Patent Abstract:
Disclosed is a swivel faucet, such as one having a pull-out sprayer. In one aspect the inlet and outlet lines are formed in an integral structure with a transverse plate that faces a mixing valve. In another aspect the control handle for the faucet is provided with a concentric visible bore and hidden set screw bore combined with a bushing having a cutout to facilitate their use. In still another aspect there is provided a bearing that mounts to a pivotable sprayer and provides distinct swivel positions through the use of a detent connection to a land.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority based on U.S. provisional application 60/916,338, which was filed May 7, 2007. 
    
    
     STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to faucets with spray heads. More particularly it relates to such a faucet in which there is a pull-out sprayer mounted on a swivelable harbor. 
     In one aspect of known faucets with spray heads/handles, prior designs (e.g. as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,757,921) include a separate elbow which is linked at its lower end to inlet hot and cold lines and an outlet line, and to a mixing valve at its vertical side which is connected to an actuation handle. This required the outer housing to bulge in order to accommodate the elbow plus the other relevant connections, and thus created design constraints. It is desirable to have a more compact assembly for connecting the inlet and outlet lines to a side mounted mixing valve. 
     In another aspect of known faucets with spray heads/handles, prior designs included a control handle with an exposed set screw which could be inadvertently loosened or corroded by water, and/or reduced the aesthetic appeal of the handle. Some of these handles were also formed with an unsightly visible cutaway to permit tilting of the handle to occur (e.g. the valve required both rotation and tilting motion of a control lever). Hence, it is also desirable to improve the exterior aesthetics of such control handles without compromising functionality. 
     In yet another aspect of known faucets with spray heads/handles, prior designs had a “harbor” for the pull-out spray, the harbor then being swingable like a standard kitchen faucet. When the housings for the harbor or valve base were non-circular in cross section, it became somewhat difficult to easily align the parts to the forward position between uses. U.S. patent application publication 2006/0157127 sought to address this concern. However, it had a variety of deficiencies, such as placing a wear point on the spout hub, which could result in the need to replace an expensive outer part. 
     Thus, there is a desire to improve various aspects of such faucet assemblies. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect the invention provides a faucet assembly having a mixing valve and an inlet/outlet assembly connected to the mixing valve. The inlet/outlet assembly has inlet and outlet lines that are permanently affixed to a face plate (e.g. integrally formed therewith or welded/brazed thereto), particularly where the face plate is positioned transverse to the longitudinal axis of the lines. 
     In another aspect the invention provides a mixing valve with a valve stem and a control handle connected thereto. The control handle has a set screw bore separated from a visible bore. The visible bore provides access to a set screw within the set screw bore which attaches an inner wall of the handle to the valve stem, while the visible bore extends through an outer wall of the handle. The visible bore is circumferentially aligned with the set screw bore. 
     In this form of the invention there can be a cap which removably covers the visible bore, such as by using an O-ring to help seal the bore. The handle can have a lever arm that extends radially outward from a side of the handle, and the visible bore can be positioned at an opposed side of the handle from the lever arm. 
     In yet another preferred form of the invention there can be a bushing with a cutout that is mounted at least in part between the control handle and the mixing valve. This cutout can have a continuous contour (e.g. a keyhole shape) which provides a clearance access to the set screw at a plurality of angular positions of the valve stem. 
     In still another form the invention provides a faucet assembly with a spray head harbor having an inner contour. There is a bearing having an outer contour and a base, the outer contour being mateable with the inner contour of the spray head harbor, the base including one of a projection and a detent. There is also a valve housing including a shaft extending from a land for the base, the land having an other of the projection and the detent. 
     The bearing is rotatable on the shaft between a position where the projection is within the detent, and another position where the projection is not within the detent. In a preferred form of this aspect of the invention one of the projection and the detent are connected to a spring arm, and the positioning of the detent and projection are such as to define a properly aligned forwardly directed position for the faucet between uses. 
     The present invention has, in various embodiments, various advantages. For example, one embodiment will provide a compact configuration for the outer housing adjacent the linkage between the control valve and inlet and outlet lines. Another embodiment provides a decorative handle exterior, while still providing set screw access. Still another embodiment can provide positive selection feel when positioning the swivel, particularly when the spout harbor is being returned to its forwardly directed rest position. 
