Abstract:
A faucet for controlling the dispensing of liquids includes a valve body having a valve chamber with an inlet and an outlet. A valve element is located in the valve chamber and is movable from a first position for blocking flow between the inlet and outlet to a second position for permitting flow between the inlet and the outlet. An operating stem has an inner end operatively connected to the valve element and an outer end located external to the body. A bonnet is included, and an insert member is rotatably connected to the bonnet and defines an opening through which the stem extends. The bonnet and insert member are secured to the body and enclose the valve element in the valve chamber. The insert is located such that no portion of the insert member is clamped between the bonnet and the body.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/015,137 filed Jan. 16, 2008, now assigned U.S. Pat. No. 8,418,991, which claims priority from and benefit of the filing date of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/880,752 filed Jan. 16, 2007, and the entire disclosure of each of these prior applications is hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    A known faucet valve including a safety handle is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,449,144, and the disclosure of said patent is hereby expressly incorporated be reference into the present specification. The safety handle faucet disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,449,144 has enjoyed commercial success, but a need has been identified for an alternative version, in which certain assembly steps are simplified and in which certain assembly errors can be avoided, without decreasing safety or performance. 
         [0003]      FIGS. 1 through 3  show the general overall arrangement of a known dispensing type valve or faucet assembly  10  that generally includes a main body  12  that carries a valve element and bonnet arrangement  14 . A suitable manually operable cam actuator handle assembly  16  is arranged for providing selective opening of the valve element. 
         [0004]    The body  12  is formed of a metal or suitable plastic or resinous material and has an inlet end  18  and a nozzle or outlet end  20 . The horizontal portion  12   a  of the body  12  defines the inlet passage or inlet  22  that joins with a cylindrical or otherwise shaped valve chamber  24  that extends vertically in body section  12   b . Chamber  24  has an outlet passage or outlet  26  that is generally in alignment with the axis of the valve chamber  24  and provides an outlet passage to the outlet end  20 . It will be noted that the annular shoulder at the juncture between valve chamber  24  and the outlet passage  26  generally provides a seat  28  of flat, annular configuration. 
         [0005]    Positioned within the valve chamber  24  and arranged to cooperate with the seat  28  to control flow from the valve chamber to the outlet passage  26  is a seat cup valve element  30  which has a generally cup-like shape and is preferably molded from silicon rubber or some suitable elastomer capable of withstanding the operating conditions to which it is to be subjected in the faucet assembly  10 . As illustrated (see also the exploded view of  FIG. 4 ), the cup-like valve element  30  has a lower cylindrical or frusto-conical end portion  32  which is of smaller diameter than the interior of the valve chamber and terminates in a closed end wall  34 . End wall  34  is sized and arranged so that it can sealingly engage about the seat  28  when it is driven downwardly to the position shown in  FIG. 2  to block liquid flow from the inlet passage  22  and valve chamber  24  into the outlet passage  26 . The upper end of the valve element  30  extends radially outward as shown and is sized so as to be tightly received in the larger diameter counterbore section  36  formed about the upper end of valve chamber  24  (see  FIG. 2 ). 
         [0006]    The valve element  30  is maintained in position and sealingly engaged about its upper end with the counterbore  36 . It is held in this position by a bonnet element  38  that is threaded to the upper end of the vertical section  12   b  of body  12  and, in a manner subsequently to be described, clamps axially downward on the upper edge of valve element  30 . 
         [0007]    The valve element  30  is joined to an inner end of an operating stem element  40  (see  FIG. 4 ) that extends outwardly of the valve body through a central opening  106  in an insert member  94  connected to the bonnet  38 . As shown, the lower or inner end of stem  40  has a spaced pair of flanges  42  and  44  that define a circumferential groove  46 . The lower end of the stem is thus adapted to be tightly received and resiliently gripped in the interior lower end of the valve element  30 . Note that the valve element  30  includes an inwardly extending flange portion  48  to thereby define a closed lower end  50  that encompasses the flange  44  to provide a connection between the stem and cup when the stem is forced into position in the valve element. 
         [0008]    Positioned coaxially about the stem  40  is a compression coil spring  52  that has a reduced diameter lower end  54  that rests on the upper surface of flange  42 . The spring  52  thus maintains the stem  40  and the valve element  30  continually biased toward a closed position as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0009]    The operating stem and valve element are moved between the first, lower or closed position ( FIG. 2 ) and a second, upper or open position, where the seat cup end wall  34  is lifted away from the seat  28  to allow liquid flow into the outlet passage  26 , by the previously-mentioned cam actuator handle assembly  16  that selectively pulls the seat cup end wall  34  away from the seat  28  with associated resilient deformation of the seat cup valve element  30 . Although the actuator handle assembly  16  could vary substantially, from what is shown, the subject assembly  16  is a known form of safety handle which is arranged to prevent movement of the valve stem in a vertically upward direction until the user has manually moved the handle to an operating position, at which time it can be rotated to move the stem open, in order to prevent unintended opening of the faucet  10 . 
