US20060180213A1

US20060180213A1 - Control valve handle assembly for faucets

Info

Publication number: US20060180213A1
Application number: US11/056,255
Authority: US
Inventors: Shi Ko
Original assignee: Chung Cheng Faucet Co Ltd
Current assignee: Chung Cheng Faucet Co Ltd
Priority date: 2005-02-14
Filing date: 2005-02-14
Publication date: 2006-08-17

Abstract

A control valve handle assembly for faucets comprises a handle seat, and a housing or a washbowl deck with a spout and a set of cold/hot water supply pipes mounted in the middle and both sides thereof respectively wherein on top of the cold/hot water supply pipes is respectively adapted a control valve with a packing ring mounted at the outer periphery thereof and a fixing nut applied thereto to press downwards the control valve and the packing ring for secure location onto the surface of the housing/deck thereby. A valve body of the control valve is equipped with a hollow engaging post through which a valve stem is pivotally guided to protrude outwards there-from, and a decorative base mount of a possibly wide range of designs is provided with a coupling tube to be fixedly joined to the engaging post of the valve body till the decorative base mount precisely abutted against the top surface of the housing/deck, permitting the fixing nut, the packing ring, and the valve body to completely conceal inside the decorative base mount, and the valve stem to extend outwards from the upper end of the coupling tube thereof and register with a linkage socket of the handle seat thereby. Thus, the rotation of the handle seat can simply actuate the valve stem without influencing the decorative base mount stably situated on top of the housing/deck with the fixing nut, the packing ring and the valve body accurately housed therein so as to maintain a neat and even appearance of the control valve handle assembly and efficiently boost its beauty and value thereof

