OZONE DISTRIBUTION IN A FAUCET

• US 20140352799A1
• Filed: 12/06/2012
• Published: 12/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Delta Faucet Company (Masco Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Masco Corporation Of Indiana (Masco Corporation)
• Inventors: Rosko, Michael Scot, Jonte, Patrick B., DeVries, Adam M., Thomas, Kurt J., Sawaski, Joel D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,919,939 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/237
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/4672 by electrooxydation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/78 with ozone C02F1/4672 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/78 Details relating to ozone treatment devices
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/782 Ozone generators
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/005 Processes using a programmable logic controller [PLC]
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2307/06 Mounted on or being part of a faucet, shower handle or showerhead
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/055 Electrical control devices, e.g. with push buttons, control panels or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 2001/0415 having an extendable water outlet
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 2201/40 Arrangement of water treatment devices in domestic plumbing installations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/4238 With cleaner, lubrication added to fluid or liquid sealing at valve interface

Abstract

A faucet for dispensing a fluid includes a spout, a pull-out spray head removably coupled to the spout and including an outlet, and a valve assembly in fluid communication with the outlet. Additionally, the faucet includes a fluid treatment assembly configured to output a treatment into the fluid. The faucet further comprises a first flow path and a second flow path.

Claims

1. A faucet comprising:

a spout;

a first valve in fluid communication with the spout;

a second valve spaced apart from the first valve and in fluid communication with the spout;

a first flow path fluidly coupled to the first valve;

a second flow path fluidly coupled to the second valve; and

an antibacterial device fluidly coupled to the second flow path, the faucet being configured to selectively flow fluid through one of the first flow path and the second flow path, and when in the first flow path, the fluid flows through the first valve in spaced relation to the antibacterial device, and when in the second flow path, the fluid flows through the second valve and the antibacterial device.

2. The faucet of claim 1, wherein the antibacterial device is an electrolytic ozone generator.

3. The faucet of claim 1, wherein the second valve is an electrically operable valve.

4. The faucet of claim 3, further comprising a third valve in fluid communication with the first valve, wherein one of the first valve and the third valve is an electrically operable valve and the other of the first valve and the third valve is a manual valve.

5. The faucet of claim 1, further comprising a pull-out spray head removably coupled to the spout.

6. The faucet of claim 1, further comprising a capacitive sensor operably coupled to the antibacterial device.

7. A faucet for dispensing a fluid comprising:

a spout;

a pull-out spray head removably coupled to the spout and including an outlet;

a valve assembly in fluid communication with the outlet; and

an antibacterial device configured to output a treatment into the fluid.

8. The faucet of claim 7, further comprising a controller configured to receive a signal indicative of at least one of a temperature of the fluid, a power level of the fluid treatment assembly, and a flow mode of the fluid at the outlet, the controller is configured to adjust the output of the antibacterial device according to the signal.

9. The faucet of claim 7, wherein the antibacterial device is an ozone generator configured to output ozone into the fluid.

10. The faucet of claim 9, wherein the ozone generator is an electrolytic ozone generator.

11. A fluid delivery device for outputting a fluid comprising:

a spout supporting an outlet;

a valve assembly in fluid communication with the outlet;

a controller operably coupled to the valve assembly; and

a fluid treatment assembly operably coupled to the controller, the controller configured to control operation of the fluid treatment assembly based upon a flow rate and a temperature of the fluid, wherein the controller is configured to control an output of the fluid treatment assembly when at least one of the flow rate is lower than a predetermined minimum flow rate and when the temperature is greater than a predetermined temperature.

12. The fluid delivery device of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to control operation of the fluid treatment assembly based on at least one of a flow mode of the fluid flowing through the fluid delivery device and an amount of power supplied to the fluid treatment assembly, and the controller is configured to control the output of the faucet when at least one of the flow mode is changed and the amount of power supplied to the fluid treatment assembly is lower than a predetermine amount.

