Abstract:
Faucets are disclosed which provide a gentle, gravity driven cascading flow of water. A mixing valve is positioned in a faucet body which permits exiting water to flow outside the mixing valve inside the faucet housing. The valve unit is thus partially submerged by the water that has passed through it. The pool of water helps to create a more gentle uniform flow of water. A flow regulator can be positioned in the fluid outlet of the valve.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to faucets used adjacent plumbing fixtures such as lavatories and bath tubs. More particularly it relates to faucets that provide a gentle, gravity driven cascade of water. 
     Cascading water type faucets are particularly desired for aesthetic reasons, but may also have benefits in connection with bathing (e.g. ease of rinsing; gentle washing). Such faucets typically accept water at varying line pressures, provide a more constant pressure to avoid spurts and sprays, and in some of the most preferred faucets step down the pressure to provide very gentle flow. Relatively complex and large chambers are usually required to achieve these results, precluding the use of certain faucet body shapes which are desired for ornamental or other reasons. 
     For example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,202,181 and 4,722,509 there were disclosed mixing valves positioned in faucet housings. However, these designs permitted the exiting water to be highly pressurized, which affected the appearance of the water as it exited. 
     U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,886,210 and 5,537,696 disclosed examples of sheet flow type spouts. However, they required relatively complex designs and restricted decorative options. 
     Thus, it can be seen that a need exists for faucets which can provide a cascading type water flow while also providing flexibility with respect to exterior housing shape. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect the invention provides a faucet having a faucet body with a bore that is in communication a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet passage. There is also a valve unit positioned in the bore for regulating fluid flow from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet passage. The valve unit and the faucet body are constructed and arranged so as to allow fluid to flow between the outer periphery of the valve unit and the faucet body before flowing into the fluid outlet passage. In this regard, the valve unit is in the form of a cartridge positioned in an inner housing that allows fluid exiting the valve unit to pass outside the housing and then pass (e.g. rise) between the valve unit housing and the faucet body. 
     In a preferred form the faucet housing has a fluid outlet, a flow restrictor is positioned in the fluid outlet, and the fluid outlet has a lateral passage for directing fluid against an inside wall of the housing before it exits the housing. In this form the faucet body also has a seat in the bore with the valve unit located on the seat. 
     In other preferred form there is a seal positioned between the valve unit and the seat, an upper portion of the valve unit is spaced from an inside wall of the faucet housing, the valve unit is centrally positioned in the faucet body, and the outlet passage of the faucet body feeds into a spout that radially extends from the faucet body (e.g. at an essentially right angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the valve unit). 
     In another aspect the invention provides a faucet having a faucet body with an inlet, a bowl portion adjacent the inlet and in communication therewith, and a spout in fluid communication with the bowl portion and extending from the bowl portion. There is also a valve unit positioned in the bowl portion for regulating fluid flow from the fluid inlet to the bowl portion. The valve unit and the faucet body are constructed and arranged to allow fluid to pass in a direction away from the inlet in the bowl portion outside of and around the valve unit before exiting the spout. 
     The faucets of the present invention are adaptable for mounting either on a vertical surface or a horizontal surface. In either case, water is permitted to pass outside of the valve housing (inside the faucet body) before exiting. This partial immersion of the housing around the cartridge gives the water a desirable appearance by converting flow to a gentle, gravity driven cascading flow. 
     In another preferred embodiment there is a flow regulator positioned the fluid outlet. It is designed to slow the rate of fluid flow and renders in more constant. 
     The faucets can have a wide variety of faucet body configurations, thereby providing great flexibility in ornamental design. The faucets can achieve a cascading gentle flow effect with parts that can be inexpensively made. Further, these faucets can be assembled and installed quickly. Maintenance can be performed, if needed, even by those without special plumbing skills. 
     These and still other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description which follows. In the detailed description below preferred embodiments of the invention are described with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments do not represent the full scope of the invention. Rather the invention may be employed in other embodiments. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a top perspective view showing a first preferred embodiment of the invention, mounted on a lavatory rim; 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line  2 — 2  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a valve unit constituting a component of the preferred faucet; 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line  4 — 4  of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line  5 — 5  of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line  6 — 6  of FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 7 is a sectional view of an alternative embodiment (with the same valve unit, but a different faucet body); and 
     FIGS. 8-10 are views similar to FIG. 7, albeit of three additional alternative embodiments (in each case with the valve unit the same as used with the first two embodiments, and the faucet body changed). 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, a faucet (generally  10 ) is supported on a counter  11 . It includes a faucet body  12  composed of a ceramic material which has a bowl portion  15  with a laterally extending trough or spout  14 . The spout  14  extends at a right angle from the longitudinal axis  19 . Faucet body  12  has a bore  18  into which is placed a cartridge valve (generally  20 ), centrally located and spaced from an inside wall  13  of the faucet body  12 . A dome  33  is placed over the cartridge valve, and a cover  16  is placed on top of the faucet body  12  in this embodiment. 
