Inner pipe for a faucet

Details Inner pipe for a faucet Inner pipe for a faucet

2000-10-17

2002-01-01

Michalsky, Gerald A. (Department: 3753)

Fluid handling

Faucets and spouts

C004S678000, C137S360000, C285S193000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06334463

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to an inner pipe for a faucet, and more particularly an inner pipe for a faucet which is convenient to fit between the faucet and a water supply pipe, whereby the faucet will not rotate in relation to a wall it abuts and water will not leak from corresponding joints.
2. Description of Related Art
Decorative faucets, especially bathroom faucets, comprise an attractive outer body and an inner pipe extending between a threaded socket of the outer body and a water supply pipe emerging from a wall. Referring to
FIGS. 6
,
7
and
8
, a prior art inner pipe (
52
) for a decorative faucet (
50
) is shown. The faucet (
50
) includes a hollow body (
502
) with an inlet end (
504
), a neck and an outlet end (
506
), a threaded socket (
507
) formed in the neck and defining a passage extending between the inlet and outlet ends (
504
,
506
) and a gasket (
508
) received at a bottom face of the socket (
507
). A recess (
509
) is defined in an end face of the inlet end (
504
). The inner pipe (
52
) comprises a first end with a male thread (
522
), a second end with a flange (
524
), a bore leading to the first end, and a threaded counter bore leading to the second end. The flange (
524
) has a resilient lug (
526
) extending radially therefrom. In assembly, the male thread (
522
) of the inner pipe (
52
) is mated with the socket (
507
) until the gasket (
508
) is compressed by an end face of the first end of the inner pipe (
52
), whereby a water-tight seal should be achieved therebetween. Then, the combined faucet (
50
) and pipe (
52
) are mounted to a water supply pipe (
54
) with a male thread of the water supply pipe (
54
) being mated with the counter bore until the resilent lug (
526
) can be snappingly received in the recess (
509
), whereby the faucet (
50
) should not be able to rotate relative to the water supply pipe (
54
). However, the following shortcomings are found with the prior art inner pipe (
52
) and faucet (
50
). The threading of the socket (
507
) has to be cut very precisely to ensure that when the inner pipe (
52
) is fitted to the faucet (
50
), both an appropriate distance between the end face of the inlet end (
504
) of the faucet (
50
) and the wall, and alignment between the lug (
526
) and the recess (
509
) are achieved. In practice, such achievements are not realized, and as shown in
FIG. 8
, water leaks from the neck due to the gasket (
508
) not being sufficiently compressed, and an ugly gap is formed between the inlet end (
504
) of the faucet (
50
) and the wall. That gap detracts from the decorative appearance of the faucet (
50
), and also provides an exit for leaking water, whereby that water dribbles down the wall. Furthermore, as shown in
FIG. 8
, the lug (
526
) is not received in the recess (
509
) due to an incorrect length of the male thread (
522
).
Thus there is a long and unfulfilled need for an inner pipe for a faucet which provides a conveniently-arranged water tight seal, and fine adjustment of a distance between an inlet end face of the faucet and a wall from which a water supply pipe emerges.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An objective of the present invention is to provide an inner pipe for a faucet with which a conveniently-arranged water tight seal with the faucet is achieved.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide an inner pipe for a faucet with which fine adjustment of a distance between an inlet end face of the faucet and a wall from which a water supply pipe emerges is achieved.
The inner pipe includes a tube with a first end having a male thread formed thereon, and a second end with a polygonal outer periphery formed thereon, and a flanged end cap with a polygonal inner periphery configured to retainably mate with the second end of the tube. The flanged cap further includes a resilient lug radially extending therefrom.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3079093 (1963-02-01), Bellows
patent: 3136570 (1964-06-01), Lee
patent: 3739806 (1973-06-01), Bucknell et al.

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