Patent Publication Number: US-9428889-B2

Title: Household faucet spray

Description:
The present invention relates to a household faucet spray comprising a handle, the first end of which is fixed mechanically to a water hose for supplying water inside the handle and the second end of which is equipped with a sprayer head through which the water is arranged to discharge from the handle. 
     Previously are known household faucet sprays of the type described above, which are, for example, sprays located in connection with the kitchen sink which are separate from the kitchen sink faucet (so-called side sprays), to which water is supplied through their own water hose connected to the faucet mixer. In other words, to use this type of spray, the faucet is first turned on. The spray is typically located in a storage point, which is a shoulder provided in an aperture made in the kitchen sink, to which a counterpart in the spray handle fits. In addition are known household faucet sprays which are integrated in conjunction with kitchen faucets. These are so-called pull-out faucets in which the faucet head can be detached from the faucet body and used as a spray. Both types of household faucet sprays (faucets) are manufactured, for example, by Kohler Co. and American Standard. 
     The problem with these previously known household faucet sprays is in some cases their inefficiency in relation to the amount of water used for washing an object, especially if a dishwashing brush or the like is not used to facilitate washing. An example of this is washing grease off a barbeque base, where the grease is washed off by spraying water on the barbeque base until most of the grease has been removed with the water. On the other hand, when using a dishwashing brush or the like, it is difficult to use a household faucet spray because one then typically needs one hand for using the spray, one hand for holding the object being washed and one hand for holding the brush. One dishwasher is not, therefore, able to carry out these measures simultaneously, but will alternate between the brush and the spray or use the faucet continuously. As an example of this type of washing can be mentioned a wine glass or a baby feeding bottle. Water thus flows unnecessarily between brushings, which is unecological, or else the flow of water must be stopped in between by a faucet or other means regulating water flow, which is in turn inconvenient to the user. Furthermore, water discharged directly from a household faucet spray has to be discharged under high pressure, as a result of which water tends to splash into the surroundings, for example on the kitchen floor. Then again, water flow which is repeatedly turned on has to be adjusted to a suitable pressure each time in order to avoid the splashing of water. To put it briefly, using the known household faucet sprays is thus often inconvenient and/or unecological. 
     The aim of the present invention is to provide a household faucet spray by means of which the foregoing problems are avoided. 
     To achieve the above-mentioned aim, the present invention is characterised in that one end is equipped with a water guiding piece which is provided with a plurality of apertures and around which can be fitted a water-permeable washing piece for the object to be washed, the water discharging through the plurality of apertures and the washing piece being arranged to discharge in a controlled manner on the surface of the object to be washed. 
     By means of the household faucet spray is achieved the aim of the invention, that is, the discharge of water from the handle and the use of the washing piece can be controlled simultaneously with one hand. This is thus achieved by means of the plurality of apertures and the guiding piece equipped with a water-permeable washing piece. 
     Preferred embodiments of the present invention are disclosed in the dependent claims. 
    
    
     
       The invention is described in greater detail in the following, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows the handle of a household faucet spray according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, 
         FIG. 2  shows a water guiding piece according to the invention, which is connected to the sprayer head of the handle of  FIG. 1 , 
         FIG. 3  shows a preferred embodiment of the washing piece according to the invention, which is fitted around the guiding piece of  FIG. 2 , 
         FIG. 4  shows the handle, guiding piece and washing piece shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  when joined together, 
         FIG. 5  shows another preferred embodiment of the washing piece according to the invention, which is fitted around the guiding piece of  FIG. 2 , and 
         FIG. 6  shows a water guiding piece according to another preferred embodiment of the invention and the washing piece fitted around it. 
     
