Spout tip attachment

• US 7,717,133 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2007
• Issued: 05/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Delta Faucet Company (Masco Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Masco Corporation Of Indiana (Masco Corporation)
• Inventors: Brown, Derek A., Thomas, Kurt J., Pinette, Thomas C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rivell; John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Schneider; Craig M
• Application Number:
  US11/700,586
• Publication Number:
  US 20080178954A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,203 Days
• Field of Search: 137/801, 4675-678, 239/428.5, 239/553.3, 239/575
• US Class Current: 137/801
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/0404 Constructional or functional features of the spout
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/9464 Faucets and spouts

Abstract

A water delivery system is disclosed including a first component coupled to a fluid transport member, the first component including an interface, and a second component coupled to an aerator. The second component positioning the first component relative to the aerator. The aerator and the interface of the first component cooperate to form a water tight seal there between.

Claims

1. A water delivery system in fluid communication with at least one valve, the water delivery system comprising:

a spout member having a discharge end;

an aerator for positioning adjacent the discharge end of the spout member;

a fluid transport member having a fluid conduit with a first end in fluid communication with the at least one valve and a second end positioned proximate the discharge end of the spout member;

a first component coupled to the fluid transport member, the first component including a fluid conduit in fluid communication with the fluid conduit of the fluid transport member and including an interface; and

a second component coupled to the aerator and being movable relative to the first component, the second component positioning the first component relative to the aerator, wherein the aerator and the interface of the first component cooperate to form a water tight seal there between.

2. The water delivery system of claim 1, wherein the first component is an overmold component coupled to the fluid transport member.

3. The water delivery system of claim 1, further comprising means for retaining the first component relative to the aerator.

4. The water delivery system of claim 1, wherein the first component is receivable within the second component to position the interface relative to the aerator.

5. The water delivery system of claim 1, wherein the second component includes a passageway having a first portion, the first portion receiving the first component.

6. The water delivery system of claim 5, wherein the spout member includes a channel for receiving the fluid transport member, the channel including an enlarged portion receiving the second component.

7. The water delivery system of claim 6, wherein the first component is held in position relative to the first portion of the passageway of the second component due to a first portion of the spout member blocking an egress of the first component from the first portion of the passageway of the second component.

8. The water delivery system of claim 1, wherein the spout member is made of a non-metallic material.

9. The water delivery system of claim 8, wherein the spout member is made of a thermoset material.

10. The water delivery system of claim 8, wherein the fluid transport member is made of a non-metallic material.

11. The water delivery system of claim 10, wherein the fluid transport member is made of a PEX material.

12. The water delivery system of claim 1, wherein the interface is a sealing surface.

13. The water delivery system of claim 12, wherein the sealing surface is bounded by an inner perimeter.

14. The water delivery system of claim 13, wherein the fluid conduit of the first component further includes a terminal end bounded by the inner perimeter of the inner perimeter.

15. The water delivery system of claim 12, wherein the sealing surface is a flat sealing surface having an outer perimeter, the fluid conduit of the first component having a terminal end positioned within the outer perimeter of the flat sealing surface.

16. The water delivery system of claim 15, wherein the fluid conduit of the first component is angled relative to the flat sealing surface.

17. The water delivery system of claim 15, wherein the second component includes a first set of threads and the aerator includes a second set of threads, the first set of threads and the second set of threads cooperating to couple the aerator to the second component.

18. The water delivery system of claim 17, wherein a seal is positioned between the aerator and the first component, the seal being compressed between the aerator and the flat sealing surface to form the water tight seal when the aerator is coupled to the second component.

19. The water delivery system of claim 18, wherein the seal is an o-ring.

20. A water delivery system in fluid communication with at least one valve, the water delivery system comprising:

a body;

a fluid transport member positioned within the body and adapted to be in fluid communication with the at least one valve, the fluid transport member having a first end through which water exits;

an overmold component coupled to the first end of the fluid transport member; and

a holder supported by the body and including a fluid conduit having a first end and a second end, the overmold component and the fluid transport member being received in the first end of the holder, wherein the overmold component and the first end of the fluid transport member are held within the fluid conduit of the holder by translating the holder to a first position relative to the body in a first direction and the overmold component and the first end of the fluid transport member are removable from within the fluid conduit of the holder by translating the holder to a second position relative to the body in a second direction, the first end of the fluid conduit of the holder being angled relative to the second end of the fluid conduit of the holder.

21. The water delivery system of claim 20, wherein the body is made of a non-metallic material.

22. The water delivery system of claim 20, wherein the body is made of a thermoset material.

23. The water delivery system of claim 20, wherein the fluid transport member is made of a non-metallic material.

24. The water delivery system of claim 20, wherein the fluid transport member is made of a PEX material.

25. The water delivery system of claim 20, wherein the first direction is opposite the second direction.

26. The water delivery system of claim 20, wherein the body includes a base portion and a spout portion, the spout portion having a channel for receiving a first portion of the fluid transport member, the first portion of the fluid transport member including the first end of the fluid transport member.

