U.S. patent application number 11/056255 was filed with the patent office on 2006-08-17 for control valve handle assembly for faucets.
This patent application is currently assigned to Chung Cheng Faucet Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Shi Chia Ko.
Application Number | 20060180213 11/056255 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36814440 |
Filed Date | 2006-08-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060180213 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ko; Shi Chia |
August 17, 2006 |
Control valve handle assembly for faucets
Abstract
A control valve handle assembly for faucets comprises a handle
seat, and a housing or a washbowl deck with a spout and a set of
cold/hot water supply pipes mounted in the middle and both sides
thereof respectively wherein on top of the cold/hot water supply
pipes is respectively adapted a control valve with a packing ring
mounted at the outer periphery thereof and a fixing nut applied
thereto to press downwards the control valve and the packing ring
for secure location onto the surface of the housing/deck thereby. A
valve body of the control valve is equipped with a hollow engaging
post through which a valve stem is pivotally guided to protrude
outwards there-from, and a decorative base mount of a possibly wide
range of designs is provided with a coupling tube to be fixedly
joined to the engaging post of the valve body till the decorative
base mount precisely abutted against the top surface of the
housing/deck, permitting the fixing nut, the packing ring, and the
valve body to completely conceal inside the decorative base mount,
and the valve stem to extend outwards from the upper end of the
coupling tube thereof and register with a linkage socket of the
handle seat thereby. Thus, the rotation of the handle seat can
simply actuate the valve stem without influencing the decorative
base mount stably situated on top of the housing/deck with the
fixing nut, the packing ring and the valve body accurately housed
therein so as to maintain a neat and even appearance of the control
valve handle assembly and efficiently boost its beauty and value
thereof
Inventors: |
Ko; Shi Chia; (Changhua
Hsien, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
TROXELL LAW OFFICE PLLC
SUITE 1404
5205 LEESBURG PIKE
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22041
US
|
Assignee: |
Chung Cheng Faucet Co.,
Ltd.
|
Family ID: |
36814440 |
Appl. No.: |
11/056255 |
Filed: |
February 14, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
137/606 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E03C 1/04 20130101; Y10T
137/87684 20150401 |
Class at
Publication: |
137/606 |
International
Class: |
E03C 1/04 20060101
E03C001/04 |
Claims
1. A control valve handle assembly for faucets, comprising a
housing or a washbowl deck with a spout center-set in the middle
and a set of cold/hot water supply pipes symmetrically mounted at
both sides to communicate with the spout thereof wherein on top of
the cold/hot water supply pipes is respectively adapted a control
valve made up of a valve body, a valve stem, and a set of upper and
lower switch valves, and at the outer periphery of the control
valve is mounted a packing ring abutted tight by a fixing nut to
press downwards the control valve along with the packing ring for
secure location onto the surface of the housing or deck thereby;
the valve stem of the control valve thereof is engaged with a
linkage socket of a handle seat having a grip portion extending at
one side; the present invention being characterized by that, the
valve body being equipped with a hollow engaging post protruding at
the upper end thereof for the valve stem to pivotally pass
there-through and extend outwards there-from, and a decorative base
mount of possibly various designs being provided with a coupling
tube defined therein to be fixed joined to the engaging post of the
valve body till the decorative base mount precisely abutted against
the top surface of the housing thereof, permitting the fixing nut,
the packing ring, and the valve body to completely conceal inside
the decorative base mount, and the valve stem to extend outwards
from the upper end of the coupling tube thereof; thus, the handle
seat and the decorative base mount thereof are separately made and
individually mounted to the valve stem of the control valve and the
valve body respectively so that the rotation of the handle seat can
simply actuate the movement of the valve stem rotating pivotally at
the engaging post therein without influencing the decorative base
mount that, stably situated in direct contact with the top surface
of the housing, can accurately house the fixing nut, the packing
ring and the valve body at the interior therein without being
encroached by water flow and getting dirty water stains thereby so
as to increase the beauty and value of the control valve handle
assembly as a whole; moreover, the decorative base mount and the
handle seat can be individually replaced with new ones of different
designs, economically reducing the cost of material in replacement
thereof as well as facilitating versatile stylistic change of the
control valve handle assembly thereof
2. The control valve handle assembly for faucets according to claim
1 wherein a washer fitting is mounted at the coupling joint of the
handle seat and the decorative base mount thereof
3. The control valve handle assembly for faucets according to claim
1 wherein the engaging post of the valve body is preferably defined
by an external threaded section at the outer periphery thereon.
