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US 8,074,675 B2Granted
Faucet handle mounting
AssigneeMasco Corporation of Indiana
InventorsKurt Judson Thomas, Brian Jolliffe, Dan Zendzian
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A faucet handle assembly configured to couple to a valve stem extending outwardly from an escutcheon. The faucet handle assembly includes a handle base axially adjustable along a longitudinal axis of the valve stem. A glide surface is supported by the handle base and is configured to contact an outer surface of the escutcheon.
Claims19
A faucet including:
- a mounting base including an opening and an upwardly facing surface;
- a valve including a valve body, a valve stem having an upper end positioned above the opening of the mounting base, and a bonnet operably coupling the valve stem to the valve body;
- a handle base including an upper end and an open lower end, the open lower end including a cavity configured to receive the valve stem;
- and
- a glide ring coupled to the lower end of the handle base and configured to move axially with the handle base, the glide ring including a retaining surface received within the cavity of the handle base and conforming to an inner surface of the handle base, and including a downwardly facing glide surface contacting the upwardly facing surface of the mounting base and including an upper surface contacting the handle base to provide for relative movement between the handle base and the mounting base, while filling an axial clearance gap between the handle base and the mounting base such that the handle base and the mounting base are in axially spaced relation thereby preventing contact between the upwardly facing surface of the mounting base and the lower end of the handle base, the glide ring further including an annular upper portion concentrically received within the open lower end of the handle base, and an annular lower portion positioned below the lower end of the handle base and including the downwardly facing glide surface, the upper portion of the glide ring supporting a plurality of locking tabs and the lower end of the handle base includes an annular lip, the annular lip configured to be secured between the locking tabs and the lower portion of the glide ring.
2 more elements
A faucet handle assembly configured to couple to a valve stem of a valve, the valve stem having an upper end positioned above an opening of an escutcheon and being operably coupled to a valve body by a bonnet, the faucet handle assembly comprising:
- a handle base including a first end, a second end, and a cavity extending from the second end toward the first end, the cavity including an annular lip, the cavity of the handle base positioned above the escutcheon and configured to receive the valve stem and the bonnet;
- means for selectively adjusting and locking the handle base along an axis of the valve stem;
- means for engaging the second end of the handle base cavity via the lip and an outer surface of the escutcheon and for closing the space between the second end of the handle base and the outer surface of the escutcheon while permitting movement of the handle base relative to the escutcheon, while preventing contact between the handle base and the escutcheon;
- and
- means for coupling the engaging means to the second end of the handle base thereby restraining axial and radial movement of the engaging means relative to the handle base.
2 more elements
A faucet handle assembly configured to couple to a valve stem of a valve, the valve stem extending outwardly from an escutcheon, the faucet handle assembly comprising:
- a handle base configured to be coupled to the valve stem, the handle base including a first end and a second end, the second end including an annular lip;
- a handle coupled to the first end of the handle base such that movement of the handle is configured to rotate the handle base and the valve stem about the longitudinal axis, thereby causing the second end of the handle base to move relative to the escutcheon;
- and
- a glide ring coupled to move axially with the handle base and including a retaining portion concentrically received within the lip of the second end of the handle base and a flange portion having a non-metallic glide surface extending radially outwardly from the retaining portion and facing an outer surface of the escutcheon, the glide surface extending transversely within a clearance gap defined intermediate the second end of the handle base and the escutcheon, the glide surface configured to contact the outer surface of the escutcheon and to provide for relative movement between the handle base and the escutcheon, while preventing contact between the handle base and the escutcheon.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.