Patent Abstract:
A roman tub faucet with a hand shower diverter mechanism integral to the tub spout. The diverter mechanism is especially suited for applications where service access to only the outer tub finished surface is practical. The faucet eliminates the need to remove panel or tile portions from the tub area for diverter mechanism service or replacement. The faucet also eliminates the need for an additional installation hole that is required for roman tub faucets with a separate diverter mechanism and tub spout.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates generally to roman tub faucets and more specifically to diverter valves that are integral to the tub spout and serviceable from the exterior of the faucet mounting surface.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    A roman tub faucet is typically mounted on a horizontal surface adjacent a tub. A conventional roman tub faucet with a hand shower utilizes a diverter valve to switch the flow of water between the spout and the hand shower. The diverter valve is typically located below the horizontal mounting surface. Often, an installed roman tub is not provided with an access panel for the faucet components that are below the mounting surface. Maintenance or replacement of a diverter valve installed in this manner requires that panels or tiles in the faucet area are removed.  
           [0003]    What is needed is a roman tub faucet with a hand shower that incorporates a diverter valve that is serviceable above the finished horizontal surface.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    The present invention is directed to a roman tub outlet assembly that incorporates a diverter valve for a hand shower. In one preferred form, the present invention provides an outlet assembly that forms a tub spout and houses a diverter valve. The diverter valve is removable from the outlet assembly by a technician who has access to only the finished surface of the tub area. In another aspect, the present invention provides a diverter assembly that is located above the finished surface of the tub area.  
           [0005]    Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]    The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an installed roman tub outlet assembly with hand shower incorporating the diverter assembly of the present invention;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the roman tub assembly of FIG. 1 showing components that are located below the finished surface;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the diverter assembly of the present invention;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the outlet assembly of FIG. 1 with the diverter assembly in a first position; and  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 4 with the diverter assembly in a second position. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0012]    The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.  
         [0013]    With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a roman tub faucet is generally indicated by reference numeral  10 . Roman tub faucet  10  includes an outlet assembly  12 , a hot water valve operator  14 , a cold water valve operator  16 , and a hand shower  18 . Preferably, roman tub faucet  10  is mounted to a horizontal surface  20  that is adjacent a tub  22 . Outlet assembly  12  includes a spout  24 , a diverter assembly  26 , and a knob  28 . FIG. 2 illustrates components of the roman tub faucet  10  that are located below finished surface  20  including a hot water valve  30 , a cold water valve  32 , a body  34 , an inlet or feed tube  36 , a secondary outlet tube  38 , and a flexible hose  40 . Body  34  includes a hot water inlet  42 , a cold water inlet  44 , a mixer outlet  46 , a secondary outlet tube connection  48 , and a flexible hose connection  50 . Secondary outlet tube connection  48 , and flexible hose connection  50  are connected by a passageway  52  (as best seen in FIG. 4) that extends through body  34 .  
         [0014]    When assembled, hot water valve  30  is in fluid communication with a pressurized supply of hot water and hot water inlet  42 . Hot water valve operator  14  is coupled to hot water valve  30 . Hot water valve  30  is a conventional roman tub valve that adjusts the flow rate of hot water to body  34 . Cold water valve  34  is in fluid communication with a pressurized supply of cold water and cold water inlet  44 . Cold water valve operator  16  is coupled to cold water valve  32 . Cold water valve  32  is a conventional roman tub valve that adjusts the flow rate of cold water to body  34 . Inlet tube  36  is attached to mixer outlet  46 . Secondary outlet tube  38  is coupled to secondary outlet tube connection  48 , and flexible hose  40  is coupled to flexible hose connection  50  such that passageway  52  is in fluid communication with both secondary outlet tube  38 , and flexible hose  40 . Preferably, secondary outlet tube  38  extends concentrically through inlet tube  36 . Flexible hose  40  is connected to hand shower  18  such that secondary outlet tube  38  is in fluid communication with flexible hose  40 .  
         [0015]    Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, diverter assembly  24  is located within spout  24  and operates to selectively direct fluid communication from inlet tube  36  to spout  24  or alternately to spray handle  18  via secondary outlet tube  38 . Diverter assembly  26  includes a rod  60 , a sealing chamber assembly  62 , and an anchor  64 . Sealing chamber assembly  62  includes a top coupling  66 , a spring  70 , a plunger  72 , a seal  74 , and a lower coupling  76 . O-rings  80  of various diameters are utilized to provide a leak proof seal between components of roman tub faucet  10  as discussed below.  
