WO2018191079A1

WO2018191079A1 - Faucet with magnetic handle stop

Info

Publication number: WO2018191079A1
Application number: PCT/US2018/026094
Authority: WO
Inventors: Tom Lefeber; Joe ROSANDICH
Original assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
Priority date: 2017-04-10
Filing date: 2018-04-04
Publication date: 2018-10-18

Abstract

In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, a faucet has a single handle conditioned water dispensing valve and handle assembly having a single handle movable among a hot side position where it opens a hot water valve of the single handle conditioned water valve and handle assembly leaving a cold water valve of the single handle conditioned water valve and handle assembly, a cold side position where it opens the cold water valve leaving the hot water valve closed and a neutral off position between the hot side position and the cold side position where both the hot and cold water valves are closed. The single handle conditioned water dispensing valve and handle assembly has a spring that forces the handle from the hot side position to the neutral off position and a magnetic handle stop that stops and holds the handle when it is returned by the spring from the hot side position to the neutral off position.

Description

FAUCET WITH MAGNETIC HANDLE STOP

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/483,591 , filed on April 10, 2017. The entire disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates to a faucet with a magnetic handle stop, and more particularly, to a faucet having a single handle conditioned water dispensing valve and handle assembly with the magnetic handle stop. BACKGROUND

[0003] This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.

[0004] Faucets used with hot water dispensers, such as under-sink hot water dispensers, are often single handle faucets. That is, there is only one handle on a dual hot and cold faucet. When the handle is rotated one direction to a hot side position, it opens a hot water valve (with a cold water valve remaining closed) and dispenses near boiling water and when rotated the other direction to a cold side position, it opens a cold water valve (with the hot water valve remaining closed) and dispenses filtered cold water. The hot and cold water valves are typically disposed in a valve assembly, such as in a valve cartridge of the valve assembly. When the handle is in a neutral off position between the hot and cold side positions, both the hot and cold water valves are closed. Such faucets have an automatic return mechanism that returns the handle from the hot side position to the neutral off position. Typically, the automatic return mechanism has a spring that is biased when the handle is moved to the hot side position and the spring force of the biased spring returns the handle back to the neutral off position when the handle is released. When returning from the hot side, the handle must stop completely vertical without activating the cold side - opening the cold water valve. The spring must be strong enough to properly return the handle to the neutral off position. The spring also must be in an engaged position when the handle is in the neutral off position. Typically, a mechanical stop mechanism is employed to stop and then hold the handle in the neutral off position and to operate the handle. Typically, the handle must then be pushed in toward the faucet body to disengage the mechanical stop mechanism and then rotated to initiate the flow of water.

[0005] A disadvantage of the above type of faucet is that a user who is not familiar with the faucet may try to rotate the handle without first pushing the handle toward the faucet body to disengage the mechanism stop mechanism. This may cause damage to the faucet.

[0006] Another disadvantage is that the mechanical stop mechanism includes components that add cost and complexity to the faucet.

[0007] Another disadvantage is that the mechanical stop mechanism is subject to metal on metal wear that can result in a rougher feel of handle actuation over time. This may cause user concern with the quality of the faucet.

[0008] A design constraint for the mechanical stop design is the amount of space inside the handle needed to employ to the mechanical stop mechanism. The mechanical stop mechanism must be strong enough to stop the handle from traveling past the neutral off position and small enough to fit inside the faucet handle. The push down mechanism can limit the range of the industrial design of the faucet.

SUMMARY

[0009] This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.

[0010] In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, a faucet has a faucet body and a single handle conditioned water dispensing valve and handle assembly that includes a single handle movable among a hot side position where it opens a hot water valve of a valve cartridge received in the faucet body leaving a cold water valve of the valve cartridge closed, a cold side position where it opens the cold water valve leaving the hot water valve closed and a neutral off position between the hot side position and the cold side position where both the hot and cold water valves are closed. The single handle conditioned water dispensing valve and handle assembly has a spring that forces the handle from the hot side position to the neutral off position. The single handle conditioned water dispensing valve and handle assembly also has at least one magnet disposed in the handle and a corresponding magnet disposed in a valve assembly. When the handle is at the neutral off position, the magnets in the handle and valve assembly align and attract toward each other providing a stop for the handle when it returns to the neutral off position from the hot side position.