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to a control valve handle assembly for faucets, comprising a handle seat, and a decorative base mount that are separately made and individually mounted to a valve stem of a control valve and an engaging post of a valve body respectively so that the rotation of the handle seat can simply actuate the movement of the valve stem rotating pivotally at the hollow engaging post therein without influencing the decorative base mount that, stably situated on top of a housing/washbowl deck, can accurately conceal a fixing nut, a packing ring and a valve body of the control valve at the interior therein, providing a neat and even appearance to increase the beauty and value of the control valve handle assembly thereof as a whole. Moreover, via the separation design, the decorative base mount and the handle seat can be individually (or synchronically) replaced with new ones of different designs, economically reducing the cost of material in replacement as well as facilitating versatile stylistic change of the control valve handle assembly thereof.
Please refer to FIG. 1. A conventional control valve assembly for faucets is made up of a housing 10 having a spout 11 and a set of cold/hot water supply pipes 12 respectively mounted at the middle and both sides thereof wherein on top of the cold/hot water supply pipes 12 is respectively adapted a control valve 13 having a packing ring 14 sleeved at the outer periphery thereof and abutted tight by a fixing nut 15 so as to press downwards the control valve 13 and the packing ring 14 for secure location thereby. The control valve 13 is made up of a valve body 131 with a set of non-illustrated upper and lower switch valves adapted at the interior therein in linkage actuation with a valve stem 132 to control the on/off of the cold/hot water supply thereby. The valve stem 132 is registered with a linkage socket 162 of the handle seat 16 having a grip portion 161 disposed at one side, and the upper end of the valve stem 132 is disposed a screw hole 1321 communicating with an assembly hole 163 of the handle seat 16 for a crew 17 led through an engaging thru-hole 164 disposed at the top of the handle seat 16 thereof to securely engage therewith. Meanwhile, an annular gap A is revealed at the space defined by the bottom end of the handle seat 16 and the top surface of the housing 10, and a decorative cap 18 is mounted to the engaging thru-hole 164 of the handle seat 16 to complete the assembly thereof.
However, there are some drawbacks to such conventional control valve handle assembly for faucets. First, in practical use, the grip portion 161 is rotated to actuate the valve stem 132 of the control valve 13 for the on/off of the cold/hot water supply, and the handle seat 16 directly fixed to the valve stem 132 is synchronically moved along with the grip portion 161 thereof Therefore, to prevent the abrasion generated on the surface of the housing 10 in the rotation thereof, the annular gap A is always preset at the handle seat 16 and the housing 10 there-between, which, exposing the fixing nut 15 and packing ring 14 outside, tends to destroy the beauty of the handle assembly as a whole. Second, via the annular gap A thereof, water flow can easily encroach to the fixing nut 15, the packing ring 14 and the interior of the handle seat 16, and leave behind dirty water stains, which not only mess up the appearance of the handle assembly thereof but also make it difficult to be cleaned. Third, the handle seat 16 must be dismantled as a whole set so that a new one of different design can be installed, which not only makes more flexible and partial replacement thereof impossible, but also increase the cost of material in the replacement thereof.
Please refer to FIG. 2. Another conventional control valve handle assembly for faucets comprises a set of cold/hot water handle seats 30 and a spout 40 that are separately mounted onto a washbowl deck B wherein a threaded coupling tube 32 protrudes at the lower end of a main body 31 of the cold/hot water handle seat 30 to couple with a non-illustrated cold/hot water pipe for the supply of cold/hot water thereby. At the upper section of the main body 31 of the handle seat 30 is adapted a control valve 33, and a positioning ring 34 is crewed up from the lower side of the threaded coupling tube 32 to abut against the lower surface of a washbowl deck B. A packing ring 35 is mounted to the outer periphery of the control valve 33 with a fixing nut 36 screwed up thereto so as to press downwards the control valve 33 and the packing ring 35 for stable location thereby. A valve stem 331 of the control valve 33 is joined to a linkage socket 301 of the handle seat 30, and the upper end of the valve stem 331 is provided with a screw hole 332 communicating with an assembly hole 302 of the handle seat 30 for a crew 37 led through an engaging thru-hole 303 disposed at the top of the handle seat 30 thereof to securely engage therewith to complete the assembly thereof.
However, there are some disadvantages to the second conventional control valve handle assembly for faucets. First, the handle seat 30 is directly fixed to the valve stem 331, and to prevent the abrasion generated on the surface of the washbowl deck B in the rotation of the handle seat 30, an annular gap A is preset at the handle seat 16 and the deck B there-between, which tends to expose the fixing nut 36 and packing ring 35 outside and, thus, destroy the beauty of the handle assembly as a whole. Second, via the annular gap A thereof, water flow can easily encroach to the fixing nut 36, the packing ring 35 and the interior of the handle seat 30, and leave behind dirty water stains thereon, which not only mess up the appearance of the handle assembly thereof but also make it difficult to be cleaned. Third, the handle seat 30 must be dismantled as a whole set so that a new one of different design can be installed, which not only makes partial replacement thereof impossible, but also increase the cost of material in the replacement thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

