Faucet spray control assembly

• US 7,909,269 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2006
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kohler Company
• Original Assignee: Kohler Company
• Inventors: Montag, Patrick H., Erickson, Perry D., Hansen, David E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Boeckmann; Jason J
• Assistant Examiner(s): REIS, RYAN ALEXANDER
• Application Number:
  US11/533,100
• Publication Number:
  US 20080067264A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,645 Days
• Field of Search: 239/444, 239/445, 239/446, 239/447, 239/448, 239/449, 239/525, 239/391, 239/396, 239/443, 239/527, 239/528, 467/6, 467/7, 467/8, 137/801
• US Class Current: 239/449
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/1618 where said valve is a double-seat lift valve
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/18 Roses; Shower heads with means for adding soap or the like E03C1/046; jet regulators E03C1/08
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/3013 the controlling element being a lift valve B05B1/3006, B05B1/3033 take precedence; lift valves in general F16K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/002 Manually-actuated controlling means, e.g. push buttons, levers or triggers for single units B05B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/0404 Constructional or functional features of the spout
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/0405 enabling multiple spray patterns
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 2001/0415 having an extendable water outlet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/9464 Faucets and spouts

Abstract

A pull-out faucet has a spray head with spray selection and pause control. A spring-loaded push button interrupts outlet spray entirely as long as it is being depressed. A rocker button controls spray through inner and outer sets of outlet orifices, for example, giving the user the option of an aerated water jet or an unaerated shower. The rocker button mounts on an integral pivot post of a valve body that houses a diverter valve that is controlled by the rocker button. The rocker button has a pair of legs that extend through openings in the valve body to engage a groove in the diverter valve. Pivoting the rocker button about a pivot axis by depressing either its forward or aft portion, moves the diverter valve along a valve axis to route flow to either the inner or outer orifices.

Claims

1. A spray control assembly for a faucet having a faucet body and a spray head in communication with a water line, the assembly comprising:

a hollow spray head body with a button opening;

a valve body disposed in the spray head body and having an axial valve cavity and an inlet opening for communicating water from the water line through a passage to an outlet opening in an axial direction aligned with the axial cavity;

a diverter valve disposed in the axial cavity of the valve body and slideable along a valve axis in alignment with the flow of water through the spray head, the diverter valve having first and second sealing surfaces at one end and a circumferential groove;

first and second valve seats disposed at the outlet opening concentric with the valve axis for mating with the respective first and second sealing surfaces of the diverter valve;

a diverter button accessible through the button opening in the spray head body, the diverter button being pivotally mounted to the valve body to allow the diverter button to rock between first and second angular positions, the diverter button having a pair of legs extending transversely with respect to the valve axis at opposite sides of the valve body and having feet extending beyond an inner edge of each leg in a direction that is essentially parallel to the pivot axis and wherein the feet mate with the circumferential groove in the diverter valve through openings in the valve body; and

an outlet mounted at an open end of the spray head body, the outlet having spray orifices, including a first set of spray orifices and a second set of spray orifices;

wherein when the diverter button is in the first angular position the first sealing surface of the diverter valve is seated in the first valve seat and water can pass from the valve body to the first spray orifices and when the diverter button is in the second angular position the second sealing surface of the diverter valve is seated in the second valve seat and water can pass from the valve body to the second spray orifices.

2. The assembly of claim 1, further including a pause button mounted to the spray head body for temporarily interrupting flow to the outlet when depressed.

3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the pause button is accessible through an opening in the spray head body, the pause button being operably connected to a pause valve disposed along a second valve axis that is essentially perpendicular to the valve axis of the diverter valve.

4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the pause valve is spring biased.

5. A spray control assembly for a faucet having a faucet body and a spray head in communication with a water line, the assembly comprising:

a hollow spray head body with a button opening;

a valve body disposed in the spray head body and having an axial valve cavity and an inlet opening for communicating water from the water line through a passage to an outlet opening in an axial direction aligned with the axial cavity;

a diverter valve disposed in the axial cavity of the valve body and slideable along a valve axis in alignment with the flow of water through the spray head, the diverter valve having first and second sealing surfaces at one end and a circumferential groove;

first and second valve seats disposed at the outlet opening concentric with the valve axis for mating with the respective first and second sealing surfaces of the diverter valve;

a diverter button accessible through the button opening in the spray head body, the diverter button being pivotally mounted to the valve body to allow the diverter button to rock between first and second angular positions, the diverter button having a pair of legs extending transversely with respect to the valve axis at opposite sides of the valve body and having feet extending beyond an inner edge of each leg in a direction that is essentially parallel to the pivot axis and wherein the feet mate with the circumferential groove in the diverter valve through openings in the valve body;

an outlet mounted at an open end of the spray head body, the outlet having spray orifices, including a first set of spray orifices and a second set of spray orifices, wherein when the diverter button is in the first angular position the first sealing surface of the diverter valve is seated in the first valve seat water can pass from the valve body to the first spray orifices and when the diverter button is in the second angular position the second sealing surface of the diverter valve is seated in the second valve seat and water can pass from the valve body to the second spray orifices; and

a pause assembly for temporarily interrupting flow to the outlet when depressed, wherein the pause assembly includes a pause button accessible through an opening in the spray head body, the pause button being operably connected to a pause valve disposed along a second valve axis that is essentially perpendicular to the valve axis of the diverter valve, the pause valve having an associated sealing surface and being movable between a first position in which the associated sealing surface seats against an associated valve seat so as to close off flow from the inlet opening of the valve body to the outlet opening of the valve body and a second position in which the associated sealing surface is unseated from the associated valve seat so as to allow flow to pass from the inlet opening of the valve body to the outlet opening of the valve body.

6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the pause valve is spring biased to the second position.

7. A spray control assembly, comprising:

a spray head body having a button opening and an outlet with first and second sets of spray orifices;

a valve body disposed in the spray head body;

a diverter valve disposed in the valve body and having first and second sealing surfaces and a circumferential groove;

first and second valve seats disposed for mating with the respective first and second sealing surfaces of the diverter valve;

a diverter button accessible through the button opening in the spray head body and pivotally mounted to the valve body, the diverter button having at least one leg extending along at least one side of the valve body and having at least one foot extending beyond an inner edge of the at least one leg in a direction that is essentially parallel to the pivot axis such that the at least one foot mates with the circumferential groove in the diverter valve through at least one opening in the valve body; and

wherein when the diverter button is in a first angular position the first sealing surface of the diverter valve is seated in the first valve seat to open communication from the valve body to the first spray orifices and when the diverter button is in a second angular position the second sealing surface of the diverter valve is seated in the second valve seat to open communication from the valve body to the second spray orifices.

8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the valve body defines an axial cavity and the diverter valve moves within the axial cavity along a valve axis.

9. The assembly of claim 7, further including a pause button mounted to the spray head body for temporarily interrupting flow to the outlet when depressed.

10. The assembly of claim 9, wherein the pause button is accessible through an opening in the spray head body, the pause button being operably connected to a pause valve disposed essentially perpendicular to the diverter valve.

11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the pause valve is spring biased.