WALL FAUCET ASSEMBLY

Abstract

Various aspects of a wall faucet assembly are discussed herein, including an inner assembly that is configured to removable connect to an outer assembly. When connected, a water line connected to the outer assembly passes from the outer assembly to the inner assembly when the inner assembly is manipulated to an operative position. The inner assembly may not require a handle or key for operation and further provides a vacuum breaker to prevent a backflow with an umbrella valve.

Claims

1. A wall faucet assembly comprising: an outer assembly having an outer pipe; an inner assembly having an inner pipe; and the inner pipe removably received within the outer pipe.

2. The wall faucet assembly of claim 1 further comprising the inner assembly having a faucet outlet connected to the inner pipe, and the faucet outlet having a plurality of ribs extending radially from a body.

3. The wall faucet assembly of claim 2 further comprising at least one of the plurality of ribs formed by a pair of angled sides that angle towards one another to a top wall.

4. The wall faucet assembly of claim 3 wherein the plurality of ribs is made of a reinforced polymer.

5. The wall faucet assembly of claim 3 wherein the plurality of ribs extend around only a portion of the body.

6. The wall faucet assembly of claim 1 further comprising the inner pipe having a depressor, wherein the depressor has a base and a peak with at least one extension positioned between the base and the peak.

7. The wall faucet assembly of claim 6 wherein the depressor has a shape of a plus sign and is configured to allow passage of water through the depressor and into the inner pipe.

8. The wall faucet assembly of claim 1 further comprising a valve body positioned within the outer pipe that operatively connects to a valve coupling of the inner assembly.

9. The wall faucet assembly of claim 8 further comprising the valve body having a sidewall positioned between a partially open end wall and an open-end wall, and a plug, a spring, and a ring positioned within the valve body, wherein the spring is positioned between the plug and the ring, and the plug is most adjacent the partially open end wall.

10. The wall faucet assembly of claim 8 wherein the valve coupling has an internal rim that separates a connection of the valve coupling to the inner pipe and the valve coupling to the valve body.

11. The wall faucet assembly of claim 1 further comprising a wall mount having a series of apertures that receive a set screw to affix the outer pipe to the wall mount.

12. The wall faucet assembly of claim 1 further comprising a pipe cap that is sized and shaped to be received on the outer pipe.

13. The wall faucet assembly of claim 12 wherein the outer pipe has a pair of roll pins that are received in a pair of slots in the pipe cap.

14. The wall faucet assembly of claim 13 wherein the pair of slots have an L-shape such that the pair of roll pins are received in a vertical section of the pair of slots wherein when the pipe cap is rotated.

15. The wall faucet assembly of claim of claim 12 further comprising a wall mount connected to the outer pipe, wherein the wall mount has a first eyelet and the pipe cap has a second eyelet, and the first eyelet and the second eyelet are configured to be connected to one another by a linkage.

16. A wall faucet assembly comprising: an outer assembly having an outer pipe; and an inner assembly having a faucet outlet having a plurality of ribs extending radially from a body, wherein the plurality of ribs are configured to provide manual manipulation of the inner assembly to adjust a flow of water.

17. The wall faucet assembly of claim 16 further comprising the inner assembly having a vacuum breaker comprising an umbrella valve.

18. The wall faucet assembly of claim 17 further comprising the vacuum breaker having a perforated bottom wall and a sidewall extending away from the perforated bottom wall, and the umbrella valve connected to the perforated bottom wall.

19. The wall faucet assembly of claim 18 further comprising the umbrella valve having a post, a stop, and a disc, wherein the post is received in the perforated bottom wall, the stop is positioned in a body of a faucet outlet, and the disc forms a canopy covering the perforated bottom wall from within an opening of the body.

20. The wall faucet assembly of claim 19 wherein the disc is made of a silicone membrane and is configured to block water from passing from the opening in the body through the perforated bottom wall and to distort away from the perforated bottom wall when a back flow is present to allow air to pass through the perforated bottom wall and into an inner pipe of the inner assembly via the faucet outlet.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wall faucet assembly according to an aspect of the disclosure;

[0050] FIG. 2 is a side, cross-sectional view of a wall faucet assembly according to an aspect of the disclosure;

[0051] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a wall faucet assembly according to an aspect of the disclosure;

[0052] FIG. 4 is a side, cross-sectional view of a wall faucet assembly according to an aspect of the disclosure;

[0053] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a wall faucet assembly according to an aspect of the disclosure;

[0054] FIG. 6 is a side, cross-sectional view of a wall faucet assembly according to an aspect of the disclosure;