     These advantages are achieved in an inexpensive manner (both with respect to cost of production of the parts and cost of assembly). Further, the parts used to achieve the assembly are believed to have good reliability over a prolonged period. 
     These and still other advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following and the attached drawings. Of course, the following discussions relates only to preferred embodiments. For a more comprehensive understanding of the full intended scope of the invention one should look to the claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a faucet assembly according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the faucet assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view taken along section line  3 - 3  in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view similar to  FIG. 3 , but with a control handle tilted to another position; 
         FIG. 5  is a fragmentary perspective view of an inlet/outlet assembly used with the  FIG. 1  faucet assembly; 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view taken along section line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a fragmentary side elevational view of a bearing of the  FIG. 2  faucet, partially mounted to a valve housing; 
         FIG. 8  is a view similar to  FIG. 7 , but with bearing fully mounted to the valve housing; 
         FIG. 9  is a partial cross-sectional view taken along section line  9 - 9  in  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view taken along section line  10 - 10  in  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 11  is a vertical sectional view of the  FIG. 1  faucet assembly; 
         FIG. 12  is a frontal view of a  FIG. 5  inlet/outlet assembly; 
         FIG. 13  is a side view of the  FIG. 5  inlet/outlet assembly; 
         FIG. 14  is a rear view of the  FIG. 5  inlet/out assembly; and 
         FIG. 15  is a perspective view of a bearing of the  FIG. 1  faucet assembly. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly first to  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  11 , there is shown a faucet assembly  20  which includes spray head  22  connected to a flexible outlet line  24  which is routed through spray head harbor  26 . Spray head  22  may optionally include a spray control pushbutton  28 , and may also include other controls. Spray head harbor  26  is connected to valve housing  30  via bearing  32 . 
     Mixing valve  34  is connected to control handle  36 , as also shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . Tilting and/or rotation of control handle  36  determines the combination of hot and cold water and/or the volume of water available to spray head  22  via flexible outlet line  24 . The valve used for this purpose may be any of a number of conventional mixing valves. 
     Inlet/outlet assembly  38  (see particularly FIGS.  2 , 5  and  12 - 14 ) is in fluid communication with mixing valve  34 . The inlet/outlet assembly  38  has inlet lines  40  and outlet line  24  permanently affixed to a face plate  42  as by casting to integrally form them together, or by welding/brazing to essentially permanently bond them together. 
     It is highly preferable to form face plate  42  transverse to the longitudinal axis of inlet lines  40 . Face plate  42  extends vertically without the need for a separate elbow, and each of the three lines bends from the vertical to the horizontal in a way that minimizes the need for a bulge. In this regard, it is particularly desirable that the lines have a sideways bend in them which permits a more compact front-to-back bending because part of the radius is extended side-to-side rather than just front-to-back. 
     As may be best appreciated from  FIGS. 5-6  and  12 - 14 , lines  24 ,  40  each include a first bend  39  and a second bend  41  adjacent the first bend  39 ; wherein at the first bends  39 , the inlet and outlet lines  24 ,  40  bend sideways adjacent their junctions with face plate  42 . Lines  24 ,  40  each are further shown to include a first portion  43 , a second portion  45 , and a third portion  47 , the first portion  43  between face plate  42  and the first bend  39 , the second portion  45  between the first bend  39  and the second bend  41 , and the third portion  47  opposite the second bend  41  from the second portion  45 . The first portion  43  has a longitudinal axis that extends in a first direction. The second portion  45  has a longitudinal axis that extends in a second direction. The third portion  47  has a longitudinal axis that extends in a third direction. 
     As may be best appreciated from  FIGS. 2-6 , valve housing  30  includes a bore  53  configured to receive inlet/outlet assembly  38  and a cavity  57  for the passage of inlet lines  40  and outlet lines  24 , therethrough. The bore  53  has a longitudinal axis, and the cavity  57  having a longitudinal axis. The longitudinal axis of the bore  53  is skew (e.g., off-center from, neither intersecting nor parallel, etc.) the longitudinal axis of the cavity  57 , and the first bend  39  of each line  24 ,  40  bends the line  24 ,  40  from face plate  42  towards the cavity  57 , and the second bend  41  of each line  24 ,  40  bends the line  24 ,  40  in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the cavity  57 . 
