Abstract:
An apparatus is provided for installing a faucet on a top side of a deck. The apparatus includes a threaded member engaged with the faucet and extending through the mounting hole to be rotated from above the deck. A nut is threadedly connected to the threaded member to pass through the mounting hole to the underside of the deck. A second member associated with and parallel to the threaded member engages the nut to prevent rotation thereof during rotation of the threaded member whereby the nut will be shifted up or down along the length of the threaded member. A pair of retaining arms are provided whereby, upon rotation of the threaded member to raise the nut in the direction of the deck, the retaining arms will bend outwardly and engage the underside of the deck to clamp the faucet to the deck.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to a faucet assembly, and more particularly, to a quick install faucet assembly which can be mounted from the top of a deck to which the faucet assembly is connected. 
     2. Background and Summary of the Invention 
     In conventional faucet assemblies, the mounting of the faucet assembly is completed from, or requires assembly components to be installed from the underside of the deck to which the faucet assembly is mounted. The assembly which is typically required to be performed from the underside of the deck is often awkward and uncomfortable for the installer. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a quick install faucet assembly that is mounted to the deck from above the deck, and that is simple in construction, economical to produce, and highly reliable in operation. It is another object of the present invention to provide a quick install faucet assembly that is easy to assemble or disassemble, as desired. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a quick install faucet assembly for mounting the spout and/or the end bodies of the faucet from above the deck in a quick and easy manner with a minimum of tools or operations. 
     Accordingly, the present invention provides a quick install faucet assembly, and more specifically, a faucet assembly that is mounted from the top of the deck to which the faucet assembly is connected. 
     Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood however that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a front view of the quick install faucet assembly according to the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  2 — 2  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of the spout assembly inserted in an opening in the deck with the retainer assembly in the disengaged position, according to the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a front view of the spout assembly with the retainer assembly in the engaged position for engaging the deck, according to the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the quick install spout assembly according to the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a plan view of the spout nut, according to the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a plan view of a mounting bracket for use according to the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 8 is a first side view of a quick install end body valve assembly according to the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 9 is a second side view of the end body valve assembly according to the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 10 is a side view of the end body valve assembly inserted in an opening in a deck with the retainer assembly in the disengaged position according to the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 11 is a second side view of the end body valve assembly with the retainer assembly in the engaged position according to the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the threaded nut for use with the end body valve assembly according to the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 13 is a side view of the threaded body for use with the end body valve assembly according to the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the end body valve assembly according to the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the spacer tube for use with the end body valve assembly according to the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the nut guide and retainer assembly for use with the end body valve assembly according to the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the guide flange of the nut guide and retainer assembly according to the principles of the present invention; 
     FIGS. 18 and 19 show side and front views, respectively, of the guide arm of the nut guide and retainer assembly according to the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 20 is a side view of a second embodiment of the quick install spout assembly according to the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 21 is an exploded view of the quick install spout assembly shown in FIG. 20; 
     FIG. 22 is a perspective view of a retainer sleeve for use with the quick install spout assembly shown in FIG. 20; 
     FIG. 23 is a first side view of a quick install end body valve assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 24 is a second side view of the end body valve assembly shown in FIG. 23; 
     FIG. 25 is a first side view of the bracket and nut assembly shown in FIG. 23; and 
     FIG. 26 is a second side view of the bracket and nut assembly shown in FIG. 25 inserted in an opening in the deck. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference to the accompanying drawings, the quick install faucet assembly according to the principles of the present invention will be described The quick install faucet assembly described herein includes a spout  10  and a pair of separately mounted end body valve assemblies  12 ,  14 . However, it should be understood that the principles of the present invention may also be applied to a faucet assembly having the spout  10  and valve assemblies  12 ,  14  as a single unit. 
     As shown in FIG. 5, the spout  10  includes a water passage  16  which communicates with a waterway tube  18 . The waterway tube  18  has a threaded end portion  20  which engages an internally threaded portion  22  of the spout  10 . The waterway tube  18  includes a radially extending hexagonal flange portion  24 . A guide bracket  26  is provided with a pair of openings  28 , as shown in FIG. 7, and receives the threaded portion  20  of the waterway tube  18  through one of the openings  28 . The radially extending flange portion  24  supports the guide bracket  26  within a lower cavity  30  defined within the spout  10 . The threaded portion  20  of waterway tube  18  is engaged with the internally threaded portion  22  of spout  10 . As is known in the art, a Teflon® tape, thread sealant or other seal means, can be provided on the threaded portion  20  of the waterway tube  18  in order to provide a water sealed fit. 
