Top mount plumbing fixture

• US 6,434,765 B1
• Filed: 02/20/2001
• Issued: 08/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: FB Global Plumbing Group LLC
• Original Assignee: Moen, Inc. (Canada) (Fortune Brands Innovations, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mascari, Nicholas A., Zummersch, Martin, Burns, Leonard J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fetsuga, Robert M.
• Application Number:
  US09/746,623
• Time in Patent Office: 546 Days
• Field of Search: 467/5, 467/6, 467/7, 467/8, 469/5, 137/359, 285/208, 285/209, 285/210
• US Class Current: 4/676
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/0401 Fixing a tap to the sanitary appliance or to an associated mounting surface, e.g. a countertop
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/0402 with mounting from only one side
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6977 Escutcheon type support

Abstract

A plumbing fixture adapted to be installed from the top side of a sink deck through a sink deck opening includes a housing having a body portion which is adapted to extend through the sink deck opening and below the sink deck when mounted. The housing has a shoulder which is adapted to seat on the sink deck when mounted. There is a collar slidably movable on the body portion and of a size to pass through the sink deck opening. A threaded bore is in the collar and an unthreaded bore is in the housing shoulder, and a threaded member extends through these bores, with rotation of the threaded member from above the sink deck moving the collar axially along the housing body portion. Outwardly-biased yielding members are associated with the collar and extend outwardly therefrom such that when so extended the collar will not pass through the sink deck opening. The fixture is mounted to the sink deck by first compressing the outwardly extending yielding members to pass the body portion and collar through the sink deck opening from above the sink deck until the shoulder portion is seated on the sink deck and the yielding members have extended after passing is through the sink deck opening. The threaded member is then rotated until the collar has moved axially along the body portion and is in contact with the underside of the sink deck.

Claims

1. A plumbing fixture adapted to be installed from the top side of a sink deck through a sink deck opening, said fixture including a housing having a body portion which is adapted to extend through the sink deck opening and extend below the sink deck when mounted, and a shoulder portion on said housing which is adapted to seat on the sink deck when mounted, a collar slidably movable on said body portion and of a size to pass through the sink deck opening, a threaded bore in said collar, an unthreaded bore in said housing shoulder portion, a threaded member extending through said unthreaded and threaded bores, with rotation of said threaded member from above the sink deck moving said collar axially along said housing body portion,

arcuate outwardly-biased yielding means associated with said collar and having a portion thereof extending outwardly therefrom, such that when so extended the collar will not pass through the sink deck opening,

whereby the plumbing fixture is adapted to be mounted to the sink deck by first compressing the yielding means to pass the body portion and collar through the sink deck opening from above the sink deck until the shoulder portion is seated on the sink deck and the yielding means has extended after passing through the sink deck opening, the threaded member is then rotated until the collar has moved axially along the body portion and is in contact with an underside of the sink deck.

2. The plumbing fixture of claim 1 wherein said yielding means includes a pair of elements, generally on opposite sides of said collar, and compressible toward said collar.

3. The plumbing fixture of claim 2 wherein each of said elements includes an outwardly extending arm.

4. The plumbing fixture of claim 3 wherein said outwardly extending arms are integral.

5. The plumbing fixture of claim 3 wherein each of said outwardly extending arms is arcuate in shape.

6. The plumbing fixture of claim 1 wherein said yielding means includes an outwardly extending compressible arcuate arm, attached to said collar, and when fully extended prevents said collar from moving through the sink deck opening.

7. The plumbing fixture of claim 2 wherein each of said elements includes a button-shaped projection.

8. The plumbing fixture of claim 7 wherein said button-shaped projections are a part of an arcuate element which is located inside of the collar.

9. The plumbing fixture of claim 8 wherein said button-shaped projections extend through slots in opposite sides of said collar.

10. The plumbing fixture of claim 1 wherein said yielding means includes at least one outwardly extending button-shaped member, extending from within said collar, outwardly through a slot in said collar, with said button-shaped member, when so extended, preventing the passage of said collar through the sink deck opening.

11. The plumbing fixture of claim 1 wherein said plumbing fixture body member is formed and adapted to receive a water control valve.

12. The plumbing fixture of claim 1 wherein said body member is formed and adapted to mount a faucet spout nipple.

13. The plumbing fixture of claim 1 wherein said body member is formed and adapted to mount a faucet side spray.