Abstract:
A simplified tool for removing and inserting a plumbing fixture seal, particularly for use with ball type faucets using a rubber seal engaged by a cylindrical compression spring. The tool comprises an outer housing and an inner member having a tapered end designed to frictionally engage the seal and spring wherein the inner member is reciprocally disposed within the outer housing. The inner member is retracted inside the outer housing by a retraction spring; and the tapered end of the inner member is forced beyond the end of the outer housing to engage the seal and spring.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Utility patent application Ser. No. 10/618,890 filed Jul. 14, 2003 which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/395,489, filed Jul. 12, 2002 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The disclosed invention relates to a tool for removing and inserting a plumbing fixture seal. In particular, the present invention relates to a simple device for replacing a worn seal or spring in a faucet. 
   DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART 
   Modern plumbing fixtures include a seal structure which controls the flow of fluid and, when functioning properly, prevents flow completely in the off position. If the seal structure fails, the fixture will leak and replacement of the seal is necessary. 
   The seal structure generally consists of a small, cylindrical, open-ended rubber seal and a small spring. The rubber seal may crack or break or the springs may lose their memory and fail to perform as intended, causing the faucet to leak. Replacement of this seal normally resolves the leak but is difficult because of the small size of the seal structure and the small area in which the structure is located. Normally, both the seal and the spring are replaced simultaneously. 
   Previous methods for replacing the seal structure involve the use of tools not designed for this situation. The use of screwdrivers and other long tools is common in the industry since the location of the worn seal structure is not easily accessible. Additionally, this repair does not lend itself to completion by hand since there is not sufficient room in most faucets for an adult&#39;s fingers. 
   More complex tools, such as the device disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,347 (&#39;347), provide for the retraction of an inner member into an outer housing to disengage a seal and spring frictionally connected to the tapered tip of the inner member. This design is complicated and difficult to use. 
   Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tool for removing and installing a seal structure in a plumbing fixture. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide a tool which is convenient and easy to use. 
   It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a tool which has a simple design which is reusable. 
   Finally, it is an object of the present invention to accomplish the foregoing objectives in a simple and cost effective manner. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   A faucet and spring tool utilized to remove and replace the seal and spring from a faucet valve assembly. The device consists of a cylindrical, hollow external housing having upper and lower ends and a cylindrical guide having upper and lower ends and designed to be removably disposed within the external housing such that the lower end of the guide does not extend beyond the lower end of the external housing in a resting position. A cap is removably attachable to the upper end of the cylindrical guide such that the cap extends beyond the upper end of the external housing in a resting position. A compression spring having upper and lower ends is disposed within the upper end of the external housing such that depression of the cap causes compression of the spring which further causes the lower end of the cylindrical guide to extend beyond the lower end of the external housing. The lower end of the compression spring is held in place by an area of reduced internal diameter in the external housing. The cylindrical guide includes a lip which interacts with an area of reduced internal diameter in the external housing to prevent the cylindrical guide from sliding past a predetermined location. The cap is either pressure fit to or threaded onto the upper end of the cylindrical guide. The external housing includes stationary grip handles which are preferably formed integrally with the external housing and which preferably are curved to accept a user&#39;s fingers. The external housing, the cap and the cylindrical guide are preferably formed from a water resistant or waterproof material, such as a plastic, composite or a thermoplastic. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  shows the structure, existing in the prior art, which is repaired using the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention taken along the longitudinal center of the device, with the device in its actuated position; 
       FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention taken along the longitudinal center of the device, with device in its resting position; 
       FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the present invention taken along the longitudinal center of the device, with the device in its actuated position; 
       FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the present invention taken along the longitudinal center of the device, with device in its resting position; 