         [0010]    In particular, and as best understood by reference to  FIGS. 2 ,  2 A, and  4 , the actuator handle assembly  16  includes a two-part, manually operable handle including a first lever-like component  60  that has a pair of laterally spaced, downwardly extending leg elements  61   a  and  62   a  that join to a radially extending lever body  64 . The legs  61   a ,  62   a  each include inwardly extending, short pivot pin portions  66  that are arranged to join to slots or grooves  71  formed in opposite sides of the outer or upper end of stem  40  (see  FIG. 4 ). 
         [0011]    Slidably received on the pivoted lever body  64  is a cam actuator or handle element  68 . The cam actuator or handle element  68  is linearly axially slidable on the lever  64  and is retained thereon by side flanges that extend down on laterally opposite sides of the end portion  69 . Also, a transverse retainer bar  70  extends between opposite sides  72  and  74  of the cam actuator element  68 . Sides  72  and  74  further define a pair of spaced cam surfaces  76 . The operation of cam surfaces  76  will subsequently be described. However, for the present, it should be noted that the cam actuator element  68  is normally maintained biased to the left in a disengaged position as shown in  FIG. 2  by a compression spring  78  suitably retained in position between an end wall on cam actuator element  68  and the outer end of lever portion  64 . Outward movement of the cam actuator element  68  beyond the solid line position shown in  FIG. 2  is prevented by laterally extending end shoulders  80  carried on the lever  64  and engaging suitable stop surfaces on the cam actuator element  68 . 
         [0012]    With the cam actuator element  68  in its outwardly biased, disengaged position as shown in  FIG. 2 , downward pivotal movement of the actuator handle  16  about the outer end of the stem  40  results in abutment of the lower corner of the cam elements  76  with the side of the body  30  such that no upward or outward pulling force is placed on the stem  40  by this engagement since the forces are generally acting radially of the stem. However, when the cam actuator element  68  is moved radially inward to its engaged position as shown in dotted lines in  FIG. 2  by compression forces on the outer end, and thereafter pivoted by manual force in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in  FIG. 2 , the cam surfaces  76  are in position to engage with the top of the bonnet  38  and/or the insert member  94  connected to the bonnet  38  as described below) and cause an upwardly/outwardly directed force to be applied to the stem  40  to pull the seat cup valve element  30  away from the seat  28  and open the valve. Upon release of the actuator handle  16 , the compression spring  52  forces the resilient seat cup valve element  30  back against the seat  28  and causes the valve to close. The spring  78  moves the cam actuator element  68  back to the solid line position of  FIG. 2 . Thus, as can be seen, the valve is normally moved to an open position only by a combination of movements which normally could never result merely by inadvertent contact with the handle and cam actuator assembly  16 . That is, the handle must be compressed into the dotted line position and pivoted in a counterclockwise direction before opening can take place. 
         [0013]    In addition to the above, the subject invention includes means to prevent any lateral tilting of the stem in directions lying in planes parallel to the pivot axis between the stem  40  and the cam actuator  16  as defined by the pins  66 . The means to prevent this tilting in the subject invention comprise spaced parallel walls  90 ,  92  which define guide surfaces that are parallel to the outer surfaces of the legs  61   a  and  62   a  (see  FIG. 3 ). The walls  90 ,  92  extend upwardly above the bonnet and engage legs  61   a  and  62   a  in close sliding guiding relationship. Although it is of course possible for the walls  90 ,  92  to be an integral part of the bonnet member  38 , in the subject embodiment, they are formed as a portion of an insert member  94  that is positioned between the bonnet and the upper end of the vertical portion of valve body  12 . The insert member  94  is best illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . As shown therein, it includes a circular base portion  96  having an outwardly extending flange  98 . The flange  98  is sized so as to extend under the radially inwardly extending flange  38   a  on the bonnet  38 . Suitable snap tabs  100  are located above the flange  98  a short distance substantially equal to the thickness of bonnet flange  38   a . The insert member can then be inserted into position in the bonnet member  38  by being forced upwardly therein until the tabs  100  latch with the top surface of the bonnet. The wall portions  90 ,  92  are molded integrally /with the circular lower wall and are also connected by an integral end wall  102  which gives them lateral rigidity. Wall  102  also provides a vertical guide surface that prevents tilting of the stem in a direction toward wall  102 . A suitable tapered brace portion  104  is also connected between the circular bottom  96  and the end wall  102 . The circular bottom is further provided with a central opening  106  that closely engages and guides the stem  40 . 
