Patent ID: 9062796
Filing Date: 2015-06-23
Classification: E03C,F16K,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A faucet handle assembly comprising: a handle including a user input portion and a shaft extending downwardly along a longitudinal axis from the user input portion, the shaft including a shoulder defining a downwardly facing surface; a hub including a side wall defining an internal chamber extending between an open upper end and an open lower end, the open upper end including an upwardly facing surface, a lip within the internal chamber defining a downwardly facing surface, the shaft of the handle being received within the open upper end for rotation about the longitudinal axis, and opposing retainer tabs extending inwardly from the side wall into the internal chamber proximate the open lower end; a push nut to retain the shaft of the handle to the hub, the push nut including an upper surface and slidably adjustable along the shaft of the handle for axial positioning relative to the downwardly facing surface of the lip of the hub for accommodating tolerances between the handle and the hub, the upwardly and downwardly facing surfaces of the hub being captured between the downwardly facing surface of the shaft of the handle and the upper surface of the push nut; an upper glide ring positioned intermediate the shaft of the handle and the hub to define an upper bearing between the downwardly facing surface of the shoulder of the handle and the upwardly facing surface of the upper end of the hub; a lower glide ring positioned intermediate the hub and the push nut to define a lower bearing between the downwardly facing surface of the lip of the hub and the upper surface of the push nut; and a mounting base including a support defining a central opening and arms positioned outwardly from the central opening and defining rotational lock channels to receive the retainer tabs of the hub, the hub being in an unlocked position when the tabs are positioned outside of the channels, and the hub being in a locked position when the hub is rotated about the longitudinal axis from the unlocked position such that the tabs are received within the lock channels; and a valve body including an upper receiving member configured to receive a valve cartridge having a valve stem, and a mounting shank extending downwardly from the upper receiving member, the mounting shank including a retaining lip supported by an upper surface of the mounting base.