       FIG. 6  is a side view of the spring of the present invention; 
       FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view of the cap used in the alternate embodiment of the present invention taken along the longitudinal center of the cap; 
       FIG. 8  is a cross sectional view of the cap used in an alternate embodiment of the present invention taken along the longitudinal center of the cap; 
       FIG. 9  is a front view of the outer housing of the present invention showing the internal surfaces in dashed lines; 
       FIG. 10  is a front view of the central cylindrical guide of an alternate embodiment of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 11  is a front view of the central cylindrical guide of an alternate embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 12  is a cross sectional view of the cap used in the preferred embodiment of the present invention taken along the longitudinal center of the cap; and 
       FIG. 13  is a front view of the central cylindrical guide of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   Element List 
     20  faucet spring 
     22  faucet seal 
     24  grip handles 
     26  external housing 
     28  spring 
     30 / 30   a / 30   b  central cylindrical guide 
     32 / 32   a / 32   b  guide cap 
     34  internal surface of upper portion of external housing 
     36  compression surface for spring 
     38  internal surface of external housing 
     40  internal surface of external housing 
     42  guide lip 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   The spring  20  and seal  22 , shown in  FIG. 1 , are located in a predetermined location in the faucet that is difficult to remove and replace without great difficulty because of the small size of the spring  20  and seal  22  and the constrictions of the location. This is most notable in a bathtub faucet when the seal  20  and spring  22  require replacement. The faucet assembly is usually located in a vertical position and keeping the seal  22  and spring  20  in place while removing or inserting them is challenging. The present invention allows the old seal  22  and spring  20  to be removed together and replaced with a new seal  22  and spring  20  in unison while maintaining correct location placement. 
   A standard faucet valve assembly has a valve body with a main bore and a counterbore inlet passageway leading from a supply of water. The counterbore holds a tubular seal (seal  22  and spring  20 ) element in the inlet passageway of the valve body. The present invention enables the user to remove both the worn seal  22  and spring  20  together and replace a new seal  22  and spring  20  together. The spring  20  generally used in the industry is a frustoconical configuration with a smaller upper end, which engages the seal  22  and urges it against the valving member. The larger diameter of the conical spring  20  engages an annular shoulder of the counterbore. The seal  22  generally consists of a rubber or rubber-like composition with a through bore diameter that is comparable in size to the small end of the conical spring  20 . 
     FIG. 2  shows the preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the device is generally cylindrical with stationary grip handles  24  which extend from the sides of the device. These grip handles  24  preferably extend directly opposite from each other such that they can be easily gripped by the user&#39;s fingers. For further ease of use, the grip handles  24  may be curved to provide a comfortable and secure location for the user&#39;s fingers. 
   The grip handles  24  are an integral part of the external housing  26  of the device. The housing  26  is cylindrical and hollow with varying internal diameters. The upper portion of the housing  26  is designed to accept a spring  28  through an opening in the top of the housing  26  and maintain the spring  28  in the upper portion of the housing  26  due to a smaller internal diameter, as discussed below and shown in more detail in  FIG. 9 . 
   The device further consists of a central cylindrical guide  30 . This guide  30  is placed inside the external housing  26  and is designed to slide within the external housing  26  as needed. The external housing  26  includes varying internal diameters which work in conjunction with varying external diameters on the guide  30  to control movement of the guide within the external housing  26 . The lower end of the guide  30  is preferably tapered to facilitate removal and replacement of the spring  20  and seal  22  in a fixture. The upper end of the guide  30  is designed to accept a cap  32 . The cap  32  includes a central indentation in the lower surface. In the preferred embodiment shown in  FIGS. 12 and 13 , the cap  32  is snap fit to the upper end of the guide  30 . In the alternate embodiment shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  8  and  11 , the cap  32  is pressure fit to the upper end of the guide  30 . In the alternate embodiment shown in  FIGS. 4 ,  5 ,  7  and  10  the inner surface of the indentation in the lower surface of cap  32   a  is threaded and mates with threads on the outer surface of the upper end of guide  30 . Any connection means can be used to connect the cap  32  to the guide  30  so long as pressure on the cap  32  forces the guide  30  to slide downwards within the external housing  26 . 