     One of inlet lines  40  is designed to be connected to a hot water supply and the other of inlet lines  40  is designed to be connected to a cold water supply. The inlet lines  40  are in fluid communication with the respective inputs of mixing valve  34 . Flexible outlet line  24  is in fluid communication with an outlet of mixing valve  34 . Appropriate movement of control handle  36  regulates the mixing of the hot and cold inputs, and can also control the flow volume, which are available to spray head  22  via flexible outlet line  24 . 
     Flexible outlet line  24  extends downwardly from the mixing valve  34  at face plate  42 , through valve housing  30 , then upward back through valve housing  30 , spray head harbor  26 , to link to spray head  22 . Flexible outlet line  24  has weight  44  slidingly adapted thereto to bias flexible outlet line  24  in a downward orientation thereby facilitating the automatic retraction of flexible outlet line  24  when spray head  22  is returned to a home position in spray head harbor  26 . 
     As may be best appreciated from  FIGS. 3 and 4 , control handle  36  includes a set screw bore  46 , which is threaded, which is separate, but circumferentially aligned with a visible bore  48  in an outer wall of the handle. As shown, visible bore  48  is axially aligned with the set screw bore  46 . Visible bore  48  provides access to tighten a set screw  50  within set screw bore  46 , which attaches an inner wall  52  of handle  36  to a valve stem  54  of mixing valve  34 . As shown, a cavity  51  is located between the visible bore  48  and the set screw bore  50 . In the embodiment shown, the cavity  51  has a volume that is larger than either the set screw bore  46  or the visible bore  48 . 
     In order to control the mixing of the hot and cold inputs, and the volume of flow output from valve  34 , valve stem  54  rotates and tilts. A bushing  55  is included with a keyhole shaped cutout  56  (see  FIG. 2 ) thereby providing a greater range of motion of handle  36 , without the need for an exposed cutaway in handle  36 . 
     To further improve the decorative nature of the assembly, and also to prevent moisture from reaching the set screw connection, there can be a cap  58  which removably covers visible bore  48 . It may be made of a flexible plastic. Further, as shown in  FIG. 3 , an O-ring seal  49  may be mounted on the cap to help keep water out from the handle interior. 
     Referring now mostly to  FIGS. 7-10  and  15 , bearing  32  has an outer contour  60  and a base  62 . Outer contour  60  is mateable with an inner contour of spray head harbor  26 . Base  62  includes a projection  64  mounted on a flexible arm  74 . 
     Valve housing  30  has a tubular shaft  68  extending up from a land  68  for base  62 . Land  68  has a detent/depression  70 . Bearing  32  is rotatable on shaft  66  between a position where projection  64  is within detent  70  ( FIG. 10 ), and another position where projection  64  is not within detent  70  (phantom line in  FIG. 9 ). When the projection  64  aligns with the detent  70 , the spray head harbor  26  will be perfectly aligned automatically with the valve housing below it. 
     Another feature of bearing  32  is that it includes a vertical slit  72  so that it can be compressed to be jammed into spray head harbor  26 . Projection  64  on the bottom of bearing  32  is supported by a spring arm  74 . When bump projection  64  aligns with detent  70 , it therefore snaps into it, notifying the user that they have the right positioning. However, further swiveling force on the support or spray head can reinstate the swinging movement by driving the bump out of the recess. Of course, alternatively, detent  70  can be on base  62  and projection  64  can be on land  68 . 
     The preferred embodiments of the present invention can also include a variety of other fittings, bushings, nozzles, washers, nuts and other fasteners, and other desirable plumbing components, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. 
     In a typical installation the faucet assembly  20  will be mounted on a rear mounting ledge of a double basin kitchen sink, or directly behind a multiple basin kitchen sink. Of course, the present invention could be otherwise installed in connection with other plumbing fixtures and fittings. For example, it could be used with a laundry sink. 
     Various other alternatives are intended within the scope of the invention. For example, in some embodiments the swivel locator could be used without the inlet/outlet assembly or the decorative handle features. In other embodiments the inlet/outlet assembly could be used without the swivel locator or the decorative handle features. In any event, the present invention is not to be limited to the features of just the most preferred embodiments. 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     The present invention provides faucets, preferably pull-out spray faucets, with the capability of linking supply and outlet lines in a compact manner, attaching a decorative control handle, and having positive feel positioning for the swivel spout.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5