# US 2014/0197343 A1 · Faucet handle assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0197343 A1 - Document ID: US20140197343A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/739,717 - Filed: 2013-01-11 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-11 - Assignees: Masco Corporation of Indiana - Applicants: Masco Corporation of Indiana - Inventors: Steven Vincent Horsman; DeWayne Alan Davis; Patrick B. Jonte - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140197343A1 ## CPC - F16K 31/602: {Pivoting levers, e.g. single-sided (F16K31/605 takes precedence)} - E03C 1/0412: {Constructional or functional features of the faucet handle (valve actuating members as such F16K31/60)} - F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)} - E03C: DOMESTIC PLUMBING INSTALLATIONS FOR FRESH WATER OR WASTE WATER (not connected to either water-supply main or to waste pipe A47K; devices of the kind used in the ground E03B, E03F); SINKS ## Abstract A faucet handle assembly includes a handle having a user input portion and a shaft extending axially downwardly from the user input portion. A hub includes a side wall defining an internal chamber extending between an open upper end and an open lower end, the open upper end rotatably receiving the shaft of the handle. A push nut retains the shaft of the handle to the hub and is slidably adjustable along the shaft for axial positioning therealong. A mounting base is received within the internal chamber of the hub and secures the hub to a mounting deck. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A faucet handle assembly comprising: a handle including a user input portion and a shaft extending downwardly along a longitudinal axis from the user input portion, the shaft including a shoulder defining a downwardly facing surface; a hub including a side wall defining an internal chamber extending between an open upper end and an open lower end, the open upper end including an upwardly facing surface, a lip within the internal chamber defining a downwardly facing surface, the shaft of the handle being received within the open upper end for rotation about the longitudinal axis, and opposing retainer tabs extending inwardly from the side wall into the internal chamber proximate the open lower end; a push nut to retain the shaft of the handle to the hub, the push nut including an upper surface and slidably adjustable along the shaft of the handle for axial positioning relative to the downwardly facing surface of the lip of the hub for accommodating tolerances between the handle and the hub, the upwardly and downwardly facing surfaces of the hub being captured between the downwardly facing surface of the shaft of the handle and the upper surface of the push nut; an upper glide ring positioned intermediate the shaft of the handle and the hub to define an upper bearing between the downwardly facing surface of the shoulder of the handle and the upwardly facing surface of the upper end of the hub; a lower glide ring positioned intermediate the hub and the push nut to define a lower bearing between the downwardly facing surface of the lip of the hub and the upper surface of the push nut; and a mounting base including a support defining a central opening and arms positioned outwardly from the central opening and defining rotational lock channels to receive the retainer tabs of the hub, the hub being in an unlocked position when the tabs are positioned outside of the channels, and the hub being in a locked position when the huh is rotated about the longitudinal axis from the unlocked position such that the tabs are received within the lock channels. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The faucet handle assembly of claim 1, further comprising a valve body including an upper receiving member configured to receive a valve cartridge having a valve stem, and a mounting shank extending downwardly from the upper receiving member, the mounting shank including a retaining tip supported by an upper surface of the mounting base. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The faucet handle assembly of claim 2, wherein the mounting base includes first orientation flats and the mounting shank includes second orientation flats configured to cooperate with the first orientation flats to angularly orient the valve body to the mounting base. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The faucet handle assembly of claim 2, further comprising a mounting nut, wherein the mounting shank includes external threads, the mounting nut threadably coupled to the mounting shank to clamp a mounting deck between the mounting base and the mounting nut. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The faucet handle assembly of claim 2, wherein the shaft of the handle includes a D-shaped cross-sectional lower opening, and the valve stem has a D-shaped cross-section received within the lower opening of the shaft. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The faucet handle assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting base is recessed within the internal chamber of the hub. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The faucet handle assembly of claim 6, further comprising a gasket positioned intermediate the hub and the mounting deck and around the mounting base. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The faucet handle assembly of claim 1, wherein the side wall of the hub has a rectangular cross-section. ### Claim 9 A faucet handle assembly for coupling to a valve stem, the faucet handle assembly comprising: a handle including a user input portion and a shaft extending downwardly from the user input portion, the shaft including a shoulder defining a downwardly facing surface; a hub including a side wall defining an internal chamber extending between an open upper end and an open lower end, the open upper end including an upwardly facing surface, the shaft of the handle being rotatably received within the open upper end, and a downwardly facing surface positioned within the internal chamber; a push nut to retain the shaft to the hub, the push nut slidably adjustable along the shaft of the handle for axial positioning relative to the downwardly facing contact surface of the shoulder of the handle for accomodating tolerances between the handle and the hub; a valve body including an upper receiving member configured to receive a valve cartridge having a valve stem, and a mounting shank extending downwardly from the upper receiving member; a mounting base defining a central opening, the mounting shank of the valve body extending through the central opening ; a valve body orientation device to angularly orient the valve body relative to the mounting base; a hub orientation device to angularly orient the hub relative to the mounting base; and a handle orientation device to angularly orient the user input portion of the handle relative to e valve stem. