Patent Publication Number: US-7909269-B2

Title: Faucet spray control assembly

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     Not applicable. 
     STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to faucets, and in particular to faucets with spray heads providing spray control. 
     Conventional faucets have a faucet body, one or more flow control/mixing valves, one or more control handles, and a spout. The spout acts a conduit for expelling water that has passed through the valve(s), in which case the outflow is either fixed to begin at a single point, or in the case of a pivotal spout is limited to begin over a range of a prescribed horizontal arc. 
     Faucets have conventionally been provided with separate stand-alone hand-held sprayers to provide the user with more flexibility with regard to the direction and point that outflow begins, particularly to facilitate spraying down dishware. These sprayers have a flexible hose attached to the spray head allowing the spray head to be pulled from a mount and moved about as needed. However, these faucets require extra room on the counter top for the sprayer mounting, as well as a separate hole through the counter top. 
     As an alternative, faucets with pull-out spray heads projecting from the main faucet body have been developed. See generally U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,213,26,8; 5,546,978; 5,758,690 and 6,370,713. The first two of these references have the sprayer unit extend from the side of the faucet body, and the latter two have the sprayer unit extend from the upper end of the faucet body. 
     Assembly of such pull-out faucets is usually more complicated then conventional faucets due to the added valve and spray control hardware required to be packed in the faucet. Also, separate fasteners are ordinarily needed to install the valve assembly in the faucet body. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,738,996 discloses a pull-out type faucet with a spray head that has a temporary flow interrupting control, or “pause” button, and a flow diverter control to route flow to different discharge orifices of the spray head. The diverter control is a push button type control that is depressed perpendicular to the axis along with the valve member moves. Depressing the button once moves a trigger to cam against a toggle member and drive the valve in one direction. The toggle changes states during this operation so that the next time the button is depressed it causes the trigger to move the valve in the opposite direction. 
     This arrangement is rather complex and is susceptible to incomplete or inconsistent actuation of the valve if the toggle does not move into the proper position following the previous actuation. Moreover, the user undertakes the same motion, a straight downward push of the button, to select both flows. Consequently, it is not readily apparent which flow will be selected with each push of the button. 
     A need therefore exists for an improved spray control assembly for a faucet, particularly a pull-out type faucet. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a spray control assembly for a faucet having a faucet body and a spray head in communication with a water line. The spray assembly has a hollow spray head body holding a valve body and an outlet. The valve body has an axial valve cavity where the diverter valve can slide along a valve axis to seat and unseat its sealing surface(s) and control the flow from an inlet opening, through a passage to an outlet opening of the valve body. A diverter button that is accessible through an opening in the spray head body can be operated to move the diverter valve and route flow to either an inner set of spray orifices and an outer set of spray orifices. 
     The diverter button is pivotally mounted to the valve body to so it can rock between first and second angular positions. A leg extends down from the diverter button to engage the diverter valve. When the diverter button is in the first angular position, one sealing surface of the diverter valve is seated in one valve seat, and when it is in the second angular position a second sealing surface is seated in a second vale seat. Water can pass from the valve body to the outer spray orifices when the diverter valve is in the position associated with the first angular position of the diverter button. Water can pass to the inner spray orifices when the diverter valve is in the position associated with the second angular position of the diverter button. 
     The valve body can define a pivot post extending toward the button opening in the spray head body that defines a pivot axis about which the diverter button pivots. The diverter button has a forward portion and an aft portion. The forward portion is at a first side of the pivot axis nearest the outlet and the aft portion is at a second side of the pivot axis opposite the outlet. Depressing the aft portion of the diverter button moves the diverter valve along the valve axis to a first axial position nearer the outlet to seat the first sealing surface of the diverter valve in the first valve seat. Depressing the forward portion of the diverter button moves the diverter valve along the valve axis to a second axial position away from the outlet to seat the second sealing surface in the second valve seat. 
     The body of the diverter valve can have a circumferential groove between its ends. And, the diverter button can have a pair of legs extending through one or more openings in the valve body transversely with respect to the valve axis at opposite sides of the diverter valve. The legs have feet extending essentially parallel to the pivot axis that fit into the circumferential groove in the diverter valve. 
