Method for manufacturing main body of faucet

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a main body of a faucet comprises separately molding a base body in which a valve V is installed, a first part in which a hot water passage and connecting portion are formed, a second part in which the cold water inlet and a connecting portion are formed, and a third part in which a water discharge port and connecting portion are formed, the base body and three parts being formed of a composition of ABS resin and glass fibers and combining the base body with the connecting portions of the three parts; integrating the base body and three parts into a main body of a faucet by overlaying the surfaces of the combined main body with ABS resin molten at temperate of 190° C. to 210° C. by injection molding process; and plating nickel-chromium on the exterior of the main body for protection of external molding portion.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a main body of a faucet which has a hot water inlet and a cold water inlet at both sides, respectively, and a cold/hot water discharge port, in which hot water and cold water are mixed, and is equipped with a valve for stopping a flow of the cold/hot water at an upper portion and a lever for adjusting the valve, the method comprising: separately molding a base body in which the valve is installed, a first part in which a hot water passage and a first connecting portion are formed, a second part in which the cold water inlet and a second connecting portion are formed, and a third part in which the cold/hot water discharge port and a third connecting portion are formed, the base body and the first, second and third parts being formed of a composition of a resin and glass fibers and combining respectively the base body with the first, second and third connecting portions of the first, second and third parts to create a preliminary main body; integrating the base body and the first, second and third parts into the main body of the faucet by forming an external molded portion overlaid on the surfaces of the combined preliminary main body with the resin molten at a temperate of 190° C. to 210° C. by an injection molding process; and plating nickel-chromium on an exterior of the main body for protection of the external molded portion.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first part and the second part have a nut, respectively for fastening on a water pipe, the nut being manufactured by an injection molding.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the composition of the resin and the glass fibers comprises, based on a total amount of the resin, 100 parts by weight, an amount of the glass fiber which is 15 parts by weight to 30 parts by weight.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a process flowchart sequentially illustrating manufacturing processes of a main body of a faucet according to the present invention;

(2) FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating each part of the main body of a faucet according to the present invention;

(3) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the main body of a faucet which is assembled with the base body and there parts illustrated in FIG. 2;

(4) FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the main body of a faucet according to the present invention in order to illustrate the inside structure of the main body of a faucet; and

(5) FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the main body of a faucet according to the present invention.

BEST MODE

(6) Hereinbelow, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(7) Referring to the drawings, according to the present invention, a main body 10 of a faucet is provided having a hot water inlet 12a and a cold water inlet 14a at both side portions, respectively and a water discharge port 16a in which hot water and cold water are mixed, a valve V for stopping a flow of water and a lever (not shown) for adjusting the valve.

(8) The main body 10 of a faucet comprises a base body 11, a first part 12, a second part 14, and a third part 16, which are separately formed respectively in the first step S10 of the manufacturing method of the present invention.

(9) The base body 11, the first part 12, the second part 14, and the third part 16 are formed of a composition of ABS resin and fiber glass.

(10) The first part 12 and the second part 14 may have a nut, respectively for fastening on a water pipe by an injection molding.

(11) The composition of ABS resin and fiber glass preferably has less deformation property in high temperatures, and based on a total amount of the ABS resin 100 parts by weight, an amount of the glass fiber is preferably 15 parts by weight to 30 parts by weight.

(12) The ABS resin is a thermoplastic resin making up for shortcomings of polystyrene and AB resins, articles formed of the composite of ABS resin and glass fiber are known as having good properties in tensile strength, size stability, impact resistance, heat resistance, electrical characteristics, oil-resistance, chemical resistance and mechanical properties.

(13) The base body 11 is formed so as to install a valve V, a hot water inlet 12a and a connection portion 12b are formed at the first part 12 and a cold water inlet 14a and a connection portion 14b are formed at the second part 14.

(14) A water passage 16a and a connection portion 16b are formed at the third part 16.

(15) The connection portions 12b, 14b and 16b has a fitting structure, respectively.

(16) According to the second step S20 of the manufacturing method of the present invention, the base body 11 and the three parts 12, 14 and 16 are assembled in one assembly and a molded portion 22 is formed on an exterior of the assembly.

(17) The assembly of the base body 11 and the three parts 12, 14 and 16 is overlaid with the external molded portion 22 by injection-molding of the ABS resin molten at temperature of 190° C. to 210° C.

(18) The external molded portion 22 by injection-molding of the ABS resin integrates the assembly of the base body 11 and the three parts 12, 14 and 16 to have improved durability.

(19) Also, the external molded portion reinforces the assembly and hides the boundaries of the base body 11 and the three parts 12, 14 and 16.

(20) According to the third step S30 of the manufacturing method of the invention, the external molded portion 22 is plated with nickel-chromium for protection of the surface thereof, thereby completing the manufacturing of the main body of the faucet, which has the same shape as the conventional faucet.

(21) Enlarged portion in FIG. 5 shows the protection layer 32 of nickel-chromium.

(22) The main body 10 manufactured in accordance with the three steps of the present invention is coupled to a water pipe by fastening the nut N, which is embedded in the forming process of the first part 12 and the second part 14, to the connecting member 2 of the water pipe.

(23) Therefore, the faucet according to the present invention may be manufactured without molding and joining processes of brass parts and thereby enabling mass production of a faucet.

(24) The persons skilled in this art will be understood that functional parts of the faucet in accordance with this invention may be produced in different ways than those described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings within the scope of the invention as claims below.

MODE FOR INVENTION

(25) 10: main body of a faucet

(26) 11: base body

(27) 12: first part

(28) 14: second part

(29) 16: third part

(30) 22: external molding portion

(31) 32: protection layer of nickel-chromium