Laminar spout attachment

• US 5,242,119 A
• Filed: 01/13/1992
• Issued: 09/07/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vichai Jariyasunant
• Original Assignee: Vichai Jariyasunant
• Inventors: Jariyasunant, Vichai
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnikow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): YOUNG, KAREN MERRITT
• Application Number:
  US07/819,802
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• Field of Search: 239/462, 239/428.5, 239/552, 239/553-553.5, 239/558, 239/560, 239/561, 239/575, 239/590.3, 239/590.5
• US Class Current: 239/590.3
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/08 Jet regulators or jet guides, e.g. anti-splash devices

Abstract

A laminar stream spout attachment for faucets comprises a plurality of spaced-apart parallel perforated plates and associated screens. The perforated plates reduce flow velocity and distribute the flow uniformly across the attachment. The screens operate to trim the stream and reduce the associated flow noise, thus providing a high-quality stream which is clear, straight, free of mist and spray, quiet, soft and essentially splash-free with a minimal number of parts.

Claims

1. A laminar spout attachment comprising:

(a) a cylindrical housing having an inlet end adapted for coupling to a spout and an outlet end, the housing defining a flow passage connecting the ends;

(b) a flow-limiting plate mounted in the housing for controlling the volume of liquid flowing through the flow passage, the flow-limiting plate having a plurality of apertures;

(c) a first screen mounted in the housing downstream from the flow-limiting plate, the first screen permitting liquid flow therethrough while abating noise associated with the liquid flow noise; and

(d) a velocity-reducing plate located in the housing downstream from the first screen, the velocity-reducing plate having a plurality of orifices therethrough forming a segmented annular ring concentrically aligned with the center of the velocity-reducing plate, wherein the orifices are not axially aligned with the apertures of the flow-limiting plate so that the liquid flowing through the laminar spout attachment must alter direction twice by 90 degrees to pass through the velocity-reducing plate for dispersing the liquid, reducing its associated pressure and abating the liquid'"'"'s flow noise.

2. The laminar spout attachment of claim 1 further comprising a distributor plate located in the housing downstream of the velocity-reducing plate, the distributor plate comprising a plurality of groups of orifices, the orifices of each group being the same size and being equi-distant from the center of the distributor plate, each orifice being larger in size than any other orifice that is closer to the center of the distributor plate;

wherein the distributor plate decelerates and evenly distributes the liquid flow.

4. A laminar spout attachment, as defined in claim 1 or 3, wherein the apertures of the flow-limiting plate are arranged in a circular array.

5. A laminar spout attachment, as defined in claim 1 or 3, wherein the flow-limiting plate mounted in the housing is removable.

6. A laminar spout attachment, as defined in claim 1 or 3, wherein the first screen is flush with the upstream flow-limiting plate.

7. A laminar spout attachment, as defined in claim 1 or 2, wherein the area of the orifices of the velocity-reducing plate is less than about 10% of the total surface area of the velocity-reducing plate.

8. A laminar spout attachment, as defined in claim 1 or 2, wherein the orifices of the velocity-reducing plate are about 4% of the total surface area of the velocity-reducing plate.

9. A laminar spout attachment, as defined in claim 2, wherein the distributor plate is mounted in the housing at least 0.07 inches downstream from the velocity-reducing plate.

10. A laminar spout attachment as defined in claim 2, wherein the surface area of the orifices in the distributor plate are from about 17 to about 23% of the total surface area of the distributor plate.

11. A laminar spout attachment, as defined in claim 2 or 3, wherein a second screen is mounted in the housing downstream from the distributor plate, the second screen permitting liquid flow therethrough while trimming the liquid flow and abating the noise associated with the flow noise.

12. A laminar spout attachment, as defined in claim 11, wherein the second screen is flush with the upstream distributor plate.

13. A laminar spout attachment, as defined in claim 11, wherein the second screen is spaced apart from the upstream distributor plate.

14. A laminar spout attachment, as defined in claim 2, wherein the flow-limiting plate, the first screen, the velocity-reducing plate and the distributor plate form a removable assembly mounted in the housing.

15. A laminar spout attachment, as defined in claim 2 or 3, which includes:

a series of at least two further screens mounted in the housing downstream from the distributor plate.

16. A laminar spout attachment, as defined in claim 2 or 3, which includes:

a series of at least two further screens which are mounted in the housing at least 0.09 inches downstream from the distributor plate.

3. A laminar spout attachment comprising:

(a) a cylindrical housing having an inlet end adapted for coupling to a spout and an outlet end, the housing defining a flow passage connecting the ends;

(b) a flow-limiting plate mounted in the housing for controlling the volume of liquid flowing through the flow passage, the flow-limiting plate having a plurality of apertures;

(c) a first screen mounted in the housing downstream from the flow-limiting plate, the screen permitting liquid flow therethrough while abating noise associated with the liquid flow noise; and

(d) a distributor plate mounted in the housing downstream from the flow-limiting plate, the distributor plate comprising a plurality of groups of orifices, the orifices of each group being the same size and being equi-distant from the center of the distributor plate, each orifice being larger in size than any other orifice that is closer to the center of the distributor plate;

wherein the distributor plate decelerates and evenly distributes the liquid flow.

17. A laminar spout attachment comprising:

(a) a cylindrical housing having an inlet end adapted for coupling to a spout and an outlet end, the housing defining a flow passage connecting the ends;

(b) a flow-limiting plate mounted in the housing for controlling the volume of liquid flowing through the flow passage, the flow limiting plate having a plurality of apertures;

(c) a first screen mounted in the housing downstream from the flow-limiting plate, the first screen permitting liquid flow therethrough while abating noise associated with the liquid flow noise;

(d) a velocity-reducing plate located in the housing downstream from the first screen, the velocity-reducing plate having a plurality of orifices therethrough forming a segmented annular ring concentrically aligned with the center of the velocity-reducing plate, wherein the orifices are not axially aligned with the apertures of the flow-limiting plate so that the liquid flowing through the laminar spout attachment must alter direction twice by 90 degrees to pass through the velocity-reducing plate for dispersing the liquid, reducing its associated pressure and abating the liquid'"'"'s flow noise;

(e) a distributor plate, located in the housing downstream from the velocity-reducing plate, the distributor plate comprising a plurality of groups of orifices, the orifices of each group being the same size and being equi-distant from the center of the distributor plate, each orifice being larger in size than any other orifice that is closer to the center of the distributor plate, wherein the distributor plate decelerates and evenly distributes the liquid flow;

(f) a series of at least two further screens mounted in the housing downstream from the distributor plate;

(g) a removable assembly mounted in the body, housing the flow-limiting plate, the first screen, the velocity-reducing plate, the distributor plate, and the series of at least two further screens downstream from the distributor plate; and

(h) a means for securing the removable assembly in the housing.