Patent Publication Number: US-8528129-B2

Title: Fixing structure of a faucet and an operating method thereof

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a fixing structure of a faucet fixed on a support plate and an operating method thereof. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     A conventional device for a top mounting of a faucet disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,535,776 contains a fitting seat inserted into an opening of a support plate used in a kitchen equipped with a water tank, and the fitting seat includes a column with screws extending downward to the support plate and used to receive a body of the faucet, the column of the fitting seat includes a plastic pad, a spaced ring, and a metal retaining loop fitted thereon and screwed with a nut. A user applies a torque wrench to insert a screwing element into an orifice of a vertical wall of the fitting seat via a casing of the faucet to limit a relative movement between the faucet and the fitting seat, thus assembling the faucet. 
     However, many related components of such a conventional device for the top mounting of the faucet have to be installed below the water tank, limiting installing space and having a complicate installation. 
     The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary object of the present invention is to provide a fixing structure of a faucet and an operating method thereof that is capable of overcoming the shortcomings of the conventional fixing structure of a faucet. 
     To obtain the above objectives, a fixing structure of a faucet provided by the present invention contains: 
     the faucet including a housing, the housing including a mouth formed on a bottom end thereof and at least one through aperture radially formed on a peripheral side of the bottom end thereof; the faucet including an inlet pipe unit connected with a bottom end of thereof and extending downward through the mouth of the housing; 
     a locking member being operated to move between an engaging position and a disengaging position along the through aperture; 
     a positioning device including a fitting seat, and the fitting seat including a bottom face to be abutted against a top wall of the opening of the support plate, a channel defined therein to receive the inlet pipe unit of the faucet, one slot disposed on least one portion of an outer surface thereof to slide the locking member of the housing located at the engaging position, the slot including at least one tooth and at least one retaining recess such that the locking member passes through the tooth to be retained in the retaining recess and is limited by the tooth to move backward so that the mouth of the housing is fixed on the fitting seat. 
     To obtain the above objectives, an operating method of a fixing structure of a faucet provided by the present invention contains steps of: 
     a. preparing, wherein a faucet, a locking member, and a positioning device are provided; wherein 
     the faucet includes a housing, the housing includes a mouth formed on a bottom end thereof and at least one through aperture radially formed on a peripheral side of the bottom end thereof; the faucet includes an inlet pipe unit connected with a bottom end of thereof and extending downward through the mouth of the housing; 
     a locking member is operated to move between an engaging position and a disengaging position along the through aperture; 
     a positioning device includes a fitting seat, and the fitting seat including a bottom face, a channel defined therein, one slot disposed on least one portion of an outer surface thereof, the slot includes at least one tooth and at least one retaining recess; 
     b. installing the locking member, wherein the locking member is fixed in a through aperture of a housing so as to move between an engaging and a disengaging positions along the through aperture, thereafter the locking member is controlled to be located the engaging position; 
     c. positioning the positioning device, wherein a top wall of a fitting seat of the positioning device is retained on the top wall of an opening of a support plate. 
     d. aligning the faucet, wherein the bottom end of the housing of the faucet is aligned to the fitting seat, and the locking member is aligned with the longitudinal slot; thereafter the inlet pipe unit is inserted into the channel of the fitting seat; 
     e. fitting the faucet, wherein the bottom end of the housing of the faucet is slidably fitted to the fitting seat, and the locking member slides downward along the longitudinal slot to pass through the al least one tooth to retain with the retaining recess so as to pass the at least one tooth along the lateral slot to retain with one selected retaining recess, hence the locking member is limited so that it can not rotatably return to an original position, thereby positioning the faucet on the positioning device and finishing an installation of the faucet. 
     Thereby, the fitting seat is fitted directly during installing the faucet, thus positioning the fitting seat quickly and easily without a rotating operation. 
     The positioning device is capable of being operated on the support plate to position the faucet easily and quickly. 
     The projections are fixed around an inner surface of the fitting seat and located at the top end of the opening of the support plate to arrange the screwing elements and the engagement blocks so that a receiving space of the channel of the fitting seat are increased to insert the inlet pipe unit easily. 
     Because the tab is located at the middle section of the inner side of the contacting portion, the contacting portion of the engagement block is retained on the bottom wall of the support plate stably, hence the positioning device is fixed on the support plate securely. 
