Self closing faucet with timing mechanism
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A self closing faucet valve characterized by:
- a fixed housing assembly having a general cylindrical bore, said housing assembly having a water inlet and water outlet;
a rotatable arbor connected to a valve element and a manually operable handle, said valve element is rotatably movable by said handle between an open position and closed position in said fixed housing with respect to one of said inlet and outlet;
a spring mounted within said bore and operably between said valve housing and said arbor such that it exerts a torsional force on said arbor toward the off position when said arbor is rotated to said open position;
an escapement mechanism positioned within said bore and having a first gear being engaged to a ring gear in said fixed housing assembly and at least one more gear operably engaged to said first gear and a clutter mechanism for controlling rotation of said gears from said bias force of said spring on said arbor;
a friction clutch assembly and a ratchet being positioned within said bore and being operably interposed between said arbor and said fixed housing assembly;
said ratchet having pawls positioned and constructed for providing a release of said arbor with respect to said fixed housing assembly when said arbor is manually rotated toward said open position such that said gears in the escapement mechanism are not operated during rotation of said arbor toward the open position; and
said friction clutch being constructed to provide an adherent static friction force greater than the closing torque force provided by said spring to maintain static engagement of said escapement mechanism with said arbor such that said escapement mechanism retards closing motion of the valve when said spring biases said valve and arbor toward said closed position;
and said escapement device allowed to slip with respect to one of fixed housing and said arbor upon additional manual closing torque being exerted upon said handle by an operator.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A faucet 10 includes a self closing faucet handle 16 having an escapement mechanism (77) in series with both a release ratchet (102) and a slip clutch (110) to provide ease in turning on the faucet and the option of a quick manual closing of the faucet valve. The ratchet (102), escapement mechanism (77) and slip clutch 110 are all concealed within the shell (42) of a blade handle (16) that is rotated between the on and off positions.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A self closing faucet valve characterized by:
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a fixed housing assembly having a general cylindrical bore, said housing assembly having a water inlet and water outlet; a rotatable arbor connected to a valve element and a manually operable handle, said valve element is rotatably movable by said handle between an open position and closed position in said fixed housing with respect to one of said inlet and outlet; a spring mounted within said bore and operably between said valve housing and said arbor such that it exerts a torsional force on said arbor toward the off position when said arbor is rotated to said open position; an escapement mechanism positioned within said bore and having a first gear being engaged to a ring gear in said fixed housing assembly and at least one more gear operably engaged to said first gear and a clutter mechanism for controlling rotation of said gears from said bias force of said spring on said arbor; a friction clutch assembly and a ratchet being positioned within said bore and being operably interposed between said arbor and said fixed housing assembly; said ratchet having pawls positioned and constructed for providing a release of said arbor with respect to said fixed housing assembly when said arbor is manually rotated toward said open position such that said gears in the escapement mechanism are not operated during rotation of said arbor toward the open position; and said friction clutch being constructed to provide an adherent static friction force greater than the closing torque force provided by said spring to maintain static engagement of said escapement mechanism with said arbor such that said escapement mechanism retards closing motion of the valve when said spring biases said valve and arbor toward said closed position; and said escapement device allowed to slip with respect to one of fixed housing and said arbor upon additional manual closing torque being exerted upon said handle by an operator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A faucet valve timer closure assembly characterized by:
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a housing having a central bore; a rotatable arbor within said housing for movement between an open position and a closed position; said arbor being affixable to a valve stem and a manually operable handle for moving said arbor and stem between an open position and closed position; a spring mounted between said housing and said arbor that exerts a torsional force on said arbor toward the off position when said arbor is rotated to said open position; an escapement mechanism having a clutter mechanism and several gears being engaged in a train to one another and having an end gear being engaged to a ring gear positioned in said bore of said fixed housing for rotating said escapement device with respect to said housing; a friction clutch assembly and a ratchet being operably interposed between said arbor and said housing, said ratchet having bawls constructed and positioned for providing rotation of said arbor with respect to said housing device when said arbor is manually rotated toward its open position without operation of the escapement gears in the escapement device; and said friction clutch being constructed to provide an adherent static friction force greater than the closing torque force provided by said spring to maintain static engagement of said escapement mechanism with said arbor and said housing such that said escapement mechanism retards closing motion of the arbor when said spring biases said arbor toward said closed position and said escapement mechanism allowed to slip with respect to one of said arbor and housing upon additional closing torque being manually exerted upon said arbor by an operator. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A self closing faucet valve characterized by:
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a faucet valve body including an open ended cylindrical valve chamber and a movable valve element rotatably mounted in said valve chamber for rotation between an open and closed position; a valve stop and cover member positioned in an open end of said valve chamber and having a central bore for receiving a valve stem that is connected to said movable valve element; a cover nut engaging said faucet valve body and retaining said valve stop and cover member at said end of said valve chamber; a timer housing assembly having a generally cylindrical bore affixed onto said valve stop and cover member; an arbor affixed to said valve stem for rotation therewith and rotatably connected to said timer housing assembly; a spring mounted within said timer housing assembly and operably positioned between said timer housing assembly and said arbor such that it exerts a torsional force on said arbor toward the off position when said arbor is rotated to said open position; an escapement mechanism positioned within said timer housing assembly and having a first portion operably connected to said timer housing assembly and a second portion operably connected to said arbor and having a clutter mechanism for controlling closing rotation of said arbor with respect to said timer housing assembly; a ratchet being positioned within said bore and being operably interposed between said arbor and said timer housing assembly; said ratchet having pawls constructed and positioned for providing a release of said escapement mechanism from a respective one of said arbor and timer housing assembly when said arbor is manually rotated toward said open position such that the escapement mechanism is not operated during rotation of said arbor toward the open position; a handle having a top and at least one downwardly depending side wall extending to define a cavity such that said timer housing assembly is concealed within said cavity within said handle; and said handle being affixed to said arbor and operable to rotate said arbor between an open position and closed position. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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Specification