[0055] FIG. 7 is a front view of a wall mount of a wall faucet assembly according to an aspect of the disclosure;

[0056] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a wall mount of a wall faucet assembly according to an aspect of the disclosure;

[0057] FIG. 9 a perspective view of a pipe cap of a wall faucet assembly according to an aspect of the disclosure;

[0058] FIG. 10 is a top view of a faucet outlet of a wall faucet assembly according to an aspect of the disclosure;

[0059] FIG. 11 is a side, cross-sectional view of a faucet outlet a wall faucet assembly according to an aspect of the disclosure;

[0060] FIG. 12 is a front view of a faucet outlet of a wall faucet assembly according to an aspect of the disclosure;

[0061] FIG. 13 is a rear view of a faucet outlet of a wall faucet assembly according to an aspect of the disclosure;

[0062] FIG. 14 is a side view of a valve body of a wall faucet assembly according to an aspect of the disclosure;

[0063] FIG. 15 is a side, cross-sectional view of a valve body of a wall faucet assembly according to an aspect of the disclosure; and

[0064] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a depressor of a wall faucet assembly according to an aspect of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0065] The disclosure described herein is directed to different aspects of a wall faucet assembly. The detailed description set forth below, in connection with the appended drawings, is intended as a description of various configurations and is not intended to represent the only configurations in which the concepts described herein may be practiced. These descriptions include specific details for the purpose of providing a thorough understanding of the various concepts. It will be apparent, however, to those skilled in the art that these concepts may be practiced without these specific details.

[0066] The various aspects disclosed and contemplated herein relate to wall faucet assemblies (and related systems and methods) designed to achieve satisfactory benefits over traditional wall faucet assemblies. The disclosure herein may refer to certain aspects, iterations, embodiments, and examples but it is understood that the disclosure can be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the aspects set forth herein. For instance, reference is made to a plurality or a pair of an element, where a singular or more than two of such element is contemplated.

[0067] Although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements or components, these elements or components should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element or component from another. Hence, a first element discussed herein could be termed a second element without departing from the teachings of the present application. It is understood that actual systems or fixtures embodying the disclosure can be arranged in many different ways with many more features and elements beyond what is shown in the drawings. For the same or similar elements or features, the same reference numbers may be used throughout the disclosure.

[0068] It is to be understood that when an element or component is referred to as being on another element or component, it can be directly on the other element or intervening elements may also be present. Furthermore, relative terms such as between, within, below, and similar terms, may be used herein to describe a relationship of one element or component to another. It is understood that these terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the disclosure in addition to the orientation depicted in the Figures. Contemplation of aspects involving direct connections are further provided in the aspects presented in the Figures.

[0069] With reference to FIGS. 1-16 aspects that may comprise a wall faucet assembly 10 are shown.

[0070] FIG. 1 depicts a wall faucet assembly 10 may comprise an inner assembly 12 and an outer assembly 14. The inner assembly 12, from an exterior end 16 to an interior end 18 of the wall faucet assembly 10, may comprise a hose adapter 20, a faucet outlet 22 that may have a vacuum breaker 24, an inner pipe 26, and a valve coupling 28. The outer assembly 14, from the interior end 18 to the exterior end 16 of the wall faucet assembly 10, may comprise a valve body 30, an outer pipe 32, and/or a wall mount 34. The outer assembly 14 may also comprise a pipe cap 36 as shown in, at least, FIG. 3. Reference to the exterior end 16 and the interior end 18 is made in relation to the commonly understood position of the exterior being in the direction away or without a building 38 (not shown) whereas the interior is directed toward or within the building 38.

[0071] The inner assembly 12 may be configured to removably be received within and about the outer assembly 14 to permit the flow of water from a water line 40 (not shown) located within the building to pass through the wall faucet assembly 10 and out from the exterior end 16, which may then pass into a hose 42 (not shown) that is connected to the wall faucet assembly 10.

[0072] The hose adapter 20 may be configured to permit connection with the hose 42 such as by threaded connection. The hose adapter 20 may threadably connect to the faucet outlet 22. With additional reference to at least FIG. 6, the outer diameter of the hose adapter 20 may be threaded to allow threaded connection to an inner diameter of the faucet outlet 22 and/or hose 42. The hose adapter 20 may be made of brass or other suitable material.

