Abstract:
A tool is provided for removing and installing valve seals and valve seal springs in a water faucet. The tool includes a handle having a blind bore, a probe having a proximal end received in the blind bore and a distal end projecting from the handle and a sleeve received over at least a portion of the probe.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/474,838 filed on May 30, 2003 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/502,061 filed on Sep. 11, 2003. 
     
    
     
       TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to a tool for both removing and installing valve seals and valve seal springs such as may be found in a water faucet.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Single handle faucets for controlling the flow of both hot and cold water are in common use today. Typically, such faucets include a handle or knob that is movable in two different directions to adjust both the volume or water flow rate and the mix of hot and cold water in order to achieve a desired water temperature.  
           [0004]    One of the more common single handle faucet designs incorporates a ball valve. An example of such a design is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,435 to Knapp, owned by Masco Corporation of Taylor, Mich. As illustrated in this patent the ball valve mechanism incorporates tubular elastomeric sealing elements, also known as seats or seals that are biased by springs against a ball valve element housed in a cartridge. Over time the elastomeric seals may lose their effectiveness and need to be replaced. In many faucet designs the seals are located a significant distance down in the faucet housing or shell and are difficult to reach. The present invention relates to a tool that is particularly useful when removing old ineffective seals and installing new seals.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    In accordance with the purposes of the present invention as described herein, a tool is provided comprising a handle including a blind bore, a probe having a proximal end received in the blind bore and a distal end projecting from the handle and a sleeve received over at least a portion of the probe.  
           [0006]    The distal end of the probe includes a groove and a rounded or beveled tip with the groove being positioned adjacent the tip. In one possible embodiment the tip has a length of about 1.5 to about 4.0 mm and the groove has a width of about 1.0 to about 4.0 mm. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the tip may be beveled at an angle of between about 45 degrees to about 65 degrees (typically about 55 degrees) relative to the sidewall of the probe. In addition, the probe may be magnetized.  
           [0007]    A compression spring is received in the blind bore of the handle. A portion of the compression spring is concentrically received around a portion of the proximal end of the probe. In addition, the probe includes a rib having a first shoulder engaging an end of the compression spring. A second shoulder of the rib may engage the first end of the sleeve. Further, the sleeve may be secured to the handle.  
           [0008]    In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention the tool may be provided for removing or installing a seal and spring assembly such as commonly associated with certain designs of water faucets. Further, the tool may be alternatively described as comprising a handle, a probe carried on the handle and a sleeve received over a portion of the probe. Additionally, the probe is selectively displaceable between a seal and spring holding position wherein an end of the probe is exposed from the sleeve and a seal and spring seating position wherein the seal and spring arrangement are released from the probe and seated in a desired position such as in a faucet assembly.  
           [0009]    In the following description, there is shown and described a preferred embodiment of this invention, simply by way of illustration of one of the modes best suited to carry out the invention. As it will be realized, the invention is capable of other different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions will be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0010]    The accompanying drawing incorporated in and forming a part of the specification, illustrates several aspects of the present invention, and together with the description serves to explain certain principles of the invention. In the drawing:  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the tool of the present invention;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is a detailed side elevational view showing the probe of the tool in the seal and spring holding position (see full line) and the seal and spring seating position (see phantom line);  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 a  is a schematic detail of the tip and groove of the probe;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3 is a detailed side elevational view showing a seal and spring arrangement positioned on the end of the probe;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 4 is a detailed side elevational view illustrating how the probe is utilized to seat a seal and spring arrangement in a faucet assembly;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 5 a  is a side elevational view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 b  is a detailed side elevational view of the probe utilized in the tool illustrated in FIG. 5 a.    
         [0018]    Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0019]    As best illustrated in FIG. 1, the tool  10  of the present invention includes a handle  12  having a blind bore  14 . The tool  10  also includes a probe  16  having a proximal end  18  that is received in the blind bore  14  of  5  the handle  12  and a distal end  20 . The distal end  20  includes a rounded or beveled tip  22  and a groove  24  adjacent the tip. The tip  22  has a length of about 1.5 to about 4.0 mm. The groove  24  has a width of about 1.0 to about 4.0 mm and the probe has an overall diameter of about 6.0 to about 6.4 and more typically 6.15 to 6.25 mm.  
         [0020]    More specifically, the tip  22  preferably includes a beveled angle of between 45 degrees to about 65 degrees and typically about 55 degrees with respect to the sidewall of the probe  16  (see FIG. 2 a ). In a ball type valve, the cavity for receiving the spring and seal sits at an angle of about 30 degrees to 35 degrees from perpendicular. In contrast, the water inlet tube into the cavity is perpendicular to the valve. The tip  22  may be used to contact the inner wall of the water inlet tube and the bevel insures that the spring and seal are properly aligned for seating in the cavity.  
         [0021]    The groove  24  is comprised of three surfaces (see FIG. 2 a ). The forward surface  21  is cut square with the tip  22  and the sidewall of the probe  16 . The bottom surface  23  is flat. The rear surface  25  of the groove  24  is beveled at an angle of about 45 degrees. The depth of the groove is approximately 1.5 mm.  
         [0022]    As further illustrated, the probe  16  includes a rib  26  adjacent the proximal end  18  thereof. A biasing element in the form of a compression spring  28  is concentrically received around a portion of the proximal end  18  of the probe  12  while being held in the blind bore  14 . The spring  28  is compressed between the end wall  129  of the blind bore  14  and a first shoulder  30  of the rib  26 .  