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The faucet handle assembly of claim 9, wherein the hub orientation device includes: opposing retainer tabs extending inwardly from the side wall of the hub; and opposing arms positioned outwardly from the central opening of the mounting base and defining rotational lock channels to receive the retainer tabs of the hub, the hub being in an unlocked position when the tabs are positioned outside of the channels, and the hub being in a locked position when the hub is rotated about the longitudinal axis from the unlocked position such that the tabs are received within the lock channels. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The faucet handle assembly of claim 10, further comprising: an upper glide ring positioned intermediate the shaft of the handle and the hub to define an upper bearing between the downwardly facing surface of the shoulder of the handle and the upwardly facing surface of the upper end of the hub; and a tower glide ring positioned intermediate the huh and the push nut to define a lower bearing between the downwardly facing surface of the hub and the push nut. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The faucet handle assembly of claim 10, wherein the valve body orientation device includes first orientation flats within the mounting base, and second orientation fiats within the mounting shank and configured to cooperate with the first orientation flats rotationally locate the valve body relative to the mounting base. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The faucet handle assembly of claim 12, further comprising a mounting nut, wherein the mounting shank includes external threads, the mounting nut threadably coupled to the mounting shank to clamp a mounting deck between the mounting base and the mounting nut. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The faucet handle assembly of claim 12, wherein the handle orientation device includes a D-shaped cross-sectional lower opening in the shaft of the handle, and the valve stem has a D-shaped cross-section received within the lower opening of the shaft. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The faucet handle assembly of claim 9, wherein the mounting base is recessed within the internal chamber of the hub. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The faucet handle assembly of claim 15, further comprising a gasket positioned intermediate the hub and the mounting deck and around the mounting base. ### Claim 17 (depends on 9) The faucet handle assembly of claim 9, wherein the hub has a rectangular cross-section. ### Claim 18 A faucet handle assembly comprising: a handle including a user input portion and a shaft extending axially downwardly from the user input portion, the shaft including a shoulder defining a downwardly facing surface; a hub including a side wall defining an internal chamber extending between an open upper end and an open lower end, the open upper end including an upwardly facing surface, a lip within the internal chamber defining a downwardly facing surface, the shaft of the handle being received within the open upper end fur rotation about the longitudinal axis; a push nut to retain the shaft of the handle to the hub, the push nut including an upper surface and slidably adjustable along the shaft of the handle for axial positioning relative to the downwardly facing surface of the lip of the hub for accommodating tolerances between the handle and the hub, the upwardly and downwardly facing surfaces of the hub captured between the downwardly facing surface of the shaft of the handle and the upper surface of the push nut; a valve body including an upper receiving member configured to receive a valve cartridge having a valve stem, and a mounting shank extending downwardly from the upper receiving member and including a retaining lip; and a mounting base recessed within the chamber of the hub, the mounting base including a support defining a central opening and a coupler extending upwardly from the base and cooperating with an inner surface of the side wall of the hub to secure the hub to the mounting base, the retaining lip of the mounting shank supported by an upper surface of the mounting base. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The faucet handle assembly of claim 18, further comprising: a valve body orientation device to angularly orient the body relative to the mounting base; a hub orientation device to angularly orient the hub relative to the mounting base; and a handle orientation device to angularly orient the user input portion to the valve stem. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The faucet handle assembly of claim 19, wherein the hub orientation device includes: opposing retainer tabs extending inwardly from the side wall of the hub; and opposing arms positioned outwardly from the central opening of the mounting base and defining rotational lock channels to receive the retainer tabs of the hub, the hub in an unlocked position when the tabs are positioned outside of the channels, and the hub in a locked position when the hub is rotated about the longitudinal axis such that the tabs are received within the lock channels. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The faucet handle assembly of claim 20, wherein the valve body orientation device includes first orientation flats within the mounting base, and second orientation flats within the mounting shank and configured to cooperate with the first orientation flats rotationally locate the valve body relative to the mounting base. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The faucet handle assembly of claim 21, further comprising a mounting nut, wherein the mounting shank includes external threads, the mounting nut threadably coupled to the mounting shank to clamp a mounting deck between the mounting base and the mounting nut. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The faucet handle assembly of claim 21, wherein the handle orientation device includes a D-shaped cross-sectional lower opening in the shaft of the handle, and the valve stem has a D-shaped cross-section received within the tower opening of the shaft.