It is, therefore, the primary purpose of the present invention to provide a control valve handle assembly for faucets, comprising a handle seat and a decorative base mount that are separately made and individually mounted to a valve stem of a control valve and an engaging post of a valve body respectively so that the rotation of the handle seat can simply actuate the movement of the valve stem rotating pivotally at the hollow engaging post therein without influencing the decorative base mount that, stably held in place on top of a housing/washbowl deck, can accurately house a fixing nut, a packing ring, and a valve body of the control valve at the interior therein, facilitating a neat and even appearance thereof to increase the beauty and value of the control valve handle assembly thereof as a whole.
It is, therefore, the second purpose of the present invention to provide a control valve handle assembly for faucets wherein the decorative base mount thereof is stably situated in direct contact with the surface of the housing, permitting the fixing nut, the packing ring, and the valve body to precisely conceal at the interior therein, effectively refraining from the encroachment of water flow thereto and avoid dirty water stains left thereby so as to keep a neat appearance thereof for easier cleaning.
It is, therefore, the third purpose of the present invention to provide a control valve handle assembly for faucets wherein, via the separation design thereof, the decorative base mount and the handle seat can be individually (or synchronically) replaced with new ones of different designs, economically reducing the cost of material in replacement thereof as well as facilitating versatile stylistic change of the control valve handle assembly thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view of a conventional control valve handle assembly for faucets in operation.
FIG. 2 is a perspective exploded view of another conventional control valve handle assembly for faucets mounted onto a washbowl deck.
FIG. 3 is a perspective exploded view of the present invention in operation.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the present invention mounted onto a washbowl deck.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the present invention with a handle seat of different design replaced and installed thereto.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the present invention with a decorative base mount of different design replaced and installed thereto.
FIG. 7 is a perspective exploded view of another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a perspective exploded view of a third embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIG. 3 showing a perspective exploded view of the present invention. The present invention is related to a control valve handle assembly for faucets, comprising a housing 20 or a washbowl deck B as shown in FIG. 4 with a spout 21 center-set in the middle thereof and a set of cold/hot water supply pipes 22 symmetrically mounted at both sides to communicate with the spout 21 thereof. On top of the cold/hot water supply pipes 22 is respectively adapted a control valve 23 having a packing ring 24 sleeved at the outer periphery thereof and abutted tight by a fixing nut 25 so as to press downwards the control valve 23 along with the packing ring 24 for stable location thereby. The control valve 23 has a valve body 231 with a set of non-illustrated upper and lower switch valves adapted at the interior therein in linkage actuation with a valve stem 232 to control the on/off of the cold/hot water supply thereby. The valve body 231 has a hollow engaging post 2311 protruding at the upper section thereof for the valve stem 232 to pivotally pass there-through and extend outwards there-from. A decorative base mount 26 of a possible wide range of designs is provided with a coupling tube 261 therein to be fixedly joined to the engaging post 2311 of the valve body 231 till the decorative base mount 26 precisely abutted against the top surface of the housing 20 thereof, permitting the fixing nut 25, the packing ring 24, and the valve body 231 to completely conceal inside the decorative base mount 26, and the valve stem 232 to extend outwards from the upper end of the coupling tube 262 thereof A handle seat 27 of possible various designs is equipped with a grip portion 271 and a linkage socket 272 with which the valve stem 232 extending outside the coupling tube 261 thereof is engaged. A washer fitting 28 is mounted at the coupling joint of the handle seat 27 and the decorative base mount 26 thereof, and a screw hole 273 is disposed at a predetermined position of the handle seat 27 in communication with the linkage socket 272 thereof for the registration of a screw 274 therewith to abut tight against the valve stem 232 thereby. Besides, the coupling tube 261 of the decorative base mount 26 and the engaging post 2311 of the valve body 231 are preferably disposed with matching internal and external threaded sections respectively for secure mutual engagement thereby.
