A flow control assembly for a single lever faucet includes a coupler adapted to operatively connect a handle to a valve stem of a valve assembly. A cam mechanism has a valve stem portion and a handle portion, where the cam mechanism is operatively connected to the valve stem and the cam mechanism en
A flow control assembly for a single lever faucet includes a coupler adapted to operatively connect a handle to a valve stem of a valve assembly. A cam mechanism has a valve stem portion and a handle portion, where the cam mechanism is operatively connected to the valve stem and the cam mechanism engages the valve stem to move the valve stem to a predefined open position in response to the handle being moved from a neutral handle position to a water on position. The coupler provides a biasing resistance that increases resistance to handle movement as the handle is oriented in a position other than a neutral handle position.
대표청구항▼
1. A single lever faucet comprising: a faucet body;a faucet spigot connected to the faucet body;a handle;a valve assembly disposed in the faucet body, the valve assembly comprising: a valve body having a water input and a water output, the water output in fluid communication with the faucet spigot;
1. A single lever faucet comprising: a faucet body;a faucet spigot connected to the faucet body;a handle;a valve assembly disposed in the faucet body, the valve assembly comprising: a valve body having a water input and a water output, the water output in fluid communication with the faucet spigot; anda regulator disposed in the valve body and having a valve stem, the regulator being adjustably operable between a closed regulator position and a plurality of open regulator positions, each of the plurality of open regulator positions permitting a predefined flow rate of water from the water input to the water output; anda water flow control assembly operatively connected between the handle and the valve stem, the water flow control assembly comprising: a faucet valve coupler adapted to operatively connect the handle of the single lever faucet to the valve stem of the valve assembly of the single lever faucet and to engage the valve assembly of the single lever faucet, the faucet valve coupler having an actuator element and a handle actuator wherein the actuator element supports the handle actuator wherein the faucet valve coupler provides a biasing resistance to handle movement as the handle is oriented in a position other than a neutral handle position; anda cam mechanism having a valve stem portion and a handle portion, the cam mechanism being operatively connected to the valve stem of the valve assembly wherein the cam mechanism engages the valve stem to move the valve stem to a predefined open position in response to activation of the handle of the single lever faucet by a user when the handle is moved from the neutral handle position to a water on position wherein the predefined open position provides water flow that is less than a full open water flow,wherein the handle automatically returns to a handle neutral position with the water flowing after engagement of the handle by the user to any water on position followed by release of the handle by the user;wherein the handle automatically returns to the handle neutral position with no water flowing after engagement of the handle by the user to the water off position followed by release of the handle by the user; andwherein the handle automatically returns to the neutral position with some water flowing after engagement of the handle by the user to a position less than fully off, followed by release of the handle by the user. 2. The faucet of claim 1 wherein the faucet valve coupler includes a handle biasing member connected between the actuator element and the handle of the single lever faucet wherein the handle biasing member provides the biasing resistance to the handle to return the handle to the neutral handle position. 3. The faucet of claim 1 wherein the cam mechanism is selected from the group consisting of a ratchet assembly, a Geneva mechanism, a lead screw, a ball screw, a freewheel mechanism, a one-way friction clutch, a geared arrangement, a plate cam, a cylindrical cam, a face cam, a linear cam, and a linear pin. 4. The faucet of claim 3 wherein the cam mechanism has a cam driving mechanism selected from the group consisting of mechanical, electro-mechanical and electrical. 5. The faucet of claim 1 wherein the cam mechanism includes a ratchet assembly comprising an actuator cam having a plurality of detents, the actuator cam being directly connected to the valve stem, a pawl with a detent engaging portion that selectively engages with one of the plurality of detents, a pawl biasing member connected to the pawl and oriented to bias the detent engaging portion of the pawl into one of the plurality of detents, and a pawl release cam having a pawl release surface that is engaged by the detent engaging portion of the pawl causing the pawl to orient into a detent release position when the handle is moved from the neutral position to a water off position. 6. The faucet of claim 1 further comprising a valve closing element having a valve closing surface that engages the valve stem to orient the valve stem to a water off position when the handle of the single lever faucet is moved to a water off position. 7. The faucet of claim 6 wherein the valve closing element is selected from the group consisting of an angled handle surface on an inside portion of the handle that engages the handle actuator which has the valve closing surface that contacts the valve stem when the handle of the single lever faucet is moved to the water off position, and a handle actuator member directly connected to the handle actuator wherein the handle actuator member has the valve closing surface that contacts the valve stem when the handle of the single lever faucet is moved to the water off position. 8. The faucet of claim 1 further comprising a hot water by-pass valve in fluid communication with a hot water inlet wherein the hot water by-pass includes a by-pass valve, and a by-pass valve actuator operatively connected to the handle and to the hot water by-pass to orient the by-pass valve between an open and a closed position when the handle is positioned to a hot water only position. 