Fluid handling – Systems – Multi-way valve unit
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-18
2001-11-27
Rivell, John (Department: 3753)
Fluid handling
Systems
Multi-way valve unit
C137S625400, C251S288000, C251S297000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06321789
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a two-stage water-saving structure of a faucet in which when the switching/controlling bar is shifted for opening the water exit, the switching/controlling bar is first halfway stopped by a certain stopping force to half-open the water exit. Therefore, the water exit is prevented from being opened to maximum extent at one time. Only in the case that larger amount of water is needed, a greater force can be exerted onto the switching/controlling bar to discharge larger amount of water as necessary. Therefore, the water can be saved.
FIG. 1
shows a conventional faucet structure which includes an inner switching/controlling valve assembly
10
, a bar seat
20
, a locating pin
30
, a switching/controlling bar
40
and a housing
50
. The inner switching/controlling valve assembly
10
is composed of several controlling valves. Two engaging hooks
11
are symmetrically disposed on two opposite sides of the bottom of the inner switching/controlling valve assembly
10
. The other two opposite sides thereof are respectively disposed with two locating blocks
12
. The top face of the bar seat
20
is formed with a central rectangular bar hole
21
. A lateral side of the bar seat
20
is formed with a pin hole
22
passing through the bar hole
21
. The switching/controlling bar
40
is a rectangular bar. The bottom end thereof is disposed with a downward extending semispherical switching/controlling head
41
. The front and rear faces of the lower section of the switching/controlling bar
40
are formed with <-shaped stop faces
42
the middles of which outward protrude. A lateral side is formed with a pivot hole
43
. The top of the housing
50
is formed with a bar hole
51
. Two opposite sides of the bottom are symmetrically formed with two hook slots
52
. The other two opposite sides are respectively symmetrically disposed with two locating recesses
53
.
When assembled, as shown in
FIG. 2
, the switching/controlling bar
40
is first placed into the bar hole
21
of the bar seat
20
. Then the locating pin
30
is passed through the pin hole
22
of the bar seat
20
and the pivot hole
43
of the switching/controlling bar
40
so as to pivotally locate the switching/controlling bar
40
in the bar hole
21
of the bar seat
20
. Then the bottom face of the bar seat
20
is attached to the top face of the inner switching/controlling valve assembly
10
with the switching/controlling head
41
fitted in the water exit of the inner switching/controlling valve assembly
10
. Then the assembly is received in the housing
50
with the switching/controlling bar
40
passing through the bar hole
51
of the housing
50
. Also, the locating blocks
12
of the inner switching/controlling valve assembly
10
are engaged in the locating recesses
53
of the housing
50
and the engaging hooks
11
are hooked in the hook slots
52
.
In use, as shown in
FIG. 2
, when the switching/controlling bar
40
is shifted up and down, the switching/controlling head
41
thereof controls the extent to which the water exit of the inner switching/controlling valve assembly
10
is opened. The upper the switching/controlling bar
40
is shifted, the more the water exit is opened and the more the discharged water is. When the <-shaped stop faces
42
of the lower section of the switching/controlling bar
40
abut against the inner wall face of the bar hole
21
of the bar seat
20
, maximum amount of water is discharged or the water is shut off.
The above conventional structure has some shortcomings as follows:
When shifting the switching/controlling bar
40
, the amount of the discharged water can be adjusted. However, the switching/controlling bar
40
can be so easily shifted that the switching/controlling bar
40
is often directly shifted to the maximum amount, especially by a child. This results in great waste of water resource.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a two-stage water-saving structure of a faucet in which when the switching/controlling bar is shifted to one half of its travel, the slide blocks of the switching/controlling bar will be stopped by the locating blocks of the bar seat with a certain stopping force. Therefore, the switching/controlling bar is stopped halfway to prevent the water exit from being opened to maximum extent at one time. Therefore, the water can be saved.
The present invention can be best understood through the following description and accompanying drawings wherein:
REFERENCES:
patent: 4733688 (1988-03-01), Lorch
patent: 5490540 (1996-02-01), Vom Dahl et al.
patent: 5522429 (1996-06-01), Bechte et al.
patent: 5538041 (1996-07-01), Ganzle
patent: 5899230 (1999-05-01), Orlandi
patent: 5967184 (1999-10-01), Chang
patent: 6170523 (2001-01-01), Chang
Browdy and Neimark
Kuching International Ltd.
Rivell John
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