Spout mounting assembly

• US 8,185,984 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2009
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Delta Faucet Company (Masco Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Masco Corporation Of Indiana (Masco Corporation)
• Inventors: Meehan, Steven Kyle, Crowe, Darrell Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Glessner, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mattei, Brian D
• Application Number:
  US12/356,021
• Publication Number:
  US 20100180375A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,226 Days
• Field of Search: 4675-678, 469/5, 137/801, 137/312.12, 137/315.11, 239/279, 239/280, 239/280.5, 239/282, 239/283, 239/587.1, 222/180
• US Class Current: 4/695
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/0401 Fixing a tap to the sanitary appliance or to an associated mounting surface, e.g. a countertop
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6977 Escutcheon type support
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/9464 Faucets and spouts

Abstract

A faucet spout mounting assembly includes a mounting hub, a spout supported for rotation relative to the mounting hub, a retaining member configured to restrain axial movement of the spout relative to the mounting hub, and a biasing member configured to provide an axial load between the spout and the mounting hub.

Claims

1. A spout mounting assembly comprising:

a mounting hub defining a longitudinal axis;

a spout supported for rotation relative to the mounting hub;

a retaining member operably coupled to the spout and the mounting hub, the retaining member configured to restrain axial movement of the spout relative to the mounting hub; and

a biasing member operably coupled to the spout and the mounting hub, the biasing member configured to provide an axial load between the spout and the mounting hub for biasing the spout away from the mounting hub within a dimensional tolerance range of the spout mounting assembly, wherein the retaining member is axially compliant for accommodating the axial load provided by the biasing member.

2. The spout mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting hub includes a tubular mounting shank, and the spout includes a tubular mounting member received within the mounting shank.

3. The spout mounting assembly of claim 2, further comprising a mounting nut, wherein the tubular mounting shank includes a plurality of external threads configured to operably couple with the mounting nut to secure the spout to a mounting deck.

4. The spout mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the retaining member includes opposing first and second ends, a first resilient coupler supported at the first end and configured to releasably couple with the mounting hub, and a second resilient coupler supported at the second end and configured to releasably couple with the spout.

5. The spout mounting assembly of claim 4, wherein:

the mounting hub includes a tubular mounting shank having an inner cavity with a retaining ridge;

the spout includes a tubular mounting member received within the mounting shank and including an inner passageway with a retaining ridge;

the first resilient coupler includes an arm including a retaining lip radially biased into engagement with the retaining ridge of the mounting hub; and

the second resilient coupler includes an arm including a retaining lip radially biased into engagement with the retaining ridge of the mounting member of the spout.

6. The spout mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting hub and the spout including opposing engagement surfaces extending substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis, and the biasing member includes a body portion supporting at least one resilient arm extending between the engagement surface of the mounting hub and the engagement surface of the spout.

7. The spout mounting assembly of claim 6, wherein the body portion of the biasing member comprises an annular ring supported by the mounting hub, and the at least one resilient arm is positioned radially inwardly from the annular ring.

8. The spout mounting assembly of claim 1, further comprising a limit member supported by the mounting hub, and a stop member supported by the spout and configured to engage the limit member when the spout is rotated about the longitudinal axis.

9. The spout mounting assembly of claim 1, further comprising a tube extending within a passageway of the spout, and a outlet coupler configured to secure the tube to an outlet end of the spout.

10. A spout mounting assembly comprising:

a mounting hub defining a longitudinal axis;

a spout supported for rotation relative to the mounting hub, the spout including a passageway extending between an inlet end and an outlet end, and a mounting member at the inlet end;

a retaining member operably coupled to the mounting member of the spout and the mounting hub, the retaining member extends between the spout and the mounting hub and is positioned within the mounting hub, the retaining member being configured to restrain axial movement of the spout relative to the mounting hub;

wherein the retaining member includes opposing first and second ends, a first resilient coupler supported at the first end and configured to releasably couple with the mounting hub, and a second resilient coupler supported at the second end and configured to releasably couple with the mounting member of the spout; and

wherein the mounting hub includes a tubular mounting shank, and the mounting member of the spout includes a tubular member received within the mounting shank.

11. The spout mounting assembly of claim 10, further comprising a biasing member operably coupled to the mounting hub and configured to provide an axial load between the spout and the mounting hub.

12. The spout mounting assembly of claim 11, wherein the retaining member is axially compliant for accommodating the axial load provided by the biasing member.

13. The spout mounting assembly of claim 11, wherein the mounting hub and the mounting member of the spout include opposing engagement surfaces extending substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis, and the biasing member includes a body portion supporting at least one resilient arm extending between the engagement surface of the mounting hub and the engagement surface of the mounting member of the spout.

