Patent Publication Number: US-11377827-B2

Title: Positioning hose structure for pull-out faucet

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a faucet, and more particularly to a positioning hose structure for a pull-out faucet. 
     Description of the Prior Art 
     Faucet is one of the indispensable water supply tools in human life, and a development of faucets has led to advancement to an application of washing. For example, a structure design of different faucets is gradually applied on a sink, a countertop, and washstand, thus providing consumers with more diversified appearances. With these faucets designed for special purposes, it is more convenient for people to use water. 
     Conventionally, the faucets installed on the countertop are designed in vertical type. For a convenience of water control, a water control valve is often designed to be located beside a body of a faucet, and a supply pipe is located on a top of the body. However, it is required to washing the countertop after using the countertop. When washing the countertop with the faucet, the supply pipe cannot be pulled to the countertop. To overcome this problem, a faucet with a flexible hose has been developed, wherein the flexible hose is received in the supply pipe, a first end of the flexible hose is inserted through the body to connect with a threaded tube of a water control valve, and a second end of the flexible hose is coupled with a water supply head, wherein the water supply head is fitted on an outer wall of the water supply pipe, such that when washing the countertop or other objects in a large size, the flexible hose is pulled to extend the water supply head to a desired position. 
     But after pulling the water supply head of the faucet outward, it cannot be mounted by a fixing structure, and it is required to keep pulling the water supply head outward, thus operating the water supply head inconveniently and laboriously. Nevertheless, the flexible hose is inserted through the body, so the water control valve, an inlet pipe, and the water supply pipe are accommodated in limited space so that the flexible hose is received in the body, and a counter weight is fixed on the flexible hose. When pulling the flexible hose downward by ways of the counterweight, a size of the body of the faucet is quite large, the space is limited, and the flexible hose is bendable, so the flexible hose is stopped by the water control valve, when inserting the flexible hose into the body from an end of the water supply pipe, thus causing difficult installation and obstructing the flexible hose in the body. 
     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 positioning hose structure for a pull-out faucet which contains a water supply head positioned automatically after being pulled outwardly, thus obtaining easy operation. 
     Further object of the present invention is to provide a positioning hose structure for a pull-out faucet which contains a body not changed its structure, and a size of the body is decreased to achieve easy fabrication and wide commonality. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a positioning hose structure for a pull-out faucet which contains a flexible hose not inserted through the body so as to connect and maintain a faucet easily. 
     To achieve above-mentioned objectives, a positioning hose structure for a pull-out faucet provided by the present invention contains: a body, a supply pipe, a fitting sleeve, a flexible hose, a guide element, a slide member, and a spring. 
     The body includes a locking portion formed on a top thereof. 
     The supply pipe is hollow and includes an extension formed on a first end thereof, an opening defined on a second end of the supply pipe, a defining portion formed on a bottom of the extension, a screw element locked on an outer wall of the defining portion. The defining portion is screwed with the outer threads of the locking portion of the body by using the screw element of the body. 
     The fitting sleeve includes a hollow connection tube fitted with an inner wall of the extension of the supply pipe. The connection tube has a through hole defined adjacent to an upper end thereof, a receiving orifice connecting and communicating with the coupling portion, a shoulder arranged on an upper end of the receiving orifice, multiple protrusions separately formed on an inner wall of the through hole, and multiple guiding slots. A respective guiding slot is defined between any two adjacent protrusions. 
     The flexible hose is slidably accommodated in the supply pipe, and the flexible hose includes a joining portion formed on a first end thereof. The joining portion has a stop ridge formed thereon and is inserted into the connection tube, the flexible hose further includes a water supply head arranged on a second end thereof and located outside the supply pipe, and the water supply head is engaged with the opening of the supply pipe and is pulled outward with the flexible hose. 
     The guide element includes a fixing orifice defined on a center of the guide element and configured to rotatably and movably fit with an outer wall of the joining portion of the flexible hose. The fixing orifice has a positioning portion extending from a bottom of an inner wall thereof, the guide element further includes multiple first ribs separately arranged around the guide element, and the guide element includes a first toothed portion successively formed on a bottom thereof. 