4. The control valve handle assembly for faucets according to claim
1 wherein the coupling tube of the decorative base mount is
preferably equipped with an internal threaded section disposed
therein.
5. A control valve handle assembly for single cold/hot water
faucets, comprising a cold/hot water handle seat, a threaded
coupling tube protruding at the bottom end of a main body for the
engagement of a cold/hot water pipe therewith, a control valve
mounted on top of the main body thereof, and a set of upper and
lower retaining rings with upper and lower resilient washers
securely screwed up to the threaded coupling tube from both
opposite sides of a washbowl deck to abut tight against the top and
bottom surfaces of the deck, and a fixing nut is mounted to press
downwards the control valve for stable location on the deck
thereby; the present invention being characterized by that, a valve
body of the control valve being equipped with a hollow engaging
post protruding at the upper end thereof for a valve stem to
pivotally pass there-through and extend outwards there-from, and a
decorative base mount of possible various designs being provided
with a coupling tube to be securely fixed to the engaging post of
the valve body till the decorative base mount precisely abutted
against the top surface of the deck thereof so as to house and
conceal the fixing nut, the upper retaining ring along with the
resilient washer, and the valve body completely inside the
decorative base mount to maintain a neat and even appearance
thereof as a whole; meanwhile, a valve stem of the control valve
extending outside the upper end of the coupling tube is mutually
engaged with a linkage socket of the handle seat of a possibly wide
range of designs, and a washer fitting is mounted to the coupling
joint of the handle seat and the decorative base mount thereof;
finally, a screw hole is disposed at the handle seat to communicate
with the linkage socket thereof for the registration of a screw
therewith to abut tight against the valve stem thereby.
6. A control valve handle assembly for single cold/hot water
faucets, comprising a cold/hot water handle seat, and a main body
having a control valve mounted on top of a threaded coupling tube
wherein a set of upper and lower retaining rings are symmetrically
screwed up to the threaded coupling tube from both opposite sides
of a washbowl deck so as to abut tight against the top and bottom
surfaces of the deck and precisely locate the main body onto the
deck thereof for easy maintenance of the control valve; a valve
stem of the control valve is joined to a linkage socket of the
handle seat thereof, and an annular recessed groove is disposed at
the lower end of the valve stem to match with a screw hole disposed
at one side of the handle seat for the fixing location of a screw
therein so as to prevent the handle seat from coming off from the
valve stem thereby.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention is related to a control valve handle
assembly for faucets, comprising a handle seat, and a decorative
base mount that are separately made and individually mounted to a
valve stem of a control valve and an engaging post of a valve body
respectively so that the rotation of the handle seat can simply
actuate the movement of the valve stem rotating pivotally at the
hollow engaging post therein without influencing the decorative
base mount that, stably situated on top of a housing/washbowl deck,
can accurately conceal a fixing nut, a packing ring and a valve
body of the control valve at the interior therein, providing a neat
and even appearance to increase the beauty and value of the control
valve handle assembly thereof as a whole. Moreover, via the
separation design, the decorative base mount and the handle seat
can be individually (or synchronically) replaced with new ones of
different designs, economically reducing the cost of material in
replacement as well as facilitating versatile stylistic change of
the control valve handle assembly thereof.
[0002] Please refer to FIG. 1. A conventional control valve
assembly for faucets is made up of a housing 10 having a spout 11
and a set of cold/hot water supply pipes 12 respectively mounted at
the middle and both sides thereof wherein on top of the cold/hot
water supply pipes 12 is respectively adapted a control valve 13
having a packing ring 14 sleeved at the outer periphery thereof and
abutted tight by a fixing nut 15 so as to press downwards the
control valve 13 and the packing ring 14 for secure location
thereby. The control valve 13 is made up of a valve body 131 with a
set of non-illustrated upper and lower switch valves adapted at the
interior therein in linkage actuation with a valve stem 132 to
control the on/off of the cold/hot water supply thereby. The valve
stem 132 is registered with a linkage socket 162 of the handle seat
16 having a grip portion 161 disposed at one side, and the upper
end of the valve stem 132 is disposed a screw hole 1321
communicating with an assembly hole 163 of the handle seat 16 for a
crew 17 led through an engaging thru-hole 164 disposed at the top
of the handle seat 16 thereof to securely engage therewith.