     The engagement block is comprised of the metal base and the plastic clamping piece to obtain a strong structure and a tight engaging function, such that the contacting portion contacts with the bottom wall of the support plate tightly. Also, the rib of the plastic clamping piece is applied to increase an engagement effect. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing the assembly of a faucet according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing partial exploded components of a fixing structure of the faucet according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view taken along the line A-A of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view taken along the line B-B of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional perspective view of a housing of the faucet according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing the assembly of a positioning device of the fixing structure of the faucet according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing the assembly of a fitting seat of the fixing structure of the faucet according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a top plan view showing the assembly of the fitting seat of the fixing structure of the faucet according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view showing the exploded components of the fitting seat of the fixing structure of the faucet according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view showing the exploded components of an engagement block of the fixing structure of the faucet according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 11  is a cross sectional view taken along the line C-C of  FIG. 6  and showing two engagement blocks are close to each other; 
         FIG. 12  is a cross sectional view showing the two engagement blocks leave away from each other; 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view showing the operation of the fixing structure of the faucet according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 14  is another perspective view showing the operation of the fixing structure of the faucet according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 15  is a cross sectional view showing the operation of the fixing structure of the faucet according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 16  is a cross sectional view showing the assembly of a locking member of a fixing structure of a faucet according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 17  is a top plan view showing the assembly of a fitting seat of a fixing structure of a faucet according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 18  is a cross sectional view showing the assembly of a housing of a fixing structure of a faucet according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 19  is a perspective view showing the assembly of a fitting seat of a fixing structure of a faucet according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 20  is a plan view showing the assembly of a fitting seat of a fixing structure of a faucet according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention will be clearer from the following description when viewed together with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , a fixing structure of a faucet according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a faucet  10 , a locking member  20 , and a positioning device  301 . 
     The faucet  10  is fixed on a support plate  1  with an opening  1   a , and the support plate  1  is used in a kitchen cupboard equipped with a water tank, wherein the faucet  10  is fixed on the support plate  1  of the water tank. 
     The faucet  10  in this embodiment is a single-handle faucet and comprises a housing  11 , the housing  11  includes a valve (not shown) to mix cold and hot waters together disposed therein and an operating bar  12  disposed on one side thereof to be rotated to control the valve, and the valve includes an inlet pipe unit  13  connected with a bottom end of the valve, the inlet unit  13  includes a first inlet pipe  131  to flow the cold water and a second inlet pipe  132  to flow the hot water, the housing  11  includes an outlet tube  14  connected on a top end thereof and allowing to be rotated to adjust a watering angle. The faucet  10  is a well-known prior art, so further remarks are omitted. The housing  11  includes a mouth  111  formed on a bottom end thereof and a through aperture  112  radially formed on a peripheral side of the bottom end thereof. In this embodiment, the through aperture  112  includes threads attached therein as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     The locking member  20  is operated to move between an engaging position P 1  and a disengaging position along the through aperture  112  as illustrated in  FIG. 15 . In this embodiment, the locking member  20  is a screw bolt to screw with the through hole  12  and to be rotated to move between the engaging and the disengaging positions P 1 , P 2 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the positioning device  301  includes a fitting seat  30 , two limiting rods  40 , two screwing elements  50 , and two engagement blocks  60 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , the fitting seat  30  includes a bottom face  31  to be abutted against a top wall  1   b  of the opening  1   a  of the support plate  1 , includes a channel  32  defined therein to receive the inlet pipe unit  13  of the faucet  10 , includes a longitudinal slot  33  disposed on and extending axially along an outer surface thereof, and a lateral slot  34  extending along a circumferential direction thereof to communicate with the longitudinal slot  33 , the lateral slot  34  includes three teeth  35  arranged therein, between any two adjacent teeth  35  is defined a retaining recess  36 , and between a rearmost tooth  35  and a first fence  341  of a distal end of the lateral slot  34  is defined one retaining recess  36  as well, there are three retaining recesses  36  defined in this embodiment to be selected to retain with the locking member  20 . 
     The fitting seat  30  includes two opposite projections  37  fixed around an inner surface thereof and located at a top end of the opening  1   a  of the support plate  1  as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     The fitting seat  30  further includes two sealing pads  38  attached on the outer and the bottom surfaces thereof individually as illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4  to engage with an inner surface of the mouth  111  and the top wall  1   b  of the opening  1   a  of the support plate  1 . 
     The fitting seat  30  includes a direction remaking element  39  arranged on a top end thereof to guide an installation in a circumferential direction of the fitting seat  30 . In this embodiment, the direction remaking element  39  is formed in an arrow shape. 
     The fitting seat  30  is provided to receive the housing  11 , and in operation, the locking member  20  located at the engaging position P 1  of the housing  11  is aligned with the longitudinal slot  33  of the fitting seat  30 , and then it is fitted to the fitting seat  30  by using the mouth  111  as shown in  FIG. 13 , so that the locking member  20  slides downward to a terminal position of a lower side of the housing  11  along the longitudinal slot  33 , thereafter the housing  11  is rotated so that the locking member  20  further slides along the lateral slot  34 , such that the locking member  20  passes through at least one tooth  35  to engage with one of the retaining recesses  36 . Of course, the housing  11  is capable of being further rotated so that the locking member  20  engages with another retaining recess  36 , hence the housing  11  is fixed on the positioning device  301  securely as shown in  FIG. 14 . 