     The slide member is formed in a hollow tube shape and is slidably received in the connection tube. The slide member includes an inner wall of a top connected with the joining portion of the flexible hose, multiple second ribs separately arranged on an outer wall of the top of the slide member, a second toothed portion formed on the top of the multiple second ribs, and a protruded tab extending around a bottom of the slide member, contacting with and sliding along the inner wall of the connection tube. 
     The spring is accommodated in the receiving orifice of the connection tube and is fitted on outer sides of the flexible hose and the slide member. A first end of the spring abuts against the shoulder of the upper end of the receiving orifice, and a second end of the spring contacts with the protruded tab of the bottom of the slide member. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing the assembly of a positioning hose structure for a pull-out faucet according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing the exploded components of the positioning hose structure for the pull-out faucet according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing the assembly of a part of the positioning hose structure for the pull-out faucet according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the assembly of a part of the positioning hose structure for the pull-out faucet according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view showing the assembly of the positioning hose structure for the pull-out faucet according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is an amplified cross-sectional view of a part of  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view showing the operation of the positioning hose structure for the pull-out faucet according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is an amplified cross-sectional view of a part of  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the operation of the positioning hose structure for the pull-out faucet according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is another cross-sectional perspective view showing the operation of the positioning hose structure for the pull-out faucet according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is also another cross-sectional perspective view showing the operation of the positioning hose structure for the pull-out faucet according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  is still another cross-sectional perspective view showing the operation of the positioning hose structure for the pull-out faucet according to the preferred 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, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1-6 , a positioning hose structure for a pull-out faucet according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises: a body  10 , a supply pipe  20 , a fitting sleeve  30 , a flexible hose  40 , a guide element  50 , a slide member  60 , and a spring  70 . 
     The body  10  includes a control portion  11  configured to control water supply and mounted on a side of the body  10 , a locking portion  12  formed on a top of the body  10 , and a connecting portion  13  arranged on an inner wall of the top of the body  10 , wherein the locking portion  12  has outer threads  121  formed on an outer wall thereof. 
     The supply pipe  20  is hollow, and the supply pipe  20  includes an extension  21  formed on a first end thereof, an opening  22  defined on a second end of the supply pipe  20 , a defining portion  211  formed on a bottom of the extension  21 , a screw element  23  locked on an outer wall of the defining portion  211 , the defining portion  211  being circularly protruded, and two first seal rings  212  fitted on an upper end and a lower end of the defining portion  211  respectively, and the screw element  23  has inner threads  231  defined on an inner wall thereof, such that the defining portion  211  is screwed with the outer threads  121  of the locking portion  12  of the body  10  by using the inner threads  231  of the screw element  23 , the supply pipe  20  is connected with the body  10 , and the two first seal rings  212  of the defining portion  211  stop a water leakage. 
     The fitting sleeve  30  includes a hollow connection tube  31  and a coupling portion  32  extending from a bottom of the connection tube  31 , wherein the connection tube  31  is fitted with an inner wall of the extension  21  of the supply pipe  20 , and the coupling portion  32  of the connection tube  31  is fitted with the connecting portion  13  of the body  10 , wherein the connection tube  31  has a through hole  311  defined adjacent to an upper end thereof, a receiving orifice  312  connecting and communicating with the coupling portion  32 , a shoulder  313  arranged on an upper end of the receiving orifice  312 , multiple protrusions  314  separately formed on an inner wall of the through hole  311 , and multiple guiding slots  315 , wherein a respective guiding slot  315  is defined between any two adjacent protrusions  314 . 
     The flexible hose  40  is slidably accommodated in the supply pipe  20 , and the flexible hose  40  includes a joining portion  41  formed on a first end thereof, wherein the joining portion  41  has a stop ridge  411  formed thereon and is inserted into the connection tube  31 , the flexible hose  40  further includes a water supply head  42  arranged on a second end thereof and located outside the supply pipe  20 , and the water supply head  42  is engaged with the opening  22  of the supply pipe  20  and is pulled outward with the flexible hose  40 . 
     The guide element  50  includes a fixing orifice  51  defined on a center thereof and configured to rotatably and movably fit with an outer wall of the joining portion  41  of the flexible hose  40 , wherein the fixing orifice  51  has a positioning portion  511  extending from a bottom of an inner wall of the fixing orifice  51 , the guide element  50  further includes multiple first ribs  52  separately arranged around the guide element  50 , and the guide element  50  includes a first toothed portion  53  successively formed on a bottom thereof. 