[0073] With additional reference to at least FIGS. 2, 5, 6 and 10-13, the faucet outlet 22 is configured to operate the wall faucet assembly 10 by manual manipulation. The faucet outlet 22 has a body 46 that may be configured with an opening 48. The body 46 may be formed such that the opening 48 runs in a straight continuous fashion from the connection of the water line 40 to the outer assembly 14. The lateral orientation of the body 46 also facilitates connection of the hose 42 as the hose adapter 20 is unobstructed and the natural rotation about the lateral is provided. The body 46 and/or the hose adapter 20 may have a head 50 that may be rotatable to allow the head 50 to be rotated to connect the hose 42. Additionally, the arrangement enhances flow rate when the opening 48 has the same inner diameter as the inner pipe 26 as discussed further herein.

[0074] The faucet outlet 22 may comprise a plurality of ribs 52 or fins that extend radially from the body 46. The plurality of ribs 52 are configured to facilitate operation of the wall faucet assembly 10. The plurality of ribs 52 may be shaped and sized as elongated triangles that are formed by a pair of angled sides 54 that angle towards one another to a top wall 56. Each of the plurality of ribs 52 may extend along a length of the body 46 between the exterior end 16 and the interior end 18. The plurality of ribs 52 may extend out radially about a portion of the body 46 (e.g., FIG. 1) and the area the plurality of ribs 52 are not present is occupied by the vacuum breaker 24 as discussed further herein. The plurality of ribs 52 may be made of a reinforced polymer, which the body 46 also be made of. The reinforced polymer provides a unique advantage over metallic handles and keys used to operate a conventional wall faucet assembly given the ability to uniformly and monolithically produce the body 46 and the plurality of ribs 52 while maintaining a high level of durability and strength to the operation of the wall faucet assembly 10.

[0075] FIGS. 1, 2, 6, and 10 depict the vacuum breaker 24 may be integrated into the body 46 of the faucet outlet 22. The vacuum breaker 24 is configured to prevent water from being back siphoned as discussed herein. The vacuum breaker 24 may comprise one or more of a perforated bottom wall 58, a sidewall 60, an upper ridge 62, and an umbrella valve 64. The perforated bottom wall 58 permits exterior air to be pulled into the opening 48 of the body 46 to back siphon air rather than water in the event of a back flow as discussed further herein. The sidewall 60 extends away from the body 46 and may be slotted to facilitate the removable attachment of a cap 66 to the upper ridge 62 of the sidewall 60 where the upper ridge 62 is received in the cap 66 to retain the cap 66 in place while the slots that may be in the sidewall 60 allow the sidewall 60 to flex or compress inwardly to facilitate removal of the cap 66.

[0076] The umbrella valve 64, as seen in FIG. 3, may comprise a post 68, a stop 70, and a disc 72. The post 68, the stop 70, and/or the disc 72 may be made of a silicone such that the disc 72 forms a silicone membrane. The post 68 may be positioned through the body 46 of the faucet outlet 22 and into the perforated bottom wall 58 of the vacuum breaker 24 to hold the umbrella valve 64 in place. To further affix the position of the umbrella valve 64, the stop 70 may be positioned within the body 46 between or within the perforated bottom wall 58. The stop 70 facilitates affixing the position of the umbrella valve 64 by having a larger diameter in relation to the diameter of the post 68. The disc 72 is configured to provide a canopy to block water from passing through the perforated bottom wall 58 during normal operation due to the pressure applied from the flowing water. In the event of a backflow, the disc 72 is configured to distort away from the perforated bottom wall 58 due to the vacuum the back flow creates to allow air to pass through the perforated bottom wall 58 and through the inner assembly 12 in the direction of the interior end 18. The cap 66 protects debris and contaminants from blocking or inhibiting this configuration while remaining removable to allow operation when needed.

[0077] As shown in at least FIGS. 2 and 6, the body 46 of the faucet outlet 22 may have a cylindrical portion 74 that extends to the interior in relation to the plurality of ribs 52 and in alignment with the head 50. The cylindrical portion 74 may have two different inner diameters. The inner diameter of the opening 48 positioned towards the exterior end 16 may be smaller than the inner diameter of the opening 48 positioned towards the interior end 18. In such a configuration, the larger inner diameter allows the inner pipe 26 to be received within but the smaller inner diameter of the opening 48 prevents the inner pipe 26 from being received further within the body 46. As discussed, the smaller inner diameter of the cylindrical portion 74 may be the same inner diameter as the inner pipe 26.

[0078] FIGS. 2, 5, 6, 10, and 11 show that the cylindrical portion 74 of the body 46 may have one or a series of apertures 76 that each receive a set screw 78 to secure the faucet outlet 22 to the inner pipe 26. The use of the set screw 78 allows for repair or replacement of the faucet outlet 22 onsite and without numerous tools and in some instances requires the use of only an Allen wrench.

