Deck-mount faucet

• US 6,729,349 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2002
• Issued: 05/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Friedrich Grohe AG & Co. KG (LIXIL Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Friedrich Grohe AG & Co. KG (LIXIL Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Brandebusemeyer, Heinz
• Primary Examiner(s): Michalsky, Gerald A.
• Application Number:
  US10/234,606
• Publication Number:
  US 20030051758A1
• Time in Patent Office: 608 Days
• Field of Search: 137/615, 137/801
• US Class Current: 137/615
• 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: Y10T 137/8807 Articulated or swinging flow conduit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/9464 Faucets and spouts

Abstract

A faucet has according to the invention a support body centered on an upright axis and adapted to be fixed to a horizontal support surface. The body is formed with a radially outwardly open outer groove having upper and lower axially spaced and confronting flanks and a radially outwardly directed floor. A sleeve fitted over and surrounding the body has a radially inwardly directed inner surface level with the outer groove and an axially downwardly directed shoulder generally level with the upper flank. A hard split bearing ring set in the outer groove has an outer face bearing on the inner sleeve surface, an upper face on which the shoulder rests, a lower face bearing on the lower flank, and an inner face radially confronting the floor. A biasing element braced radially between the bearing ring and the body presses the outer surface of the bearing ring against the inner surface of the sleeve.

Claims

1. A faucet comprising:

a support body centered on an upright axis and adapted to be fixed to a horizontal support surface, the body being formed with a radially outwardly open outer groove having upper and lower axially spaced and confronting flanks and a radially outwardly directed floor;

a sleeve fitted over and surrounding the body and having a radially inwardly directed inner surface level with the outer groove and an axially downwardly directed shoulder generally level with the upper flank;

a hard split bearing ring set in the outer groove and having an outer face bearing on the inner sleeve surface, an upper face on which the shoulder rests, a lower face bearing on the lower flank, and an inner face radially confronting the floor; and

means including a biasing element braced radially between the bearing ring and the body for pressing the outer face of the bearing ring against the inner surface of the sleeve.

2. The faucet defined in claim 1 wherein the biasing element is an unsplit elastomeric biasing ring bearing radially inward on the body and radially outward on the bearing ring.

3. The faucet defined in claim 2 wherein the body is formed in the outer-groove floor with a radially outwardly open inner groove.

4. The faucet defined in claim 1 wherein the bearing ring has a radial dimension greater than a radial depth of the outer groove, whereby the bearing ring projects radially past the groove floor and holds the inner ring face off the groove floor.

5. The faucet defined in claim 4 wherein the biasing element holds the bearing ring at least 0.2 mm radially outward from the groove floor.

6. The faucet defined in claim 1 wherein the bearing-ring end faces are parallel and perpendicular to the bearing-ring inner face.

7. The faucet defined in claim 6 wherein the bearing-ring outer face is outwardly convex.

8. The faucet defined in claim 1 wherein the bearing ring has a width measured parallel to the axis and a thickness measured perpendicular to the axis, the width being about three times the thickness.

9. The faucet defined in claim 1 wherein the inner surface of the sleeve is substantially cylindrical and centered on the axis.

10. The faucet defined in claim 9 wherein the sleeve has an outwardly chamfered lower end edge.

11. The faucet defined in claim 1, further comprising

a valve cartridge carried on the body and connectable through the body with hot- and cold-water supplies, the sleeve being surrounding the cartridge and being formed with a spout;

a spray head fittable in the spout, and

a hose connected to the valve cartridge and extending to the spray head.

12. The faucet defined in claim 11 wherein the hose extends from the cartridge down through the body and then back up through the body to the spray head.