     Ledge  28  extends inwardly from the faucet body  12  to afford a seat for the cartridge valve  20 , which actually rests on intermediate seal  30 . Water inlet lines  22   a  and  22   b  supply water to the cartridge valve  20  through the base portion  24 . A bolt  26  secures the base portion  24  to the counter  11 . The flow of water through the valve  20  is controlled by the handle  32 . 
     Referring next to FIGS. 3 and 4, the cartridge valve  20  is of a type which controls the flow and the temperature of water by a movable disk placed over a sliding one. The preferred valve in this instance includes a fluid regulating section  23  with a hot water inlet  36  and a cold water inlet  37 . An outlet for fluid has placed therein a flow restrictor  39 . Hot and cold water inlets  42  and  43 , respectively, are provided in a cartridge base portion  24  and are aligned with the hot and cold water inlets  36  and  37 , respectively, of the flow regulating section  23 . This alignment is afforded by corresponding locator projections  45  and the locator openings  46  in the base portion  24 . 
     The water control portion of the cartridge units are quite similar to those used in other faucets such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,575,424 or 5,095,934. Certain modifications to those valves will be apparent from the description herein. 
     For example, the flow restrictor  39  is orientated into a compartment  48  in the base portion  24 . This compartment has passageways  49 ,  50 ,  51  and  52  (see especially FIG. 4) extending therefrom in a cross-like manner each with an opening  47  in compartment  48 . 
     A seal member  40  surrounds the hot water inlet  36  and the cold water inlet  37 , as well as the restrictor  39 . This affords a sealing around the respective hot and cold water inlets  42  and  43  and the compartment  48  in the base portion  24 . 
     As best seen in FIG. 6, valve unit housing  54  is provided which includes a skirt portion  62  with internal threads  55  which engage the external threads  56  in the base portion  24  to enclose the cartridge valve therein. The skirt portion  62  is spaced from the base portion  24  when threads  55  are fully engaged. This provides a passage  58 . A seal  64  is placed between skirt  62  and the base portion  24 . 
     The flow of water from the cartridge valve through the base portion  24  is best seen in FIGS. 4-6. The water exiting from the flow restrictor  39  will enter the compartment  48 . There it will be directed in four different directions through the passageways  49 - 52 . The water will pass into passage  58  against the housing  54 , and then down and up around the housing  54 , so as to pass and between the outside of skirt  62  and the inside of the faucet body  12 . This is shown with respect to the level of water  17  indicated in FIG.  2 . This provides a relatively calm pool of slow moving water that provides a cascading effect for the water as it flows outwardly through the trough  14 . 
     It is unusual that the outside of the valve cartridge is to be immersed in this manner. Moreover, as the level  17  increases, the calming effect on the water is even more apparent. 
     Alternative embodiments of the gravity flow faucet are shown in FIGS. 7-10 with the same or similar components referred to with the same numbers except with the “A”, “B”, “C”, and “D” suffix. Referring to FIG. 7, gravity flow faucet  10 A differs from faucet  10  in the configuration of the faucet body  12 A. There it will be seen that the faucet body has a more tubular design. The trough  14  is also tubular and more enclosed. The function and water flow through faucet  10 A is the same as with faucet  10 . 
     Faucets  10 B and  10 C shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 differ from the previous two in that their orientation is horizontal rather than vertical. These are designed to be connected to vertical walls such as  60 B and  60 C. In these embodiments, the trough sections  14 B and  14 C do not extend at right angles from the faucet body as in faucets  10  and  10 A. Referring particularly to FIG. 9, it is seen that trough  14 C is open over the top and along most of its sides. 
     Faucet  10 D, shown in FIG. 10, is similar to that of the FIG. 7 embodiment except that it has a longer and more open trough  14 D. It also has a shorter faucet body  12 D with a more open bowl portion  15 D (and no corresponding part to cover  16 ). The function and water flow through faucet  10 D is the same as with faucet  10 . 
     It will therefore be seen that there is now provided a faucet which affords a gravity driven gentle flow of cascading water. The gravity flow faucet is adaptable to different faucet bodies, as well as to either vertical or horizontal orientation with respect to a supporting surface. The pressure of the inlet water is largely dissipated before the water reaches the trough. 
     The foregoing detailed description has been for purposes of illustration. A number of modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, while a particular mixing cartridge valve has been utilized in directing water, various other types of cartridges (e.g. non-mixing single temperature) could be utilized. 
     Further, while a dome  33  has been indicated for use in conjunction with the valve cartridge, this part can be eliminated. In a similar manner, the cover  16  could be eliminated (as indicated with respect to the FIG. 10 embodiment). 
     Moreover, while preferred faucet bodies have been indicated as being composed of ceramic, this is for aesthetic purposes. Other materials could be used (e.g. metal). Still other modifications will be apparent from this patent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention should not be limited by the specific embodiments. 
     Industrial Applicability 
     The invention provides faucets for controlling the flow of water so that the water flows in a gentle, aesthetically pleasing cascading. This is suitable for use in plumbing installations.