Meanwhile, an annular gap A is revealed at the space defined by the
bottom end of the handle seat 16 and the top surface of the housing
10, and a decorative cap 18 is mounted to the engaging thru-hole
164 of the handle seat 16 to complete the assembly thereof.
[0003] However, there are some drawbacks to such conventional
control valve handle assembly for faucets. First, in practical use,
the grip portion 161 is rotated to actuate the valve stem 132 of
the control valve 13 for the on/off of the cold/hot water supply,
and the handle seat 16 directly fixed to the valve stem 132 is
synchronically moved along with the grip portion 161 thereof
Therefore, to prevent the abrasion generated on the surface of the
housing 10 in the rotation thereof, the annular gap A is always
preset at the handle seat 16 and the housing 10 there-between,
which, exposing the fixing nut 15 and packing ring 14 outside,
tends to destroy the beauty of the handle assembly as a whole.
Second, via the annular gap A thereof, water flow can easily
encroach to the fixing nut 15, the packing ring 14 and the interior
of the handle seat 16, and leave behind dirty water stains, which
not only mess up the appearance of the handle assembly thereof but
also make it difficult to be cleaned. Third, the handle seat 16
must be dismantled as a whole set so that a new one of different
design can be installed, which not only makes more flexible and
partial replacement thereof impossible, but also increase the cost
of material in the replacement thereof.
[0004] Please refer to FIG. 2. Another conventional control valve
handle assembly for faucets comprises a set of cold/hot water
handle seats 30 and a spout 40 that are separately mounted onto a
washbowl deck B wherein a threaded coupling tube 32 protrudes at
the lower end of a main body 31 of the cold/hot water handle seat
30 to couple with a non-illustrated cold/hot water pipe for the
supply of cold/hot water thereby. At the upper section of the main
body 31 of the handle seat 30 is adapted a control valve 33, and a
positioning ring 34 is crewed up from the lower side of the
threaded coupling tube 32 to abut against the lower surface of a
washbowl deck B. A packing ring 35 is mounted to the outer
periphery of the control valve 33 with a fixing nut 36 screwed up
thereto so as to press downwards the control valve 33 and the
packing ring 35 for stable location thereby. A valve stem 331 of
the control valve 33 is joined to a linkage socket 301 of the
handle seat 30, and the upper end of the valve stem 331 is provided
with a screw hole 332 communicating with an assembly hole 302 of
the handle seat 30 for a crew 37 led through an engaging thru-hole
303 disposed at the top of the handle seat 30 thereof to securely
engage therewith to complete the assembly thereof.
[0005] However, there are some disadvantages to the second
conventional control valve handle assembly for faucets. First, the
handle seat 30 is directly fixed to the valve stem 331, and to
prevent the abrasion generated on the surface of the washbowl deck
B in the rotation of the handle seat 30, an annular gap A is preset
at the handle seat 16 and the deck B there-between, which tends to
expose the fixing nut 36 and packing ring 35 outside and, thus,
destroy the beauty of the handle assembly as a whole. Second, via
the annular gap A thereof, water flow can easily encroach to the
fixing nut 36, the packing ring 35 and the interior of the handle
seat 30, and leave behind dirty water stains thereon, which not
only mess up the appearance of the handle assembly thereof but also
make it difficult to be cleaned. Third, the handle seat 30 must be
dismantled as a whole set so that a new one of different design can
be installed, which not only makes partial replacement thereof
impossible, but also increase the cost of material in the
replacement thereof.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0006] It is, therefore, the primary purpose of the present
invention to provide a control valve handle assembly for faucets,
comprising a handle seat and a decorative base mount that are
separately made and individually mounted to a valve stem of a
control valve and an engaging post of a valve body respectively so
that the rotation of the handle seat can simply actuate the
movement of the valve stem rotating pivotally at the hollow
engaging post therein without influencing the decorative base mount
that, stably held in place on top of a housing/washbowl deck, can
accurately house a fixing nut, a packing ring, and a valve body of
the control valve at the interior therein, facilitating a neat and
even appearance thereof to increase the beauty and value of the
control valve handle assembly thereof as a whole.
