Patent Publication Number: US-2023132961-A1

Title: Pull-out faucet

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to Chinese patent application number 202122636088.4, filed on Oct. 29, 2021. Chinese patent application number 202122636088.4 is incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure relates to a pull-out faucet. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The traditional faucet, especially for the pull-out faucet, only has a single water passage structure, and the traditional faucet achieves switching of water through being controlled by a single valve. The water outlet function of the traditional faucet is relatively simple. 
     For example, Chinese patent application number 201821215639.1 discloses a pull-out faucet. The pull-out faucet comprises a faucet body, and the faucet body comprises a pull-out head and a pull-out pipe. A water inlet end of the pull-out head is connected to the pull-out pipe. A first support is accommodated in a cavity of a faucet housing and is located at a water outlet end of the faucet housing, wherein the pull-out head is removably disposed on the first support, and a receiving part is defined on a peripheral surface of the first support to receive a purified water tube. The receiving part can be specifically set as a groove, and the purified water tube is embedded in the groove. The pull-out pipe and the purified water tube both extend along a length of the faucet housing and are matched with a bent radian of the faucet housing. A seat body is used for installing and engaging the faucet housing, and the seat body is configured in a three-way structure and is detachably connected with the faucet housing. A control valve is installed in the seat body, and the control valve can control switching of the pull-out pipe and switching of the purified water tube. The control valve can disconnect a flow path of purified water when a flow path of tap water is opened, and vice versa, so that the flow path of the purified water is separated from the flow path of the tap water to avoid possible mixing of the purified water and the tap water that might contaminate the purified water. Although the pull-out faucet can separate the tap water and the purified water, only the flow path of the tap water can be pulled out to change a water outlet direction of the tap water, and the flow path of the purified water cannot be pulled out to change a water outlet direction of the purified water. The pull-out faucet still cannot meet the needs of consumers in that the flow path of the purified water cannot be pulled out. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure provides a pull-out faucet to solve the deficiencies in the background. 
     In order to solve the technical problem, a technical solution of the present disclosure is as follows. 
     A pull-out faucet comprises a faucet body, a first water inlet passage, a second water inlet passage, a water-passing passage, a water-dividing seat, a pull-out flexible hose, a pull-out head, and a control valve. Each of the first water inlet passage, the water-passing passage, and the control valve is disposed in the faucet body, and each of the first water inlet passage and the water-passing passage is in communication with the control valve. The pull-out flexible hose is a tube-in-tube structure and comprises a first water outlet passage and a second water outlet passage. Each of the water-passing passage, the second water inlet passage, and the pull-out flexible hose is connected to the water-dividing seat so that the first water outlet passage is in communication with the water-passing passage and the second water outlet passage is in communication with the second water inlet passage. The pull-out head is connected to a second end of the pull-out flexible hose and comprises a first water outlet and a second water outlet. The first water outlet is in communication with the first water outlet passage, and the second water outlet is in communication with the second water outlet passage. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the water-dividing seat comprises a first water-dividing cavity, a second water-dividing cavity, and a converging cavity respectively in communication with the first water-dividing cavity and the second water-dividing cavity. The water-passing passage is sealingly plugged into and matched with the first water-dividing cavity, the second water inlet passage is sealingly plugged into and matched with the second water-dividing cavity, and a first end of the pull-out flexible hose is sealingly plugged into and matched with the converging cavity. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the pull-out flexible hose comprises an outer tube and an inner tube fixed in the outer tube. The second water outlet passage is formed in the inner tube, and the first water outlet passage is formed between the inner tube and the outer tube. An end of the inner tube at the first end of the pull-out flexible hose extends out of the outer tube and is plugged into the second water-dividing cavity. A junction of the first water-dividing cavity and the converging cavity is connected to a top end of the first water outlet passage. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the pull-out faucet comprises a sealing water-proof gasket. An outer periphery of the end of the inner tube comprises an annular groove, and the sealing water-proof gasket is disposed in the annular groove and is sealingly matched with a cavity wall of the second water-dividing cavity. 
     In a preferred embodiment, one or more first one-way valves are disposed in the first water-dividing cavity, and one or more second one-way valves are disposed in the second water-dividing cavity. 
     In a preferred embodiment, a flow restrictor is disposed in the first water-dividing cavity. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the second water inlet passage is disposed with a solenoid valve that is configured to control an opening and a closing of the second water outlet passage. 
     In a preferred embodiment, a water purifier is disposed on the second water inlet passage. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the faucet body comprises a faucet housing, a valve seat, and a bent tube. The valve seat is fixedly connected to the faucet housing, and the bent tube is disposed on the faucet housing. The second end of the pull-out flexible hose passes through the faucet housing and the bent tube and extends out of the bent tube to be connected to the pull-out head. The first water inlet passage comprises a cold water inlet passage and a hot water inlet passage. Each of the cold water inlet passage, the hot water inlet passage, and the water-passing passage is plugged into the valve seat, and the control valve cooperates with the valve seat to control an opening and a closing of the first water outlet passage and a temperature of water that flows from the control valve. 
