Valve assembly having improved rotational feel
AssigneeKohler Co.
InventorsDavid H. Ritter, Chad J. Cochart, Douglas J. Brouwer, Christopher M. Shay, Brian S. Core, Michael W. Smith
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A valve assembly includes a valve housing having an internal generally cup-shaped bore, a valve control cartridge inserted into the bore and having a rotatable control stem extending upwardly therefrom, and a bonnet nut having a through-bore. The bonnet nut is threaded to the valve housing such that the control stem extends through the through-bore. Flexible fingers are provided along the through-bore to control a level of resistance to a rotation of the rotatable control stem. The stem is positioned to frictionally engage the flexible fingers as the stem is rotated.
Claims20
A valve assembly, comprising:
- a valve housing having an internal generally cup-shaped bore;
- a valve control cartridge inserted into the bore and having a rotatable control stem extending upwardly therefrom;
- and
- a bonnet nut having a through-bore, the bonnet nut coupled to the valve housing such that the control stem extends through the through-bore;
- wherein flexible fingers are provided along the through-bore to control a level of resistance to a rotation of the rotatable control stem;
- wherein the rotatable control stem is positioned to frictionally engage the flexible fingers as the rotatable control stem is rotated.
A valve assembly, comprising:
- a valve housing having a bore;
- a valve control cartridge inserted into the bore, the valve control cartridge including one or more tabs configured to be rotationally align and fix the valve control cartridge in relation to the bore of the valve housing, the valve control cartridge also including a rotatable control stem extending upwardly therefrom;
- and
- a bonnet nut having a through-bore, the bonnet nut coupled to the valve housing such that the control stem extends through the through-bore;
- wherein the rotatable control stem is positioned to engage the flexible fingers as the rotatable control stem is rotated.
A method of manufacturing a valve assembly, comprising:
- providing a valve housing having an internal generally cup-shaped bore;
- providing a valve control cartridge inserted into the bore and having a rotatable control stem extending upwardly therefrom;
- and
- providing a bonnet nut having a through-bore, the bonnet nut coupled to the valve housing such that the control stem extends through the through-bore;
- wherein flexible fingers are provided along the through-bore to control a level of resistance to a rotation of the rotatable control stem;
- wherein the rotatable control stem is positioned to frictionally engage the flexible fingers as the rotatable control stem is rotated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.