Waterway connection
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A faucet for connection to a water supply having a hot water supply and a cold water supply, the faucet comprising:
- a hot water inlet member having a hot water fluid inlet adapted to be coupled to the hot water supply, a hot water fluid outlet, and an internal waterway connecting the hot water fluid inlet to the hot water fluid outlet;
a cold water inlet member having a cold water fluid inlet adapted to be coupled to the cold water supply, a cold water fluid outlet and an internal waterway connecting the cold water fluid inlet to the cold water fluid outlet;
a waterway component having a first fluid inlet, a second fluid inlet, a fluid outlet and an internal waterway connecting the first fluid inlet, the second fluid inlet, and the fluid outlet; and
at least one coupler configured to alone maintain the position of the hot water inlet member relative to the waterway component when in use with a pressurized fluid and to alone maintain the position of the cold water inlet member relative to the waterway component when in use with a pressurized fluid, the at least one coupler being an overmold of at least a first portion of the hot water inlet member, a first portion of the cold water inlet member, and a first portion of the waterway component, the at least one coupler coupling the hot water inlet member and the waterway component such that the internal waterway of the hot water inlet member is in fluid communication with the internal waterway of the waterway component and such that the at least one coupler is prevented from contacting the fluid passing through the internal waterway of the hot water inlet member and the internal waterway of the waterway component and coupling the cold water inlet member and the waterway component such that the internal waterway of the cold water inlet member is in fluid communication with the internal waterway of the waterway component and such that the at least one coupler is prevented from contacting the fluid passing through the internal waterway of the cold water inlet member and the internal waterway of the waterway component.
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Abstract
A coupler for a faucet is disclosed which couples a first waterway component and a second waterway component, the coupler being an overmold component.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A faucet for connection to a water supply having a hot water supply and a cold water supply, the faucet comprising:
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a hot water inlet member having a hot water fluid inlet adapted to be coupled to the hot water supply, a hot water fluid outlet, and an internal waterway connecting the hot water fluid inlet to the hot water fluid outlet; a cold water inlet member having a cold water fluid inlet adapted to be coupled to the cold water supply, a cold water fluid outlet and an internal waterway connecting the cold water fluid inlet to the cold water fluid outlet; a waterway component having a first fluid inlet, a second fluid inlet, a fluid outlet and an internal waterway connecting the first fluid inlet, the second fluid inlet, and the fluid outlet; and at least one coupler configured to alone maintain the position of the hot water inlet member relative to the waterway component when in use with a pressurized fluid and to alone maintain the position of the cold water inlet member relative to the waterway component when in use with a pressurized fluid, the at least one coupler being an overmold of at least a first portion of the hot water inlet member, a first portion of the cold water inlet member, and a first portion of the waterway component, the at least one coupler coupling the hot water inlet member and the waterway component such that the internal waterway of the hot water inlet member is in fluid communication with the internal waterway of the waterway component and such that the at least one coupler is prevented from contacting the fluid passing through the internal waterway of the hot water inlet member and the internal waterway of the waterway component and coupling the cold water inlet member and the waterway component such that the internal waterway of the cold water inlet member is in fluid communication with the internal waterway of the waterway component and such that the at least one coupler is prevented from contacting the fluid passing through the internal waterway of the cold water inlet member and the internal waterway of the waterway component. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 21)
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14. A faucet, comprising:
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a first waterway component of the faucet having an internal waterway; a second waterway component of the faucet having an internal waterway, the second component being positioned such that the internal waterway of the second waterway component is in fluid communication with the internal waterway of the first waterway component; a valve positioned within the first waterway component to control the flow rate of fluid through the first waterway component; a user input device coupled to the valve; and a coupler configured to alone maintain the position of the second waterway component relative to the first waterway component when in use with a pressurized fluid, the coupler being an overmold of at least a first portion of the first waterway component and a first portion of the second waterway component, wherein the coupler is spaced apart from the fluid being communicated by the internal waterways of the first waterway component and the second waterway component such that the coupler is prevented from contacting the fluid passing through the internal waterway of the first waterway component and the internal waterway of the second waterway component and wherein the user input device is external relative to the coupler. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 22, 23)
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18. A method of assembling a faucet, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a first waterway component of the faucet having an internal waterway and a second waterway component of the faucet having an internal waterway; positioning the first waterway component and the second waterway component in a mold such that a fluid outlet of the internal waterway of the first waterway component is generally positioned proximate to a fluid inlet of the second waterway component; and molding a coupler over at least a portion of the first waterway component and at least a portion of the second waterway component to couple the second waterway component to the first waterway component and to alone maintain the position of the second waterway component relative to the first waterway component when in use with a pressurized fluid, wherein the internal waterway of the first waterway component and the internal waterway of the second waterway component are in fluid communication and the coupler is spaced apart from the internal waterway of the first waterway component and the internal waterway of the second waterway component such that the coupler is prevented from contacting the fluid passing through the internal waterway of the first waterway component and the internal waterway of the second waterway component. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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19. A method of assembling a faucet, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a first waterway component of the faucet having an internal waterway and a second waterway component of the faucet having an internal waterway; positioning the first waterway component and the second waterway component in a mold such that a fluid outlet of the internal waterway of the first waterway component is generally positioned proximate to a fluid inlet of the second waterway component; and molding a coupler over at least a portion of the first waterway component and at least a portion of the second waterway component to couple the second waterway component to the first waterway component and to maintain the position of the second waterway component to the first waterway component, wherein the internal waterway of the first waterway component and the internal waterway of the second waterway component are in fluid communication and the coupler is spaced apart from the internal waterway of the first waterway component and the second waterway component; and positioning a valve within the first waterway component, the valve being configured to control the flow rate of fluid through the internal waterway of the first waterway component, the valve being positioned within the first waterway component prior to the step of molding a coupler. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification