installed,
removed or
replaced. For example, in a typical kitchen or lavatory sink configuration the
connections of the tube assemblies 610 to the faucet assembly 200 are behind a
sink
bowl (not shown). This makes it difficult to use tools within the space behind
the sink
bowl. No tools are required in the space behind the sink bowl for faucet
system 600
because the securing member 375 of each tube assembly 610 may be tightened or
loosened by hand.
[0051] FIG. 17 shows a cross-sectional of faucet system 100 after assembly
of the
fluid delivery assembly 300, which includes two tube assemblies 310. The tube
assembly 310 is shown in more detail in FIGS. 18 and 19. FIGS. 20-22 show
various
stages of assembly of a housing 320, a mounting base 227 and two tube
assemblies 310.
[00521 The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles
of the
invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily
occur to
those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the
exact construction
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and operation shown and described. Accordingly, all suitable modifications and
equivalents should be considered as falling within the scope of the invention.
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