     The spray control assembly can also have a pause assembly for temporarily interrupting flow to the outlet when depressed. The pause assembly includes a pause button accessible through an opening in the spray head body. The pause button is connected to a pause valve disposed along a second valve axis that is essentially perpendicular to the valve axis of the diverter valve. The pause valve can be moved to a first position in which its sealing surface seats against an associated valve seat so as to close off flow from the inlet opening of the valve body to the outlet opening of the valve body. The pause valve returns under the force of a spring to a second position in which the sealing surface is unseated from the associated valve seat so as to allow flow to pass from the inlet opening of the valve body to the outlet opening of the valve body. 
     The spray control assembly is particularly suitable for kitchen faucets (albeit also useful for other plumbing applications such as bathtubs), where the spray head is connected to water supply lines by a flexible hose disposed inside the faucet. This allows the spray head to be pulled out from the faucet to change the location and reach of the spray head. 
     These and still other advantages of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description and drawings. What follows is a preferred embodiment of the present invention. To assess the full scope of the invention the claims should be looked to as the preferred embodiment is not intended as the only embodiment within the scope of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a pull-out faucet having a spray head according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a side elevational view thereof showing the spray head in a pulled out position and a retracted position (in phantom); 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the spray head; 
         FIG. 4  is a sectional view of the spray head taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 1  showing the spray head in its normal position in which a diverter valve is positioned to route flow to an inner set of discharge orifices; 
         FIG. 5  is sectional view similar to  FIG. 4  albeit showing the diverter valve positioned to route flow to an outer set of discharge orifices; 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view similar to  FIG. 4  albeit showing a “pause” button positioned to interrupt flow to the discharge orifices; 
         FIG. 7  is an end sectional view taken along line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 4  s showing the interface of the diverter valve with a diverter button used to operate the diverter valve; and 
         FIG. 8  is an end sectional view taken along line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 4  showing a section of the spray head upstream from that shown in  FIG. 7 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       FIG. 1  shows a preferred version of a pull-out faucet  10  having a cane-shaped spout body  12  and a spray head  14 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the faucet&#39;s spray head  12  can be pulled, in this case downwardly at first, from the retracted position shown in  FIG. 1  to an extended position. The faucet  10  can thus be used as a conventional faucet in which the spray head  14  is mounted to the spout  12 , or with the spray head  14  separated from the spout  12  to be moved freely, limited only by the length of the attached spray hose  16  connected via a primary valve to water inlet line(s) of the building&#39;s plumbing system. 
     Any water mixing components of the spout  14  and the weighted flexible lines that provide for the pull-out feature of the faucet  10  can be generally of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,757,921, hereby incorporated by reference as though fully disclosed herein, and are commercially available from Kohler Company of Kohler, Wis. Briefly, as is conventional, the faucet  10  can have an attached or separate control handle  18  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) used to control mixing of hot and cold water. Separate hot and cold water lines are connected to a mixing valve (not shown) controlled via the handle  18  by the user. The weighted hose  16 , sized to be longer than the spout  12 , extends from the outlet side of the mixing valve through the hollow interior of the spout  12  and is connected to the inlet side of the spray head  14 . Over-sizing the hose  16  allows the spray head  14  to be pulled out from the spout  12 . 
     Turning now to the construction and operation of the spray head  14 , with reference to  FIG. 3 , the spray head  14  has an outer shell  20  that is open at each end and has two openings  22  and  24  through its annular wall. The outlet end of the spray head  14  has an outlet defined by an aerator cartridge  26  (as known in the art) with inner discharge orifices  28  and an outlet ring  30  with outer discharge orifices  32 . Flow through the aerator cartridge  26  provides an aerated column or stream pattern and the outlet ring  30  provides a shower-like spray pattern. 