[0079] With reference to FIGS. 2, 5, and 6, the inner pipe 26 is configured to carry water from to the faucet outlet 22. The inner pipe 26 may extend between the inner pipe 26 and the valve coupling 28. In some aspects, the inner pipe 26 is a 0.75 inch PVC pipe, which is larger than conventional plumbing that uses 0.50 inch pipe. In such configurations, the inner pipe 26 of this diameter allows higher throughput that can be three to four times higher than conventional assemblies and permits an additional twenty to thirty gallons per minute (GPM). The higher rate of flow allows additional yard implements, such as multiple water sprinklers, to be fully functional even though both operate from just one of the wall faucet assembly 10. When full flow is used, the absence of a stem and/or packing gland, and the size of the inner pipe 26 provides for a higher rate of flow.

[0080] As seen in FIGS. 2, 6, and 16, a depressor 80 may connect or be formed at the interior end 18 of the inner pipe 26. The depressor 80 is configured to operatively interact with the valve body 30 via the valve coupling 28 to open the valve body 30 as discussed further herein. The depressor 80 may have a base 82 that extends to a peak 84. In some aspects, the base 82 is shaped as a plus sign (+). In such aspects, the peak 84 is formed by extensions 86 that angle inwardly from the base 82 to the peak 84. As discussed further, the depressor 80 having such a configuration allows for interaction with the valve body 30 without blocking passage of water as the plus shape allows the water to pass between the voids formed between the arms of the plus shape.

[0081] As shown in FIGS. 2, 5, 6, the valve coupling 28 is configured to selectively interact with the valve body 30 through rotation of the faucet outlet 22. The valve coupling 28 may have a cylindrical body 90 with an opening 92 position therethrough. The cylindrical body 90 may have an inner diameter towards the exterior end 16 that is sized and shaped to receive the inner pipe 26. The cylindrical body 90 may also have an internal rim 94 or shoulder that has a smaller inner diameter than the rest of the cylindrical body 90. As such, the internal rim 94 prevents the inner pipe 26 from being received within the cylindrical body 90 beyond the internal rim 94. The inner pipe 26 may be solvent welded to fixedly connect the inner pipe 26 to the valve coupling 28.

[0082] The valve coupling 28 may also have a threaded portion 96 that is sized and shaped to conform to the size and shape of the exterior of the valve body 30, including a threading on the outside of the valve body 30 as shown in at least FIGS. 2 and 6. The threaded portion 96 is configured to threadably and adjustably connect to the valve body 30 to open and close the valve body 30. In some aspects, the valve coupling 28 may have an O-ring 98 positioned on the interior side of the internal rim 94 to provide a water-tight seal between the valve coupling 28 and valve body 30 when the valve body 30 is open as discussed further herein.

[0083] FIGS. 2, 4, 14, and 15 depict the valve body 30, which is configured to prevent water from flowing to the inner assembly 12 absent intervention from the inner assembly 12. In this way, in some aspects, the valve body 30 functions as a check valve. The valve body 30 may be formed with a partially enclosed end wall 100 positioned towards the exterior end 16, a sidewall 102, and an open-end wall 104 with an opening 106 extending therethrough.

[0084] Positioned within the opening 106 may be plug 108, a spring 110, and/or a ring 112. The plug 108 may have a projection 114 that is sized and shaped to fit within partially enclosed end wall 100 such that the ring 112 occludes the opening 106 when positioned within the partially enclosed end wall 100. The spring 110 may be positioned between the plug 108 and the ring 112, where the ring 112 is secured to the sidewall 102. The spring 110 may be biased towards expansion such that the spring 110 uses expansive pressure to press the ring 112 of the plug 108 into the partially enclosed end wall 100. The sidewall 102 may have an inner diameter that is threaded to allow threaded connection with the ring 112 to allow repair of the valve body 30 by way of removal of the ring 112 to provide access to the plug 108 and spring 110. The bias of the spring 110 may also be adjusted by threading the ring 112 closer or further from the partially enclosed end wall 100. The threads of the valve body 30 may also be used to connect the water line 40.

[0085] FIGS. 1-3 show the outer pipe 32 that is configured to house a portion of the inner assembly 12 when the inner assembly 12 and outer assembly 14 are assembled to one another. The valve body 30 may be positioned and connected within the outer pipe 32 at the interior end 18. The valve body 30 may be connected to the outer pipe 32 by gluing or solvent welding. In some aspects, the outer pipe 32 is a 1.50 inch PVC pipe.

