High ARC spout radial movement retainer

• US 5,873,387 A
• Filed: 10/16/1997
• Issued: 02/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Moen, Inc. (Canada) (Fortune Brands Innovations, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Moen, Inc. (Canada) (Fortune Brands Innovations, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fenn, Mark C., Weber, Eric M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Michalsky, Gerald A.
• Application Number:
  US08/951,582
• Time in Patent Office: 495 Days
• Field of Search: 173/615, 173/801, 4/677, 4/678, 285/276
• US Class Current: 137/615
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/0404 Constructional or functional features of the spout
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 2001/0414 allowing different orientations of the spout or the outlet nozzle
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 2201/50 Constructional features of escutcheons for domestic plumbing installations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8807 Articulated or swinging flow conduit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/9464 Faucets and spouts

Abstract

A faucet spout mounting assembly includes a spout having an elongated tubular portion. There is a spout hub having a cavity, with an end of the spout tubular portion being positioned within the cavity and rotatable relative thereto. There is a water passage in the hub communicating with the cavity. The spout hub has exterior threads thereon and there is a spout nut threadedly engaging the spout hub and extending along the spout elongated tubular portion and beyond the spout hub. There is a recess in the spout nut facing the spout elongated tubular portion and a spring member is positioned within that recess. The spring member has spaced portions thereon, some of which bear against the spout nut and some of which bear against the spout elongated tubular portion, to thereby restrain radial movement between the spout and the spout nut while providing no essential increase in resistance to rotary movement of the spout.

Claims

1. A faucet spout mounting assembly including a spout having an elongated tubular portion, a spout hub having a cavity, an end of said spout tubular portion being positioned within said cavity and rotatable relative thereto, water passage means in said hub communicating with said cavity and said spout, said spout hub having exterior threaded means thereon, a spout nut threadedly engaging said spout hub and extending along said spout elongated tubular portion and beyond said spout hub, a recess in said spout nut facing said spout elongated tubular portion, and a spring member positioned within said recess and having spaced portions thereon, which extend both radially inward and radially outward, said radially outwardly extending spaced portions bearing against said spout nut and said radially inwardly extending portions bearing against said spout elongated tubular portion to thereby restrain radial movement between said spout nut and said spout while providing no essential increase in resistance to rotary movement of said spout.

2. The faucet spout mounting assembly of claim 1 wherein said spring member is generally ring-shaped.

3. The faucet spout mounting assembly of claim 2 wherein said ring-shaped spring member is discontinuous.

4. The faucet spout mounting assembly of claim 1 wherein the spring member spaced portions which extend radially inward are spaced between the spring member spaced portions which extend radially outward.

5. The faucet spout mounting assembly of claim 4 wherein said spring member has a wavelike cross section.

6. The faucet spout mounting assembly of claim 1 including a groove in said spout elongated tubular portion, and a retaining ring held between said spout hub and said spout nut and extending into said spout elongated tubular portion groove.

7. The faucet spout mounting assembly of claim 6 including a recess formed at a boundary of said spout nut and said spout hub, with said retaining ring being positioned in part within said boundary recess.