9. The faucet of claim 8 further comprising a thermostatic valve disposed between the by-pass valve and the hot water inlet wherein the thermostatic valve operates after the hot water by-pass is engaged by the handle, the thermostatic valve moving between an open position when the water is cold and a closed position when the water is hot. 10. The faucet of claim 1 further comprising an open flow water resistance mechanism having a return pin protruding from a pin housing attached to the actuator member and engageable by the handle actuator when a force is applied to the handle of the single lever faucet that exceeds the force required to move the handle from the neutral position to a predefined water on position of the cam mechanism. 11. A method of controlling the flow of water from a single lever faucet, the method comprising: coupling a water flow control assembly between a handle of a single lever faucet and a valve assembly of the single lever faucet wherein the water flow control assembly (1) engages a valve stem of the valve assembly and the handle of the single lever faucet, (2) is adapted to automatically select a predefined valve stem position that is directly related to a predefined water flow when moving the handle from a neutral position to a water on position, and (3) is configured to (i) automatically return the handle to the handle neutral position with the water flowing after engagement by the user to the water on position followed by release of the handle by the user, (ii) automatically return the handle to the handle neutral position with no water flowing after engagement by the user to the water off position followed by release of the handle by the user, and (iii) automatically return the handle to the handle neutral position with some water flowing after engagement of the handle by the user to a position less than fully off, followed by release of the handle by the user; andmoving the handle from a neutral position to a water on position. 12. The method of claim 11 further comprising selecting the water flow control assembly that has a biasing member providing biasing resistance to the handle to return the handle to the neutral position from the water on position or the water off position. 13. The method of claim 12 further comprising selecting the water flow control assembly that has a cam mechanism selected from the group consisting of a ratchet assembly, a Geneva mechanism, a lead screw, a ball screw, a freewheel mechanism, a one-way friction clutch, a geared arrangement, a plate cam, a cylindrical cam, a face cam, a linear cam, and a linear pin wherein the cam mechanism provides the automatic selection of the predefined valve stem position that is directly related to a predefined water flow. 14. A method of controlling the use of water from a faucet, the method comprising: providing an indexing system in a single lever faucet to control water flow from the single lever faucet wherein the indexing system includes (1) providing a predefined flow rate when the single lever faucet is moved from a closed flow position to a full open position, the predefined flow rate being less than a flow rate of a full open position for a single lever faucet without an indexing system, and (2) providing a predefined increase in flow rate with each subsequent movement of the single lever of the faucet from the closed position to the full open position where the number of subsequent movements of the lever is predefined by the indexing system, each subsequent movement being available so long as the lever of the single lever faucet is not engaged to stop the flow of water from the single lever faucet, wherein the lever automatically returns to a lever neutral position from a water on position with the water flowing followed by release of the lever by the user, wherein the lever automatically returns to the lever neutral position from a water off position with no water flowing followed by release of the lever by the user, and wherein the lever automatically returns to the lever neutral position from a position less than fully off followed by release of the handle by the user. 15. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of providing a predefined flow rate includes coupling a water flow control assembly between the lever of the single lever faucet and a valve assembly of the single lever faucet wherein the water flow control assembly engages a valve stem of the valve assembly and the handle of the single lever faucet. 16. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of providing an indexing system includes selecting a predefined valve stem position that is directly related to a predefined water flow when moving the lever from a neutral position to a water on position. 17. The method of claim 16 further comprising selecting a water flow control assembly that selects a water flow position based on a cam mechanism selected from the group consisting of a ratchet assembly, a Geneva mechanism, a lead screw, a ball screw, a freewheel mechanism, a one-way friction clutch, a geared arrangement, a plate cam, a cylindrical cam, a face cam, a linear cam, and a linear pin wherein the cam mechanism provides the automatic selection of the predefined valve stem position that is directly related to a predefined water flow. 18. The method of claim 14 further comprising selecting a single lever faucet having a hot water by-pass valve in fluid communication with a hot water inlet wherein the hot water by-pass includes a by-pass valve, and a by-pass valve actuator operatively connected to the handle and to the hot water by-pass to orient the by-pass valve between an open and a closed position when the handle is positioned to a hot water only position. 19. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of selecting a single lever faucet with a hot water by-pass valve includes selecting a single lever faucet with a thermostatic valve disposed between the by-pass valve and the hot water inlet wherein the thermostatic valve operates after the hot water by-pass is engaged by the handle, the thermostatic valve moving between an open position when the water is cold and a closed position when the water is hot.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (19)
Lenart, Robert A.; Loschelder, Todd C., ADA metering faucet mechanism.
Hart Thomas G. (Piscataway NJ) Ohaus Karl G. (Chatham NJ) Nickerson Earl W. (Ocean City NJ) Meisner David J. (Monmouth Beach NJ), Self-closing valve for sanitary installations.
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