     To generate a flexible deformation of the tooth  35  of the fitting seat  30  so that the locking member  20  enters into a predetermined retaining recess  36 , and the fitting seat  30  has a strong structure as illustrated in  FIGS. 7 and 9 , a first component  30   a  made of a hard material and a second component  30   b  made of a plastic material are pre-formed, wherein the second component  30   b  is formed in a C-shaped ring shape so as to be retained in a C-shaped groove  300  pre-formed on an outer surface of the first component  30   a , thus forming the fitting seat  30 ; wherein the first component  30   a  is made of a hard material, such as a metal material, to generate a main part of the fitting seat  30 , enhancing a structural reinforcement of the fitting seat  30 , such as the projections  37 . The second component  30   b  is used to form main parts of the longitudinal slot  33  and the lateral slot  34 , such as the teeth  35  of the lateral slot  34  to cause a flexible deformation. 
     The two limiting rods  40 , as shown in  FIG. 6 , are parallel to each other and connected to the projections  37  of the fitting seat  30 , and a distal end of each limiting rod  40  extends downward to a bottom end of the support plate  1  via the channel  32 . In this embodiment, the limiting rod  40  is retained in a first bore  371  of the projection  37  of the fitting seat  30 . 
     Each screwing element  50 , as illustrated in  FIG. 6 , is parallel to a centrally axial line L of the fitting seat  30 , inserted into the projection  37  of the fitting seat  30 , and is adjacent to the limiting rod  40 , a distal end of the screwing element  50  extends downward to the bottom end of the support plate  1  via the channel  32 . In this embodiment, the screwing element  50  is movably rotated to be further inserted into a second bore  372  of the projection  37 , and a head end  51  of the screwing element  50  is limited above the second bore  372 . 
     Each engagement block  60  is screwed with the screwing element  50  and engaged on a bottom wall  1   c  of the support plate  1  by using the screw element  50  and the limiting rod  40  so that the positioning device  301  is fixed on the support plate  1  stably. 
     With reference to  FIG. 10 , the engagement block  60  is comprised of a metal base  61  and a plastic clamping piece  62  connected on the metal base  61 . The metal base  61  includes a contacting portion  611  and a tab  612  located at a middle section of an inner side of the contacting portion  611 ; the contacting portion  611  extends radially from the centrally axial line L of the fitting seat  30 , and includes two first orifices  613  formed thereon to retain two posts  621  extending from a bottom end of the plastic clamping piece  62  respectively; the tab  612  includes a second orifice  614  to screw with the screwing element  50 ; the plastic clamping piece  62  is semilunar, and includes a notch  622  arranged on a top end thereof and a rib  623  formed around a peripheral side of the top end thereof to engage with the bottom wall  1   c  of the support plate  1 . 
     An operating method of a fixing structure of a faucet includes steps of: 
     a. preparing, wherein a faucet  10 , a locking member  20 , and a positioning device  301  are provided; 
     b. installing the locking member  20 , wherein the locking member  20  is fixed at an engaging position P 1  of a through aperture  112  of a housing  11 ; 
     c. positioning the positioning device  301 , wherein a top wall  1   b  of a fitting seat  30  of the positioning device  301  is retained on the top wall  1   b  of an opening  1   a  of a support plate  1 . 
     If two engagement blocks  60  on two screwing elements  50  are not able to be inserted through an opening  1   a  of the support plate  1 , the engagement blocks  60  are turned to be close to each other so that a distance between the engagement blocks  60  is lowered until the engagement blocks  60  are capable of passing through the opening  1 a of the support plate  1  as illustrated in  FIG. 11 ; 
     thereafter, the screwing elements  50 , the engagement blocks  60 , and the limiting rods  40  are inserted downward from the opening  1   a  of the support plate  1  until a bottom face  31  of the fitting seat  30  of the fixing device  301  abuts against the top wall  1   b  of the support plate  1 , and then two head portions  51  of the two screwing elements  50  are individually rotated toward a predetermined direction above the fitting seat  30  by ways of a specific tool so that the adjacent engagement blocks  60  are actuated to rotate so as to leave away from each other as shown in  FIG. 12 , hence the engaging blocks  60  move upward along the screwing elements  50  respectively until they engage with the bottom wall  1   c  of the support plate  1 ; 
     d. aligning the faucet  10 , wherein the bottom end of the housing  11  of the faucet  10  is aligned to the fitting seat  30 , and the locking member  20  is aligned with the longitudinal slot  33  as shown in  FIG. 13 ; thereafter the inlet pipe unit  13  is inserted into the channel  32  of the fitting seat  30 ; 
     e. fitting the faucet  10 , wherein the bottom end of the housing  11  of the faucet  10  is slidably fitted to the fitting seat  30 , and the locking member  20  slides downward along the longitudinal slot  33 ; 
     f. rotating and positioning the faucet  10 , wherein the housing  11  of the faucet  11  is rotated toward a predetermined direction as illustrated in  FIG. 14  so that the locking remember  20  passes the at least one tooth  35  along the lateral slot  34  to retain with one selected retaining recess  36  as shown in  FIG. 3 , hence the locking member  20  is limited so that it can not rotatably return to an original position, thereby positioning the faucet  10  on the positioning device  301  and finishing an installation of the faucet  10 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 16 , the locking member  20  is a pulling shaft on which a resilient element  21  to be compressed is fitted so that the pulling shaft is acted by the resilient element  21  to be located at the engaging position P 1  and is pulled outward to move toward the disengaging position P 2 . 
