Patent Publication Number: US-2019194917-A1

Title: Drinking water faucet

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a drinking water faucet and more particularly to an automatic drinking water faucet. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Nowadays, drinking water faucet is widely used in many places such as residence, workplace, hospital, school and public places. Generally, the drinking water faucet is configured to boil raw water or to cool the boiled water down, and a user can get hot or cold water by pushing buttons on the drinking water faucet. 
     However, the conventional drinking water faucet is disadvantageous because: (i) a user needs to touch the buttons to get waters, which may result in spreading disease and bacteria; and (ii) electric shock may happen when a user has direct contact on the buttons of the drinking water faucet. Therefore, there remains a need for a new and improved design for a drinking water faucet to overcome the problems presented above. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a drinking water faucet which comprises a main body, a sensor, a threaded tube, a locating unit, a solenoid valve and a water outlet tube, and the locating unit further has a first locating member, a second locating member and at least two bolts. The main body is a shell and has a lower opening, an interior housing, and an upper opening, which are communicated with each other, and a diameter of the upper opening is smaller than the lower opening. A window is formed at a front side of the main body, and the sensor installed inside the interior housing of the main body is located at a position corresponding to the window. After the sensor is installed inside the interior housing, a cover is engaged with the lower opening to block a lower end of the main body. Moreover, a through hole is configured to axially penetrate through a central portion of the cover. The threaded tube comprises a discharge section and a passage section, and a first threaded section and a second threaded section are respectively formed on outer peripheries of the discharge section and the passage section. The discharge section is inserted through the through hole of the cover into the interior housing of the main body, and the first threaded section is configured to engage with the upper opening to position the discharge section inside the upper opening. A lower portion of the passage section protruding from the lower end of main body is configured to penetrate through an install hole of a table, and the second threaded section of the passage section is adapted to sequentially engage with the first locating member and the second locating member. Furthermore, at least a locating annular groove is formed inside the discharge section of the threaded tube, and at least two screw holes vertically penetrate through the second locating member of the locating unit. The two bolts are configured to screw in the two screw holes respectively to abut against a bottom portion of the first locating member, thereby securing positions of the first locating member and the second locating member. The solenoid valve having a first channel and a second channel is installed under the table, and the first channel and the second channel are respectively connected to a drinking water supply and the passage section of the threaded tube. Additionally, the solenoid valve is electrically connected to the sensor such that the sensor is configured to control on/off operation of the solenoid valve. The water outlet tube comprises a connecting section formed at an end thereof, and at least a sealing ring is disposed on the connecting section. The water outlet tube is configured to downwardly insert through the upper opening of the main body into the discharge section of the threaded tube, and the sealing ring is configured to couple in the locating annular groove, thereby locating a position of the water outlet tube. 
     Comparing with conventional drinking water faucet, the present invention is advantageous because: (i) a user can get drinking water through a sensing method, thereby preventing the risks of electric shock and spread of bacteria; and (ii) with at least two bolts screwed in the screw holes of the second locating member, the first locating member and the second locating are configured to be firmly engaged on the passage section of the threaded tube, which improves the structural strength of the drinking water faucet. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a three-dimensional assembly view of a drinking water faucet in the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a three-dimensional exploded view of the drinking water faucet in the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view illustrating two bolts are respectively screwed in two screw holes of a second locating member of the drinking water faucet in the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a sectional assembly view of the drinking water faucet in the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The detailed description set forth below is intended as a description of the presently exemplary device provided in accordance with aspects of the present invention and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present invention may be prepared or utilized. It is to be understood, rather, that the same or equivalent functions and components may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention. 
     Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood to one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although any methods, devices and materials similar or equivalent to those described can be used in the practice or testing of the invention, the exemplary methods, devices and materials are now described. 
     All publications mentioned are incorporated by reference for the purpose of describing and disclosing, for example, the designs and methodologies that are described in the publications that might be used in connection with the presently described invention. The publications listed or discussed above, below and throughout the text are provided solely for their disclosure prior to the filing date of the present application. Nothing herein is to be construed as an admission that the inventors are not entitled to antedate such disclosure by virtue of prior invention. 