   The device is assembled as follows. The upper end of guide  30  is placed within the lower end of external housing  26  and slid into the housing  26  until the upper end of the guide  30  extends from the upper end of the external housing  26 . At this point, the lower end of the guide will not extend from the lower end of the external housing  26  although, preferably, the ends are flush. The spring  28  is placed in the upper end of the external housing  26 , surrounding the guide  30 . The cap  32  is then attached to the upper end of the guide  30  through a pressure fit, threading or other means as desired. Following assembly, the device is as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 5 . 
     FIG. 9  shows additional detail concerning the internal surface of the external housing  26 . The internal diameter of the upper portion  34  of the external housing  26  is sized to accept the spring  28 . Immediately below the upper portion  34  of the external housing  26 , the internal diameter is reduced such that the spring  28  is held in the upper portion and is provided a surface  36  to press against. 
   The lower end of the external housing  26  also includes portions of differing internal diameters. The internal diameter  38  of the bottom end of the external housing  26  accepts the guide  30 . Above the bottom end of the external housing  26  is a portion with a reduced internal diameter  40 . This reduced internal diameter  40  interacts with a lip  42 ,  42   a  (shown in  FIGS. 10  and  11 ) on the guide  30  to prevent the guide  30  from sliding entirely through the external housing  26 . 
   The cap, housing  26  and guide  30  are made from durable material which is preferably water resistant and, even more preferably, waterproof, such as plastics or composites. One material used to manufacture the tool is called Acetal, which is an engineering thermoplastic. The material offers a high modulus of elasticity, high strength, and dimensional stability. It has excellent resistance to moisture and is ideal for close tolerance parts (easily machined). Moreover, injection molded materials are particularly preferred in the production of the invention. The spring  28  is a compression spring preferably having a strength of approximately 10.25 lbs. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 5 , in the resting position, the lower end of the guide  30  is maintained within the external housing  26  while the upper end of the guide  30  extends from the top of the external housing  26 . As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , when the cap  32  is pressed, the lower end of the guide  30  extends from the external housing  26 . 
   In use, the device is held in one hand during the removal or insertion of the spring  20  and seal  22 . The cap  32  is pressed, causing the spring  28  to compress against surface  36  and forcing the guide  30  to extend from the housing  26 . In this position, the guide  30  is forced into the center of the worn spring  20  and seal  22 . When the device is removed, with the cap  32  still depressed, the worn spring  20  and seal  22  are held on the guide  30  by a friction fit. Once the device is completely removed, the cap  32  can be released, allowing the guide  30  to slide back into the housing  26  while the spring  20  and seal  22  fall off the guide  30 . 
   To install a new spring  20  and seal  22 , the cap  32  is depressed to extend the guide  30  from the external housing  26 . In this position, the new spring  20  and seal  22  are placed on the guide  30 . With the cap  32  still depressed, the spring  20  and seal  22  are placed in the faucet. Once the spring  20  and seal  22  are properly seated, the cap  32  is released thus removing the guide  30  from the spring  20  and seal  22  and leaving them in the proper location. The guide  30  preferably has a tapered end to allow the rubber seal  22  to further up the guide  30  and maintain position while the spring  20  is held on by the diameter at a lower position along the tapered end of the guide  30  with no interference with the rubber seal  22 . Both the spring  20  and seal  22  are held into place by separate planes that allow for both to be removed and replaced within the same motion. 
   In one embodiment of the invention, the external housing  26  performs two functions: (A) the holding action that is required to use the device, and (B) the push and release action to retrieve the old seal  22  and spring  20  and replace with the new seal  22  and spring  20 . The push and release action consists of a compression spring  28 , cap  32 , guide  30  and external housing  26 . Guide  30  and cap  32 ,  FIG. 3 , are connected and locked into place after assembly. The compression spring  28  allows for the resistance and the pressure to strip the seal  22  and spring  20  from the guide  30 . The cap  32  is used to push the guide  30  in a downward motion until the seal  22  and spring  20  are retrieved and released to remove the seal  22  and spring  20 . 
   While the description above refers to particular embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood that many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit thereof. The accompanying claims are intended to cover such modifications as would fall within the true scope and spirit of the present invention.