US 4,730,786 A · Low noise, flow limiting, laminar stream spout

Abstract

A faucet spout attachment is disclosed including a flow-limiting plate having flow-controlling orifices. Downstream of the flow-limiting plate, alternate series of perforated disks and wire screens arrest stream velocity and redistribute the velocity profile of the stream to provide laminar flow. A screen in contact with the downstream surface of the flow-limiting plate suppreses noise. The flow-limiting plate includes a central flow-trimming orifice whose diameter is selected so that the overall flow rate of the device falls just within the lower end of a predetermined flow range thereby maintaining stream-generated noise at a minimum.

Drawings

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Drawings

Claims24

Dependent claims

A spout attachment comprising:

a generally cylindrical housing having an inlet end adapted for coupling to a spout and an outlet end, said housing defining a flow passage connecting said ends;
a flow-limiting plate disposed across said flow passage near the inlet end, the plate having a plurality of flow-limiting orifices of predetermined diameter, the plate further including a flow-trimming orifice having a diameter selected to place the flow rate of the spout attachment within a selected portion of a predetermined flow range;
a first and a second series of spaced wire screens disposed across said flow passage downstream of said flow-limiting plate;
and
a series of spaced, perforated disks disposed across said flow passage between said first and second series of wire screens, said screens and disks arresting the flow velocity and providing a more uniform velocity profile across the flow passage.

2 more elements

A low noise, laminar stream, flow-limiting spout attachment comprising:

a generally cylindrical housing having an inlet end adapted for coupling to a spout and an outlet end, said housing defining a flow passage between said ends;
a flow-limiting plate supported by said housing and disposed across said flow passage near the inlet end, the plate having circular arrays of flow-limiting orifices, said plate further having an upstream surface and a downstream surface;
a first series of wire screens supported by said housing and extending across said flow passage downstream of said flow-limiting plate, said first series comprising four, substantially equally spaced screens, one of said screens being disposed across and in contact with the downstream surface of the flow-limiting plate;
a second series of wire screens supported by said housing and extending across said flow passage adjacent said outlet end, said second series comprising three, substantially equally spaced screens;
a series of three substantially equally spaced perforated disks supported by said housing and extending across said flow passage, said series of disks being disposed intermediate said first and second series of screens, the spacings between adjacent screens, between adjacent disks and between adjacent series of screens and disks being substantially the same;
and
the combination of one perforated disk and one wire screen supported by said housing and extending across said flow passage upstream of said flow-limiting plate, said upstream disk and screen being in contact with each other, said upstream screen confronting the upstream surface of the flow-limiting plate and being spaced therefrom.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description2,717 words

Summary303 words

#This invention relates generally to a faucet spout attachment for modifying the characteristics of the stream flowing through the attachment, and more particularly to a spout attachment for providing a flow-limited laminar stream while minimizing stream-generated noise.

#A spout attachment in accordance with a specific embodiment of the invention includes a flow-limiting plate extending across a flow passage and having a plurality of flow-limiting orifices of predetermined diameter. A screen is disposed across the flow passage in contact with the downstream surface of the flow-limiting plate. This contact relationship has been found to be effective in suppressing stream-generated noise. A plurality of spaced-apart screens are disposed across the flow passage downstream of the first-mentioned screen. Last, a plurality of spaced-apart perforated disks are disposed across the flow passage between the first mentioned screen and the plurality of spaced-apart screens. The screens and perforated disks modify the velocity profile across the diameter of the flow passage to maximize redistribution of stream kinetic energy. A uniform, constant flow velocity is thereby provided across virtually the entire cross-section of the flow passage so as to limit the maximum velocity and thereby produce laminar flow, that is, a soft, clear stream essentially free of turbulence and splash.

#Pursuant to another aspect of the invention, the flow-limiting orifices in the flow-limiting plate are arranged in circular arrays about a central trimming orifice. By themselves, the flow-limiting orifices provide a flow rate below a predetermined flow range. The diameter of the trimming orifice is selected to increase the flow rate to place it, for a given pressure, within the low end of the predetermined range. This feature further helps ro reduce noise. In accordance with a specific example of the invention, stream-generated noise does not exceed the 20 decibel limit imposed by certain codes governing plumbing system noise levels.

Brief description of the drawings4 figures

#A better understanding of the invention, as well as further objects and advantages thereof, may be had from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

#FIG. 1 is longitudinal cross-section of a spout attachment according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

#FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are transverse cross-sections of the device shown in FIG. 1 as seen along the planes 2--2, 3--3 and 4--4, respectively;

Detailed description2,299 words

#With reference to FIGS. 1-4 of the drawings, a spout attachment according to a first embodiment the invention includes a cylindrical housing 10 comprising an outer shell 12, an upper cartridge 14 and a lower cartridge 16. The upper and lower cartridges are detachably coupled at a lap joint 18 which facilitates assembly, disassembly and cleaning of the attachment. (It will be understood that the term "upper" and "lower" are not to be construed in a restrictive sense and are used merely in aid of the description of the attachment oriented as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5; the orientation of the device is not, of course, limited to that depicted there).

#The mating upper and lower cartridges 14 and 16 fit snugly within the shell 12 which is provided at its upper or inlet end with internal threads 20 for coupling the attachment to a faucet spout. The shell 12 has a lower or outlet end defined by an inwardly-directed flange 22. A similar, inwardly-directed flange 24 on the outlet end of the lower cartridge 16 engages the flange 22 on the housing shell. A central flow passage 26 connects the inlet and outlet ends of the attachment. The inlet and outlet ends are also referred to as the upstream and downstream ends, respectively.

#The shell 12 is preferably fabricated of metal while the cartridges are plastic elements best formed by an injection-molding process.

Facts

Application

06/892,957Filed 4 Aug 1986 · continuation in part

Priority

15 Aug 1984

Granted

15 Mar 1988

Term ended

15 Mar 2005

Estimated · how

Pre-1995 term; greater of 17 years from grant or 20 years from filing when eligible. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification4 codes

E03C 1/08
Plumbing installations for fresh water: jet regulators or jet guides, e.g. anti-splash devices
F16K 47/08
Means in valves for absorbing fluid energy: for decreasing pressure or noise level and having a throttling member separate from the closure member…
E03C
Domestic plumbing installations for fresh water or waste water
F16K
Valves

Low noise, flow limiting, laminar stream spout

Life of this patent

Low noise, flow limiting, laminar stream spout

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims24

Description2,717 words

Drawings

Classification4 codes

Life of this patent

Description2,717 words