Waterway adapter

• US 8,453,669 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2010
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mercury Plastics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Masco Corporation Of Indiana (Masco Corporation)
• Inventors: Veros, Michael J., Sailors, Timothy J., Nelson, Alfred C., Thomas, Kurt J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hepperle, Stephen M
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARSS, KEVIN R
• Application Number:
  US12/854,541
• Publication Number:
  US 20120018009A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,028 Days
• Field of Search: 137/625.41, 137/625.4, 137/801, 137/315.12, 4675-678, 469/5
• US Class Current: 137/315.13
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/04 Water-basin installations specially adapted to wash-basins or baths valves, faucets, mixing valves, taps F16K
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/0403 Connecting the supply lines to the tap body
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/06 comprising only sliding valves , i.e. sliding closure elements
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/0787 with both the supply and the discharge passages being on the same side of the closure members F16K11/0785 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 19/006 Specially adapted for faucets
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 27/045 with pivotal obturating members
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1858 by varying the mixing ratio of fluids having different temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6017 Including removable valve head and seat unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7504 Removable valve head and seat unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86815 Multiple inlet with single outlet

Abstract

A fluid delivery device includes a waterway assembly, a valve assembly, and a waterway adapter that fluidly couples the waterway assembly to the valve assembly. An illustrative waterway adapter may be constructed of a polymeric material.

Claims

1. A fluid delivery device including:

a generally hollow hub including a body portion having a longitudinally disposed first open end and a laterally disposed valve portion having a second open end, the body portion of the hub configured to rest atop a surface, the second open end of the valve portion disposed substantially perpendicular to the first open end of the body portion;

a waterway assembly including an inlet transport component and an outlet transport component;

a valve assembly removably coupled to the valve portion of the hub, the valve assembly including an inlet port and an outlet port; and

a waterway adapter removably coupled to the body portion of the hub, the waterway adapter sized for insertion into the first open end of the body portion, the waterway adapter defining an inlet channel and an outlet channel, the inlet channel of the waterway adapter fluidly coupling the inlet transport component of the waterway assembly to the inlet port of the valve assembly, and the outlet channel of the waterway adapter fluidly coupling the outlet transport component of the waterway assembly to the outlet port of the valve assembly,

wherein the valve assembly includes a valve body and a sleeve that surrounds the valve body, the sleeve forcing the waterway adapter into contact with an internal wall of the hub to frictionally secure the waterway adapter within the hub.

2. The fluid delivery device of claim 1, wherein the waterway adapter is constructed of a polymeric material.

3. The fluid delivery device of claim 1, wherein the valve assembly is sized for insertion into the second open end of the valve portion.

4. The fluid delivery device of claim 1, wherein the hub supports the waterway adapter independently of the valve assembly such that the waterway adapter is supported by the hub when the valve assembly is removed from the hub.

5. The fluid delivery device of claim 1, wherein the waterway assembly is arranged vertically and the valve assembly is arranged horizontally, and wherein the inlet channel and the outlet channel of the waterway adapter are L-shaped to fluidly couple the vertically arranged waterway assembly to the horizontally arranged valve assembly.

6. The fluid delivery device of claim 1, further including a fastener that extends through the waterway adapter and into the hub to secure the waterway adapter within the hub.

7. The fluid delivery device of claim 1, wherein the valve assembly further includes a nut that forces the valve body against the waterway adapter to fluidly couple the valve assembly to the waterway adapter.

12. The fluid delivery device of claim 6, wherein the fastener is inserted through the first open end of the body portion of the hub.

8. A fluid delivery device including:

a hub;

a waterway assembly including;

an inlet transport component;

an outlet transport component;

a collar supporting the inlet and outlet transport components;

an inlet nipple fluidly coupled to the inlet transport component and extending beyond the collar; and

an outlet nipple fluidly coupled to the outlet transport component and extending beyond the collar;

a valve assembly including an inlet port and an outlet port;

a waterway adapter coupled to the hub, the waterway adapter defining an inlet channel and an outlet channel, the inlet channel of the waterway adapter receiving the inlet nipple of the waterway assembly to fluidly couple the inlet transport component of the waterway assembly to the inlet port of the valve assembly, and the outlet channel of the waterway adapter receiving the outlet nipple of the waterway assembly to fluidly couple the outlet transport component of the waterway assembly to the outlet port of the valve assembly; and

a fastener that extends through the collar and into the waterway adapter to secure the waterway assembly to the waterway adapter.

9. The fluid delivery device of claim 8, wherein the collar of the waterway assembly rests beneath the waterway adapter.

10. The fluid delivery device of claim 9, wherein the fastener extends into the hub to secure the waterway assembly and the waterway adapter to the hub.

11. The fluid delivery device of claim 9, wherein each of the inlet and outlet nipples includes a plurality of external barbs that engage the corresponding inlet and outlet transport components.

13. A fluid delivery device including:

a generally hollow hub including a body portion having a longitudinally disposed first open end and a laterally disposed valve portion having a second open end, the body portion of the hub configured to rest atop a surface, the second open end of the valve portion disposed substantially perpendicular to the first open end of the body portion;

a waterway assembly including an inlet transport component and an outlet transport component;

a valve assembly removably coupled to the valve portion of the hub, the valve assembly including an inlet port and an outlet port;

a waterway adapter removably coupled to the body portion of the hub, the waterway adapter sized for insertion into the first open end of the body portion, the waterway adapter defining an inlet channel and an outlet channel, the inlet channel of the waterway adapter fluidly coupling the inlet transport component of the waterway assembly to the inlet port of the valve assembly, and the outlet channel of the waterway adapter fluidly coupling the outlet transport component of the waterway assembly to the outlet port of the valve assembly, the inlet transport component of the waterway assembly being removably coupled to the inlet channel of the waterway adapter and the outlet transport component of the waterway assembly being removably coupled to the outlet channel of the waterway adapter; and

a fastener that extends through the waterway adapter and into the hub to secure the waterway adapter within the hub, wherein the fastener extends in a direction generally parallel to the body portion of the hub and generally perpendicular to the valve portion of the hub.