         [0023]    A sleeve  32  is concentrically received about the probe  16 . More specifically, the sleeve  32  has a diameter of approximately 9.40 mm to about 11.5 mm. The sleeve  32  includes a first end that is received in the blind bore  14 . The sleeve  32  is secured to the handle  12  by means of, for example, an adhesive, friction fit or threaded connection. It, of course, should be appreciated that the sleeve  32  need not be secured in the handle  12  if desired for some reason.  
         [0024]    As should be appreciated, the probe  16  is biased by the spring  28  into a seal and spring holding position illustrated in full line in FIG. 2 (note length of exposed probe L 1 ) and in FIG. 3. In this position the second shoulder  34  of the rib  26  engages the end of the sleeve  32 . The probe  16  is, however, also selectively displaceable to a seal and spring seating position illustrated in phantom line in FIG. 2 (note length of exposed probe L 2 ) and in FIG. 4. In this position, the probe  16  is pushed down into the bore  14  of the handle  12  against the biasing of the spring  28  until the second or exposed end  36  of the sleeve  32  nearly or completely covers the tip  22  of the probe  16  so that a seal  40  and spring  42  slides from the tip of the probe and may be seated in a faucet assembly  44  as illustrated in FIG. 4.  
         [0025]    The tool  10  of the present invention may, advantageously, be utilized to both remove and install a seal  40  and a spring  42  from a cavity  48  in a valve housing  46  of a faucet assembly  44 . More specifically, the seal  40  includes a central aperture  50 . The tip  22  of the tool  10  is inserted in the valve housing  46  and is guided into the aperture  50  in the seal  40 . The rounded or beveled tip  22  helps guide the probe  16  into the aperture  50  of the seal  40 . The tool  10  is manipulated and tilted slightly so that the groove  24  engages the spring  42  in the seal  40 . More specifically, the square cut of the forward surface  21  of the groove  24  allows the tool  10  to grab the old spring  42  to remove the seal  40  and spring as a unit. The width of the groove  24  accommodates the spring strand. The beveled rear surface  25  aids in seating the strand of the spring  42  deep in the groove  24  where it may be reliably grabbed or engaged with the forward surface  21  for efficient removal. The tool is then withdrawn from the faucet assembly  44  with the seal  40  and spring  42  connected to the tip  22 . In one embodiment, the probe  16  is magnetized to better ensure that the spring  42  is positively held to the tip  22  of the probe  16  during the removal and seating operations.  
         [0026]    The old seal  40  is then removed from the probe  16  and a new seal  40  is positioned on the spring  42 . Of course, if desired, a new spring  42  may also be utilized to replace the old spring.  
         [0027]    The tool  10  is then utilized to install the new seal  40  and spring  42  in the cavity  48  of the valve housing  46 . More specifically, the seal  40  and spring  42  are held on the end of the probe  16  by the groove  24  and the magnetic attraction between the probe  16  and the spring  42 . The tool  10  is manipulated so that the rounded or beveled tip is received in the cavity  48 . The tip  22  actually enters the water inlet  52  and the beveling insures centering thereof in the cavity  48 . This, in turn, insures that the seal  40  and spring  42  are properly seated in the cavity  48 . The operator then presses the handle  12  toward the faucet assembly  44  so that the probe  16  is pushed into the blind bore  14  against the spring  28 . As this occurs the exposed end  36  of the sleeve  32  functions to push the seal  40  and spring  42  off the tip  22  of the probe  16  so that they are fully seated in the cavity  48 . The tool  10  is then removed and the faucet is completely assembled in a manner well known in the art.  
         [0028]    An alternative embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 5 a  and  5   b . FIG. 5 a  illustrates a tool  100  having a handle  102  including a bore  104  that receives a barrel  106 . The barrel  106  includes a lumen that is hexagonal in cross section. A probe  110  is received in one end of the barrel  106 . The probe  110  includes a body having a hexagonal mounting end  112  sized and shaped to be snugly received and held in the lumen of the barrel  106 . Additionally, the probe  110  includes a distal end including a rounded or beveled tip  114  and a groove  116  adjacent the tip. The tip  114  has a length of about 1.5 to about 4.0 mm. The groove  116  has a width of about 1.0 to about 4.0 mm and the probe  110  has an overall diameter of about 6.0 to about 6.4 and more typically 6.15 to 6.25 mm. The length from the end of the tip  114  to the ferrol  120  is from about 6.0 to about 18.0 mm and typically about 12.7 mm. The tip  114  and groove  116  may in all other aspects be identical to the tip  22  and groove  24  previously described.  
         [0029]    Advantageously, the mounting end  112  of the probe  110  is of a size, shape and length to allow the probe to be secured in the end of a standard flip screw driver handle such as illustrated. The flip screw driver tool  100  could, for example, include a tool insert  120  in the other end of the barrel comprising a #2 Phillips drive on one end and a ⅛ inch Allen drive on the other end. The ⅛ inch Allen drive may be used to remove the handle on a single handle kitchen faucet while the Phillips drive may be used on most other faucet handles.  
         [0030]    The foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, the tool  10  illustrated in FIG. 1 could be made without any moving parts. Thus, the probe  116  would simply be rigidly held in the handle  12 .  
         [0031]    The embodiment was chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled. The drawings and preferred embodiment do not and are not intended to limit the ordinary meaning of the claims and their fair and broad interpretation in any way.