[0011] In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, a plurality of magnets are disposed in the handle and a plurality of corresponding magnets are disposed in the valve assembly.

[0012] In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, the faucet includes a hot and cold tap water dispensing and valve assembly as well as the single handle conditioned water dispensing valve and handle assembly.

[0013] Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

DRAWINGS

[0014] The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0015] Fig. 1 is an exploded view of a faucet having a single handle conditioned water dispensing valve and handle assembly having a magnetic handle stop in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

[0016] Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the faucet of Fig. 1 from a different perspective; [0017] Fig. 3 is a simplified perspective view of the faucet of Figs. 1 and 2 showing a handle in dashed lines in a hot side and a cold side position and in solid lines in a neutral off position; and

[0018] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a faucet having the single handle conditioned water dispensing valve and handle assembly of Figs. 1 and 2 and also a hot and cold tap water dispensing and handle assembly.

[0019] Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0021] With reference to Figs. 1 and 2, exploded views of a faucet 150 having a single handle conditioned water dispensing valve and handle assembly 100 that has a magnetic handle stop 102 in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure is shown. The faucet includes a faucet body 104. The single handle conditioned water dispensing valve and handle assembly 100 includes a valve assembly 106 having, a valve cartridge 108 for dispensing of hot and cold conditioned water, a threaded retaining ring 1 10, a magnet holding ring 1 14, valve assembly magnets 1 16, a wear ring 1 18 and a torsion spring 120. Single handle conditioned water dispensing valve and handle assembly 100 also includes a handle 122 and handle magnets 124. Valve cartridge 108 is received in faucet body 104 and secured therein by threaded retaining ring 1 10.

Threaded retaining ring 1 10 also fits around magnet holding ring 1 14 to hold them in place in faucet body 104. Torsion spring 120 has opposed ends 126, 128 with opposed end 126 attached to valve cartridge 108 and the other opposed end 128 attached to handle 122. Handle 122 is rotatable in one direction from a neutral off position 300 (Fig. 3) to a hot side position 302 in which it opens a hot water valve 144 (Fig. 1 ) of valve cartridge 108 with a cold water valve 146 (Fig. 1 ) of valve cartridge 108 remaining closed and in an opposed direction from the neutral off position 300 to a cold side position 304 in which it opens the cold water valve 146 with the hot water valve 144 remaining closed. When the handle is in neutral off position 300 between the hot and cold side positions, both the hot and cold water valves 144, 146 are closed.

[0022] Handle 122 has an annular body 130 with a lever 132 extending outwardly therefrom. Annular body 130 has a splined annular bore 134 (Fig. 1 ) therein. Valve cartridge 108 has a splined valve stem 136. Handle 122 is placed on valve cartridge 108 with splined valve stem 136 of valve cartridge 108 received in splined annular bore 134 of handle 122 which aligns handle 122 with valve cartridge 108. Torsion spring 120 is disposed around a portion of splined valve stem 136 with wear ring 1 18 therebetween. A set screw (not shown) is used to secure handle 122 to valve cartridge 108. It should be understood that valve cartridge 108 is a conventional hot and cold water valve cartridge having a hot water valve (not shown) and a cold water valve (not shown).

[0023] Valve assembly magnets 1 16 are affixed to magnet holding ring 1 14, such as in recesses 138 (Fig. 2) in magnet holding ring 1 14, and handle magnets 124 are affixed in an interior 140 (Fig. 1 ) of annular body 130 of handle 122, such as in recesses 142 (Fig. 1 ) in annular body 130. It should be understood that valve assembly magnets 1 16 and handle magnets 124 can all be the same or can be different. In this regard, the terms valve assembly magnets and handle magnets refer to where the magnets are located - the valve assembly or the handle. It should be understood that valve assembly magnets 1 16 remain stationary with respect to handle magnets 124 when handle 122 moves among its various positions. The valve assembly magnets 1 16 and handle magnets 124 are located so that the valve assembly magnets 1 16 align with corresponding handle magnets 124 when the handle 122 is in the neutral off position. The valve assembly magnets 1 16 and handle magnets 124 are also oriented so that the poles of the valve assembly magnets and the poles of handle magnets that are adjacent to and face each other when handle 122 is at the neutral off position are opposite poles. That is, north poles of valve assembly magnets 1 16 are adjacent south poles of handle magnets 124 when handle 122 is at the neutral off position, or south poles of valve assembly magnets 1 16 are adjacent north poles of handle magnets 124 when handle 122 is at the neutral off position. It should be understood that there can be one or more than one valve assembly magnet 1 16 and one or more than one handle magnet 124. In an aspect, there is a corresponding handle magnet 124 for each valve assembly magnet 1 16.

