Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The instant invention relates to faucets or showers having pull-out spray heads or wands, particularly to faucets having pull-out spray heads wherein the pull-out spray heads are securely and firmly seated in the spout or hub with reduced play or wobble.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Faucets or showers having pull-out spray heads are well known. The use of kitchen and lavatory faucets with pull-out spray heads has become more widespread. In these faucets or showers the pull-out spray heads or wands are normally seated in the spout or hub of the faucet. Generally, an adapter which is mounted in and extends rearwardly for a short distance out of the handle of the wand is inserted into the hub. The adapter receives the hose and, unless it is formed to be sized just right, it generally does not fit perfectly and tightly into the hub. This results in there being some vertical play or wobble in the adapter and in the wand in which it is disposed. Also, the wand does not fit flush into the hub, and there is an unsightly space between the wand and the hub at the top of the junction of the hub and wand. The present invention remedies this problem.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    According to the present invention an insert is provided in the tube spout which receives the adapter which is mounted in the pull-out spray head or wand of a pull-out faucet or hand shower. This keeps the wand from wobbling when the wand is inserted into and seated in the tube spout. The insert is comprised of a tubular member sized to fit into the tube spout. The insert has a pair of interior angled tabs that cooperate with corresponding mating wings on the adapter which is seated in the wand. The angled tabs engage with the mating wings on the adapter and force the adapter down thereby more securely retaining the adapter in the insert. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0004]    [0004]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the pull-out spray head or wand, adapter, insert and tube spout;  
         [0005]    [0005]FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the adapter;  
         [0006]    [0006]FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the adapter;  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the adapter;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of the insert;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the insert;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the insert taken along line  7 - 7  of FIG. 6;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 7 a  is a front cross-sectional view of the insert disposed in the tube spout;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the pull-out spray head or wand inserted into the tube spout;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 8 a  is a side sectional view taken along line  8   a - 8   a  in FIG. 8 showing the pull-out spray head fully inserted into the tube spout;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 8 b  is a view similar to FIG. 8 a  showing the adapter and insert but with the spray head only partially inserted into the tube spout;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 8 c  is a view similar to FIG. 8 b  but with the spray head further out of the tube spout than in FIG. 8 b;    
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 9 is an enlarged, side sectional view taken along line  9  in FIG. 8 c  showing the adapter in the insert;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 10 is an enlarged, side sectional view taken along line  10  in FIG. 8 b  showing the adapter in the insert;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 11 is an enlarged, side sectional view taken along line  11  in FIG. 8 a  showing the adapter in the insert;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 12 is a top plan view of the pull-out spray head inserted into the tube spout;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 13 is a side sectional view of the pull-out spray head fully inserted into the tube spout; and  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 14 is an enlarged, side sectional view taken along line  14  in FIG. 13 showing the adapter fully in the insert;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 15 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of the insert. In this embodiment the insert has no spring extension tab. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0023]    The insert  50  of the instant invention is utilized to stabilize and prevent or reduce wobble or playoff a pull-out spray head or wand  10  when it is inserted into a tube spout  20 . More specifically, an adapter  30  is mounted in the wand  10  as best seen in FIGS. 8 a - 8   c . The adapter may be comprised of any suitable material, e.g., metal such as copper, brass, steel or plastic. The adapter  30  is comprised of a front end  32  and a back end  37 . As best illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 the adapter  30  has a forwardly extending flexible finger  33  having a downwardly projecting button  34  at its front end  36 . The finger  33  is located at the bottom of the adapter and is free or unattached at its front or forward end  36 . At its back end  35  the finger  33  is attached to the adapter  30 . As illustrated in FIGS. 8 a - 8   c  the button  34  fits into a complementary shaped opening  12  in the bottom  11  of the wand near the rear or back  14  of the wand and retains or locks the adapter  30  in the wand  10 .  
         [0024]    The rear of the adapter  37  has two grooves  38 ,  39  in which are seated O-rings  40 ,  41 . There are also two outwardly extending protrusions or wings  40 ,  41  on opposite sides at the rear of the adapter  30  to the rear or downstream of grooves  38 ,  39 . The rear  37  of the adapter  30  extends rearwardly out of the wand  10  and is shaped to fit into the insert  50 .  
         [0025]    The insert  50 , as best shown in FIGS.  5 - 7   a , is a hollow generally tubular member. Insert  50  is sized and shaped to fit into tube spout  20 . In one embodiment, as best illustrated in FIG. 7 a , the insert  50  has a substantially elliptical cross-section. In the interior of the insert  50  are disposed two tabs  55 ,  57 . The tabs  55 ,  57 , as best seen in FIG. 7 a , are disposed on opposite side walls of the insert  10 . In one embodiment at least the bottom surfaces  56 ,  58  of the tabs  55 ,  57  are angled. Upon insertion of the adapter  30  into the insert  50  the wings  40 ,  41  on the adapter  30  engage with the tabs  55 ,  57 , more particularly with the angled bottom surfaces  56 ,  58  of the insert, which forces the adapter  30  in a downward direction. This reduces wobble as there is no or little clearance between two of the surfaces.  
         [0026]    The O-rings  40 ,  41  in the adapter serve, inter alia, to provide a good, snug fit between the adapter  30  and the insert  50 , and to minimize wobble or play even more. The front O-ring  40  is centered to provide a consistent fit with the insert  50  while the adapter forces the bottom portion of the O-ring further than is the case with a typical seal. This provides an upward load between tabs  55 ,  57  and wings  40 ,  41  provides stability and minimizes wobble. More particularly, the wings  40 ,  41  of angled tabs  55 ,  57  force the entire wand  10 , including the adapter  30 , downward compressing the bottom half of the O-rings  40 ,  41  while reducing the squeeze or compressive force on the top part of the O-rings  40 ,  41 . This has a line-to-line fit on the wings  40 ,  41  with increased loading on the lower section of the O-rings  40 ,  41  to minimize droop. Because this results in only one direction for a gap the wobble is greatly reduced.  
         [0027]    Located on the bottom of insert  50  is a downwardly projecting button  51 . As best illustrated in FIG. 7 a  button  51  fits into an aperture  21  in the bottom of tube spout  20  and helps to retain and properly locate insert  50  in tube spout  20 .  
         [0028]    At the front of the insert is a circumferentially extending lip  52 . As best illustrated in FIG. 11 the lip  52  extends radially from the front of insert  50  sufficiently to come between tube spout  20  and wand  10 .  
         [0029]    In one embodiment of the insert  30 , as illustrated in FIGS.  1 ,  5 - 7 ,  8   a - 11 ,  13  and  14 , there is a tab extension  58  provided at the top rear of insert  50 . This tab extension  58  engages the inside top surface  25  of the tube spout  20 . This forces button  51  into aperture  25  on the underside of tube spout  20 . This is best illustrated in FIG. 14. This embodiment eliminates the need for adhesives applied on the insert  50  to keep the insert in the tube spout  20 .  
         [0030]    In another embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 15, the insert  30 , does not have a tab extension  58 . In this embodiment there may be a need for adhesives to keep the insert  50  in the tube spout  20 . In another embodiment of FIG. 15 the insert  50  may be made out of stainless steel and be held in place in the tube spout  20  by an interference fit. In this embodiment the bottom button  51  may be eliminated.  
         [0031]    While certain embodiments of the invention have been described for purposes of illustration, it is to be understood that there may be various embodiments and modifications within the general scope of the invention.

Technology Category: 0