     A valve body  34 , a diverter valve assembly  36 , a flow restrictor  38  having two spaced apart valve seats  39  and  41  (see  FIG. 4 ) and various seals, gaskets and rings (as shown) are housed inside the shell  20 . A diverter or spray selector rocker button  40  and a pause assembly  42  for controlling flow through the spray head  14  are accessed through openings  22  and  24 , respectively, in the shell  20 . The pause assembly  42  includes pause button  44  that the user depresses to move a plunger valve  46  against a return spring  48 . The plunger valve  46  clips in place and carries o-rings or other seals (in associated circumferential grooves) to keep water from flowing out of the opening  24 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the valve body  34  has a threaded inlet opening  52  to which the hose  16  attaches. The valve body  34  also defines a passageway  54  from the inlet opening  52  to its opposite open end where water can flow through to the outlet of the spray head  14 . The pause assembly  42  fits into a transverse cavity  56  in the valve body  34  that aligns with the opening  24  in the shell  20 . The transverse cavity  56  intersects the passageway  54  such that the plunger valve  46  can control flow therethrough, as described below. The valve body  34  also defines an axial cavity  58  wherein the diverter valve assembly  36  can slide along a valve axis  60  in response to movement of the rocker button  40  to route flow from the passageway  54  to either the aerator cartridge  26  or the outlet ring  30 . The diverter valve assembly  36  includes a spool-like valve member  62  with a narrow neck  64  and a head  66 . The valve member  62  carries suitable o-rings or seals (in associated circumferential grooves) on both its body to prevent water from flowing out through opening  22  and on its head  66  to seal so that each of two seal surfaces of the head o-ring can be alternately seated against the valve seats  39  and  41  when routing flow to the outlet ring  30 . The valve member  62  also has a circumferential groove  67  in an intermediate portion of its body for engagement with the diverter rocker button, as described below. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  7 , the diverter valve assembly  36  is made to translate back and forth along the valve axis  60  by pivoting the diverter rocker button  40  about an upstanding pivot post  68 , integral with and extending up from the valve body  34  essentially perpendicular to the valve axis  60 . The diverter rocker button  40  thus can pivot about a pivot axis  70 , which extends through the center of a cylindrical section  72  of the pivot post  68 , and about which a clip section  74  of the diverter rocker button  40  clips to attach it to the valve head  14 . The diverter rocker button  40  is pivoted in one direction (counter-clockwise in  FIG. 4 ) by depressing a forward section  76  of the diverter rocker button  40 , which is located at the outlet side of the pivot axis  70 , and in the opposite direction (clockwise in  FIG. 4 ) by depressing an aft section  78 . 
     The diverter rocker button  40  has two transversely depending legs  80  and  82  with small feet  84  extending laterally perpendicular to the valve axis  60  and parallel to the pivot axis  70 . The legs  80  and  82  extend into respective openings  86  and  88  in the valve body  34  so that the feet  84  fit into the groove  67  in the diverter valve member  62 . The legs  80  and  82  (and feet  84 ) can be easily formed integrally with the diverter rocker button  40 . And, assembly of the diverter rocker button  40  to the valve head  14  is simplified by the legs  80  and  82  deflecting slightly as the feet  84  pass over the body of the valve member  62  before fitting into the groove  67 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 4 ,  5 ,  6  and  8 , the spray head  14  operation of the spray  14  will now be described. One state of the spray head  14  is shown in  FIG. 4 . The spray head  14  is biased in this state by virtue of the spring  48  keeping the plunger valve member  46  of the pause assembly  42  unseated and frictional forces and/or water pressure acting on the diverter valve member  62  keeping one sealing surface of the head seal seated against valve seat  41 . In this state, water can flow from the hose  16  into the valve body  34  through the inlet end  52 . Water can pass into the passageway  54  through an opening  90  and around a narrowed section of the plunger valve member  46 . Water flows through the passageway  54  to the center of the flow restrictor  38  and into the aerator cartridge  26 . Water exits the spray head  14  through the discharge orifices  28  in the aerator cartridge  26  in a column-like pattern. Water flow is diverted from the aerator cartridge  26  to the outlet ring  30  by depressing the aft section  78  of the diverter rocker button  40  against the water pressure. This causes the legs  80  and  82  to move the feet  84  to engage the valve member  62  and drive it axially forward toward the outlet end of the spray head  14  so that the other sealing surface of the head seal seats in the valve seat  39 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . Water is thus prevented from flowing to the aerator cartridge  26  and is routed to the discharge orifices  32  of the outlet ring  30  where it exits the spray head  14  in a shower like spray pattern. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , water flow from the spray head  14  can be temporarily interrupted by depressing the pause button  44 , which causes the plunger valve member  46  to move one of its seal against a seat of the opening  90  in the valve body  34  and thereby close off flow from the inlet opening  52  to the passageway  54 . 
     It should be appreciated that a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described above. However, many modifications and variations to the preferred embodiment will be apparent to those skilled in the art, which will be within the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention should not be limited to the described embodiment. To ascertain the full scope of the invention, the following claims should be referenced. 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     The invention provides an improved spray head suitable for a pull-out faucet having spray selection and pause controls.