14. The spout mounting assembly of claim 13, wherein the body portion of the biasing member comprises an annular ring supported by the mounting hub, and the at least one resilient arm is positioned radially inwardly from the annular ring.

15. The spout mounting assembly of claim 10, further comprising a mounting nut, wherein the tubular mounting shank includes a plurality of external threads configured to operably couple with the mounting nut to secure the spout to a mounting deck.

18. The spout mounting assembly of claim 10, further comprising a tube extending within the passageway of the spout, and a outlet coupler configured to secure the tube to the outlet end of the spout.

16. A spout mounting assembly comprising:

a mounting hub defining a longitudinal axis;

a spout supported for rotation relative to the mounting hub, the spout including a passageway extending between an inlet end and an outlet end, and a mounting member at the inlet end;

a retaining member operably coupled to the mounting member of the spout and the mounting hub, the retaining member extends between the spout and the mounting hub and is positioned within the mounting hub, the retaining member being configured to restrain axial movement of the spout relative to the mounting hub;

wherein the retaining member includes opposing first and second ends, a first resilient coupler supported at the first end and configured to releasably couple with the mounting hub, and a second resilient coupler supported at the second end and configured to releasably couple with the mounting member of the spout;

the mounting hub includes a tubular mounting shank having an inner cavity with a retaining ridge;

the mounting member of the spout includes a tubular member received within the mounting shank and including an inner passageway with a retaining ridge;

the first resilient coupler includes an arm including a retaining lip radially biased into engagement with the retaining ridge of the mounting hub; and

the second resilient coupler includes an arm including a retaining lip radially biased into engagement with the retaining ridge of the mounting member of the spout.

17. A spout mounting assembly comprising

a mounting hub defining a longitudinal axis;

a spout supported for rotation relative to the mounting hub, the spout including a passageway extending between an inlet end and an outlet end, and a mounting member at the inlet end;

a retaining member operably coupled to the mounting member of the spout and the mounting hub, the retaining member extends between the spout and the mounting hub and is positioned within the mounting hub, the retaining member being configured to restrain axial movement of the spout relative to the mounting hub;

wherein the retaining member includes opposing first and second ends, a first resilient coupler supported at the first end and configured to releasably couple with the mounting hub, and a second resilient coupler supported at the second end and configured to releasably couple with the mounting member of the spout; and

a limit member supported by the mounting hub, and a stop member supported by the spout and configured to engage the limit member when the spout is rotated about the longitudinal axis.

19. A spout mounting assembly comprising:

a mounting hub defining a longitudinal axis;

a spout supported for rotation relative to the mounting hub;

a biasing member operably coupled to the spout and the mounting hub, the biasing member configured to provide an axial load between the spout and the mounting hub; and

wherein the mounting hub and the spout include opposing engagement surfaces extending substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis, and the biasing member includes a body portion supporting at least one resilient arm extending between the engagement surface of the mounting hub and the engagement surface of the spout.

20. The spout mounting assembly of claim 19, wherein the body portion of the biasing member comprises an annular ring supported by the mounting hub, and the at least one resilient arm is positioned radially inwardly from the annular ring.

21. The spout mounting assembly of claim 19, further comprising a retaining member operably coupled to the spout and the mounting hub, the retaining member configured to restrain axial movement of the spout relative to the mounting hub.

22. The spout mounting assembly of claim 21, wherein the retaining member is axially compliant for accommodating the axial load provided by the biasing member.

23. The spout mounting assembly of claim 19, wherein the mounting hub includes a tubular mounting shank, and the spout includes a tubular mounting member received within the mounting shank.

24. The spout mounting assembly of claim 23, further comprising a mounting nut, wherein the tubular mounting shank includes a plurality of external threads configured to operably couple with the mounting nut to secure the spout to a mounting deck.

25. The spout mounting assembly of claim 19, wherein the retaining member includes opposing first and second ends, a first resilient coupler supported at the first end and configured to releasably couple with the mounting hub, and a second resilient coupler supported at the second end and configured to releasably couple with the spout.

26. The spout mounting assembly of claim 25, wherein:

the mounting hub includes a tubular mounting shank having an inner cavity with a retaining ridge;

the spout includes a tubular mounting member received within the mounting shank and including an inner passageway with a retaining ridge;

the first resilient coupler includes an arm including a retaining lip radially biased into engagement with the retaining ridge of the mounting hub; and

the second resilient coupler includes an arm including a retaining lip radially biased into engagement with the retaining ridge of the mounting member of the spout.

27. The spout mounting assembly of claim 19, further comprising a limit member supported by the mounting hub, and a stop member supported by the spout and configured to engage the limit member when the spout is rotated about the longitudinal axis.

28. The spout mounting assembly of claim 19, further comprising a tube extending within a passageway of the spout, and a outlet coupler configured to secure the tube to an outlet end of the spout.