Insulator base for electronic faucet

• US 9,057,184 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2011
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Delta Faucet Company (Masco Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Delta Faucet Company (Masco Corporation)
• Inventors: Meehan, Steven Kyle, Theiring, Nathan Emil, Anderson, Rick Darrel, Shields, Joseph Chad, Liang, Hongjing
• Primary Examiner(s): MURPHY, KEVIN F
• Application Number:
  US13/277,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20130098489A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,336 Days
• Field of Search: 462/3, 469/5, 137/359, 137/801, 251/129.01, 251/129.04
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: E03C 1/0404 Constructional or functional features of the spout
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/057 touchless, i.e. using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/004 Sanitary equipment, e.g. mirrors, showers, toilet seats or paper dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/9464 Faucets and spouts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49124 On flat or curved insulated base, e.g., printed circuit, etc.

Abstract

An insulator base for an electronic faucet includes a housing supporting a light assembly and a connecting wire electrically coupled to the light assembly. A polymer overmold is coupled to the housing and secures the light assembly and the connecting wire within the housing.

Claims

1. An insulator base for an electronic faucet, the insulator base comprising:

a housing including an outer sidewall and an inner sidewall each extending about an opening defining a longitudinal axis, a receiving chamber positioned inwardly from the outer sidewall, a channel positioned inwardly from the outer sidewall and in communication with the receiving chamber, the channel defined between the outer sidewall and the inner sidewall, and an aperture formed within the outer sidewall and in communication with the receiving chamber;

a light assembly including a support board and a light emitter coupled to the support board, the support board positioned within the receiving chamber of the housing;

a connecting wire electrically coupled to the light assembly, the connecting wire extending within the channel of the housing and into the receiving chamber; and

a polymer overmold coupled to the housing, encapsulating and securing the light assembly within the receiving chamber and the connecting wire within the channel, the overmold defining a lens within the aperture of the outer sidewall, the lens permitting the transmission of light from the light emitter therethrough.

2. The insulator base of claim 1, wherein a plurality of retaining brackets are positioned within the channel for coupling to the connecting wire.

3. The insulator base of claim 1, wherein the housing is formed of an acetal copolymer, and the overmold is formed of a low density polyethylene.

4. The insulator base of claim 1, further comprising a downwardly extending sealing member integrally formed within a lower surface of the overmold for sealing with a mounting deck.

5. The insulator base of claim 1, wherein the housing further includes a latching member extending within the receiving chamber and configured to couple to a lower end of the support board of the light assembly.

6. The insulator base of claim 1, wherein the housing includes an upper end configured to be positioned below a delivery spout, a lower end configured to be positioned above a mounting deck, and the opening configured to receive a water conduit extending into the delivery spout.

7. The insulator base of claim 1, wherein the channel of the housing includes a first end and a second end, the housing including a holding tab operably coupled to the connecting wire at the first end, and the second end is in communication with the chamber.

8. The insulator base of claim 1, wherein the overmold encapsulates the light assembly to prevent contact from water.

9. An insulator base for an electronic faucet, the insulator base comprising:

a housing including an outer sidewall, an inner sidewall, a channel defined between the outer sidewall and the inner sidewall, a receiving chamber positioned adjacent the channel, and an aperture formed within the outer sidewall and in communication with the receiving chamber;

a light assembly including a support board and a light emitter coupled to the board, the support board received within the receiving chamber of the housing;

a connecting wire electrically coupled to the light assembly, the connecting wire extending within the channel of the housing; and

a polymer overmold coupled to the housing, the overmold securing the connecting wire within the channel, encapsulating the light assembly within the chamber, defining a lens within the aperture of the outer sidewall, the lens permitting the transmission of light from the light emitter therethrough, and defining a downwardly extending sealing member for sealing with a mounting deck.

10. The insulator base of claim 9, wherein a plurality of retaining brackets are positioned within the channel for coupling to the connecting wire.

11. The insulator base of claim 9, wherein the housing is formed of an acetal copolymer, and the overmold is formed of a low density polyethylene.

12. The insulator base of claim 9, wherein the housing further includes a latching member extending within the receiving chamber and configured to couple to a lower end of the support board of the light assembly.

13. The insulator base of claim 9, wherein the housing includes an upper end configured to be positioned below a delivery spout, a lower end configured to be positioned above a mounting deck, and the opening configured to receive a water conduit extending into delivery spout.

14. The insulator base of claim 9, wherein the channel of the housing includes a first end and a second end, the housing including a holding tab operably coupled to the connecting wire at the first end, and the second end is in communication with the chamber.

15. An electronic faucet comprising:

a delivery spout;

a water conduit extending within the delivery spout and including a water outlet;

a base positioned intermediate the delivery spout and a mounting deck, the base including a housing defining an opening receiving the water conduit, the base further including an outer sidewall, an inner sidewall spaced apart from the outer sidewall, a channel defined between the inner sidewall and the outer sidewall, a receiving chamber positioned adjacent the channel, an aperture formed within the outer sidewall and in communication with the receiving chamber, a light assembly supported by the housing and having a light emitter, and an overmold insert molded within the housing and encapsulating the light assembly within the chamber, the overmold defining a lens within the aperture of the outer sidewall, the lens permitting the transmission of light from the light emitter therethrough;

a controller operably coupled to the light assembly, the controller configured to control operation of the light emitter; and

a connecting wire electrically coupling the controller and the light assembly, the connecting wire passing through the opening and below the mounting deck, wherein the channel is configured to receive the connecting wire.

16. The electronic faucet of claim 15, further comprising a sealing member integrally formed within a lower surface of the overmold for sealing with the mounting deck.

17. The electronic faucet of claim 15, wherein the light assembly includes a support board, and the base further includes a latching member extending within the receiving chamber and configured to couple to a lower end of the support board of the light assembly.

18. A method of manufacturing an insulator base for an electronic faucet, the method comprising the steps of:

molding a polymer housing including an outer sidewall, an inner sidewall, a channel defined between the outer sidewall and the inner sidewall, a receiving chamber positioned adjacent the channel, and an aperture formed within the outer sidewall and in communication with the receiving chamber;

placing a light assembly within the receiving chamber of the housing, the light assembly including a support board and a light emitter;

placing a connecting wire within the channel of the housing; and

insert molding a polymer overmold within the receiving chamber of the housing and the channel of the housing, the overmold encapsulating the light assembly, defining a lens within the aperture of the outer sidewall, the lens configured to transmit light form the light emitter, the polymer overmold defining a downwardly extending sealing member for sealing with a mounting deck and retaining the connecting wire within the housing.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of retaining the light assembly by a resilient clip within the chamber of the housing prior to the insert molding step.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of retaining the wire within the channel by a plurality of brackets prior to the insert molding step.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the insert molding step includes forming a downwardly extending sealing member in the lower surface of the overmold.