Faucet spout with water isolating couplings

• US 20080308165A1
• Filed: 08/12/2008
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Delta Faucet Company (Masco Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Masco Corporation Of Indiana (Masco Corporation)
• Inventors: Brown, Derek Allen, Crowe, Darrell Scott, Meehan, Steven Kyle, Jolliffe, Brian Matthew, McGuire, Christopher Michael, Moore, Jeffrey Lee
• Granted Patent: US 7,992,590 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/801
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/0404 Constructional or functional features of the spout
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/9464 Faucets and spouts

Abstract

A faucet including a spout body formed of metal and having an inlet end, an outlet end and a chamber extending between inlet and outlet ends. A tube formed of a non-metallic material is enclosed within the chamber and has receiving and dispensing ends. Tube defines a passage extending between receiving and dispensing ends. Receiving end is in fluid communication with water source to communicate water through passage. An inlet coupling formed of a non-metallic material and having an inlet opening extending therethrough is molded about receiving end such that receiving end is sealingly received within inlet opening. An outlet coupling formed of a non-metallic material and having an outlet opening extending therethrough is molded about dispensing end such that dispensing end is sealingly received within outlet opening. Inlet and outlet couplings are sealingly coupled to inlet and outlet ends of spout body, respectively.

Claims

1. A faucet for delivering water from a water source, said faucet comprising:

a spout body formed substantially of a metal and having an inlet end and an outlet end, said spout body defining a chamber extending between said inlet end and said outlet end;

a tube formed of a non-metallic material, said tube enclosed within said chamber and extending between said inlet end and said outlet end, said tube having a receiving end disposed proximal said inlet end and a dispensing end disposed proximal said outlet end, said tube defining a passage extending between said receiving end and said dispensing end, said receiving end in fluid communication with the water source to communicate the water to said passage;

an inlet coupling formed of a non-metallic material and having an elongate body defining a central inlet opening extending therethrough, said central inlet opening in communication with said passage, said elongate body having a first end sealingly receiving said receiving end of said tube and an opposite second end, said inlet coupling having a plurality of snap-fingers defined in said second end, each of said plurality of snap-fingers having a outwardly extending tab, said tab engaging an edge of said inlet end of said spout body; and

an outlet coupling formed of a non-metallic material and having a central outlet opening extending therethrough, said dispensing end of said tube sealingly received within said central outlet opening;

wherein said inlet and outlet couplings sealingly engage said inlet and outlet ends, respectively, such that the water received in said passage is prevented from entering an area of said chamber between said tube and said spout body.

2. The faucet of claim 1 wherein said first end of said inlet coupling is molded over said receiving end of said tube and said outlet coupling is molded over said dispensing end of said tube.

3. The faucet of claim 1 wherein said inlet coupling further includes a sealing member, said sealing member extends about said elongate body and sealingly bears against said inlet end of said spout body.

4. The faucet of claim 1 wherein said outlet coupling includes at least one radially extending flange, said at least one flange bears against said outlet end.

5. The faucet of claim 4 wherein said at least one flange includes a plurality of flanges defining at least one groove therebetween, said outlet coupling includes a sealing member disposed at least partially within said at least one groove and sealingly bearing against said outlet end of said spout body.

6. The faucet of claim 4 wherein said outlet end includes an inner wall defining a portion of said chamber, said inner wall defines a first shoulder extending inwardly from said inner wall, said at least one flange extends over said shoulder to secure said outlet coupling in said position at said outlet end.

7. The faucet of claim 6 wherein said inner wall defines a second shoulder, and wherein said outlet coupling further includes a radially extending lip, and a second groove defined between said at least one flange and said lip, said outlet coupling includes a clip having a slot, said slot receiving said outlet coupling such that said clip is at least partially received in said second groove, said clip extends radially outward from said outlet coupling and engages said second shoulder.

8. The faucet of claim 7 further including an aerator assembly received within said chamber at said outlet end, said aerator assembly compressing said lip to said clip and said clip to said second shoulder to further secure said outlet coupling to said outlet end.

9. A faucet for delivering water from a water source, said faucet comprising:

a spout body formed substantially of a metal and having an inlet end and an outlet end, said spout body defining a chamber extending between said inlet end and said outlet end;

a tube formed of a non-metallic material, said tube enclosed within said chamber and extending between said inlet end and said outlet end, said tube having a receiving end disposed proximal said inlet end and a dispensing end disposed proximal said outlet end, said tube defining a passage extending between said receiving end and said dispensing end, said receiving end in fluid communication with the water source to communicate the water to said passage;

an inlet coupling formed of a non-metallic material and having an elongate body defining a central inlet opening extending therethrough, said elongate body having a first end and an opposite second end, said receiving end of said tube sealingly received in said central inlet opening at said first end, said elongate body having a groove extending about an outer surface of said elongate body adjacent said second end, said inlet coupling further including a retaining clip, said groove receiving a portion of said retaining clip, said retaining clip protruding radially from said groove to engage said inlet end of said spout body; and

an outlet coupling formed of a non-metallic material and having a central outlet opening extending therethrough, said dispensing end of said tube sealingly received within said central outlet opening;

wherein said inlet and outlet couplings sealingly engage said inlet and outlet ends, respectively, such that the water is prevented from entering an area of said chamber between said tube and said spout body.

10. The faucet of claim 9 wherein said inlet coupling further includes a sealing member, said sealing member extends about said elongate body and bears against said inlet end of said spout body to sealingly engage said inlet coupling to said spout body.

11. The faucet of claim 9 wherein said first end of said inlet coupling is molded over said receiving end of said tube and said outlet coupling is molded over said dispensing end of said tube.

12. The faucet of claim 9 wherein said outlet coupling includes at least one radially extending flange, and wherein said outlet end includes an inner wall defining a portion of said chamber, said inner wall defines a first shoulder extending inwardly from said inner wall, said at least one flange extends over said shoulder to secure said outlet coupling in said channel.

13. The faucet of claim 12 wherein said inner wall defines a second shoulder, and wherein said outlet coupling further includes a radially extending lip and a second groove defined between said at least one flange and said lip, said outlet coupling further includes a clip having a slot, said outlet coupling received in said slot such that at least a portion of said clip is disposed in said second groove, said clip extends radially outwardly from said coupling and engages said second shoulder.

14. The faucet of claim 13 further including an aerator assembly received within said channel of said insert, said aerator assembly compressing said clip to said second shoulder to further secure said outlet coupling to said outlet end.