Ozone distribution in a faucet

• US 9,919,939 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2012
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Delta Faucet Company (Masco Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Delta Faucet Company (Masco Corporation)
• Inventors: Rosko, Michael Scot, Jonte, Patrick B., DeVries, Adam M., Thomas, Kurt J., Sawaski, Joel D.
• Primary Examiner(s): GURTOWSKI, RICHARD C
• Application Number:
  US14/362,764
• Publication Number:
  US 20140352799A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,930 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/4672 by electrooxydation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/78 with ozone C02F1/4672 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/78 Details relating to ozone treatment devices
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/782 Ozone generators
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/005 Processes using a programmable logic controller [PLC]
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2307/06 Mounted on or being part of a faucet, shower handle or showerhead
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/055 Electrical control devices, e.g. with push buttons, control panels or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 2001/0415 having an extendable water outlet
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 2201/40 Arrangement of water treatment devices in domestic plumbing installations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/4238 With cleaner, lubrication added to fluid or liquid sealing at valve interface

Abstract

A faucet for dispensing a fluid includes a spout, a pull-out spray head removably coupled to the spout and including an outlet, and a valve assembly in fluid communication with the outlet. Additionally, the faucet includes a fluid treatment assembly configured to output a treatment into the fluid. The faucet further comprises a first flow path and a second flow path.

Claims

1. A faucet comprising:

a spout;

a first valve in fluid communication with the spout;

a second valve spaced apart from the first valve and in fluid communication with the spout;

a first flow path fluidly coupled to the first valve;

a second flow path fluidly coupled to the second valve;

a first user input operably coupled to at least one of the first and second valves and being configured to activate a flow of fluid from the spout of the faucet; and

an antibacterial device fluidly coupled to the second flow path and configured to selectively output treated fluid in response to a second user input to activate the antibacterial device, the second user input being independent of the first user input, and the faucet being configured to selectively flow fluid through one of the first flow path and the second flow path, and when in the first flow path, the fluid flows through the first valve in spaced relation to the antibacterial device, and when in the second flow path, the fluid flows through the second valve and the antibacterial device.

2. The faucet of claim 1, wherein the antibacterial device is an electrolytic ozone generator.

3. The faucet of claim 1, wherein the second valve is an electrically operable valve.

4. The faucet of claim 3, further comprising a third valve in fluid communication with the first valve, wherein one of the first valve and the third valve is an electrically operable valve and the other of the first valve and the third valve is a manual valve.

5. The faucet of claim 1, further comprising a pull-out spray head removably coupled to the spout.

6. The faucet of claim 1, further comprising a capacitive sensor operably coupled to the antibacterial device.

15. The faucet of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to receive a signal indicative of at least one of a temperature of the fluid in the second flow path, a power level of the antibacterial device, and a flow mode of the fluid dispensed from the spout, the controller is configured to adjust the output of the antibacterial device according to the signal.

16. The faucet of claim 4, further comprising a user input configured to selectively flow fluid through first and third valves when in a non-treatment mode, and configured to selectively flow fluid through the second valve and the antibacterial device when in a treatment mode.

7. A faucet for dispensing a fluid comprising:

a spout;

a pull-out spray head removably coupled to the spout and including an outlet;

a valve assembly in fluid communication with the outlet;

a first user input operably coupled to the valve assembly and being configured to activate a flow of the fluid from the spout of the faucet; and

an antibacterial device configured to selectively output a treatment into the fluid when actuated by a second user input independent of the first user input.

8. The faucet of claim 7, further comprising a controller configured to receive a signal indicative of at least one of a temperature of the fluid, a power level of the antibacterial device, and a flow mode of the fluid at the outlet, the controller is configured to adjust the output of the antibacterial device according to the signal.

9. The faucet of claim 7, wherein the antibacterial device is an ozone generator configured to output ozone into the fluid.

10. The faucet of claim 9, wherein the ozone generator is an electrolytic ozone generator.

11. A faucet comprising:

a spout;

a first valve assembly in fluid communication with the spout;

a second valve assembly in fluid communication with the spout and the first valve assembly;

a third valve assembly in fluid communication with the spout;

a first user input operably coupled to at least one of the first, second, and third valve assemblies and being configured to activate a flow of fluid from the spout of the faucet;

a fluid treatment assembly in fluid communication with the third valve assembly and configured to selectively output treated fluid; and

a second user input independent of the first user input and configured to selectively flow fluid through the first and second valve assemblies when in a non-treatment mode, and configured to selectively flow fluid through the third valve assembly and the fluid treatment assembly when in a treatment mode.

12. The faucet of claim 11, wherein the first valve assembly is configured as a mixing valve assembly, the second valve assembly is configured as an electrically operable valve assembly, and the third valve assembly is configured as an electrically operable valve assembly.

13. The faucet of claim 11, wherein the first and second valve assemblies are fluidly coupled to a non-treatment flow path to deliver water to the spout, and the third valve assembly is fluidly coupled to a treatment flow path to deliver water to the spout.

14. The faucet of claim 13, wherein the non-treatment flow path is separate from the treatment flow path, and water flows through one of the non-treatment flow path and the treatment flow path.