         [0014]    The arrangement described with respect to the insert member  94  constrains the cam actuator assembly  16  for the desired strictly vertical and rotary movement because of the guide surfaces provided by the walls  90  and  92 . Thus, forces acting laterally against the handle in directions parallel to the axis defined by pins  66  cannot cause any inadvertent crack opening which might result from such lateral tilting even though the cam surfaces  76  have not been moved inwardly. Likewise, forces acting perpendicular to back wall  102  cannot, by themselves, produce opening. 
         [0015]    With continuing reference to  FIGS. 1-5  described above, in certain cases, the bonnet  38  is threaded on the body  12  with excessive torque during assembly or after cleaning, which leads to the flange  98  of the insert member  94  being clamped between the bonnet  38  and the valve body  12 . It has generally been deemed desirable for a user to be able to rotate the actuator assembly  16  about the vertical, longitudinal axis of the stem  40 , and this requires corresponding rotational movement of the insert member  94  relative to the bonnet  38  and vertical portion  12   b  of the body. If the insert member  94  is clamped between the bonnet  38  and the body  12 , the actuator assembly  16  cannot be rotated as just described without use of undesirably high force which can lead to component breakage and user dissatisfaction. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0016]    In accordance with one aspect of the present development, a faucet for controlling the dispensing of liquids includes a valve body having a valve chamber with an inlet and an outlet. A valve element is located in the valve chamber and is movable from a first position for blocking flow between the inlet and outlet to a second position for permitting flow between the inlet and the outlet. An operating stem has an inner end operatively connected to the valve element and an outer end located external to the body. A bonnet is included, and an insert member is rotatably connected to the bonnet and defines an opening through which the stem extends. The bonnet and insert member are secured to the body and enclose the valve element in the valve chamber. The insert is located such that no portion of the insert member is clamped between the bonnet and the body. Spaced-apart guide walls project outwardly from the insert member external to the valve chamber. An actuator handle assembly is operatively coupled to the outer end of the stem. The actuator handle assembly includes a lever pivotally connected to the outer end of the stem and a cam actuator movably connected to the lever. The cam actuator moves to and between: (i) an engaged position in which pivoting movement of the lever relative to the stem is effective to cause the lever to exert a pulling force on the stem sufficient to move the valve element from its first position to its second position; and, (ii) a disengaged position in which pivoting movement of the lever relative to the stem is ineffective to cause the lever to exert a pulling force on the stem sufficient to move the valve element from its first position to its second position. 
         [0017]    In accordance with another aspect of the present development, a faucet for controlling the dispensing of liquids includes a valve body having a valve chamber, an inlet to the valve chamber, an outlet from the valve chamber, and a valve seat located between the inlet and the outlet. A valve element is located in the valve chamber and movable to and between a first position engaged with the seat and a second position spaced from the seat. An operating stem has an inner end operatively connected to the valve element and an outer end. A bonnet includes an insert member rotatably connected thereto. The bonnet is connected to the body such that the bonnet and insert member enclose the valve element in the valve chamber. The insert member defines an opening through which the stem extends such that the outer end of said stem is located external to the valve chamber. The insert member is positioned so as not to be clamped between the bonnet and the body. Spaced-apart guide walls project outwardly from the insert member external to the valve chamber. An actuator handle assembly includes a lever connected to the outer end of the stem and a cam actuator movably connected to the lever. The cam actuator moves relative to the lever to and between: (i) an engaged position in which the actuator handle assembly is operative to move the valve element from the first position to the second position; and, (ii) a disengaged position in which the actuator handle assembly is inoperative to move the valve element from its first position to its second position. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0018]      FIG. 1  (prior art) is a perspective view of a known dispensing type faucet or valve; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  (prior art) is a side elevational view of the faucet shown in  FIG. 1  (portions have been broken away to more clearly show certain features of interior construction); 
           [0020]      FIG. 2A  (prior art) is a cross-sectional view taken on lines  2 A-- 2 A of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  (prior art) is a front elevational view of the faucet of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  (prior art) is an exploded view, partially in section, showing the valve element, operating stem and spring, together with the cam handle actuator and bonnet elements that together define an upper portion of the faucet; 
           [0023]      FIG. 5  (prior art) is a perspective view of one of the insert elements used in the faucet of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 6  is a side elevational view of a faucet formed in accordance with the present invention (portions have been broken away to more clearly show certain features of interior construction); 
           [0025]      FIG. 7  is a sectioned view of the upper portion of the faucet of  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0026]      FIGS. 8A ,  8 B, and  8 C are top, side and bottom views of the bonnet portion of the faucet of  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0027]      FIGS. 9A ,  9 B,  9 C and  9 D are top, front, side and bottom views of the insert portion of the faucet of  FIG. 6 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
       [0028]    According to the present invention, the faucet  10  described above (and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,449,144) is modified to replace the bonnet  38  and insert member  94  thereof with a new bonnet  138  and new insert member  194  as described below to define a faucet  110  which, except as shown and/or described herein, is identical to the faucet  10 . Like components of the faucet  110  relative to the faucet  10  are identified with like reference numbers that are 100 greater than those used above in connection with the description of the faucet  10 , and are not necessarily described again below. 