     In order to further understand the goal, characteristics and effect of the present invention, a number of embodiments along with the drawings are illustrated as following: 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 4 , the present invention provides a drinking water faucet which comprises a main body ( 10 ), a sensor ( 20 ), a threaded tube ( 30 ), a locating unit ( 40 ), a solenoid valve ( 50 ) and a water outlet tube ( 60 ), and the locating unit ( 40 ) further has a first locating member ( 41 ), a second locating member ( 42 ) and at least two bolts ( 43 ). The main body ( 10 ) is a shell and has a lower opening ( 101 ), an interior housing ( 102 ), and an upper opening ( 103 ), which are communicated with each other, and a diameter of the upper opening ( 103 ) is smaller than the lower opening ( 101 ). A window ( 104 ) is formed at a front side of the main body ( 10 ), and the sensor ( 20 ) installed inside the interior housing ( 102 ) of the main body ( 10 ) is located at a position corresponding to the window ( 104 ). After the sensor ( 20 ) is installed inside the interior housing ( 102 ), a cover ( 11 ) is engaged with the lower opening ( 101 ) to block a lower end of the main body ( 10 ). Moreover, a through hole ( 111 ) is configured to axially penetrate through a central portion of the cover ( 11 ). The threaded tube ( 30 ) comprises a discharge section ( 31 ) and a passage section ( 32 ), and a first threaded section ( 311 ) and a second threaded section ( 321 ) are respectively formed on outer peripheries of the discharge section ( 31 ) and the passage section ( 32 ). The discharge section ( 31 ) is inserted through the through hole ( 111 ) of the cover ( 11 ) into the interior housing ( 102 ) of the main body ( 10 ), and the first threaded section ( 311 ) is configured to engage with the upper opening ( 103 ) to position the discharge section ( 31 ) inside the upper opening ( 103 ). A lower portion of the passage section ( 32 ) protruding from the lower end of main body ( 10 ) is configured to penetrate through an install hole ( 71 ) of a table ( 70 ), and the second threaded section ( 321 ) of the passage section ( 32 ) is adapted to sequentially engage with the first locating member ( 41 ) and the second locating member ( 42 ). Furthermore, at least a locating annular groove ( 312 ) is formed inside the discharge section ( 31 ) of the threaded tube ( 30 ), and at least two screw holes ( 421 ) vertically penetrate through the second locating member ( 42 ) of the locating unit ( 40 ). The two bolts ( 43 ) are configured to screw in the two screw holes ( 421 ) respectively to abut against a bottom portion of the first locating member ( 41 ), thereby securing positions of the first locating member ( 41 ) and the second locating member ( 42 ). The solenoid valve ( 50 ) having a first channel ( 501 ) and a second channel ( 502 ) is installed under the table ( 70 ), and the first channel ( 501 ) and the second channel ( 502 ) are respectively connected to a drinking water supply and the passage section ( 32 ) of the threaded tube ( 30 ). Additionally, the solenoid valve ( 50 ) is electrically connected to the sensor ( 20 ) such that the sensor ( 20 ) is configured to control on/off operation of the solenoid valve ( 50 ). The water outlet tube ( 60 ) comprises a connecting section ( 601 ) formed at an end thereof, and at least a sealing ring ( 61 ) is disposed on the connecting section ( 601 ). The water outlet tube ( 60 ) is configured to downwardly insert through the upper opening ( 103 ) of the main body ( 10 ) into the discharge section ( 31 ) of the threaded tube ( 30 ), and the sealing ring ( 61 ) is configured to couple in the locating annular groove ( 312 ), thereby locating a position of the water outlet tube ( 60 ). 
     In one embodiment, the through hole ( 111 ) of the cover ( 11 ) is a hexagonal hole. 
     In another embodiment, the sensor ( 20 ) is an infrared sensor. 
     In still another embodiment, a neck section ( 33 ) is configured to be connected between the discharge section ( 31 ) and the passage section ( 32 ), and a diameter of the neck section ( 33 ) is smaller than the discharge section ( 31 ) and the passage section ( 32 ). 
     In a further embodiment, the first locating member ( 41 ) is a face-up lid having a first opening at a top end thereof, and a second opening ( 411 ) formed at a lateral wall of the first locating member ( 41 ) is configured to be passed through by a power cord of the sensor ( 20 ). 
     In still a further embodiment, the second channel ( 502 ) of the solenoid valve ( 50 ) is connected to the passage section ( 32 ) of the threaded tube ( 30 ) through an adapter ( 51 ). 
     In yet a further embodiment, the drinking water faucet of the present invention is installed on the table ( 70 ). 
     In a preferred embodiment, the table ( 70 ) is a kitchen countertop. 
     Comparing with conventional drinking water faucet, the present invention is advantageous because: (i) a user can get drinking water through a sensing method, thereby preventing the risks of electric shock and spread of bacteria; and (ii) with at least two bolts ( 43 ) screwed in the screw holes ( 421 ) of the second locating member ( 42 ), the first locating member ( 41 ) and the second locating ( 42 ) are configured to be firmly engaged on the passage section ( 32 ) of the threaded tube ( 30 ), which improves the structural strength of the drinking water faucet. 
     Having described the invention by the description and illustrations above, it should be understood that these are exemplary of the invention and are not to be considered as limiting. Accordingly, the invention is not to be considered as limited by the foregoing description, but includes any equivalents.