         [0016]    Top coupling  66  is preferably a component that defines a portion of a sealing chamber  90  at a lower end  92 , a primary outlet  94  opening onto an exterior surface  96 , a plunger guideway  98  intersecting the sealing chamber  90 , and opening onto an upper end  100 . The central portion of top coupling  66  is intersected by plunger guideway  98 , primary outlet  94  and sealing chamber  90 . The uppermost portion of sealing chamber  90  is defined by a frusto-conical surface  104  that opens onto primary outlet  94 .  
         [0017]    Lower coupling  76  is preferably adapted to releaseably couple at a top end  110  with top coupling  66 , as best seen in FIG. 4, such that lower coupling  76  defines the lower portion of sealing chamber  90 . Lower coupling  76  is a generally cylindrical component that includes an inlet  112  defined by an outer wall  114 , a secondary outlet  116  with an axial passageway  118  therethrough, and an inverted frusto-coaxial surface  120  defining the lower most portion of sealing chamber  90  such that axial passageway  118  is in fluid communication with inlet  112  and primary outlet  94  via sealing chamber  90 . The exterior surface  122  of secondary outlet  116  preferably has two O-ring grooves  124 .  
         [0018]    Plunger  72  includes a first end  130 , a second end  132 , a shaft  134 , and a stop  136 . Plunger  72  is adapted to slidingly retract into plunger guideway  98 . Plunger  72  is coupled to rod  60  at first end  130  and to seal  74  at second end  132 . Spring  70  is superposed on shaft  134  to bias plunger  72  towards lower coupling  76 . Stop  136  limits the travel of spring  70  on shaft  134  and serves as a spring seat. Seal  74  is preferably constructed of a conventional polymer faucet sealing material with an annular cross section when viewed parallel to the axis of plunger  72 . Seal  74  has a configuration which is complementary to surface  104 ,  120  to provide a fluid sealing interface therebetween.  
         [0019]    When diverter assembly  26  is fully assembled, spring  70 , plunger  72 , and seal  74  are located within sealing chamber  90 . Seal  74  and plunger  72  are moveable between a first position (FIG. 4) in which seal  74  is in sealing contact with inverted frusto-conical surface  120  and a second position (FIG. 5) in which seal  74  is in sealing contact with frusto-conical surface  104 . In this manner, seal  74 , seals against frusto-conical surface  120  thereby interrupting fluid communication between sealing chamber  90  and secondary outlet  116  when in the first position. Seal  74  also seals against frusto-conical surface  104  when in the second position, thereby interrupting fluid communication between sealing chamber  90  and primary outlet  94 . As best seen in FIG. 4, seal  74  preferably cannot interrupt fluid communication between sealing chamber  90  and inlet  112 . Thus provided, water that enters inlet  112  can be diverted to either primary outlet  94  or secondary outlet  116  by moving plunger  72  and seal  74  between their first and second positions.  
         [0020]    When outlet assembly  12  is fully assembled, inlet tube  36  is in fluid communication with inlet  112 , and secondary outlet tube  38  is in fluid communication with secondary outlet  116 . As best seen in FIG. 4, spout  24  is in fluid communication with primary outlet  94 . Plunger  72  is coupled to rod  60  which is in turn coupled to knob  28 . Thus provided, seal  74  can be moved between the first and second positions by raising and lowering knob  28 .  
         [0021]    In operation, water flows into body  34  from hot and cold valves  30 , 32 . The water mixes in body  34  and continues through inlet tube  36  and through inlet  112  of diverter assembly  26 . When seal  74  is in the first position and fluid communication between sealing chamber  90  and secondary outlet  116  is interrupted, water flows from inlet  112  through sealing chamber  90  and through primary outlet  94  to spout  24  and into tub  22 . When seal  74  is in the second position and fluid communication between sealing chamber  90  and primary outlet  94  is interrupted, water flows from inlet  112  through sealing chamber  90  and through secondary outlet  116  to secondary outlet tube  38  and into hand shower  18 .  
         [0022]    It would be recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art that inlet tube  36  and diverter assembly  26  combine to mix the hot and cold water such that water of an essentially consistent temperature can be supplied to either spout  24  or hand shower  18 . The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4