Patent ID: 11867300
Assignee: NOTCH2O LLC
Field: Mechanical elements (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F  E | IPC E  F

Claim 6:
7. A rotating knob water conservation faucet, the faucet comprising:
a knob;
a faucet body;
a spigot in communication with the faucet body;
a flow valve assembly at least in part within the faucet body, the flow valve assembly comprising:
a valve body having a water input and a water output, the water output being in fluid communication with the faucet spigot, and
a flow valve disposed in the valve body, the flow valve controlling the flow of both cold water and hot water from the spigot with a single lever by rotational movement of the lever about its longitudinal axis;
a ball plunger assembly including a ball plunger body having an opening at one end, a ball within said plunger body biased by a spring mechanism such that a portion of the ball protrudes from the opening and extends from the plunger body of the ball plunger assembly, the spring mechanism biasing the ball in a position proximate the open end of the plunger body while also permitting the ball to rotate relative to the plunger body of the ball plunger body;
a bonnet having a plunger bore configured to receive ball plunger body therein;
a stem housed within the bonnet, the stem having an exterior surface with detent grooves formed therein, the groove at least in part encircling a portion of the stem, the grooves being sized and configured to receive a portion of the ball when positioned therein, when the ball plunger is positioned within the plunger bore, the ball is oriented to face and is maintained in position to contact the surface of the stem;
wherein when the knob is rotated from the off position towards the maximum on position, the ball travels along the surface of the stem surface into a first of the detent grooves and is in the first fixed position, the knob remains in the first position;
wherein during rotation of the knob the user feels a tactile sensation through the knob from the ball being seated within the first groove which provides a tactile feedback mechanism indicating to the user that that is knob in the first position;
wherein when the knob is further rotated toward the maximum on position, the ball exits the first detent groove and travels along the surface of the stem surface and into at least a second detent groove and is in the second fixed position;
wherein when the knob is further rotated to eventually reach its maximum travel and the knob cannot move any further and is at the maximum on position of faucet where the water flow rate is at 100% for the faucet;
wherein the knob continues to provide tactile feedback to the user through the knob indicating the position of the as it moves from one of the grooves and into a next one of the grooves; and
wherein in addition to the tactile feedback, the knob provides visual feedback to the user as the remains in the fixed position until the user chooses to move the knob to another position.