Faucet with improved valve
AssigneeKohler Co.
InventorsDavid H. Ritter, Brian S. Core
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cartridge valve for a faucet that includes a housing; a stem adapter at least partially received in the housing and comprising a body defining a slotted hole, which extends in a longitudinal direction, and a threaded hole, which extends in a radial direction; a stem received in the slotted hole and having a central portion that defines a threaded hole; and a screw threaded to the threaded hole of the stem and the threaded hole of the stem adapter to rotatably couple the stem to the stem adapter at a first predetermined frictional resistance in response to rotation of the stem relative to the stem adapter.
Claims20
A cartridge valve for a faucet, the cartridge valve comprising:
- a housing;
- a stem adapter at least partially received in the housing and comprising a body defining a slotted hole, which extends in a longitudinal direction, and a threaded hole, which extends in a radial direction;
- a stem received in the slotted hole and having a central portion that defines a threaded hole;
- and
- a screw threaded to the threaded hole of the stem and the threaded hole of the stem adapter to rotatably couple the stem to the stem adapter at a first predetermined frictional resistance in response to rotation of the stem relative to the stem adapter.
A cartridge valve for a faucet, the cartridge valve comprising:
- a housing;
- a stem adapter configured to be at least partially received in the housing and comprising a body defining a first hole, which extends in a longitudinal direction;
- and
- a stem assembly comprising:
- a first stem component comprising an arm and a spherical portion that is configured to be at least partially positioned within the first hole and defines an opening;
- and
- a second stem component comprising a body that is configured to be at least partially received within the opening of the first stem component;
- wherein the spherical portion is configured to expand in size in response to inserting a portion of the body of the second stem component into the opening in the first stem component, which increases a frictional resistance induced by relative rotation between the stem assembly and the stem adapter.
A cartridge valve for a faucet, the cartridge valve comprising:
- a housing;
- a stem adapter configured to be at least partially received in the housing and comprising a body defining a hole extending in a longitudinal direction and a bore extending in a radial direction;
- a stem assembly comprising an arm and a spherical portion that is configured to be at least partially positioned within the hole;
- and
- a plug assembly comprising:
- a plug configured to be located in the bore proximate the stem assembly;
- and
- a screw configured to be threaded in the bore and configured to compress the plug against the stem assembly in response to tightening the screw to increase a normal force between the plug and the stem assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.