         [0029]      FIG. 6  is a side elevational view of the faucet  110  formed in accordance with the present invention (portions have been broken away to more clearly show certain features of interior construction). The body  112  is identical to the body  12 , except that it&#39;s inlet end  118  is shown as being a female, internally threaded conformation instead of the male, externally threaded version of the body  12  shown in  FIG. 1 . The inlet end  118  of body  112  can alternatively be defined with a male, externally threaded connection or can include a rotatable mounting nut for operative connection of the faucet  112  to an liquid container or other liquid supply as in generally known in the art, and it is not intended that the claims be limited to any particular style of inlet end  118  for the body  112 . Excepts as noted herein, the structure and operation of the faucet are the same as for the faucet  10  described above and further explanation is not repeated here. 
         [0030]    The faucet  110  comprises an upper portion  115  (shown by itself in  FIG. 7 ) comprising the seat cup valve element  130 , operating stem  140 , spring  152 , cam handle actuator  116 , and bonnet and insert elements  138 , 194 . In  FIG. 7 , which is a sectioned view of the faucet upper portion  115 , it can be seen that the faucet  110  includes a bonnet  138  and insert member  194  that are modified relative to the corresponding components of the faucet  10 . The upper portion  115  is adapted to be operatively secured to the main body  112  by threaded attachment of the bonnet  138  to the vertical portion  112   b  of the main body  112  so that the seat cup valve element  130  is operatively positioned to selectively seat on and be unseated from the valve seat  128 . 
         [0031]    The bonnet  138  is shown in  FIGS. 8A-8C  and is defined as an annular member including an opening  138   o . The bonnet includes internal threads  138   t  that are adapted to mate with external threads of the body. The bonnet  138  comprises an annular depression  138   d  in an upper or outer surface. The depression  138   d  is defined by a radial inwardly extending flange  13   8   a  that turns inward or downward at its end to define a lip  138   p  that defines a periphery of the bonnet opening  138   o.    
         [0032]    Referring also to  FIGS. 9A-9D , the new insert member  194 , itself, comprises an upper portion  194   u  which is essentially identical to the insert member  94  in that it comprises spaced parallel walls  190 ,  192  that define guide surfaces  190   s , 192   s  that are parallel to the outer surfaces of the legs  161   a  and  162   a  of the actuator handle  116 . Walls  190 , 192  are connected by a transverse end wall  193 , which is preferably strengthened by a brace  195 . 
         [0033]    When the insert member  194  is operably mated with the corresponding bonnet  138 , the walls  190 , 192 , 193  extend upwardly above the bonnet  138 , and the legs  161   a  and  162   a  of the actuator assembly  16  are located between the walls  190 , 192  with a close, sliding, guiding relationship, to ensure that the legs  161   a , 162   a  move only rotationally in respective vertical planes parallel to the walls  190 , 192 . The insert member  194  and bonnet  138  are each preferably defined as a one-piece molded polymeric or “plastic” component. For certain applications, e.g., high-temperature applications, bonnet  138  can be defined as a metal component. 
