Fluid handling – Faucets and spouts
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-26
2001-07-31
Michalsky, Gerald A. (Department: 3753)
Fluid handling
Faucets and spouts
C137S360000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06267145
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a faucet assembly, more particularly to a faucet assembly that is adapted to be mounted on a standard water pipe and that can be mounted on a selected one of two other standard water pipes of different size or structure by removing one or two parts.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to
FIGS. 1 and 2
, a conventional faucet assembly
10
is shown to be adapted for mounting on an externally threaded standard water pipe
20
, and to include a faucet body
11
and a coupler pipe
12
.
As illustrated, the faucet body
11
includes a front portion
111
and a rear portion
113
. The front portion
111
defines a water passage
100
for flow of water therethrough, and has a water inlet
101
for introducing water into the water passage
100
, a nozzle
102
disposed at a downstream position with respect to the water flow for release of water therefrom, and a pipe mounting seat
112
disposed at an upstream position and in fluid communication with the water inlet
101
. The coupler pipe
12
has a predetermined length, and is disposed within the rear portion
113
of the faucet body
11
. The coupler pipe
12
has a front pipe section
121
extending into the front portion
111
and connected securely to the pipe mounting seat
112
, and a rear pipe section
123
formed with an internal thread.
During the construction of a building, the standard water pipe
20
is usually embedded within a cement wall
30
such that only a limited length of the water pipe
20
is exposed outwardly from the wall
30
. Prior to mounting the aforesaid faucet assembly
10
on the water pipe
20
, the entire length of the coupler pipe
12
is measured, and the rear pipe section
123
thereof is subsequently cut so as to achieve a desired length of the coupler pipe
12
that is adapted to be fastened threadedly on the externally threaded end portion of the water pipe
20
. The pipe mounting seat
112
of the faucet body
11
is threaded on the front pipe section
121
of the coupler pipe
12
until the rear portion
113
of the faucet body
11
abuts against the cement wall
30
. A relatively high precision is thus needed to cut the coupler pipe
12
.
In addition, since there are two standard water pipes
20
of different diameters, the coupler pipe
12
used in one type of faucet assembly can not be applied in the other type of faucet assembly.
Referring to
FIGS. 3 and 4
, another conventional faucet assembly
10
is shown to be adapted for mounting on a standard water pipe
21
with a non threaded end portion.
As illustrated, since the water pipe
21
has a diameter smaller than that of the water pipe
20
of
FIG. 1
, a coupling member
13
and a locking bolt
135
are additonally required to establish connection between the coupler pipe
12
and the water pipe
21
. The coupling member
13
is sleeved over the non-threaded end portion of the standard water pipe
21
, and has an externally threaded front portion
131
that is formed with a threaded radial hole
134
, and that is coupled threadedly with the internally threaded end portion
123
of the coupler pipe
12
. The bolt
135
is inserted threadedly through the radial hole
134
and presses against the non-threaded end portion of the standard water pipe
21
, thereby locking the coupling member
13
on the standard water pipe
21
. A seal ring
136
is disposed between the coupling member
13
and the standard water pipe
21
to form a water seal therebetween. The coupler pipe
12
and the faucet body
11
are assembled on the standard water pipe
21
in the above described manner. During mounting of this faucet assembly on the water pipe
21
, the same disadvantages as described above are encountered.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the object of this invention is to provide a faucet assembly that is adapted to be easily mounted easily on a standard water pipe.
Accordingly, the faucet assembly of the present invention is adapted to be mounted on a standard water pipe of a predetermined diameter, and includes a faucet body, a coupler pipe, and an adjustment sleeve member. The faucet body includes a front portion, a rear portion and an intermediate portion between the front and rear portions. The front portion defines a water passage for flow of water therethrough, and has a water inlet for introducing water into the water passage, a nozzle disposed at a downstream position with respect to the water flow for release of water therefrom, and a pipe mounting seat disposed at an upstream position and in fluid communication with the water inlet. The coupler pipe is disposed within the intermediate portion of the faucet body, and has a first predetermined length, a front pipe section that extends into the front portion of the faucet body and that is connected securely to the pipe mounting seat, a rear pipe section formed with an external thread, and an enlarged middle pipe section between the front and rear pipe sections. The adjustment sleeve member is disposed around the coupler pipe, and has a second predetermined length longer than the first predetermined length and shorter than a total length of the faucet body. The adjustment sleeve member further has a front part enclosing slidably and sealingly the enlarged middle pipe section of the coupler pipe, a rear part that is adapted to be coupled with the standard water pipe, and a middle part threadedly engaging the rear pipe section of the coupler pipe such that rotation of the sleeve member with respect to the coupler pipe results in axial movement of the rear part of the adjustment sleeve member in the rear portion of the faucet body. Thus, a distal end of the rear portion of the faucet body can be brought to abut against the wall from which the water pipe is exposed, thereby concealing and enclosing the standard water pipe therewithin.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3136570 (1964-06-01), Lee
patent: 3371679 (1968-03-01), Minella
patent: 3393746 (1968-07-01), Young
patent: 4084620 (1978-04-01), Bucknell
Michalsky Gerald A.
Pitney Hardin Kipp & Szuch LLP
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