[0086] Positioned towards the exterior end 16, the wall mount 34 may be positioned around the outer pipe 32 such that the outer pipe 32 extends beyond the wall mount 34 in the exterior direction. The wall mount 34 is configured to attach to the exterior of the building 38 and provide stability to the wall faucet assembly 10. The wall mount 34 may comprise a mount plate 116. The mount plate 116 may have a plurality of apertures 118 to receive a plurality of connectors 120 (not shown) to connect the mount plate 116 to the building 38 or any suitable surface. The mount plate 116 may further comprise an indicia 122 that provides instruction for usage.

[0087] The wall mount 34 may comprise a ring 124 that may protrude in the exterior direction from the mount plate 116. The ring 124 may have an inner diameter that has close tolerances with the outer diameter of the outer pipe 32. A series of apertures 126 may be positioned through the ring 124 to receive a set screw 128 to secure the outer pipe 32 to the wall mount 34.

[0088] A pair of roll pins 130 may extend outwardly from the outer pipe 32. The pair of roll pins 130 are configured to retain the pipe cap 36. As such, the pair of roll pins 130 are positioned to the exterior of the wall mount 34. The pipe cap 36 may have a pair of slots 132 that are positioned to receive the pair of roll pins 130. As seen in at least FIG. 3, the pair of slots 132 may be L-shaped with a horizontal portion 134 and a vertical portion 136, such that the pair of roll pins 130 are received in the horizontal portion 134 and retained in the vertical portion 136 by rotating the pipe cap 36 to limit or prevent tampering with the wall faucet assembly 10. Removal of the inner assembly 12, which may be required for the pipe cap 36 to be placed, further facilitates this advantage. The pipe cap 36 may also have an indicia 138 to explain usage of the pipe cap 36.

[0089] To limit the potential for the pipe cap 36 to be removed, the wall mount 34 may have a first eyelet 140 and the pipe cap 36 may have a second eyelet 142 that are configured to be connected to one another by a linkage 146 (not shown), such as a chain, wire, or the like.

[0090] To assemble the inner assembly 12 and the outer assembly 14, the inner pipe 26 is removed from the outer pipe 32. Then the inner assembly 12 is inserted into the pipe cap 36 such that the faucet outlet 22 extends to the exterior of the pipe cap 36. To secure the inner assembly 12 to the outer assembly 14, the faucet outlet 22 is rotated, which in turn threads the valve coupling 28 onto the valve body 30.

[0091] To operate, the faucet outlet 22 is rotated, which further threads the valve coupling 28 onto the valve body 30 causing the depressor 80 to engage the plug 108 and in turn compress the spring 110 resulting in the plug 108 being displaced. This allows water to pass through the valve body 30 and into the inner pipe 26 as discussed. Rotating the faucet outlet 22 in the opposite direction turns of the flow of water.

[0092] To repair or replace components, the components of the wall faucet assembly 10 are replaceable through manual unthreading such as is the case in removing the inner assembly 12 from the outer assembly 14 or by use of a readily available Allen Wrench to remove the set screws discussed herein. Replacement or repair of the valve body 30 is also possible as discussed. Reassembly occurs in a similar manner as the initial assembly discussed herein. Accordingly, onsite repair and replacement is possible without the use of tools or just an Allen Wrench. Likewise, the wall mount 34 may be replaced by disassembling the inner assembly 12 and the outer assembly 14 from one another, and then, removing the plurality of connectors 120 from the mount plate 116 and the set screw 128 from the wall mount 34 and then removing the wall mount 34 from the outer pipe 32.

[0093] Due to the modular nature of the inner assembly 12 and the outer assembly 14, the inner assembly 12 is readily removed from the outer assembly 14 by unscrewing the valve coupling 28 from the valve body 30. This configuration facilitates removal during freezing and to prevent tampering.

[0094] Some of the advantages of certain aspects disclosed herein include the following. The wall faucet assembly 10 has been provided that does not require a handle or key to operate, increases water flow rate, eliminates the need for a packing gland and operating stem, utilizes a pipe-in-pipe design permitting simplified servicing, utilizes a modular design for internal and external components, provides a user-friendly design that is easy to use, allows onsite replacement or repair with minimal or no additional tools, is low cost, lends to the use of polymer materials, limits or prevents tampering and vandalism, provides an improved vacuum breaker, facilitates connection of a hose, and improves upon the art.

[0095] While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which shows and describes illustrative embodiments of the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of modifications in various obvious aspects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.

[0096] Although the present invention has been described with reference to embodiments, persons skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the disclosure. Various modifications to the disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. Thus, the disclosure is not intended to be limited to the examples and designs described herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.