# US 8,464,748 B2 · Waterway connection > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,464,748 B2 - Document ID: US8464748B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/878,584 - Filed: 2010-09-09 - Published: 2011-01-13 - Granted: 2013-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2005-08-29 - Assignees: Masco Corporation of Indiana - Applicants: Thomas Pinette - Inventors: Thomas Pinette - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8464748B2 ## CPC - F16K 11/207: {with two handles or actuating mechanisms at opposite sides of the housing} - E03C 1/0403: {Connecting the supply lines to the tap body} - F16K 19/006: {Specially adapted for faucets} - Y10T 137/0318: Processes - Y10T 137/0491: Valve or valve element assembling, disassembling, or replacing - Y10T 137/6014: Faucet type [e.g., domestic water use, etc.] - Y10T 137/7036: Jacketed - Y10T 137/87684: Valve in each inlet - Y10T 137/9464: Faucets and spouts - 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 - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A coupler for a fluid delivery device is disclosed which couples a first waterway component and a second waterway component, the coupler being an overmold component. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fluid delivery device for connection to a hot water supply and a cold water supply, the fluid delivery device comprising: a hot water valve body having a lower portion providing a hot water fluid inlet adapted to be coupled to the hot water supply, an upper portion having an internal cavity and a hot water fluid outlet, and an internal waterway connecting the hot water fluid inlet to the hot water fluid outlet; a cold water valve body having a lower portion providing a cold water fluid inlet adapted to be coupled to the cold water supply, an upper portion having an internal cavity and a cold water fluid outlet, and an internal waterway connecting the cold water fluid inlet to the cold water fluid outlet; a v-shaped waterway component having a first conduit providing a first fluid inlet, a second conduit providing a second fluid inlet, and a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the first and second fluid inlets; a hot water valve located in the internal cavity of the hot water valve body, the hot water valve being movable between a first position wherein water from hot water supply is in fluid communication with the first conduit of the waterway component and a second position wherein water from hot water supply is not in fluid communication with waterway component; a cold water valve located in the internal cavity of the cold water valve body, the cold water valve being movable between a first position wherein water from cold water supply is in fluid communication with the second conduit of the waterway component and a second position wherein water from cold water supply is not in fluid communication with the second conduit of the waterway component; and an overmold component covering portions of the first and second conduits of the waterway component configured to hold the waterway component in a fixed position relative to the hot and cold water valve bodies when in use with a pressurized fluid with the first fluid inlet of the first conduit in fluid communication with the hot water fluid outlet of the hot water valve body and the second fluid inlet of the second conduit in fluid communication with the cold water fluid outlet of the cold water valve body, the overmold component including an aperture to receive a lift rod of a pop-up drain assembly. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The fluid delivery device of claim 1, wherein the hot water valve body includes a cylindrically shaped sidewall having a first longitudinal axis and the cold water valve body includes a cylindrically shaped sidewall having a second longitudinal axis spaced apart from the first longitudinal axis, and wherein the hot water fluid outlet is a single fluid outlet formed in the sidewall of the hot water valve body and the cold water fluid outlet is a single fluid outlet formed in the sidewall of the cold water valve body. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The fluid delivery device of claim 2, wherein the hot water valve includes a hot water inlet configured to receive hot water from the hot water supply passing through the hot water valve body along a first direction and a hot water outlet for communicating the hot water through the hot water fluid outlet of the hot water valve body to the first fluid inlet of the first conduit of the waterway component along a second direction, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction, the hot water valve being rotatable about a first axis parallel to the first longitudinal axis of the hot water valve body; and wherein the cold water valve includes a cold water inlet configured to receive cold water from the cold water supply passing through the cold water valve body along the first direction and a cold water outlet for communicating the cold water through the cold water fluid outlet of the cold water valve body to the second fluid inlet of the second conduit of the waterway component along a third direction, the third direction being perpendicular to the first direction, the cold water valve being rotatable about a second axis parallel to the second longitudinal axis of the cold water valve body. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The fluid delivery device of claim 3, wherein the hot water valve body includes an internal hot water passageway located between the lower and upper portions of the hot water valve body, the hot water passageway being offset from the first longitudinal axis of the hot water valve body, and wherein the cold water valve body includes an internal cold water passageway located between the lower and upper portions of the cold water valve body, the cold water passageway being offset from the second longitudinal axis of the cold water valve body. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The fluid delivery device of claim 4, wherein the hot water valve is a cylindrically shaped hot water valve cartridge including a bottom surface and a sidewall, an internal waterway, a fluid inlet opening formed in the bottom surface offset from the first axis of the hot water valve, and a fluid outlet opening formed in the sidewall of the hot water valve cartridge, the fluid inlet opening of the hot water valve cartridge being aligned with the internal hot water passageway of the hot water valve body and the fluid outlet opening of the hot water valve cartridge being aligned with the single fluid outlet formed in the sidewall of the hot water valve body when the hot water valve is in its first position, and wherein the cold water valve is a cylindrically shaped cold water valve cartridge including a bottom surface and a sidewall, an internal waterway, a fluid inlet opening formed in the bottom surface offset from the second axis of the cold water valve, and a fluid outlet opening formed in the sidewall of the cold water valve cartridge, the fluid inlet opening of the cold water valve cartridge being aligned with the internal cold water passageway of the cold water valve body and the fluid outlet opening of the cold water valve cartridge being aligned with the single fluid outlet formed in the sidewall of the cold water valve body when the cold water valve is in its first position. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The fluid delivery device of claim 5, wherein the internal hot water passageway is configured to support a seal assembly for the hot water valve cartridge and the internal cold water passageway is configured to support a seal assembly for the cold water valve cartridge. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The fluid delivery device of claim 2, wherein a spacing between the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis is greater than an overall length of the waterway component, the waterway component being completely positioned between the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The fluid delivery device of claim 1, wherein the first and second conduits are tubular portions of the waterway component. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The fluid delivery device of claim 1, wherein the first and second conduits are aligned at an obtuse angle to define the v-shaped waterway component. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The fluid delivery device of claim 1, wherein the overmold component is made from a polymeric material. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The fluid delivery device of claim 1, further comprising a first handle coupled to the hot water valve to control a flow rate of hot water exiting the hot water fluid outlet of the hot water valve body and a second handle coupled to the cold water valve to control a flow rate of cold water exiting the cold water fluid outlet of the cold water valve body. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The fluid delivery device of claim 1, wherein the hot water valve body and the cold water valve body are separate components from the overmold component. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The fluid delivery device of claim 1, wherein the waterway component is a separate component from the overmold component. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The fluid delivery device of claim 13, wherein the waterway component is made from a polymeric material and the hot and cold water valve bodies are made from metal. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The fluid delivery device of claim 1, further comprising as escutcheon extending over the overmold component. ### Claim 16 A fluid delivery device for connection to a hot water supply and a cold water supply, the fluid delivery device comprising: a polymeric waterway component including a body having a fluid conduit therein; a hot water inlet of the fluid conduit being provided in a first end of the body of the polymeric waterway component, a cold water inlet of the fluid conduit being provided in a second end of the body of the polymeric waterway component, and a water outlet of the fluid conduit being provided in a top portion of the body of the polymeric waterway component, the water outlet being positioned between the first end of the body of the polymeric waterway component and the second end of the body of the polymeric waterway component; a hot water valve member having a hot water inlet for receiving hot water from the hot water supply along a first direction and a hot water outlet for communicating the hot water to the hot water inlet of the fluid conduit of the polymeric waterway component along a second direction, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction, the hot water valve member being rotatable about a first axis parallel to the first direction; a cold water valve member having a cold water inlet for receiving cold water from the cold water supply along the first direction and a cold water outlet for communicating the cold water to the cold water inlet of the fluid conduit of the polymeric waterway component along a third direction, the third direction being perpendicular to the first direction, the cold water valve member being rotatable about a second axis parallel to the first direction; a polymeric overmold component, the overmold component overmolded around the first end of the body of the polymeric waterway component, overmolded around the second end of the body of the polymeric waterway component, surrounding the hot water valve member, surrounding the cold water valve member, maintaining a position of the polymeric waterway component relative to the first axis of the hot water valve member, maintaining the position of the polymeric waterway component relative to the second axis of the cold water valve member, and contacting the body of the polymeric waterway component, wherein a spacing between the first axis and the second axis is greater than an overall length of the polymeric waterway component, the polymeric waterway component being completely positioned between the first axis and the second axis; and an escutheon extending over the polymeric overmold component. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The fluid delivery device of claim 16, wherein the polymeric waterway component is a v-shaped waterway component having a first conduit providing the hot water inlet and a second conduit providing the cold water inlet. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The fluid delivery device of claim 17, wherein the first and second conduits are tubular portions of the polymeric waterway component, and an aperture formed within the polymeric overmold component to receive a lift rod of a pop-up drain assembly. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The fluid delivery device of claim 17, wherein the first and second conduits are aligned at an obtuse angle to define the v-shaped waterway component. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The fluid delivery device of claim 16, wherein the hot water valve body and the cold water valve body are separate components from the polymeric overmold component. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The fluid delivery device of claim 16, wherein the waterway component is a separate component from the polymeric overmold component. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The fluid delivery device of claim 21, wherein the waterway component is made from a polymeric material and the hot and cold water valve bodies are made from metal. ### Claim 23 A fluid delivery device for connection to a hot water supply and a cold water supply, the fluid delivery device comprising: a hot water valve body having cylindrically shaped sidewall defining a first longitudinal axis, the hot water valve body including lower portion providing a hot water fluid inlet adapted to be coupled to the hot water supply, an upper portion having an internal cavity and a single hot water fluid outlet formed in the sidewall of the hot water valve body, and an internal waterway connecting the hot water fluid inlet to the hot water fluid outlet; a cold water valve body having cylindrically shaped sidewall defining a second longitudinal axis spaced apart from the first longitudinal axis, the cold water valve body including a lower portion providing a cold water fluid inlet adapted to be coupled to the cold water supply, an upper portion having an internal cavity and a single cold water fluid outlet formed in the sidewall of the cold water valve body, and an internal waterway connecting the cold water fluid inlet to the cold water fluid outlet; a waterway component having a first conduit providing a first fluid inlet, a second conduit providing a second fluid inlet, and a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the first and second fluid inlets; a hot water valve located in the internal cavity of the hot water valve body, the hot water valve being rotatable about a first axis parallel to the first longitudinal axis of the hot water valve body between a first position wherein water from hot water supply is in fluid communication with the first conduit of the waterway component and a second position wherein water from hot water supply is not in fluid communication with waterway component, the hot water valve including a hot water inlet configured to receive hot water from the hot water supply passing through the hot water valve body along a first direction and a hot water outlet for communicating the hot water through the single hot water fluid outlet of the hot water valve body to the first fluid inlet of the first conduit of the waterway component along a second direction when the hot water valve is in its first position, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction; a cold water valve located in the internal cavity of the cold water valve body, the cold water valve being rotatable about a second axis parallel to the second longitudinal axis of the cold water valve body between a first position wherein water from cold water supply is in fluid communication with the second conduit of the waterway component and a second position wherein water from cold water supply is not in fluid communication with waterway component, the cold water valve including a cold water inlet configured to receive cold water from the cold water supply passing through the cold water valve body along the first direction and a cold water outlet for communicating the cold water through the single cold water fluid outlet of the cold water valve body to the second fluid inlet of the second conduit of the waterway component along a third direction when the cold water valve is in its first position, the third direction being perpendicular to the first direction; and an overmold component covering portions of the first and second conduits of the waterway component configured to hold the waterway component in a fixed position relative to the hot and cold water valve bodies when in use with a pressurized fluid with the first fluid inlet of the first conduit in fluid communication with the hot water fluid outlet of the hot water valve body and the second fluid inlet of the second conduit in fluid communication with the cold water fluid outlet of the cold water valve body, the overmold component including an aperture to receive a lift rod of a pop-up drain assembly. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The fluid delivery device of claim 23, wherein the hot water valve body includes an internal hot water passageway located between the lower and upper portions of the hot water valve body, the hot water passageway being offset from the first longitudinal axis of the hot water valve body, and wherein the cold water valve body includes an internal cold water passageway located between the lower and upper portions of the cold water valve body, the cold water passageway being offset from the second longitudinal axis of the cold water valve body. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The fluid delivery device of claim 24, wherein the hot water valve is a cylindrically shaped hot water valve cartridge including a bottom surface and a sidewall, an internal waterway, a fluid inlet opening formed in the bottom surface offset from the first axis of the hot water valve, and a fluid outlet opening formed in the sidewall of the hot water valve cartridge, the fluid inlet opening of the hot water valve cartridge being aligned with the internal hot water passageway of the hot water valve body and the fluid outlet opening of the hot water valve cartridge being aligned with the single fluid outlet formed in the sidewall of the hot water valve body when the hot water valve is in its first position, and wherein the cold water valve is a cylindrically shaped cold water valve cartridge including a bottom surface and a sidewall, an internal waterway, a fluid inlet opening formed in the bottom surface offset from the second axis of the cold water valve, and a fluid outlet opening formed in the sidewall of the cold water valve cartridge, the fluid inlet opening of the cold water valve cartridge being aligned with the internal cold water passageway of the cold water valve body and the fluid outlet opening of the cold water valve cartridge being aligned with the single fluid outlet formed in the sidewall of the cold water valve body when the cold water valve is in its first position. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) The fluid delivery device of claim 23, wherein a spacing between the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis is greater than an overall length of the waterway component, the waterway component being completely positioned between the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis. ### Claim 27 (depends on 23) The fluid delivery device of claim 23, wherein the waterway component is a v-shaped waterway component. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The fluid delivery device of claim 27, wherein the first and second conduits are aligned at an obtuse angle to define the v-shaped waterway component. ### Claim 29 (depends on 23) The fluid delivery device of claim 23, wherein the first and second conduits of the waterway component are tubular portions. ### Claim 30 (depends on 23) The fluid delivery device of claim 23, wherein the hot water valve body and the cold water valve body are separate components from the overmold component. ### Claim 31 (depends on 23) The fluid delivery device of claim 23, wherein the waterway component is a separate component from the overmold component. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The fluid delivery device of claim 31, wherein the waterway component is made from a polymeric material and the hot and cold water valve bodies are made from metal. ### Claim 33 (depends on 23) The fluid delivery device of claim 23, further comprising an escutcheon extending over the overmold component.