Kitchen faucet side spray

• US 5,806,771 A
• Filed: 01/21/1997
• Issued: 09/15/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Moen, Inc. (Canada) (Fortune Brands Innovations, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Moen, Inc. (Canada) (Fortune Brands Innovations, Inc.)
• Inventors: Loschelder, Todd C., Bauer, Witold, Cool, Lonnie F., Overberg, Thomas J., Milrud, Eduardo E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnikow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ganey, Steven J.
• Application Number:
  US08/786,639
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• Field of Search: 239/443, 239/444, 239/446, 239/447, 239/449, 239/525, 239/526
• US Class Current: 239/446
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/1618 where said valve is a double-seat lift valve

Abstract

A spray device for use as an alternate water discharge to a faucet has a body with a handle and a spray head. The spray head has a first central water discharge in the form of a localized stream and a second peripheral spray type water discharge. There is a trigger which is movable on the body between an inoperable position, a first operable position, and a second operable position. In the first operable position water passes through the spray head central discharge and in the second operable position water passes through the peripheral spray. There is a chamber within the body which communicates with the first and second water discharges and there is a water passage in the handle communicating with the chamber. A piston is movable within the chamber and there is a water passage within the piston which may connect to the handle water passage. A stem is positioned within the chamber and is connected to and movable with the piston. The stem has a seal for closing the piston water passage. A coaxial spring biases the stem seal toward a piston water passage closing position. A flow diverter is located adjacent both water discharge passages, with the flow diverter being movable by the piston between positions in which water flows from the piston water passage to either of the first or second water discharges.

Claims

1. A spray device for use as an alternate water discharge to a faucet, said spray device including a body having a handle and a spray head, said spray head having first water discharge means and second water discharge means,

a trigger movable on said body between an inoperable position, a first operable position, and a second operable position,

a chamber within said body communicating with said first and second discharge means, a water passage in said handle communicating with said chamber, a piston movable within said chamber, a water passage within said piston connectable to said handle water passage,

a stem within said chamber and connected to said trigger for concurrent movement therewith, said stem including a seal for closing said piston water passage from said handle water passage, spring means biasing said stem seal toward a piston water passage closing position, said stem and piston having interconnecting means thereon providing concurrent movement thereof,

a flow diverter adjacent said first and second water discharge means, said flow diverter being movable by said piston between positions in which water flows from said piston water passage to either said first or second water discharge means,

operation of said trigger from an inoperable position to said first operable position moving said stem seal to open the piston water passage and moving said piston and flow diverter to direct water through said first discharge means, movement of said trigger to said second operable position causing said piston to move said flow diverter to a position to direct water through said second discharge means.

2. The spray device of claim 1 wherein said second water discharge means is peripherally disposed about said first water discharge means.

3. The spray device of claim 1 wherein said stem is movable relative to said piston.

4. The spray device of claim 1 wherein said stem and piston move along the same coaxial path in response to movement of said trigger, said spring means being coaxial with said stem and piston path.

5. The spray device of claim 4 wherein said stem extends at least in part within said piston.

6. The spray device of claim 5 wherein said piston water passage is in part coaxial with the path of movement of said piston.

7. The spray device of claim 5 wherein said stem and piston interconnecting means includes an outward extension on said stem and an inward extension on said piston.

8. The spray device of claim 7 wherein said spring means is seated on said body and is in contact with said stem.

9. The spray device of claim 8 wherein said spring means contacts said stem adjacent said stem extension.

10. The spray device of claim 5 wherein said piston water passage is in part radial.

11. The spray device of claim 4 wherein said flow diverter is coaxial with said piston and located radially outside of said piston.

12. The spray device of claim 11 wherein said flow diverter is flexible.

13. The spray device of claim 12 wherein said piston includes a peripheral groove, said flow diverter being positioned in part within said piston peripheral groove.

14. The spray device of claim 13 wherein the exterior of said flow diverter is fixed in said body.

15. The spray device of claim 14 wherein the interior of said flow diverter is movable within said piston groove.

16. The spray device of claim 15 wherein water passes from said piston water passage along one side of said flow diverter when said trigger is in said first operable position and passes from said piston water passage along the opposite side of said flow diverter when said trigger is in said second operable position.

17. The spray device of claim 16 wherein said flow diverter has an interior central water passage adjacent said piston peripheral groove and said flow diverter has an exterior series of generally uniform spaced passages radially outside of said flow diverter central passage.

18. The spray device of claim 17 wherein said flow diverter central passage communicates with said spray head first water discharge means and said flow diverter series of peripheral uniformly spaced passages communicates with said spray head second water discharge means.

19. The spray device of claim 1 wherein said trigger is pivotally attached to an end of said stem.

20. The spray device of claim 19 wherein said trigger pivots about a portion of said body when moving between said described positions.