[0007] It is, therefore, the second purpose of the present
invention to provide a control valve handle assembly for faucets
wherein the decorative base mount thereof is stably situated in
direct contact with the surface of the housing, permitting the
fixing nut, the packing ring, and the valve body to precisely
conceal at the interior therein, effectively refraining from the
encroachment of water flow thereto and avoid dirty water stains
left thereby so as to keep a neat appearance thereof for easier
cleaning.
[0008] It is, therefore, the third purpose of the present invention
to provide a control valve handle assembly for faucets wherein, via
the separation design thereof, the decorative base mount and the
handle seat can be individually (or synchronically) replaced with
new ones of different designs, economically reducing the cost of
material in replacement thereof as well as facilitating versatile
stylistic change of the control valve handle assembly thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view of a conventional
control valve handle assembly for faucets in operation.
[0010] FIG. 2 is a perspective exploded view of another
conventional control valve handle assembly for faucets mounted onto
a washbowl deck.
[0011] FIG. 3 is a perspective exploded view of the present
invention in operation.
[0012] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the present invention
mounted onto a washbowl deck.
[0013] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the present invention with a
handle seat of different design replaced and installed thereto.
[0014] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the present invention with a
decorative base mount of different design replaced and installed
thereto.
[0015] FIG. 7 is a perspective exploded view of another embodiment
of the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 8 is a perspective exploded view of a third embodiment
of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0017] Please refer to FIG. 3 showing a perspective exploded view
of the present invention. The present invention is related to a
control valve handle assembly for faucets, comprising a housing 20
or a washbowl deck B as shown in FIG. 4 with a spout 21 center-set
in the middle thereof and a set of cold/hot water supply pipes 22
symmetrically mounted at both sides to communicate with the spout
21 thereof. On top of the cold/hot water supply pipes 22 is
respectively adapted a control valve 23 having a packing ring 24
sleeved at the outer periphery thereof and abutted tight by a
fixing nut 25 so as to press downwards the control valve 23 along
with the packing ring 24 for stable location thereby. The control
valve 23 has a valve body 231 with a set of non-illustrated upper
and lower switch valves adapted at the interior therein in linkage
actuation with a valve stem 232 to control the on/off of the
cold/hot water supply thereby. The valve body 231 has a hollow
engaging post 2311 protruding at the upper section thereof for the
valve stem 232 to pivotally pass there-through and extend outwards
there-from. A decorative base mount 26 of a possible wide range of
designs is provided with a coupling tube 261 therein to be fixedly
joined to the engaging post 2311 of the valve body 231 till the
decorative base mount 26 precisely abutted against the top surface
of the housing 20 thereof, permitting the fixing nut 25, the
packing ring 24, and the valve body 231 to completely conceal
inside the decorative base mount 26, and the valve stem 232 to
extend outwards from the upper end of the coupling tube 262 thereof
A handle seat 27 of possible various designs is equipped with a
grip portion 271 and a linkage socket 272 with which the valve stem
232 extending outside the coupling tube 261 thereof is engaged. A
washer fitting 28 is mounted at the coupling joint of the handle
seat 27 and the decorative base mount 26 thereof, and a screw hole
273 is disposed at a predetermined position of the handle seat 27
in communication with the linkage socket 272 thereof for the
registration of a screw 274 therewith to abut tight against the
valve stem 232 thereby. Besides, the coupling tube 261 of the
decorative base mount 26 and the engaging post 2311 of the valve
body 231 are preferably disposed with matching internal and
external threaded sections respectively for secure mutual
engagement thereby.
