WATERWAY ADAPTER

• US 20130186482A1
• Filed: 03/11/2013
• Published: 07/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mercury Plastics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Masco Corporation Of Indiana (Masco Corporation)
• Inventors: Veros, Michael J., Sailors, Timothy J. Jr., Nelson, Alfred C., Thomas, Kurt J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,944,093 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/315.13
• 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: E03C 1/0403 Connecting the supply lines to the tap body
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/06 comprising only sliding valves , i.e. sliding closure elements
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/0787 with both the supply and the discharge passages being on the same side of the closure members F16K11/0785 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 19/006 Specially adapted for faucets
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 27/045 with pivotal obturating members
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1858 by varying the mixing ratio of fluids having different temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6017 Including removable valve head and seat unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7504 Removable valve head and seat unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86815 Multiple inlet with single outlet

Abstract

A fluid delivery device includes a waterway assembly, a valve assembly, and a waterway adapter that fluidly couples the waterway assembly to the valve assembly. An illustrative waterway adapter may be constructed of a polymeric material.

Claims

1. A fluid delivery device including:

a generally hollow hub including a body portion having a longitudinally disposed first open end and a laterally disposed valve portion having a second open end, the body portion of the hub configured to rest atop a surface, the second open end of the valve portion disposed substantially perpendicular to the first open end of the body portion;

a waterway assembly including an inlet transport component and an outlet transport component;

a valve assembly removably coupled to the valve portion of the hub, the valve assembly including an inlet port and an outlet port;

at least one fastener; and

a waterway adapter removably coupled to the body portion of the hub, the waterway adapter sized for insertion into the first open end of the body portion, the waterway adapter defining an inlet channel and an outlet channel, the inlet channel of the waterway adapter fluidly coupling the inlet transport component of the waterway assembly to the inlet port of the valve assembly, and the outlet channel of the waterway adapter fluidly coupling the outlet transport component of the waterway assembly to the outlet port of the valve assembly, the inlet transport component of the waterway assembly being removably coupled to the inlet channel of the waterway adapter via the at least one fastener, and the outlet transport component of the waterway assembly being removably coupled to the outlet channel of the waterway adapter via the at least one fastener.

2. The fluid delivery device of claim 1, wherein the waterway adapter is constructed of a polymeric material.

3. The fluid delivery device of claim 1, wherein the valve assembly is sized for insertion into the second open end of the valve portion.

4. The fluid delivery device of claim 1, wherein the hub supports the waterway adapter independently of the valve assembly such that the waterway adapter is supported by the hub when the valve assembly is removed from the hub.

5. The fluid delivery device of claim 1, wherein the waterway assembly is arranged vertically and the valve assembly is arranged horizontally, and wherein the inlet channel and the outlet channel of the waterway adapter are L-shaped to fluidly couple the vertically arranged waterway assembly to the horizontally arranged valve assembly.

6. The fluid delivery device of claim 1, wherein the fastener extends through the waterway adapter and into the hub to secure the waterway adapter within the hub.

7. The fluid delivery device of claim 1, wherein the fastener is inserted through the first open end of the body portion of the hub.

8. A fluid delivery device including:

a hub including a body portion disposed along a generally vertical axis and a valve portion disposed along a generally horizontal axis, the body portion of the hub including an internal wall that defines a hollow interior of the hub, the body portion further including an open top end and an open bottom end, the generally vertical axis extending through the open top and bottom ends of the body portion of the hub;

a waterway assembly including an inlet transport component and an outlet transport component;

a valve assembly configured for insertion into the valve portion of the hub along the generally horizontal axis, the valve assembly including an inlet port and an outlet port; and

a waterway adapter configured for insertion into the body portion of the hub along the generally vertical axis, the waterway adapter defining an inlet channel and an outlet channel, the inlet channel of the waterway adapter fluidly coupling the inlet transport component of the waterway assembly to the inlet port of the valve assembly, and the outlet channel of the waterway adapter fluidly coupling the outlet transport component of the waterway assembly to the outlet port of the valve assembly, the waterway adapter being forced against the internal wall of the hub to resist removal of the waterway adapter from the body portion of the hub along the generally vertical axis, the generally vertical axis of the hub intersecting the waterway adapter when the waterway adapter is forced against the internal wall of the hub.

9. The fluid delivery device of claim 8, wherein the waterway adapter is constructed of a polymeric material.

10. The fluid delivery device of claim 8, wherein the internal wall of the hub includes a vertical rail that projects into the hollow interior of the hub and that guides insertion of the waterway adapter into the body portion of the hub along the generally vertical axis.

11. The fluid delivery device of claim 10, wherein the waterway adapter is forced against the vertical rail to resist removal of the waterway adapter from the body portion of the hub along the generally vertical axis.

12. The fluid delivery device of claim 8, further including a threaded component that screws into the valve portion of the hub to force the waterway adapter into contact with the internal wall of the hub.

13. The fluid delivery device of claim 8, wherein the valve portion of the hub extends in a forward direction from the body portion of the hub, and wherein the internal wall of the hub is located rearward of the waterway assembly and rearward of the valve assembly such that the internal wall of the hub is located opposite the valve portion of the hub.

14. The fluid delivery device of claim 8, wherein the waterway adapter defines a vertical opening that is sized to receive a spout tube, the vertical opening located between the internal wall of the hub and the valve assembly.

15. A fluid delivery device including:

a hub;

a waterway assembly including;

an inlet transport component;

an outlet transport component;

a collar located inside the hub, the collar supporting the inlet and outlet transport components;

an inlet nipple fluidly coupled to the inlet transport component and extending beyond the collar, the inlet nipple including a plurality of external barbs that engage the inlet transport component; and

an outlet nipple fluidly coupled to the outlet transport component and extending beyond the collar, the outlet nipple including a plurality of external barbs that engage the outlet transport component;

a valve assembly including an inlet port and an outlet port; and

a waterway adapter coupled to the hub, the waterway adapter defining an inlet channel and an outlet channel, the inlet channel of the waterway adapter receiving the inlet nipple of the waterway assembly to fluidly couple the inlet transport component of the waterway assembly to the inlet port of the valve assembly, and the outlet channel of the waterway adapter receiving the outlet nipple of the waterway assembly to fluidly couple the outlet transport component of the waterway assembly to the outlet port of the valve assembly.

16. The fluid delivery device of claim 15, wherein the collar of the waterway assembly rests beneath the waterway adapter.

17. The fluid delivery device of claim 15, wherein each of the inlet and outlet nipples includes external barbs that engage the corresponding inlet and outlet transport components.

18. The fluid delivery device of claim 15, wherein the hub includes a vertical rail that projects inwardly from an internal wall of the hub and into a hollow interior of the hub, the vertical rail guiding insertion of the waterway adapter into the hub along a generally vertical axis.

19. The fluid delivery device of claim 18, wherein the waterway adapter is forced against the vertical rail to resist removal of the waterway adapter from the hub along the generally vertical axis.

20. The fluid delivery device of claim 18, further including a threaded component that screws into a valve portion of the hub to force the waterway adapter into contact with the vertical rail of the hub.