     A threaded rod  32  is provided with a hollow cylindrical body  34  which is externally threaded and is provided with an upper radially extending flange  36 . The threaded rod  32  extends through the second opening  28  in guide bracket  26  while flange  36  rests against the guide bracket  26 . The threaded rod  32  is aligned with an opening  38  in the spout  10  which allows access of an allen wrench for engaging an internal hexagonal engagement portion  40  provided in the upper portion of the threaded rod  32 . In the completed faucet assembly, a pop-up rod  58  extends through the central opening of the threaded rod  32  and through the opening  38  in spout  10 . As is well known in the art, the pop-up rod  58  engages a drain stopper assembly (not shown) for opening and closing the drain stopper. 
     With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the spout  10  is provided with a retainer assembly  42 . The retainer assembly  42  includes a nut member  44  which is threadedly engaged with the threaded rod  32 . As best shown in FIG. 6, the nut member  44  includes a threaded opening  46  which engages the threaded rod  32  and a second opening  47  which slidably receives the waterway tube  18 . The nut member  44  also includes two retainer arm receiving holes  48  disposed on opposite sides of the threaded opening  46 . A pair of generally parallel retainer arms  50  are mounted to the nut member  44  and extend between the nut member  44  and the guide bracket  26 . The guide bracket  26  includes a pair of slots  52  (as shown in FIG. 7) for receiving the ends of the arms  50 . 
     With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the installation of the spout  10  according to the principles of the present invention will now be described. The spout  10  is mounted to a deck or mounting surface  60  which is provided with an opening  62  for receiving the threaded rod  32  and waterway tube  18  of the spout assembly. As shown in FIG. 3, the retainer assembly  42  is in a disengaged position with the retainer arms  50  being generally straight. 
     At this point, an alien wrench can be inserted through the opening  38  in the spout  10  to engage the hexagonal portion  40  of the threaded rod  32 . The threaded rod  32  can then be turned in order to draw the nut member  44  of the retainer assembly  42  in an upward direction so that the retainer arms  50  of the retainer assembly  42  bend outward to engage the underside of the deck  60  at two points spaced about opening  62 , as best shown in FIG.  4 . The retainer arms  50  are preferably made from steel or other bendable material. The retainer arms  50  can be scored in order to facilitate bending in a specific location. The retainer arms  50  can be suspended between the nut member  44  and guide bracket  26 . The pop-rod  58  is slidably received in the opening in the threaded rod  32  and can be easily removed so that the allen wrench can be inserted through the opening  38  of spout  10  to engage the hexagonal portion  48  of the threaded rod  32 . 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the quick install faucet assembly of the present invention is provided with first and second end body valve assemblies  12 ,  14 . One of the end body valve assemblies  12  is provided for the hot water line while the other of the end body valve assemblies  14  is for the cold water supply line. Each end body valve assembly  12 ,  14  is provided with an end connector  70 , secured in place by a connector clip  72 , for communicating water via interconnecting hoses  74  to the T-joint connector  76  mounted to the waterway tube  18  of spout assembly  10 . 
