Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Support or mount for a supply – drain – overflow or trap means
Reexamination Certificate
2003-01-28
2004-09-21
Phillips, Charles E. (Department: 3751)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Support or mount for a supply, drain, overflow or trap means
Reexamination Certificate
active
06792629
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally concerns faucets and techniques for installing faucets, and more specifically, but not exclusively, concerns a faucet mounting system that allows the installer to lock the orientation of the faucet from above the sink during installation.
Installation of a faucet can be a rather difficult and arduous process. Typically, faucets are secured to the sink or countertop from below. In one type of faucet design, the faucet has a threaded supply tube that extends below the sink through a faucet opening. From underneath the sink, a nut has to be threaded onto the supply tube in order to secure a mounting bracket to the tube. The nut is then tightened so that the mounting bracket firmly secures the faucet to the sink.
As one should appreciate, the space underneath a sink or countertop is usually rather cramped and poorly lit, thereby making installation troublesome. As a result, it is very difficult to install the faucet as a single-person job. A number of setbacks can occur during installation that can lead to frustration on the part of the installer. For instance, when the installer is tightening the faucet from underneath the sink, the installer can accidentally rotate the faucet out of position such that the faucet is tightened in the wrong orientation. The installer blindly tightens the bracket without seeing the misalignment until after the installer has been extricated from underneath the sink so as to view the result. After the misalignment is discovered, the installer then has to go back underneath the sink in order to loosen the bracket. Next, the installer from above the sink has to reposition the faucet. Once again, the installer has to go underneath the sink in order to tighten the bracket with the hope that the faucet will stay properly aligned during tightening. It should be appreciated that this faucet installation process can be both physically and mentally demanding.
Above the sink or top side faucet mounting systems have been developed in order to alleviate some of the difficulty associated with mounting the faucet from underneath the sink. For example, in one type of top mount design, a pair of tabs are attached to a pair of screws that are secured to a faucet. During insertion of the tabs into the faucet opening, the tabs are rotated to face one another so as to provide a compact profile. After the tabs pass through the faucet opening, the screws rotate the tabs so that they can be clamped against the underside of the sink. However, with such a design, the tabs can be difficult to rotate into position, and the screws tend to bend, such that the connection between the faucet and the sink can tend to loosen over time.
Thus, there remains a need for improvement in this field.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One aspect of the present invention concerns an apparatus that includes a trim member. The trim member defines a faucet receptacle constructed and arranged to receive a faucet hub. The trim member has an alignment tab constructed and arranged to align the faucet hub with the trim member. At least a pair of screws are coupled to the trim member. A foot member is threadedly secured to the screws, and the foot member is U-shaped with a pair screw engagement portions connected together by a deck engagement portion. The screw engagement portions each have a threaded screw opening in which one of the screws is threadedly secured to clamp a deck between the trim member and the foot member. The deck engagement portion has surface texturing to engage the foot member to the deck. The foot member is sized smaller than a faucet opening in the deck to slide through the faucet opening in the deck during installation.
Another aspect concerns an apparatus that includes a deck. The deck has a top side, a bottom side and a faucet opening extending from the top side to the bottom side of the deck. A trim member covers the faucet opening at the top side of the deck, and the trim member defines a faucet receptacle. A faucet hub is received in the faucet receptacle, and The faucet hub has a mounting shank extending through the faucet opening. The trim member and the faucet hub have an alignment structure to align the faucet hub with the trim member. An attachment member is coupled to the trim member and extends through the faucet opening. A foot member is coupled to the attachment and engages the bottom side of the deck. The foot member is sized to slide through the faucet opening from the top side to the bottom side during installation. The attachment member clamps the deck between the trim member and the foot member. A mounting bracket is slidably received on the mounting shank, and the mounting bracket defines a foot cavity in which the foot member is received. A fastening means is coupled to the mounting shank to clamp the mounting bracket to the bottom side of the deck.
A further aspect concerns a faucet mounting method. The method includes inserting a foot of a faucet mounting assembly from a top side of a deck and through an opening in the deck. The faucet mounting assembly includes a trim member and one or more screws connecting the foot to the trim member. The deck has a bottom side that is-opposite from the top side. The trim member is oriented on the deck, and the deck is clamped between the trim member and the foot by tightening the screws. A faucet is coupled to the trim member, and the faucet includes a mounting shank. The faucet is secured to the deck by attaching the mounting bracket to a mounting shank and tightening mounting bracket against the bottom side of the deck.
Further forms, objects, features, aspects, benefits, advantages, and embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from a detailed description and drawings provided herewith.
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Brown Derek A.
Nelson Alfred C.
Masco Corporation of Indiana
Phillips Charles E.
Woodard Emhardt Moriarty McNett & Henry LLP
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