Dual function handles for a faucet assembly

• US 7,624,757 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2006
• Issued: 12/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Masco Corporation Of Indiana (Masco Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Masco Corporation Of Indiana (Masco Corporation)
• Inventors: Schmitt, Randall Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Bastianelli; John
• Application Number:
  US11/558,188
• Publication Number:
  US 20080111090A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,118 Days
• Field of Search: 251/129.03, 251/129.04, 251/129.11, 236/12.1, 236/12.11, 236/12.12, 236/12.15, 137/606, 137/801
• US Class Current: 137/606
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/05 Arrangements of devices on wash-basins, baths, sinks, or the like for remote control of taps remote control of taps or the like per se F16K
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/20 operated by separate actuating members with one plug turning in another F16K11/12
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/05 specially adapted for operating hand-operated valves or for combined motor and hand operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87684 Valve in each inlet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/9464 Faucets and spouts

Abstract

A faucet assembly is operable automatically or mechanically to facilitate control in a non-powered or motor failure condition. In the automatic control position, separate and automatic control of fluid flow and temperature is provided by respective actuation of first and second handles. In the manual control position, the first and second handles are moved axially to decouple electric motors from corresponding fluid control valves. Such axial movement of the first and second handles concurrently couples the handles mechanically to the corresponding fluid control valves to provide the desired manual actuation.

Claims

1. A faucet assembly comprising:

a first fluid control valve configured to control fluid flow from a first inlet;

a first manual control including a first control member, the first manual control being selectively operably coupled to the first fluid control valve;

a first drive motor selectively operably coupled to the first fluid control valve;

a second fluid control valve configured to control fluid flow from a second inlet;

a second manual control including a second control member, the second manual control being selectively operably coupled to the second fluid control valve;

a second drive motor selectively operably coupled to the second fluid control valve;

each of the first fluid control valve and the second fluid control valve being actuatable through one of a first coupling connectable to the corresponding one of the first and second manual controls in a manual mode of operation and a second coupling connectable to the corresponding one of the first and second drive motors in an automatic mode of operation; and

a controller in communication with the first and the second drive motors, the controller in the automatic mode of operation causing the first and second drive motors to cooperate in controlling a fluid flow rate in response to input from the first control member, and to cooperate in controlling a fluid temperature in response to input from the second control member.

2. The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second control valves each includes a first valve gear mounted to a valve shaft rotatable for controlling fluid flow, wherein the first coupling comprises the first valve gear engaged to a stem gear fixed to a stem rotatable by a corresponding one of a first control member and a second control member.

3. The assembly as recited in claim 2, wherein the stem is movable between a manual control position where the stem gear is engaged to the valve gear, and an automatic control position where the stem gear is not engaged to the valve gear.

4. The assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein the stem is movable axially between the manual control position and the automatic control position.

5. The assembly as recited in claim 2, wherein when the first fluid control valve and the second fluid control valve are connected by the second coupling, actuation of the first control member controls a fluid flow rate, and actuation of the second control member controls fluid temperature.

6. The assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein the second coupling comprises a second valve gear mounted to the valve shaft that is selectively connectable to a drive shaft of the corresponding one of the first drive motor and the second drive motor.

7. The assembly as recited in claim 6, including a drive coupling support member mounted to the stem and movable with the stem, the drive coupling support member supporting the second coupling between the drive shaft and the valve shaft.

8. The assembly as recited in claim 7, wherein the second coupling comprises a coupling member that couples the drive shaft to the valve shaft when the stem is in the automatic control position.

9. The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the controller controls the first drive motor and the second drive motor to selectively open the corresponding first fluid control valve and the second fluid control valve to independently control fluid flow rate and fluid temperature.

10. The assembly as recited in claim 9, including a rotation sensor for providing a signal to the controller indicative of rotation of the stem, wherein the rotation signal is indicative of a desired setting of one of the first fluid control valve and the second fluid control valve.

16. The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the first inlet is a hot water inlet and the second inlet is a cold water inlet.

11. A faucet assembly comprising:

a first valve member configured to control fluid flow from a first inlet, the first valve member selectively controllable manually by a first control handle and automatically by a first drive motor; and

a second valve member configured to control fluid flow from a second inlet, the second valve member controllable manually by a second control handle and automatically by a second drive motor, wherein in a manually coupled condition, the first control handle controls actuation of the first valve member, and the second control handle controls actuation of the second valve member, and in an electrically coupled position the first control handle provides an input utilized to control both the first and second drive motors to provide a desired fluid flow output, and the second control handle provides an input utilized to control both the first and second drive motors to provide a desired fluid temperature output.

12. The assembly as recited in claim 11, wherein each of the first and second control handles are mounted to a stem that is rotatable about an axis to actuate a corresponding one of the first valve member and the second valve member.

13. The assembly as recited in claim 12, wherein each of the first valve member and the second valve member include a first valve gear engageable to a stem gear mounted to the stem and a drive gear for linking the first and second drive motors to a corresponding one of the first and second valve members.

14. The assembly as recited in claim 13, including a coupling support member supported on the stem for supporting the drive gear.

15. The assembly as recited in claim 14, wherein the stem is movable axially to selectively engage the stem gear to the valve gear to provide the manually coupled position with the corresponding first and second control handles and the electrically coupled position with the first and second drive motors.

17. The assembly as recited in claim 11, wherein the first inlet is a hot water inlet and the second inlet is a cold water inlet.