     Compared with the existing techniques, the technical solution has the following advantages. 
     1. Since the pull-out flexible hose is in a tube-in-tube structure and the water in the first water inlet passage and the second water inlet passage is collected in the pull-out flexible hose through the water-dividing seat, the water in the first water inlet passage and the second water inlet passage can be pulled out using the pull-out head to change a water outlet direction, which is very convenient for users to use. 
     2. The water-dividing seat is a three-way structure, which respectively connects the water-passing passage and the second water inlet passage independent from the water-passing passage to the two water outlet passages of the pull-out flexible hose. The water-dividing seat has an ingenious structure design, a simple structure, and low cost. 
     3. An end of the inner tube at the first end of the pull-out flexible hose extends out of the outer tube and is plugged into the second water-dividing cavity, so that the second water inlet passage can be communicated with the second water outlet passage in the inner tube. The junction of the first water-dividing cavity and the converging cavity is in communication with the top end of the first water outlet passage, so that the water-passing passage is in communication with the top end of the first water outlet passage. 
     4. The arrangement of the sealing water-proof gasket can prevent the water in the water-passing passage from flowing into the second water inlet passage and avoid water mixing. 
     5. The arrangement of the one or more first one-way valves can prevent the water in the first water outlet passage from flowing back into the water-passing passage, and the arrangement of the one or more second one-way valves can prevent the water in the second water outlet passage from flowing back into the second water inlet passage. 
     6. The flow restrictor is also arranged in the first water-dividing cavity, which can limit a water flow of the first water outlet passage and save water. 
     7. The second water inlet passage is disposed with the solenoid valve that can control the opening and closing of the second water outlet passage. That is, the second water outlet passage is controlled by the solenoid valve, and the first water outlet passage is controlled by the control valve. The second water outlet passage and the first water out passage are independently controlled and do not affect each other. 
     8. The water purifier is also disposed on the second water inlet passage, so that the water in the second water outlet passage is purified water. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    illustrates a perspective view of a pull-out faucet in a preferred embodiment. 
         FIG.  2    illustrates an exploded view of the pull-out faucet in a preferred embodiment. 
         FIG.  3    illustrates a cross-sectional view of the pull-out faucet in a preferred embodiment. 
         FIG.  4    illustrates a cross-sectional view of a water-dividing seat that is connected with a pull-out flexible hose, a water-passing passage, and a second water inlet passage in a preferred embodiment. 
         FIG.  5    illustrates a cross-sectional view of a pull-out head that is connected with the pull-out flexible hose in a preferred embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     The present disclosure will be further described below in combination with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. 
     Unless otherwise clearly defined in the claims, description, and the above-mentioned drawings of the disclosure, the terms “first”, “second”, “third”, and so on are used to distinguish different objects, not used to describe a specific order. 
     Unless otherwise clearly defined in the claims, description, and the above-mentioned drawings of the disclosure, for location words, such as the use of the terms “center”, “transverse”, “perpendicular”, “horizontal”, “vertical”, “top”, “bottom”, “inner”, “outer”, “upper”, “lower”, “front”, “rear”, “left”, “right”, “clockwise”, “counterclockwise”, and other indication orientations or positional relationships are based on the orientations and positional relationships shown in the drawings, are provided to facilitate the description of the disclosure and simplify the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the indicated device or element must have a specific orientation or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Such words should not be understood as limiting the specific protection scope of the disclosure. 
     In the claims, the description, and the drawings of the present disclosure, unless otherwise explicitly defined, if the term “fixed connection” or “fixedly connected” is used, it should be understood in a broad sense. That is, any connection method without displacement relationship and relative rotation relationship between the two, that is, including non-removable fixed connection, removably fixed connection, connected as a whole, and fixed connection through other devices or components. 
     In the claims, the description, and the drawings of the present disclosure, the terms “including”, “having”, and their variations are intended to mean “including but not limited to”. 
     Referring to  FIGS.  1  to  5   , a preferred embodiment of a pull-out faucet is provided. The pull-out faucet comprises a faucet body  18 , a first water inlet passage  19 , a second water inlet passage  11 , a water-passing passage  12 , a water-dividing seat  10 , a pull-out flexible hose  20 , a pull-out head  30 , and a control valve  40 . 
     Each of the first water inlet passage  19 , the water-passing passage  12 , and the control valve  40  is disposed in the faucet body  18 , and each of the first water inlet passage  19  and the water-passing passage  12  is in communication with the control valve  40 . Specifically, referring to  FIG.  2   , the faucet body  18  comprises a faucet housing  50 , a valve seat  60 , and a bent tube  70 . The valve seat  60  is fixedly connected to the faucet housing  50 , and the bent tube  70  is disposed on the faucet housing  50 . 
     The pull-out flexible hose  20  is a tube-in-tube structure and comprises a first water outlet passage  21  and a second water outlet passage  22 . Specifically, referring to  FIG.  4   , the pull-out flexible hose  20  further comprises an outer tube  23  and an inner tube  24  fixed in the outer tube  23 . The second water outlet passage  22  is formed in the inner tube  24 , and the first water outlet passage  21  is formed between the inner tube  24  and the outer tube  23 . In an actual tube making process of the pull-out flexible hose  20 , nylon wire can be wrapped around the outer tube  23  for improving support strength to ensure that the inner tube  24  will not burst due to high water pressure, and the outer tube  23  also has a function of anti-wear when the pull-out flexible hose  20  is pulled out. 
     Each of the water-passing passage  12 , the second water inlet passage  11 , and the pull-out flexible hose  20  is connected to the water-dividing seat  10  so that the first water outlet passage  21  is in communication with the water-passing passage  12  and the second water outlet passage  22  is in communication with the second water inlet passage  11 . The pull-out head  30  is connected to a second end of the pull-out flexible hose  20 , and the pull-out head  30  comprises a first water outlet  31  in communication with the first water outlet passage  21  and a second water outlet  32  in communication with the second water outlet passage  22 . In this embodiment, the second end of the pull-out flexible hose  20  passes through the faucet housing  50  and the bent tube  70 , then extends out of the bent tube  70 , and is connected to the pull-out head  30 . The first water inlet passage  19  comprises a cold water inlet passage  13  and a hot water inlet passage  14 . Each of the cold water inlet passage  13 , the hot water inlet passage  14 , and the water-passing passage  12  is plugged into the valve seat  60 , and the control valve  40  cooperates with the valve seat  60  to control an opening and a closing of the first water outlet passage  21  and a temperature of water that flows from the control valve  40 . In this embodiment the control valve  40  cannot control an opening and a closing of the second water outlet passage  22 . According to needs, in some embodiments, the control valve  40  can also have a function of switching at least one of the first water outlet passage  21  or the second water outlet passage  22  to be opened and closed, which is not limited thereto. 
     In this embodiment, the water-dividing seat  10  is substantially V-shaped, and the water-dividing seat  10  comprises a first water-dividing cavity  15 , a second water-dividing cavity  16 , and a converging cavity  17  respectively in communication with the first water-dividing cavity  15  and the second water-dividing cavity  16 . The water-passing passage  12  is sealingly plugged into and matched with the first water-dividing cavity  15 , and the second water inlet passage  11  is sealingly plugged into and matched with the second water-dividing cavity  16 . A first end of the pull-out flexible hose  20  is sealingly plugged into and matched with the converging cavity  17 . Referring to  FIG.  4   , an end of the inner tube  24  at the first end of the pull-out flexible hose  20  extends out of the outer tube  23  and is plugged into the second water-dividing cavity  16 . A junction of the first water-dividing cavity  15  and the converging cavity  17  is in communication with a top end of the first water outlet passage  21 . 
     In this embodiment, the pull-out faucet further comprises a sealing water-proof gasket  80 . An outer periphery of the end of the inner tube  24  comprises an annular groove  241  in which the sealing water-proof gasket  80  is disposed, and the sealing water-proof gasket  80  sealingly abuts and is matched with a cavity wall of the second water-dividing cavity  16 . The arrangement of the sealing water-proof gasket  80  can prevent the water in the water-passing passage  12  from flowing into the second water inlet passage  11  to avoid water mixing. 
     Moreover, one or more first one-way valves  151  are disposed in the first water-dividing cavity  15 , and one or more second one-way valves  161  are disposed in the second water-dividing cavity  16 . A flow restrictor  152  is also disposed in the first water-dividing cavity  15 . Referring to  FIG.  4   , the one or more first one-way valves  151  are two first one-way valves  151  spaced apart from each other along an up-and-down (i.e., vertical) direction, and the flow restrictor  152  is located below the two first one-way valves  151 . The one or more second one-way valves  161  are two second one-way valves  161  spaced apart from each other along the up-and-down direction. 
     In this embodiment, the second water inlet passage  11  comprises a solenoid valve  90  that can control an opening and a closing of the second water outlet passage  22 . A water purifier  91  is also disposed on the second water inlet passage  11 . As shown in  FIG.  1   , the water purifier  91  is located upstream of the solenoid valve  90 . 
     When purified water supplied from the water purifier  91  needs to be used, it is only necessary to open the second water outlet passage  22  through the solenoid valve  90  to discharge the purified water. During use, a water outlet angle and a water outlet direction of the second water outlet  32  can be changed by pulling the pull-out head  30 . When tap water needs to be used, it is only necessary to open the first water outlet passage  21  through the control valve  40  to discharge the tap water. During use, a water outlet angle and a water outlet direction of the first water outlet  31  can be changed by pulling the pull-out head  30 . That is, the first water outlet passage  21  and the second water outlet passage  22  can not only be controlled independently, but also a pull-out function of the pull-out head  30  can be used to change the water outlet angles and the water outlet directions of the first water outlet  31  and the second water outlet  32 , which is more convenient to use. 
     The aforementioned embodiments are merely some embodiments of the present disclosure, and the scope of the disclosure is not limited thereto. Thus, it is intended that the present disclosure cover any modifications and variations of the presently presented embodiments provided they are made without departing from the appended claims and the specification of the present disclosure.