27. The water delivery system of claim 26, wherein the channel includes an enlarged portion to receive the holder, the enlarged portion of the channel having a profile which generally matches a profile of the holder.

28. The water delivery system of claim 26, wherein the channel includes an enlarged portion to receive the holder, the enlarged portion of the channel and the holder cooperating to retain the first end of the fluid transport member in the first end of the holder.

29. The water delivery system of claim 28, wherein the overmold component being retained in the first end of the holder through cooperation of the enlarged portion of the channel and the holder.

30. The water delivery system of claim 29, wherein the overmold component includes a fluid conduit having a first portion in fluid communication with the first end of the fluid transport member and a second portion including a terminal in fluid communication with an exterior of the overmold component.

31. A water delivery system in fluid communication with at least one valve, the water delivery system comprising:

a spout including a body having a base portion and a spout portion, the spout being made of a non-metallic material, wherein the spout portion includes a channel extending from the base portion to a location proximate a discharge end of the spout portion;

a fluid transport member having a fluid conduit with a first end in fluid communication with the at least one valve and a second end positioned proximate the discharge end of the spout portion of the body of the spout, a portion of the fluid transport member being received in the channel; and

an overmold component coupled to the second end of the fluid transport member, wherein the channel is configured to retain the second end of the fluid transport member proximate the discharge end of the spout portion of the body of the spout, the channel includes an enlarged portion to receive a holder, the enlarged portion of the channel and the holder cooperating to retain the second end of the fluid transport member in a first end of the holder, and the overmold component being retained in the first end of the holder through the cooperation of the enlarged portion of the channel and the holder.

32. The water delivery system of claim 31, wherein the body is made of a thermoset material.

33. The water delivery system of claim 31, wherein the fluid transport member is made of a non-metallic material.

34. The water delivery system of claim 31, wherein the fluid transport member is made of a PEX material.

35. A water delivery system in fluid communication with at least one valve, the water delivery system comprising:

a body;

a fluid transport member positioned within the body and adapted to be in fluid communication with the at least one valve, the fluid transport member having a first end through which water exits;

a holder supported by the body and including a fluid conduit having a first end and a second end, the first end of the fluid transport member being received in the first end of the holder; and

an overmold component coupled to the first end of the fluid transport member, wherein the first end of the fluid transport member is held within the fluid conduit of the holder by translating the holder to a first position in a first direction and the first end of the fluid transport member is removable from the within the fluid conduit of the holder by translating the holder to a second position in a second direction, the body includes a base portion and a spout portion, the spout portion having a channel for receiving a first portion of the fluid transport member, the first portion of the fluid transport member including the first end of the fluid transport member, the channel includes an enlarged portion to receive the holder, the enlarged portion of the channel and the holder cooperating to retain the first end of the fluid transport member in the first end of the holder, and the overmold component being retained in the first end of the holder through the cooperation of the enlarged portion of the channel and the holder.

36. The water delivery system of claim 35, wherein the first end of the fluid conduit of the holder is angled relative to the second end of the fluid conduit of the holder.

37. The water delivery system of claim 35, wherein the body is made of a non-metallic material.

38. The water delivery system of claim 35, wherein the body is made of a thermoset material.

39. The water delivery system of claim 35, wherein the fluid transport member is made of a non-metallic material.

40. The water delivery system of claim 35, wherein the fluid transport member is made of a PEX material.

41. A water delivery system in fluid communication with at least one valve, the water delivery system comprising:

a spout member having a discharge end;

an aerator for positioning adjacent the discharge end of the spout member;

a fluid transport member having a fluid conduit with a first end in fluid communication with the at least one valve and a second end positioned proximate the discharge end of the spout member;

a first component coupled to the fluid transport member, the first component including a fluid conduit in fluid communication with the fluid conduit of the fluid transport member and including an interface; and

a second component coupled to the aerator, the second component positioning the first component relative to the aerator, wherein the aerator and the interface of the first component cooperate to form a water tight seal there between, the second component includes a passageway having a first portion, the first portion receiving the first component, the spout member includes a channel for receiving the fluid transport member, the channel including an enlarged portion receiving the second component.

42. The water delivery system of claim 41, wherein the first component is held in position relative to the first portion of the passageway of the second component due to a first portion of the spout member blocking an egress of the first component from the first portion of the passageway of the second component.

43. The water delivery system of claim 41, wherein the second component is moveable relative to the first component.

44. The water delivery system of claim 41, wherein the interface is a sealing surface.

45. The water delivery system of claim 44, wherein the sealing surface is a flat sealing surface having an outer perimeter, the fluid conduit of the first component having a terminal end positioned within the outer perimeter of the flat sealing surface.

46. The water delivery system of claim 45, wherein the fluid conduit of the first component is angled relative to the flat sealing surface.

47. The water delivery system of claim 45, wherein the second component includes a first set of threads and the aerator includes a second set of threads, the first set of threads and the second set of threads cooperating to couple the aerator to the second component.

48. The water delivery system of claim 45, wherein a seal is positioned between the aerator and the first component, the seal being compressed between the aerator and the flat sealing surface to form the water tight seal when the aerator is coupled to the second component.