In practical use, the handle seat 27 and the decorative base mount 26 are separately made and individually mounted to the valve stem 232 of the control valve 23 and the valve body 231 respectively so that the rotation of the grip portion 271 thereof can simply move the handle seat 27 and actuate the valve stem 232 therewith rotating pivotally at the engaging post 2311 therein to open or close the upper and lower switch valves for the on/off of cold/hot water supply. Meanwhile, the decorative base mount 26 is stably situated in direct contact with the top surface of the housing 20 without being influenced by the rotation of the handle seat 27, accurately concealing the fixing nut 25, the packing ring 24 and the valve body 231 at the interior therein so as to increase the beauty and value of the control valve handle assembly as a whole. And the fixing nut 25, the packing ring 24, and the decorative base mount 26 securely housed at the decorative base mount 16 therein can effectively refrain from the encroachment of water flow thereto and avoid dirty water stains left thereby so as to keep a neat appearance thereof for easier cleaning. Moreover, the separation design of the decorative base mount 26 and the handle seat 27 allows an individual replacement (or synchronic replacement) of a new handle seat 27′ of different design as shown in FIG. 5 or/and a new decorative base mount 26′ as shown in FIG. 6, which can not only reduce the cost of material in replacement thereof, but also facilitate versatile stylistic change of the control valve handle assembly thereof Please refer to FIG. 7 showing a control valve handle assembly for an individual-type cold/hot water faucet. The present invention can also comprise a cold/hot water handle seat 50, a main body 51, a threaded coupling tube 52 protruding at the bottom end of the main body 51 for the engagement of a non-illustrated cold/hot water pipe therewith, a control valve 53 mounted at the upper section of the main body 51 thereof, and a set of upper and lower retaining rings 54, 55 with upper/lower resilient washers 541, 551, that are symmetrically adapted to the top and bottom surfaces of a washbowl deck B respectively. The upper and lower retaining rings 54, 55 along with the resilient washers 541, 551 thereof are securely screwed up to the threaded coupling tube 52 from both opposite sides of the deck B so as to abut tight against the adjacent top and bottom surfaces of the deck B and precisely locate the main body 51 onto the deck B thereby. A fixing nut 56 is mounted to press downwards the control valve 53 for stable location onto the deck B thereby. The control valve 53 also includes a valve body 531 having a hollow engaging post 532 protruding at the upper end thereof for a valve stem 533 to pivotally pass there-through and extend outwards there-from. A decorative base mount 57 of possibly various designs is equipped with a coupling tube 571 to be fixedly joined to the engaging post 532 of the valve body 531 till the decorative base mount 57 precisely abutted against the top surface of the deck B so as to house and conceal the fixing nut 56, the upper retaining ring 54 along with the resilient washer 541, and the valve body 531 completely inside the decorative base mount 57. Meanwhile, the valve stem 533 extending outside the upper end of the coupling tube 571 is securely joined to a linkage socket 501 defining the inner side of the handle seat 50 thereof, and a washer fitting 58 is mounted to the coupling joint of the handle seat 50 and the decorative base mount 57 thereof. Finally, a screw hole 502 is disposed at a predetermined position of the handle seat 50 in communication with the linkage socket 501 for the registration of a screw 503 therewith to abut tight against the valve stem 533 thereby.
Please refer to FIG. 8 showing a third embodiment of a control valve handle assembly thereof for individual-type cold/hot water faucets. The present invention can also comprise a cold/hot water handle seat 60 and a control valve 63 mounted on top of a threaded coupling tube 62 of a main body 61 wherein a set of upper and lower retaining rings 64, 65 are symmetrically screwed up to the threaded coupling tube 62 from both opposite sides of the washbowl deck B so as to abut tight against the adjacent top and bottom surfaces of the deck B and precisely locate the main body 61 onto the deck B thereof for easy maintenance of the control valve 63 thereof. The control valve 63 is equipped with a valve stem 631 to engage with a linkage socket 601 of the handle seat 60 thereof, and an annular recessed groove 632 defining the lower end of the valve stem 631 to match with a screw hole 602 disposed at one side of the handle seat 60 thereof for the fixing location of a screw therein so as to prevent the handle seat 60 from coming off from the valve stem 631 thereby. Meanwhile, the upper retaining ring 64 is levelly abutted against the top surface of the deck B so as to maintain a neat and even appearance thereof.