     The fitting seat  30  includes three retaining recess  36 , and when the locking member  20  is fixed on a middle recess  36 , the operating bar  12  is located at a right side of the faucet  10 , and when the locking member  20  is located at the other two retaining recess  36 , the operating bar  12  is located at a front end of the right side of the faucet  10  or a rear end of the right side of the faucet  10  to be adjusted by the user. 
     Furthermore, the fitting seat  30  of the positioning device  301  is moved forward or toward a desired installing position by using the direction remaking element  39  to be further fixed, therefore after the faucet  10  is positioned in the fitting seat  30 , the operating bar  12  is located at a right side of the support plate  1  as shown in  FIG. 13 . Accordingly, the installation direction and position of the fitting seat  30  will determine a position of the operating bar  12  after installing the faucet  10 . In other words, the position of the operating bar  12  is controlled by controlling an installing direction of the fitting seat  30 . 
     For example, if desiring to position the operating bar  12  on a left side of the support plate  1 , a longitudinal slot  330 , a lateral slot  340 , a plurality of teeth  350 , and retaining recesses  360  are provided on another end of the outer surface of the fitting seat  30  relative to the longitudinal slot  33  as shown in  FIG. 17  so that the user positions the locking member  20  in any selected retaining recess  360  to locate the operating bar  12  at the left side of the support plate  1 . 
     Moreover, another through aperture  112  is provided on another end of an outer surface of the housing  11  as illustrated in  FIG. 18  to locate the operating bar  12  at the left side of the support plate  1 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 19 , the fitting seat  30  and the teeth  35  in the lateral slot  34  are arranged along a bottom fringe  342  of the lateral slot  34  so that the locking member  20  is retained with one selected retaining recess  36 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 20 , the lateral slot  34  is capable of not being provided on the fitting seat  30 , e.g., the longitudinal slot  33  only includes a plurality of teeth  35  disposed thereon, among the teeth  35  and a second fence  331  are defined three retaining recesses  36  so that the locking member  20  passes at least one tooth  35  to retain with one selected retaining recess  36 , such that after the housing  11  of the faucet  10  is fitted into the fitting seat  30 , it is positioned without using one rotating process. 
     The locking member  20  is installed in the housing  11  in advance and positioned at the disengaging position P 1 , and after the positioning device  301  is fixed on the support plate  1 , the housing  11  is fitted into the fitting seat  30  of the positioning device  301  and is rotated toward a predetermined direction so that the locking member  20  is rotated to pass through the longitudinal slot  33  and slide into the lateral slot  34 , thereby positioning the housing  11 . 
     The operating method of the fixing structure of the faucet further comprises removing steps of: moving and limiting the locking member  20  on the disengaging position P 2 , and lifting the faucet  10  having the housing  11  upward so that the faucet  10  is removed to be maintained and replaced quickly and easily without any rotating operation. 
     As shown in  FIG. 20 , the fitting seat  30  is fitted directly during installing the faucet  10 , thus positioning the fitting seat  30  quickly and easily without a rotating operation. 
     The positioning device  301  is capable of being operated on the support plate  1  to position the faucet easily and quickly. 
     The projections  37  are fixed around an inner surface of the fitting seat  30  and located at the top end of the opening  1   a  of the support plate  1  to arrange the screwing elements  50  and the engagement blocks  60  so that a receiving space of the channel  32  of the fitting seat  30  are increased to insert the inlet pipe unit  13  easily. 
     Because the tab  612  is located at the middle section of the inner side of the contacting portion  611 , the contacting portion  611  of the engagement block  60  is retained on the bottom wall  1   c  of the support plate  1  stably, hence the positioning device  301  is fixed on the support plate  1  securely. 
     The engagement block  60  is comprised of the metal base  61  and the plastic clamping piece  62  to obtain a strong structure and a tight engaging function, such that the contacting portion  611  contacts with the bottom wall  1   c  of the support plate  1  tightly. Also, the rib  623  of the plastic clamping piece  62  is applied to increase an engagement effect. 
     While we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it is clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.