         [0034]    The insert member  194  also includes a base portion  196  from which the walls  190 , 192 , 193  extend. The base portion  196  comprises an outwardly extending flange  198 . As shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8A , the flange  198  is sized so as to be received in the annular depression  138   d  ( FIG. 8A ) of the bonnet as defined by the radially inward extending flange  138   a  of the bonnet  138 . The flange  198  of the insert member  194  is rotatable in the depression  138   d  of the bonnet  138  while in sliding contact with the flange  138   a . This can be accomplished with a variety of different arrangements, e.g., by forming the depression  138   d  and flange  198  with circular peripheries as shown or using any other suitable structures that allow rotational movement of the insert flange  198  in the bonnet depression  138   d . Preferably, the insert flange  198  fits closely in the depression  138   d  with minimal radial clearance to minimize radial movement of the insert member  194  relative to the bonnet  138 . 
         [0035]    The inwardly extending flange  138   a  of bonnet  138  includes a lip  138   p  that terminates in a face  138   f  arranged perpendicular or otherwise transverse to the longitudinal axis L of the stem  140 . The lip  138   p  thus provides a boss that projects from an inner face of the bonnet  138  and through which the bonnet opening  138   o  extends. 
         [0036]    Below the flange  198  of the base portion  196 , the insert member  194  includes an annular skirt portion  199  that comprises suitable snap tabs  200  including outwardly directed bite-teeth  200   t . The skirt portion  199  is dimensioned so as to be insertable into the bonnet opening  138   o  from above with minimal radial clearance, so that the flange  198  of the insert member  194  seats in the depression  138   d . The bite teeth  200   t  of the snap tabs  200  slide within the lip  138   p  during this insert member installation operation until the bite teeth  200   t  encounter the transverse face  138   f  of the lip  138   p , at which position that bite teeth  200   t  move resiliently outward toward or fully to their free or relaxed state where the bite teeth  200   t  engage the transverse face  138   f  to inhibit axial separation of the insert member  194  from the bonnet  138  in a reverse manner to the just-described installation procedure. The bonnet  138  and insert  194  are connected to the valve body  112  as a unit to capture or enclose the seat cup valve element  130  in the valve chamber  124 . 
         [0037]    The insert member includes an opening  206  ( FIGS. 7 ,  9 A,  9 D) in which the stem  140  is slidably received as described above so that the outer end of the stem  140  is located between the walls  190 , 192  of the insert member  194  for connection to the legs  161   a , 162   a  of the actuator assembly  116 . The opening  206  of the insert member extends through a boss  107  that is surrounded by the skirt portion  199  of the insert member so that an annular space  194   s  ( FIG. 9D ) is defined between the boss  107  and skirt portion  199 . The boss  107  projects into the coil spring  152  so as to provide a locator for the spring  152 . Likewise, the open upper end of the seat cup valve element  130  closely surrounds the boss defined by the bonnet lip  138   p.    
         [0038]    As shown in  FIG. 7 , a one-piece metal (e.g., brass) or polymeric spacer ring  202  encircles the boss  107  of the insert  194  and fits closely in the space between the skirt  199  and boss  107 . In the illustrated embodiment, the spacer ring  202  is L-shaped in cross-section, with a base  202   b  abutted with the base portion  196  of the insert member  194 , and with a second, cylindrical wall  202   c  that abuts the skirt  199  of the insert  194 . The coil spring  152  is abutted with the base wall  202   b  of the spacer  202 , and the spring is partially radially contained by the cylindrical wall  202   c . The spacer ring  202  prevents undesired radial inward movement or deflection of the snap tabs  200  of the insert skirt  199  as would allow the bite teeth  200   t  thereof to disengage from the transverse face  138   f  of the lip  138   p . In general, the spacer ring  202  fills the radial gap between the snap tabs  200  and the boss  107  to block radial inward movement of the snap tabs  200  after the insert member  194  is connected to the bonnet  138  to inhibit separation of the insert member  194  from the bonnet  138 . As such, the spacer ring  202  can have any other suitable shape or cross sectional profile that accomplishes this result. 
         [0039]    Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that when the alternative upper portion  115  is mated with a faucet body  112  (or faucet body  12 ) by threading the bonnet  138  thereto, the insert member  194  is rotatable relative to the bonnet  138  with the actuator handle  116  and the stem  140  about the stem axis L in response to manual rotational force applied to the actuator handle assembly  116  by a user. The insert member  194  is not clamped between the bonnet  138  and body  112  as described above in relation to the known faucet assembly  10 . The insert member is still securely captured to the bonnet  138  as described to prevent its undesired separation from the bonnet  138  during normal use of the faucet  110  or during ordinary inadvertent contact of the faucet  110  as occurs in day-to-day use. 
         [0040]    The invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments. It is not intended that the invention be limited in any manner to the preferred embodiments. Instead, the invention should be construed as encompassing all modifications and alterations that fall within the scope of the properly construed claims.