[0018] In practical use, the handle seat 27 and the decorative base
mount 26 are separately made and individually mounted to the valve
stem 232 of the control valve 23 and the valve body 231
respectively so that the rotation of the grip portion 271 thereof
can simply move the handle seat 27 and actuate the valve stem 232
therewith rotating pivotally at the engaging post 2311 therein to
open or close the upper and lower switch valves for the on/off of
cold/hot water supply. Meanwhile, the decorative base mount 26 is
stably situated in direct contact with the top surface of the
housing 20 without being influenced by the rotation of the handle
seat 27, accurately concealing the fixing nut 25, the packing ring
24 and the valve body 231 at the interior therein so as to increase
the beauty and value of the control valve handle assembly as a
whole. And the fixing nut 25, the packing ring 24, and the
decorative base mount 26 securely housed at the decorative base
mount 16 therein can effectively refrain from the encroachment of
water flow thereto and avoid dirty water stains left thereby so as
to keep a neat appearance thereof for easier cleaning. Moreover,
the separation design of the decorative base mount 26 and the
handle seat 27 allows an individual replacement (or synchronic
replacement) of a new handle seat 27' of different design as shown
in FIG. 5 or/and a new decorative base mount 26' as shown in FIG.
6, which can not only reduce the cost of material in replacement
thereof, but also facilitate versatile stylistic change of the
control valve handle assembly thereof Please refer to FIG. 7
showing a control valve handle assembly for an individual-type
cold/hot water faucet. The present invention can also comprise a
cold/hot water handle seat 50, a main body 51, a threaded coupling
tube 52 protruding at the bottom end of the main body 51 for the
engagement of a non-illustrated cold/hot water pipe therewith, a
control valve 53 mounted at the upper section of the main body 51
thereof, and a set of upper and lower retaining rings 54, 55 with
upper/lower resilient washers 541, 551, that are symmetrically
adapted to the top and bottom surfaces of a washbowl deck B
respectively. The upper and lower retaining rings 54, 55 along with
the resilient washers 541, 551 thereof are securely screwed up to
the threaded coupling tube 52 from both opposite sides of the deck
B so as to abut tight against the adjacent top and bottom surfaces
of the deck B and precisely locate the main body 51 onto the deck B
thereby. A fixing nut 56 is mounted to press downwards the control
valve 53 for stable location onto the deck B thereby. The control
valve 53 also includes a valve body 531 having a hollow engaging
post 532 protruding at the upper end thereof for a valve stem 533
to pivotally pass there-through and extend outwards there-from. A
decorative base mount 57 of possibly various designs is equipped
with a coupling tube 571 to be fixedly joined to the engaging post
532 of the valve body 531 till the decorative base mount 57
precisely abutted against the top surface of the deck B so as to
house and conceal the fixing nut 56, the upper retaining ring 54
along with the resilient washer 541, and the valve body 531
completely inside the decorative base mount 57. Meanwhile, the
valve stem 533 extending outside the upper end of the coupling tube
571 is securely joined to a linkage socket 501 defining the inner
side of the handle seat 50 thereof, and a washer fitting 58 is
mounted to the coupling joint of the handle seat 50 and the
decorative base mount 57 thereof. Finally, a screw hole 502 is
disposed at a predetermined position of the handle seat 50 in
communication with the linkage socket 501 for the registration of a
screw 503 therewith to abut tight against the valve stem 533
thereby.
[0019] Please refer to FIG. 8 showing a third embodiment of a
control valve handle assembly thereof for individual-type cold/hot
water faucets. The present invention can also comprise a cold/hot
water handle seat 60 and a control valve 63 mounted on top of a
threaded coupling tube 62 of a main body 61 wherein a set of upper
and lower retaining rings 64, 65 are symmetrically screwed up to
the threaded coupling tube 62 from both opposite sides of the
washbowl deck B so as to abut tight against the adjacent top and
bottom surfaces of the deck B and precisely locate the main body 61
onto the deck B thereof for easy maintenance of the control valve
63 thereof. The control valve 63 is equipped with a valve stem 631
to engage with a linkage socket 601 of the handle seat 60 thereof,
and an annular recessed groove 632 defining the lower end of the
valve stem 631 to match with a screw hole 602 disposed at one side
of the handle seat 60 thereof for the fixing location of a screw
therein so as to prevent the handle seat 60 from coming off from
the valve stem 631 thereby. Meanwhile, the upper retaining ring 64
is levelly abutted against the top surface of the deck B so as to
maintain a neat and even appearance thereof.
* * * * *