     With reference to FIG. 14, end body valve assembly  14  will be described. It should be understood that the end body valve assemblies  12 ,  14  have identical configurations and that a separate detailed description of each valve assembly is unnecessary. The end body valve assembly  14  includes a threaded body  80  mounted to a shut-off valve  82 . The threaded body  80  includes an upper hexagonal head portion  84  provided with a radially extending flange  86  below the hexagonal head portion  84 . The threaded body  80  also includes a hollow longitudinally extending base portion  88  which defines the waterflow path as best shown in FIG.  14 . The threaded body  80  has a hollow central portion  90  which receives a spacer tube  92  (shown in FIG.  15 ). Spacer tube  92  has a hollow opening therethrough which defines the central flowpath  93  which communicates fluid through the shut-off-valve  82 . The shut-off valve  82  communicates water from the waterflow path  93  to a concentrically formed waterflow path  95  between the threaded body  80  and spacer tube  92  to communicate water to radially extending openings  96  in the base portion  88  of the threaded body  80 . The openings  96  communicate with the end connector  70  for communicating fluid through the interconnecting hose  74 . The base portion  88  of threaded body  80  is provided with radial grooves  98  for supporting O-rings  102  between the base portion  88  and the end connector  70  for providing a water-tight fit between the end connector  70  and the threaded body  80 . The base portion  88  of the threaded body  80  includes a recessed area between the O-rings  102  for water flow. The base portion  88  also includes a groove  104  for receiving a retaining clip  72 , as shown in FIGS. 1 and 14. 
     The end body valve assembly  14  includes a retainer assembly  108 . The retainer assembly  108  includes a threaded nut  110  which is threadedly engaged with the threaded body  80 . Threaded nut  110 , as best shown in FIG. 12, is provided with a pair of oppositely disposed guide recesses  112  and a pair of arm receiving slots  114 . 
     A nut guide assembly  130 , as best shown in FIG. 16, is provided for guiding the threaded nut  110  and preventing rotation of the threaded nut  110 . The nut guide assembly  130  includes a guide flange  132  which abuts against the radially extending flange  86  of threaded body  80 . As best shown in FIG. 17, guide flange  132  includes a pair of recesses  134  which mate with an upper bend portion  136  of oppositely disposed guide arms  138 , as best shown in FIGS. 18 and 19. As the guide flange  132  rests against the radially extending flange  86 , the flange  86  helps to hold the upper bend portion  136  of the arms  138  in the recesses  134 . The guide arms  138  extend through the guide recesses  112  in the threaded nut  110  to prevent the threaded nut  110  from rotating relative to the nut guide assembly  130 . Accordingly, as the threaded body  80  is rotated, the threaded nut  110  is prevented from rotating relative to the nut guide assembly  130  therefore causing the threaded nut  110  to move upward and downward along the threaded body  80  depending upon the direction of rotation of the threaded body  80 . The retainer assembly  108  includes a pair of legs  139  which extend between the guide flange  132  and the threaded nut  110 . The legs  139  each include an upper bend portion  140  similar to upper bend portions  136  of guide arm  138 . The upper bend portions  140  of the legs  139  engage recesses  142  in the guide flange  132 . As the threaded nut  110  moves up and down along the threaded body  80  upon rotation of the threaded body  80 , the legs  139  of the retainer assembly bend outward as illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 14 in order to encapsulate the end body valve assembly within the opening  150  of the deck  60 . 
     During installation of the end body valve assembly  14 , according to the principles of the present invention, the end body valve assembly  14  is inserted through an opening  150  in the deck or mounting surface  60 . In order to securely fasten the end body valve assembly  14  to the deck  60 , the guide flange  132  is held and the threaded body  80  is rotated in a clockwise direction in order to draw the threaded nut  110  upward so that the legs  139  bend outward against the underside of the deck  60  as shown in FIGS. 11 and 14. A wrench can be used to engage the hexagonal head portion  84  of the threaded body  80  in order to tighten the end body valve assembly  14  in place. The height is automatically set for proper handle height. A lever handle (not shown) would then be applied to the upper splined portion  154  of the valve  82  as is known in the art. 
     At this time, the end connector  70  is attached to the end body valve assembly  14  by sliding the connector  70  over the base portion  88  of the threaded body  80  and the connector clip  72  is inserted in the groove  104  for holding the connector  70  in place. Preferably, the interconnecting hoses  74  are preassembled to the end connectors  70  and T-connector  76 , thus reducing the amount of time and work done under the sink where space is limited. The end connector  70 , as best shown in FIG. 14, includes a generally cylindrical body portion  160  having a radially extending port neck  162  extending therefrom. Port neck  162  includes serrations  164  on an exterior surface thereof. The serrations  164  engage with the hose  74  to secure the hose  74  to the end connector  70 . As an alternative, the connector  70  can be held in place by other known techniques such as a crimped fitting. 
