Hand spray mounts with integral backflow prevention

• US 6,611,971 B1
• Filed: 08/26/2002
• Issued: 09/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Andre Collection, Inc.
• Original Assignee: I. W. Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: Antoniello, Frank, Wieman, Elmo John
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tuan N.
• Application Number:
  US10/226,680
• Time in Patent Office: 372 Days
• Field of Search: 456/7, 457/0, 461/5, 137/216, 137/216.2, 137/217, 137/218, 137/315.33, 137/801
• US Class Current: 4/570
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/0408 Water installations especially for showers E03C1/06 takes precedence; shower heads B05B1/18
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/06 Devices for suspending or supporting the supply pipe or supply hose of a shower-bath showers per se A47K3/28
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/106 using two or more check valves
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/108 having an aerating valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/3331 With co-acting valve in liquid flow path
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/9464 Faucets and spouts

Abstract

A wall mount provides the normal hose connection for attachment of the hose of a hand-held spray head while integrating a backflow preventer in an aesthetically pleasing unit. The wall mount preferably uses two spring-biased check valves with an integral air inlet and check valve to form redundant backflow prevention as well as an active vacuum breaker which substitutes ambient air for dirty water in the case of vacuum build-up. The wall mount includes a seal and locking technique which permits exact set-up of the orientation and wall fit of the unit with simple tools. An alternate embodiment of the wall mount also integrates the hook which holds the handle of the hand-held spray head.

Claims

1. A shower hand spray wall mount with integral backflow prevention comprising:

a housing connected to a water supply, said housing attaching a flexible hose of a hand-held spray head to a wall,

said housing having an axially extending bore therewithin and an external hook holding a handle of said hand-held spray head,

said housing integrating a IAMPO/ASME mandated backflow preventer, including at least one check valve communicating with an integral vacuum breaking air inlet substituting ambient air for dirty water into a water inlet of said axially extending bore, in the case of vacuum build-up within said bore of said housing,

said at least one check valve permitting flow of air into said housing through said vacuum breaking air inlet when dirty water enters said axially extending bore of said housing upon said buildup of the vacuum within said axially extending bore of said housing.

2. The shower hand spray wall mount as in claim 1 wherein said vacuum breaking air inlet comprises an arcuate slot being provided in an exterior wall of said housing, said arcuate slot communicating with said at least one axially extending bore within said housing.

3. The shower hand spray wall mount as in claim 2 wherein said vacuum breaking air intake slot fans outward from said at least one axially extending bore within said housing.

4. The shower hand spray wall mount as in claim 1 wherein said at least one check valve comprises a plurality of check valves.

5. The shower head spray wall mount as in claim 4 wherein one of said check valves is placed in a cavity, permitting air intake through said slot in case of a vacuum build-up.

6. The shower hand spray wall mount as in claim 4 wherein one of said check valves is placed in an inlet nipple.

7. The shower hand spray wall mount as in claim 4 wherein a check valve is placed within said hose nipple to block backflow of dirty water from said hose.

8. The shower hand spray wall mount as in claim 4 further comprising a lumen bore extending transversely to said at least one inner bore of said housing, said transversally extending bore receiving a hose nipple connected to said hose.

9. The shower hand spray wall mount as in claim 4 wherein said housing slips over a smooth section of said water inlet nipple, said housing being threaded such that external threads of said water inlet nipple engage internal threads of said housing until a proper fit against a wall with said threaded lumen bore pointing downward.