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

Claim 0:
1. A single handle water conservation faucet, the faucet comprising:
a handle having a plunger bore;
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 valve body cover positioned over at least a portion of the valve assembly, the valve body cover including an exterior surface and a plurality of detent grooves formed in the valve cover at least partially encircling the valve body cover, the grooves being sized and configured to receive a portion of the ball when positioned therein, the ball plunger assembly being positioned in the plunger bore of the handle such that the ball is oriented to face and be maintained in position to contact the surface of the valve body cover,
wherein when the handle is moved from the off position towards the maximum on position, the ball travels along the surface of the valve body cover into a first of the detent grooves and is in the first fixed position, the handle remains in the first position;
wherein during movement of the handle the user feels a tactile sensation through the handle from the ball being seated within the first groove which provides a tactile feedback mechanism indicating to the user that that handle is in the first position;
wherein when the handle is further moved toward the maximum on position, the ball exits the first detent groove and travels along the surface of valve body cover and into at least a second detent groove and is in the second fixed position;
wherein when the handle is further moved to eventually reach its maximum travel and the handle 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 handle continues to provide tactile feedback to the user through the handle indicating the position of the handle 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 handle provides visual feedback to the user as the handle remains in the fixed position until the user chooses to move the handle to another position.