Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Supply outlet for a sink or bath – Faucet or spout
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-05
2001-04-24
Fetsuga, Robert M. (Department: 3751)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Supply outlet for a sink or bath
Faucet or spout
C137S801000, C239S445000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06219860
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a faucet assembly, more particularly to a faucet assembly which has two spouts for releasing filtered and unfiltered water therefrom.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to
FIG. 1
, a conventional faucet assembly is shown to include a faucet body
1
, a tubular housing
2
, a spout
4
and a control knob
3
.
As illustrated, the faucet body
1
defines a water passage chamber having a cold water inlet adapted to be connected fluidly with a cold water supply source
111
, a hot water inlet adapted to be connected fluidly with a hot water supply source
112
, and a water outlet for discharging water therefrom.
The tubular housing
2
is sleeved rotatably around the faucet body
1
, and has a peripheral wall with upper and lower ends establishing a water-tight seal in cooperation with the faucet body
1
so as to define an annular chamber between the tubular housing
2
and the faucet body
1
, and between the upper and lower ends of the peripheral wall. The annular chamber is in fluid communication with the water passage chamber via the water outlet. The housing
2
further has a spout mounting port which is in fluid communication with the annular chamber and from which the spout
4
extends integrally and outwardly so as to guide the water inside the annular chamber to an exterior of the faucet assembly.
The control knob
3
is mounted on the tubular housing
2
for regulating and stopping flow of the water from the annular chamber to the exterior of the faucet assembly.
Since the aforesaid conventional faucet assembly is provided with only one spout, water discharged therefrom is generally not filtered and is thus fit only for washing and common use. In order to obtain drinking water, a two-spout faucet assembly
10
(see
FIG. 1A
) is provided with two spouts that are spaced apart from each other. As a result, a relatively large sink is needed to be disposed under two spouts of the assembly
10
(see FIG.
1
A).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the object of this invention is to provide a faucet assembly with two spouts that are adapted to release filtered and unfiltered water therefrom and that are disposed in an overlapping manner for use with a volume-reduced sink.
Accordingly, the faucet assembly of the present invention includes a faucet body, a tubular housing, a hollow tube, a first spout, a second spout, and first and second control knobs. The faucet body includes an upper faucet portion defining a first water passage chamber having a cold water inlet adapted to be connected fluidly with a cold water supply source, a hot water inlet adapted to be connected fluidly with a hot water supply source, and a first water outlet. The faucet body further includes a lower faucet portion defining a second water passage chamber isolated fluidly from the first water passage chamber. The second water passage chamber has an inlet adapted to be connected fluidly with a filtered water source so as to receive filtered water therefrom, and a second water outlet adapted for discharging the filtered water therefrom. The housing is sleeved rotatably around the faucet body, and includes an upper housing portion that establishes a first water-tight seal in cooperation with the upper faucet portion so as to define a first annular chamber therebetween in communication with the first water passage chamber via the first water outlet and that is formed with a first spout mounting port, and a lower housing portion that is disposed around the lower faucet portion and that defines an annular tube accommodating space therebetween. The tube has an axial length and a width that are smaller than those of the housing, and is disposed inside the tube accommodating space. The tube has a peripheral wall with two opposite ends connected to the lower faucet portion so as to establish a second water-tight seal and a second annular chamber between the lower faucet portion and the peripheral wall, and between the opposite ends of the peripheral wall of the tube. The second annular chamber is in fluid communication with the second water passage chamber via the second water outlet. The tube has a second spout mounting port formed in the peripheral wall and in fluid communication with the second annular chamber. The first spout extends integrally, radially and outwardly from the upper housing portion and is in fluid communication with the first spout mounting port for guiding water outwardly from the first annular chamber. The second spout is operably associated with the first spout so as to synchronously rotate therewith relative to the faucet body. The second spout extends generally parallel with the first spout and through the lower housing portion and is connected integrally to the tube. The second spout is in fluid communication with the second spout mounting port so as to be adapted to guide the filtered water outwardly from the second annular chamber. The first control knob is mounted on the tubular housing for selectively closing and opening the cold and hot water inlets and the first outlet upon operation thereof. The second control knob is adapted to regulate and stop flow of the filtered water to the second spout mounting port in the tube.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1550448 (1925-08-01), Newton
patent: 4077545 (1978-03-01), Karis
patent: 5634220 (1997-06-01), Chiu
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld L.L.P.
Fetsuga Robert M.
Globe Union Industrial Corp.
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