Plastic construction for decorative spout

• US 20110186163A1
• Filed: 01/29/2010
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASSA Abloy Americas Residential Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Price Pfister Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Farag, Hanna O.
• Granted Patent: US 8,439,074 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/801
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/04 Water-basin installations specially adapted to wash-basins or baths valves, faucets, mixing valves, taps F16K
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 19/006 Specially adapted for faucets
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/9464 Faucets and spouts

Abstract

A faucet spout and method of manufacturing the same in which a layer of structural plastic is injection molded in two or more pieces and joined to form an armature having a waterway through it. A platable plastic layer is overmolded on some or all of the armature to provide a detailed decorative surface that is plated by deposition of a metal or metal alloy coating.

Claims

1. A method of making a faucet spout comprising the steps of:

forming a first portion of a spout armature by injection molding of a structural plastic, and forming a second portion of a spout armature by injection molding of a structural plastic;

joining said first portion and said second portion to form a unitary spout armature comprising an inlet end and an outlet end and defining a waterway connecting said inlet end with said outlet end;

forming by injection molding of a platable plastic an overmold layer about said unitary spout armature;

plating said overmold layer with a metal or metal alloy.

2. The method of making a faucet spout of claim 1 wherein said structural plastic is selected from the group consisting of modified polyphenylene oxide, polyoxymethylene, polyetheretherketone, polybutylene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate and Polyamides.

3. The method of making a faucet spout of claim 1 wherein said platable plastic is chosen from the group consisting of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene-polycarbonate alloy, polypropylene, polyphenylene sulfide and polyphthalamide.

4. The method of making a faucet spout of claim 1 wherein said step of forming said first portion and said second portion of said spout armature by injection molding of a structural plastic further comprises inserting in said first portion and said second portion metal inserts for enhanced strength.

5. The method of making a faucet spout of claim 1 wherein said step of joining said first portion and said second portion to form said unitary spout armature further comprises solvent welding said first portion to said second portion.

6. The method of making a faucet spout of claim 1 wherein said step of joining said first portion and said second portion to form said unitary spout armature further comprises ultrasonic welding said first portion to said second portion.

7. The method of making a faucet spout of claim 1 wherein said step of joining said first portion and said second portion to form said unitary spout armature further comprises bonding said first portion to said second portion by adhesive or sealant.

8. The method of making a faucet spout of claim 1 wherein said step of forming said first portion and said second portion of said spout armature by injection molding of a structural plastic further comprises imbedding within at least one of said first portion and second portion at least one metallic insert.

9. A faucet spout comprising a unitary spout armature comprising an inlet end and an outlet end and a defined waterway connecting said inlet end with said outlet end, an injection molded overmold layer about said unitary spout armature, and a metallic plating about said overmold layer, said faucet spout being formed by a process comprising the steps of:

forming a first portion of said unitary spout armature by injection molding of a structural plastic, and forming a second portion of said unitary spout armature by injection molding of a structural plastic;

joining said first portion and said second portion to form said unitary spout armature;

forming a plastic overmold layer about said unitary spout armature by injection molding of a platable plastic; and

plating said overmold layer with a metal or metal alloy.

10. The faucet spout of claim 9 wherein said armature further comprises surface features for mechanical engagement with said overmold layer.

11. The faucet spout of claim 9 wherein said structural plastic is selected from the group consisting of modified polyphenylene oxide, polyoxymethylene, polyetheretherketone, polybutylene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate and Polyamides.

12. The faucet spout of claim 9 wherein said platable plastic is chosen from the group consisting of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene-polycarbonate alloy, polypropylene, polyphenylene sulfide and polyphthalamide.

13. The faucet spout of claim 9 wherein said step of joining at least said first portion and said second portion to form said armature further comprises solvent welding said first portion to said second portion.

14. The faucet spout of claim 9 wherein said step of joining at least said first portion and said second portion to form said armature further comprises ultrasonic welding said first portion to said second portion.

15. The faucet spout of claim 9 wherein said step of joining at least said first portion and said second portion to form said armature further comprises bonding said first portion to said second portion by adhesive or sealant.

16. A faucet spout comprising

a first layer of structural plastic, said structural plastic injection molded in at least two parts joined to form an armature comprising an inlet end and an outlet end and having a waterway fluidly connecting said inlet end with said outlet end;

a second layer of a platable plastic on at least a portion of an external surface of said armature;

a layer of deposited metal plating on an external surface of said overmold layer.

17. The faucet spout of claim 16 wherein said first layer further comprises surface features for mechanical engagement with said second layer.

18. The faucet spout of claim 16 wherein said structural plastic is selected from the group consisting of modified polyphenylene oxide, polyoxymethylene, polyetheretherketone, polybutylene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate and Polyamides.

19. The faucet spout of claim 16 wherein said platable plastic is chosen from the group consisting of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene-polycarbonate alloy, polypropylene, polyphenylene sulfide and polyphthalamide.

20. The faucet spout of claim 16 further comprising at least one metallic insert integrally molded into said a first layer of structural plastic.