    
    
     In  FIG. 1  can be seen a household faucet spray according to the invention, which is marked with reference numeral  1 . The household faucet spray  1  shown in  FIG. 1  is preferably of the side spray type which is kept, for example, in a seat-like storage point located adjacent to the kitchen sink faucet and the water supply of which is typically connected to the faucet&#39;s water supply. The household faucet spray  1  comprises a handle  2  or a corresponding grip, the first end  3  of which is provided with fastening means known as such for fastening the water hose (not shown) to the first end  3 . 
     The fastening means preferably comprise an external thread to which a connecting piece of the water hose comprising an internal thread is fitted in a sealing manner. The water supplied inside the handle  2  through the water hose is fed through the second end  6  equipped with a sprayer head in the desired direction by pressing the water feed push button  4  preferably located in the handle  2 . 
     Prior art household faucet sprays trickle water for a short time after use. This is a problem especially when the handle is placed in its storage point immediately after use. The water trickles along the handle, through the storage point opening, to the supporting structures, typically the structures of the counter top and the cabinet surrounding the kitchen sink. This type of penetration of humidity into the structures is known to be extremely detrimental. To prevent the trickling of water, the first end  3  area is provided with an expanding water guiding collar  5  or a water guiding shoulder or the like, which can be brought in conjunction with the storage point of the household faucet spray  1 . The water guiding collar  5  causes the water to be guided to a visible part of the surface of the counter top surrounding the storage point from where it can be immediately wiped off. The penetration of humidity to an undesirable point can be avoided at the same time. 
     The second end  6  of the household faucet spray  1  according to the invention is provided with the water guiding piece shown in an exemplary manner in  FIG. 2 , which is marked with reference numeral  10 , and with the washing piece to be fitted around the guiding piece  10  shown in  FIG. 3 , which is marked with reference numeral  20 . Here, the guiding piece  10  is structurally a hollow space  11   a  delimited by elongated walls  11 , to which the water supplied from the second end  6  of the handle  2  discharges. The material of the guiding piece  10  is preferably highly wear-resistant and hard material, such as a durable plastic compound or a stainless metal alloy, such as an aluminium or a steel alloy. The guiding piece  10  is provided with fastening means  12  with which the guiding piece can be removably fastened to the second end  6  of the handle. The fastening means are preferably mechanical fastening means. The fastening means  12  of the guiding piece  10  preferably comprise a sleeve  12  with an internal thread  12   a , which can be fitted in conjunction with an external thread  6   a  (see  FIG. 1 ) formed at the second end  6  of the handle  2 . As a second example may be mentioned fastening means  12  constituting a removable snap joint, in which case the guiding piece  10  can be pushed into place in its longitudinal direction. Thus, the water guiding piece  10  is a longitudinal extension of the second end  6  of the handle  2  (the longitudinal direction of the guiding piece  10  is essentially the direction of discharge of the water from the second end of the handle  2 ).  FIG. 4  shows a guiding piece  10  fastened to the handle  2 . The threads  12   a  and  6   a  have such steep pitches that the guiding piece  10  can be rapidly connected and disconnected.  FIG. 2  further shows that the walls  11  of the guiding piece  10  are provided with apertures, or a plurality of apertures  13 , the apertures  13  being spaced at appropriate intervals over the longitudinal distance of the guiding piece  10 . The water supplied to the hollow space  11   a  is discharged in a controlled manner to the washing piece  20  fitted around the guiding piece  10 . 
       FIG. 3  thus shows a preferred embodiment of the washing piece  20  which is suitable in shape and structure to be fitted around the guiding piece  10  shown in  FIG. 2  and thus forms a so-called washing sponge to which the water discharges in the manner described above. The washing piece  20  is preferably made of porous, water-permeable, elastic material, such as polyurethane. Other materials are, for example, polyester, polyamide, polypropene and/or nonwoven fabric, which can be used separately or in combinations or as compounds. In the washing piece  20  is made a space  22  (in the example of  FIG. 3  an elongated space) into which the guiding piece  10  can be fitted by inserting it in the longitudinal direction into the space  22 , which preferably has a circular cross-section. The wall  21  of the washing piece  20 , especially the wall of the space  22 , stretches just enough for the washing piece  20  to be fixed tightly around the guiding piece  10 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . Thus, the water supplied into the washing piece  20  finally discharges through the washing piece  20 , that is, the washing sponge, from the washing piece, typically onto the surface of the object being washed, such as different glasses, plates and other dishes. 