[0024] Torsion spring 120 returns handle 122 from a hot side position 302 (Fig. 3) to a neutral off position 300 when handle 122 is released by a user. That is, when handle 122 is moved by a user to the hot side position 302, torsion spring 120 is biased in torsion. When the user releases handle 122, the spring torsion force of torsion spring 120 moves handle 122 back to the neutral off position 300.

[0025] Valve assembly magnets 1 16 and handle magnets 124 coact to prevent handle 122 from returning past the neutral off position when handle 122 is returned from the hot side position. As discussed above, when handle 122 is in the neutral off position, valve assembly magnets 1 16 and handle magnets 124 are aligned with each other. When handle 122 is being returned to the neutral off position and gets close to where the handle magnets 124 align with the valve assembly magnets 1 16, the valve assembly magnets 1 16 and the handle magnets 124 will magnetically attract toward each other. When this magnetic attraction occurs, this will hold handle 122 in the neutral off position when handle 122 reaches the neutral off position and prevent handle 122 from moving past the neutral off position toward the cold side position. Faucet 150 having single handle conditioned water dispensing valve and handle assembly 100 having magnetic handle stop 102 addresses the disadvantages of the prior art described in the Background of the present application.

[0026] In a variation with reference to Fig. 4, a faucet 400 for dispensing hot and cold tap water as well as hot and cold conditioned water is shown.

Faucet 400 includes a faucet body 402 and a hot and cold tap water dispensing valve and handle assembly 404 for the dispensing of hot and cold tap water having a second valve cartridge 406 disposed in faucet body 402. A handle 408 is affixed to valve cartridge 406 in conventional fashion. Faucet 400 also includes single handle conditioned water dispensing valve and handle assembly 100 with valve cartridge 108 received in faucet body 402. [0027] When an element or layer is referred to as being "on," "engaged to," "connected to," or "coupled to" another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly on," "directly engaged to," "directly connected to," or "directly coupled to" another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., "between" versus "directly between," "adjacent" versus "directly adjacent," etc.). As used herein, the term "and/or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0028] Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as "first," "second," and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments.

[0029] Spatially relative terms, such as "inner," "outer," "beneath,"

"below," "lower," "above," "upper," and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Spatially relative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as "below" or "beneath" other elements or features would then be oriented "above" the other elements or features. Thus, the example term "below" can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein

interpreted accordingly. [0030] The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1 . A faucet, comprising:

a faucet body;

a single handle conditioned water dispensing valve and handle assembly that includes:

a single handle movable among a hot side position where it opens a hot water valve of a valve cartridge received in the faucet body leaving a cold water valve of the valve cartridge closed, a cold side position where it opens the cold water valve leaving the hot water valve closed and a neutral off position between the hot side position and the cold side position where both the hot and cold water valves are closed;

a spring that forces the handle from the hot side position to the neutral off position; and

at least one magnet disposed in the handle and a corresponding magnet disposed in a valve assembly of the faucet wherein when the handle is at the neutral off position, the magnets in the handle and valve assembly align and attract toward each other providing a stop for the handle when it returns to the neutral off position from the hot side position.

2. The faucet of claim 1 wherein a plurality of magnets are disposed in the handle and a plurality of corresponding magnets are disposed in the valve assembly.

3. The faucet of claim 2 further including a hot and cold tap water dispensing valve and handle assembly having a second valve cartridge received in the valve body and a second handle affixed to the second valve cartridge.

4. The faucet of claim 1 further including a hot and cold tap water dispensing valve and handle assembly having a second valve cartridge received in the valve body and a second handle affixed to the second valve cartridge.