     The T-connector  76 , shown in FIG. 1, includes a body portion  168 , as best shown in FIG. 5, connected to the waterway tube  18  and further having first and second hose connector portions  170  for connecting with the hoses  74 . The body portion  168 , as shown in FIG. 5, supports an O-ring  172  which surrounds the waterway tube  18  as well as a connector ring  174 . The connector ring  174  includes a plurality of fingers  176  which extend longitudinally and are provided with radially inwardly extending end portions  178 . The radially inwardly extending end portions  178  engage an annular groove  180  formed in the exterior surface of the waterway tube  18  in order to secure the T-connector  76 , as best shown in FIG. 1, to the waterway tube  18 . The T-connector  76  is commercially available from the PARFLEX Division of Parker Hannifin, 1300 N. Freedom Street, Ravenna, Ohio 44266. 
     A second embodiment of the quick install faucet of the present invention is disclosed in FIGS. 20-22. The quick install faucet assembly  200  includes a faucet  210  which defines a water passage  212  therethrough. The faucet  210  is provided with a threaded shaft  213  which has an externally threaded surface which threadedly engages a threaded sleeve  214 . The threaded sleeve  214  includes an internally and externally threaded cylindrical body portion  216  and a radially extending flange portion  218 . The externally threaded portion of the threaded sleeve engages a compression retainer sleeve  220 . The compression retainer sleeve  220 , best shown in FIG. 22 includes a cylindrical body portion  222  including a plurality of slots  224  defining a plurality of retainer legs  226 . A bottom portion of the cylindrical body portion  222  includes internal threads  228  which are engaged by external threads of threaded sleeve  214 . The compression retainer sleeve  220  also includes a radially extending flange  230  at an upper portion of the cylindrical body portion  222 . 
     During installation, the compression retainer sleeve  220  is inserted in an opening  232  in the deck  234  so that the flange  230  is seated above the deck  234 . The threaded sleeve  214  is then inserted in the compression retainer sleeve  220  such that the externally threaded portion engages the internal threads  228 . As the threaded sleeve  214  is engaged  20  with the internal threads  228  of the compression retainer sleeve and the flange portion  218  of the threaded sleeve  214  engages the flange portion  230  of the compression retainer sleeve  220 , continued rotation of the threaded sleeve  214  will cause the retainer legs  226  to buckle outwardly until the retainer legs  226  engage the underside of the deck  234 , as best shown in FIG.  20 . 
     With reference to FIGS. 23-26, a second embodiment of the end body valve assembly  200  will be described. The end body valve assembly  200  is attached to a sink or deck by an upper bracket  202  and a lower nut retainer  204 , best shown in FIG.  23 . The upper bracket  202  is not threaded and is attached to a bracket  206 . The bracket  206  includes a pair of long arms  208  each with an opening  210  at the lower end thereof . The lower nut retainer  204  has a pair of arms  212  which extend laterally outward and includes a threaded body portion  214 . The arms  212  are received in the openings  210  of arms  208  such that the lower nut  204  extends between the two openings  210 . 
     During installation of the valve body assembly  200  the lower nut  204  and bracket  206  are inserted through the opening  150  in the deck  60  as best shown in FIG.  25 . An end body  220  is then inserted through a center of the upper bracket  202  and lowered to the lower nut retainer  204 . The end body  220  includes a threaded outer surface  221  such that upon rotation of the end body  220 , the end body  220  engages the lower nut retainer  204 . To tighten the end body  220  to the deck, the upper bracket  202  can be held in place while the threaded valve body  220  is rotated. The valve body rotation causes the lower nut retainer  204  to move up the threaded valve body  220  forcing the arms  212  to bend outward until the deck  60  is sandwiched by the upper bracket  202  and outwardly bent arms  208  as shown in phantom in FIG.  23 . In this embodiment, the end body  220  supports a valve  82  and an internal spacer tube  92  in the same manner as shown in FIG.  14 . 
     The quick connect faucet assembly, according to the principles of the present invention, provides an installation which is much faster than conventional faucets. Furthermore, installation is simplified since all components are tightened from above the sink. 
     The quick install faucet assembly of the present invention has no loose parts that can be misplaced. The end body and spout can be preassembled and ready for installation by the user. 
     The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.