Faucet

• US 7,017,600 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2004
• Issued: 03/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Clack Corporation
• Original Assignee: Clack Corporation
• Inventors: Klein, Daniel A.
• Primary Examiner(s): FOX, JOHN C
• Application Number:
  US10/803,238
• Publication Number:
  US 20040182459A1
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 137/216, 137/801
• US Class Current: 137/216
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/04 Water-basin installations specially adapted to wash-basins or baths valves, faucets, mixing valves, taps F16K
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/3185 Air vent in liquid flow line
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/9464 Faucets and spouts

Abstract

A faucet includes a base and a body. The body may be coupled and decoupled to the base with a bayonet fitting which is configured to prevent a forward rotation of the base relative to the body and to permit backward rotation and disconnection of the body from the base without the use of any tools. The faucet may have an internal chamber that houses a water sensitive device such as an electronics package and that is sealed from within and without by a system of seals located between the body and the base, between the base and a support surface, such as a countertop or a sink, and between individual components of the faucet.

Claims

1. A faucet comprising:

a. a base which is configured to be mounted on a support surface and which has a chamber therein that is capable of receiving a water-sensitive device, wherein the base comprises;

i. a pedestal which includes

1). a bottom surface that is configured to rest on the support surface,

2). an outer peripheral wall, and

3). an inner peripheral wall which is spaced from the outer wall; and

ii. a seal retaining ring positioned within the bottom of the pedestal, wherein the bottom surface of the seal retaining ring is notched at its outer periphery to define a seal-receiving groove between the notch of the seal retaining ring and an inner surface of the outer peripheral wall of the pedestal;

b. a body which is removably mounted on the base and which supports a valve assembly and a spout; and

c. a system of seals configured to seal the body to the base, the valve assembly to the body, and the base to the support surface so as to seal the chamber from fluid ingress, and

wherein the system of seals includes a seal located in the seal-receiving groove to seal the chamber from below.

2. A faucet comprising:

a. an annular base which has inner and outer peripheral surfaces, at least two circumferentially spaced at least generally grooves being formed in the inner peripheral surface of the base, wherein each of the grooves has an at least generally vertical leg and an at least generally horizontal leg;

b. a body which has

i. an upper portion having first and second openings formed therein, and

ii. a lower portion terminating in a segmented annular extension, the extension having a lower opening formed therein and having an inner peripheral surface and an outer peripheral surface, the outer peripheral surface of the extension having a diameter that is smaller than a diameter of an adjacent section of the lower portion of the body and that is smaller than the diameter of the inner peripheral surface of the base, wherein at least two segments of the extension bear projections that engage the grooves in the base, each of the projections being adapted to slide downwardly through the at least generally vertical legs of the grooves upon insertion of the body into the base and to rotate at least partially into the at least generally horizontal legs of the grooves upon rotation of the body relative to the base, thereby to secure the body in the base,

c. a valve assembly which is disposed in the body;

d. a spigot which is mounted in the first upper opening in the body;

e. a valve stem which is mounted in the second upper opening in the body and which is connected to the valve assembly;

f. an air gap module which is housed in the body;

g. a supply line which is housed in the body, the supply line having a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the valve assembly and having a fluid inlet; and

h. a series of seals including

i. an annular seal located between the body and the base,

ii. an annular seal located between the air gap module and an inner surface of the body,

iii. an annular seal located between the supply line and the valve assembly,

iv. an annular seal located between the valve stem and the valve assembly, and

v. an annular seal located between the body and the spigot.

3. The faucet of claim 2, wherein at least some of the seals are O-rings.

4. The faucet of claim 2, wherein the grooves are L-shaped.

5. The faucet of claim 4, wherein each of the projections has having a length that is less than a length of the vertical leg of the corresponding groove and a height that is less than a height of at least part of the horizontal leg of the corresponding groove.