Valve assembly
AssigneeKohler Co.
InventorsDavid H. Ritter, Brian S. Core
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fluid control valve for a faucet includes a body, a stem, a moveable disc, and at least one stationary disc. The stem is rotatably coupled to the body. The moveable disc is coupled to the stem and is configured to rotate with the stem. The at least one stationary disc is coupled to the body below the moveable disc. The fluid control valve is configured to be biased in an axial direction against a retaining element within a valve body by an incoming supply of fluid through the at least one stationary disc, so as to retain the fluid control valve within the valve body along the axial direction.
Claims21
A fluid control valve for a faucet, the fluid control valve comprising:
- a body including a circumferential channel;
- a stem rotatably coupled to the body;
- a moveable disc coupled to the stem, wherein the moveable disc is configured to rotate with the stem;
- at least one stationary disc coupled to the body below the moveable disc;
- and
- a valve seal coupled to the body and including an upper circumferential protrusion and a lower circumferential protrusion, one of the upper circumferential protrusion or the lower circumferential protrusion being configured to be received in the circumferential channel below the at least one stationary disc to couple the valve seal to the body.
A fluid control valve for a faucet, the fluid control valve comprising:
- a body including a circumferential channel;
- a stem rotatably coupled to the body;
- a moveable disc coupled to the stem, wherein the moveable disc is configured to rotate with the stem;
- a first stationary disc coupled to the body below the moveable disc;
- a second stationary disc coupled to the body below the first stationary disc;
- and
- a valve seal coupled to the body and including an upper circumferential protrusion and a lower circumferential protrusion, one of the upper circumferential protrusion or the lower circumferential protrusion being configured to be received in the circumferential channel below the second stationary disc to couple the valve seal to the body;
- wherein the first and second stationary discs are fixed relative to the body.
A fluid control valve for a faucet, the fluid control valve comprising:
- a body including a circumferential channel;
- a stem rotatably coupled to the body;
- a moveable disc coupled to the stem, wherein the moveable disc is configured to rotate with the stem;
- a stationary disc coupled to the body below the moveable disc;
- and
- a valve seal coupled to the body below the stationary disc, wherein the valve seal includes an upper circumferential protrusion and a lower circumferential protrusion, and wherein the valve seal is reversible such that the valve seal is configured to be coupled to the body in a plurality of different orientations;
- wherein one of the upper circumferential protrusion or the lower circumferential protrusion is configured to be received in the circumferential channel below the stationary disc to couple the valve seal to the body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.