     It should be noted that the shape of the guiding piece  10  shown in  FIG. 2  and the shape of the washing piece  20  shown in  FIG. 3 , or other essentially similar shapes, are examples of the various possible shapes. The shapes shown are, however, particularly advantageous for washing the inner and outer surfaces of glasses, such as wine glasses or other drinking vessels. The guiding piece  10  shown in  FIG. 2  has a circular cross-section. The guiding piece  10  is thus provided with attaching projections  14  to prevent the washing piece  20  from moving with respect to the guiding piece  22  (rotating around its longitudinal axis) during washing. The attaching projections  14  thus attach to and/or press against the surface of the space  22  of the washing piece  20 , thus preventing movement. To prevent the washing piece  20  from moving, the guiding piece  10  can be made to have an angular, for example square, cross-section (not shown in the Figures), in which case the corners of the guiding piece  10  will act in the same way as the attaching projections  14  shown in  FIG. 2 , preventing the above-mentioned movement of the washing piece  20 . It is obviously possible for the washing piece and guiding piece to be joined together permanently. The washing piece  20  and the guiding piece  10  may, for example, be glued to one another. 
       FIG. 5  shows another preferred embodiment of the washing piece fitted around the guiding piece  10  of  FIG. 2 . The washing piece is denoted by reference numeral  20 ′. The shape of the wall  21 ′ of the washing piece  20 ′ has been selected so as to be particularly well suited for washing baby feeding bottles. On the surface of the wall  21 ′ of the washing piece  20 ′ is made a collar  21   a ′ at suitable point, which facilitates especially the washing of the collar part of a baby feeding bottle, which is normally a difficult part of the feeding bottle to wash. The length of the washing pieces  20  and  20 ′ and their other measurements, such as the greatest width, may obviously be selected according to individual requirements. 
     Guiding pieces of several different dimensions and designs are required for washing different household articles. 
       FIG. 6  shows yet another preferred alternative for a guiding piece connected to the second end  6  of the handle  2 , which is denoted by reference numeral  100 , and of the washing piece  120  fitted on it. The washing piece  120  preferably comprises a planar surface  123  for washing planar surfaces such as plates, pans, cutting boards and barbeque bases. The material thickness of the part of the washing piece  120  forming the surface  123  may vary from that shown in  FIG. 6  and may be, for example, considerably thicker. 
     The guiding piece  100  comprises a fastening means  102 , which are preferably comprised of a sleeve  102  provided with an internal thread  102   a , which can be fitted in conjunction with an external thread  6   a  (see  FIG. 1 ) formed at the second end  6  of the handle  2 . Here, the guiding piece  100  is structurally a hollow space  101   a  delimited by walls  101  made in the shape of a low cylinder, to which space the water supplied from the second end  6  of the handle  2  discharges.  FIG. 6  shows that one wall  101   b  of the guiding piece is essentially perpendicular to the direction of discharge W of the water.  FIG. 6  further shows that the at least one wall  101   b  of the guiding piece  100  mentioned above is provided with apertures, or a plurality of apertures  103 , the apertures  103  being spaced at appropriate intervals on the said one wall  101   b . The water supplied to the hollow space  101   a  through the apertures  103  is discharged in a controlled manner to the washing piece  120  fitted around the guiding piece  100 . To improve the washing result, detergent (e.g. spherical detergent granules) may be inserted in the space  101   a  of the guiding piece  100  (also in space  11   a  of the guiding piece of  FIG. 2 ), from where they are dosed with the flow of water. To achieve a corresponding result, in the handle  2  may also be a container for a detergent in liquid, granular or powder form. This is dosed either by a separate push button (not shown) or gradually by itself when the water flows through the handle  2 . 
     Should the guiding piece according to the invention not be used at the second end  6  of the handle  2 , to the second end may be connected a separate stylised sleeve covering the thread at the second end  6 , where there is a similar thread for connection as, for example, in the guiding piece  10 . 
     The present invention is not limited only to the embodiments disclosed, but may be applied in many ways within the scope of protection determined by the claims.