Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Miscellaneous
Reexamination Certificate
2002-10-28
2004-02-24
Phillips, Charles E. (Department: 3751)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Miscellaneous
C004S675000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06694544
ABSTRACT:
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to plumbing fittings, and more particularly to a spout mountable in a medicine cabinet or the like to deliver a stream of water into a lavatory or a sink.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional lavatory has a depressed basin with a drain opening at the bottom that is connected to the waste water pipe of the building in which the lavatory is located. The lavatory is typically supplied with water from a faucet that is mounted on either a rim of the lavatory or a counter adjacent the lavatory. In some applications, a spout projects through a room wall, with a control valve mounted elsewhere on the wall (e.g. a tub filler and shower control). However, that disrupts the wall surface, and is somewhat expensive to install and maintain.
It is also conventional to provide a cabinet, commonly referred to as a “medicine cabinet”, mounted to a bathroom wall above and behind a lavatory (or elsewhere in the bathroom). A mirror is attached to the front of many such medicine cabinets, so that a person can observe his or her face while using the lavatory. In one form of the cabinet, the mirror is attached to a door that is pivotably connected by hinges to the frame of the cabinet. In another type of medicine cabinet, the mirror is divided into sections, each sliding laterally in a bypass configuration past one another in horizontal tracks. The interior of the cabinet has a plurality of shelves for holding toiletries, medicine and other items. It is also known to mount mirrors separately on bathroom walls.
However, it is believed that to date a spout not previously been associated with the medicine cabinet has always been used to supply a lavatory. This has certain disadvantages from an aesthetic standpoint, and may use up extra space.
SUMMARY OF THE INVEMTION
The present invention pertains to a spout assembly for emitting a stream of liquid. There is a support structure, a mirror attached to the support structure and having an aperture, and a spout passage extending through the aperture in the mirror. There may be a cabinet frame and a door pivotably attached to the cabinet frame, with the mirror being attached to the door.
In one aspect there can be a cabinet frame with a rear face for attachment to a structural member of the building, a front face, a side opening, a first cavity, and a second cavity. The mirror extends across the front face of the cabinet frame, and is mounted on a door that is pivotally attached to the cabinet frame and extends across the front face in a closed state. A spout passage communicates with the second cavity of the cabinet frame in which the plumbing connections are made. For example, a valve with an external control handle extends into the second cavity to control the stream of water from the spout.
Another aspect of the invention relates to a shelf assembly slidably extending through a side opening of the cabinet frame. In a first position, the shelf assembly is received within the cabinet (preferably behind the mirror), and in a second position the shelf assembly projects outwardly from the cabinet frame to allow access to the contents of the shelves. Alternately, a pair of such shelf assemblies can be provided to slide outward from opposite sides of the cabinet.
This type of construction is particularly desirable when there is a spout in the cabinet as the front door of the cabinet need only be opened for maintenance. Thus, the internal operation of the valving and conduits is hidden from view.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1259873 (1918-03-01), Kaplan
patent: 1380222 (1921-05-01), Lichtenberg
patent: 1719386 (1929-07-01), Bence
patent: 1745209 (1930-01-01), Donovan
patent: 2254431 (1941-09-01), Levine
patent: 2553965 (1951-05-01), Gist
patent: 4334723 (1982-06-01), Grunert
patent: 5590940 (1997-01-01), Richard
patent: 6059388 (2000-05-01), Wheatley, Jr.
Haas George E.
Kohler Co.
Phillips Charles E.
Quarles & Brady LLP
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