13. A faucet comprising:

a spout supporting an outlet;

a valve assembly in fluid communication with the outlet; and

a water treatment assembly having a water treatment device and a housing, wherein a first portion of water flows through the water treatment device and a second portion of water flows around the water treatment device, the first and second portions of water being generally coaxial in the housing, and the water treatment device being configured to output a treatment to the first portion of water.

14. The faucet of claim 13, wherein the water treatment device is removably coupled to the housing.

15. The faucet of claim 14, wherein the water treatment device extends generally perpendicularly to an inlet portion and an outlet portion of the water treatment assembly.

16. A housing for a fluid treatment device of a faucet comprising:

an inlet tube;

a first cavity fluidly coupled to the inlet tube;

a second cavity fluidly coupled to the first cavity and supporting the fluid treatment device;

an electrically operable valve supported within the first cavity;

a fluid treatment assembly supported within the second cavity and fluidly coupled to the electrically operable valve; and

an outlet tube fluidly coupled to the second cavity, the first cavity being substantially aligned with the second cavity, wherein fluid in the first cavity flows through the electrically operable valve and directed into the second cavity.

17. The housing of claim 16, further comprising a fluid passageway configured for fluid to flow through the inlet tube and bend at a substantially right angle to flow through the first cavity and the second cavity, and bend at a substantially right angle to reverse direction and flow through the outlet tube.

18. A faucet for delivering fluid comprising:

a spout;

an electrically operable valve fluidly coupled to the spout;

an ozone treatment device configured to provide ozone in the fluid;

a capacitive sensor operably coupled to the ozone treatment device, the capacitive sensor providing an output signal; and

a controller operably coupled to the capacitive sensor and being configured to monitor the output signal from the capacitive sensor to selectively operate the ozone treatment device in response to the output signal.

19. The faucet of claim 18, wherein a user touch on the spout is detected by the capacitive sensor to selectively operate the ozone treatment device.

20. The faucet of claim 18, further comprising a first valve in fluid communication with the spout, a first flow path fluidly coupled to the first valve, a second valve spaced apart from the first valve and in fluid communication with the spout, and a second flow path fluidly coupled to the second valve.

21. The faucet of claim 20, wherein fluid selectively flows through one of the first flow path and the second flow path, and when in the first flow path, the fluid flows through the first valve in spaced relation to the ozone treatment device, and when in the second flow path, the fluid flows through the second valve and the ozone treatment device.

22. The faucet of claim 18, further comprising a pull-out spray head removably coupled to the spout.

23. A faucet comprising:

a spout;

a first valve assembly in fluid communication with the spout;

a second valve assembly in fluid communication with the spout and the first valve assembly;

a third valve assembly in fluid communication with the spout;

a fluid treatment assembly in fluid communication with the third valve assembly; and

a user input configured to selectively flow fluid through the first and second valve assemblies when in a non-treatment mode, and configured to selectively flow fluid through the third valve assembly and the fluid treatment assembly when in a treatment mode.

24. The faucet of claim 23, wherein the first valve assembly is configured as a mixing valve assembly, the second valve assembly is configured as an electrically operable valve assembly, and the third valve assembly is configured as an electrically operable valve assembly.

25. The faucet of claim 23, wherein the first and second valve assemblies are fluidly coupled to a non-treatment flow path to deliver water to the spout, and the third valve assembly is fluidly coupled to a treatment flow path to deliver water to the spout.

26. The faucet of claim 25, wherein the non-treatment flow path is separate from the treatment flow path, and water flows through one of the non-treatment flow path and the treatment flow path.

27. An electronic fluid delivery device comprising:

a spout configured to deliver fluid from an outlet;

a valve assembly in fluid communication with the spout;

a sensor operably coupled to the spout and configured to detect a flow mode at the outlet;

a user input operably coupled to the sensor; and

a controller in electronic communication with the sensor and the user input, the sensor being configured to provide an electrical signal to the controller indicative of the detected flow mode at the outlet.

28. The electronic fluid delivery device of claim 27, further comprising a fluid treatment assembly operably coupled to the controller and configured to selectively output a treatment to the fluid.

29. The electronic fluid delivery device of claim 27, further comprising a pull-out spray head removably coupled to the spout.