Claims

1. A control valve handle assembly for faucets, comprising a housing or a washbowl deck with a spout center-set in the middle and a set of cold/hot water supply pipes symmetrically mounted at both sides to communicate with the spout thereof wherein on top of the cold/hot water supply pipes is respectively adapted a control valve made up of a valve body, a valve stem, and a set of upper and lower switch valves, and at the outer periphery of the control valve is mounted a packing ring abutted tight by a fixing nut to press downwards the control valve along with the packing ring for secure location onto the surface of the housing or deck thereby; the valve stem of the control valve thereof is engaged with a linkage socket of a handle seat having a grip portion extending at one side; the present invention being characterized by that,

the valve body being equipped with a hollow engaging post protruding at the upper end thereof for the valve stem to pivotally pass there-through and extend outwards there-from, and a decorative base mount of possibly various designs being provided with a coupling tube defined therein to be fixed joined to the engaging post of the valve body till the decorative base mount precisely abutted against the top surface of the housing thereof, permitting the fixing nut, the packing ring, and the valve body to completely conceal inside the decorative base mount, and the valve stem to extend outwards from the upper end of the coupling tube thereof; thus, the handle seat and the decorative base mount thereof are separately made and individually mounted to the valve stem of the control valve and the valve body respectively so that the rotation of the handle seat can simply actuate the movement of the valve stem rotating pivotally at the engaging post therein without influencing the decorative base mount that, stably situated in direct contact with the top surface of the housing, can accurately house the fixing nut, the packing ring and the valve body at the interior therein without being encroached by water flow and getting dirty water stains thereby so as to increase the beauty and value of the control valve handle assembly as a whole; moreover, the decorative base mount and the handle seat can be individually replaced with new ones of different designs, economically reducing the cost of material in replacement thereof as well as facilitating versatile stylistic change of the control valve handle assembly thereof

2. The control valve handle assembly for faucets according to claim 1 wherein a washer fitting is mounted at the coupling joint of the handle seat and the decorative base mount thereof

3. The control valve handle assembly for faucets according to claim 1 wherein the engaging post of the valve body is preferably defined by an external threaded section at the outer periphery thereon.

4. The control valve handle assembly for faucets according to claim 1 wherein the coupling tube of the decorative base mount is preferably equipped with an internal threaded section disposed therein.

5. A control valve handle assembly for single cold/hot water faucets, comprising a cold/hot water handle seat, a threaded coupling tube protruding at the bottom end of a main body for the engagement of a cold/hot water pipe therewith, a control valve mounted on top of the main body thereof, and a set of upper and lower retaining rings with upper and lower resilient washers securely screwed up to the threaded coupling tube from both opposite sides of a washbowl deck to abut tight against the top and bottom surfaces of the deck, and a fixing nut is mounted to press downwards the control valve for stable location on the deck thereby; the present invention being characterized by that,

a valve body of the control valve being equipped with a hollow engaging post protruding at the upper end thereof for a valve stem to pivotally pass there-through and extend outwards there-from, and a decorative base mount of possible various designs being provided with a coupling tube to be securely fixed to the engaging post of the valve body till the decorative base mount precisely abutted against the top surface of the deck thereof so as to house and conceal the fixing nut, the upper retaining ring along with the resilient washer, and the valve body completely inside the decorative base mount to maintain a neat and even appearance thereof as a whole; meanwhile, a valve stem of the control valve extending outside the upper end of the coupling tube is mutually engaged with a linkage socket of the handle seat of a possibly wide range of designs, and a washer fitting is mounted to the coupling joint of the handle seat and the decorative base mount thereof; finally, a screw hole is disposed at the handle seat to communicate with the linkage socket thereof for the registration of a screw therewith to abut tight against the valve stem thereby.

6. A control valve handle assembly for single cold/hot water faucets, comprising a cold/hot water handle seat, and a main body having a control valve mounted on top of a threaded coupling tube wherein a set of upper and lower retaining rings are symmetrically screwed up to the threaded coupling tube from both opposite sides of a washbowl deck so as to abut tight against the top and bottom surfaces of the deck and precisely locate the main body onto the deck thereof for easy maintenance of the control valve; a valve stem of the control valve is joined to a linkage socket of the handle seat thereof, and an annular recessed groove is disposed at the lower end of the valve stem to match with a screw hole disposed at one side of the handle seat for the fixing location of a screw therein so as to prevent the handle seat from coming off from the valve stem thereby.