     The slide member  60  is formed in a hollow tube shape and is slidably received in the connection tube  31 , the slide member  60  includes an inner wall of a top connected with the joining portion  41  of the flexible hose  40 , multiple second ribs  61  separately arranged on an outer wall of a top of the slide member  60 , a second toothed portion  62  formed on the top of the multiple second ribs  61 , and a protruded tab  63  extending around a bottom of the slide member  60 , wherein the protruded tab  63  has at least one second seal ring  631  (in this embodiment, two second seal rings  631  are fitted on the protruded tab  63 ) contacting with an inner wall of the connection tube  31 . 
     The spring  70  is accommodated in the receiving orifice  312  of the connection tube  31  and is fitted on outer sides of the flexible hose  40  and the slide member  60 , wherein a first end of the spring  70  abuts against the shoulder  313  of the upper end of the receiving orifice  312 , and a second end of the spring  70  contacts with the protruded tab  63  of the bottom of the slide member  60 . 
     When using the movable structure of the faucet outlet pipe in a normal water supply mode, the control portion  11  is applied to control a mixing ratio of cold water and hot water, a water supply, and a stopping of the water supply so that water flows out of the water supply head  42  of the flexible hose  40  via the body  10  and the flexible hose  40 . When washing a countertop or other objects in a large area, as shown in  FIGS. 7-12 , the water supply head  42  is pulled outward with the flexible hose  40  to extend to a desired position in the large range, in the meantime, the slide member  60  is actuated by the flexible hose  40  to move upward, and the guide element  50  is pushed by the slide member  60  to move upward so that the spring  70  is driven by the protruded tab  63  of the slide member  60  to retract. The multiple first ribs  52  of the guide element  50  align with the multiple guiding slots  315  of the fitting sleeve  30  and slide upward, the multiple second ribs  61  of the slide member  60  are aligned with the multiple guiding slots  315  of the fitting sleeve  30  to slide upward until the multiple first ribs  52  of the guide element  50  remove from the multiple guiding slots  315  of the fitting sleeve  30 , and the second toothed portion  62  of the slide member  60  pushes the first toothed portion  53  of the guide element  50  so as to urge the guide element  50  to directionally revolve at a small angle. The multiple first ribs  52  of the guide element  50  changeably align and engage with the multiple protrusions  314  of the fitting sleeve  30 , and the stop ridge  411  of the joining portion  41  of the flexible hose  40  contacts with the positioning portion  511  of the fixing orifice  51  of the guide element  50  until the water supply head  42  is pulled and extend outward. 
     When desiring to retract the water supply head  42  inward, the water supply head  42  is further pulled outwardly with the flexible hose  40  so that the slide member  60  is actuated by the flexible hose  40  to move upward, and the second toothed portion  62  of the slide member  60  pushes the first toothed portion  53  of the guide element  50  to urge the guide element  50  to directionally revolve at the small angle. The multiple first ribs  52  of the guide element  50  changeably align and engage with the multiple guiding slots  315  of the fitting sleeve  30 , thus releasing the water supply head. Then, the spring  70  urges the flexible hose  40 , the guide element  50 , and the slide member  60  to move back to original positions, and the water supply head  42  is retracted to engage with the opening  22  of the supply pipe  20 . 
     Thereby, the positioning hose structure for the pull-out faucet of the present invention has following advantages: 
     1. The water supply head  42  is positioned automatically after being pulled outwardly, and the water supply head  42  is retracted back to the original position automatically after being pulled further, thus obtaining easy operation. 
     2. The fitting sleeve  30 , the flexible hose  40 , the guide element  50 , the slide member  60 , and the spring  70  are connected on the supply pipe  20 , so a structure of the body  10  is not changed and its size is decreased to achieve easy fabrication and wide commonality. 
     3. The flexible hose  40  is not inserted through the body  10  so as to connect and maintain a faucet easily and to decrease a failure rate of a connection of the faucet. 
     While various embodiments in accordance with the present invention have been shown and described, it is clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.